WHITMAN — The Board of Selectmen are holding a day-long strategic planning workshop on Saturday, Oct. 23 and are seeking selected members of the public to participate in or observe sessions.

Five members of the public will be selected from those expressing interest to Town Administrator Lincoln Heineman to participate in the morning session articulating the town’s mission and the general public is welcome and encouraged to attend and observe that and an afternoon discussion session.

“I just want to make sure the right people are in the room there, who the board wants,” Heineman said. Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski said there has to be enough publicity about the workshop so that interested citizens know about it. “This is a public meeting, so anyone can attend. I think the key is who is participating actively in the small groups and who isn’t.”

Heineman said there have already been some members of the public who have expressed interest in participating.

“There are some members of the public you would expect to show an interest, who didn’t know about it,” Kowalski said. “We do need to make sure that we reach out enough so that enough interested people are here at the meeting. … Otherwise it’s not a vision that’s shared with the town — it’s something that a small group of people come up with.”

Consultant Ann Donner updated the board on the process at it’s Tuesday, Oct. 12 meeting.

“One part is focused on Phase 2 strategy development and assessment,” Donner said. “Following that is Phase 3, which is really developing and articulating mission, vision, values and priorities and providing a framework for the two over the next five years.”

The morning mission session will focus on “defining and prioritizing a range of overarching strategic priorities” and to think about what the outcomes would be — “coming up with the language that people feel captures what the town of Whitman stands for,” she said.

Donner will facilitate that activity.

“It’s a great solace to know that we’re not just sitting there with a blank piece of paper,” Kowalski said.

The afternoon session will discuss how “everything that we all do contributes to all those strategic priorities” even though it may not be obvious.

She offered mission statements and strategic outlines of communities around the nation, including Fort Collins, Colo.

Selectman Justin Evans asked who else the board should be inviting to the meeting, besides Selectmen, Whitman School Committee, department heads and members of the public to ensure a productive session Oct. 23.

“Or are we getting too big,” he asked.

“The number of participants shouldn’t matter,” Donner said. “Whoever you would like to participate, there’s a way to participate through the way it’s organized.”

Kowalski asked how she envisioned the physical makeup of the Town Hall auditorium for the most effective session — whether, for example, there would be people seated at “a set of tables with X-number of people at it and sharing the results of our conversation at those tables?”

Donner said that was a good setup and that, often, there are guiding questions, depending on the number of people, providing opportunites for breakout sessions.

Selectman Randy LaMattina asked how the regional school district could be completely included.

“To just come up with Whitman’s strategic plan for the school district is only including half the team,” he said, asking how Donner would advise integrating the Hanson School Committee members or that town’s officials, perhaps taking part in their own breakout meeting.

“I see a complete conflict that, we go ahead and establish something that works for Whitman, but it really isn’t a strategic plan for education in the regional school district,” he said.

Donner conceded that is an excellent point, saying critical information to examine prior to Oct. 23 is the district’s own recently completed strategic plan to ensure they are in alignment so there are not two competing documents.

Evans said that it is important that what comes out of the Oct. 23 session should be coming from Whitman residents and town employees for the credibility of the strategic plan, but it is also worth at least inviting at least School Committee Chairman Chris Howard, who is a Hanson resident to at least be in the audience for questions. He also suggested Hanson’s Selectmen Chairman Matt Dyer would be a good person to invite as an observer.

 “It does make sense if the town’s financial plan is in line with their plan, where we’ve struggled with that and still — unfortunately, even with this — will not be addressed,” LaMattina said. “We run on parallel roads, but financially we’re not in the same place.”

Donner suggested a priority could be concerning the schools and the town’s role in the schools with meeting focused on that.

Selectman Dan Salvucci noted that most town departments also have five-year plans, if not written then in mind, a financial strategic plan would also have to be formulated to achieve those goals.

Salvucci also pointed to the previous survey of residents about strategic goals as a way that the public has been given a voice.

Donner also said there would be a public comment period for people unable to attend to make their voices heard.

“I’m slightly disappointed because I thought we were a little beyond this, that we were actually going to implement a plan, that we were beyond the fact-finding,” LaMattina said, noting there has already been a public survey. “When are we actually going to get the team together and develop a plan?”

He also wondered if the five or six public participants would really be providing a snapshot of what the town wants, or what they want.

“If the success of this plan is dependent on buy-in and a shared vision, then the most important people are the other department heads,” LaMattina said. “I think it will make for a more productive meeting, personally.”

Pubic forum

In other business, Selectmen discussed the public forum process, which had recently been suspended.

“We have to make sure that we still observe the Open Meeting Law,” Kowalski said. “People should know what we’re going to be discussing and acting upon each week when they get an agenda.”

But, he agreed, there ought to be a way to raise concerns with the board that are not on an agenda, so long as they understand that no action nor meaningful discussion will be taken up at that time, but that may be placed on a future agenda.

Evans noted that the School Committee had made a similar decision earlier this year.

Selectmen also extended an invitation to DPW Highway and Parks Supervisor Bruce Martin to attend an upcoming meeting to discuss why the DPW Commissioners had recommended placement of cameras in Whitman Park.

Selectmen voted not to put park cameras on the Capital Improvement plan at this time. 

HANSON – Voters at Hanson’s special Town Meeting Monday, Oct. 4, took several steps to make local government more transparent, including postponing one citizens’ petition article on residency requirements for holding office to the May Town Meeting.

An article seeking special legislation outlining the process for removal for cause of appointed board, committee or commission officials, amended to remove contradictory language about the petition signature process, was approved.

Selectman Joseph Weeks said that article’s purpose was to trigger a hearing by the appointing board.

“This article is designed to give a voice to people that, if they truly feel an appointed official that they do not have direct control over, is doing something that’s against what the wishes of Hanson are, this triggers that hearing,” he said.

An article proposed by the Board of Selectmen, requiring that all Hanson office-holders have their primary residence in Hanson was also approved, without comment.

A non-binding citizen’s petition, seeking the immediate removal of the entire membership of the Zoning Board of Appeals, by the Board of Selectmen as the ZBA’s appointing authority, was also approved. Kevin Cohen of Spring Street, and 167 co-signers, asked that the ZBA be removed at the first possible meeting after Town Meeting.

“The Hanson ZBA has recently reorganized three times,” Cohen said. “A lot of people in town were not aware of this. … There’s also been many complaints to the state ethics commission with regard to several members of the board, involving alleged self-dealing. The state Ethics Commission is looking into the personal relationships on this board. … It does warrant an investigation.”

Another article approved Monday night, revised a bylaw to require all board and committee members report to the Board of Selectmen, any potential conflicts of interest.

When the Town Meeting — held in the McEwan Performing Arts Center at WHRHS — was posted, masks for the session were optional, but since the high school is mandated to require them until Nov. 1, Moderator Sean Kealy urged residents to observe that rule, even though he was not willing to remove anyone for failure to do so.

“It is a state law, however, and the school is very concerned about it,” Kealy said. Not everyone complied.

Former School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes was honored for his service on that committee.

Before the night’s business got under way, there was $2,210,786 in free cash; $1,365,131 in the stabilization fund; $187,182 in the school stabilization fund; $1,540,002 in water surplus; $20,949 in the Recreation retained earnings; and $25,058 in the solid waste retained earnings account.

Funds for a temporary recording secretary for the Selectmen’s office and a proposed .75-percent meals tax were among the few articles rejected or passed over.

 A requested $9,179 for a recording secretary in the Selectmen’s office was rejected by a 63-41 vote. The meals tax request was passed over by a vote of 56-52.

Recording secretary 

The Finance Committee did not recommend the recording secretary expense, which was intended to help catch up with a meeting minutes backlog and assist with Economic Development Committee minutes, according to Town Administrator Lisa Green. The part-time, temporary employee would have had no benefits and the requested funds were expected to cover pay for the position through July 1, 2022.

“Since we are mid-budget cycle, adding staff or hours just, for us, we prefer to see that at the beginning of the budget cycle,” said Finance Committee member Patrick Powers.

Resident Bruce Young urged voters to follow the Finance Committee’s recommendation and moved that each of the lines up for adjustment in Article 2 be voted separately. When that was approved, the motion to reject the recording secretary line was approved.

“The executive assistant to the Board of Selectmen has always handled the preparation and the transcribing of the minutes,” he said. “The minutes are as difficult as you want to make them.”

Selectmen Chairman Matt Dyer countered that the office is only staffed with two people and the work hasn’t been accomplished within a 40-hour work week in years.

“In the past, we’ve had a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful  employee — [Meredith] Merry Marini — who would stay and work 60 hours a week,” Dyer said. “She would come in during the weekends, she would do the minutes from home — she took a lot of work, and she did it on her own time.”

He said the town benefitted from Marini’s work over the years, but that over time, state mandates have increased. The office is understaffed.

“We had a global pandemic come through, and that really took a lot of our bandwidth and we got a little bit behind in our minutes and this is just to help us get caught up,” Dyer said.

Meals tax

The narrow vote margin to pass over an article instituting a .75-percent meals tax meant that the town continues as one of only three in the region to fail to adopt a meals tax. Opponents argued that, on the heels of the COVID pandemic, it is not the time to impose a new tax.

“My only concern is that, at this particular time, after the pandemic, I’m not sure imposing a meals tax on our restaurants in town — where we don’t have an awful lot of them and they’re struggling — I just don’t think it should be brought up at this particular time,” said resident Kathleen Marini, moving to pass over the article.

Dyer explained the sales tax is on diners, not restaurants and that the small difference the tax would make, in an effort to fund municipal and school costs, would not affect business. He said a $100 tab and Venus III, for example, would only bring a 75-cent meals tax.

Pond management

Discussion of two pond management articles, for treatment and preventive measures and establishing a budget line item, was also the focus of much of the evening’s discussion.

Woodbine Avenue resident Joe Campbell asked if the $25,000 from free cash sought for Article 12 included litigation costs against surrounding towns that are violating waterways.

Conservation Commission Chairman Phil Clemons said Article 11 doesn’t provide funding, but rather a mechanism for possible future funding. 

“They don’t dictate what we do and don’t spend the money on, it’s just that, at the moment, the town doesn’t have a mechanism for spending any money to fund anything regarding any pond,” Clemons said. “This is simply a way to begin paying that attention. … This will enable us to start doing something.”

For one Lakeside Avenue resident said that it appeared to her that Pembroke officials play a role in clearing up the algae.

“I’ve lived there over 40 years and the ponds are getting worse,” she said, noting she has joined a Pembroke watershed group, but now finds Hanson is not treating its side of the pond. “I don’t know how that works out, because I’ve got all this green algae growing everywhere.”

Powers again pointed to the Finance Committee’s preference that the proposal wait for a full budget year to seek funding. Kealy added that while Article 11 puts the budget line in place, Article 12 puts some money into it until the May Town Meeting, but that the fiscal 2023 budget cycle really begins to get going in November. 

Resident Frank Milisi expressed concern over bladderwort, which contain small, hollow sacs that digest tiny animals such as insect larvae and water fleas, would be a plant at the Cranberry Cove beach that Recreation officials want to get rid of by the time swimming starts. May would be too late for that.

“I appreciate that Finance has to do their job and go through and make recommendations at the May Town Meeting, but we really need to start getting a handle on at least the Cranberry Cove bladderwort issue,” he said, describing the situation as dangerous to have children learning how to swim there until the plants are eradicated.

Former Finance Committee member Pepper Santalucia, while he greatly respects the work that they do, said that the October Town Meeting is to meet needs and address issues that have come up since the May Town Meeting and may need to be addressed before the spring.

“It strikes me that it’s a good policy to be cautious about what expenditures you might recommend or approve at the October Town Meeting, but to make a blanket assertion that, because it’s coming up as a need in October, it’s not worthy of consideration … I’m asking for some clarification,” he said.

Powers said the Finance Committee did not recommend Article 11 at this time because it adds and establishes a budget line, which is procedurally done in May.

Both articles were approved, with Milisi’s request to add an additional $10,000 for what Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said would fund not only a study, but plans to do something to address the ponds.

Union contracts

Union ratified contracts for public employees were also funded, including the police union — which received public funds in support of their education through the Quinn Bill and base raises (2 percent for the first year and 2 ¼ for the last two) added over the course of three years, a tenure step increase, and an increase for a sergeant to differentiate his rank from the top patrolman, Town Counsel Kate Feodoroff said.

All unions received Juneteenth as a contractual holiday. Juneteenth for nonunion personnel was approved in a later article recognizing it as a local holiday, as well as on the state and federal designations.

The fire department’s union personnel agreement contained the same base raises as the police contract, a 10-year step, an increased for the paramedic certification stipend and EMT basic stipend.

The administrative professionals’ union settled for a flat 2-percent raise over three years, some library positions — children’s, youth and reference librarians —were added to the union, assistants in the collector, treasurer and clerk’s offices will receive a $1,000 stipend for certifications they have attained and a $350 stipend to maintain a certification for the conservation clerk and eye glasses reimbursements up to $500 every three years.

The Highway Department contract carried no further appropriation for the fiscal year.

WHITMAN — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, Sept. 28 engaged in a terse discussion about mask mandates, during which one derogatory name for the protective face coverings was tossed out in an argument supporting CDC mask and vaccine guidelines.

While the Board of Health’s recent recommendation in accordance with the CDC, to wear masks in Town Hall and it’s two main meeting rooms and limiting the number of public attendees, was in place, three Selectmen — Randy LaMattina, Dan Salvucci and Brian Bezanson — did not wear masks at the Tuesday meeting. Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski, Selectman Justin Evans and Town Administrator Lincoln Heineman wore masks and all were seated at six-foot intervals.

“We’re not in the torrid zone, but we’re not in the easy zone, but we still have to be careful and we have to remember that this is something that is still with us,” Kowalski said in opening the meeting.

No one in the public gallery wore masks at the meeting.

Heineman said Fire Chief Timothy Clancy continues to provide weekly updates about positivity rates. There are 52 new cases in town out of 1,220 tests administered as of Sept. 22.

The town’s COVID positivity rate is now 4.28 percent, the same as the week before, but higher than the state rate of 1.99 percent and while there has been an increase in vaccination rates of all ages between 16 and 74 over the past three weeks, the town’s vaccination rate is only 57 percent, compared to the state’s 67.8 percent percent rate of fully vaccinated persons and 77.3 percent for those having received at least one dose. All ages from 12 to 110 are tracked, but 12 to 74 was the only range showing an increase in vaccinations.

“No rise, so take your masks off,” Salvucci joked, but Kowalski chided him for making a silly remark.

“You can not follow the advice of our Board of Health, that’s on the front door,” he said. “It’s OK, Dan, it’s fine.”

The discussion became more tense after that.

Heineman noted there are signs around town, most notably on the message board out front of Town Hall, the urging in conjunction with the Board of Health to be fully vaccinated — for those in eligible age groups.

“I’d like to think the outreach effort has had some effect over the prior three and a half weeks,” Heineman said.

While there is a Pfizer vaccine booster available to ages 65 and over or persons in certain occupations, the Moderna vaccine, which the town administered — and is still being used now —because it was the one available, has not yet been approved by the FDA for boosters.

Clancy has been working toward being able to administer the boosters once the FDA green-lights it.

“As this board knows, there was an OSHA [vaccine] mandate that has not been issued officially yet,” Heineman said concerning an earlier discussion by the board about vaccine mandates. “We know it’s coming, that will certainly apply to private businesses with 100 or more employees. What’s not clear … is whether or not it may apply to public employers, municipalities, in Massachusetts.”

Heineman said there is some question as to whether the OSHA mandate even exists. Most municipalities are awaiting the outcome of legal challenges with the state’s mandate for public employees before taking any action.

“Throughout the pandemic, the board [Selectmen] has been choosing to follow the Board of Health’s advice with respect to COVID-19 issues,” he said. That morning the health board voted to recommend that in the Selectmen’s meeting room and another in the basement attendance be limited to the board members and support staff — and no more than eight members of the public at one time.

Town counsel said the Selectmen have the authority to enforce that recommendation.

“I think administering this would be difficult, because … while the board may have the authority … I think the reality is I don’t know how we would enforce that absent having a police officer [do it],” Heineman said. He said the ability to meet remotely is in effect until April and suggested that might be an option or individual members could choose to attend remotely.

Kowalski wondered why those two meeting rooms were chosen, when the Finance Committee meets in a much smaller room.

“They’re packed in like sardines,” when holding budget discussions with departments, Kowalski noted. “I’d like you to find out from the Board of Health how did the Finance Committee room escape?”

He also noted that planning and zoning board meetings can attract a lot of people.

“I understand the spirit of worrying about capacity, but the logic, frankly escapes me,” Kowalski said.

Bezanson then remarked on the number of school board meetings, especially, around the country that have become flash points for people angry about masks, and football games are fully attended with masks rarely seen.

“I’d hate to see us go down that road,” Bezanson said of the mask protests. “I’m typically not a mandate person, I think it’s personal responsibility, and I think as we get higher vaccination rates … I would like to ask more questions of the Board of Health.”

LaMattina, like Bezanson, pointed to the Select Board’s continued adherence to Board of Health and CDC recommendations, but using a derogatory term for masks, he expressed his frustration with the issue.

“We have no change in our positivity percentage, but now we start enforcing stronger restrictions,” he said. “Why? … I don’t think we need to argue each other’s personal feelings or personal comfort level during the pandemic.”

He stressed the CDC also recommends vaccinations, which 47 percent of the town is not doing. He said he was not wearing a mask “for theater at this meeting,” because he doesn’t wear one anywhere else.

LaMattina said he and his family have been fully vaccinated so they wouldn’t have to wear masks.

“That is my comfort level with the vaccine,” he said, adding he was in favor of vaccine mandates, but would never vote for one. “I feel the mask is being used, not as a tool, but a pressure point right now to get people vaccinated.”

He argued that vaccines should be incentivized.

Evans noted that the Board of Health has been in step with DPH and the CDC, but seem out of sync with state and federal recommendations here.

The school district fielded some questions from residents this week as to how the second and third round of federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds will be incorporated into the fiscal 2023 school budget.

Whitman resident John Galvin noted that the committee certified a new budget before Town Meeting last year in which $775,000 was taken out of the assessments from the towns, and asked how the schools were planning to spend the $2.3 million in anticipated ESSER III funding.

“From my understanding [the district] was going to take ESSER money to fund a special team of interventionists because everyone was coming back from remote learning,” Galvin said, asking if the $775,000 was coming out of ESSER money. He also said his understanding was ESSER funds were going to be used for the $775,000 again next year because the towns would be able to handle that since if was one-time money, and asked if that was still in the plan.

“You’re correct in both spots,” Szymaniak said. “I just don’t know if it’s ESSER II or ESSER III at this point.”

Galvin asked if the interventionists would continue their work into a third year, eating up a lot of the ESSER funds.

“What I was asking him was, because he [Szymaniak] had this big community survey on how they wanted to spend all this money [with ESSER II and III funds left],” Galvin said.

He said he wanted to confirm that while $775,000 last year, you said was coming out of ESSER III, Szymaniak also said he planned were going to use ESSER III this next year, and possibly a third year — which would eat up more than the $2.3 million anticipated.

“That’s what I wanted on the record,” Galvin said. “Using one-time money in an operating budget’s a bad thing.”

Szymaniak indicated that the interventionists were not a long-term program, he said.

Stressing his question came as a private citizen, Galvin said the School Committee on April 14 voted on a new assessment funding $775,000 from their own funds for the special group of educational interventionists, with Szymaniak indicating he was going to use ESSER III funds instead.

“When I presented the budget in February, we were taking some ESSER III money from that allotment,” Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak replied at the meeting. “We might not have to do that, because we still have ESSER II money, but in June we found out we had to jump through some more hoops than we had to do for ESSER I and ESSER II.”

There are some “wide-range things the district can look at” using ESSER III money, according to Szymaniak. “Potentially, the assessments to the towns don’t include the interventionists at this point.”

ESSER I for the district totaled $292,273 and expending all but about $100 for initial COVID response; ESSER II grants totaled $1,001,704, expending $592,066, leaving a balance of $996,411.

“That’s there right now because I’m still outstanding $1.1 million-something in CARES [Act funding],” Szymaniak said at the School Committee meeting Sept. 15. “We thought ESSER II might have been used to cover some of our CARES money. We put in a lot in CARES, so we didn’t have to dive into ESSER II.”

ESSER III was just coming out, without any parameters last year and $2.314 million has been awarded, but the district hasn’t applied for it. The grant is due on Oct. 4.

“So we were looking at CARES not covering some of our expenses and using ESSER II money,” Szymaniak said. “We didn’t use that yet and we’re feeling pretty sure – 98 percent – that we’re going to get all the CARES money, so we’re going to be able to use this ESSER II money in fiscal 2022 and ’23.”

One of the necessary components of the ESSER III grant application is a needs survey of what the community sees as the district’s needs, Szymaniak said.

The one-year grant includes extensions to a second and third year, with the total allotment having to be spent by Sept. 30, 2024. Symaniak said the district is still trying to find out if the money has to be actually spent by that date or if it can be encumbered for later spending by that date.

It can be used to benefit students and for building up-keep, but can’t be used for teacher, administration or staff raises. Improvements may also be made to after-school activities, help sessions for students or even summer programs, but it can’t be used for a program like foreign language curriculum in the middle schools that would then have to be supported by the budget. The funds can be used for air-conditioning and, potentially, for playgrounds if COVID was in some way a concern that needed to be addressed.

“It has to be for programs or for people to put in that program,” he said. “These are one-time monies. We have to be very careful how we structure our finances going forward.”

Not having to dig into all of ESSER II and ESSER III, is a positive, “but it doesn’t necessarily take away the responsibilities of the two towns to fund our budget,” he said.

An update on the overall budget outlook and how ESSER funds might be used this year will be outlined at the October meeting, Szymaniak said.

“We’ll be clear and transparent about how those funds are being expended,” he said. “Our budget was approved at Town Meeting and then we got a notice from the fed saying, ‘These are some of the stipulations around ESSER III’ and a lot of us said that would be great to tell us back in May before Town Meeting.”

Szymaniak said the district is also waiting for CARES reimbursements from Plymouth County for things done last year.

WHITMAN — Town Administrator Lincoln Heineman updated Selectmen on the effects of the Delta variant in the town, on Tuesday, Sept. 7, opening a discussion on whether mandatory vaccinations should be required of town employees.

Over the last 14 days an uptick in cases brought the positivity rate from 3.42 percent to above 4.79 percent — the first time since May the positivity rate has been over 4 percent, he reported. But the rate of vaccinations has also risen about 1 percent.

“We have certainly been seeing the impact, probably, of the Delta variant,” Heineman said. “On the positive side of things … we have had a little bit of an uptick from Aug. 24 to 31in the percent of those living in Whitman age 12 and above who are eligible to be vaccinated, who have decided to be vaccine.”

The increase is about 1 percent overall, but is higher in the age 12 to 15 age group.

The town has been following the advice of the state and local  boards of health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) throughout the pandemic, Heineman said. The Whitman Board of Health has not met since Selectmen met last, but Heineman said the towns health inspector is keeping a close eye the situation, as well.

“It seems clear to me that both for public and private employers … its beginning to come to some sort of point where there’s an increasing number of employers who are requiring vaccination for their employees,” he said. “The Commonwealth has decided to implement that [mandate] for it’s employees, certainly the U.S. military and some municipalities. … I think that’s something for the board to consider,” he said.

Exceptions have been made in some locations for those with religious objections or medical issues that would be compromised by the vaccine.

While the Board of Health doesn’t require it, Heineman said it should be kept in mind.

“I think the maximum number of folks who are able to be vaccinated … seems to me that’s the way out of this pandemic,” he said.

“My feeling is we’ve been following the advice of the Board of Health and it seems to be working for the town,” said Vice Chairman Dan Salvucci, who chaired the meeting in the absence of Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski.

Selectman Brian Bezanson asked if there was a way to sense how many town employees have been vaccinated. Heineman said that, so far, it seems to be the subject of medical privacy.

“Anecdotally, a majority of employees are vaccinated,” Heineman said. “To give you an exact number, the only way would to be ask each and every employee if they are vaccinated.”

Bezanson said he was only concerned that, if a majority are vaccinated already, the town might be going down a road they don’t necessarily want to go down.

Fire Chief Timothy Clancy said the department has 47 houses under quarantine for COVID right now, with 55 positive cases.

“We don’t know if there’s anybody out there that hasn’t been tested,” Clancy said, citing the increased availability of tests and vaccines. “I have neighbors that won’t show up on that data sheet even though they have been vaccinated, because they’ve been vaccinated in Florida.”

Selectman Justin Evans, who is required to be vaccinated as a state employee, said a mandate should not be taken off the table as a possibility.

“I don’t consider it a burden, although I know some coworkers who are considering whether this is the end of their time with the state,” he said. “I don’t want to force anyone’s hand there, particularly in the town, but I’d like to pursue any opportunity to try to push this vaccination rate higher.”

Heineman reported that the FDA is expected to approve the Moderna vaccine soon. That is the vaccine the Department gave to residents to begin with.

Clancy said he is somewhat concerned with the specifics of the booster. Originally, it was to be just another shot, but now there is discussion about it being a percentage of the original Moderna dose. He is researching it further.

“We are moving forward,” he said. “We have a site selected and training. …As soon as we get the FDA’s OK, we will move forward.”

Selectmen also received an update from consultant Ann Donner on the town’s strategic plan as she reviewed the process via a PowerPoint presentation.

“It’s an activity that really sets high-level priorities, and an alignment of all departments throughout an organization throughout the town,” she said of the plan. “It’s about long-term planning. What it isn’t, is telling people how to do their jobs.”

The plan development is being done in three phases, the first fact-gathering phase now wrapping up, is the most time-consuming, phase two will be an October strategic planning retreat — open to the public — and the final phase, in November and December will be drafting a plan to review with stakeholders in an exercise session.

The process also identifies other things happening around the town that affects how business is done, such as COVID-19.

Phase 1 also focuses on the key areas on which the town will concentrate and the way every department fulfills its role.

“How do we know when we’re advancing the ball up the field — how we’re identifying progress in the short, medium and long-term,” she said. “Everything fits somewhere within the plan.”

The School Committee has also recently developed a strategic plan for the district.

Donner and Heineman have invited Whitman members of the School Committee to the retreat.

The retreat is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 9 or 23.

Selectman Randy LaMattina asked if the retreat could be conducted by Zoom, if a public health problem arises as a backup plan.

“My fear is something happens and this process comes to a stall again,” he said.

The masks are back.

The School Committee, themselves wearing masks again at their Wednesday, Aug. 25 meeting, discussed Superintendent of Schools Jeff Szymaniak’s being notified at 3:45 p.m. that day that Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Commissioner Jeff Riley has mandated masks in schools through at least Oct. 1.

School Committee Chairman Christopher Howard said the panel’s vote last week to follow DESE guidance on masks recommendations meant no further action was required.

“This board, this superintendent, didn’t mandate this policy,” Szymaniak said. “The Board of Education has authorized [it] and the Board of Education supersedes all of us right now. … It’s a mask mandate by the commissioner of education and we’re expected to follow that.”

He asked parents, whether they agree with it or not, to help schools keep in compliance with the commissioner’s policy. Szymaniak stressed that the district had a good year last school year, despite dealing with a mask policy.

No social distancing guidelines were issued, but Szymaniak said teachers have been asked to space students out to three-feet apart when they can. Assistant Superintendent George Ferro said the six-foot distance guidelines is still referred to when contact tracing is needed.

“I’m not happy that it came out after 3:30 p.m. today and was effective immediately,” Szymaniak said. “It put us into a scramble with our orientation …school committee. We did it, but it put people into a spin.”

He said that, if he had been out of the office for any reason at that time, “We’d be behind the 8-ball.”

Whitman Town Administrator Lincoln Heineman had informed Selectmen on Tuesday, Aug. 24 that the state Board of Education had approved the mandate and an order could be expected. Riley had told Superintendents that day that he was going to ask the board and ask to have the authority to exercise the right to mask students for public safety through Oct.1, pending the achievement of an 80-percent vaccination rate among students and staff in a given school.

Parents wishing to inform the district about their child’s vaccination status should do so by contacting their school’s nurse. While there is no provision for remote learning this year, if a student gets COVID, they will be instructed as any student absent with an illness.

As of Aug. 18, Hanson had a 39-percent rate among students ages 12 to 15, and 63 percent among ages 16 to 19. Whitman had a 50-percent vaccination rate of ages 12 to 15, and 63 among ages 116 to 19.

The state average for ages 12 to 15 is 63 percent, and is 67 percent for ages 16 to 19.

In response to a question from member Christopher Scriven, Szymaniak said his interpretation of the order is that the mask madate would remain in effect for all unvaccinated students indefinately even after a school reaches 80 percent vaccinated.

Szymaniak added that news reports he has read indicate a vaccine for ages 5 to 12 is expected in November.

“But the way I read this, our K-grade six kids are going to be masked indefinitely until the vaccination is available,” he said.

He pledged to find ways to help increase the vaccination rate.

“If needed, I will work with both fire departments and physicians they connect with to offer vaccine clinics so that we can hit that threshhold, if needed,” Szymaniak said.

The School Committee had voted 6 to 4 on Aug. 17 to follow DESE regulations, which only recommended masks at that time. The Mass. Association of School Superintendents (MASS) contacted Szymaniak on Friday, Aug. 20 to be on the lookout for a call from the commissioner that day, who provided information about the Aug. 24 Board of Education meeting.

“This is flowing quickly,” Szymaniak said.

In accordance with the state’s time on learning requirements, all students age 5, and staff in all grades, above were to immediately begin wearing masks through at least Oct. 1. Masks are required indoors in school except when outdoors, with the commissioner reviewing the situation in the near future. All visitors to school buildings are expected to wear masks in school buildings.

Masks are recommended, but not required for students under age 5. Students with medical or behavioral issues are exempt from the requirement, or may be permitted to use a face shield instead.

Mask breaks are permitted during the school day and masks are not required when eating or drinking. Masks are also not required for students playing certain instruments during band classes.

Masks are required for all students and coaches playing sports indoors.

Families are expected to provide masks, but schools should be able to provide disposable masks. Parents were issued a statement from Szymaniak with complete mask requirements.

“We have mask signs going up and we will continue to educate the public,” he said.

Committee member Mike Jones asked if the district could legally require vaccines.

“Legally, we probably can, but we haven’t said that,” Szymaniak said. I think as an employer, we can. There’s precedent and there’s law around that. We have not done that yet.”

He said the district cannot legally ask a student to get the COVID vaccination, although certain vaccinations are required to attend school.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional School District voted 6-4 to amend to the mask policy to reflect the recommendation — rather than mandate — of mask wearing by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) at its Wednesday, Aug. 18. The Committee strongly recommends wearing masks. [See story, this page]. They were scheduled to continue discussion on COVID protocols at district schools on Wednesday, Aug. 25.

“Tomorrow, the governor can make a mask mandate,” Superintendent of Schools Jeff Szymniak said, noting that state protocols could change and that Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont had mandated masks in his state’s schools Tuesday, Aug. 17.

Szymaniak said new teachers were to report Monday, Aug. 23 and he needed to have some direction. The issue was to be revisited this Wednesday, Aug. 25.

Those expressing disagreement with the vote pointed to concern over variants, discrepancies in where masks are required and social interactions with those who do not wear masks.

“I’m extremely concerned that a recommendation is viewed as an option,” said member Dawn Byers. “This is a public school and I support a universal mask mandate in W-H schools K-12.”

She noted that medical offices, public transportation and Whitman’s Duval’s Pharmacy require masks. Szymaniak recommended to continue following the COVID-19 protocols from DESE and the Mass. Department of Public Health (DPH).

Szymaniak said the district received close to 500 responses to his communication about state COVID recommendations for the fall, ranging “all over the place.”

That made up the committee’s public comment segment on the issue.

“I appreciate everyone who chose to respond,” Szymaniak said. “I want to make sure that folks in the community know that those responses will be … on our website.”

He said he is not permitted to ask vaccination status, but if parents inform the school nurse, it can help with contact tracing.

Chairman Christopher Howard stressed for the public than no one on the School Committee are doctors or epidemiologists.

“We try to be as informed as we can, we rely on the guidance of those that provide it,” Howard said.

“I have a second-grader who hasn’t had a regular school year,” member Hillary Kniffen said with some emotion. “I want nothing more for her, but I also know in our strategic plan, it says that we need to keep kids safe.”

She said that families who want to have their children masked deserve some safeguards in place. There should also be a benchmark as to when masks can be removed.

“Based on these comments, I also have a concern, myself, of the culture of school buildings,” Kniffen said. “I am pleading with families. Regardless of your persepective, you [should] teach your children to be kind, because you don’t know what other families are going through.”

Member Fred Small noted that a face-covering policy still in effect “references guidance that’s no longer there.” He also noted that summer camp program had no mask policy and, while some children wore masks, they were treated respectfully.

“We’ve got this,” said member Steve Bois, who works at the JFK Library where only six people are allowed entry at once. “We can do this.”

He supported the DESE and DPH guidelines.

Member Michelle Bourgelas noted that the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC recommend universal masking K-12 regardless of vaccination status. The Mass. Medical and Mass Academy of Pediatricians are asking Gov. Charlie Baker to mandate masks K-12 as well.

“There are other authorities besides DESE,” she said.

“One of the pillars of our district is a safe school environment for our faculty and staff, students and whoever our visitors are, said Szymaniak. “As of March 13, 2020, it has been challenging at best to maintain a safe environment — that pleases all, to make decisions that please all, and open school.”

He noted that people have had differing opinions since school doors closed on March 13, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The district has followed the recommendations of the DESE and DPH from the outset. When the school year ended on June 16, “I thought we were going to open like 2019 all over again,” he said. “We had high hopes that we wouldn’t have a conversation about masks and social distancing and all I knew was we were going to have a lot of hand sanitizer, because we got cases and cases and cases of that.”

With that in mind, he asked lead nurse Lisa Tobin to request a statement from both towns’ boards of health and the school physician, based on his intent to ask the School Committee to maintain and follow the DESE and DPH guidelines.

“Seeing what’s going on with the rest of the country’s school systems, I don’t think we should act individually,” Hanson Health Agent Gil Amado stated. “Mass. Counties are now in the CDC high-risk category. I believe the governor, along with DESE/DPH, will come out with other guidance in the near future,”

School physician David Belcher said he felt the proposal was “as good as it’s going to get at this moment.”

“People need to be aware that this is a fluid situation and if COVID numbers climb quickly after the start of school, universal masking may be necessary,” he said, although he added he hoped it would not be the case. “The Delta variant appears to behave a little differently and affect children more.”

Whitman Health Agent Daniel Kelly reached out to board members individually about the DESE recommendation, and will not be able to discuss it as a board until Aug. 24. But the board is in support of DESE’s recommendation — with some changes.

“The number one consideration is the safety of students and staff,” Kelly wrote. “The board recommends the use of masks in all schools to keep everyone as safe as possible.”

The district received a memorandum requiring full-time in-person education of all school districts and programs for the 2021-22 school year from DESE and the DPH on June 30 of this year.

“I am not allowed to offer a remote program for next year,” Szymaniak said.

The memorandum quoted CDC guidelines that vaccinations and continued masking was recommended for all K-12 schools and — because in-person instruction is so important — schools without universal vaccinations should implement physical distancing to the extent possible. DESE and the DPH noted Massachusetts has among the highest vaccination rates in the nation and the efficacy of the vaccine.

Vaccination rates for 12- to 15-year-olds in Hanson are: One dose — 249; fully vaccinated — 198; 16- to 19-year-olds One dose —  402; fully vaccinated — 358. That represents 39 percent for 12- to 15-year-olds  and a 63 percent for 16- to 19-year-olds.

For Whitman 12- to 15-year-olds: One dose — 430; fully vaccinated — 337; 16- to 19-year-olds One dose —  537 (the number of fully vaccinated was apparently omitted). That represents 50 percent for 12- to 15-year-olds and a 63 percent for 16- to 19-year-olds.

“We’re under the state average for both,” Szymaniak said.

Tobin said she is applying to the DESE to test in all district health clinics.

Test and Stay affects quarantining. A rapid test is given to staff and students identified as close contacts to a COVID case. Tests are administered for five straight days as long as they remain asymptomatic and test negative they do not need to quarantine. Symptomatic testing allows a student to stay in school if they test negative.

“This fall DESE and DPH strongly recommends that all students in kindergarten through grade six wear masks when indoors, except students who cannot do so due to medical conditions or behavioral needs,” the memo stated. “Masks are not necessary outdoors and may be removed while eating indoors.”

The agencies also recommend that unvaccinated staff in all grades, unvaccinated students in grades seven and above and unvaccinated visitors wear masks indoors. They recommended that vaccinated students be allowed to remain unmasked.

Those at high risk for disease from COVID, or with a household member who is at high risk, is encouraged to mask regardless of vaccination status.

“Any child or family who prefers to mask at school should be supported with this choice,” the memo continued. A federal order requires all students and staff to wear masks on school buses. Masks must also be worn in school health offices.

District and schools are also encouraged to maintain and establish a “robust testing” program for COVID-19, including both diagnostic testing and screening and pool testing provided at no cost to districts — especially important during cold and flu season.

DESE and DPH indicated they will be releasing updated contact tracing and quarantine protocols.

HANSON — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, Aug. 12 took issue with a Zoning Board of Appeals vote against supplying information to interim Town Administrator Lisa Green for a grant application for Mass Housing funds.

Selectmn support the non-competitive grant application. Any community that applies, receives funding.

Green said the grant provides civil engineering services as technical assistance to municipalities going through the 40B process.

“When I approached the ZBA, the administrative assistant informed me they already had a civil engineer who was on the staff already who was overseeing all of this, so they declined going forward with the grant,” she said.

Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett asked why the ZBA would be allowed to decide whether Selectmen proceed with a grant application.

“We voted to move forward with the Mass Housing Partnership grant,” she said. “Why are we allowing the ZBA to decide whether we are going to move forward with that or not?”

Green said there was information for the application that the ZBA needed to provide. She said the ZBA felt it would only confuse things to bring on a second civil engineer.

The town pays for the ZBA engineer’s services through applicant’s fees.

“I don’t see it as competing engineering,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “I see it as we’re asking for a deeper dive on environmental engineering questions. …Their engineer only takes it to a certain level and the applicant is paying for it. … With all due respect, I don’t really care what the ZBA thinks of this grant.”

As an elected board, the Selectmen have a responsibility to the town and abutters regarding environmental contamination and stormwater management through a second review by a civil engineer.

“We’re not taking orders from any board,” Selectman Jim Hickey said, noting the Mass Housing Grant is non-competitive — if the town applies, they receive the funding. “This is the board that runs the town.”

Selectman Joe Weeks agreed that the decision rests with the Selectmen.

The board also discussed improving procedures for the application and appointment procedures for filling vacancies on town committees, with an eye toward attracting more residents to getting involved.

“I’ve gotten a little bit of feedback and I’m trying to be responsive,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “We always have an abundance of openings and we don’t always have people signing up for them.”
FitzGerald-Kemmett said she wanted to make sure there is a policy and procedure that immediately acknowledges a person’s interest and application, letting them know it will be considered by the board. They would then be invited to meet with the board and a follow up with them, if they are appointed with instructions for being sworn in and information on who the committee chairman is and how they could contact them.

“I just want to make sure that we’re hand-holding people and being super appreciative of anybody that’s stepping up to be a volunteer,” she said.

Administrative Assistant to Selectmen Greer Getzen said she always follows up with applicants, sending them a letter thanking them for their interest and a date when Selectmen would be scheduled to vote on their application to make sure they are available. She also followed up with information on being sworn in by the Town Clerk.

“During COVID, I supplied [the Town Clerk’s] information, phone number and her email, so that they could contact her to make an appointment,” Getzen said.

FitzGerald-Kemmett wondered if the Town Hall’s appointment-only phase during COVID could be where “things jumped the track a little bit.”

She also stressed it is not intended as a reflection on Getzen or Green.

“This is an inherited and historical issue,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

Getzen replied that her correspondence was even more specific at that time.

“I’m glad to hear that,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said, adding that the current list of vacancies could be reviewed to determine if they are, indeed, still vacant as well as whether there are vacancies not listed.

Chairman Matt Dyer suggested the town’s volunteer handbook be listed among the information offered on the town’s website.

Getzen said a link could be added for that.

More information about committee portfolios and a more straightforward assessment of time commitments required would help market the openings more effectively, FitzGerald-Kemmett suggested.

“I think when you boil it down to that, people may think, ‘I could do that. I have wanted to give back, but I didn’t know what the time commitment was,’” she said.

Curt M. Tarvis II, who was elected to the Cemetery Commission echoed the point that there is little information about committees on the website.

“If there was more information available, you may get more volunteers,” he said.

“I honestly think we are not doing ourselves any favors,” FitzGerald-Kemmett agreed. “We bemoan the fact that … we’re reading all these [vacancies], but we’re not doing anything to help the situation. … If we can get some more people on these boards, it’s more engaged citizens, and god knows, we need more engaged citizens.”

She also said it could be a path to more people running for elective office.

Getzen said that, with a dedicated IT person coming on board, there will be more information on the site.

HANSON — While it isn’t yet clear how the Delta variant of COVID-19 might effect the town’s October special Town Meeting, holding the session outside is off the table because of annual concerns about mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).

Selectmen began taking a look at the options during the board’s Tuesday, Aug. 10 meeting.

“We are quickly approaching October, which is crazy to think — especially with the Halloween candy at Shaw’s being out for a few weeks, now,” Selectmen Chairman Matt Dyer said to open the discussion on the venue and format for the Town Meeting, as well as some of the articles planned on the warrant.

Dyer suggested looking to use the gym at WHRHS again.

“That’s why I asked to have [the discussion] on the agenda,” said Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett. “I just thought, if we want to do that, there’s only about six weeks or something, and I thought that went very well.”

School officials helped set up the socially distanced meeting so people felt safe to attend, which helped attendance, she said.

The issues included on the warrant will likely include a residency requirement to the bylaw for all appointed volunteers, which FitzGerald-Kemmett and Selectman Joe Weeks submitted.

The deadline to submit articles for the warrant is Aug. 24.

FitzGerald-Kemmett sought to clarify that there may come a time, when a long-time town volunteer with a great deal of institutional knowledge, may have to sell their home as they age or are renovating a home and have to live elsewhere for a time.

“I don’t want to paint ourselves into a corner,” she said. “I’d like to have some proviso where the board could make an exception knowingly.”

Interim Town Administrator Lisa Green said neighboring Whitman recently passed a bylaw that addressed that exact issue. She said she would reach out to Town Clerk Dawn Varley to obtain a copy of the bylaw and is planning to also contact Town Counsel Kate Feodoroff for her opinion on the issue.

“This is on an exception basis, with the whole board making a decision on a majority vote,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said of the residency article.

A citizen’s petition being circulated may or may not include that proviso, she said.

“If there’s anyone that would like the town to consider a certain article of business, please check in with the town clerk to make sure that you get all the rules and guidelines on how to create a citizen’s petition,” Dyer said.

One petition, by resident Frank Melisi, has already determined to be invalid because of formatting errors, and Dyer said Selectmen were working with him to help correct the errors.

“I would like for us to talk more broadly about citizens’ petitions and come up with a process … to help people, so that they don’t have this extremely frustrating experience of trying to do what I think is the most pure form of democracy,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

Selectmen’s Administrative Assistant Greer Getzen said a lot of towns have formalized a handout to help guide residents through the citizen’s petition process.

FitzGerald-Kemmett said that, in the past, even when the process had been followed, petitions have been awkwardly or inaccurately worded. She suggested that a remedy would be to pass it by town counsel or to Green to make sure the wording was correct.

Green said that would be up to the board.

“I’m just wondering if the board has an appetite to have our town counsel review these at their hourly rate,” Green said. “I’m willing to help anybody out. I don’t want to steer people in the wrong direction.”

She said some towns with larger legal services budgets can make more use of town counsel in such cases.

Selectman Kenny Mitchell said people seeking to introduce a citizen’s petition should reach out to the Selectmen chairman, send it to Green and let the board review it.

“If it’s something that makes sense, it won’t have to go through the citizen’s petition route,” Mitchell said. “We can create an article, if we agree to it.”

He did not agree with offering town counsel services.

Selectman Jim Hickey agreed, but argued that town counsel review should be allowed in cases where the board does not agree with a citizen’s petition.

Weeks agreed with those suggestions, arguing it helps protect the board as well.

“Cover all the bases,” he said. “Maybe we should have a larger, open conversation about the use of town counsel related to these things.”

Weeks also said that, while there is a recall law in Hanson related to elected officials, one does not exist pertaining to appointed officials. He argued removal authority should be built into appointing authority.

“One of the things we’ve been trying to get clarification on is removal of appointed officials at any given moment,” he said. “I think it’s time we had that conversation for the only reason being if we do put a residency requirement in there, we have no backing, from my understanding, to remove them.”

He argued a lot can happen in the span of a three- or five-year appointment if people move out of town.

Dyer suggested the wording of such an action should be ironed out for discussion at the next Selectmen’s meeting.