Whitman-Hanson Express

You are here: Home / Archives for More News Left

SEMLEC mourns search/rescue officer

By

TAUNTON — The Southeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (SEMLEC) joins the entire emergency responder community in mourning the death of Taunton Police Officer John Borges, who died Dec. 24 at age 49 after battling COVID-19.

Somerset Police Chief George McNeil, the control chief and head of the SEMLEC Search and Rescue Unit (SAR) recalled Officer Borges as the “glue” that held the team together and one of the region’s preeminent experts on search techniques.

“Officer Borges worked the midnight to 8 a.m. shift, and when there was an active search for missing person, he would regularly stay past his shift and continue to work, on his own time. He didn’t even put in for overtime,” Chief McNeil said. “I have been a police officer for 34 years, and I learned new things every time I worked with Officer Borges. He was excellent at his job — the job of finding lost people.”

Officer Borges was one of the founding members of SEMLEC SAR in 2003 and remained on the team through multiple control chiefs and leadership charges in Southern Massachusetts. He possessed a wealth of knowledge on missing persons cases. He was a search and rescue instructor who trained other first responders in the region, including state officials and first responders around the nation. He was also an expert and instruction in Incident Command Systems (ICS).

Chief McNeil recalled a case from 2009 in which a man went missing during a particularly cold night. There was a language barrier with the man’s family, as they only spoke Portuguese. Officer Borges was fluent in Portuguese and was able to bridge the communications gap with the family, an essential task that helped lead rescuers in the right direction. They found the man and reunited him with his family.

“We were involved in many searches together, and when SEMLEC deployed for a search and rescue mission, the people of South Eastern Massachusetts could count on Officer Borges to be there, coordinating the effort to find a loved one,” Chief McNeil said. “He made our communities safer.”

According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, nearly 180 police officers have died of COVID-19 in the U.S. this year. These are people who cannot abide by stay at home advisories and cannot always be socially distant.

SEMLEC is a mutual aid consortium comprised of resources from the police departments of 30 cities and towns. We respond when requested by a chief of police to assist with search and rescue, special events, or major crimes. We also draw on some of the most talented police officers in the region to form the SEMLEC SWAT Team, which deploys when needed to save lives and protect the citizens of southeastern Massachusetts. Members are all sworn police officers from one of the 30 member communities. Our units respond only when called by one of the 30 chiefs of police in our region.

First steps towards FY 2022

By

HANOVER — South Shore Tech officials have unveiled a $14,682,668 fiscal 2022 budget — and increase of $276,477, or 1.89 percent — representing a higher level of in-district enrollment along with a reduction in non-resident tuition, which will otherwise lead to a revenue shortfall of nearly $150,00.

No changes, meanwhile are projected in regional transportation reimbursement.

The district’s School Committee heard Superintendent-Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey’s fiscal 2022 budget presentation during its Wednesday, Dec. 16 meeting. SST uses a zero-based budgeting process to create spending plans. The final budget figures are not expected before the Wednesday, Jan. 27 meeting — the day Gov. Charlie Baker releases his budget. The budget certification vote has been slated for Wednesday, Feb.17.

Principal Mark Aubrey said there have been 206 applications an increase for the towns of Abington and Hanover and flat in all other towns except Hanson, where they are lower. The school usually sees about 300 applications at about this time, but because of COVID, Aubrey said the admissions officer has not been able to get into schools.

Assessments, based on minimum local contributions, capital, transportation and other costs above the minimum local contributions as well as debt service are calculated into the local assessments.

“The department heads did a wonderful job prioritizing and knowing this is a lean year that we would expect on the state level, and also on the local level as dollars are spread through educational and non-educational departments in each of our towns,” Hickey said.

The school district continues to control costs by long-range planning, use of grants to cover costs for technical equipment and personnel, industry donations and in-house talent.

Whitman School Committee member Dan Salvucci asked if COVID costs would continue to be included in the 2022 budget.

“One of the grants we have does have a longer [COVID-related] shelf life, which is good news,” Hickey said. “That has been on my mind, but I think by-and-large with the additional personnel and resources we have, I’m not adding substantial dollars for COVID expenses.”

He began with a celebration of accomplishments over fiscal 2021.

“Normally, I would have a long, bulleted list, [but] I can summarize it here in an obvious way, that from March 13 — almost a year, now — we have learned so much about teaching and learning in a pandemic,” Hickey said. “I couldn’t be happier with the efforts that our kids and our families and our staff are making.”

Looking to the future and goals for “the other side” of the pandemic, Hickey said the plan is to focus on pre-COVID priorities, some of which have been impacted by COVID-19:

• focusing on high-needs and economically disadvantaged subgroups who need to score proficient on MCAS;

• expanding social emotional learning initiatives while reconnecting with the school community;

focusing on larger capital projects in the facilities master plan and submitting a statement of interest to MSBA; while

• improving attendance and participation in the school’s breakfast program.

Hickey also envisions some teaching and support personnel additions, including an English language learner instructor, horticulture aide and part-time nurse support. These additions are expected to cost $76,660.

Capital requests in the budget include $35,000 for parking space expansion, $760,00 for a window and roof replacement project and $100,000 for partial design funds for master plan projects.

Whitman sets TA queries

By

WHITMAN — The Board of Selectmen are scheduled to spend the bulk of the day Friday, Dec. 18 interviewing candidates for town administrator.

Former Town Administrator Frank Lynam retired in mid-October, with Assistant Town Administrator Lisa Green named to serve in an interim capacity during the process of selecting his successor. Green is also one of the candidates being interviewed.

The interviews will be broadcast on Whitman-Hanson Community Access TV — no online streaming will be available — starting at 9:45 a.m. with Millville Town Administrator Peter Caruso. Green interviews at 10:45 a.m. with Hanover Finance Director Lincoln Heineman at 1 p.m. and Shirley Town Administrator Michael McGovern at 2 p.m.

The Board of Selectmen contracted with Community Paradigm Associates of Plymouth on Sept. 22 to conduct a search for the town’s new town administrator. The vote was 4-1, with Selectman Brian Bezanson voting for Municipal Resources Inc., (MRI), of Meredith, N.H.

Paradigm’s Bernard Lynch said his firm is the most active recruiting firm in the state with more than 50 town administrator searches to its credit. Recent area searches have included Pembroke, Plympton, East Bridgewater, Lakeville and Rockland. They are also currently working with Kingston.

“We know the region very well, we know the manager world very well,” said Lynch who has served as a town administrator for 30 years and Petrin has done so for nearly 40 years in Massachusetts. They generally get pools of 30 to 40 candidates.

“The list of towns [they serve], basically in our area, is very impressive,” said Selectman Dan Salvucci.

Whitman vets salute Pearl Harbor Day

By

WHITMAN — Usually, Marine Corps veteran Jim Murphy can be found each December placing holiday wreaths on the graves of fallen servicemen and women at Arlington National Cemetery.

This year, however, the response to the COVID-19 pandemic has limited access to the cemetery to military personnel to perform that honor as America marks the 79th anniversary of the Japanese attack on the United States military forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, leading to America’s entry into World War II.

Instead, Murphy attended a brief ceremony at the Whitman American Legion Post 22 in Whitman.

While the ceremony lasted only about five minutes, the solemn occasion was just as heart-felt for participants as if it had been a parade had taken place.

Color guards and honor guards from the Legion and Whitman VFW posts rendered salute to the fallen, while prayers were offered, “Taps” was played and a ceremonial rifle volley was fired.

Post Commander Walter Aylward offered a brief speech and participants then attended a breakfast reception inside the Post.

During the attack on Dec. 7, 1941, 2,403 service members and civilians who were killed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. A further 1,178 people were injured in the attack, which permanently sank two U.S. Navy battleships (the USS Arizona and the USS Utah) and destroyed 188 aircraft, according to the National Park Service website.

This years Pearl Harbor Day Commemoration’s theme, “Above and Beyond the Call,” represents a milestone of its own, as the first Dec. 7 commemoration to follow the nationwide commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII.

Decking park for DFS

By

WHITMAN — With COVID-19 taking a toll on social interaction as well as public health, traditional fundraising projects by organizations like Dollars for Scholars, which depend in large part, on in-person events, collections, have taken a hit.

“Every year we raise a lot of money for the seniors in Whitman and Hanson through fundraising and door-to-door,” DFS member Michelle LaMattina told Selectmen on Oct. 20 before their vote to support the project. “Obviously, this year it’s going to be very tough to fundraise because of COVID, so we’ve been trying to come up with some new ideas.”

LaMattina, whose daughter Claire raised about $17,000 for the Whitman Food Pantry “remotely” through a Whitman Strong yard sign effort, thought up a way to raise funds in a similar manner while celebrating the holiday season.

“We’re trying to make something exciting for the town to look forward to,” said. DFS volunteer Michelle LaMattina.

A Holiday Tree Lighting event begins from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 4 to Sunday, Dec. 6 and again from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 11 to Sunday, Dec. 13. Masks and social distancing are required and the public is asked to stay outside the gated area of the baseball field where the trees are set up except for display times.

Individuals, families, neighborhoods, clubs, organizations or companies to were able to sponsor a tree for $100. DFS provided the trees and lights, setting them up after Thanksgiving. Sign-up times were allotted to tree sponsors to come and decorate the tree to their liking, LaMattina said.

Monday’s wind-driven rain also delivered a blow to this new effort, setting the project back a bit, but the show must go on and — with organizers and volunteers working Tuesday to repair the damage.

Some, such as a Giving Tree featuring mittens and other wearables, had packaged them in zipper-close plastic bags. Others like the Fanilows of Hanson made certain their ode to Barry Manilow stayed decorated with wires. They wore red team T-shirts and Manilow face masks as they decorated their tree, situated next to a Charlie Brown Tree.

“He’s special,” said Jen Hickey or Manilow. “He’s not for everybody.”

“…And he wishes everyone a very Merry Christmas,” added Jean Dean.

Hickey said the DFS Committee gave each tree sponsor 90 minutes to do their decorating in small, distanced numbers.

“This was a great idea for fundraising,” one of the Fanilows said.

LaMattina said the response was overwhelming with 50 trees sold.

“If I had another 30, I could have sold them,” she said, noting people were calling her Saturday to ask about decorating a tree.

“Whether you want to drive around, if you want to get out of your car — but we will have DFS volunteers making sure there aren’t groups of people congregating,” LaMattina said.

Hanson again continues cannabis hearing

By

HANSON — Impressed LLC’s proposal for a cannabis product manufacturing aspect of their cultivation business at the town’s industrial park took another step on Tuesday, Nov. 17.

A special permit hearing continued from Oct. 13 was held in a joint session between the Board of Selectmen and Zoning Board of Appeals, which, because of the number of people attending was held in the Hanson Middle School auditorium where acoustics, participants’ speaking through masks without using provided microphones and background noise made it difficult to hear for viewers.

The hearing, broadcast by Whitman-Hanson Community Access TV, concerned Impressed LLC’s application for a special permit for a marijuana cultivation and manufacturing business.

Project engineers reported on their responses to comments and questions from, town officials at the October hearing session, including information that a traffic study — not required by the application — has not been conducted.

Wastewater issues, odor mitigation, storm water retention, external security, parking and ease of truck access, as well as other concerns, were discussed by Selectmen and the engineering firm.

Selectmen Chairman Kenny Mitchell said he wanted to see an updated plan submitted to the ZBA before any final decision is made.

“We’re close,” Mitchell said. “You guys talked about a lot of stuff, and I personally want to see that updated plan.”

“It’s great that these plans appear to be compliant and he’s done a sanity check on them. … We want to make sure what we approve is actually what’s built and that the systems are the same,” Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said agreeing that suggested plans need to be verified, especially in areas such as odor mitigation where the community would feel the impact. “Our responsibility is to the folks that live nearby, so that they’re not having to smell that 24/7.”

She advocated a peer reviewer, chosen by the town and paid for by the applicants to ensure that Mitchell agreed.

Selectman Matt Dyer suggested the board was getting “carried away” a little bit by demanding third-party review.

“Impressed LLC, in their best interests, want to make sure [an air purifying system] is installed properly, they want to hire professionals to do it. It’s kind of like having a Chevy mechanic trying to discover what’s going on in a Kia. Are they going to be able to say ‘with this piece of equipment, you activated this right or you activated this wrong.’”   

Mitchell said Dyer was entitled to his opinion, but maintained that odor is a “big factor in this.”

The company agreed to the peer review and the hearing was continued to Dec. 15.

Correction

The headline on the story about the de-regionalization committee in the Nov. 19 issue of the Whitman-Hanson Express [“Hanson de-regionalization panel votes to disband”] was inaccurate. The committee was not disbanded, but has temporarily suspended it’s work until a consultant can be hired to help with the study.

Tri-Town area salutes veterans

By

ROCKLAND — Like most everything else since March 13, the Tri-Town Veterans Day observance was different this year.

The annual parade honoring Abington, Rockland and Whitman veterans was canceled over the summer, and replaced on Wednesday, Nov. 11 by a memorial ceremony, broadcast on Whitman-Hanson Community Access TV, outside Veterans Memorial Field at Rockland High School.

Participants included Veterans Agent for Rockland and Hanson Tim White, who acted as master of ceremonies; Air Force Col. Joseph Morrissey a Rockland High graduate; and members of the veterans organizations from Rockland, Whitman and Abington.

“It was not an easy decision for us to make not to have a parade, but under the circumstances, we all felt that it was the proper thing to do for safety and health reasons,” White said.

After an opening prayer was offered by Navy Chaplain Lt. Kristy Coburn.

“When the need was greatest, these brave men and women stepped forward to defend our freedom and, for that, we are eternally grateful,” she said. “Help us today, in the midst of the most challenging time in our history, to give proper honor and appreciation to those who served the cause of freedom.”

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited and the national anthem played before Col. Morrissey, assigned to the Hanscomb Air Force Base, delivered the keynote address in front of the memorial and stadium dedicated to Rockland’s veterans.

He recalled playing youth football at the stadium where he would gaze on the names engraved in the large bronze plaques, not old enough to understand what the meant.

“In the winter of 2017, while in Iraq, I was brought back to this stadium in my mind,” he said. “As I stood on the tarmac and watched flag-draped coffins that were being loaded on C-130s on their final flight home, those same goosebumps (he had felt during the national anthem at football games) returned to me.”

He noted there are memorial street signs throughout Rockland and the updated memorial outside the stadium was dedicated.

He said that kind of respect and town cohesion are why he and his wife chose the town as the place they wanted to live and raise their children.

The Rockland Police Honor Guard fired a ceremonial salute followed by “Taps” and a closing prayer by Lt. Coburn.

Shaken as we stirred

By

Residents of Eastern Massachusetts were jolted on a lazy Sunday morning Nov. 8 as a 3.6 magnitude earthquake, centered off Bliss Corner, near New Bedford.

Cracked walkways were reported on Twitter by Taunton residents, and houses shook in Whitman. More than one resident of the region compared the sound and feel to “an overly loud truck” on nearby roads.

“I thougt it was a very low flying plane,” a Rhode Island resident reported to the NWSBoston/Norton Skywarn Twitter feed.

Farther north in Cambridge and Hingham, people reported hearing, but not feeling the quake, which had intally been estimated as a 4.2 temblor by the U.S. Geological Survey. It was downgraded before noon to 3.6.

Whitman cleanup fees eyed

By

By Tracy F. Seelye, Express editor
[email protected]

WHITMAN — Dr. Carl Kowalski informed Selectmen via email on Tuesday, Oct. 27 that he was resigning as chairman of the board effective immediately.

“There are times, even in our current Zoom world when a chair must be available for in-person events and meetings, and unfortunately, I cannot do so for reasons of health,” he said in a prepared statement before the board met Wednesday, Oct. 28 with representatives of MassDEP regarding the process of site work at the former DaKor Novelties building at 602 Bedford St. “I did hold a [morning] meeting today because of its critical importance, but I can no longer do so.”

Vice Chairman Daniel Salvucci has agreed to take over as chairman for the rest of the 2020-21 term.

“I will continue to serve as Selectman, just not as chair,” Kowalski said. “I’d like to thank you all for allowing me to serve you as chair for such a long time, and I look forward to my continued service as a member.”

He asked the board to support Salvucci in his service as chairman.

Salvucci thanked Kowalski for his many years of service and that he hopes Kowalski’s health improves.

Following their discussion with state environmental officials, Selectmen decided against a fee agreement for a special counsel for environmental site work, opting instead to go with a licensed site professional who can work directly with state and federal officials.

Representing the DEP at the meeting were Kait Carvalo, who is brownfields risk assessment section lead on the 602 Bedford St. project and her team; Maryellen DeFrias of MassDevelopment; as well as attorneys Sean Murphy and Jeffrey Thompson who are looking at the property as a possible site for a Hope for Heroes project they represent.

Kowalski raised, as a point of order, that the agenda did not reflect any discussion of the Hope for Heroes project, only the fee agreement for special counsel involved in site work.

“I’m not sure this is the proper time to introduce people who are interested in making a project on that [property],” Kowalski said.

“The biggest concern that most people on this board have is that the town is not held responsible for any particular cleanup of that site,” Salvucci said “We want to be assured that, although we want that site becomes a useful site, we do not want it at any cost to the town,” once the board reviews the fee agreement.

Selectman Randy LaMattina said he completely agreed with Kowalski, noting that the meeting was the first any of the Selectmen had heard there was a project proposed for the properties, which included the Regal Property.

Selectman Brian Bezanson pointed out that Plymouth County Commissioner Sandra Wright is an acquaintance and they had discussed the Hope for Heroes project, with which she is involved, many months ago. During the discussion, they talked about possible sites and he mentioned the Bedford Street property, suggesting that Wright contact former Town Administrator Frank Lynam to discuss it further.

“I didn’t know the condition or ownership of the land, I just knew it was vacant for a long time and I thought it would be a good location,” he said.

Thanking Bezanson for his discussion with Wright, Kowalski suggested the board stick to the agenda and discuss cleanup issues with the DEP and MassDevelopment officials.

Interim Town Administrator Lisa Green said she has had discussions about the two properties with DeFrias, including the application for site assessment grants. Regal Street property would be Phase 3 and 602 Bedford would be a Phase 1 cleanup.

The town has no ownership issues as 602 Bedford is an abandoned property, but there have been discussions about risks for which a cleanup might put the town at risk.

DEP representative John Handrahan said liability issues are
pretty straightforward.” Should the town take the property for back taxes and sell it, the town would have no liability under the Brownfields Act.

“Most towns don’t take that simplest route,” Handrahan said. “Most towns … do engage environmental professionals, because what they fundamentally discover, through economics more than anything, if the town were to take the property, they often discover that if they were to do some of the cleanup work themselves, just doing the cleanup work would not make them liable.”

It would elevate the property’s value for potential buyers.

Handrahan and Carvalho stressed taking the property for back taxes was made more streamlined in that the previous owners of the property are no longer living and the former tenant never held control over the property.

Bezanson asked if the town could get access to the property —without owning it — through the courts to conduct contamination tests “to put in motion these possible conclusions” so that the town is not liable.

“That’s a question you’re going to have to have town counsel, possibly talk with the attorney general about,” Handrahan said, noting it is neither how most towns do it, nor the mechanism written into the law in 1998.

“This is going back to what I’ve been saying throughout this process,” LaMattina said. “I think we’re all in agreement that cleaning up brownfields in our town is a fantastic idea, but to make it so the taxpayers and citizens of our town don’t go on the hook for something.”

DEP representative Angela Gallagher said the targeted brownfield assessment process at the former Regal Shoe site does not require ownership or access for the EPA to do the assessment either via access or from a nearby vantage point.

“There’s no cost or fees associated with it for the town, the EPA picks that up completely,” she said. “You just have to make an application or contact the EPA for that.”

She said the Bedford Street property also comes under that program.

Handrahan also stressed that the normal municipal process of hiring environmental consultants to help with the site cleanup because “they know where the checkbooks are.”

“This is just the town of Whitman looking for pots of money — and they are out there,” he said.

Love in the Park

By

WHITMAN — A local couple celebrated their love Friday, Oct. 23 by tying the knot in a simple celebration at Hobart’s Pond in Whitman.

The new Mr. and Mrs. Joshua and Diamante Pierce  spent time with their photographer Hilary Wood  of Lakeville in Whitman Park — amid the fall colors — capturing their wedding photos and announcement.

Diamante wore a simple, spaghetti-strap, travel length, white gown. The groom wore a blue shirt, crisp jeans and a boutonniere. It was an uncomplicated, picture-perfect day with temperatures reaching 70 degrees.

It was their intent to elope not wanting to get anyone together with all the restrictions, Joshua said.

The couple was planning a 2020 wedding after five years together when COVID struck. Four years prior, Pierce had proposed at the same location at Hobart’s Pond where the couple said their vows last week with Justice of the Peace Teri Ayer of Whitman who officiated.

With a strong connection to Hobart’s where he grew up fishing Pierce cherishes his old and new memories there. Both his parents – who also met at Hobart’s Pond when they were young  — and his grandparents all lived in Whitman along with his Aunt Kathy who owns the Gingerbread House Bakery.

It has always been beautiful, he said of the area.

Over the last decade the area has been re-landscaped with a paved walking area connecting Essex Street and South Avenue. It has gained popularity as a spot for families and walkers.

The couple who were introduced by mutual friends was looking forward to telling their families. They received well-wishes from onlookers who peeked at them during their wedding photos.

They will be looking forward to a honeymoon in the coming months. Pierce is a motorcycle mechanic in Plympton on route 106 at Plympton Cycles. They live in Middleboro where she is a local dog walker. They have several fur babies.