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.

Make it two straight for the Whitman-Hanson Regional High cheerleaders. 

A week after capturing the Duxbury Invitational — their first live completion in two years — the Panthers took first place at Bridgewater-Raynham last Saturday, Oct. 30. 

“Another great day with these Panthers,” tweeted the team. “After a week of sicknesses and weather cancellations these athletes pulled it off. Now begins the journey to leagues.” 

And the Panthers will host that Patriot League championship this Saturday, Nov. 6 at 10 a.m.

HANOVER — Supply chain issues are delaying the replacement of exterior windows in the 1992 wing of South Shore Tech until spring, its School Committee was told at the Wednesday, Oct. 20 meeting.

“We are not immune to these issues,” Superintendent-Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey said, adding that the delay would not involve any additional cost to the school. “The contractor will continue to work on the premise that they’ll do the work on the second shift or it won’t involve the displacement of students, but they can’t install what they don’t have.”

Hickey also reported that the school is beginning to work with engineering firm DRA and the district’s project manager regarding two projects that would lead to some construction being done next summer, if they stay on SST’s desired schedule.

Those projects are replacement of the roof on the 1992 wing and a the use of a portion of funds from the recent debt authorization approval to add some square footage.

The Capital Projects Subcommittee will hopefully begin meeting with a DRA representative by the end of October, but certainly before the committee’s mid-November meeting to hear a report on some “potential ideas,” Hickey said.

“We’ve talked for years about a lot of ‘what-ifs’ and we have operated under the premise that we’ve got to move some things around in order to make certain footprints better,” he said. He said the project would not only add space, but would also reorganize some existing space at the school.

One example would be the consolidation of automotive programs in order to allow them to share one space instead of two. The HVAC program could be moved to a slightly larger space and horticulture could be moved closer to a bay where it could access the use of some heavy equipment.

“We would expand the space of our electrical program, which consistently, we are unable to satisfy the annual needs of the students who want it,” he said.

The engineers would be assessing what the cost of the expansion project would be.

The construction, seen as the first step in the project, would likely be done in summer 2022, with students “to the greatest extent possible,” do the interior work during the 2022-23 school year, according to Hickey. 

He said that an estimate within the debt service portion of the budget, should be ready for examination in December.

The MSBA recommendation process has also been delayed because of COVID.

“We already have the funds available to engage feasibility … just give us the [MSBA] invitation and we’ll jump into the HOV lane for the MSBA and move this forward,” he said. “Hopefully, the seventh time’s the charm.”

In other business, three parents spoke during the Public Comment period regarding questions and concern about mask and potential vaccine mandates regarding COVID-19. The questions included whether the school could or would challenge state mandates and how students were disciplined for improper mask wearing. The Committee does not respond to issues raised during public comment because they may not be reflected in the posted agenda.

Hickey did say the school is reporting to parents about the status of active COVID cases on a weekly basis. As of, Oct. 20, there were no active cases among the school population.

Hickey reported that the entire school population — including students, staff, and coaches, both on and outside of faculty — vaccination rate is at 60.5 percent. Students are vaccinated at a rate of 55 percent and faculty and staff is about 80 percent, when calculated separately.

The current state guideline for concluding a mask requirement is 80 percent of school population, but local communities could decide to retain the mask back to the optional/strongly recommended level even at that point.

“We have to see what the guidance is,” Hickey said. “If [DESE] removes the mask mandate, then it becomes a local matter.”

The school’s MCAS results reflected the reduced number on in-school instruction days, Principal Mark Aubrey said in his report to the School Committee.

“They also reflect the year before, when they were not in school for three months,” he said. “Overall the students and staff did an incredible job. Do we have places we need to work on? Of course we do, we would never say we don’t.”

Just under 80 percent of students received a score of advanced or proficient in science, which is what the state requires, 17 percent need improvement and a small percentage (six students total) did not make the grade yet, according to Aubrey. There were 163 freshmen, 162 sophomores and 23 juniors taking the exams (for Adams scholarships).

In English, 15 percent of sophomores and juniors exceeded and 60 percent met state goals, with 2 percent not passing. Math scores showed the need for teacher/student interaction, Aubrey said.

Teachers are made available to help students who need remediation on the subjects they did not pass.

Assistant Principal Sandra Baldner reported that the Allied Health program has received a $2506,000 skills capital grant, which will fund a doctor’s office, industry standard oil immersion microscopes, AEDs and CPR mannequins. A $100,000 Mass Life Sciences grant will allow construction of a biotech lab inside a classroom space.

HANOVER — South Shore Tech school administrators reported a “little bit complicated, but normal” start to the school year during the region’s School Committee on Wednesday, Sept. 15.

Principal Mark Aubrey said there are challenges to be handled, but officials are working through them, including trying to handle traffic layouts to improve the time involved at the start and end of school days.

“We’re also working inside to keep the children as safe in learning as possible,” he said.

Some traditions are also returning, including the annual Ken Thayer Classic Car Show, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 3. The Parent’s Association will host its fundraising craft fair from 9 a.m. To 3 p.m., on Saturday, Oct. 16. Open House for grade eight students interested in possibly attending SST is being planned for Saturday, Nov. 6.

“School spirit has taken a hit during COVID,” Aubrey said. “We haven’t had fans at games, there hasn’t been a lot going on, so I’m going to focus this year on school culture and making sure that people are happy to be here and excited to be here.”

From a welcoming façade to ensuring that the school works in a way that makes both students and staff feel they belong and are valued.

Banners, a small business alumni Hall of Fame, a showcase of achievement – both sports and SkillsUSA trophies and awards — student-created murals in hallways are planned, as well as an outdoor fall dance with a harvest theme so that masks will not be an issue.

“We are forming an Equity Committee … having an equitable school culture for everybody involved,” Aubrey said. “This is an organization that’s going to talk about reality and education and promotion of equality throughout the school to make sure everybody’s voice is being heard.”

A recent day when the football and soccer teams joined the crowd to cheer on the volleyball team, was an example of that, said Aubrey, noting he has lauded the students for supporting each other.

Assistant Principal Sandra Baldner thanked the committee for a “school year that feels mostly normal.”

She reported that students and teachers alike are settling in well.

“It’s great to see students back in the building,” said Superintendent/Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey. “We were in school a lot last year, but it’s great to be back every single day — and under these very challenging circumstances, people are doing their best every day.”

The school’s window replacement project has been interrupted by supply chain delays, but any work to be done once materials are delivered will be done after school to avoid interfering with instruction at no added cost.

The estimate is that the project will take about 24 workdays to complete, Hickey noted, saying he is hopeful that work would begin by Sept. 30.

A walk-through of the building for the next slate of projects was expected to take place soon — that work includes roof replacement on the 1992 side of the building as well as beginning conversations about a targeted building addition, Hickey added.

“I would like to be in a position that, as we prepare the fiscal 2023 budget, we will have an educated estimate of costs for both of those projects so as to make estimates on the debt service,” he said. The district has a debt service approval behind them and now must begin the process of planning out the projects.

“Between now and December, there will be a lot of work to be done,” Hickey said. That includes going out to bid and hiring contractors in the spring for work to be done next summer.

In other business, the committee approved an interim public comment policy, being worked on by the policy subcommittee since 2020, provides the committee chairman with some guidelines on the public comment process, including time limits, according to Hickey.

Frank Molla was welcomed as Hanson’s new representative to the committee.

HANSON — Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding’s effect on the town’s assessment change was involved  in a heated discussion about school assments at the Monday, Sept. 13 meeting of the Hanson Board of Selectmen.

Former Selectman Bruce Young challenged the way a $1.85 million override was voted at the annual Town Meeting this spring — $1.55 million for general government and about $305,000 for the school district whether the override passed or failed. He also questioned how the $304,885 was dropped from the Hanson assessment.

“You need to consider going back to Town Meeting and changing line 54 of Article 5 of Town Meeting to read $12,646,000,” Young said in urging support of his article requesting that change. “If you don’t do that, before Sept. 20, what you’re going to end up with is that $305,000 that everybody knows is never going back to the School District in fiscal ’22.”

Like Whitman resident John Galvin at the Sept. 15 School Committee meeting, Hanson Town Administrator Lisa Green noted that the committee voted to lower the assessment by the amount of the grant on April 14.

“That had been in the original budget all along, so it’s not like he added it to the budget, but what he did was say, OK, I’m no longer going to charge this to Whitman and Hanson, I’m going to pay for it out of our ESSER III funds,” Galvin said of his question about school interventionists funded by the Whitman assessment this week.

Green explained this Monday that, when the budget lines were called out at this year’s Town Meeting, Young held that several line items for question and explained his concern to voters and proposed a motion to lower the lines he questioned in an attempt to lower the budget. He also challenged the override in an effort to change the assessment. The Town Meeting voted to accept the line items anyway.

“You cannot go back and undo a Town Meeting vote unless you follow the right procedure,” Green said. “Mr. Young did not do that.”

The $305,000 may still be used by the schools for capital needs during FY ’22, Green said.

“The money is there for the schools if they need it,” Green said. “At the end of the year [the unused portion] goes back to the Dept. of Revenue and it’s certified as free cash.”

Young has challenged the Town Meeting vote with several state agencies, Green noted.

She said there has not been a single state agency, including senior managers for education and municipal associations alike, that has come to the district to say the budgeting process has been invalid.

“Believe me if the [attorney general’s office] catches an error on procedure or anything, they are the first to reach out to you,” Green told Seletmen, Thursday, Sept. 16. They then provide the procedures and steps to correct it.

“We have not done anything wrong,” she said, adding that the impact on taxpayers would be “pennies on a tax bill … but that’s beyond the point,” Green said emphasizing there is no wrongdoing involved.”

One Selectman saw Young’s point during the Town Meeting debate.

“I was a constituent at the time, and I had some issues with this and brought it up to a couple of people, but it’s all said and done at this point,” Selectman Joe Weeks said of his Town Meeting vote. “We were trying to save jobs, quite frankly, and were trying to fund schools. … But I definitely, as a concerned citizen brought up the same issue [as Young].”

“When I became aware after Town Meeting, that there was that discrepancy, we definitely reached out to town counsel,” Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “We did not take these accusations and allegations with a grain of salt. …This was a matter or timing of when the vote came down and the ballot had to be printed.”

She explained it was not the original intent to put the $305,000 into free cash. Selectmen Chairman Matt Dyer said the money might still be used for a schools capital need, if not, it would go to free cash.

FitzGerald-Kemmett suggested the whole board be involved in strategizing on how the matter would be handled.

“We all should have been made aware that there was a $305,000 difference and we all should have been part of a conversation about how that was going to be handled,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “I would hope we’ve learned from this.”

At a special Sept. 16 Selectmen’s meeting, she indicated an understanding of where the concern is coming from — “It doesn’t feel like that was really transparent,” she said. “But to question the credibility or the integrity of the process…”

But the problem really stemmed from poor timing.

The School Committee originally had an assessment of $12,251,003. On April 14, the committee learned that the district had received a grant for the school’s food services department, according to Green.

“At that committee meeting, they lowered the assessment by that amount,” she said. The annual Town Meeting was two weeks later.

An article submitted by Young to reduce the amount approved at the annual Town Meeting to $12,646,118 — which had been rejected at the Town Meeting — failed to attain a second.

“You made an appropriation to the schools,” Town Counsel Kate Feodoroff said. “I think the reality is it’s acceptable at this point.”

The assessment in question was to the schools and the town did not find out until it was too late to react.

“It’s not uncommon to overbudget,” she said.

HANSON — The town’s Economic Development Committee on Monday, Sept. 13, presented its latest work in the efforts to revitalize the Main Street corridor.

The EDC gave its second presentation during a joint session with the board. Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett, who also serves on the EDC, along with fellow members Ken Sweezy and Jim Geronaitis attended the session.

Geronaitis and Stantec representative Phil Schaeffing and, at times, former Town Planner Deb Pettey, past and present town administrators have worked on a grant to fund and plan for the Main Street efforts, according to FitzGerald-Kemmett.

The local rapid recovery plan, as it is known, includes actionable plans tailored to the unique economic challenges and COVID-19 impacts of downtown areas through a planning grant funded by the Mass. Dept. of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Hanson is one of 120 communities — mostly medium or small in size — across the commonwealth to participate in the grant program.

The area between Elm and High Streets is being referred to as South Hanson Village, Schaeffing said.

A business survey was conducted in the spring and the EDC has been reviewing project recommendations during the summer toward drafting a plan and public presentation, which is due to DHCD by Oct. 8.

Those project recommendations include building and façade improvements — which is one of the primary recommendations — maintenance and repair and general improvements such as signage. Projects fall into one or more of six categories: public realm, private realm, revenue & sales, administrative capacity, tenant mix and cultural/arts.

Improvements to the pedestrian environment, to improve access to businesses and the MBTA station are looked to in an effort to aid safety to cyclists or pedestrian, which are also safety priorities of the federal Department of Transportation.

Infrastructure improvements to accommodate present and future development and connection to the Burrage Pond trails are being explored, Schaeffing said, as is the encouragement of more housing.

“From a business perspective, having more residents that are living nearby, especially for retail or service-oriented businesses, is helpful for that business,” he said.

“There’s more to talk about on this,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “It’s not our place to be unilaterally saying that we’re knocking on people’s doors and saying, ‘Please come to Hanson and develop this type of housing.’ We’re talking about is there a way for us to develop a zone and work with it so we can effectuate the outcome more than we have the existing 40B.”

Schaeffing said any housing development depends on having regulations in place that permit the development.

Engaging local business owners is also being looked at to help increase sales and encouraging a “buy local” atmosphere as well as facilitating third-party technical support to help increase online sales and marketing.

Selectmen Chairman Matt Dyer said a town-wide visioning process might be the best step to take next.

“We had some really good outcomes with the Plymouth County Hospital property where that was quite the turnout for a committee,” Dyer said.

Sweezy suggested a good approach would be to look at the area in terms of what image Hanson wants to project as a community.

Selectman Jim Hickey endorsed that approach, but had a question about the funding, especially for sidewalk extension.

Sweezy said the main focus is what funding is available now and then

“What do we want it to look like?” FitzGerald-Kemmett said of the zoning and visioning considerations. “Do we want it to be modern … or are we looking for it to resemble a quaint New England town with lighting so people feel safe?”

She noted that the EDC has received feedback that people do not feel safe walking to the MBTA.

“This is really a pivotal time for the town of Hanson,” Dyer said, while agreeing with FitzGerald-Kemmett that none of it will happen overnight.

“A quick-hit that may make some of us feel a lot better … is the façade piece,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “I really hate to use the analogy about slapping lipstick on a pig, but I’m willing to do that if it makes people not cringe when they drive through that area.”

Green elevated

Selectmen voted to change Town Administrator Lisa Green’s title from interim to permanent, pending a good performance evaluation.

“I think that Lisa’s been doing a great job,” said Dyer. “One of the things I keep on hearing, as I make my way through Town Hall is, ‘Well, we’ll see how long Lisa is with us,’ ‘She’s interim,’ and I think, at this point, … I personally would like to keep her and I would like to see her become the town administrator and drop the ‘interim.’”

FitzGerald-Kemmett said she has done an outstanding job after having to hit the ground running.

“Boy, did she get handed a lot of ticking little time bombs, not getting into details, but you guys all know,” she said, but expressed concern that the board take extra pains to ensure proper procedure.

“She goes constantly above and beyond,” Dyer said. “She’s here for the best interests of the town of Hanson.”

Selectmen Joe Weeks said he did not feel he had enough information to make that decision and preferred to wait until after seeing how Green works Town Meeting on her own. Selectman Kenny Mitchell’s absence also concerned him, as Weeks felt the full board should be able to weigh in.

Selectman Jim Hickey said the issue is simple.

“All it does is take off the interim,” he said. “Her contract runs out next August anyway.”

Hickey noted that, if she misses Town Meeting for a training program, it’s because she wants to be a better town administrator.

Town Counsel Kate Feodoroff said that, while the move might be unprecedented for Hanson, it is not unprecedented for other communities.

“There are certainly many, many examples of interims that morph into a permanent without doing an exhaustive search because its like a probationary period,” she said. “You have the benefit of seeing people in action as opposed to on paper or how the interview. In that sense, it can be quite positive.”

She said that takes place routinely across the commonwealth.

Dyer also argued that former Town Planner Deb Pettey was hired the same way.

FitzGerald-Kemmett also noted that Green was among the top four applicants of an “exhaustive” search that yielded a hire that lasted 16 months.

Selectmen approved the change 3-0-1, with Weeks abstaining.

HANSON — The Zoning Board of Appeals on Tuesday, Aug. 31 continued it’s public hearing on the Cushing Trails LLC application for a 44-unit comprehensive Chapter 40B permit off Spring Street.

With a year-end deadline to complete this phase of the process, the board voted to continue the hearing to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 9.

The hearing, broadcast as a self-service production submitted to Whitman-Hanson Community Access TV for playback on the Hanson government access channel and WHCA’s YouTube channel, was held in the Selectmen’s meeting room at Town Hall.

“There’s numerous topics that we discussed last hearing, traffic, sidewalks, landscaping, septic systems, culverts, parking, environmental concerns and water,” Cushing Trails attorney Michael O’Shaughnessy said. “I believe we’ve presented to the board information on all these points and I think we’ll be able to satisfactorily address all these comments tonight.”

Joe Pignola, attending through a grant to the town of Hanson from the Mass. Housing Partnership, said his role was as an adviser to the board. “My role is to assist … and help you stay within the lines,” Pignola said. He has been an engineer for 30 years who has served on a ZBA as well as a project engineer for nonprofits as well as privately-owned projects. He has worked on 40B projects for 20 years.

“There’s a presumption that the need for affordable housing outweighs local concerns,” Pignola said. “You start with that presumption.”

Local concerns, he indicated are local bylaws, but Pignola said the ZBA must process the data and listen to concerns and understand what’s going on in the community, watching for issues that overcome the need for local concerns to prevail.

He explained that the applicants must demonstrate there are requirements for project eligibility, site control — they have a purchase and sale agreement — and they must commit to control profits and be monitored in doing so.

Pignola said input from the Board of Health would be advised because of the proximity to groundwater, and that there have been concerns voiced about the nearby landfill, as well.

Overall, at the second meeting stage, Pignola said the process for Cushing Trails is ahead of schedule because they had a peer review done right away.

“It all starts with engaging your other boards and your staff to help you in this complex process,” he said. With a window of 180 days from opening the hearing process to competition, he said the ZBA is looking at the end of the year as a deadline, with an extra 40 days after the hearing closes in which to render a decision. Both processes can be extended on request.

A denial or conditioned approval the applicant does not like, gives them recourse to appeal to housing appeals court, which would decide if a conditioned approval was uneconomic.

Town Counsel Jay Talerman added that while peer reviews identify technical issues that require changes, after that it’s not all technical.

“The next part of it … you get to review what is good for the neighborhood,” Talerman said. “Is density causing an issue that reflects or causes issues that are negative for the neighborhood? … things that cost the developers money.”

Developers then can negotiate with the town to address those issues.

“I’m not saying that discussion will happen here, but when we’re done with all the technical stuff, that is the discussion,” Talerman said. “Nothing in this project jumps out as being so egregious as to warrant a denial, but as an attorney … I’m not here to tell you [that] you shouldn’t say no, I’m here to tell you what the risks and benefits of saying no are. It’s your town.”

While Pignola said the aim is to identify issues that would impact or stop the project, he said nothing he has seen so far that is in that mind-set. Every 40B is more dense than local zoning typically permit, he said, making it necessary to answer whether that density is too much for local infrastructure, including Title V septic regulations.

“The bottom line is, I’m here to help you,” he said. “The applicant wants a good project, the neighbors want a good project, and that should be everybody’s goal.”

A project engineer, landscape architect and an environmental consultant also appeared with O’Shaughnessy to speak about the project. They had worked with the applicant on a 350-page report addressing the concerns of people who live in the area, O’Shaughnessy said.

Civil Engineer Joseph Webby said a guardrail has been added to the plan and a vinyl fence has been relocated and the entire site has been wrapped with a 18-inch silt sock to protect groundwater in the area. No parking signs have also been added to ease traffic flow in the area and assist fire apparatus in accessing the development, if necessary. Post-development calculations have also been revised on utilities and storm water engineering, Webby said.

“We’ve had some incomplete details on a drainage basin,” that’s been completed,” Webby said. More frequent mowing of drainage basins has also been added to the maintenance plan.

Perkins asked what material the guardrail would be made of, which Webby answered that a wood guardrail would be made of pressure-treated material.

“I was just envisioning a metal guardrail [like on] the side of I-93,” Perkins said. He also indicated he would expect the entrance of the property be closed off with the 18-inch silt sock at the end of each work day, which Webby confirmed.

Sidewalks would be separated from the roadway by concrete curbing and a four-foot grass strip, O’Shaughnessy said. Visitor parking has also been added to the front of the site and the houses were pushed back on the site plan as much as possible to add an additional parking space at each unit as well as a garage.

“We tried to pull them away from the property line as well,” O’Shaughnessy said.

Evergreen and deciduous trees have been added to the landscape plan to separate the development from the street and other properties and a walking trail has been added around the property. The condominium association would have responsibility for maintaining the landscape of the common areas.

Bill Kenny of River Hawk Environmental reported on citizen concerns about wells located on the Rockland side of the property, including what he described as an important hydro-geological factor — that water at the site flows toward north, away from the site.

Kenny said the DEP tracks, according to state landscaping regulations, the site number it assigns to each project area after a comprehensive assessment to determine where waste and other issues are located in relation to the nearby landfill, followed by the owner’s long-term maintenance and monitoring plan, this case by B Street Landfill run be CDM Smith of Cambridge.

He said groundwater monitoring reports that water quality and flow standard concerns are “not really relevant” because of the northward flow of water [26:00 to 31:00].

“It is my opinion that this development won’t impact anything associated with the landfill,” Kenny said. He added that a swale should carry water away from the property.

One area resident said the report on drainage addressed his biggest concerns about the project — drainage and sidewalks.

“With the latest that they’ve submitted, they’ve shown there won’t be any increase in the rate for volume runoff off site … not at the existing conditions now,” he said of drainage, which had been his biggest concern.

A traffic expert who conducted a peer review of the initial traffic study for the project said, the conservative side the study of the site was satisfactory or above average. He did endorse that some pruning should be done at the site entrance.

“I don’t think you’re wrong moving forward without doing anything down there,” he said.

O’Shaughnessy echoed his contention that, with 61 percent of traffic headed north and about 39 percent headed to the south at the Route 58/Spring Street intersection, during the morning the development would add 13 vehicles and 16 in the evening. The review concluded, according to O’Shaughnessy that it would “not result in a material increase in motorist delays or vehicle queuing.”