WHITMAN – The Old Colony Planning Council held a public forum on Wednesday, Oct. 23 on results of Whitman’s recent public survey on preferred Open Space and Recreation uses.
The brief meeting was conducted at the Whitman Public Library’s Community Room.
Senior Planner for Housing and Public Engagement J.D. Desrosier, who now lives in Whitman, moderated the presentation, which concluded with a workshop session, and was also attended by is associate Laurie Muncy and members of the Open Space and Recreation Plan Steering Committee, LeAnne MacKenzie and Brian Lapierre.
“We’re making sure that we’re connecting with the various users of the parks in spaces that make sense to them, to make sure we’re very hearing that the way people use the various ways that people use these spaces” he said. “Most of the land in Whitman is zoned as residential. We’re a very residential community, so making sure that we are stewarding our current open space responsibly is important.”
But identifying additional acquisitions of open space/recreational facilities that town many need is going to be part of the plan, as well.
Whitman’s updates Open Space and Recreation Plan will reflect changes since 2000, when the last plan was crafted.
“A lot has changed over the last 24 years, so making sure the updated plan meets the needs and priorities of a community with changing and shifting needs [is important],” Desrosier said.
Founded in 1967, the OCPC focuses on comprehensive development with the aim of improving the physical, social and economic conditions of the 17-community district. Planners work on transportation, economic development, housing, open space and recreation and sustainability planning projects.
The update is intended to discover why residents use open or recreational spaces, and if they don’t use them, why not and how can those issues be improved.
“We have a robust region of the South Shore and we engage in various planning project,” Desrosier said.
The Council’s work under Whitman’s Open Space and Recreation Plan, is drafting specific language for its goals, objectives and actions; developing a public participation plan; collecting data – primarily on parcel and Americans with Disability Act-accessible inventories while analyzing the town’s needs and demographics; and analyzing the resource protection and management needs.
Part of that work involves the resident survey that may still be filled out and is available online or via a QR code on literature available at the library.
“We don’t necessarily need, or want, every resident in the town of Whitman to respond to the survey, but we want to make sure that we have a robust enough response rate that we can use that in determining specific needs and priorities,” Desrosier said. “But your input on the survey is important.”
So far there have been only 120 responses. Scheduled to close Nov. 9, the survey may also be taken by people who may not live in Whitman, but who uses recreational and open spaces.
“If we see a steady stream of survey responses, I can leave that open a little bit longer,” Desrosier said.
An analysis of needs and a brief analysis of Whitman’s demographics can be done in concert with an analysis of resource protection needs, especially in regard to wetlands.
Desrosier said an Open Space and Recreation Plan prioritizes the needs of the town in those areas as well as costs.
“It’s a prerequisite for the Mass. Department of Conservation Service Grants,” Desrosier said. The public process includes the survey, public meetings and focus groups – including some interviews with clients, from elders at the Senior Center to “young folks,” at the high school.
The plan also includes an environmental inventory of environmental and recreation spaces.
“Open space can be a lot of different things,” Desrosier said. “It’s not just an open field or park. In includes Conservation lands, forested lands, agricultural lands, atheltic fields, polaygrounds, small “pocket” parks; green buffers along roadways and undeveloped land of conservation or rectation interest.”
Whitman’s open spaces include Hobart’s Pond, Whitman Middle School softball field and the fown forest, just to name a few,” he said.
The town’s demographic breakdown is – 89.2 percent (13,510) is white alone; 339 persons are Black or African-American alone; 124 are Native American or Native Alaskan alone.149 are Asian alone. There are 678 who idenitfy as two or more races and 346 who are some other race alone.
“The reason I include the demographic data is just so I’m holding myself accountable to making sure that we are connecting with the various community members that call Whitman home and/or use the vaious open or recreation spaces that we have,” Desrosier said. “I’m not naive enough to think that I’m going to connect with all 15,000 people, but I’m going to make sure that I’m going to connect with as many people as I can.”
The ADA assessment makes sure that the 5.7 percent of the population is also able to enjoy and use open space and recreational facilities.
Healing the big divide
As one of the most acrimonious political seasons in U.S. history draws to an electoral deadline on Tuesday, Nov. 5, there’s no guarantee the division will automatically heal.
That will require work, specifically in listening to each other and offering respect. It was the message of speakers during a Unity Night presented at W-H’s Dr. John F. McEwan Performing Arts Center on Thursday, Oct. 24. The Whitman Freedom Team, whose mission is to explore ways of offering dialogue and support to the entire community, with a goal of promoting love, inclusion and trust, produced the program. The group aims to “move beyond tolerance, to embracing, celebrating and sharing our community’s diversity.”
“The key to unity is better understanding,” said psychologist Dr. Joshua Twomey, PhD, a member of the Freedom Team’s Board of Directors, and an assistant professor of family medicine at UMass Medical School.
“I fundamentally believe that an essential element in pursuit of unity is the practice of listening.”
Bridgewater State University’s Assistant Vice President for Student Success, Diversity and Inclusion Yolany Gonell continued that thought, saying, “unity requires us to work across difference.”
The evening’s discussion was aimed at fostering a return to civility in discussing “tough and difficult conversations, particularly in the political climate we find ourselves in today,” founder Tom Evans, a retired teacher, said in opening the event.
The evening’s theme was civility and respect, featuring speakers who devote their lives to promoting those goals.
After opening with a series of quotes on the meaning of communication, Evans introduced each speaker before they offered their message for the program.
“All of our stories are subject to bias,” Twomey said. “They are influenced by our fears and our disappointments and our needs. … Bias is not inherently good and is not inherently bad, either.”
Gonell began by asking who in the audience were athletes in school or parents of an athlete now, or if any are active-duty service members or veterans. She was greeted by a smattering of applause to each question.
Both these categories that people can fall into, forge community – and help build unity.
“Unity requires common ground,” she said. “We ask questions. Do students and employees feel a sense of belonging here? If they don’t, what do we do as a community to break down barriers?”
Conversations, celebrations and shared learning communities are created.
“The more welcoming we are, the more economic progress we can make,” she said.
“Listening is where change takes place,” Twomey said, noting that telling someone how they should feel – in daily life as well as counseling – simply doesn’t work,
“Genuine listening allows for people to examine biases of their own stories and allows them to be open to a multitude of other perspectives,” he said, and agreement is not required.
“The only thing that is required is to see them as a person,” he said. “Listening establishes trust.”
The evening’s first speaker had been Dr. Carl Kowalski, an educator, former member and chair of the School Committee and chair of the Whitman Select Board.
“Historians tell us that past is prologue, that one way of getting to tell what is, might be to review what has been,” Kowalski began and leaned on poets to paint a picture of humanity’s continual struggle against darkness.
“The only way to shed light is to join with, and be true to one another,” he said. “How fog-covered is our world? How can we find happiness in a world filled with hate, fake news and division?”
In seeking the answer, Kowalski turned to Aristotle and said, “If it’s in our nature to think, we can only be happy if we think logically. If it’s in our nature to feel, we can only be happy if we feel deeply. … The first step toward happiness is to know oneself.”
State Sen. Mike Brady, D-Brockton, touched on the theme of happiness, too, as he recalled a fundraising play he and Kowalski had performed in “many years ago,” to benefit the Brockton Library in an effort to make it more accessible to handicapped patrons such as their mutual friend the late state Sen. Thomas Kennedy.
“We used to do these plays called ‘Murder in the Library,’ and Dr. Kowalski and myself were the two suspects and it was a computer virus that caused a disease,” Brady recalled. “We sang a song that was to the tune of ‘Making Whoopie,’ and the theme was computer viruses.”
Brady said that experience, along with another in a community watch program, demonstrated the value of community.
“Nobody does this job alone,” he said. “Unlike what we hear in the media, and the division in this country is unfortunate, we have a good team in the commonwealth. We have Republicans and Democrats who work very well together.”
That cooperation will be needed for some of the rumors being spread in efforts to widen divisions.
“This past weekend, there were some rumors floating around [in Whitman], mostly on social media,” he said, noting he had seen screenshots that showed symbols appearing to be swastikas. “I’ve been in conversation with the chief of police, Tim Hanlon [who is a member of the Freedom Team], and I’m taking his advice and saying that the police will handle it and are well aware of it.”
Hanlon told Evans that he would say, “there are so many rumors out there, [and] people are getting all upset.” One of those rumors was that Gov. Maura Healey was going to use the Whitman Armory to house immigrant families.
“It’s not true,” Evans said. “But these are the kind of things that are out there and are making it difficult for people to stay calm and it causes a lot of dysfunction.”
State Rep. Alyson Sullivan-Almeida and the Rev. Michele Matott, rector of the All Saints Episcopal Church in Whitman, had also been scheduled to speak, but Sullivan-Almeida, had a scheduling conflict and Rev. Matott was ill with COVID, so neither were able to attend.
Dr. Michael Kryzanek and the Rev. Adrian Millik of the Holy Ghost Church filled in for them.
Kryzanek, filling in for Matott, is an author and retired professor of political science, and has served on the Board of Directors of Father Bill’s Mainspring as well as that of the Freedom Team.
“All people in Whitman should be involved in the common good,” he said. “And unity brings stability and strength and opportunity.”
He listed the ways the founding documents of the United States pertains to unity and diversity.
“Diversity is a goal worth pursuing,” Kryzanek said, referring to Unity Day as the beginning of a movement to make the values of our Founders come to life. “Diversity will only strengthen what we have here in Whitman.”
The Rev. Millik offered a blessing to the group following his remarks, as a person whose parents grew up in Poland before the Soviet-backed regime was removed.
“Totalitarians pit people against each other,” he said.
Former School Committee member Christopher Scriven, an unscheduled speaker, was also invited to speak, arguing that those who don’t have advanced degrees have something to contribute to community-building, too.
“I recognize what we’re dealing with in this situation, and it breaks my heart that our community is going through this,” he said. “I want to make a point about how important it is for all of us to be involved. … have a voice that’s no more, no less important, and that’s something we should all exercise.”
He noted that many in the meeting have been leading in Whitman and serving the community for a long time and more people should join in that work.
The great costume dilemma
By Linda Hurd
Special to the Express
It was Halloween and the last school bell rang as we headed out to board our buses for home. Those of us in junior high were excited and talking about the Halloween party being held at the Indian Head School auditorium that night where there’d be dancing and prizes for the best costumes. I was going with friends and still hadn’t decided what to wear.
The Jack O’Lanterns, as they were called in our house, had been carved the night before and were nicely arranged on the steps leading to our kitchen door. As soon as I walked into the house, I heard mom and my siblings going on about something and I heard my name mentioned. The main rooms of our house were all open. As you entered, you were in the kitchen. The spacious living room was to the right with two steps going down into it and a big fieldstone fireplace along the back wall. My sister Penny and I helped load the stones that built it into dad’s truck from my Grampa’s field when we were ages six and nine. A wide square arch way in the kitchen led into the dining room where mom and my brother and sisters were. My 6-year-old brother Davey wanted my help with a costume. Mom found something for Barb and Penny but Davey kept saying no to all her suggestions.
I went down the back stairs to the cellar to look around for anything that might catch my eye or give me an idea. I found a cardboard box that was just about Davey’s size, a little red cap and a pair of red tights; I instantly knew what I could do. I grabbed the can of Nestle’s Strawberry Quick out of the cupboard and took it with the box to my room, shut the door and went to work. I copied the picture of the little figure from the can onto the box and colored it in with crayons. I cut holes in the box for Davey’s head and arms.
When I was done I went to show mom. She looked up with a big grin, saying how clever it was. Davey was excited and let me put a touch of rouge on his cheeks and I even talked him into wearing the little red felt cap but when it came to putting on the tights, he balked. We put him in front of the full-length mirror and mom, Penny and I were showing him the picture of the little figure on the can who’s hat was red with legs to match and telling him how much better the costume would look if he wore the tights. We convinced him and although he wasn’t too happy about it, he wore them. While mom fixed some supper, I had to find something to wear to the Halloween party.
In my room I found a scuffed-up pair of sneakers and old raggedy dungarees in my closet. I tacked a few colorful patches on the pants with a needle and thread. Rummaging through mom and dad’s old steamer trunks down cellar I found a man’s brown sports coat that was frayed and thin with a few holes in it and not too awfully big, an old stained t-shirt that looked more gray than white and a piece of rope on dad’s workbench that I used for a belt; all I needed was a hat. I took one of mom’s long-handled, beat up aluminum pots out of the kitchen cupboard, taped a big patch on it and put it on my head. Perfect!
I put makeup on my eyebrows and across my chin and cheeks to make it look like I needed a shave and walked out into the dining room. Mom, Penny and Davey started laughing. Barbie was only three and looked scared and dad just stared. He finally asked if I was really going to appear in public wearing a pot on my head which made us laugh even harder when I said yes.
To that he said, “Geez, one wearin’ a box and one wearin’ a pot,” and he just shook his head.
Dad would be in charge of passing out the candy while mom was walking the kids around the neighborhood and I was at the party. We were all preparing to leave and I felt a little hand slip into mine. I looked down and Davey’s big blue eyes were staring up at me. He asked if I would please come with them.
Penny walked over to us saying, “It won’t be the same without you.” Dad came up behind us and said to me, “if you want to go with them, I’ll bring you to the party when they come back, it’ll still be going on.” I was torn for a minute then Barbie wrapped her arms around my leg. I took the pot off and told them yes, I will come.
Looking back, I’m so glad I did. Davey got many complements on his costume. Barbie looked like a little doll in a hand made Cinderella dress. Penny wore her cowgirl outfit and mom and I managed the stroller and the bags of candy. Jack O’Lanterns were lit up on every lawn. One porch decorated with ghosts, skeletons and spiders had spooky music coming from it that could be heard from one end of Elm street to the other. There were smiles and laughter as we met friends and neighbors along the way and saw how we all were dressed. Dad did take me to the Halloween party, pot on the head and all and I won a prize for the most creative costume.
Hanson pantry repairs funded
By Tracy F. Seelye, Express editor
[email protected]
HANSON – A lengthy agenda of business planned for executive sessions on Tuesday, Oct. 15 curtailed the open meeting agenda – with eight items of new business, a license hearing, a one-day liquor license approval, seven committee reports and the town administrators’ report scratched off the list of topics for discussion and/or action.
“We have an extremely abbreviated agenda this evening,” Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said, as she opened the meeting.
What business was covered were votes on a reserve fund transfer for repairs at the food pantry and approval and signing of the State/Presidential Election Warrant.
The Hanson Food Pantry, Town Administrator Lisa Green reported, had recently sustained some $19,000 in water damage.
“We needed to have a company come in to do any further damage assessment,” she said. “They brought in dehumidifiers and dryers to dry all the water up. The cost of that was about $19,000. In our Municipal Buildings, Maintenance and Repair line there’s only $20,000. Paying this company would have depleted that line completely.”
She said that asking for the reserve fund transfer, which the Finance Committee approved Oct.7, would be used to replenish that fund so the town will have money for any needed municipal maintenance over the rest of the fiscal year.
“Is it true that there’s ARPA money that’s going to be [available]?” FitzGerald-Kemmett asked.
Green said it is currently in the third phase of the review process.
“I am hoping to hear some very good news on that funding very shortly,” Green said.
The Board approved the transfer 4-0-1, with FitzGerald-Kemmett abstaining since she also serves on the Food Pantry board.
Nov. 5 State/
Presidential
Election Ballot
After Board Clerk Ed Heal read the Election Warrant, the Board voted to sign it.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. On Tuesday Nov. 5, for all three of the town’s precincts, at the Hanson Middle School for the State/Presidential Election which includes the following offices and questions:
- Electors of the President and Vice President of the United States;
- Senator in Congress;
- Representative in Congress for the 9th District;
- Governor’s Councilor for the 2nd District;
- Senator in General Court for the 2nd Plymouth and Norfolk District;
- Representative in General Court for the 5th Plymouth District;
- Representative in General Court for the 6th Plymouth District;
- Register of Deeds for the Plymouth District;
- Clerk of Courts for Plymouth County;
- County Commissioner for Plymouth County and
- Register of Probate.
Ballot questions include; - Question 1 – Initiative petition to specify that the state Auditor has the authority to audit the Legislature.
A YES vote would specify that authority.
A NO vote would make no change relative to the state Auditor’s authority. - Question 2 – Initiative petition to eliminate the requirement that students pass the MCAS exam to graduate high school.
A YES vote would eliminate the requirement, but would still require students to complete course work to meet state education standards.
A NO vote would make no change in the graduation requirements. - Question 3 – Initiative petition on unionization for transportation network drivers.
A YES vote would provide transportation network drivers the option to form unions to collectively with transportation network companies regarding wages, benefits and terms and conditions of work.
A NO vote would make no changes in the law relative to the drivers’ ability to unionize. - Question 4 – Initiative petition relative to the limited legalization and regulation of certain natural psychedelic substances.
A YES vote would allow persons over age 21 to use certain natural psychedelic substances under licensed supervision, grow limited quantities in their home and create a commission to regulate the substances.
A NO vote would make no changes in the law. - Question 5 – Initiative petition establishing a minimum wage for tipped workers.
A YES vote would gradually increase the minimum wage an employer must play a tipped worker over the course of five years at which point employers could pool all tips and distribute them among non-management workers.
A NO vote would make no changes in the law.
The full text of the questions as well as detailed arguments on either side of each issue can be found in the “Massachusetts Information for Voters – 2024 Ballot Questions – State Election,” published by Secretary of State William F. Galvin and mailed to registered voters or online at VoteInMA.com.
Early voting hours are held in Hanson Town Hall from Oct. 19 to Nov. 1. [See list of specific days and hours on Page 7].
A special voter registration session will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Saturday, Oct. 26 in Hanson Town Hall. This will be the last day to register to vote for the Nov. 5 election. Any citizen may also register to vote at the Town Clerk’s office during regular business hours: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. And Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Registration may also be done by mail or online at rec.state.mass.us. Any citizen who will be 18 by Nov. 5, 2024 is eligible to register to vote by Oct. 26.
There is no school in Whitman or Hanson on Nov. 5 because Hanson Middle School is used as a polling place.
Hanson weighs budget options
HANSON – As the voters of Hanson get down to business for the Tuesday, Oct. 7 special Town Meeting, they will face differing opinions from town boards and committees on how to return hours to some town employees while balancing the budget.
One thing on which there is agreement, however, is free cash.
“It’s seemingly uncontroversial, which I’ve now just called the universe in on us,” Select Board Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said after a review of the on Tuesday, Sept. 24.
“You did, because you didn’t look [to your] left before you went there,” said Board member Joe Weeks, asking Town Accountant Eric Kinsherf for the total amount of free cash is being deferred to Town Meeting?.
He was trying to determine – if all the budget-balancing things in the warrant that are going to hold the town to salaries and benefits that the town voted against funding in May – how much will that put the town in a hole by funding them now?
“One of the things I’m very much against is balancing the budget using free cash,” Weeks said. “A lot of the things we’ve decided to defer as a Select Board to Town Meeting [were] things that are going to balance the budget using free cash, which is a huge difference from using free cash to fund capital items and things along those lines.”
He expressed a fear that “the budget is going to get away from us, especially given in May, where we were supposed to do budget-related things, it’s going to put us deeper and deeper into the hole without anybody realizing it.”
Kinsherf said he and Town Administrator Lisa Green sat down to do a pre-Town Meeting overview of what will be needed in FY 2026 to fund the budget without free cash, and the town will be about $2 million short.
“At the end of this Town Meeting, if all the articles pass, I think we’re going to have [about] $2.3 to $2.4 million left,” he said. “So, it’s a policy decision.”
Kinsherf said that, ideally, we’d have an extra $2 million in revenue over so, and do an override or something and we be in a nice position having $2.4 million of untapped free cash we could use in capital or whatever. That’s a business that you could be in, but what happens when you have free cash available to you in May will allow you a little bit of one-stop Band-Aid … you see where we’re going with this.”
To keep the morale high would cost about $13,000, he said.
“It’s a decision on your part,” Kinsherf concluded.
Weeks said it wasn’t normal to fund articles one year only to cut them back the next.
“If we’re going to do it, I want to do it for the right reasons, not because people are asking us.”
Kinsherf said, if all the articles were funded, he could almost guarantee they would be cut in May.
“We haven’t said we’ve found extra money,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “We’re saying we took another look at the money we have and, given the fallout from Town Meeting, we’re saying that a judicious amount of money – $100,000 , which is not material in the grand scheme of what we’re looking at overall – could make a huge difference in the services that we’re able to give and in the morale of the staff that we have here.”
She said the voters would ultimately decide whether we’ve made the case or not.
Vice Chair Ann Rein said she was “a little surprised about the amount of free cash.”
She said she was thrilled with it.
“I don’t see, really, the problem with spending that small amount to restore services,” she said. “I think that services are something we have to think of as more important than capital projects,”
Both Weeks and FitzGerald-Kemmett agreed.
“That’s my point,” Weeks said.
High Street Park
In other business, the High Street Park Committee updated the board on that project.
Planner Anthony DeFrias said the committee has worked with him to finalize the plan. The Park Committee asked him to reach out to engineers and make recommendations on who to hire a peer review to assess the design to ensure it is meeting all state and federal regulations.
The board voted to empower the Committee to work with Green on finding an engineering firm to conduct the peer review.
It also has to go before the Planning Board, which has required the peer review.
“If we require that from residents, we should also require it for our own projects, DeFrias said.
He has also sought estimates from three companies – and the committee has earmarked money to pay for the peer reviewer.
The design, which DeFrias reviewed for the Select Board will go before the Planning Board for a public hearing, probably at the end of October, and includes basketball courts, a playground, a dog park, amphitheater for concerts or other performances, walking trails and open lawn area.
Plantings intended to mitigate the impact on abutters’ privacy, which had already been expressed, have been planned.
“Because of the cost, there’s going to be phases, so this could be a project that goes over a period of years,” DeFraias said.
The lowest bid for the peer review was for $3,950. A mid-range bid was $4,000 and the high bid was for more than $12,000.
“We’re going to go with the lowest person, Alan D. Majors, because they had a very good, detailed, estimate,” he said. The committee had also asked DeFrias to get an equipment estimate for the playground, which did not require a quote because he said they’re not even close to that, but estimates on the general cost to kit out a playground would be from $39,000 to $125,250.
“I think it’s a destination place, the way it’s getting laid out right now,” Weeks said, but I do think it was laid out strategically well in that it puts minimal issue with abutters, but again, I’m not an abutter, so I can’t speak for them.”
Groups seeking space in old DPW building
WHITMAN – The town has received two requests for the use of the DPW administration building once the new DPW building is completed, according to Town Administrator Mary Beth Carter during the Select Board’s Tuesday, Sept. 17 meeting.
“The Select Board will consider various requests as the [DPW building] project nears completion,” Carter said. “But we still have quite a way to go before the DPW building is finished and the actual admin building is vacated. These are just two and I’m sure you’ll consider everything that comes before the board.”
One of the two requests received, came from the Whitman Food Pantry, which is dealing with an increased need for its services, and the other advocating for a Whitman museum, to honor John and Natalie Campbell and Marie Lailer, came from Ken Lailer.
“We are delighted to see a new building being built and that a DPW office will be part of the new structure,” wrote Food Pantry President Richard Clark, asking to be considered of a future occupant of the existing DPW building. “Currently, St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry is housed at the corner of Whitman Avenue and Blake Street. We occupy the middle bay of the building owned and used by Milligan’s Safe Co. We could not have asked for a nicer, more cooperative owner, but we have also realized … that we should be looking at a space that meets the needs of increased food requests from our neighbors in Whitman.”
He said the pantry staff would like to think it’s services would not always be needed.
“But the reality is that food insecurity is high in our town,” Clark said. “We would like to be considered for building occupancy once a new DPW structure is completed.”
He said the food pantry staff is aware they would have to evaluate the building to see if it meets the pantry’s needs going forward and that their needs meet the occupancy requirements established by the town.
“We see the site of the existing DPW office [as] an important addition to assist us in advancing our mission, and providing food for the needy,” Clark concluded.
Lailer, meanwhile, advocated for the museum as a way to honor the Campbells and his late wife Marie, all of whom were searching for a site for the museum they envisioned.
“[The Campbells and] Marie were active in the history of this town – one in the Historical Commission and the other with the Historical Society – before their demise,” Lailer wrote. “If a location were found, then the general public would be able to view the town history and the many artifacts currently in storage.”
He said the Historical Commission also needs a larger space. It is now located in an office in the Town Hall.
“I am deferring to the Select Board for their insight into the various projects within the town,” he said. “If a building or spaces become available and are appropriate for town use, then I ask that you take action to acquire such a facility.”
Board Vice Chair Dan Salvucci, who also serves on the Building Committee, said that when incorporating the administrative offices in the new building and vacating the old administration building were first discussed told the Committee it “would be perfect for a historical museum.”
“I didn’t think about the food pantry because they already have a building,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s too small …”
“I believe it is,” Carter said.
“But they have a building and my opinion is the Historical Commission doesn’t have one,” Salvucci said. “Everything is just boxed in the Armory and I think we’re doing the town an injustice not to show what this town is made of.”
“Both good ideas,” Carter said.
Salvucci also indicated the DPW might want to retain the administration building for records storage.
“Forget it,” he said. “That can be taken care of.”
Select Board member Justin Evans said there is plenty of space for records storage in the old police station area in Town Hall.
“It would be nice to hear [from the DPW] about what their opinions are,” Select Board member Shawn Kain said.
Choosing new school panel members
The School Committee and Whitman Select Board face an embarrassment of riches in guise of the 13 applicants expressing interest in the two vacancies on the committee.
“That’s more than I expected,” said Hanson member Glen DiGravio of the 13 applicants to fill vacancies left by the death of Fred Small and the resignation of David Forth over the past two months..
“It’s more than we all did,” said Chair Beth Stafford. “Which is wonderful, but …”
The School Committee must have their homework done by the Oct. 1 joint meeting with the Whitman Select Board when the applicants will be interviewed and selected.
“Because of the number, and we have been working with town counsel – it had to be town counsel because this is a town election, town process.” Stafford said. Whitman’s town counsel has said the joint boards must interview all 13, but suggested a couple different ways to do it.
“We cannot do it over two days, because that is inappropriate, according to Town Counsel,” she said.
It was decided the applicants would receive a letter mailed out on Sept. 11, explaining the process and they will be given 10 minutes to speak to the two boards.
“You have a resume to know what they have to offer,” Stafford said. “We really don’t need to hear that again.” She echoed Select Board Chair Dr. Carl Kowalski’s view that the applicants should address what they would do to benefit the School Committee, the students and the region.
“There will be no questions by us,” she said [as of the Wednesday, Sept. 11 meeting date]. “Right now, Carl and I are still discussing this because we both kind of agree, but counsel suggested other.” Kowalski said the members of the two boards would take their turns casting a vote, Stafford suggested everyone be put into nomination and then giving the post to the first two candidates garnering five votes.
“Their position is only good for eight months,” she said, noting they would have to run in May if they want to stay on the committee.
“This is the best way we could do this with that many applicants,” Stafford said.
The Committee unanimously voted to present a list of 10 high-priority capital projects totaling $434,760.55 approved by the Facilities Subcommittee, for consideration by town meetings. The list had to be submitted to Whitman by Oct. 1 for their spring annual Town Meeting. Whitman’s share is $248,330.05 and Hanson’s would be $186,430.
Hanson capital items have already been sent to Hanson because they were due in July for the October special Town Meeting. The capital items include 10 items the district is moving forward from the schools’ capital improvement committee for the towns.
“Nine of them are the exact same ones that were last year,” Assistant Superintendent George Ferro said. “There is one new one and that is the boiler replacement is not a full replacement of the boiler at the Hanson Middle School, it is simply making the boiler more sufficient … and that is equitable for rebates.”
The Facilities Subcommitttee also went through all the cost breakdowns.
Among the items on the list are the high school’s 20-year-old chiller component of the HVAC system; the high school fire panel is end-of-life/end-of-support and has been on the repair matrix for the last few years.
If the high school alarm panel is not repaired, the school must have a fire watch, a firefighter would have to maintain watch on the building, which runs into overtime, Ferro noted.
“We try to do our best to just say, ‘What is the most critical that we think we can either put off or move forward?’” he said. “In a perfect world we would be able to work something out, hopefully through a Regional Agreement that says X-amount, based on percentage, based on inflation is put aside for the schools and then the proper diligence, respect and needs of the schools would be taken into account so we would know what’s coming in and what could be earmarked in normal years.”
After that the schools would be able to prioritize that on their own.
Committee member Dawn Byers said she has asked Szymaniak if he would submit the entire capital matrix to the towns.
“These are not the only 10 needs of the district,” she said.
DiGravio asked if there was a reason the towns couldn’t synch up their budgeting processes, since waiting between town meetings often leads to increased costs.
In other business, the School Committee took a look at the state of class sizes in the district.
“I tried to be as efficient as possible with class sizes in the district,” said Superintendent of Schools Jeff Szymaniak. “We’ll see some changes at the high school with some numbers that are a little bit more than what we’re used to.”
That resulted from the combination of a few staff positions reduced and a change to an eight-period day on the schedule.
“Every student picked up a seventh class,” he said. As a result, elective classes are “really, really full, but some of our core classes [have] a little bit more than I’d like.”
Szymaniak suggested that might be something to be addressed next year.
“I know we’ve had diminishing enrollment, but I’m not super-comfortable having 28 kids in a class,” he said.
All high school students have a study hall as well, he noted.
Committee member Kara Moser said, thinking through the lens of a parent as well, she is always mindful that the cohorts of kids going through the high school are the same kids who had oversized elementary classes and reductions in services.
The intangibles involved in predicting enrollment include declining birth rate, student transitions in and out of the district and the amount on developable land in the towns, especially Hanson – and “Indian Head is full and Hanson Middle could be full,” Szymaniak noted.
“This high school can handle more kids,” he said. “But our elementaries going to be more challenged, especially on the Hanson side.”
Right now, class averages are in the 20s for kindergarten to grade five; middle school in the “23s-ish” and about 25 in the high school Szymaniak said.
“It’s nice to see these numbers,” Stafford said. “I was with [Ferro] when the numbers were huge and we had everyone… I did have the classes if 28-29 students while I was teaching.”
Member Rosemary Connolly suggested a study of what types of construction produces what percent of new students, such as occupancy permits.
“We’re using historical numbers as we’re shifting,” she said,
He is really happy with the focus on elementary as a straw poll he conducted showed class sizes at that level are “better than our neighbors.”
The bubble class is Conley’s grade five, the district’s biggest elementary class, and the anomaly seems to be Duval’s second grade, which is one of the smallest classes the district has ever had, he said, but otherwise class sizes are relatively consistent.
“What we’re doing is working,” he said.
“Even though – and I am by no means begrudging these class sizes at the elementary schools, I think those are good class sizes, although I think the smaller the better – I do worry about these high school numbers because these are kids who, as they’ve moved through, have unfortunately gotten the short end of the stick every time,” Moser said, noting the cumulative effect of that is food for thought.
“That’s good feedback,” Szymaniak said.
The high school freshman class, at 225, is the “smallest we’ve ever had,” he added.
“That’s why I see the kindergarten numbers coming back up, that’s a good thing,” he said. “We have to remember, though, we lose about 60 kids a year to vocational schools from eighth grade.”
Members Hillary Kniffen and Dawn Byers also called attention to the different levels and need for English language instruction for students in the district’s middle schools, which are also affected by class size.
The district had 398 students enroll between May and September, including kindergarten, 20 school choice students and 41 English learners. Righ now, school choice students entering the district are offsetting those going out.
In other business, Director of Equity and MTSS, Dr. Nicole Semas-Schneeweis presented a slide show on summer programs in the district.
“We wanted to give you the opportunity to see and enjoy some of the experiences out students have,” she said.
“We’re busy all summer,” Szymaniak said. “We never, ever close – and I think that gets lost sometimes because, trying to get the building ready for opening when your last program ends two weeks before … our maintenance teams really work hard to get things ready for the school year.”
Semas-Schneeweis touched on the district’s unique free summer enrichment program supporting the two middle schools and the high school – this summer it included 141 students; sports clinics; science camp for grades two through eight; a four-week robotics camp for rising seventh through ninth graders; 3-D printing camp; Camp Conley’’s academic reinforcement, arts and cratfs and physical education activities.
“We’re keeping our buildings open for our communities,” Semas-Schneeweis said as the YMCA summer programs and enricment are offered at Duval.
The enrichment program includes a paid internship for seniors. Science, robotics and 3-D printer camps have to limit numbers of participants due to the cost of materials.
“The programs we have at the high school, its important to know that because we have such different age ranges … you get students familiar with what the high school looks like,” said Assistant Superintendent George Ferro. “It keeps our students here and wanting to go here as they continue their education.”
The stolen days
By Linda Ibbitson Hurd
Special to the Express
When we heard the peepers in August we knew summer was coming to an end. September would bring Labor Day and the start of the school year which would replace our carefree days of fun and playing outside until it was so dark we couldn’t see. Then came the year things changed for a time. I always think of it as the golden, stolen days.
We were used to hurricanes that came and went during the 1950s but in September 1960, along came Hurricane Donna. At the first mention of a bad storm, our dad had the Coleman stove, lanterns, kerosene and the sterno at the ready. Mom made sure there were enough baked and canned goods, candles, matches and other foods on hand that didn’t need much preparation. Laundry had been done and water frozen in the refrigerator for the cooler when needed. We were ready, now we wait.
Monday, September 12, no one went to work or school. Dad turned the radio on during breakfast while we still had power. The newscaster reported that Donna made landfall in Southern New England near Connecticut and Rhode Island. The Blue Hill Observatory reported winds were 140 miles per hour and Donna was a Category 4 storm. The four of us kids noticed the concerned look that passed between our parents.
A big expansive gravel and dirt driveway was between our house and the big two story, blue asphalt shingled house, where our dad’s parents lived. After a phone call from Grampa, we got ready and walked over to their house. Aunt Sam was already there with her kids.
The big old windows in Gram’s house shook and rattled as the whistling winds raised havoc. Trees fell before our eyes, landing in the side yard. Telephone wires came loose and thrashed about in the wind. At that point, gram and mom closed all the curtains, telling us kids to stay far away from the windows. Before darkness set in they turned their attention to lighting the lanterns. Aunt Sam took the kids into the dining room to play games. Fearing a tree might hit the house, I quietly retreated to the attic where I could look out at everything. Dad and Grampa were in the car listening to the radio. I saw them get out, hunching over to brace themselves in the wind as they made it to the kitchen door. I snuck back down before they came in.
To our surprise the news was good. The winds had been less ferocious in our area and Donna was on the way north to New Hampshire. The mood instantly lifted and there were hugs and smiles all around and a few tears of relief, thanks to the old wood stove and Gram and mom who made American chop suey and apple pie the day before, we had a good feast! We woke the next morning to a beautiful day. My sister Penny and I were so happy there was no school. Dad was a bulldozer operator and was needed at his job. There was no damage to our house or yard except some debris scattered about which our younger brother and little sister helped us and mom clean up. After lunch, Penny and I went to see the trees that came down in the storm.
There were three good-sized maple trees lying near one another about 20 feet from Gram’s and nearly the same distance from the house on the other side. We began climbing on the trunks and over the branches and leaves. Other kids in the neighborhood were drawn to the trees and soon there was a group of us walking and climbing all over them.
The September days after the hurricane were warm and golden. Where the trees lay became a haven for us kids in the neighborhood. Every day after breakfast we were there and we went back after lunch until it was time for supper. One of the boys was good at doing handstands holding onto a branch that was close to the ground. Some of us liked balancing ourselves on the tree trunks while walking on them. The big leafy branches were good hiding places when we played hide and seek and they also became part of a tree house when we played the Robinson family from the book, Swiss Family Robinson. Another day we imagined we were in Sherwood Forest with Robin Hood hiding from the Sheriff of Nottingham.
The day we had to go back to school, we couldn’t wait to get home to the trees. When we got there, we stood and stared. Our hearts sank. Our haven was gone. It made us sad to see our trees cut up into piles of logs. We all turned away, no one talked on the way home.
The stolen days in the September sun were a magical time that we all shared and reminisced about through the years.
Low turn-out in primary
No one expected voter turnout to set any records during the Tuesday, Sept. 3 State Primary – and they were not wrong.
“Boring,” was how Hanson Town Clerk Elizabth Sloan described the morning as voters trickled in one or two at a time. There were only 961 total Republican ballots and 868 total Democratic ballots cast in Hanson, or 21 percent of about 8,500 registered voters, during the primary. In Whitman, there were 1,708 Republican ballots and 2,172 Democratic ballots cast, representing about 17 percent of Whitman’s 11,915 registered voters.
Whitman Select Board member Justin Evans, noting that the only contested race in that town’s Democratic ballot was for governor’s council, spent the day, dressed in a “Parks & Recreation”-themed shirt featuring American flags, eagles and the likeness of Leslie Knope the deputy director of the namesake town department in fictional Pawnee, Ind. – offering his services to Democrats in other towns.
“I’m thinking of going to Halifax, next,” Evans said. Earlier, he had dropped off a load of signs for volunteers who showed up to hold in Whitman, at the Democrat’s favored visibility location in front of the Dunkin Donuts store next to Town Hall.
While there were also no challengers to Hanson Democratic state Rep. candidate Becky Colletta, visibility ensured she didn’t get forgotten as Republicans Ken Sweezey an Jane Cournan vied for the Republican nomination in the 6th Plymouth District race to fill the seat vacated by state Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Duxbury, when he took a job with the Healey Administration. Both Republican candidates had sign-holders just outside the no-electioneering zone in front of the polling place at Hanson Middle School, chatting about the nice weather and generally ignoring each other.
Senate finale
There were three candidates vying for the Republican nomination to face-off against incumbent U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, with attorney and Marine veteran John Deaton of Bolton carrying the majority of votes in both towns vs. engineer and political newcomer Robert J. Antonellis of Medford and Ian Cain, Massachusett’s first black and out gay City Council member in Quincy. Deaton, a crypto-currency advocate has pledged to vote for Donald Trump in the presidential race.
Democrats in both communities had a four-way race to choose from for Governor’s Council with attorney Sean Murphy of Brockon besting associate probation officer and legal advocate Tamisha Civil, Air Force veteran and social worker Muriel Kramer and Brockton lawyer David Reservitz. District Court Judge Francis T. Crimmins Jr. was unopposed on Republican ballots.
In a three-way race for two seats as County Commissioner, Gregory M. Hanley and Rhonda L. Nyman easily bested Scott M Vecchi on the Democratic ballot. There were only two candidates on Republican ballots – Jared L. Valanzola and Anthony T. O’Brien Sr.
With a sparse slate of candidates and several offices with no challengers, there were few surprises in the result.
For results, See page 14.
Whitman Democrats
U.S. Senate
Elizabeth A. Warren – 991
Blanks and write-ins – 95
U.S. Rep – Eighth District
Stephn F. Lynch – 1, 017
Blanks and write-ins – 69
Councilor – Second District
Tamisha L. Civil – 282
Muriel E. Kramer – 93
- Sean Murphy – 505
David S. Reservitz – 122
Blanks and write-ins – 84
State Senate – 2nd Plymouth & Norfolk
Michael D. Brady – 984
Blanks and write-ins – 102
State Representative – 7th Plymouth
(No announced candidate on ballot)
Blanks and write-ins – 1,086
Clerk of Courts – Plymouth County
Robert S. Creedon Jr. – 962
Blanks and write-ins – 124
Register of Deeds – Plymouth County
John R. Buckley Jr. – 987
Blanks and write-ins – 99
County Commissioner – Plymouth County
(Vote for two)
- Gregory M. Hanley – 766
- Rhonda L. Nyman – 550
Scott M Vecchi – 249
Blanks and write-ins – 607
Whitman Republicans
U.S. Senate
Robert J. Antonellis –182
Ian Cain – 108
- John Deaton – 546
Blanks and write-ins – 20
U.S. Rep – Eighth District
- Robert G. Burke – 357
James M Govatsos –155
Daniel Kelly – 247
Blanks and write-ins – 95
Councilor – Second District
Francis T. Crimmins – 664
Blanks and write-ins – 190
State Senate – 2nd Plymouth & Norfolk
(No announced candidate on ballot)
Blanks and write-ins – 854
State Representative – 7th Plymouth
Allyson M. Sullivan-Almeida – 725
Blanks and write-ins – 129
Clerk of Courts – Plymouth County
(No announced candidate on ballot)
Blanks and write-ins – 854
Register of Deeds – Plymouth County
(No announced candidate on ballot)
Blanks and write-ins – 854
County Commissioner – Plymouth County
(Vote for two)
Jared L. Valanzola – 367
Anthony T. O’Brien Sr. – 576
Blanks and write-ins – 763
Hanson Democrats
U.S. Senate
Elizabeth A. Warren – 810
Blanks and write-ins – 58
U.S. Rep – Ninth District
Bill Keating – 829
Blanks and write-ins – 39
Councilor – Second District
Tamisha L. Civil – 204
Muriel E. Kramer – 76
- Sean Murphy – 398
David S. Reservitz – 89
Blanks and write-ins – 101
State Senate – 2nd Plymouth & Norfolk
Michael D. Brady – 802
Blanks and write-ins – 66
State Representative – 5th Plymouth
(No announced candidate on ballot)
Blanks and write-ins – 310
State Representative – 6th Plymouth
Rebecca W. Coletta – 520
Blanks and write-ins – 38
Clerk of Courts – Plymouth County
Robert S. Creedon Jr. – 796
Blanks and write-ins – 72
Register of Deeds – Plymouth County
John R. Buckley Jr. – 799
Blanks and write-ins – 69
County Commissioner – Plymouth County
(Vote for two)
*Gregory M. Hanley – 520
- Rhonda L. Nyman – 549
Scott M Vecchi – 202
Blanks and write-ins – 465
Hanson Republicans
U.S. Senate
Robert J. Antonellis – 191
Ian Cain – 113
- John Deaton – 623
Blanks and write-ins – 34
U.S. Rep – Ninth District
Dan Sullivan – 828
Blanks and write-ins – 133
Councilor – Second District
Francis T. Crimmins – 800
Blanks and write-ins – 161
State Senate – 2nd Plymouth & Norfolk
(No announced candidate on ballot)
Blanks and write-ins – 961
State Representative – 5th Plymouth
David F. DeCoste – 252
Blanks and write-ins – 37
State Representative – 6th Plymouth
Jane L. Cournan – 241
- Kenneth P. Sweezey – 424
Blanks and write-ins – 7
Clerk of Courts – Plymouth County
(No announced candidate on ballot)
Blanks and write-ins – 961
Register of Deeds – Plymouth County
(No announced candidate on ballot)
Blanks and write-ins – 961
County Commissioner – Plymouth County
(Vote for two)
Jared L. Valanzola – 541
Anthony T. O’Brien Sr. – 645
Blanks and write-ins – 736
- Denotes winner of contested race
Whitman faces school panel vacancies
Whitman has another vacancy to fill among its ranks of representatives on the Whitman-Hanson Regional School Committee, in the wake of member David Forth’s resignation, announced at the Wednesday, Aug. 21 meeting.
The meeting opened with a moment of silence in honor of member Fred Small, who died July 29.
“I’ve known Fred for many, many years,” said Chair Beth Stafford before the moment of silence. “Fred and I were kind of adversaries when I was on the negotiating team for the W-H [teachers’] union and Fred would bargain against the union, so we had many good old – disagreements, shall we say, and also on the board. But we will miss Fred.
“Fred was a voice of the town of Whitman,” she continued. “Fred was a voice for the students. He was always here for them. He even came when he was ill, he would try to make the meetings. I will, personally, miss him because, the last year or so, he was calling me about once a week to update on how he was doing and how he was feeling and other issues that he might have had.”
She also said Small would be missed on the Whitman Middle School Building Committee, on which he served as chair.
“Fred was always the one to tell us what was going on [Beacon] Hill,” she added. “He was always up to date on all that news and that will, again, be missed.”
She also mentioned his service his 15 years of service to Whitman’s Capital Committee.
“Big shoes to fill,” Stafford said. “It’s unfortunate that we have to do this, but I would like to dedicate this moment of silence to Fred from all of us.”
Interested candidates for either vacancy are invited to send a letter of interest and resume to Whitman Town Administrator Mary Beth Carter at Whitman Town Hall, 54 South Avenue, Whitman, MA, by Sept. 3.
The school district is posting the vacancies with applicants given two weeks to post resumes, copies of which will be forwarded to the Whitman members of the School Committee for their review.
The Select Board requested a change from the Sept. 12 joint meeting date during which the candidates would be interviewed by both boards. The request, made by Select Board Vice Chair Dan Salvucci was in deference to a health issue of a Committee member.
“We don’t have an official date right now, but it will either be the last week in September or the first week in October,” Committee Chair Beth Stafford said. The person selected will only serve until May and must run to fill the remaining two years of Small’s term. The May ballot in Whitman will therefore have four seats to fill – two three-year terms, one two-year term and one one-year term.
Stafford then turned to Forth, saying that one of the Committee’s members wished to speak.
Forth then announced his resignation in favor of continuing his education.
“It is most appropriate at this time for the torch to be passed to the next generation of young parent-leaders, who are ready to represent our district and lend their voices and experiences to the next emerging generation,” Forth said. “I will resign as a Whitman representative to the Pre-K to 12 W-H Regional School Committee, effective Sept. 1.”
He plans to pursue higher education to expand his capacity to contribute, and answered a question once put to him by former Facilities Director Ernest Sandland, who asked what Forth had learned as a member of the School Committee.
“The voice of youth that we have had with you on here … has always been true to himself,” Stafford said.
Superintendent of Schools Jeff Szymaniak said Forth’s announcement was bittersweet for him as well.
“He’s done a really nice job on the committee, but I’m so happy for you to move into what you want to do, too,” he said. “It’s pretty cool.”
“I don’t know what your next steps are, but you will be missed,” said Committee member Dawn Byers, whom Forth had thanked for urging him to run in the first place and being such a staunch supporter.
Forth said ideology does not guide the School Committee. Personality and life experiences help guide and shape people’s views and empathy has been its greatest asset in achieving results over the past years.
“We should look beyond politics and toward a shared belief that people want an excellent education for their kids, a safe and healthy environment to live in and affordability to choose the life they wish to pursue,” he said – a community-first approach.
“One of my unique experiences growing up in our community, which has guided my decision-making over the last five years was the opportunity to live in and attend both schools in Whitman and Hanson,” Forth said. “As a teenager, when deciding whether to pull nomination papers to run for office, I asked myself, ‘What does it mean to be a leader?’”
He said those internal deliberations brought him to two conclusions.
“I decided that being a leader meant not having to be the most intelligent individual in the room but being receptive and understanding each other’s strengths and utilizing those abilities in the areas warranted when those moments are justified,” Forth read from a prepared statement. “Understanding who is the best fit for the particular situation and uplifting them to be successful in the endeavor will help us to succeed collaboratively as a community.”
Prioritizing the success of the collective over one’s individual needs is what makes a successful leader, he concluded.
His second conclusion, he said, was rooted in his days as a student at Hanson Middle School, where a teacher had already noticed – when he was 12 – that his passion was in the areas of history and politics, long before he did.
“Mrs. Blauss would pull me aside after mock debates in class, asking, ‘Have you ever thought about being a lawyer?” he said, recalling another of her lessons about Cincinnatus.
“The need to evaluate the health of the institution consistently and understanding that any institution dependent on one individual over too long in our democracy is reflective of a failure of those who have been serving it,” Forth said.
“I campaigned at the age of 19 to change our community’s culture,” he said, noting he had offered an ambitious platform of services for the district and sought to empower voices representing those affected my McKinley-Vento, foster youth and students struggling with circumstances beyond their control, understanding the lingering effects of the Great Recession and a pandemic.
Since he first ran, nine out of 10 School Committee members, four out of five Hanson Select Board and three out of five Whitman Select Board members have left office.
“We’ve had a sweeping change of represntation across our community, which is more optimistic, welcoming and supporting of the next generation of leadership,” he said. “Over the last five years, I’ve seen our community’s culture shift in a direction more reflective of our community as a whole.”
Parents have organized, used their voices and helped deliver results that will be felt in the community for generations, such as the expansion of early childhood education and the approval of the new middle school in Whitman, he concluded.
In other business, a donation to the district raised more testimonials to what Small meant to the Committee.
School Committee member Steve Bois made is annual donation of an Acer Chromebook, in Small’s memory, and asked that a letters of appreciation be sent to Small’s widow and children.
When asked if he wanted to say a few words, Bois said, “Sure, here it is,” and placed the boxed computer on the table.
“You know, I told Fred years ago, ‘Oh, good! We’re sitting opposite each other. We can kick a ball back and forth,” Bois said. “You always had to keep it light with Fred because you never knew what was coming next. He kicked my fanny just like he would anyone else’s – but then he’d have some good news for me later.”
He pointed to instances when Small was mentoring Forth, who was still a teenager when he was first elected to the committee.
“One of the proudest things I saw was him talking with David [about] various things, his willingness to help David – and I’m not singling David out …Bois said.
“No, I’m glad you’re sharing this,” Forth said.
“This was a lot on your shoulders as a teenager, turning 20 at the time,” Bois continued. “David, you’re going to continue on in many ways … and you kind of remind me a little bit of Fred. … You’ve got the questions and you know the answers. I know this is about Fred, but a torch is always passed on.”
“Over the last couple weeks I’ve had a lot of time to reflect among a lot of things pertaining to the committee, but specifically toward Fred,” Forth said, sharing some of his own personal experiences with Small that members of the community and committee colleagues might not have been privy to.
Forth recalled that he was a high school freshman with he first encountered Small via a video clip posted online about the School Committee. Later, when Forth began contacting School Committee members to advocate for his fellow students, it was Small and the Committee chair who approached him with their phone numbers, telling him if he ever needed any assistance, to give them a call.
When Forth ran for School Committee and won, Small was one of the first people to reach out to him.
“Over the last few years, of course Fred and I have had our disagreements, particularly toward budget season,” he said. “But Fred has helped me improve as a person. He’s challenged me, he’s helped me think differently, and reflecting, of course, over the last year, I got to see a different side of Fred that wasn’t reflective of the bureaucrat people have tried to project on us who serve in these elected roles.”
They spoke about cars after Forth bought his, about family and different perspectives after exchanging terse deliberations in meetings.
“He’s always been open and honest and he’s treated me with respect and decency,” Forth said in a voice thick with emotion. “Understanding that we may have different objectives or different pathways, but we have the same common goal – trying to improve our community. My experiences with Fred will long outlast my time on this committee.”
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