HANSON — The Board of Selectmen is looking at override options to close the town’s $2.18 million budget shortfall.

“People are asking how would you get to $2.18 million?” Town Administrator John Stanbrook said. “Should we go for the entire amount? Should we cut what we can [first]?”

The board will be meeting again on April 6 to finalize the budget.

Should an override fail, he said, the school district would have to cut about  $750,000 — with Hanson realizing 40 percent of the cut.

If free cash were used to keep the transfer station open, for example — $118,000 is needed — it’s a dollar that can’t go into the town’s budget. If retained earnings were used for the transfer station, it would return $60,000. No additional OPEB transfers would bring $25,000 back to the budget coffers; $616,000 in the budget would close the gap a bit more than has already been discussed; Ambulance receipts could mean another $100,000; overlay surplus holds another $215,000 with the potential to free up $200,000 toward the deficit; $20,000 in the tax title line is not needed this year; boosting the local receipts by $80,155 — or a 4 percent increase — would also produce deficit savings. Finally, cutting the town budget where it can be cut to the fiscal 2020 level, would bring back $847,053.

The $847,053 represents “real money and would mean real cuts” to police, fire, highway, Town Hall, Council on Aging, library and transfer station.

“All of those together would be the $2 million-plus amount that we’re looking at right now,” he said. Using free cash is using money the town won’t have next year, however, because the town would be cutting the budget as close to the bone as possible.

Stanbrook said the town cannot afford the 4-percent increase in the assessment sought by the school district.

“That gives us a $1.9 million deficit,” he said. “It’s really every dollar that the school district does not charge us is a dollar amount that we could use on the town side.”

He suggested the Article 4 budget line could be presented in two columns, representing the budget impact with and without an override. Or divide the two budgets between two separate articles.

Selectman Chairman Kenny Mitchell advocated for a single column, arguing that two columns would be too confusing.

“It seems to me as though this is an all-or-nothing [approach],” said Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett, asking if a tiered approach would be better. “I’m always afraid when it’s almost like you’re calling people’s bluff.”

She suggested counter-arguing for the need of an override.

“We haven’t taken this lightly,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “John’s crunched the numbers beyond crunching and there’s no way around it.”

Selectman Wes Blauss said a tiered approach has been tried before, and did not work well. He advocated providing voters with both options as a method for helping them decide.

Town Moderator Sean Kealy suggested the information could be provided to voters in a handout, because two columns in Article 4 could be very confusing.

Selectman Jim Hickey agreed with Kealy’s suggestion.

“When you say this is what we’re going to have or this is what we’re not going to have, you’re talking jobs and you’re talking services,” Hickey said. He argued that the message has to center on what the town could be missing.

“When we debate the override — and it’s going to be debated — is someone going to make a presentation on de-regionalization, or at least speak to that issue, because I anticipate it coming up,” Kealy said.

Town Meeting, to be held at 7:30 p.m., Monday, May 3 at the WRHS gym as a priority one site, with an outside location at the high school as priority two.

Mitchell advocated for keeping the date and the original location at Hanson Middle School.

“Especially when you’re talking about an override, I think going to the ballot first before Town Meeting is a little deadly,” Mitchell said.

Town Clerk Beth Sloan agreed with keeping the meeting date on May 3. Her only question was how to fit people in the auditorium while observing proper social distancing if an override is to be discussed.

“I don’t have any objection to keeping it on May 3,” agreed Kealy. “Was there an argument for keeping it May 3 other than more people would be vaccinated by then?”

Mitchell said, so far as he was aware, that was the only argument.

“You’ve got to be thinking about overflow,” Town Counsel Kate Feodoroff said about the potential for a large turnout. “It really depends on what infrastructure you have at that building and I just don’t know.”

Sufficient technology would be needed to enable people in overflow rooms to hear and participate in the proceedings.

“I think our last July Town Meeting went very well and I think there is going to be an overflow crowd,” said Blauss. “I think we’re dealing with a large number of people, and I think that putting it on the field — it wouldn’t be able to start at 7:30 p.m. — rather than worry about where we are with vaccinations, which I think is still going to be a huge issue at the beginning of May, I think we should start off [acknowledging] last year worked great.”

Selectmen advocated checking with the School District to see if the Town Meeting can be held outside at the high school.

Kealy, expressing weather concerns, said the October Town Meeting held in the high school gym, worked well. He noted that social distancing could be observed there and the school has the proper ventilation to keep people safe.

“It may not be as good as outside, but outside would be tough because of the weather,” he said.

The School Committee on Wednesday, March 17 voted to approve and certify a fiscal 2022 budget of $57,572,579 — with an operating assessment of $16,575,019.22 for Whitman and $12,951,002.72 for Hanson — after non-mandating busing and some other costs, brings the total divided to $55,572,579.

“This is the beginning of sealing the budget process,” said Chairman Bob Hayes.

The votes were:

• Approve the fiscal ’22 budget at $57,572,579.40 with a vote of 8-1-1 [Committee member Fred Small voted no and Hayes abstained because his daughter teaches in the district.]

• Approve the operating assessment of $16,575,019.22 for Whitman with a vote of 8-1-1.

• Approve the operating assessment of $12,951,002.72

for Hanson with a vote of 8-1-1.

Committee member Dawn Byers asked for source material on the often-repeated assertion that once budget figures are set they cannot be increased — only decreased.

While he was not able to cite a specific law or regulation, Hayes said that  has always been the assertion and asked Business Manager John Tuffy for clarification.

“I’m not sure I agree with you,” Tuffy said. “I’ve heard that here a couple times and, perhaps we should talk to district counsel. I believe that, up until Town Meeting, the budget can change and the assessments can then change because the budget changed.”

But once a budget is voted, certified by the treasurer and delivered to the towns, the budget cannot go up by any action of the school committee. At that point, it would take Town Meeting action for that to happen.

“I can only say I hope the committee supports what we’ve added for increases this year,” said Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak. “I know we spoke about potential federal money — and I believe that federal money is coming — however, tonight’s the night I don’t have a check from the fed. Tonight’s the night where you certify a budget.”

Szymaniak said he believes the federal funding will be “significant” but doesn’t know specific numbers yet.

“I believe what we asked for is prudent, it’s fiscally sound, knowing that both communities have some financial difficulties,” he said. “I just need some clarity from both communities on what’s affordable.”

The district is using the statutory assessment formula only this year.

“My desire here is for accuracy,” Tuffy said. “This is not a policy statement. This is mathematics, and if there are any errors or issues, we can work them out and make some changes.”

Estimated non-mandated transportation figures and would likely change when the district gets better information about ridership.

“The total amount won’t change, but perhaps the distribution will,” he said.

The cost of the HVAC work at Hanson schools will also change, according to Tuffy, and will only affect Hanson’s assessment. The minimum local contribution has increase $795,538, with Hanson’s up $320,803 and Whitman’s up $474,735.

At about $100,000 Medicaid reimbursements seem on par with previous years and the district expects to use about $600,000 in Circuit Breaker funds to offset the budget. Last year, $700,000 was used.

Projected regional transportation reimbursement is $697,269.

Interest income to the district is at $20,000; school choice revenue is estimated at $246,000; and charter school reimbursement is expected to be $124,000.

Costs for students going out of district through special education placements and outgoing school choice and charter school students are included in the budget lines, according to Tuffy.

“Obviously, we’d like to have an infinite pot of funds that we can draw down, but it’s good to take a step back,” said Committee member Christopher Howard. “Two years ago we basically spent a year on assessment methodology and this last year we tried to keep the wheels on the bus as a result of COVID … there are so many pieces that we could look at in terms of pulling this thing together.”

He suggested that the committee begin, perhaps during the summer, going through what things they would like to see and work toward working them into the budget a year from now.

“I think this is really good, given where we are — where we’ve been and what we’re going to do — and I support what you’ve put together,” Howard said.

Whitman Town Administrator Lincoln Heineman said an override is not being considered for his town this year. Hanson, however, is looking at a significant override.

“Hanson is driving the bus this year, as from a financial perspective,” Heineman said. “I think it’s important for a school budget that includes an assessment that will pass an override in Hanson.”

Byers said that is a “dangerous conversation” to have.

“I feel the towns have been driving the bus on our school budget for decades and, essentially, that’s why we’re at the bottom [in per-pupil spending],” she said. “At this point the committee has a duty to consider the students’ needs first and put forth a budget that meets our needs and the towns will decide how they fund it.”

Committee member Fred Small said every town is different, but that the district has been lucky to have received more in Chapter 70 funds over the years than other towns and districts, but noted that annual increases for Chapter 70 aid W-H has been miniscule.

School return
update

Szymaniak also gave a re-entry plan update, noting that the facilities department has been working to place desks in classrooms with proper spacing and showing principals what the configurations look like. Assistant principals and school nurses are measuring all distances to ensure social distancing regulations are met on a geometric basis to aid contact tracing, if it is needed.

Whitman officials reached out to the district and told school officials that they will use CARES Act funds to help purchase the desks for Whitman Middle School required to group students at the proper distance, because trapezoid-shaped tables require pupils to face each other from within three feet apart

Assistant Superintendent George Ferro said the district had received 314 bus change requests as of March 16, but said 98 percent of them were from parents calling to confirm they are driving their children to school.

“What it [now] looks like on most of our bus routes is two to a seat and the bus routes look manageable,” Ferro said. New routes will be updated on the infinite campus web portal, under transportation, this week.

Enough middle school students are signed up for in-person learning, that live-streaming of classroom work will not be necessary except when administrators deem it an extenuating circumstance not limited to COVID.

“There safe operation of school is taking place,” Ferro said. “There is a return to normalcy, just like, hopefully, next September.”

The School Committee, on Wednesday, March 10, conducted a line-by-line review of the proposed fiscal 2022 school budget.

Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak said the $57,572,579 budget — down by about $300,000 after the spending plan was examined line by line.

Another meeting was set for Wednesday, March 17 to vote on the budget and assessments for the towns.

“That’s a different number than was presented two weeks ago,” Szymaniak said. “It’s lower. We made some adjustments, we found some errors in the line items. … This has been a really challenging year, especially in personnel, because we have people all over the district working remotely, we’ve hired a lot of folks and we had some double numbers.”

He said he feels very comfortable with the new number, which is more accurate.

Szymaniak also reported that the W-H Regional School District is set to reopen Monday, April 5, a reentry plan the School Committee voted to accept.

Wednesdays would be half-day instruction with the remainder of the day set aside for teachers’ professional development, which the committee approved 9-0-1, with Hayes abstaining because his daughter teaches in the district.

School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes said the budget line items would be presented for discussion as they are at Town Meeting, with committee members asked to place holds on lines they wanted to question or discuss.

Holds for questions were placed on some costs and reviewed when the committee reconvened for a special meeting on Monday, March 15.

Those holds included: teacher salaries; elementary instructional materials; general supplies; photocopier supplies; SPED teacher, SPED paraprofessional and speech salaries; guidance salaries; library supplies; athletics salaries, supplies and equipment maintenance; graduation expenses; co-curricular acting salaries; central office business/finance clerical salary; tuition to other schools; school choice; tech services salaries; health insurance; SPED tuition to other schools; district liaisons and police detail expenses; transportation contracted services; facilities contracted services building maintenance, emergency repairs and supplies; and other supplies at various schools.

Member Dawn Byers sought explanation of per-pupil spending and how many teachers are funded by each school’s salary line, class sizes and whether the increase account for steps, lanes and any salary increases that might be agreed to during negotiations.

“We have a lot of money that we’re spending and we need to be sure we’re spending it wisely that we’re targeting these dollars where we should,” she said.

Szymaniak explained that teacher salaries could not be discussed in detail due to contract negotiations, but that School Committee members could discuss them in executive session. He did say that steps and lanes are calculated in as well as an earmark for contract negotiations.

He said that, while still low, per-pupil expenditures have increased in recent years.

“Any time I saw anything kind of change, just looking to understand the why behind it … [I’m] just looking to understand the reason for the bump,” Member Christopher Howard said of his questioning special education costs and salary lines.

Director of Student Services Lauren Mathieson said the TLC program, which reintegrates students to classes following any hospitalizations, as well as a speech program at Indian Head. The number of behavioral specialists, speech therapists and paraprofessionals has also fluctuated at schools.

Byer’s questions on numbers of children in the TLC program drew a caution about privacy from Szymaniak and Hayes.

“Students have a right to confidentiality,” Szymaniak said. “By saying how many, that could potentially put their names out there.”

“I believe that we hire the superintendent because he has a license and we have to have some sort of trust,” Hayes said. “We hired the SPED director and [Assistant Superintendent] George [Ferro] for the same reason. … We have to have some sort of faith in what goes on with our leaders.”

Member David Forth asked why salary lines were divided by school rather than grade level. Business manager John Tuffy said it was largely past practice.

Szymaniak said general supplies are building-specific and needs based.

Copy costs have decreased with technology use, but some of the funds in the line can be used for technology costs as well as paper copying.

School Committee members also asked for specifics about the “other expenses” line for WHRHS, which Principal Dr. Christopher Jones said includes Community Evening School and the Ingenuity program, association memberships for teachers.

Howard suggested that, in future any way of providing more detail than the heading “other expenses” would be better.

“We’ll probably ask the same questions in another year when we see other expenses,” Howard said.

An increase from the $17,000 budgeted for the 2019 graduation and $30,000 in the proposed budget is intended to cover added expenses, such as a sound system, for holding graduation outside.

Reopening

Assistant Superintendent George Ferro said the district is going to be using student desk configurations that permit the proper social distancing for student safety. He said the purchase will use internal funds, but noted school officials are working with the towns to determine if there is more COVID relief funding available to reimburse the schools.

Szymaniak said the timing is more an issue than whether the funding would be available.

He also sought to clarify state information on reopening.

“The media is misquoting the Commissioner [of Education Jeff Riley] right now,” said Szymaniak, who described the result as a lot of phone calls from “really nervous parents.”

Commissioner Riley said on Tuesday, March 9 that he will not be accepting asynchronus learning time from hybrid models or remote models.

“People who are in our remote program automatically said, ‘Well, the commissioner said no remote is allowed,’” Szymaniak said. “We have a solid remote program, which is acceptable by DESE in our return. On April 5, as of today … all my parents who have wanted to stay remote, stay remote. All my parents who wanted to move from remote to in-person have notified their principals.  All my parents who wanted to move from hybrid to remote should have notified their principals.”

He said the K-12 remote program is in full swing. In K-8, is the classrooms they have had since September and nine through 12 is live-streaming.

“It’s OK, nobody has to worry about it — nobody needs to panic,” he said. “You can stay remote if you choose to stay remote.”

Student representative Anna Flynn noted that the prospect of returning to schools has “crossed the minds of everyone” in the W-H community.

“I have heard from many of my classmates that they’re nervous that people will not follow through with the respectful way to wear their face masks and [observe] the rules of social distancing,” the junior class member said. She reported that students have expressed to her that they want to see stronger consequences for improper mask wearing.

Flynn also noted concerns about how lunch periods will be conducted.

Ferro said lunches will be six feet apart, but will be using different areas.

“These questions have caused students I know to opt out of the full return and remain in full remote [instruction] online,” she said. “I believe that W-H has the knowledge and consideration for what the results will be when students return in April.”

School Committee member Christopher Howard said he appreciated Flynn’s sharing the student perspective with them.

“I think, for all of us, we’re a little disconnected — moreso that we’d like to be at this point — so I appreciate you coming to these meetings and sharing what’s going on,” he said.

School Committee member Dawn Byers, who is also the mother of two WHRHS students, also thanked Flynn.

“The students’ voice is important for us to hear, as well as [for] the students to hear you representing them,” Byers said.

Another challenge will be making sure the district gets all its ChromeBooks back to be used in classrooms, while students staying with remote learning able to retain the devices for at-home learning.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Szymaniak also outlined the online budget process and timeline:

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

• March 17, budget vote;

• April 14, budget session (tentative); and

• April 28, budget session (tentative).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WHITMAN — The town is planning a series of COVID vaccination clinics for elder residents at the Housing Authority’s Harvard Court site.

“As this board knows, there have already been several vaccination clinics that have occurred, primarily focused on first responders,” said new Town Administrator Lincoln Heineman, attending his inaugural Board of Selectmen’s meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 9, noting those clinics are continuing. “There are also already plans [for] vaccination clinics at Harvard Court.”

Those are planned for Feb. 22 and 26, as well as March 22 and 26 for the second dose.

“There are also other vaccination clinics planned,” he said. “The key issue that many members on this board may know about is that, we have this plan in place to provide vaccinations to the community, based on the phases as identified by the state Department of Public Health, but the key is actually receiving the  vaccine to perform those, which is — obviously — outside of the town’s control.”

He said the past week, according to Fire Chief Timothy Grenno, is the first time when the state has not been able to fulfill a request for vaccine from the town.

“We don’t know when that is going forward and, obviously, we’re going to be requesting vaccines to fulfill the plan that we want to pursue,” he said. “The big unknown at this moment is how much vaccine we’re going to get and in what kind of time.”

Heineman also announced that cases are now at 1,003 cases since the beginning of the pandemic, according to figures calculated as of Feb. 2. There have been 115 new cases recorded over the past two weeks.

“Just as a comparison to the state as a whole, we’re slightly higher as daily average incidents rate per 100,000 residents,” Heineman said. During the same two-week period the state was at 48.9, while Whitman is at 52.9.

Grenno and the Board of Health have developed the plans for the vaccine clinics, Heineman said.

“There’s a lot of very detailed and organized work that’s been going on prior to me and, again, I want to give all the credit in the world to our emergency management director [Grenno], the Board of Health and everyone here in Town Hall and the Town Hall workers in general,” Heineman said.

In other business, Selectmen approved a request from Council on Aging Director Mary Holland to revise COVID-19 protocols for her department.

“She said there are certain issues that needed to be done, and we had to redo our town protocol because the COA does certain functions that are required under health issues only the senior center provides, and she’s asked us if that would be allowed,” Selectmen Chairman Daniel Salvucci said.

New town COVID protocols passed on Jan. 19 had closed all town buildings to the public until further notice.

“The services that we’ve been able to continue to offer — one of them being the podiatrist — it’s only once a month, but seniors need that service,” Holland said. “We’ve been doing it since September with no issues.”

Seniors enter at the back door and are seen one-on-one by the podiatrist in a private room, she said. Masks are worn during examinations.

Fuel assistance is another service for which seniors must go to the COA to obtain help with the first-time completion of complex paperwork. The center is still closed for social events.

Selectmen also voted — in recognition that Carousel Family Fun Center was the only business in town required to close [for 30 weeks] due to Gov. Charlie Baker’s COVID-19 order — to reduce the business’ licensing fee, applying a pro-rated amount to her feed owed in 2021.

HANSON — COVID-19 vaccination staging plans and a discussion with town counsel regarding a proposed 40B affordable housing development were the focus of the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, Feb. 2.

The meeting was conducted by Vice Chairman Matt Dyer in the absence of Chairman Kenny Mitchell.

Fire Chief Jerome Thompson Jr., outlined the town’s efforts to tackle the pandemic, including a recent testing site operation and meetings with the Board of Health and Senior Center Director Mary Collins to address the needs of the town’s vulnerable seniors.

“We started the process in mid-December to allow us to become a MIS account so we can obtain vaccines and administer them,” he said. “It took a while.”

The department received vaccine to provide the first round of shots to 50 first-responders on Jan.21. He said, however, that getting more information from the state has been difficult.

Vaccines were ordered for elders age 75 and older, but were advised the town would not receive those vaccines for a couple of weeks.

“We still went on with our plan and I put the order in anyway,” he said. “I’m happy to announce that we did receive some vaccines today and, working with Mary Collins and Kathy Clark from Meetinghouse Lane, we’ve identified our vulnerable population — over 75 and members of the community that would need some assistance in order to sign up for these vaccines.”

That process was anticipated to be complete by Feb. 3 so people could apply.

“We’re going to continue to order vaccines weekly and offer clinics, but we don’t know how much we’ll get,” Thompson said, adding that the added work in taking on the vaccination and clinic process is a lot of extra work for his department. “It’s best for us to wait until we get that vaccine in hand and then put that information out and have a clinic within two to three days.”

Dyer expressed concern that the 75-and-older age range is a group in which not everyone has a computer or knows how to navigate on one. He asked if there was a phone number to call.

Thompson suggested that the Senior Center would be the best place to call in that case, but that the Facebook link was “very simple” to use. He is also working on conducting a vaccine clinic at Hanson Middle School for residents over age 75, hoping it would be scheduled for Friday, Feb. 5.

A lot of people are also going through their primary care physicians or attending large-scale clinics at Gillette Stadium or Fenway Park.

On or about Feb. 15, Marshfield is also conducting a vaccination clinic at the Marshfield Fair

“I appreciate you going to bat for our elderly folks,” Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said, noting that it is a difficult task to take on for the fire chief. “I thank you and the rest of the team that helped make this happen.”

Thompson said the department is using CARES Act funds to pay for the expense of conducting clinics.

He said the workload and expense may make if difficult for the Fire Department to take on the responsibility of vaccinating the whole town.

“It’s going to be all about availability,” he said.

Chapter 40B

A contentious exchange sparked the discussion on the proposed 40B development by Cushing Trail Realty Trust off Spring Street. Town Counsel Jay Talerman attended the virtual meeting to provide legal advice during the discussion.

Selectmen voted to issue a letter of support if flaws in the plan can be adequately addressed, which Talerman said is not out of the ordinary for such projects.

Select board input is a regular feature of the 40B eligibility letter approval process before a project proceeds to the Zoning Board of Appeals, Talerman said.

He said feedback from land use boards has so far included issues of housing diversity, proximity to Commuter Rail, walkability and open space, proximity to a capped landfill, water supply, wetland and environmental impact, a few design concerns, and a placeholder on the developers’ credentials.

Water Commissioner Don Howard said no one has appeared before the Water Department to find out if water service is possible.

“Hanson doesn’t have any water main down Spring Street,” Howard said. “I don’t know where they’re going to get the water.”

Talerman said that concern has been raised.

“In this application, the applicant says they already have water on-site,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “But that is not the case.”

Town Administrator John Stanbrook read a letter from Town Counsel Kate Feodoroff, an associate of Talerman’s.

The development plans a mix of 40 two- and three-bedroom condominium units, with 10 of them made available under Chapter 40B a affordable units. The project contains no handicapped-accessible units.

“Though the application presented is in its preliminary stages, the board requests that the project comply with the housing production plan,” the letter Feodoroff drafted on behalf of the Board of Selectmen stated.

“Over the weekend, residents have reached out, voicing their concerns,” Dyer said. “Many have concerns … related to proximity to the landfill and the Factory Pond site.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett is also concerned about the absence of septic plans for a development in a town without sewers, as well as a lack of clarity on plans for “amenities” and location concerning affordable units.

“I certainly was not prepared for the public outcry,” Selectman Wes Blauss said, noting he is unaware of the history of the proposal. “That surprised me. … I’m not against the concept, but I’m not really sure if Spring Street is the best place for all these units.”

Developer William Cushing said he was not attending to talk about stormwater, but said the town’s regulations — more restrictive than the state’s — have been met.

“A lot of these things are going to be checked off during that [ZBA] phase,” Cushing said. “Every unit is going to be consistently spread out and not close to the landfill.”

Amenities for all units — affordable as well as market rate — will be the same. He also said that, unlike the bulk of condo projects in Hanson aimed at the over 55 market, these units are meant for families.

He also said he has water access through Glenwood Place and is planning to pay to get it to the site.

“It’s not a complete plan, but I would call it a really good concept,” Cushing said. “At this time, to talk about storm water and other issues, is preliminary.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett said the board is doing what they were elected to do.

“I will continue to be concerned about the things that I articulated,” she said. “I’m hopeful that you will address them. But I will tell you that you ought to take another look at your application.”

She indicated that the application indicates septic is in place.

FitzGerald-Kemmett also objected to what she characterized as a disrespectful tone to Cushing’s comments.

The Hanson Board of Selectmen, on Tuesday, Jan. 26 discussed ways to bring information on specific budgetary needs before the public as they prepare for this spring’s annual Town Meeting.

Town officials are working on a budget with a $2 million deficit in its general fund for FY 2022.

“Obviously, we still only have limited information, but over the next month or more we’re going to have a lot more information,” said Selectmen Chairman Kenny Mitchell. “How that number is going to impact each resident, if the override is to go through, how much should that be? But, more importantly, we’re going to have to educate the residents on what services would possibly be cut and what they would be in jeopardy of losing.”

Mitchell proposed a FY 2022 budget forum at the high school with all department heads attending to answer questions. He is looking at a March 5 or 16 date for such a forum.

“I’m also willing to go on a cable show,” he said. “I’m all ears.”

Selectman Matt Dyer agreed it was a good idea, suggesting mid-March would be better to give town officials time to get a clearer picture of the state budget or any other financial issues that may affect the town’s budget.

“Mid-March, I don’t think we’re going to be in any better position with COVID-19, so I think that we really need to consider an online venue,” Dyer said. While Zoom meeting security from invasive and abusive callers — so-called “Zoom bombing” — with larger groups, but it would be the most accessible option at this point.

He also suggested teaming up with the Whitman-Hanson Express to have Hanson budget updates on the front page. [Editor’s note: Call us to provide details of what you have in mind.]

“Each week, an update about what the budget entails, so people are informed that way,” Dyer said, adding the town’s Facebook account and website could also be used for disseminating such information.

Recording the forum Mitchell suggested and posting it on the town’s social media platforms could also be useful, Dyer suggested.

“With COVID-19, it’s going to be tough to get a bunch of people together, but if questions were submitted and you were to get on cable access to answer those questions that’s one way to do it,” Selectman Jim Hickey said of Mitchell’s suggestion. He also said a brief time delay managed by someone to control Zoom bombers would also be worthwhile.

“We do have to come up with ideas,” Hickey said, noting that while hard numbers were not yet available, the impact of cuts would be clear. “[Town Accountant] Todd [Hassett] said it. It’s going to be staff. The services we’re talking about … includes every department.”

That includes police and fire and the school system, he said.

“But without hard numbers, it’s a little bit hard to talk about that right now.”

Mitchell also expressed concern about the volume of questions that could result in a Zoom call, prompting Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett to point out that most large scale Zoom conferences ask participants to put their questions in the chat space, where a moderator is usually placed in charge of following the inquiries.

“You can mute everybody except for the speakers and take in questions through the chat,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “Train, plane, automobile — whatever it takes to get the information out there.”

She also said it would be helpful for the public to hear directly from Fire Chief Jerome Thompson Jr., and Police Chief Michael Miksch about what the budget will mean to their departments or services.

He suggested an April date might be better.

“We’re going to have to get the information out to people as a board, but then let the people make their decision at Town Meeting.

FitzGerald-Kemmett asked if town officials were ready to commit to a May Town Meeting, even with a COVID vaccine in the offing.

“I’m not ready to make a decision on cancelling something four months away,” Mitchell said.

FitzGerald-Kemmett said her question was more intended to determine when such a decision might have to be made.

Hickey suggested starting to plan on holding the Town Meeting outside at the high school in any case, to be prepared for possible COVID-related planning problems.

Town Administrator John Stanbrook said, anytime he has been asked a question about the FY 2022 budget, he has made a record of it and suggested using them as the basis of an FAQ (frequently asked questions) feature on town social media.

“I think this is going to require all the tools in the shed and more,” Mitchell said.

“People just think that we’re crying wolf and then, somehow, it happens,” Dyer said, pointing to difficulties with past budgets. “All this hard work that happens behind closed doors … we all come together and they make sacrifices for each department.”

He noted that a lot of people didn’t notice that the Fire Department didn’t get the apparatus they wanted last year, or that the Police Department held off on buying cruisers to help get the school budget where it needed to be.

“I want to make sure that, any updates like those, we’re keeping track of so we can put them out front so people can read about it,” he said.

Dyer also noted that town employees are worrying about their future.

Safer sidewalks

Town Planner Deborah Pettey discussed the need for safety improvements to three intersections — at Liberty and Indian Head streets and Liberty Street and County Road and in front of Hanson Middle School — and install new crosswalks for pedestrian safety through the federal Shared Streets Winter Program grants under the CARES Act.

“It was really developed to direct money to towns with streets they might shut down, and put restaurant [tables] in the middle of the street and do temporary business in the street because of COVID [restrictions],” Pettey said. “This last winter round, they extended it a little bit more to improve walkability … because, with COVID, more people are walking outside.”

The crosswalks Pettey has in mind need repair and are not ADA-compliant now, especially since they are heavily used by middle school students on half days and by families using the ball field parking lot for events and Indian Head School.

The state permits towns to work with design consultants on such projects free of charge.

Selectmen voted to approve her moving forward with the grant application.