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Boards talk budget

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WHITMAN — Prior to a joint meeting with the Finance Committee Tuesday, Jan. 21, the Board of Selectmen unanimously voted to accept the report and budget recommendations from the Budget Override and Evaluation Committee to avert a fiscal 2021 Proposition 2 ½ override. It was the only item on the agenda before the joint session with the Finance Committee.

All but one had the unanimous recommendation of the BOEC, and were based on the recommendations of the findings reported by consultant John Madden’s review of town finances.

“All of these measures defer the inevitable,” the budget committee’s report stated. “Even if all recommendations are adopted, an override will most likely be required in FY 2022, albeit a much smaller one.

BOEC Chairman Randy LaMattina said the key factor Madden determined to be at the heart of Whitman’s financial situation was where the operating budget — with an annual increase of 4.86 percent — is growing.

“He notes that school growth, from 7 to 8 percent, are not the norm,” LaMattina said. “His recommendation, and there will be a vote later on in this meeting, was to restrict operational growth to somewhere between 2 to 2.5 percent and a school assessment of 5 percent. … They’re not concrete numbers, there may need some adjustment here and there, but these are what he considers the norms for surrounding towns and towns meeting our demographics.”      

The recommended moves include:

• Restructuring of the ambulance account without taking needed funds away from the fire department;

• Moving funds from the motor vehicle fine account into general townwide operations;

• Use of sewer/water indirect costs to offset costs within the town budget article at Town Meeting;

• Controlling town operations increases to 2.5 percent of the overall budget increase and education not to exceed a 5 percent assessment increase;

• As a financial policy, refrain from using free cash to fund ongoing expenses;

• Seek funding for the feasibility study for a DPW building project;

• Funding the $750,000 for the first phase of the Whitman middle School Project (Finance Committee member John Galvin and Fire Chief Timothy Grenno abstained from this vote at the BOEC meeting);

• Development of a strategic plan for municipal finances; and the

• BOEC’s recommendation against seeking a Proposition 2 ½ override.

School Committee member Dawn Byers spoke about her dissenting vote favoring an override after Selectman Dan Salvucci asked for the reason for that vote.

She said that, while she saw a lot of information on how to infuse more money into the town’s operating budget, she saw no expenditure reports for how the new revenue would be distributed.

“I know that the schools did cut from their budget last year, so I feel that to recommend not having an override this year doesn’t serve the people in our community, the families in our community, working families in our community. I think we need to recognize our true expenditures with our real revenue.”

LaMattina said nine votes against seeking an override spoke to the dire nature of the move.

“We know we have a middle school, possibly, on the horizon, we know we have a capital service project,” he said. “We do not know what the number is for the school district. … If we look at our history, 5 percent will not be sustainable for the schools — we get it — they will need an increase.”

He said the town is trying to get through this year, working with Hanson.

“I think this override will be the last time we can ask taxpayers for money for quite a long time,” LaMattina said. “We better get it right.”

Moving into the joint meeting with the Finance Committee, the session reflected Finance Chairman Richard Anderson’s introductory remark that, “undoubtedly we will disagree on some of the paths” to get town finances where they need to be.

Town Administrator Frank Lynam advocated identifying the town’s budget tolerances as a first step in preparing a budget with a 2.5 percent increase limit as the goal.

Finance Committee member Kathleen Ottina advocated more transparency in that process.

“Right now, the general public in Whitman does not know the details of what was involved in last year’s decision to stay under an override,” she said. “The closed-door meetings, I understand, involve less formal discussions than when you televise, but they have to be open to the public so they know what’s at stake.”

She also questioned how an override could be taken off the table when they don’t have all the numbers yet, and argued it does not take six months to educate the public on the need for an override.

Lynam said he would be “hard-pressed to find 100 people that would regularly be interested in what’s going on, that doesn’t mean we don’t provide it.”

Most of what he does at the meetings is working with a calculator and the town has committed to a more open and fluid approach.

Ottina said she appreciated the difficulty, but said information coming out of the meetings should be publicized. Lynam agreed.

Finance Committee member Rosemary Connolly urged that a working group could ensure the budget is accountable to the town’s budget survey conducted last year.

Finance Committee member John Galvin, who also served on the BOEC, disagreed that a working group meeting was necessary, because the FinCom is charged with hashing out that information and bringing it to the people at Town Meeting.

Anderson said that, if the next step is for the Finance Committee members to follow up with budget managers, “I think we’re in a good place.”

In discussing the Capital improvement plan, Lynam said the wording for any article would be tricky.

“We’re going to have to work out that process,” he said. “It would be a big change from what we’ve done.”

The capital committee will be holding its next meeting in the first week of February.

Noting that WHRSD is the biggest part of the budget, Anderson brought up the issue of paid school transportation.

“I think this is a discussion that needs to take place,” he said. “It’s time to consider alternate funding sources and maybe address some of the schools’ needs.”

School Committee member Fred Small, who attended the joint meeting, said students on the Superintendent’s Council had said last week that the early start didn’t bother them.

Connolly said early start times generally affects boys more than girls, and the Superintendent’s Council members who spoke were all female.

They also did say the time change was hard for them in the beginning, as well.

Lynam cautioned that the issue raises a myriad concerns, particularly when school doors don’t open before a certain time, which causes a hardship for working parents.

“Massachusetts has the earliest start time, generally, across America and we are one of the earliest within Massachusetts,” Connolly said. “We also have to think of how effectively our money is spent.”

Most buses arrive at the school empty because parents already drive their children, she said.

Finally, Lynam discussed the MSBA grant invitation for a Whitman Middle School project, requiring a vote at the May Town Meeting on whether to call for funding for a feasibility study. Components of that study will include demographics, utility and design.

“I don’t see anyone ever approving us renovating that building,” Lynam said. “If we’re going to do something there, we’re most likely looking at a new building.”

The first step is the assessment of need through a feasibility study which can be funded out or either a debt plan, free cash or a one-time capital override.

“I was persuaded that the feasibility study will give us the information we need to present to the public,” Lynam said.

Judge grants bail in child death

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WHITMAN — Shaniqua Leonard, 29, of Whitman was granted bail of $2500 cash following a dangerousness hearing on Monday at Brockton District Court in which she was deemed dangerous.

With strong conditions set in place by Judge Julie J. Bernard — who left the stand for half an hour before making a ruling — that Leonard not have any contact with her remaining six children she; have no contact, direct or indirect with minor children; refrain from using drugs and alcohol and submit to random testing, cooperate in a mental health evaluation, wear a GPS monitoring bracelet, and not possess firearms.

The judge rules Leonard may attend her daughter’s funeral,  if she stays 10 feet away from her children and notifies probation.

She had been held without bail on Friday January 10 charged with one count of reckless endangerment in the death of her biological child Lyric Farrell, 2.

On Friday, during her probable cause hearing, Leonard pleaded not guilty to one count of reckless endangerment of a child through her defense lawyer Michael Tumposky.

On Jan. 10, Assistant District Attorney Jessica Kenny entered into the record the details from the Whitman police 911 call and the medical examiner’s report regarding injuries Farrell had sustained including: a contusion of both the front and back of the skull, a brain bleed, multiple levels of bruising in different stages of healing, fresh, deep clawing and scratch marks about the head, neck and face among other injuries.

Kenny read from the police reports that Leonard had stated to police that the child had somehow harmed herself by hitting her head.

Continued testing through the medical examiner on Lyric’s eyes and brain will be used to determine the manner and cause of death.  A degree of head trauma such as Farrell’s could not be accidental in nature, Kenny stated as she read from the M E reports entered into the court.

Lyric’s father Chris Farrell was present at the court but declined comment to this reporter on Friday.

He had previously stated in published reports that his daughter was in his mother’s custody (Lyric’s grandmother) before being returned to her biological mother Leonard by the Department of Children and Families approximately four weeks before her death.

Leonard had seven biological children and lost custody of all of them in 2017. She had gradually regained custody of each child and had delivered a set of twins approximately a year prior to her regaining custody of Lyric. The child was returned only weeks prior to Christmas 2019 and pronounced brain dead Dec. 31.

Prosecutors played 911 calls entered into the record, including the initial call for help that Leonard placed stating her child was not breathing. The call took place around midnight on Dec. 28 and, for nearly three minutes, EMS could be heard pounding on the door on Washington Street before they were let in to assess the child.

Once inside EMS detailed the condition of the child in a blanket found on the couch, which prompted immediate care. She was taken  to the Brockton Hospital and  then airlifted to Boston where she was taken off life support two days later.

According to details read from the police officers’ reports the other children were all dressed and in their coats when first responders were let in the house on Dec. 28.

Leonard reportedly told officers that she had been waking the children to use the bathroom as she always did when she realized Lyric wasn’t breathing.

Video evidence

ADA Kenny entered more than a dozen cell phone videos into the record, which showed Lyric to be incapacitated, wheezing, eyes rolling and having trouble holding her head up, she said. She also read the documented length of time Leonard waited to take the child for medical attention. Other videos were entered that appeared to be taken by Lyric’s siblings on Leonard’s phone with taunting of Lyric as she struggled to breath and in one video a sibling threw water at Lyric; holding a cross to her to ‘get the demons out’ she stated. Her siblings were interviewed with the 9-year-old child reporting that her mother said, “Lyric is dead,” and instructed them to go get dressed.

In the continued dangerousness hearing on Monday Jan. 13,  a statement was released by the Office of Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz.

“The District Attorney respectfully disagrees but accepts the court’s decision,” Cruz stated. “State Police and Whitman Police have been actively investigating the circumstances surrounding Lyric Farrell’s death since she was brought to the hospital for treatment. That investigation continues, and additional charges will be sought if they are supported by the evidence once the Medical Examiner completes the autopsy. We moved today to have Ms. Leonard deemed dangerous and asked that she be held without bail due in part to concern for the safety of Lyric’s six remaining siblings. The Judge set a monetary bail with conditions for Ms. Leonard, one of the most important being that she not be permitted to have any contact with those children.”

Stanbrook sworn in as Hanson’s TA

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HANSON — The Board of Selectmen welcomed new Town Administrator John Stanbrook on board — and lauded the work of the town’s first responders, who rescued two men after a New Year’s Eve canoe accident, during their first meeting of the year Tuesday, Jan. 7.

Town Clerk Elizabeth Sloan administered the oath of office to Stanbrook before the meeting was recessed for a welcoming reception in the Town Hall kitchen.

“I’m so excited, I can barely contain myself tonight, and I may not — just a warning,” joked Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett. “This board has accomplished a lot in the past year, but I think the most important thing we accomplished was, with the help of [interim Town Administrator] Merry Marini and [Administrative Assistant] Greer Getzen, laying a foundation for the future.”

She said that future is embodied by Stanbrook.

“He comes to us with impeccable credentials and years of diverse municipal experience and skills, which we know will serve us in good stead,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

Stanbrook’s family attended the ceremony and reception.

“I’m looking forward to working here. Day two is going very well,” he said to laughs. “There’s only 200,000 more, or whatever.”

After Stanbrook’s reception, FitzGerald-Kemmett kept the “good new train” rolling along as Selectmen applauded Hanson Police and Fire personnel who responded to the New Year’s Eve incident [see story, page one].  She began the congratulatory segment of the meeting before Marini suggested the recess for Stanbrook’s reception.

“I have cake,” Marini said.

“I’m sorry, you know me, I just wanted to cut right to [it],” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “For me, it’s not the cake — no carb thing.”

“At this end of the table, cake is important,” Marini said.

New Year’s rescue

When the meeting resumed, FitzGerald-Kemmett noted that, while most Hanson residents were ringing in the New Year on Dec. 31, the town’s first responders were addressing a “life and death drama on Maquan Pond.”

Police and Fire chiefs and personnel who were involved in the rescue were invited to the meeting so the board could “express its heart-felt gratitude to the life-saving measures that they took that evening,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

Fire Chief Jerome Thompson Jr. provided an overview of the incident and said the first responders appreciated the recognition even though what they did was just part of the job.

He did acknowledge that the job they did that night was “more than routine.”

“From the beginning of this call, from dispatch getting all the pertinent information, relaying it to the crews out on the street, to the police officers getting there and locating these individuals quickly … we were also assisted by some bystanders who did a really good job attempting to help us,” Thompson said.

He called the rescue labor-intensive because the ice, while too thin to hold firefighters’ weight, was too thick to break easily. Police and fire personnel on shore worked together to pull the rescuers and victims back to shore with ropes.

“This was a team effort,” Thompson said. “It definitely made a difference that night — it was great work.”

He also credited Hanson’s mutual aid partnerships with Pembroke, East Bridgewater and Whitman for the three responding ambulances that were used to transport the victims and evaluate rescuers for signs of exposure.

Selectman Kenny Mitchell said he listened to the whole incident on his scanner, noting he had once thought he could be an on-scene incident commander, if the occasion called for it. Now he knows differently.

He learned that a generous resident was willing to launch his own boat to aid in the rescue, and thought that was a great idea. At first.

Police Sgt. Peter Calogero, however, then responded on the radio that Hanson Fire should get their boat in the water before they had a second rescue on their hands.

“That’s why Cal’s got the stripes and I don’t,” Mitchell said, relating the drama he followed along at home.

“There was a point where I was concerned you weren’t going to get to him,” he said.

Mitchell conceded there are things going on at a scene that the public may not be aware of as they listen to the scanner.

“Just listening to you guys work together was just unbelievable,” he said. “What a hell of a job by everybody.”

Bay Circuit Trail

Selectman Matt Dyer, who served on the Final Plymouth County Hospital Reuse Committee with Conservation Commission Chairman Phil Clemens, recommended an easement at Bonney Hill Way to allow the Bay Circuit Trail to skirt the former hospital property. The easement would be accessible to foot traffic only.

The trail goes through 37 communities from the North to South Shore for 200 miles. Selectmen’s approval for the easement was needed for a Mass. Trails Grant application, due in February,

The mile-long stretch through the PCH site would include bog walks and trails.

Animal control changes hands

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WHITMAN — Animal Control services will be taken over, as the initial responsibility for oversight by the Board of Selectmen and Town Administrator in the new year.

The change will be in force until a “more suitable plan” can be developed, Town Administrator Frank Lynam informed Selectmen at the Tuesday, Dec. 17 meeting.

“The Board of Health has notified us that they wish to — can I use the word reneg? — on their acceptance of managing the Animal Control Department, as of Jan. 1,” Lynam said.

Animal control has traditionally been managed by the Police Department.

“We obviously have to do something fairly immediately,” Lynam said, noting there was not much of an option available for reassigning it.

“When we did this, there was a considerable increase, monetarily, to that department for this specific purpose,” Selectman Randy LaMattina noted about the Health Board’s oversight. “I would just like us to be aware of that and figure out a direction.”

Lynam said he would discuss the financial ramifications of the change with the Finance Committee.

“Since [the Board of Health] is an elected board, we really can’t direct them to do anything, but we’re recognizing their decision to — I’m looking for a word — to relieve themselves of the animal control process and that has some impacts,” Lynam said.

Selectman Brian Bezanson asked if the financial aspect was not something that was more properly up to the Health Board Chairman and Finance Committee to decide.

“There has to be some decision made somewhere,” Lynam said. “The Board of Health is the appointing authority for the health agent, the budget is voted annually at Town Meeting and there are certain responsibilities that we all have when we vote and adopt annual budgets, so that’s a discussion that has to happen.”

Lynam said the Board of Health maintains it needs a full-time health agent, animal control notwithstanding.

“Like any department, a case has to be made for supporting the budget that you request,” he said.

As Hanson Selectmen have approved $30,000 for its share of the $60,000 cost for a joint town hiring of an independent auditor for the School District’s operating costs, Whitman Selectmen authorized planning for an expenditure not to exceed $30,000 for the town’s share.

“It’s a lot of money, but there’s a lot of questions,” Lynam said. “As we speak [Dec. 17], I don’t know where the money’s coming from.”

He has asked the town accountant to “look at all of our numbers” to figure out from where the $30,000 could be drawn.

The type of firm selected may hinge on what they are looking for — whether the numbers add up or where the money is spent, according to Lynam.

“Those are two different types of audit,” Lynam said. “We’re trying to understand what the basics for spending are and how we’re affected going forward.”

Lynam said the town has identified its costs and what its trends have been over the last five years, with the result being they are saying there is a structural deficit for fiscal 2021of at least $1.7 million.

“That’s without the numbers that were thrown out by the school [district Dec. 11],” he said. “We have to start somewhere.”

Bezanson said the audit could be viewed positively, especially if it verifies what the school district has been saying.

Small plane crash-lands in area lake

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HALIFAX — A man is lucky to be alive after his plane crashed in the water behind Lake Street in Halifax Saturday afternoon around noon.

A portion of the Piper Archer 28-181, single propeller could be seen partially submerged near 78 Lake St., Halifax where first responders spent hours securing the oil spill from the plane with containment booms and awaited removal of the craft.

John Keegan of Hanson was helping his brother- in- law Aaron Sellers with a repair on the roof of his home when he saw the small plane skim the roof of the neighbors’ roof next door.

“His wings hit the ice then he popped back up and then crashed over there,” said Keegan pointing to the icy water moments after the incident.

Keegan, along with another man who heard the call from nearby  Cranland Airport in Hanson, were able to flip a canoe over that was at the bottom of the Sellers’ property, paddled through the ice to reach the pilot, and helped him to shore. The man was reportedly soaked but talking and said he was not hurt according to Keegan.  He was standing on the plane’s roof when the pair reached him.

According to the Halifax Fire Department, they began the process of launching their marine craft in an attempt to reach the plane and encountered thin layers of ice and cold weather which prohibited the rescue boat from initially reaching the airplane.  A mutual aid airboat from Middleborough was called to assist in reaching the aircraft.  Companies then began the process of securing the surroundings with inflatable booms to stop any fuel leaks.

Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Environmental Protection, National Transportation Safety Board, Sheriff’s department, and State police were called to assist in the aircraft recovery, according to the press release.

The pilot later returned to the scene.  He was seen walking with a police officer in dry clothing and shook hands with Sellers as he passed by his home where Keegan had assisted him earlier. The man declined to comment to this reporter.

Other hazardous materials units were called in from Kingston and Duxbury.  Andy’s Towing and other tow companies were called to standby the incident.  The Plymouth County Dive Team was also activated with members from Hanover, Hingham, Abington, and Plympton.  Hanson Fire provided coverage at Halifax fire station

The name of the pilot has not been released by authorities and the cause of the crash is currently under investigation, according to the press release.

Hanson stands by audit request

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HANSON — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, Dec. 17 discussed updated information and concerns surrounding the ongoing school differences with Whitman surrounding  assessment formula for W-H Regional Schools.

Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett and Selectmen Matt Dyer were slated to meet Wednesday, Dec. 18 with Whitman counterparts and town administrators to further discuss a proposed compromise assessment approach for the W-H Regional Schools.

The board’s agenda Dec. 17 included discussion on the costs of de-regionalizing and of the assessment issue with Town Counsel and possible next steps.

FitzGerald-Kemmett said the Dec. 4 meeting of the new Regional Agreement Committee concluded with a vote to temporarily disband [see related story] the panel to permit discussions on a smaller scale to facilitate negotiation. She said whatever is discussed in the smaller sessions would “absolutely be brought back” for discussion by Hanson Selectmen.

“The discussion was how we should move forward with the regional agreement and it was made abundantly clear at that meeting that Whitman was going to go statutory this year,” she said. “The way the composition of the School Committee [stands], with the 6-4 — six Whitman votes to four Hanson — the fact that we’ve had DESE weigh in and all … more than likely, regardless what the School Committee voted, ultimately we would end up with the statutory formula.

The statutory method takes into account a town’s minimum per pupil expenditure designated by DESE — the minimum local contribution — which fluctuates based on inflation, wage adjustment, town’s total earned income, property values and municipal revenue growth. Anything in a budget over the minimum local contribution goes to the regional agreement, based on pupil population, for any other operating expense.

There is no requirement for unanimous agreement by both communities to use the statutory method.

The agreement/alternative method uses strict per-pupil representation to assess the communities, the method currently used by the district. Both communities have to pass the assessment methodology prior to the budget distribution or at town meeting in order to use this method. If one town does not vote the budget forward and the other does, it does not constitute unanimous agreement for the method to be used.

FitzGerald-Kemmett reported that Whitman Selectman Randy LaMattina would be willing to enter into an agreement calling for a statutory formula for fiscal 2021, after which the towns would discuss a transition to a full statutory assessment system.

Going forward, Whitman Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski said he favored opening the agreement to something of a hybrid formula that would not be fully statutory nor alternative.

“I don’t know what that looks like,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “Part of that is the school audit that both towns have agreed to fund.”

She sought to clarify that the audit is to provide information the towns need.

“If we’re being asked to write a check, we need to know what that check is for, pure and simple,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “It is not a value judgment, it is not an indictment of anybody. We have a fiduciary responsibility to have transparency into the way the money is being spent.”

She pointed out that, were the schools not part of a region, that transparency — as with all other town departments — would be easier to achieve.

Dyer said the audit had no connection to any suspicions about school finances.

Every year, we choose a department to audit,” he said. “This is just regular business.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett agreed, but admitted the impetus was also a need for more information. She described the towns’ relationship as currently siloed where the schools are concerned, and that the audit could lead to help the towns get onto the same page.

“They’d be sitting at our department head meetings on a weekly basis and they’d be talking to one another,” she said. “We’re trying to level that playing field and get that level of information we’ve got from the other departments in town.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett said the board has also been receiving a lot of questions about whether de-regionalization has been considered. It will not be figured out by the May Town Meeting, she said, stressing that people want to know what the structure and cost would be and the whether or not the town would benefit from it.

“I don’t have any of those answers right now,” she said. “My sense is that de-regionalization is probably not a viable — and certainly not a short-term viable — solution right now, but it’s something everyone deserves to have us look into, so we will look into it.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett asked Finance Committee Chairman Kevin Sullivan at what point his board should be looped in.

“Ultimately, FinCom has to play the hand we’re dealt, based on what the schools provide in their budget,” he said. “It’s a little bit discouraging to me that they’ve shown such a high increase already in December.”

He pointed to the $2.5 million in recommendations are an indication that an even higher budget increase than in previous years.

“We’re throwing things like full-day kindergarten right on top,” Sullivan said. “Is this the best time to do that? If they eased into this a little bit more, I feel we could make this work. … But I feel like we’re hammering it down now.”

He argued it could motivate some residents to dig in and refuse to support any budget.

“I’ve gotten some very strong and loud feedback about the fact that, not only are we looking at the struggle of how the assessment will play out, but now we’re  tacking on pretty large increase on top of that,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “They’re doing what they think they need to do.”

In other business, the board discussed a “No Knock Policy” against door-to-door solicitations, in which a list is drawn up and disseminated.

Police Chief Michael Miksch has noted a problem with such a policy concerning maintaining the list when people move or property is sold and the First Amendment considerations of group such as religious or political canvassers. He also noted the 2020 Census will be sending people door-to-door.

Miksch recommends that those who do not want solicitors knocking on their doors should post “No Trespassing” or “No Soliciation” signs, which the police can enforce.

Remembering those lost at Pearl Harbor

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WHITMAN — On the 78th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the Whitman American Legion Post 22 and the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 22 gathered at the post on Legion Parkway for its annual salute to the lives lost on America’s “day of infamy.”

Evocative of the early Sunday morning (Pearl Harbor time) attack, color and honor guards saluted the flag, flown at half staff, before firing a ceremonial volley at 8 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 7.

New Post Commander Robert Schirone thanked the representatives from the Whitman VFW, Legion, Sons of the Legion, the Sons Riders and Knights of Columbus. Town Administrator Frank Lynam and Selectman Dan Salvucci also attended.

Frank Mirano, 98, who joined the service a couple months after Pearl Harbor attack had been invited, but Schirone said it appeared the cold morning was not conducive to his being able to attend.

“Again, our nation has assembled to honor its heroic dead,” Schirone said in his prepared remarks. “Under the quiet sod or beneath the murmuring waves, their bodies sleep in peace.”

Schirone said their souls march on in the destinies of veterans.

“Because of them, our lives are free,” Schirone said of those lost on Dec. 7, 1941. “Because of them, our nation lives. … They fought for us. For us, they fell now with one accord, and deepest reverence, we do them honor.”

After he spoke, the gathering observed 30 seconds of silence and a prayer was offered for the repose of those lost — as well as the honorable way survivors continued on with their lives — before the Whitman VFW honor guard fired the ceremonial salute from three rifles, after which a recording of “Taps” was played.

The brief ceremony was followed by a breakfast collation in the post.

Hanson recycle deal struck

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HANSON — New Bedford Waste Services will extend its recycling contract with the town for two weeks — sending a truck to empty full containers at the transfer station Wednesday, Dec. 4 — while lawyers for the company and the town iron out a contractual dispute.

That impasse, which led to unpaid bills by the town, had been halted. At issue was whether emails advising the town of increased fees under the “uncontrollable circumstances” clause of the contract were sent by the company or received by the town.

NBWS President Michael Camara met in a joint session with Selectmen and the Board of Health on Tuesday, Dec. 3.

He said the uncontrollable circumstance was the solid waste disposal crisis in the state since China stopped accepting recyclable waste in 2017 — a time when they were handling 55 percent of global recyclables, including 4,400 containers a day from the United States.

“If we could absorb the losses, I wouldn’t be here tonight,” Camara said.

Selectman Jim Hickey suggested it was improper to discuss whether the town would be shopping around for a better rate from another company in Camara’s presence as some members of the two boards had begun discussing.

“I think its rude to talk about other companies in front of this gentleman when he just said, in good faith, he’ll pick us up for the next two weeks,” Hickey said. “I would rather have a quick contract signed to get us through Christmas … at the new rate and let the lawyers go through [the issue].”

The Board of Selectmen agreed that it was an idea worth running by Town Counsel for an opinion.

Without at least the two week agreement, Hanson residents would be unable to recycle.

Health Board Chairman Arlene Dias said they did receive an email the afternoon of Wednesday, Nov. 27 saying that, because the town had underpaid the bill, NBWS was not going to pick up Hanson’s recycling.

“What they were billing was not the contract price,” Dias said. “Each month we paid the contract price, and that’s been going on for two years.”

Camara countered that the “uncontrollable circumstances” clause permitted the increase, to which Dias said Town Counsel Jay Talerman disagreed with Camara, and said the suspension of service is in violation of the contract with Hanson.

The contract originally charged the town nothing, unilaterally opting to charge $65.98 per ton in October 2017.

“Such increase was done without reasonable or proper notice and is, itself, a questionable practice under the contract,” Talerman wrote in a letter read by Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett. “While the town reserves the right to challenge such [an] increase, it nevertheless made ensuing payments in good faith so as to ensure the provision of complying in recycling services.”

Talerman said at no point since October 2017 did the company advise the town of increases in recycling costs, but bills received have been in excess of $65.98 per ton. Talerman concluded that the town was paying the proper amount of $65.98 per ton, rather than the $93.75 per ton — including a surcharge — demanded by NBWS.

“So we’re at a standoff,” said FitzGerald-Kemmett.

Camara said another family member — MBWS is a family-owned business — sent emails explaining the increase.

“I find it astounding that you would believe that somebody would be sending an email to our town telling us that you are going to suspend services if we don’t increase, and if we want to have a conversation — and that nobody here at Town Hall responded,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

“We’re billing you market rates, we’re not making a dime on it,” Camara said.

“I appreciate the situation you’re in,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “But to unilaterally, without discussing … According to our attorney, we don’t owe you anything.”

Hickey asked why the board was discussing the issue when it was between the lawyers.
Camara had explained to the board that China’s decision came after that nation’s president saw a video of Chinese workers — men, women and children — burning plastic, “people choking in factories, because they couldn’t breathe … things they couldn’t recycle being dumped in streams and rivers or put outside and burned and the nasty materials were going into their crops and fields where their animals were grazing,” Camara said. In the effort to recycle since then, other nations such as Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan and Vietnam at risk of similar contamination.

Massachusetts banned waste-to-energy facilities 20 years ago, Camara added, adding that his industry is advocating for the lifting of that ban as well as expanding landfills.

Camara’s firm founded Zero Waste in 2013 with the goal of handling recycling and municipal solid waste (MSW).

FitzGerald-Kemmett asked if the company had considered a redundancy plan in case things ever changed with China.

“China was it,” Camara said. Disposal issues have also become an issue as state landfills close and companies have to look out of state to dispose of solid waste.

“There’s no more safety valves,” he said. “Currently, we’re exporting trash to New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.”

Trash is baled, wrapped in leak-proof, water-tight bags and trucked out to stack it in those states.

“So they’re literally building mountains out there in other states,” observed Selectman Wes Blauss.

“Yes, we are,” Camara said. “It’s sad that the state of Massachusetts doesn’t have a backup plan.”

“Honestly, it seems like you’re getting it from all sides,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “It’s not our intention to add to that, but you know where we’re coming from.”

Whitman kicks off its annual Toy Drive

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WHITMAN — From Paw Patrol to footballs from Little Tykes to baby dolls there were  toys and more toys waiting for placement at the VFW pavilion on Essex Street Whitman Area Toy Drive set up event on Sunday.

The room was also filled to the rafters with about 150 volunteers despite the uncooperative weather.

“This year was the most volunteers we have ever had and we were grateful to see such a turnout,” said Co-Organizer Jane Plasse.

With more than 40 empty banquet-sized tables to fill, volunteers from Whitman, Hanson and other surrounding towns emptied eight donated, giant, handmade wooden boxes built by the SST High School woodworking program last spring.

“You are really good at what you do and we appreciate you,” said Westhaver founder of the Whitman Area Toy Drive as he addressed the crowd.

The inception of the toy drive began 19 years ago with its first year for the Toys for Tots Marine toy drive however they did not have a location specific to the South Shore at the time, Westhaver said.

Whitman Area Toy Drive was founded with the intended focus on keeping the donations for families within the community.

“We have never said ‘no’ to a family in need. There is no child who should go without at Christmas time that is our adage … this is considered Santa’s Workshop,” he added.

Westhaver asked if the children that volunteered could also help Santa and soon the room was abuzz with voices, and lots of colorful movement, as boxes were carried like a shipping belt across the table rows.

All the playthings were separated by ages and gender from infants to teens allowing a few guidelines to enable an easier workflow. The Whitman Area Toy Drive does provide for tweens and they are looking for gift cards to serve that age group.

Among volunteers were local athletes from Whitman Baseball and students from Dance Dimension Studio in Abington — owners Laurie Healy of Whitman and two of her four daughters were at the event as volunteers among the 25 dance students that also attended.

Eldest daughter Samantha Healy, a teacher at the school, said that for the last five years they have had a donation box at their winter showcase as well as at the studio to encourage others to give to the event.

“We try to get everyone to help set up -the families and get the kids involved- so they can really be part of it,”  said Healy who was also wrapping boxes.

Whitman Baseball Predators Coach Tom Shannon said they had 13 athletes in 12 under league who participated on Sunday.

“It is a great event and we are happy to be here to help out. It is a lot of good for our kids,” said Shannon.

The group has participated in previous years and they want to keep the tradition going each year as the kids’ age, he added.

Patricia Horger a lifelong resident of Whitman emphasized how great she feels about the importance of the toy event.

“Anything you can do for children — anytime of the year, but especially Christmas — to let them have something they want,” she said.

She has been a local gift donor to the toy drive but this was her first year at the set up event, she said.

Westhaver, who joked that each year it takes less than a half hour to set up, challenged the volunteers to see how long they would take to offload the boxes.

With such a large attendance of helpers Fred Small of Whitman School Committee commended the dedicated people who came out in the pouring rain.

“With all the craziness that is going on in the world today this reaffirms that there is goodness in so many.  It just makes you feel good,” he said.

Whitman Area Toy Drive gift gathering boxes will be placed in area businesses after Thanksgiving for re-filling through the week before Christmas.

Westhaver also could not believe the set- up took only 15 minutes, according to his iPhone.

He thanked everyone who turned out following the event calling it “a great day of unity and families … was beyond imagination,” he said.

Stanbrook picked for TA

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HANSON — The Board of Selectmen, in a special meeting on Saturday, Nov. 16, extended a conditional offer of employment as town administrator to John Stanbrook of Middleborough.

The offer is contingent upon completion of a background review and investigation by consulting firm Municipal Resources Inc., and successful negotiation of terms of employment by the Board of Selectmen.

The board interviewed three finalists — Stanbrook, who is now assistant town manager/finance director in Mansfield, Lincoln Heineman of Scituate, currently the finance director in Hanover; and Richard LaFond of Bridgewater, who is now Abington’s town manager. A fourth candidate withdrew their name from consideration before the interviews with selectmen.

Mike Gallagher, acting town administrator in North Attleboro, had initially applied, telling MRI staff that he was not interested in the town manager position to which his town was transitioning. When he informed his appointing authority they made him a more tempting offer Gallagher felt he could not turn down and withdrew his name.

“He was torn by it,” said MRI consultant Bob Mercier.

The board conducted the back-to-back interviews followed by their deliberation and conditional offer during the all-day session.

“I’m thrilled to be doing this with you guys, I think it’s one of the most important things we’ll do,” Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said to the board before the interviews began.

MRI senior management consultants Reginald “Buzz” Stapscynski and Mercier kicked off the meeting with an overview of the recruitment process they followed. They called all three finalists after the meeting to inform them of the Selectmen’s decision.

MRI met with department heads and conducted listening sessions with members of the public to help construct a profile of the traits Hanson was seeking in a town administrator, according to Stapscynski.

“We want to ensure the people we bring forth as finalists have knowledge about the community,” he said.

narrowing field

Based on their conversations with selectmen MRI searched for candidates with a bachelor’s degree in public management or relevant training and experience, a proven record of thoughtful financial management, and strategic capital planning.  Creativity and the ability to identify innovative solutions to complex municipal issues, strong public speaking and presentation skills, extensive experience in collective bargaining, and electronic media skills were also preferred.

“That’s important for us, because the cookie cutter regular town administrator — in our experience, there is some movement away from that,” Mercier said. “There are some other talented folks who didn’t come out with an MBA but they can certainly do the job.”

MRI also heard a lot of people in Hanson asked for a person who listens, communicates well, and will empower town employees.

Selectmen felt Stanbrook filled the criteria best, after asking each finalist the same core of 15 questions, with some follow-ups on specific issues for some. LaFond, for example, was asked a half-dozen questions by Selectman Matt Dyer about a police contract negotiation that took four years.

LaFond said negotiation goals were frequently changed during the process, delaying a conclusion.

Heineman’s length of time on various positions listed on his resume was also a concern voiced by Selectmen, as was his security in his position in Hanover.

“The first thing [MRI consultants advise] was fit,” said Selectman Jim Hickey. “For me personally, and the town as a whole, I just don’t think Lincoln is a good fit.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett said he was certainly qualified, but agreed.

“I thought [Stanbrook] had a real 360 perspective on things,” she said. “He’s been elected, he’s been appointed. He’s worked his way through various levels of government and would probably have gotten the town manager’s job if it wasn’t for the residency requirement.”

He said he was offered the town manager’s job in Mansfield, but that town had a residency requirement when the offer came, he and his wife had just bought their house in Middleborough.

“He understands that it’s not really his opinion that is — his judgment, we’re looking for, but we’re not really looking for his opinion politically,” she said. “He really seems to understand consensus building.”

Selectmen Kenny Mitchell said that, while LaFond’s experience stood out, Stanbrook seems humble and has had longevity at previous positions.

“He was a union member for 22 years,” said Selectman Jim Hickey, who has been a Teamsters member on his job for about 30 years. “Similar to me sitting on this side of the table, I do what I think is what’s best for the town, but I like that he has that background.”

Selectman Matt Dyer, who commutes to his own job through Mansfield said he has seen how that town has been revitalized and praised Stanbrook’s consensus-building, as well and strongly endorsed him.

“He’s not overpowering, he’s not going to come in with intimidation or anything like that,” Dyer said. “He can take that team and can start working on these projects like revitalizing downtown.”

Selectman Wes Blauss said he liked the number of endorsements LaFond provided and his answer to the succession question, which may not have been what the board wanted to hear — that there never has been such a plan in place or may be likely to.

“I did think Rick LaFond was realistic,” Blauss said.

“You don’t get the experience until you get the experience,” Hickey said. “That’s why I go back to fit. … Both candidates are strong, but I think with John, Hanson could get stronger.”

Questions centered on the regional schools assessment issue, economic development, customer service for residents, their knowledge of Hanson, how they resolve personnel problems and deal with fallout from social media, among other issues.

Stanbrook  interview

Stanbrook, whose father was the first Hanson store manager when Shaw’s was the Brockton Public Market, (BPM) and often accompanied his dad on Sundays to check on the store, which was closed on Sundays then. He started his own working life in grocery, where he was a strong union member for more than 20 years.

When he moved from Brockton to Halifax and wanted to know a bit about that town, Stanbrook attended Town Meeting and applied for appointment to the Finance Committee. He loved that work and his municipal career began there. He became the Halifax town accountant after having been elected to that town’s school committee.

“I like the smaller town, hands-on approach, I like getting my hands dirty and doing things myself,” Stanbrook said, adding he does delegate responsibilities, too. “I’m looking for a new challenge.”

Stanbrook has been in municipal government for 15 years and said Hanson’s commuter rail station and the Main Street corridor offer a lot of potential for redevelopment.

“I think you’ll agree with me that potential is always exciting and that’s why I get out of bed — the potential of what’s going to happen that day,” he said. “There’s nothing worse in life than seeing potential wasted.”

He said he believes Hanson has a lot of potential.

While he acknowledged that, in a job interview setting, he would be referring to himself a lot, but stressed he works with others as a team to accomplish goals.

On the regional schools assessment issue, Stanbrook said he wants to hear the board’s opinion, but is willing to talk to Whitman officials.

“I want to know why,” he said. “Coming from outside I want to know why the assessments are going up and why they want to shift more of a burden to this town.”

Mitchell asked each applicant what they saw as their role as town administrator and how they would go about establishing priorities and the importance of open space and conservation.

Stanbrook said his role would be to get the most accurate information to the board as quickly as possible to allow Selectmen to make decisions, as well as managing town employees.

Blauss asked about encouraging teamwork in the workplace and who applicants most admire.

“I like trying to build consensus,” Stanbrook said, adding he likes to encourage open dialog. “I want to hear what everyone has to say. Once people realize that it’s OK to say what they think … you start getting really good ideas from people.”

He also said he most admires John F. Kennedy, for whom he was named.

Dyer asked each candidate to site their greatest strengths and weaknesses as well as a nine-month stint working for Cohasset, which Stanbrook said was so short because of the declining health and death of his father.

Stanbrook said he is a strong consensus-builder and he is weakest in dealing with people for whom “the best interest of the town has no meaning for them.” He admitted he struggles with that.

Homework

Hickey sought to determine how much homework applicants had done on Hanson.

“What can you tell us about the community … and, more importantly, what can you tell us about us,” Hickey asked.

Stanbrook said that living one town over for a lot of years gave him the opportunity to observe Hanson.

“I really do feel that the town has been well-run, but needs stronger leadership at the top and someone who can implement decisions that are being made here,” he said, stressing he was not trying to slam anyone. “I think it’s been a very well-run town, … a stronger person at the top in this position would do better. … This town needs strong leadership and a good working relationship with selectmen.”

While he worked on learning who Selectmen are, Stanbrook emphasized he comes to the town with a clean slate.

FitzGerald-Kemmett focused on the economic development needs of Main Street. Stanbrook said Hanson is similar to Mansfield in the presence of the train station area, which needed a facelift.

Mansfield has seen development of four-story apartment complexes around the MBTA station.

“That’s what worked in Mansfield, I’m not sure if it would work here,” he said. “There is a segment of the population in Mansfield that doesn’t like four story buildings because that type of thing is bringing more growth. … It starts the snowball going.”

He said bringing people together to build consensus is the best approach.

She also asked Stanbrook where he saw himself in 10 years.

“Sitting right here,” he said. “I’m not interested in skipping to the next town.”

He added that, when it is time for him to retire, he planned to have someone in place who could step forward to fill the position.

“I would try to recruit someone,” he said. “I don’t want to leave the town in any worse spot. … I’d want to make sure whoever would take over my position … could just step right in tomorrow and be able to do it.”

Stanbrook said the reason for government is to serve the public and get information they request to them. That kind of transparency is something MRI consultants said is demanded by the public even more today.

MRI’s process

“The public arena in general today [is saying] you better be transparent and you better be open to the public because people are going to find out, one way or the other,” Mercier said. “We want the next administrator to be open and transparent.”

Leadership skills were also important.

“We want a leader that people will have confidence in, that you will have confidence in, that will bring this community to the next level,” Mercier said.

There were 39 initial respondents, the majority of which were from Massachusetts. Some were quickly dismissed as lacking the right skill sets, bringing the field to 14, who were asked to provide essays. Only two failed to respond. Six of the 39, and one of the 14 sent essay questions were women. Only 12 of the 14 returned essays.

The essays were scored on content and grammar and narrowed the field to nine for phone interviews.

They said they each called two people they thought might be a good applicant, but stressed they receive no financial remuneration from those they called.

“Our loyalty is to you,” Stapscynski said.

Full interviews may be streamed at youtube.com/user/WHCA9TV.