Whitman-Hanson Express

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De-regionalization feasibility panel OK’d

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HANSON — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, July 7 voted to form a De-Regionalization Feasibility Committee.

“People have been talking about it and it’s something we at least have to explore,” Selectmen Chairman Kenny Mitchell said about his decision to place the issue on the meeting agenda. He argued the board should decide how many and what type of members they should name to any committee.

Mitchell advocated at least one selectman and a member of the Finance Committee and three residents at-large be named to the committee.

“Don’t make it big and cumbersome,” Selectman Wes Blauss said, favoring a five-member committee. “Keep it as streamlined as possible.”

Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett suggested the committee title — it was originally referred to as the De-Regionalization Committee.

“I think, if you name it a de-regionalization committee, it seems as though it’s a foregone conclusion that we’re going to de-regionalize instead of that you’re going to look at the feasibility of de-regionalization,” she said. “We are not advocating for de-regionalization, we are looking into the feasibility. Just to be clear.”

Mitchell said naming the committee was one of the discussion topics he had in mind.

FitzGerald-Kemmett agreed with a five-member committee.

“Keep it lean and mean,” she said.

Selectman Jim Hickey volunteered to represent the board, and he Finance Committee will be asked to name a member. The vacancies for the at-large seats will be posted on the town website (hanson-ma.gov) for those interested to use in applying.

Indicating that she is aware of several people interested in serving, and acknowledging that other selectmen no doubt do as well, FitzGerald-Kemmett asked about the appointment process. Mitchell suggested a date be set next month for the board to review applications they receive in the intervening weeks — as is the normal practice for filling vacancies on appointed boards and commissions. Town Administrator John Stanbrook will meet with applicants first.

Hickey suggested it could take two-to-three months for any kind of report to come back to selectmen. He has already spoken to officials in Pembroke, which pulled out of the Silver Lake Regional School District, and is waiting to talk to the Finance Committee.

Mitchell suggested a cutoff date of Aug. 4 for applications with the aim that the board would make appointments on Aug. 11.

“I don’t want to make up figures,” he said. “We know what [the W-H region] is going to cost this year, but what’s it going to cost next year? What’s it going to cost in year three? By the time we get to year five is it so much money to Hanson that we don’t have a choice?”

FitzGerald-Kemmett said that, in addition to financial considerations, the committee will need help from Town Counsel Kate Feodoroff about the legal ramifications of disbanding.

“Two to three months is ambitious, but go for it,” she said of the work Hickey envisions ahead.

Selectman Matt Dyer suggested giving the committee until the spring 2021 Town Meeting to present a report and wondered if a School Committee member should also be appointed. FitzGerald-Kemmett suggested a resident active in the schools, but not a member of the School Committee should be appointed.

In other business, the town received a letter from a national lawsuit against Purdue Pharmaceutical’s bankruptcy case relating to the opioid epidemic. Hanson is included in the class-action suit and were required to opt out if Selectmen don’t want the town included by July 15. Hanson could receive more than $6 million, but only a small amount of claims in the $2 trillion would likely be received by the town. No action was required to stay in the lawsuit that would cost noting to stay in.

Cannabis firm gets manufacturing OK

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HANSON — The company opening a marijuana grow facility in town will be conducting another community outreach meeting on their new manufacturing component. The virtual meeting will be heavily promoted on local media beforehand, according to co-owner Ralph Greenberg.

During the Tuesday, July 7 Board of Selectmen meeting, members also addressed the Town Meeting warrant articles, including one to approve the amended W-H Regional School Agreement. They unanimously voted to include the article on the warrant as a placeholder, with the aim of including it as an open-ended discussion that could include a change in School Committee membership to five from each town.

Selectmen will discuss the article again at its Tuesday, July 21 meeting.

The Board of Selectmen on June 30, had voted to conduct a review of an amendment the host community agreement (HCA) with Impressed LLC to include a manufacturing license at 15 Commercial Way for its meeting this week. The board voted to make that approval July 7.

The Cannabis Control Commission has issued guidance about virtual meetings to allow applicants to discuss plans with the community, according to Town Counsel Kate Feodoroff. Accommodation must be made for hearing-impaired viewers and a process must be available for residents to ask questions during the meeting. Only one meeting is required and is planned in about a month.

“Their contention is it will make the business more profitable and, therefore, sustainable — the benefit to the town being that the community impact payment will increase based on their profitability,” Feodoroff said June 30 of the request by co-owners Ali and Ralph Greenberg. Profitability is based on gross sales.

Selectmen had asked the applicants to attend the meeting. While not the technical review that would take place in the permitting process, Feodoroff said Selectmen were seeking information on the general impact to the town. She prepared an amendment to the HCA in case the Selectmen wished to go that route.

Based on her work in other towns, Feodorff said cultivation and manufacturing, which are both passive uses, tend to go hand-in-hand.

Ralph Greenberg said that some of the waste would be used in the manufacturing process, reducing the amount to be disposed of.

“Candidly, the increased revenue — not only for the company, but for the town — is going to be really cool,” he said.

Selectmen Chairman Kenny Mitchell asked how long it would take to get the manufacturing license, which Ralph Greenberg estimated would take as long as the cultivation license has taken. He hopes to have that process concluded by the end of the year.

Feodoroff said the company’s engineers have their plans ready for submission to the Conservation Commission as part of a plan to square off the building.

Ali Greenberg said no equipment could be installed until after local approval and CCC licensing.

Ralph Greenberg said that, with the new cultivation process, the company will be “increasing [the] economic structure by at least 20 percent.” What had been estimated at a $10 million company could see profits of $12 to $15 million business model with a manufacturing component adding an additional 10 percent.

He said a 3 percent impact payment could be $450,000 to the town, with the first payment to the town by the summer of 2021 if not before.

The amendment could take four to five months to move through the process for local approval. The CCC can’t give final approval until all the local approvals are received.

Additional public meetings will be held on the request for a license change.

“We’ll have to do the same process again,” said Ali Greenberg. “We’ll have to do the community outreach, we’ll have to send out the notices, and, usually, with the approval from the town, we can get that done within the month.”

That process would take a few months. Feoodoroff said the CCC has offered guidance for remote community outreach meetings, allowing them to be conducted remotely. That option requires approval from selectmen and the ADA accommodation of closed captioning. The board could not vote on an outreach meeting June 30, because that aspect of the discussion was not posted.

All zoning and conservation approvals would also require public hearings.

Ralph Greenberg also responded to a question from Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett about a new extraction process prevent waste water from manufacuring process from infringing on nearby wetlands.

He said it involves “heat and pressure and ice and water,” where a lot of manufacturers use ethanol or other chemicals.

“[Chemicals] was never our business model,” he said. “Everything is going to be as organic as possible, based on CCC requirements.”

They said other businesses don’t use the technique because it dilutes the profits.

“The concern for manufacturing is almost erased with our approach,” Ali Greenberg said.

Regional Agreement Amendment

In opening the July 7 discussion on the warrant article, Mitchell said he personally was not intending to tell other selectmen how to think or how to vote.

“Is this the best solution that we wanted? No,” he said. “There were several roadblocks getting here. We didn’t like how we got here, but … this is the best possible deal that we can get right now.”

Selectman Jim Hickey initially said he would not second any motion, but later argued for placing the article for further discussion.

“I’ve stated from the beginning that I was against this,” Hickey said. “I know it is what it is, but I can’t second this motion.”

Hickey said he disagreed with the whole idea that the board would go along with an issue on which the School Committee was split 6 to 4 in Whitman’s favor.

“This is probably one of the most difficult articles that I’ve seen, at least in the three-some odd years that I’ve been on this board,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “I don’t like where we’re at.”

She said what could have begun as an “organic conversation” about how both towns discovered the assessment errors and each felt ripped off, and should have led to a more open dialog, became a different conversation.

“If it were a one-time agreement and we were able to go back to the table and talk about a long-term agreement, I probably would be more inclined … but there are some fundamental pieces missing to this that I think are critical to a partnership — which is an open dialog, a conversation of mutual respect and acknowledgement of what this means to each side,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

At the same time, FitzGerald-Kemmett reminded the board that three members of Whitman’s Board of Selectmen are also taking a risk in their efforts to find an amicable solution, too.

“There have been partners in Whitman that have stuck their neck out on this,” she said. “I want to acknowledge people on the School Committee as well, who have tried to be good partners. … Don’t we deserve to be able to have a conversation about that and see it all the way through?”

She acknowledged that her comments did not make it clear where she stands, because she feels incredibly conflicted on the issue.

Mitchell said if the warrant article, seeking $500,000 from Hanson, fails at either town meeting, Hanson could be facing a bill for the $10.9 million it would be responsible for with an immediate shift to the statutory agreement with no compromise period.

Selectman Matt Dyer also indicated he could not offer a second to the motion because, while it is financially the most responsible thing to do, he felt it was not responsible to move the article when the public has had no opportunity to give their opinion on the issue.

He said he was open to a 50/50 agreement for this year while the towns negotiated but has felt he has been unheard.

Mitchell countered that the kind of discussion Dyer spoke of is what Town Meeting is for.

“I have no faith that Whitman is going to approve this amendment, either,” said Selectman Wes Blauss.

Hickey said, while he is opposed, the board has an obligation to let the people decide.

“If we don’t vote to put this on the warrant, nobody gets to talk about it,” Hickey said. “I think we have the obligation to the people of Hanson to make sure that it gets placed so that they can talk about it.”

Sail into a Pilgrim mystery

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Who is digging up the Pilgrims and why?

A new mystery novel asks that question through an historical “what-if” and a fictional grave-robbing case, as readers of author Rick Pontz’s “103 Pilgrims,” discover how decisions of our ancestors affect our lives today.

So far, real life is affecting the art.

Plymouth’s quadricentennial celebration has been pushed to 2021, but the book, published to coincide with the 400th birthday has gone forward according to plan.

He said for visitors to the area, the book [$17.95, paperback, Hugo House Publishers, Austin, Texas] takes people around the town. Characters “dine” at real local restaurants or tourist things like whale watch boats and ferries. He promises his second novel will be using same kind of interactive scene referencing as Plymouth has delayed almost all the 400th anniversary events until next year.

There is still a 400th anniversary to tie into in 2021 — that of the first Thanksgiving, as linking with the city’s history has always been Pontz’s aim.

“That was the intent,” said Pontz about his debut detective novel set — naturally — in Plymouth has been on sale in the city and the founding Pilgrim settlement in 1620 following “a rumor that there’s more than 41 signers of the Mayflower Compact — but no one knows because the original Compact doesn’t exist. Or does it.”

Enter protagonist Tony Tempesta, retired Plymouth cop and uninsured private “advisor” who looks into problems for clients seeking a “solution.”

The novel’s opening chapter set aboard the Mayflower offers the what-if scenario of a stowaway on the ship.

“I was reading about the number of people on the Mayflower and ‘I thought, boy, that would really throw a monkey wrench into everything,’” he said.

The plot posits the effect of a stowaway, if there was something different about the stowaway and why would someone want to hide the person’s existence.

“About a year and a half ago, I said, ‘If I’m going to do this, I’m going to have to get this thing published,’ because of the 400th anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrims,” he recalled. He felt the publicity surrounding the event might help him sell the book.

What he describes as a “desperate” effort to get it published was fruitless until September 2019.

“The deal I made with them was that, if they published the book, and set it up and get everything prepared, I’m a shameless self-promoter and I would go out and promote it like you wouldn’t believe,” Pontz said. “I have been doing that.”

The Cape Cod Guide has printed an article about the book and Plymouth information centers have placed rack carts with his book on it and the See Plymouth website [seeplymouth.com] offers the links for three sources where the book can be purchased, as well an article about the novel. While it is sold nationally, Pontz has done about half his promotion in the Plymouth area.

Available on amazon.com since Feb. 11, the coronavirus interrupted plans for book signings set up in Plymouth, beginning in May, including an event that was to coincide with a wine tasting at the Plymouth Bay Winery. He is working on setting up some virtual author talk events, but has not done any yet because of the way the coronavirus caught everyone off guard.

Born in Holyoke, and a former Plymouth resident for 25 years after his family had moved to Michigan when he was about 6 years old, Pontz said many people he knew there hail from families who have lived there for five to seven generations. He attended Northeastern University before moving to Plymouth. His grown children still live in the Plymouth area.

“Therefore, I was considered a newbie,” he said in a recent YouTube interview for his publisher. “During the time I lived there, I heard all types of stories about people’s families, the history of the area, some of the nuances, some of the mysteries, some things that were said to be true but were never really written down.”

The novel, 12 years in the writing, Pontz began writing down things that reminded him of the area and stories about Plymouth that people told him over the years.

“I realized they didn’t make much sense even after I put them together, so I tried to rewrite them,” Pontz said in the YouTube interview. He began to recognize that he “wasn’t a very good writer.”

He decided some creative writing courses were in order. Classes through Arizona State University and online programs near his Phoenix home — and reading other authors — put him on the path to finding his process.

When he is ready to write, Pontz said, he has a beginning in mind  and knows how it is going to end.

“The stuff in between is the interesting part to me,” he said. “When I read [novels], I see the beginning and I always wonder what’s going to happen next.”

Just as reading a good book can keep you awake, reading late at night, Pontz said writing one has the same effect. It often leads to rewrites.

“The book was written at least three times from beginning to end, and then I began rewriting again after I went back to school,”
he said. He is in writing classes again during the process of writing his follow-up novel.

Also set in Plymouth, it is titled “Blood on the Rock.”

“I’m actually trying to rewrite the book a little bit to include the ‘failed’ celebration, how hard that they worked to make it happen,” he said, noting that Hanson’s 200th anniversary year has also been impacted. “The whole area’s been working on it.”

Plymouth held its first planning meeting for the quadricentennial 11 years ago, and started “pumping money into it” — $40 million worth — six years ago.

Hanson explores hearing options

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HANSON — Town officials are looking into options for going ahead with public hearings delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Town Counsel Kate Feodoroff said she has received several calls from the Zoning Board of Appeals as well as various other boards and commissions about the public hearings that have been delayed. Hanson is further hampered by its technology limitations, as virtual meetings must allow for public participation — not just listening in or watching from home.

“They have to, in real time, be able to ask questions and voice their concerns and positions,” Feodoroff said.

As a result, Hanson’s list of delayed public hearings is long, Feodoroff said, with some of them some near to a conclusion. One was already decided, but a public session was required to ratify the written conclusion.

She raised the issue with Hanson Health Agent Gil Amado and emailed the state Department of Public Health, which said they viewed the meetings as not an essential service, and still governed by the state’s 10-person limit for public gatherings. Gov. Charlie Baker’s most recent order did not address public hearings by municipalities, instead covering the legislative process — town meetings — Feodoroff said.

Regular Board of Selectmen meetings are considered executive board meetings and do not come under the order permitting in-person meetings unless it is an emergency.

Her email to the DPH epidemiologist argued the hearings were an essential service, which is interfering with other critical services such as construction and development.

The DPH deferred to Amado as the local health agent.

After discussing the issue with Amado and Town Administrator John Stanbrook to develop two options: hold hearings outside or at a school.

Outside meetings held at night raise problems from mosquitos, heat and other weather conditions and adequate lighting.

Amado said he would contact WHRSD Facilities Director Ernest Sandland about the possibility of using the Hanson Middle School to ensure social distancing of hearing participants.

Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said she was “mystified” be the problem as Planner Deb Pettey had applied for a Zoom account that provides functionality to display documents on the screen.

“Planning just had a meeting last week using it,” FitzGerald-Kemmett. “It may be that people do not know how to use it … I understand there is a learning curve.”

She said she was also concerned about whether using the school facilities would incur COVID-related cleaning costs after the hearings.

“I like this plan, I just think that there’s another option, and it should be fully explored before incurring any costs to have meetings at the schools,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

Feodoroff said the Zoom purchase was news to her and that she has worked meetings that way, saying they work well. Amado had not heard about it, either.

Selectman Matt Dyer asked if the concerns Feodoroff raised about outdoor hearings applied to the town’s plan to hold its annual Town Meeting outside.

“There are actually no right answers,” she said. “I’ve been to two town meetings that were inside and, I have to say there were some hairy moments, because the town meetings are well-attended — better attended than in other years, for whatever reason.”

At one of those meetings, some people either refused to wear a mask or stay in mask-free areas, she said.

“I’m not opposed to an outdoor town meeting,” Feodoroff said. “I think it’s a better solution, although it does come with risks.”

She was discussing the matter with Town Moderator Sean Kealy

Hanson defeats Prop 2 1/2 override

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An override question failed in Hanson and some new faces will join the W-H School Committee from both communities in the wake of a municipal election day that saw incumbents rule the day in most races.

Despite a coronavirus pandemic, Hanson polls were busy all day, according to Town Clerk Elizabeth Sloan. As of about noon there had been some 500 voters walk in to cast ballots — roughly equivalent to the total number or people voting early or by absentee ballot. In Whitman, 1,067 — 10 percent — of the town’s 10,711 registered voters cast ballots.

“We are doing our best to keep everyone social distanced,” she said. “They’re doing a great job and our police officers are outstanding.”

The $800,000 Proposition 2 ½ override failed by a vote of 1,121 against to 712 in favor. Opponent Mark Vess argued there were three reasons for that result.

Vess said the override is now “dead in the water.”

“We’re in the middle of a coronavirus and people are not working,” Vess said. “Number two, this article was so unfair to the town of Hanson — completely unfair to the town of Hanson. Shame on Whitman for not getting their facts straight, because as we know, their numbers were wildly inaccurate and not following the correct legal pathway to post an article.”

Opponents of the article argue the School Committee did not have the necessary two-thirds vote to post the article in the first place.

Hanson write-in candidate Hillary Kniffen has been elected to the Whitman-Hanson School Committee with 428 votes with Deana Hill also received 49 votes.

“While it was a sad day for the students of Whitman-Hanson, I am excited to have the opportunity to be a part of brighter days ahead as a member of the Whitman- Hanson Regional School Committee,” she said, noting that failure of the override question.

In Whitman, School Committee incumbent Steven Bois was re-elected with 585 votes, while W-H graduate David Forth Jr. edged out incumbent Alexandria Taylor by 19 votes — 465 to 446. Candidate Randy Hill garnered 376 votes.

Hanson Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett was the top vote-getter with 1,365 votes to 1,116 for fellow incumbent Jim Hickey and 749 for challenger Paul Benenato.

“I’d like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who voted,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “I’m extremely grateful that I earned your vote to serve on the Hanson Board of Selectmen for the next three years.”

She noted that, in the past year, our Board was faced with the sudden departure of our Town Administrator, COVID19 and the WHRSD assessment issue.

“It’s clear that our primary focus must be on resolving the school funding issue,” she said. “With school set to reopen in September, whether in-person or virtually, we have a lot of work to do in a very short period of time.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett said  the ongoing assessment issue with Whitman has created a divide that will be difficult to bridge. In addition, they must now contend with the costs for complying with the recent school reopening guidance issued by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the projected cuts to Chapter 70 money of 20 percent.

“But, this issue is not Hanson’s problem alone to solve nor is it the Hanson Board of Selectmen’s problem alone to solve,” she added. “Instead, solving this issue will require that the community of Hanson to work together to seek solutions. It will also require that Whitman, Whitman Hanson Regional School District, the Whitman Hanson Regional School Committee and Hanson all continue to work together towards an equitable compromise that will help heal the deep divide between Whitman and Hanson and ensure that our partnership is preserved with minimal collateral damage.”

Hickey also alluded to the work ahead.

“I have unfinished business,” Hickey said of his run as he held signs outside the polling place at Hanson Middle School. “I want to thank the people of Hanson for giving me the opportunity to serve three more years.”

In Whitman, Selectman Randy LaMattina was the top vote-getter on the board, with 736 votes. Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski garnered 591 and Finance Committee member Rosemary Connolly received 526 votes in her quest for a seat on the Select Board.

“It was an interesting day,” Kowalski said. “I’m thankful to be elected and happy for the people that voted for me.”

Kowalski said he was also happy to see LaMattina re-elected, as well as new people becoming involved in town politics.

“He’s proven to be a very hard-working and thoughtful selectman,” Kowalski said of LaMattina.

“I would like to thank the voters of Whitman for giving me the opportunity to serve three more years on the Board of Selectman,” LaMattina said.  “I am humbled by the overwhelming support I received this election.  Undoubtedly, it shows running a clean campaign pays off in the end.”

Kowalski said he was disappointed that the Hanson override failed, and expressed hope that Whitman’s Town Meeting July 27 voters take the advice of Selectmen and vote for the school budget, with the hope something similar happens in Hanson.

Also spending time at the polls for visibility ahead of their Sept. 1 primary election were state Sen. Mike Brady, D-Brockton, and his challenger Moises Rodrigues.

“The most important thing is to be involved,” said Rodrigues, a former Brockton City Councilor who served as interim mayor after the death of Bill Carpenter. “Sitting around, doing nothing in hopes that something will miraculously happen isn’t working. We feel it’s time to do better in terms of getting more bang for the buck from Beacon Hill.”

Brady said he wanted to thank his supporters and remind them that the Sept. 1 primary is two months away.

“A lot of people didn’t even know I had an opponent this year,” Brady said. “I don’t take anything for granted.”

He touted legislation he is backing for mail-in voting from July 15 to mid-August, with the state paying for return postage. That is followed by early voting.

School Committee reviews 1/12 budget

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The School Committee on Monday, June 29 discussed the current budget picture under a 1/12 budget.

Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak clarified that the 6-4 vote in December was to provide him and Assistant Superintendent George Ferro with a method of assessment to bring to the communities in February.

The schools began working within a 1/12 budget on Wednesday, July 1 — using fiscal ’21 cherry sheet numbers — puts the operating budget for Hanson, under the state-required statutory method, at $11,397,219.16 and for Whitman, it would be $14,259,517.84.

The Hanson’s overall assessment under a 1/12 budget, with $350,000 in excess and deficiency and another $700,000 in circuit breaker money, would be $11,156,979.16 and Whitman’s would be $13,899,757.84.

Using fiscal 2020 numbers, with no E&D funds, overall assessment under a 1/12 budget would be $11,374,413.46 and Whitman’s would be $14,392,243.54. If the commissioner allows the district to use E&D, circuit breaker and cherry sheet funds, Hanson’s would be $11,134,173.46 and Whitman’s would be $14,032,483.54.

The fiscal ’21 budget sent to the communities was $55,320,238 and the compromise assessment was $11,745,020.21 for Hanson and $16,206,216.79 — using E&D and circuit breaker funds.

Szymaniak still wants to use those numbers at town meetings.

“It was a non-binding vote,” Szymaniak said of the 6-4 vote. “The only binding vote can be a two-thirds majority of the … School Committee on the vote and the assessment methodology.”

He stressed that the 9-1 vote was not statutory and was not an agreement, it was an amendment to the agreement put forth in May to both communities for the fiscal 2021 budget. Both communities, in turn, have to approve the method of assessment at both town meetings.

Szymaniak said Christine Lynch of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) told him there was nothing illegal about that vote.

“It’s challenging to explain that,” he said. “But the only way a budget comes out of committee is two-thirds majority. This committee voted a two-thirds majority [for] the compromise, which was a combination of statutory and agreement, and you voted a budget. It was 9-1.”

Lynch confirmed that the committee did nothing wrong. Only 10 regional districts in the state are now using the agreement methods with DESE now requiring boards of selectmen to sign off on it when their towns approve it.

Given financial storm clouds they see on the horizon, committee members did not favor taking any more money out of excess and deficiency — which is needed for emergency expenses.

Business Manager John Tuffy said the commissioner of education will set a budget that represents an expenditure limit. It doesn’t tell what the funds can be spent on — just the total amount that can be spent based on the current fiscal 2020 budget.

Payroll adjustments will be needed because of the cost of salaries that won’t be met by the 1/12 budget, Szymaniak said. The law requires that, without a budget, all non-professional status teachers had to be sent a reduction in force letter until a budget is approved. The district sent out 117 RIF letters.

“We never said we were reducing 117 teachers,” said Committee Chairman Bob Hayes. “Hear me clearly, we never said that. We said we were reducing in force roughly 40 teachers and staff.”

“This wasn’t a bluff,” Szymaniak said. “That’s not a tactic I’m going to use.”

The disctrict has also been reduced in bond rating from a AA to AA- based on the low level of cash in excess and deficiency.

Szymaniak began his report to the committee by commenting on “vile” remarks about and photos of him posted on social media over the weekend.

“It’s First Amendment rights and I’m not going to tell people to not express themselves,” he said. “But I really wanted to thank the members of both communities who emailed me and Facebook messaged me [as] a show of support in the values and ethics that I put forward and the commitment that I have for the kids of both of these communities.”

Re-opening plans

The district is being asked by the state to formulate multiple re-opening plans — fully remote, a hybrid plan, full day with restrictions and home school. [See page 2].

The first day of school has been pushed back to Sept. 8 with teachers given a start date of Aug. 27 and 28 and three professional development days Sept. 1 to 3. Snow days will be used as remote learning days.

“Parent still aren’t sure of the difference between remote school and home school,” Szymaniak said.

To home school children, parents must submit a letter to the district asking permission to do so along with the curriculum they plan to use, while remote learning is the school’s teacher-driven distance learning program used this spring. Home-schooled children do not receive any school services.

Hybrid programs could, for example, bring students into school one week and teach remotely at home the next.

“It’s kind of nightmarish because we don’t know how many of our teachers are going to feel comfortable coming back to school to teach during COVID-19,” he said. “We don’t know how many students are going to be sent to school by their parents during this pandemic.”

Parents and teachers have been asked to complete a survey to glean that information. All plans must be submitted to DESE by mid-July.

Szymaniak said transportation arrangements are not yet decided.

“We don’t know how many of our staff are going to be returning,” he said. The prospect of laying off about two dozen teachers in the worst budget scenario “really challenges us.”

Measuring distances in actual classrooms, Szymaniak said it appears about 20 students can be fit into a high school classroom, but they have not yet done the elementary school. Class size — to be determined by the budget — will have an effect on that.

“We may not have enough staff,” he said. The district expected to hear the 1/12 budget number by June 30. A $250 per student stipend to cover PPE costs is also being worked on by the state. State Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Pembroke, is also working on funding of between $250,000 and $300,000 to beef up technology for remote learning.

Parents were asked to please return the survey to help make determinations on how the plans will be designed.

Szymaniak said the district is slowly working toward opening summer programs, but building use programs will not be allowed at the high school — except for district-run camps.

New faces

The W-H Regional School Committee welcomed its newest members, 19-year-old David Forth Jr., of Whitman, and Hillary Kniffen of Hanson — and congratulated returning incumbent member Steve Bois during the reorganizational meeting.

Szymaniak, presiding until a chairman was elected, also thanked Whitman’s Alexandria Taylor for her six years of service and Hanson’s Robert O’Brien Jr., for his nine years of work on the committee. Taylor was narrowly defeated in the Saturday, June 27 town elections and O’Brien opted not to seek re-election.

“It’s not an easy task, as those who have been here for many years know, but it is rewarding and you are here for the students,” Hayes said in his welcoming remarks to Kniffen and Forth.

“It’s great to see new faces on the committee,” Szymaniak said. “This is a great team to be on.”

Socially distant graduation

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MARSHFIELD — As the Class of 2020 turned their mortarboard tassels from one side to the other, confetti poppers shot colorful paper bits in the air, families cheered and car horns honked — South Shore Tech community celebrated graduation.

Family cars, vans and pickup trucks were lined up in front of staging at the Marshfield Fairgrounds on Saturday, June 17, a change in venue required by the challenges of dealing with coronavirus.

That challenge was also brought to mind by Student Body President and Valedictorian Emily Ingraham of Whitman, who began her remarks by asking for a moment of silence to honor those lost to COVID-19 and to honor those on the front lines fighting the virus.

Ingram spoke of looking forward to the highlights of senior year.

“Then the world fell apart, and I truly thought this day would never come,” she said.

Craig Davis’ history class, in which students learned to disagree on issues with those who disagree.

“We made each other think and listened to each other’s opinions, which made us want to gain more knowledge on so many different topics,” she said “No two humans process or experience life in the same way, and we each have our own unique stories, passions, and opinions, and in freshman year, we learned how to express ourselves and grew from letting others express themselves through their stories, passions and opinions.”

But a bigger lesson was in the offing.

“We are graduating in the middle of a global pandemic, and with that we lost out on the best part of high school — the end of our senior year,” Ingram said. “And while we won’t be going to a senior prom, we have the tools and lessons on how to be successful from here.”

Hard work showed the Class of 2020 what it takes to persevere, she said.

School administrators also had to persevere to arrange for the day’s ceremony.

“You won’t know the number of hours, and phone calls, and meetings he had to do to put this event together, but a lot of this is directly due to him,” Principal Mark Aubrey said in introducing Superintendent-Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey for his remarks.

“If you enjoy this event, you’re welcome,” Hickey joked after a chorus of car horns. “Any complaints, see Mr. Aubrey.”

Hickey thanked officials at the fairgrounds and Marshfield town government for the assistance they provided in planning the event.

“We wanted to give you an event you would remember after such an eventful end to your senior year,” Hickey said. “It is wonderful today to be together in the same time and place after spending so much time apart.”

He noted that this year more than any other in recent memory, parents have been our partners in educating their children, right up to the very end of high school. Prior to the pandemic, Hickey said most in the school community would have thought that the most significant ‘adjustment story’ to mark this school year was when the football team was down 30-0 at halftime, and came back to win 42-36 in double overtime.

Hickey also described how the Drama Club, after the spring performance of “Clue” was canceled due to the COVID-19 shutdown, worked with advisers to perform the play on Facebook live.

“These qualities, developed at home and strengthened in your school community should grow as you enter adulthood,” he said. “Keep developing the habits of mind that the world needs: Be supportive, resilient, flexible, and focused. … I want to thank all of you for being resilient, sticking together, and supporting one another. Class of 2020, you are a graduating community for the ages.”

Senior Class President Ryan Mahoney spoke of knowing she wanted to attend SST since she was in the sixth-grade, when she looked forward to learning cosmetology. She graduated, however, as a CNA heading for nursing school.

“I’m sure many can relate when I say that we definitely didn’t have our lives as figured out as we thought we did back in eighth grade,” Mahoney said. “This place and these teachers have opened our minds and allowed us to dig a little deeper into ourselves to find who we are and who we are supposed to become. And for those of you who aren’t there yet, and who are still figuring out what your next chapter will look like, I hope that being a Viking has brought you that much closer to your greatness.”

School budget on to TM votes

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Whitman Selectmen are standing firm on their budget proposal headed for Town Meeting, including the budget that supports education.

Hanson Selectmen, meanwhile discussed the Regional Agreement amendment on the issue with Town Counsel Kate Feodoroff.

“I’m comfortable that you get the savings in the first year, and that’s the real benefit,” Feodoroff said.

Both boards met virtually on Tuesday, June 30.

“The budget is built on the assumption that we meet in the middle, in a transition from the current [school] budget method … to the statutory method, which is what most communities in Massachusetts that are regional are using,” said Town Administrator Frank Lynam. “Hopefully, we’ll see support for that when we go to our Town Meeting on July 27.”

Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski agreed.

“It’s the only real way for us to help the schools to transition from this year to next year,” Kowalski said. “The best thing to do for the students of our system, and for our system itself, is to go with the Selectmen’s recommendation and not the Finance Committee’s recommendation on the school budget.”

Selectman Randy LaMattina, who worked on the panel of officials from both towns that drafted the compromise, said that while there may be a better financial path, there is not a better path toward supporting education and the school district.

“It’s a two-part piece — one will not work without the other,” LaMattina said. “You can’t say you support the budget and not the amendment.”

He said town officials are aware Hanson will “struggle to get there” and if the relationship is going to be preserved both towns are needed.

“It’s sink or swim together and are we going to make it work?” LaMattina said. “For the budget to work this year, we need to offer Hanson some help of what basically and ultimately comes down to $211,000.”

Selectman Dan Salvucci asked if Hanson helped Whitman the previous year when they had to take $840,000 out of stabilization to offset the budget.

“Sometimes you do the wrong thing for the right reason,” LaMattina said, but stressed the 50/50 compromise is the best deal Hanson is going to get.

Lynam said the Finance Committee can, at Town Meeting, recommend a budget less than what the School Committee is requesting, but all that does is reject the budget.

“It has no other action,” Lynam said.

The School Committee’s budget must be presented to Town Meeting. But if Hanson’s budget does not support the assessment, the budget itself is rejected and the district can’t use Whitman’s appropriation until a budget is established, according to Lynam.

If Whitman passes a school budget that Hanson does not, there is no minimum time limit for the School Committee to approve another assessment.

Kowalski also reported that the way a recent paid posting of an ad in the Express by the Whitman Finance Committee, according to town counsel, was not in violation of either an ethical or campaign finance standpoint. Selectmen also have no authority over the Finance Committee, which is appointed by the Town Moderator.

A Juneteenth call for unity

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HANSON — The Black Lives Matter movement, having moved from cities to the suburbs and rural communities in recent weeks, arrived in Hanson in time to coincide with Juneteenth last week.

About 100 residents, wearing protective masks and distanced six feet apart, gathered on the Hanson Town Hall Green Friday, June 19 to protest racism and call for change.

“We have faced name-calling … been told [after a cheering competition] to go back to where I came from,” said longtime resident Cheryl Nolan. “This is my home, and I will fight for it to continue to be my home and I’d like to thank all of you who are here today — it saddens me that there are not more — for coming out and standing up for what’s right. Racism is wrong.”

While no specific event in town spurred the rally, DiMascio and Dias said recent national events such as the killing of George Floyd and resulting protests across the country inspired the event — which coincidentally fell on Juneteenth after an organizational delay.

Juneteenth is a traditional African-American commemoration of June 19, 1865 when the last slaves in Galveston, Texas were told of their emancipation after the Civil War ended.

“[We] got together to talk about having something in Hanson and thought it would be a great idea to bring something like this to Hanson,” Marianne DiMascio said of a conversation with Recreation Committee member Juvelyn Hartwig and Health Board Chairman Arlene Dias.

“But I grew up here, I went to high school here and, when that happened with [Floyd], it triggered memories of things that I hadn’t thought about in years that happened,” Dias said. “I believe there are subtle things that happened — people aren’t blatantly racist, but it’s still here and people need to be aware of the fact that it’s not OK. But it’s one of those things, in a small town, you don’t talk about it.”

Hartweg, who was not able to attend, wrote of similar experiences her children have had in a speech on the importance of allyship, read by Becca LeValle, also of Hanson.

“I’m so grateful that many of you are willing to stand for me, maybe with me or by me,” Hartweg, a woman of color who has biracial children, wrote. “But we also recognize that not everyone’s experience has been the same, or even pleasant, at times.”

Hartweg asked the crowd to think about unconscious biases or behaviors, that can often be second-nature. She wrote about a black contractor doing business in her neighborhood who was greeted with suspicion, as well as a time when her son was given the nickname “chimp” while in the second grade. At the time, she was advised to move on and not rock the boat, when she approached school  officials.

“I’m asking you today to not move on — and to rock that damned boat,” Hartwig wrote. “Today, I ask you to be an ally.”

As Dias put it before the program, “At some point we need to to bring it out and say, ‘OK, air it to the sunshine.”

Elected officials attending included Selectmen Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett, Kenny Mitchell, Wes Blauss and Jim Hickey, as well as state Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Pembroke. Selectman Matt Dyer was unable to attend.

The program began with chants of, “No Justice, No Peace,” “Silence is Violence,” and “Black Lives Matter,” after which, Nicholas Donohue read an acknowledgement that the gathering stood on land was stolen from indigenous people through genocide and forced removal. It ended with a recitation of the names of some of the black Americans to die as a result of police violence in recent years, and a moment of silence — a process taking eight minutes and 45 seconds, the time George Floyd struggled to breathe under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer.

“We’re here today to unite against racism and for equality and justice,” DiMascio then told the crowd, noting that the Black Lives Matter movement is beginning to correct past mistakes. “It can redefine who we are as a people and it can move our communities forward.”

But the main focus was on elevating the voices of people of color in the community, while stressing that the gathering was not meant to be anti-police.

“But we want to live in a community where everyone is safe, is fully accepted, and we want to push back against any structures, policies or biases to keep that from happening,” DiMascio said of police violence seen across the country. “Our silence is unacceptable, but our collective power is unstoppable.”

Erin Slayton, a 2014 W-H graduate, now a high school English teacher, noted that she is a biracial woman of African-American and Irish heritage.

“I like to believe there are lessons in all things,” she said. “My experiences with individual racism have taken the shape of ugly words — ‘You’re not black enough,’ or ‘You talk like you’re white’ — have shape-shifted into unprompted hair-touching, racial profiling. I am both black and white, never one or another. That is intersectionality.”

Ayala Royster’s Tennessee-born grandfather was born the in 1914, himself the grandson of slaves, and raised as a share-cropper on the same plantation where his ancestors were property. The family had been unable to leave the plantation due to a lack of assets.

Her grandfather migrated to Chicago in the 1920s, where he met her grandmother. They later moved to Hobson City, Ala., the second-oldest all-black community in the United States, a community founded as a by-product of racism in an effort to keep black residents separate from the city of Oxford. Black residents of Hobson City founded their own K-12 school.

“They developed businesses and became a safe place for all black people to visit during the Jim Crow Era, while passing through the state of Alabama,” said Royster, a Hanover resident. “There is where we would learn about black success. There we were able to see that our story and contributions to America did not begin and end with slavery.”

She said celebrating Juneteenth reminds her of that slavery, despite the inventions, medical advancements, business success and military service and heroism of black Americans.

“I’m celebrating all the strange fruit that has been strung from the trees,” she said through tears. “When I celebrate Juneteenth, I’m celebrating the creation of Hobson City, the place of my birth. … I’m celebrating all of my grandfather’s dreams that he had for me.”

Hanson Police Chief Michael Miksch was among those addressing the rally attendees.

“The Hanson Police will work with you,” Miksch said, adding when he was originally asked to speak, he did not think he had anything to add, but changed his mind after speaking with Hartwig and Dias. “We want to hear you. If we’re doing something you don’t like, or you think is wrong, please tell us. If we don’t discuss it, all we’re going to have is conflict and we’re never going to solve anything.”

Like Whitman Police Chief Timothy Hanlon noted after Floyd’s death, that police in Massachusetts are not trained in the techniques that were used in Minneapolis.

“I have yet to meet a police officer that agrees, in any way, with what happened in Minneapolis,” Miksch said. “The only way I can look at that is a lack of humanity.”

Participants marched around the town hall before holding their placards in a visibility opportunity on the sidewalk along Liberty Street.

DiMascio also announced a new community Facebook page — Hanson United Against Racism — and a Twitter page, @HansonUnited.

As with similar area rallies, there was voter information provided at he event.

Towns OK 1/12 July budgets

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Selectmen in both communities approved 1/12 budgets to continue operations until July Town Meetings can vote on fiscal 2021 municipal budgets.

The effect of the fiscal situation faced by towns, partly as a result of the economic impact of coronavirus, has proven one consideration in Hanson Selectmen’s Tuesday, June 23 decision to keep Cranberry Cove closed for the summer.

Whitman Town Administrator Frank Lynam presented a July budget request of $8,495,517 to the town’s Board of Selectmen on Tuesday. That differed from an earlier request after Plymouth County Retirement increased the town’s assessment by $2,762. Selectmen approved it unanimously.

The entire budget for this year, he noted, is $39,252,492 which will be presented to voters on July 27.

“That money is all paid on the front end in July,” Lynam said. “It will be coming from money we eventually raise, the whole process involves the collection of local receipts and levy. It may well be that we will have to take revenue anticipation notes if we don’t have sufficient cash to cover that before we receive our first tax payments, which will be in July.”

In Hanson, Town Administrator John Stanbrook said Town Accountant Todd Hassett has calculated a 1/12 budget for July of $3,663,407. Hanson Selectmen also voted unanimously on the July budget.

The July budgets must be submitted to the Department of Revenue for approval from its director of accounts.

COVID concerns

On the COVID-19 front, Lynam said his biggest concern is the ability to return to normal operations as the town awaits delivery on a temperature sensor system ordered by Fire Chief Timothy Grenno. The temperatures of all people will be assessed as they entered Town Hall.

“We have not had any issues yet,” Lynam said. “I would like to return to full staff in the Town Hall, and once we have the ability to do that, I’ll ask the board to authorize returning to full staff.”

The Treasurer/Collector’s office is already fully staffed as Whitman approaches month and year-end financial deadlines. Staff is properly physically separated in the office.

Assistant Town Administrator Lisa Green reported that she has spoken to all the Washington Street restaurant owners about Selectman Randy LaMattina’s suggestion to close the town center for outdoor dining on Saturday evenings. However, Napoli Pizza was the only business expressing any interest in the idea.

“The other business owners, although they appreciate the gesture, said at this point in time, with the resources that they would have to spend to make that happen, it really just is not feasible for them at this point,” she said.

Most eateries were focusing on bringing back staff for reopening for indoor dining.

“But they all thought it was a good idea,” she said.

LaMattina said he anticipated that reaction and urged the public to have patience with businesses as they start to reopen.

No swimming

In Hanson, meanwhile Selectmen voted to reopen town fields and parks, subject to social distancing regulations, but voted 4-1 against reopening Camp Kiwanee or Cranberry Cove for swimming this summer. Selectman Matt Dyer voted to open the Cove.

Health Board Chairman Arlene Dias said Health Agent Gil Amado had issued a letter June 2 with his recommendations after meeting with Recreation Director William Boyle.

New recommendations for coastal and inland beaches were not available until June 4.

“There’s been some talk about the Cove being an enclosed space, which it is not,” Dias said. “It safely could open with distancing following the orders that were appropriate for it.”

But three of the Selectmen were concerned about the financial impact as well as public safety concerns over opening the popular beach this summer.

“My understanding as that a lot of the discussion at the Recreation Commission meeting was really — regardless of that interpretation, which I’m not saying is not important — a fundamental question of do we feel … we are able to safely open down at the Cranberry Cove?” said Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett. Her concern was over teenage staffers being confronted by angry patrons for trying to enforce coronavirus safety regulations at the beach.

There are 10-15 people — from the same household — permitted per spot.

“Right off the bat, you’re going to have people saying they’re from the same household, where they’re actually not from the same household,” said Recreation Commission member John Zucco “And then you’ll have situations where people will be in the water … drooling in the water, spitting in the water, it’s not an ocean where the water’s coming in and out all the time, cleansing itself.”

He also foresees problems with teen lifeguards being challenged on distancing enforcement.

“This is going to go on all day,” Zucco said.

Recreation Commission Chairman Diane Cohen, meanwhile said she doubted that behavior at the Cove would be any different than it has ever been.

“Every person will be handed a copy of the regulations that are going into effect regarding social distancing,” she said. “I don’t anticipate a problem in the parking lot as well … I think the people of Hanson are mature enough and can handle it.”

She also said the pond, a spring-fed and frequently tested body of water, is not the “germ fest” Zucco’s concerns indicated.

Zucco said he restrooms will also require sign-in logs to permit contact tracing if there is an exposure from a guest at the Cove.

The bathroom would also have to be cleaned with electrostatic spraying if an exposure happened.

“You have to have proper spacing … you’ve got to eliminate touch points,” he said noting that refitting restrooms with touchless toilet flushing, sinks and hand sanitizer dispensers is expensive.

“We can open the Cove without opening the bathrooms,” Cohen countered.

Amado, however, said he has concerns about social distancing at the Cove that would argue against opening.

“I think we’re in a weird place here, where we’ve got a commission divided, we’ve got a health agent who feels it’s not in the best safety and public health concerns,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

Cohen also questioned the town’s liability for an accident if people trespass at the Cove.

Town Counsel Kate Feodoroff said that Hanson, to be cohesive, should also monitor its Cove parking lot and echoed Amado’s concerns about the bathrooms and who would monitor the proper cleaning of the facilities.

“There are always loopholes for everything,” she said of Cohen’s concern about liability. “This is a nationwide problem and some people are saying do it at your own risk … We’re the managers of our town and we have a responsibility to ensure that the system and the areas that we allow people to go to that are under our governance are sufficiently secure to protect them.”

Amado also pointed out that the nearby Rainbow Camp — which has operated for about 40 to 50 years — has closed for this summer for the first time.

“I will note Whitman made the very tough decision not to open up their town pool,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “That’s like an institution in Whitman.”

Other beach areas in Pembroke are open, Cohen argued.

Hanson Selectmen were also divided on the issue of opening the Cove.

“My personal thought is, I think we can open it,” said Selectman Matt Dyer, who has spoken with Recreation Commission members about it. “They have a plan in place. Last time that they were here, they didn’t have a plan.”

He argued that, since the board’s mantra for the past four months has been to follow the governor.

“The governor has opened up DCR parks, ponds, and swimming areas,” he said. “Camp Kiwanee is a cooling center, it’s a public health thing where heat waves kill more people than any other natural disaster, so I think we need to make sure we open this up so we have a relief area.”

Selectman Kenny Mitchell said he was fine with opening the Cove so long as social distancing was observed, but he is worried about the financial impact.

Selectman Jim Hickey opposed opening.

“In no scenario does the Cove make money,” he said. “My real concern is that COVID-19 could spread from Cranberry Cove being open.”

Selectman Wes Blauss agreed on the fiscal concerns, but also expressed dismay that a Recreation Commission member told a friend of his that the Board of Selectmen is “out to get” the Recreation Commission.

“That is so not true,” he said. “We’re trying to look out for the best interests of the town and whether we split our vote, like the Recreation Commission just has … the parking lot is as big a problem as the beach … you’re going to need the lifeguards, then we’re going to need someone whose basically washing down the bathroom after every use. It just goes on and on.”

Cohen said she understood the challenges facing the town and applauded Selectmen’s diligence in trying to make the right decision.

“I thank you for listening,” she said.