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Hanson health board closes Dunkin’ and Speedway

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Town and store officials work inside the Dunkin’ Donuts/Speedway stores at routes 58 and 27 in Hanson Wednesday after an inspection found evidence of rodent infestation. Both stores are currently prohibited from selling food products, but Speedway may sell gasoline. / Photo by: Steph Spyopoulos  

HANSON — Health officials have shut down the Speedway convenience store — and the Dunkin’ inside — until both stores can prove to the Board of Health that pests are under control and the store has been sanitized.

Health Board Vice Chairman Gil Amado said a rodent-control company was on premises Thursday.

“We felt that it needed immediate attention and they were shut down due to an imminent health hazard,” he said.

He said the board had received a report that there was open food in the cooler and that it was “being nibbled on by mice and that mice were defecating in the trays. We walked in the cooler at that’s what we saw,” Amado said.

He could not verify media reports that employees were instructed to sell contaminated food to the public.

The shut-down order was based on the verified reports of “exposed food, mouse droppings everywhere and, apparently they were told to serve the food,” he said. “I don’t have physical evidence of that [the alleged serving order].”

Amado said Thursday it is not the first time that Dunkin’ store has been shut down over health concerns, but the independent inspector contracted by the town had found no major violations at the location during an inspection a few months ago.

Because the mice move around the whole building, both businesses were ordered to cease selling food, he noted.

“We have an independent food inspector who does all thee food inspections,” Amado said, as the town is currently without it’s own health agent. “We’re required to inspect twice a year and she was on her bi-yearly inspection [when] she noticed a few things kind of way off.”

Amado said the inspector reported in a document submitted to the Board of Health that she had seen evidence of rodent infestation and that “further steps were necessary to take.”

The board discussed the report at a recent meeting and Amado accompanied the inspector to the store Wednesday, July 10 and “after reviewing what she had written in her report and what I saw I immediately proceeded to tell everyone to stop selling food [and] to not let any food items leave the store, that the business is shut down and Speedway is shut down — they can only sell gas,” he said. “No food items are to leave that building.”

Amado said that includes pre-packaged items such as bags of chips or other snack foods.

Dunkin’ told Channel 25 that the employee’s original complaint is being looked into, but that Speedway had not commented on the shut-down.

Whitman Fire promotes 2

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WHITMAN — Newly sworn in Whitman Fire Deputy Chief  Al Cunningham and promoted Lt. Nick Grasso were sworn in during the Whitman Board of Selectman’s meeting in a ceremony held at Town Hall Whitman on Tuesday July 9.

Among family, friends and colleagues Chief Timothy Grenno applauded the careers and advancement of both firefighters and acknowledged the work of retiring Deputy Chief Joseph Feeney in his 32-year career in Whitman.

Lt. Nick Grasso was pinned by his wife Jennifer. He was also presented his new helmet shield as commander of shift four from Grenno.

Cunningham was pinned by his wife Kate Cunningham and joined by his adult daughters Emma and Laura.

Grasso is the first firefighter in his family. He pursued a career and has been with the department nearly two decades.

He expressed excitement and the new responsibilities in a department he has grown with starting as a call firefighter in his college years.

I am looking forward to it. I am very appreciative of the town giving me the opportunity,” said Grasso.

Cunningham echoed that excitement for his own new position and the support of colleagues and family. He will be more involved in fire prevention and enforcement as part of his positional change along with working day shifts versus his decades of overnight shifts.

“I am really proud of the department I work for- going on twenty plus years now. I work with such a great bunch of guys that are so good at what they do both on the fire ground and EMS. We know that we can’t save everybody or every building but if there is a chance – that it can be done these guys will do it. I am proud to be second in command,” said Cunningham.

Seniors hear talk on tick prevention

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HANSON — When Plymouth County Extension Entomologist Blake Dinius asked a group of Hanson seniors on Monday, June 24, how many had already encountered a tick this year, several hands went up.

Dinius was speaking at the Hanson Multi-Service Senior Center to review the biology of ticks and the diseases they are known to spread within Plymouth County as well as protection methods. The talk was hosted by state Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Duxbury, and state Sen. Mike Brady, D- Brockton.

The program, videoed by Whitman-Hanson Community Access TV is viewable on YouTube.

Seniors asked right off what symptoms they should be looking for if they do suffer a tick bite.

“They tend to mimic the flu-like symptoms — headache, nausea, sometimes memory loss, sometimes night sweats — but they vary depending on the person and severity of the illness,” Dinius said. “But if you start feeling like you might have the flu in the summer … that would be a good indication to see your primary care provider.”

Cutler thanked Dinius for his participation as well as his employer, Plymouth County Extension Service for their support of the event. Cutler and Brady also provided a lunch, catered by the Olde Hitching Post, for those attending the discussion. Brady was unable to attend.

“Unfortunately, here in Plymouth County, we have one of the highest incidents of Lyme disease, I think, in the nation,” Cutler said as Dinius nodded. “It’s a serious concern. Tick-borne illness is a significant issue for us.”

Dinius said the spraying that goes on in early spring into the fall is a different prevention project to control mosquitos and the viruses they can transmit — West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis.

“They usually spray in different areas and have a different method of spraying and treating,” he said.

Dinius, who has studied entomology for seven years and participated in about 200 studies, said he does not offer information he has not personally verified.

He pointed to stories published last year to the effect that a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had found that tick and mosquito-borne diseases have tripled in the U.S. since 2004. The reports misrepresented the scientific findings.

“There’s a lot of misinformation that gets spread around ticks and there’s also a lot of fear that gets spread about ticks, but if you have the right tools and you understand what’s going on, the worry and the fear regarding tick-borne diseases doesn’t have to exist,” he said. “I walk in the woods a lot … and I’ve never gotten a tick-borne disease in my entire life.”

The CDC report, in fact, included a spike in mosquito-spread Zika cases in U.S. territories such as the Virgin Islands, Dinius said. Pull out those cases and cases of other mosquito-borne diseases more likely to be found in this area have remained relatively stable.

“I bring this up because we shouldn’t be afraid to go outside,” he said, even though tick-borne illnesses outnumber those spread by mosquitoes.

The CDC has admitted, meanwhile, they may have underestimated the number of cases of Lyme each year. Those cases are concentrated in the northeast and upper Midwest.

Dinius said, however, unlike areas of the country where residents have to contend with earthquakes and tornadoes, Lyme is preventable. It is estimated that Lyme bacteria has been around for between 20,000 and 60,000 years with different species present around the world.

“This disease is ancient,” Dinius said. “It’s also dependent on the black-legged tick.”

There are nine other tick-borne illnesses around this region as well as other illnesses in other parts of the country.

He also spoke of the alpha-gal allergy that causes an allergic reaction to eating beef or beef by-products such as gelatins found in candies and marshmallows. That illness is spread by the Lone Star tick, a southern species found in the northeast.

“Why are there more ticks and more diseases?” Dinius said. “We think there are many things at play here. …Doctors may be becoming more aware of tick-borne diseases in the area. Lyme, when it was first discovered, was called juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.”

It is also possible that there are more ticks carrying more diseases, he said. Risk also tends to be higher in suburban communities near the ocean. Fragmented habitat and fewer predators, therefore, maybe more at fault than the deer population for tick-borne illness rates, according to Dinius.

Educating oneself about prevention can lower infection rates, he said.

Spring, when the ticks are then in the tiny nymph stage two to three inches from the ground and fall, when the adults which can be found two to three feet from the ground present high risk for bites. Ticks also require humid conditions to stay alive.

Keeping well-groomed lawns and using a synthetic perimeter yard spray near tree lines can help control ticks.

To protect yourself outdoors, Dinius advises tucking pants into socks to limit tick access to your skin. Permethrin, sprayed on clothing and shoes only, also repels and kills ticks.

DEET, Picaridin or IR3535 (found in Avon’s Skin So Soft with bug guard) are repellants that can be used on the skin. Protecting pets with products recommended by your vet can also keep ticks out of your house.

Checking yourself and pets for ticks after outdoor activity is also recommended.

Saving ticks you find in a dated plastic bag for review by an entomologist can determine if you are at risk for illnesses it may have carried. Dinius said he does those checks free of charge. Taking a photo of the bite to show your doctor can help them diagnose illnesses.

“With the right information and tools, all tick-borne diseases are preventale,” Dinius said.

Mourning Hanson’s king of the roads

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HANSON — The town is mourning the death on Thursday, June 20 of Highway Surveyor Bob Brown following a brave battle with cancer.

After working for several years for the Hanson Highway Department in 2011, following in his father’s footsteps Brown was appointed Hanson Highway Surveyor. He served in many capacities, including countless committees, throughout his career.

Interim Town Administrator Meredith Marini, who posted an announcement of Brown’s death on the town website, extended sympathy to his family on behalf of the town.

“He was a great man who dedicated a good portion of his life to the town of Hanson and he’s going to be missed, both by the residents and by his co-workers,” said Tree Warden Dave Hanlon, for whom it is a double loss. He has worked with Brown for 18 years and considered him a friend.

“He was doing well,” Hanlon said of Brown’s recent prognosis. “It’s tough to deal with because not only was he my boss, he was my friend. He was my friend long before he was my boss.”

The Highway Surveyor’s pickup was parked in front of the Highway Department building and former police station on Liberty Street this week, the windshield draped in black crepe and Brown’s reflective safety vest draped over the brush rack on the front grille.

“He was a dedicated professional and worked tirelessly with other departments to achieve a common goal for the good of the Town, the Town which he loved,” stated Marini. “Rest in Peace, Bob. We will miss you.”

She added that it is always difficult for the town to lose an employee, but especially so of Brown.

“Bob was a great guy,” she said. “Everybody liked him.”

Fire Chief Jerome Thompson Jr. echoed that sentiment.

“He was instrumental in efforts to coordinate between the highway and fire department, along with the other departments. He will be greatly missed,” Thompson said, saying he was shocked at Brown’s passing. “He was an asset to our town and community.”

Police Chief Michael Miksch also found the news of Brown’s passing difficult to process.

“Bob was one of the first people I met when I came to Hanson,” Miksch said. “I quickly learned his gruff exterior was really hiding one of the nicest and funniest people I have had the pleasure to meet.”

Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett, said that when Brown became Highway Surveyor, she never feared driving on Hanson’s roads in the winter.

“I always knew when I was in Hanson, even if I didn’t look at the townline sign, because our roads were always eminently better than any other surrounding town and I felt safe driving on them,” she said.

But FitzGerald-Kemmett said she will also remember Brown’s dedication to helping community organizations in need of assistance on fundraising projects.

“Every single time I asked Bob if he could help in any way possible — before I became a Selectman — he would just say, ‘Yup, my guys will be there. Anything for the kids, anything for the community, whatever I can do,’ and I know there’s been a ton of people on Facebook sharing similar types of stories,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said, specifically noting the Hanson PTO for Brown’s assistance with the February Polar Plunge. “He stepped up for them … He just really loved what he did. He was very involved in the town.”

Miksch agreed.

“Anytime I called looking for assistance there was no hesitation in meeting my request,” the police chief said. “His concern for the citizens of Hanson and their safety was evident with every approaching storm. He loved his job and he loved Hanson. I miss him.”

Hanlon also said he would most remember Brown’s love for the job.

“One of the big things with Bob was that he was very high on customer service, community service — do anything we can to help the residents, if it’s within our power,” he said.

Brown was also a devoted dad to his daughter Alyssa Brown Adams, said FitzGerald-Kemmett who performed the ceremony when Alyssa married Theodore R. Adams of East Bridgewater about five years ago.

“You’ve never seen a father more devoted to a kid in your life,” she said. “He was so proud of her and she was basically the light of his life.”

Selectman Kenny Mitchell also recalled Brown’s devotion to his daughter.

“He always talked about Alyssa, because he raised her,” Mitchell said.

He was also devoted to his job.

“Bob was a great man,” Mitchell said. He served on the Parks and Fields Commission with Brown for about seven years as well as the Highway Building Committee for four years.

“He was just dedicated to the town of Hanson,” he said. “That and his roads.”

Mitchell said Brown never missed a Highway Building meeting before becoming ill, and was frequently the first to arrive.

“He told me ‘I can’t wait to get back to my job, I love it, I really miss helping people,’” said FitzGerald-Kemmett about her frequent phone calls to touch base with Brown. “I think it was in his DNA because his dad was on Highway and it was just a family thing. He loved his job and it showed.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett also sent Brown notes of encouragement throughout his illness.

“I was shocked,” Mitchell said. “He really thought he could beat this.”

Mitchell, too, kept in contact with Brown as part of the town’s requirement that employees out on extended sick leave had to be contacted every 30 days and he was the Selectmen’s contact for Brown.

“It’s going to be hard shoes to fill,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “I don’t know if we’re going to get anybody with Highway in their veins like that guy had.”

In accordance with Brown’s wishes, all services will be private.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a cancer or animal charity of one’s choice.

Juvenile charged in stabbing

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WHITMAN — A 16-year-old Whitman teen is in stable condition, recovering from extensive injuries following a stabbing on Sunday evening in Whitman.

Another 16-year-old was due to face charges of assault to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury in Brockton Juvenile Court Monday.

Police Chief Scott Benton addressed the media at Whitman Police Headquarters on Monday to confirm the two unnamed juvenile males do know one another.

“There is a victim here that suffered a significant stab wound,” said Benton. “Certainly our thoughts and prayers are with the family and the victim that he makes a full recovery,.”

The Express was on scene just after 9 p.m. Sunday night as police cordoned off the yard with crime tape following a 911 call for a stabbing at a home at the corner of Washington Street and Belcher Drive.

A knife was removed by detectives and evidence could be seen on the grass.   

A red shirt, a water bottle, and several items were lying on the lawn while detectives from Whitman police and Plymouth County sheriff’s officers investigated.  An area at the back of the house where the suspect lived was also being combed over by officers who carried a brown evidence bag to a patrol car. There were reportedly other juveniles at the Whitman home during the incident.

Detectives were due to speak with the victim at the hospital on Monday, according to Benton.

Adults who were standing on the front lawn speaking with law enforcement personnel Sunday night, declined to speak to the media. They were later seen going in to the home and closing the door.

Benton reiterated Monday that the case is ongoing and active with many details not being released due to the juveniles involved. He could not elaborate on the area in the backyard or how the disagreement began because of the ongoing investigation.

“The case involves juveniles so there is not a lot I can say,” he said.

Jared Wark, 18, of Whitman said he knows both the victim and suspect as a friend and former basketball teammate. He was not at the scene of the incident, he said.

Wark told the media outside the Whitman police station that the victim and suspect were “talking smack” and threats were made via social media.

“It is surreal. I never thought any of this would happen,” said Wark. “There were threats. No one thought he was serious and they were friends.”

He called the town of Whitman a “tight town” — a very small town.

“I love my town. We are all connected and word spread around very quickly. It is past shocking,” he said.

Benton would not confirm further details about the role of social media or the exact cause of the escalation.

“We are talking about juveniles,” Benton said. “There is nothing that I can imagine in your life, that at the age of 16, that is … (pause) could possibly cause the death of another person, “said Benton.

Plymouth County District Attorney Cruz’ office is reportedly handling the case going forward. The suspect was released to his parents and was due at Brockton Juvenile court on Monday.

The victim is expected to make a recovery but he has a long road ahead, Benton said.

Juvenile arrested after Whitman stabbing

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WHITMAN — A 16-year-old Whitman teen is in stable condition, recovering from extensive injuries following a stabbing on Sunday evening in Whitman.

Another 16-year-old was due to face charges of assault to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury in Brockton Juvenile Court Monday.

Police Chief Scott Benton addressed the media at Whitman Police Headquarters on Monday to confirm the two unnamed juvenile males do know one another.

“There is a victim here that suffered a significant stab wound,” said Benton. “Certainly our thoughts and prayers are with the family and the victim that he makes a full recovery,.”

The Express was on scene just after 9 p.m. Sunday night as police cordoned off the yard with crime tape following a 911 call for a stabbing at a home at the corner of Washington Street and Belcher Drive.

A knife was removed by detectives and evidence could be seen on the grass.

A red shirt, a water bottle, and several items were lying on the lawn while detectives from Whitman police and Plymouth County sheriff’s officers investigated.  An area at the back of the house where the suspect lived was also being combed over by officers who carried a brown evidence bag to a patrol car. There were reportedly other juveniles at the Whitman home during the incident.

Detectives were due to speak with the victim at the hospital on Monday, according to Benton.

Adults who were standing on the front lawn speaking with law enforcement personnel Sunday night, declined to speak to the media. They were later seen going in to the home and closing the door.

Benton reiterated Monday that the case is ongoing and active with many details not being released due to the juveniles involved. He could not elaborate on the area in the backyard or how the disagreement began because of the ongoing investigation.

“The case involves juveniles so there is not a lot I can say,” he said.

Jared Wark, 18, of Whitman said knows both the victim and suspect as a friend and former basketball teammate. He was not at the scene of the incident, he said.

Wark told the media outside the Whitman police station that the victim and suspect were “talking smack” and threats were made via social media.

“It is surreal. I never thought any of this would happen,” said Wark. “There were threats. No one thought he was serious and they were friends.”

He called the town of Whitman a “tight town” — a very small town.

“I love my town. We are all connected and word spread around very quickly. It is past shocking,” he said.

Benton would not confirm further details about the role of social media or the exact cause of the escalation.

“We are talking about juveniles,” Benton said. “There is nothing that I can imagine in your life, that at the age of 16, that is … (pause) could possibly cause the death of another person, “said Benton.

Plymouth County District Attorney Cruz’ office is reportedly handling the case going forward. The suspect was released to his parents and was due at Brockton Juvenile court on Monday.

The victim is expected to make a recovery but he has long road ahead, Benton said.

Hanson confronts littered properties

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HANSON — The Board of Selectmen, on Tuesday, June 4, voted to table a decision on a General By-law violation regarding property conditions at 248 East Washington St. because the wrong address was listed on the meeting agenda.

The agenda listed the address of the property as 246 East Washington. Selectmen will vote on the issue when they next meet on Tuesday, June 18.

Building Inspector Robert Curran wrote in a letter to Gilbert Grabowski, the owner of 248 East Washington, that: “Your property is littered with debris, junk, old boats and trailers that, in my opinion, is detrimental to public safety, health and good.”

The letter was addressed to 246 East Washington, however, prompting Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett whether the owner was properly informed of the public hearing.

Curran was seeking a 10-day notice for Grabowski to remove the junk, scrap metal and other waste. He also noted the property had been brought before Superior Court in 2014 after enforcement had been initiated in 2012.

“I then tried to work with the property owner to get them to clean it up,” Curran said. “Nothing was done sufficiently … and Selectmen declared it in my opinion, is detrimental to public safety, health and good in 2014. We then went to court and the owner of the property cleaned up the property sufficiently for me to say he was OK.”

The property is in need of cleanup again, Curran said.

“This one’s been difficult,” Curran said. “I think this is more of a hoarding issue more than anything and I think we should treat it more like that, so I need your support to take it further.”

Selectman Matt Dyer suggested that the board make sure the address be properly posted on the agenda before a vote is taken. FitzGerald-Kemmett agreed.

Selectmen did vote to declare property at 81 Ocean Ave., as in violation of the General By-law.

Curran provided the board with photographs showing “debris, junk, appliances and auto parts that, in my opinion, is detrimental to public safety, health and good,” he said in a letter to property owner Kevin Smith dated May 7. “There are also two motor vehicles up on jack stands undergoing repairs, one of which is in your front yard.”

Curran told Selectmen during a public hearing on the matter that the property has been before Selectmen, beginning in 2009 with a hearing at which that Board of Selectmen determined the property was detrimental to public safety.

Cleanup had progressed, but was not completed and a follow-up letter was sent.

“We never did go to court because the property was cleaned up, but it’s [now] worse than it’s ever been,” Curran said.

He said he is asking the Board to request Town Counsel to seek and order from the court to clean it up, followed by a permanent injunction to keep the property clean.

Selectmen enforce General By-laws.

In other business, Selectmen voted to suspend the Class II Auto License of Upscale Auto, at 169A Franklin St., with the provision that, if work flagged by Curran be completed by the board’s next meeting on June 18, the vote could be reconsidered. That work includes repair of a fence on the property and ensuring that all cars on site are in saleable condition, including inflated tires.

McCue faces OUI charge

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NORTH ATTLEBORO — Hanson Town Administrator Michael McCue, 52, has been placed on paid administrative leave by Selectmen pending an investigation following an alleged OUI crash in North Attleboro Wednesday, May 29.

Hanson Town Administrator Michael McCue, 52,

The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, June 4 voted to appoint the board’s Administrative Assistant Meredith Marini as interim town administrator, “until such time as she is no longer needed in that said role,” a post she has filled before. Marini was also authorized to sign off on auction papers following a scheduled property auction on Wednesday, June 12, which McCue had previously been authorized to sign.

Police and witnesses say the Mansfield resident was driving a Town of Hanson SUV May 29 when he turned left off Route 1 just before 5 p.m. onto Park Street and collided with a vehicle driven by a woman who told police she was 16-weeks pregnant.

She told police her vehicle’s airbags deployed and one struck her in the stomach. She was sitting on the ground and appeared to be upset, according to the report. She was transported to Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro for treatment.

Two officers say in their reports that McCue smelled of alcohol, was being evasive toward them, and tried to keep his distance while avoiding eye contact. At one point he put paperwork in his mouth, they say to attempt to keep from breathing in their direction. They said McCue’s eyes were bloodshot and glassy and that he was unsteady on his feet.

After denying consuming any alcohol that day to an officer twice, McCue later admitted to drinking “a few beers at lunch.” According to a source, McCue was coming from a “Tree City USA” conference in Sturbridge. He would not say to police how he came to be in North Attleboro other than to say, “I live in Mansfield.”

McCue was not able to complete roadside sobriety tests to the satisfaction of police.

When he was asked to state the alphabet from the letter B to M, he “continued in groups of letters,” and did not stop at M, reciting the letters N, O, P and Q before stopping.

He later was asked to stand on one foot and was not able to do so. He asked for a second try, could not complete the task, and the officer then “stopped the test … for safety considerations.” McCue referenced a medical condition several times as a reason for not being able to complete the tests.

After failing the roadside sobriety tests, McCue was arrested and taken into custody.

He refused a breathalyze after being taken to the North Attleboro Police Department, resulting in an immediate license suspension, according to a police report and his driving record. He was charged with OUI-liquor (second offense), negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and failure to yield at an intersection.

Other than a 2016 accident, McCue has not had even a speeding ticket in 20 years, according to his driving record, although it is his second OUI offense. His first OUI occurred in 1995 and was continued without a finding in Wrentham District Court.

McCue was arraigned in Attleboro District Court Thursday morning by Judge Edmund C. Mathers. The case has been continued to June 28 for a pre-trial hearing.

The town-owned vehicle McCue was driving was towed to Reil Auto, a secure-lot in North Attleboro, and later to the Hanson Police Department. Hanson Police Chief Michael Miksch said that the SUV is now at a body shop being repaired. The extent of the damage cannot be confirmed.

McCue has been Town Administrator since 2016, and succeeded Ron San Angello, the last contracted Town Administrator. Marini served as interim town administrator at that time.

McCue’s salary is currently $119,646 and his contract, which was extended last year, is set to expire in 2022. He can be disciplined or dismissed by the Board of Selectmen for just cause.

Hanson Selectmen became aware of the incident Wednesday night, and scheduled an emergency meeting for Thursday. At that meeting, which was attended by one member of the public, the board voted unanimously to put McCue on paid administrative leave following an investigation into “misconduct.”

The town did not respond to a request for a statement, although Hanson labor counsel Jaime Kenny said that it was a “personnel matter.”

The condition of the alleged victim and her unborn baby is unknown at this time.

McCue did not respond to repeated attempts for comment.

(Express Editor Tracy F. Seelye contributed to this report.)

Man is killed by MBTA train in Hanson

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By Tracy F. Seelye, Express editor
editor@whitmanhansonexpress.com

HANSON — MBTA Transit Police said a man was struck and killed by a commuter rail train in Hanson early Wednesday morning by an in-bound train at the Hanson station.

The name of the person had not been released at press time. According to transit police, the victim was trespassing on the right of way near Main Street when he was struck.

“A male, age unknown at this time, while trespassing on the right of way in the vicinity of 1070 Main St., was struck by an inbound commuter rail train on the Kingston/Plymouth line,” Transit Police said in a statement. to Boston elevision stations “Foul play is NOT suspected.”

The incident happened at 5:30 a.m. near the Hanson Station on Main Street. Commuters already on the train were seen departing the train after 7 a.m. to be shuttled to other stations by transit buses.

Service on the Kingston/Plymouth line was delayed with inbound passengers from the Hanson station redirected to the Whitman station.

Officials from the Transit Police, Plymouth County BCI and Hanson Police and Fire responded to the scene.

MBTA officials did not make a statement at the scene, with press inquiries directed to Transit Police Superintendent Richard Sullivan.

Hanson police shut down Route 27, which is near the tracks, from Elm to Phillips streets for the investigation. The road was closed for several hours. Regular service on the Kingston-Plymouth line did not resume until just before 9 a.m.

Local road traffic was redirected through Halifax via Elm Street for eastbound motorists out of Whitman and via Phillips Street for westbound traffic in Hanson.

Transit Police officials talk on Main Street in Hanson after a man was stuck and killed by a commuter train Wednesday morning

An MBTA commuter rail train was stopped on Main Street in Hanson for more than three hours after a man was struck and killed at the Hanson station

A Hanson Police officer escorts commuter rail passengers to waiting shuttle buses

Hanson housing plan OK’d

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HANSON — Selectmen and the Planning Board voted, in a joint meeting on Tuesday, May 21, to approve a Housing Production Plan aimed at increasing the availability of affordable housing in town.

The Board of Selectmen also approved a grant application to fund an electric vehicle charging station at Town Hall.

Town Planner Deborah Pettey and consultant Judi Barrett with Barrett Planning Group LLC of Plymouth and Thomas Thibeault, executive director of the Hanson Housing Authority met with Selectmen to review what the Housing Production Plan would mean for the town.

“We all have some responsibility in talking to the public about what housing need means,” said Barrett. “There are seniors in this community who are really poor, who are barely holding on to the homes that they have. You have single parents in this community who grew up here, who are barely holding on to what they have. … It’s your community, it’s a nice town, so help your neighbors.”

Selectman Matt Dyer had asked how low income housing is actually defined in light of the stigma attached to the phrase, as well as what the town should look into for investing new funds resulting from the program. Pettey said an affordable housing trust is an option as well as investment in infrastructure.

The median income for Hanson is about $98,000 — with affordable housing income guidelines at 80 percent of median, that puts Hanson at about $65,000 per year for a family of four in this region.

Barrett explained that the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development adopted a regulation several years ago urging towns to create such a plan, with the incentive that such plans could earn towns a break from requirements that they approve Chapter 40B comprehensive permits.

“If you have a plan and you’re producing new, affordable housing, you become eligible for the ability to take a break,” Barrett said. “It could be very helpful to you, especially if you’re going to start seeing more comprehensive apartment activity in your community, it might be nice to have a plan that communicates to land owners and developers that this is what the town would like to see and to get credit for production that might keep something you don’t want away.”

The plan includes a housing needs assessment, including demographic and economic growth information; Chapter 40B information, a state law that establishes a regional fair-share standard designating 10-percent of a town’s housing stock as low or moderate income; and implementation strategies.

“The Housing Production Plan says if you’re working toward that 10 percent and you’re doing it in a fairly systematic way — in your case, are you creating at least 18 new units a year of low to moderate income housing — then you get some credit for that, which might mean you get a break from having to deal with a lot of comprehensive permit activity,” Barrett said. The plan is intended to ask the community, which is predominantly single-family homes, what type of housing it would be willing to consider in order to create low income housing and where it should be located.

Hanson’s affordable housing stock runs at about 4 percent, which is not unusual for a small town, according to Barrett.

Now that the two local boards have approved the Housing Production Plan, the state will consider approval. The plan also includes a provision that, should 40B development increase school costs above taxes generated by that development, the town would be eligible for additional aid to the schools, according to Barrett. While not every town receives it, that brings in $350,000 per year for the town of Lakeville and $100,000 in Lunenburg.

Housing Authority member Teresa Santalucia said several groups in town also back the Housing Production Plan, including the CPC and Housing Authority.

Charging station

Pettey also reported to Selectmen that a grant from National Grid, which is almost automatically approved, would provide the town $25,000 for the installation of two charging stations for electric vehicles. The stations would be located on the upper parking lot at Town Hall.

“It’s a rebate,” Pettey said. “The town would get reimbursed for it.”

There will be four plugs, two on each station. The town can charge $1 per hour to people seeking to charge hybrid or electric cars there. A fund would be set up, into which  to funnel the charging revenue, for the payment of network fees.

Dyer said Green Hanson members are “ecstatic” about the plan.

“If we can lead the way and have that, it would be great. It sends a good message,” said FitzGerald-Kemmett, who added that she is considering purchasing an electric car.

Town Administrator Michael McCue said the Green Communities program is also moving toward electric vehicles for town-owned purchases they support.

Selectmen also approved a bylaw last year requiring the town to replace most of its vehicles with electric vehicles going forward.

Planning Board member Joe Campbell said cellphone apps can be set up to ping the location of the charging station for motorists seeking one.

“It’ll become pretty popular, if it’s PR’d the right way over these apps that they have out there,” he said.