HANSON – The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, Jan. 4 discussed it’s purchasing of natural gas through a consolidation program with supplier Sprague Energy, the contract which is now up for renewal. Company representative Robert Savage attended the meeting remotely to provide information on the positives and negatives of continuing the program, said Town Administrator Lisa Green.

Savage has been working with such programs for about 13 years and Sprague has been providing Hanson’s natural gas for about 29 years, he said. The company has been in existence since the late 1800s.

“We take care of everybody from Gillette all the way down to little mom and pop shops,” Savage said. “At this point, you’re probably very aware about the things going on in the global economy. One of the things that we do specifically is keep an eye on natural gas an electricity.”

After hearing Savage’s presentation, Selectman Jim Hickey made a motion to accept a 22-month contract at .698 cents per therm, unless updated pricing information Savage sent Green on Wednesday, Jan. 5, the town can get a 27-month contract at .705 or less per therm.

Green and the company agreed on Friday, Jan. 7 to  27-month contract for .7080 cents per therm — a price that had originally been offered in connection with a 15-month contract. As Savage had indicated during the Jan. 4 meeting, as a commodity natural gast prices fluctuate all day, every day.

The board then voted to empower Green to accept a 27-month contract not to exceed .76 per therm or less – based on a firm price from another company.

Selectman Joe Weeks noted Bay Path is offering a price of .76, and asked if that should be the drop-dead price for a deal with Sprague Energy.

Savage said the natural gas market is “extremely, extremely volatile here in New England,” because pipelines have not been expanded since the late 1970s, when they were put in place and the demand for natural gas has increased.

“It creates what we call capacity problems so we literally can’t get enough natural gas into New England to be able to provide enough for everybody,” he said. Add in winter demand, and it causes “major spikes” in prices across the board, and could soon affect electricity costs, because the majority of electricity is produced by natural gas.

“All of that being said, the natural gas prices here in New England are usually volatile, but this year, they are exacerbated by global issues,” Savage said. Chiefly, those issues are the COVID-19 pandemic which has “wreaked havoc all they way around.”

Hanson’s current contract is paying for natural gas at a rate of 59.9 cents per therm, and expires at the end of January. Prices through EverSource are currently 76 cents per therm.

“The current rate we are able to offer you is 69 cents [per therm],” he said. “That varies on a daily basis because it’s a commodity, so it literally changes all day long every day.”

Savage said there is no indication the market will be changing in a positive direction and strongly recommended the town lock in another 12-month contract to at least get Hanson through this winter.

“Our thoughts [on the long-term outlook] is try to get through the next two winters,” he said, noting the company can offer either a 10-month (.673) or a 22-month (.698) contract at the same price per therm as of Monday, Jan. 3. But the numbers have now changed, he said.

He said contract pricing for a contract’s fixed price combines the “cheap months” of summer when there is less demand for natural gas, with the “expensive months of winter when it is leaned on heavily for heat.

Selectmen Chairman Matt Dyer asked if it would be smarter for the town to enter into a six-month contract to get the town into the “cheaper months” of the summer in order to negotiate a better price at that time.

“The problem is, there’s no ‘cheap gas’ to offset the cost of the expensive gas, and that’s why we we try to include those summer months … to give you a little more control,” Savage said. He advised the town lock in as many colder months, at a better price now, as they can.

“I wanted to go the opposite way,” Selectman Jim Hickey said. “A 10-month won’t get us through [next] winter. … the one with the two-year contract doesn’t get us through two winters, it only brings us to October [2023]. I’m looking to get both winters covered.”

Hickey advocated for a 26- or even a 28-month contract. Even if the price went up to 70.5 cents per therm, he argued, it would get Hanson through two entire winters, putting them at the end of March 2024 before they would be looking at another contract renewal. The present contract has been a 24-month pact.

“I know December, January and February would cost more at the end of it, but it would still make sense, in the long run, to get through those three months and then bring it back at the end of March 2024,” Hickey said.

Savage said that, or even a 26-month contract would make sense, in view of the recent price volitivity. 

In July 2020, natural gas was trading at $1.50 per decatherm (or 15 cents per therm multiplied by 10), as of about two months ago, it was at $6.20 per decatherm. Right now it’s about $5 per decatherm.

“It’s extreme volatility and there’s nothing on the horizon that’s going to stop that,” Savage said. 

Utility companies are already preparing for rolling winter blackouts throughout New England, he cautioned, because there may not be enough natural gas available to produce electricity if there is a prolonged cold spell.

Dyer asked about the potential for aggregation for a bulk purchase.

Savavage said his company treats all clients the same, regardless of size.

“We’re going to give you the same deal, whether you’ve got one, two, three or four towns on board with this,” he said. “I’m not going to change it for you, I’m not sticking it to you because you are one location. We treat all of our customers exactly the same.”

Aggregate pricing does not help responsible energy consumers when giving them the same price as wasteful customers, he argued.

Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said she liked the suggestion of a 26-month contract. Hickey asked how soon pricing on a 26-month contract could be forwarded to the town administrator.

Savage said he would only need to get someone at corporate to let him into the system and it would take only five minutes to get them and would have them by Wednesday morning, Jan. 5.

Selectman Kenny Mitchell asked, in view of the fact that the board’s next meeting is Jan. 25, when would they need to move on a price. Savage said the company’s hedging deadline is three business days from the end of the month, so the town should be OK about locking in a price. But he urged caution because weather forecasters are signaling they are keeping an eye on western Canada, where “the most prolonged period of single-digit farenheit temperatures going back to at least the winter of 2013-14.”

“This cold snap took hold of western Canada on Dec. 25 … temperatures fell to 6 degrees F and averages -1 through Dec. 31,” he read from the weather saff’s email. “What’s in the west will typically follow the jet stream and come  down across. So, behind the scenes, they think we’re going to come across some extremely cold weather within the next few weeks.”

It would be cutting it close, so he suggested making a decision sooner.

Selectmen could set up another virtual meeting next week to make that decision.

HANOVER – South Shore Tech’s goals for the next fiscal year include keeping at-risk students a priority as well as a “self-study” period ahead of the accreditation visit expected in the 2023-24 school year. Accreditation reviews, which occur every 10 years, has been somewhat delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The initial bottom line of the district’s zero-based budget is estimated to be $14,944,097 for now – a figure that is about 1.81 percent higher than last year with fewer non-resident students and more from sending towns, which are forecast to make up the entire student body within two years.

The South Shore Tech School Committee on Wednesday, Dec. 15, heard Superintendent-Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey’s annual initial budget presentation for fiscal 2023. The committee will certify the budget in February.

Expanded social-emotional learning initiatives, expanded after-hours workforce development training and enhancing outreach to English language learners will also continue to be a focus, Hickey said. There are also ongoing capital needs in the budget.

“We’re also very interested in seeing how the state will administer the $100 million that was in the most recent ARPA [American Rescue Plan] budget for vocational schools,” Hickey said. “I think we’d be an ideal candidate for some of those funds.”

Hickey also pointed to the schools success in educating students despite the difficulties inherent in remote learning and other changes forced by COVID.

“I think the kids are thriving under some pretty difficult circumstances, thanks to our staff,” he said. A robust co-op program, securing competitive grants, establishment of a bridge program to help students returning to school and a higher number of students participating in sports were also pointed to as successes.

The budget includes $150,000 in stabilization funds being set aside in the debt service line for renovation and construction costs. The five-year lease of propane buses is also entering into the final year of that contract. The MSBA will have an effect on any decision on renovation. The next list of accepted projects has been delayed, Hickey said, but would have to take precedence, if SST is accepted onto the list.

There is also grant-funded money – including ESSER grants – for additional personnel, including a part-time social worker. Hickey is trying to build support for such positions now, so there won’t be a struggle over it when grant funding runs out. ESSER I was for Chromebooks and PPE. ESSER II was for the support personnel. ESSER III, not yet approved, will help through fiscal 2024.

Enrollment has been up for the past year in all eight communities.

Chapter 70 aid won’t be fully known until late January. Both will have an impact on assessment to communities. Minimum assessments will be higher, Hickey said, because there are more resident students.

“It appears as though it’s going to be a safe bet for us to estimate 85 percent, which is the highest reimbursement rate we’ve seen,” Hickey said of transportation reimbursement. 

English teacher, and union representative, Toni Bourgea spoke in the public comment section of the meeting about the fact that the union has been working for more than 100 days without a contract, despite negotiations of more than a year.

“We are looking to the settle negotiations,” she said. “The committee has immediately settled a contract with Unit B as well as all the administrators in the building. We are looking for a fair settlement for Unit A.”

She said Hickey is the highest-paid superintendent, per pupil, in the state and is not trying to argue that point.

“He works incredibly hard,” Bourgea said. “But so does everyone else here in this building.” She said the administrative team is among the lowest-paid on the South Shore and teachers are among the lowest-paid among the sending towns as well as the state.

“The school needs to retain and attract the very best educators … our students deserve and need that,” she said. “We need to be financially competitive and that is not what is happening.”

Bourgea said the school has been losing teachers over the past five years – something that was nearly unheard of 20 years ago. The loss of vocational educators puts shops behind in preparing students for the future workplace.

She also pointed to the difficulties and effects of remote teaching during COVID worsen the situation.

“We’ll take all that you’ve said under advisement,” said Committee Chairman Robert Heywood. “We are trying as a member board to make a fair contract and negotiation with it … but we represent eight communities, individually, and we have to answer to them. That puts us in a difficult position and we’re trying to do the best we can for both.”

In other business, Facilities Director Robert Moorhead was recognized on his retirement after 17 years at SST as “one of the best deals we ever made from the town of Hanover,” Committee Chairman Robert Heywood, of Hanover, said. “You’ve saved so much money and done so much for the school, I don’t even know where to begin.”

Moorhead was presented with an electric guitar plaque made by the Metal Fabrication and Welding shop. He plays bass guitar in a band in his private life.

“This is an older school, we know that story, but everybody whose walked into this building for the last 17 years, to a person, has remarked at how great this place looks,” said Superintendent-Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey. “It has become the standard, thanks to Bob Moorhead.”

He thanked the committee for its support over the years.

“There’s noting our department has done without over the years in order to do out job,” Moorhead said. “It’s not up to one person, it’s up to everybody, and you folks have all made that job possible.”

Whitman-Hanson opened the 2021-22 Wrestling season in high gear winning all three matches on Saturday, Dec. 11 at Sandwich High School. 

In round one WH defeated Durfee HS 64-12, Cambridge in round two 44-30 and beating host Sandwich 45-12 in the finally. Whitman-Hanson had seven wrestlers finish the day with three wins and no losses. These included Freshman Charlie Lussier at 106 pounds with a pin and two forfeits, Senior Joe Boss at 113 pounds, Sophomore Austin Gamber with a 9-1 decision and 2 forfeits at 126 pounds, 132 pound Junior Aidan Guiliani with two pins in :25 and :35 seconds, Junior Braden Kane at 138 pounds with three pins in a remarkable :38, :58, :49 seconds. Junior Rocco Hanaphy also had three wins several by pin in :20, and :40 and 1 in Sudden Victory, and rounding out the 3-0 wrestlers was Cooper Lussier with two pins in :10 and 2:38 as well as a 15-0 technical fall.  

Other winners for WH included Freshmen Curtis Burke with a pin in his first match ever in 1:39 and a Sudden Victory win, Junior Maddox Colclough with a pin in 1:11 and a forfeit. Winning single matches on the day were Sophomore Cohen Rosado at 220 pounds with a pin in :38, and  at 120 pounds Graham McInnis with a pin in :38 at 120 pounds. 

The Panthers are now 3-0 to start the season and traveled to Oliver Ames on Wednesday, Dec. 15 for a dual meet. 

Three Whitman-Hanson Regional High School students face charges in connection with a school shooting threat posted on social media, according to the school district and police.

The students will be charged with making threats and will be issued summonsed to appear in juvenile court at a later date, according to police. 

Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak said school officials were informed that the students had allegedly posted a threatening image on social media “following non-specific threats at other schools in southeastern Massachusetts” over the weekend, according to the district and public safety officials in a joint press statement. “It was determined that there was no credible threat to the school community as a result of the post.”

The incident was described by police as local students allegedly piggy-backing on a more specific threat received by Brockton schools over the weekend.

“Our increased presence was due to an nonspecific threat to schools on the South Shore,” according to Hanson Police Chief Michael Miksch. 

On Monday morning a social media photo allegedly posted by the W-H students was said to depict a student wielding a realistic-looking pellet gun, captioned, “Don’t come to school today.”

Once informed about the post, the school district, Whitman and Hanson police launched an immediate investigation in which students and family members have “fully cooperated,” according to the report.

“The district treats all issues of school safety with the highest priority,” Szymaniak said in a statement about the incident. “We want to thank the Whitman and Hanson Police Departments for their assistance during their increased early-morning presence at the high school this morning and in investigating the subsequent social media post. I would like to assure all members of our school community that there was no threat to students or staff, and we will continue to monitor the situation as necessary.”

Szymaniak also said the students will be subject to the school district’s code of conduct policies.

School officials in Abington and Brockton also reported school shooting rumors. Abington was not specifically mentioned, but Brockton was and security screenings were reinstated at all high school entrances on Monday morning, according to WCVB-TV there was also an added police presence at Brockton High School during the day. 

HANOVER – The South Shore Tech Regional School Committee, on Wednesday, Nov. 17, was updated on the Capital Subcommittee’s work.

Superintendent-Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey said the subcommittee, along with its architect and engineering firm, had reviewed feedback and ideas about a potential new construction project on campus, intending to bring back some revised ideas to the subcommittee by the end of November.

The proposal is for a 9,000-square-foot structure to be placed at the front of the school in a grassy area between the two entrances, potentially allowing space for up to two programs. 

Hickey explained that the strategy is, by opening up some space, the school can relocate one shop while renovating some of the shop spaces in the 1962 wing of the building. Shops such as automotive, HVAC and electrical would then have more space to meet demand.

That doesn’t mean more students would be admitted – at least not in the short-run – Hickey said.

“But only 9,000 square feet might allow for a small increase,” he said. “I almost don’t want to promise that, but my theory is if we’re able to open up more space in higher-demand programs, then through the exploratory program … we might be able to take more kids, who we’ve already accepted, to major in those programs.” 

More “mundane” concerns such as the size of the school’s cafeteria and science labs are more likely to hinder any effort to accept new students right now, according to Hickey. If shop space renovation and expansion helps free up some space for science labs, he suggested that the 2023-24 school year might be the year they could see some success there, but it really needs to be part of a broader renovation project.

SST is really looking to the MSBA to open up more of the $100 million that the Legislature is discussing focusing on vocational schools.

“If we can tap into additional funds, then we can talk about the additional renovation that we all want,” he said.

In the meantime, the subcommittee is planning what it can do now.

“My hope would be that we would bring the scope of the idea to the full committee by our December School Committee meeting,” Hickey said.

All eight member communities had passed debt authorization approval at town meetings this spring, Hickey reminded the committee, a portion of which is intended to fund opportunities to renovate and/or expand shops. The disrict is still waiting on MSBA, as it has been on various projects for several years. Some interest-only borrowing would be done for the first few years.

“We went to our communities and said we need to make some adjustments, we have programs that need more space,” he said. “The communities responded, which is fantastic, so we’re taking the next step as quickly as possible.”

The project manager and engineer would work on revising the scope of planned projects. Subcommittee members have offered feedback on points and construction materials and Hickey said he would be meeting with Hanover officials about septic capacity.

The district plans to go out to bid on the building and shop renovation with an eye toward having two projects going on this summer – the shell of the new building and roof repairs to the 1992 wing of the school. It would also allow all construction planned for next school year to be to work on the interior of the new building, possibly with students working on it, with renovation of the shops planned for summer 2023.

“The beauty of the model that we see is that it would have no impact on the kids in the building,” Hickey said.

In the last few years, there have been scores of books written about healing the political divide in the United States – including “Uncivil Agreement,” by Lilliana Mason, “Why We’re Polarized,” by Ezra Klien and, notably “Trust: America’s Best Chance,” by 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg.

Most of these volumes focused on the national political picture, but as Buttigieg was known to point out, the presidency is not the only office that matters. We are also divided at the state and local level, he says and one former state official agrees.

Enter former state Rep. Kathleen Teahan, who’s new book – “For the People, Against the Tide: A Democratic Woman’s Ten Years in the Massachusetts Legislature – seeks to address that.

What’s one way to help build that bridge?

It takes everyone mending fences and working together, as Teahan puts it.

“I didn’t write it to make a profit,” she said with a laugh. “I wrote it as a gift and I self-published it. I just hope it makes a difference in the future.”

The self-published book is available on Amazon. She also has a website KathleenTeahan.com to further her mission of fostering a more civil political discourse while encouraging more women to seek office.

“I started it in 2009,” Teahan said in a phone interview last week from her Harwich home. “One reason is I want to leave the world a better place for my children and all children, and seeing the dysfunction of our government, on the federal level – and somewhat on the state level – and seeing the condition our country was in with the racism and divisiveness, lack of respect and honesty – I just had to get out what my experiences were, hoping to inspire courageous and caring candidates for political office and to get everybody to pay attention and vote.”

In 1995 Teahan lost her first campaign for state representative by 75 votes because many voters wondered if she was “too nice” for politics. Her memoir shows that “Nice” and “Courageous” are not mutually exclusive qualities. One of the 219 women compared to the over 20,000 men who, to date, has served in the Massachusetts State Legislature, Teahan, won her subsequent five elections with persistence and hard work. She loved every day working for the people of Abington, Whitman, and East Bridgewater and being a “voice for the voiceless.”

Before moving to the Cape 13 years ago, Teahan had lived in Whitman all her life. She has volunteered in political and other organizations in both places. Her connection to Whitman families, classmates, and friends remains strong no matter where she lives. Both her books; The Cookie Loved ‘Round the World, the story of the Toll House chocolate chip cookie and For the People, Against the Tide will be available at the Whitman Mother’s Club Candy Cane Craft Fair, on Saturday, Dec. 4.

She said her personal views and experiences lead her to never give up hope things will get better because she has seen the progress made since women’s sufferage 100 years ago.

“There’s a lot of hope, and I think a lot of it comes from women,” she said. “Even as I finished this memoir this year, I was one of only 219 women ever to serve in the Massachusetts Legislature in the history of it and there have been over 20,000 men.”

The “next chapter,” if you will, of her life is an effort to encourage more women to seek public office.

“Women bring a different perspective needed to balance out things,” she said. “Just like when you have any group, you need to have everyone to have a seat at the table to have it be the best it can and get a lot of different ideas.”

Getting out the vote is a key aspect of realizing that kind of representation, according to Teahan.

“Every one of us needs to be involved to keep democracy alive and bring it closer to the dream it was meant to be – the way we’ve always thought of it,” she said.

Teahan said the book “reads like a story” because, when she started it in 2008 she had talked with a couple writing agents, one of whom said she needed to put more of herself in the book. The other agent said memoirs are not that popular. That person’s suggestion that Teahan concentrate on writing about the Toll House cookie led to her first book – a children’s book titled, “The Cookie Loved ‘Round the World: the Story of the Chocolate Chip Cookie.”

“Now they are popular,” Teahan said of memoirs. She has held a book launch for “For the People, Against the Tide” (the title comes from an award she received from Healthcare for All when she was working on children’s oral health issues) in Harwich, but touched base with the Express to reach the people in the Whitman area.

“They’re the ones who sent me to the State House and I loved every minute of it,” she said. “It was quite an honor and I know there are many young people, especially Gen Z, who are passionate about making a better world and they are working hard.”

Teahan said writing it was her small part in helping young people, especially, learn how to do it and what needs to be done to attain elective office. One group she has already been speaking to is ActOn, one of whose goals is more transparency in government as well as more equalized power in the legislature, so the Speaker’s Office wields less control.

“I’m going to do what it takes to bring changes about,” Teahan said.

She’s hoping to “hit the road” to make library appearances and the like, to support the book and it’s message.

Former governors, Michael Dukakis and Deval Patrick, former Mass. Commissioners of Public Health, David Mulligan and Dr. Howard Koh, and seven others she worked with provide endorsements for this political memoir.

For the People, Against the Tide is available in paperback to bookstores and libraries through the book vendor, Ingram Publishing, and is for sale online through Amazon.

HANSON — The Recreation Committee will be fine-tuning its policy for fundraisers — as well as its continuing amending of other policies — at Camp Kiwanee’s Needles Lodge after some issues had been raised about programs planned by the South Shore Children’s Museum — a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit —founded by former Recreation member Juvelyn Hartwig.

No vote was taken on the issue during the Monday, Nov. 15 meeting.

Initially, concerns had been raised about unpaid bills, which have since been paid, a point verified by the town’s treasurer/collector. For that reason, new Recreation Chairman Frank Milisi did not allow discussion on that point.

Member Brian Smith had expressed concern over a fundraiser apparently approved Sept. 29, but was not brought before the committee previously.

“I’d like to know who these folks spoke to,” he said, also asking why it was presented as a private party rather than a fundraiser, for which the Camp should have been paid 20 percent of receipts. The 7 p.m. To midnight schedule also requires late hours for staff doing cleanup. He also questioned the handling of the liquor license and deposit check for the comedy night set for Nov. 19.

“We’re in a financial hole,” he said. “What are we doing?”

The paperwork had been received Monday, Nov. 8, but Camp Kiwanee Administrative Assistant Dori Jameson said she had received a call months ago from a museum representative Leah Snowdale. Selectman Jim Hickey said he took the liquor license application and check over to Town Hall for Jameson to offer a hand because he was going there anyway.

Vice Chairman Audrey Flanagan said the event had been on the calendar for quite some time, but had originally been planned as a drag show – which was not planned as a fundraiser. It was later changed to a comedy night fundraiser.

A security deposit for the prior event was rolled over to the fundraiser.

Fundraisers held at Kiwanee are supposed to be charged a fee, according to Recreation policy.

Hartwig stated to the Express, the fundraisers are vital to finding a new location for the museum.

“I’m not at all thinking there is anything deceptive about this, but it is completely unorganized,” said former Chairman Diane Cohen. “As far as the pricing, we need to raise our rates [and] I believe that is something the commission is going to be working on.”

Milisi said the rate discussion is “absolutely valid.”

“That’s something that needs to be addressed in the future so that, when a situation like this comes up, there’s a proper policy to protect both parties involved,” Cohen said.

Hartwig did contact The Express, after the meeting – and had spoken to the Committee, about the timing of the discussion. The meeting had been moved up to 6 p.m., despite her explaining to some members in advance, that she could not attend until 6:30 p.m., because of work commitments.

Their reign continues. 

For the 28th straight season — between fall and winter — the Whitman-Hanson Regional High cheerleaders are Patriot League champions. 

“A lot of our message this season has been a focus on having the team compete against themselves instead of others,” said head coach Alyssa Pietrasik. “We want to focus on beating our own last best record and continue to improve. We definitely did that in the league championship which I am insanely proud of.”

The Panthers topped their competition last Sunday, Nov. 7 on their home mats. 

“This is definitely one of our sweetest,” Pietrasik said. “The league championship is so important at Whitman-Hanson. It’s something we take pride in. Before results were in I let them know that either way, after their performance I was extremely proud of them. But I do have to say, it was great to win in our house on our mats with alumni, fans, families, and other W-H sports teams surrounding us.”

The Panthers have a quick turnaround time before their back on the mat. They’ll travel to Marshfield for the South regional championship this Sunday, Nov. 14. 

“Our goal is to continue to solidify this routine and master it,” Pietrasik said. “There’s potential to add a skill or two as well.”

The Panthers are captioned by seniors Jazzy Gomes, Tiffany Joyce and Samantha Sicuranza.