WHITMAN — Police Chief Timothy Hanlon and the men and women of the Whitman Police Department condemn the actions of the Minneapolis Police officers which resulted in the death of George Floyd on May 25.

“Our department stands together in denouncing the actions that led to the death of George Floyd,” Hanlon said in a June 3 statement. “We as police officers take an oath to serve each and every member of our community, and we must never lose sight of that. The actions of the involved officers in Minneapolis in no way reflect the values of the Whitman Police Department.”

The methods used in Minneapolis that killed George Floyd are not part of any police-training program in Massachusetts, including those used by members of the Whitman Police Department. Specifically, police are never trained to place a prone suspect on his or her face or to put pressure on the neck or throat of a person being detained.

The Whitman Police Department believes in treating all citizens, including those accused of committing a crime, fairly and with dignity. Officers are trained only to use the amount of force necessary to ensure safety for the suspect, the officers, and civilians in the area.

“The mission statement of our department clearly states that our officers are committed to working with the entire Whitman community to make the town a safe and desirable place for all, and that we will partner with the community to solve problems and improve public safety in a manner that is fair, impartial, transparent and consistent,” Chief Hanlon said. “We stand with those members of the law enforcement community who abide by these same principles each and every day.”

HANSON — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, May 26 asked the Recreation Commission to develop a plan for this year — and potentially for next year, as well — before a decision is made for the opening of Camp Kiwanne, and especially Cranberry Cove.

An early opening before June 15 was ruled out because of the logistical challenges presented by the coronavirus.

Recreation Commission member Diane Cohen reported that caretakers, who are permitted to work only one at a time, have begun returning to work at Camp Kiwanee. Town Administrator John Stanbrook said he was not aware of a need to limit caretakers to one at a time.

Cohen explained that Recreation Director William Boyle was working according to hours previously given according to normal operating times, based on budget and anticipated shortfalls in the budget. Selectmen chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett asked Stanbrook to discuss the matter with Boyle for clarification.

“We’re not sure still about swimming lessons and what that looks like,” she said. “We still not sure what phase we’re in — we did want to open when school ends, but I wasn’t sure how the board felt about possibly opening early, maybe during afterschool hours.”

Because of the recent hot weather and people’s frustration at being stuck at home, Cohen asked that if lifeguards could be hired in time, an earlier opening could be considered, although her intent has been to wait until the actual end of the school year, which is typically in mid-June.

“I had a couple of requests and I wanted to be honest and say I would ask,” Cohen said.

FitzGerald-Kemmett asked Board of Health Chairman Arlene Dias for her opinion on the questions Cohen raised.

“I haven’t heard anything from the governor regarding this particular opening,” Cohen said.

Dias said the Board of Health had discussed it at a previous meeting and felt that, if Selectmen voted to open the camp the wanted to be ready for it.

“For us, it would be a matter of testing the water, we would be willing to set up guidelines,” Dias said. “I don’t think the state has issued them yet.”

Dias said a plan for social distancing must be developed, followed by a discussion about how people would be admitted — and how many at one time.

FitzGerald-Kemmett asked if the two committees could connect on the issue.

“I don’t think we want to be unilaterally be making a decision to open up the Cove without hearing that there is a plan in place already,” she said of the small area with limited access. “We don’t want to be making this up as we go.”

Finance Committee Chairman Kevin Sullivan, meanwhile, said the Cove was only budgeted to open June 15, so opening earlier would mean running out of money. It would also require a larger supplemental expenditure from the town, as recreation retained earnings are way down.

He recommended keeping the camp and Cove closed for as long as possible.

Selectman Matt Dyer said the governor’s recommended 12-foot social distancing at beaches would raise the question of how to control admission — would it be through reserved hours, which the Recreation Department would have to work out. Masks would also be required at the beach.

Selectman Kenny Mitchell said a plan is needed and recommended season passes be off the table this year. Selectman Jim Hickey agreed with Dyer and Mitchell, but added he would like to see a plan by June 9.

“What a logistical nightmare this is,” said Selectman Wes Blauss, asking if a credit-card payment system was available. Cohen said the town does but Internet access and lack of a card reader at the camp is a hit-or-miss proposition. Debit card fees would be prohibitive, as well, she said.

“It’s looking to me that by opening the Cove actually at all — and I’m not saying we’re not opening the Cove at some point,” Blauss said. “But, should we open the Cove I can just see that this is going to become difficult to control, and especially for kids — the staff down at Cranberry Cove are kids.”

He foresees the potential for serious confrontations at the beach, and said any plan to reopen the beach must be self-sustaining in view of the town’s deficit, especially if a Proposition 2 ½ override fails and cuts must be made.

Dyer said it is a good idea to provide information to the public of other cooling centers or beach resources on the South Shore.

Director of Elder Affairs Mary Collins and Library Director Karen Stolfer provided reports to the board on their facilities’ service to the community during the coronavirus crisis.

Collins said that, while the Senior Center’s doors are closed, services have continued throughout the pandemic — specifically Meals on Wheels, which serves some of the most fragile people within the community.

“We have seen an uptick on the amount of people that have requested Meals on Wheels after the pandemic began,” Collins said. Referrals for fuel assistance, home care and assistance with insurance sign-ups (the SHINE program) have also continued.

“Obviously, we are concerned about the population that we serve, they are the most vulnerable, but also have a tendency sometimes to socially isolate, which can lead to other issues down the road,” she said. Serving those clients, along with monitoring Gov. Charlie Baker’s reopening phases, are her main concerns right now — with senior centers solidly toward the end of phase three.

“In terms of opening for programming, I think that we will have to hold on, and we have decided to try some alternative types of programming,” Collins said. The Friends of the Senior Center are buying a Zoom program to help with keeping in touch with isolated elders.

Besides seniors who look to the center for recreational and informational programming, the center also operates a supportive day program for elders with cognitive conditions, who Collins described as “in desperate need of returning,” but it is not possible at this time.

FitzGerald-Kemmett asked what Selectmen could do to support her in the way of town resources.

“The folks have been wonderful,” Collins said, noting how Firefighter Tim Royer and Deputy Chief Robert O’Brien Jr., had approached her before the pandemic really took off about how the Fire Department could help some seniors with picking up groceries or prescriptions. She said the Police Department and Stanbrook have also been wonderful in providing resources to seniors for preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Stolfer said the library has begun no-contact curbside pickup as part of a four-phase reopening plan, posted on the library website. While the book drop will soon be open for returns, she stressed there is no rush if people are still not comfortable going out. Current due dates are extended to July 9 with late fees waived until further notice.

Returned items will be quarantined for 72 hours. Borrowers are limited to in-house materials as the SAILS Network to which the library belongs is still closed.

Phase 2 will permit people back into the building in limited numbers with plastic shields placed at service desks. In Phase 3, the library opens a bit more with some expansion of services and Phase 4 will represent the “new normal.”

“The timing of these later phases is going to depend on the governor’s timeline,” Stolfer said. Virtual programs such as weekly book chats and crafts are being held in the interim.

For more information, visit the hansonlibrary.org.

HANSON — The Board of Selectmen voted on Tuesday, May 19 to move the annual Town Meeting to July 20. The Annual Town Election, however, will take place on the original June 27 date [see related story] to avoid the need of paying for a special election for a school override vote.

“Unless you want a massive cut to services in the town of Hanson, there is a 100-percent chance we are going to need an override,” Finance Committee Chairman Kevin Sullivan said. “With the compromise from the School Committee, we are still currently running and $865,000 deficit.”

Moderator Sean Kealy had suggested holding the Town Meeting outdoors for the date for which it had been scheduled — June 22.

Whitman Selectmen have discussed holding their June 22 Town Meeting in the High School gym, which Kealy said he was fully in favor of planning for Hanson on a different night.

Town Counsel Kate Feodoroff reviewed the logistics of postponement for Selectmen, noting that there had been some concern that postponement wasn’t possible since elections in Hanson are posted on the warrant.

“We were concerned we would be in violation of the bylaw if we held the Town Meeting later,” she said. Emergency legislation about the coronavirus pandemic’s effect on town government, allows postponement.

“What is clear, if we don’t have our Town Meeting before June 30, we go to a 1/12 budget for the town,” Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

Feodoroff said a 1/12-plus budget permits up-front payments of pension assessment, insurance and other bills offering a discount for payment in-full at the beginning of the fiscal year. Capital expenditures during that phase are discouraged in a 1/12-plus budget.

FitzGerald-Kemmett noted that use of Zoom for Town Meeting is permissible for department heads and other presenters, but not voters.

Selectman Kenny Mitchell agreed keeping to the June 15 schedule would be tight but endorsed Kealy’s suggestion to hold the Town Meeting elsewhere or outside. Selectman Matt Dyer preferred the postponement and use of a 1/12-plus budget until further guidance is available from the governor.

“I don’t want voters to have to feel, ‘I have to go vote and risk my health to make sure I vote on something that’s going to be permissible … am I going to miss out on something that’s going to make or break the bank?’” Dyer said.

Town Clerk Elizabeth Sloan also said she is not comfortable putting her roster of checkers at risk on the June 27 date. She also reminded Selectmen that early voting is being encouraged for the September primary and November general election.

In other business, Selectmen discussed the potential for opening Camp Kiwanee, based on Gov. Baker’s reopening schedule pertaining to summer camp activities. While the beach was technically allowed to open May 25,  FitzGerald-Kemmett questioned if there was time — as of the May 19 meeting — to have lifeguards and infrastructure in place by then.

Playground will not be allowed to open under the state’s protocols until June 8.

Recreation Commission member Diane Cohen asked if it were permissible to allow caretaker staff to work, observing social distancing and other safety guidelines, to permit opening by the time school is out. [See related story].

“There is a lot of maintenance to be done at the camp to prepare it,” she said.

Mitchell and Dyer agreed to that in view of the need for the cove as a diversion for kids, but Selectman Jim Hickey noted that since Town Meeting had been moved back to keep people safe, it might be wise to delay the Cranberry Cove opening as well and to limit numbers of people.

“We’ll probably have to go to a day-pass system only, rather than selling season passes,” Cohen said. “I’m concerned about the swimming area, which gets extremely crowded and what those regulations look like.”

An online reservation system is already being looked into.

A schedule of reopening for town buildings, meanwhile, is already being discussed, according to Town Administrator John Stanbrook.

FitzGerald-Kemmett noted that the governor’s task force is deliberately moving with caution to reopen senior centers due to the vulnerability of its population of elder clients, a position Stanbrook indicated he shares.

In Town Hall, employees will be brought back in stages and their temperatures will be checked on entrance and masks and hand sanitizers will be required. Frequent cleaning, weekly foggings and the wearing gloves will be required.

An initial phase will test the regulations with only employees present, followed by phasing in of public entrance to the building. The public will be limited to the use of lower level entrances and bathrooms and public hearings must calculate the number of people required to attend until the “new normal” for full public access can be determined.

After two meetings in five days, the W-H School Committee on Monday, May 18 unanimously voted to set a budget of $55,320,238 for fiscal 2021.

They also voted unanimously to amend the regional agreement for one year in support of a 50/50 split on the assessment to both towns, and for assessments of $11,214,176.79 for Hanson and  $15,367,391.75 for Whitman and transferring $350,000 from excess and deficiency. A first vote adopted a 50/50 assessment split for fiscal year 2021 only — by a 9-1 vote with member Fred Small voting no.

The votes are the first steps in the budget process. Voters at town meeting must still approve the measures.

“You’ve taken three square pegs and found a way to make them round to fit in the hole,” Hanson School Committee member Christopher Howard said of Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak’s work. “This is a step in the right direction. Thank you for what you’ve done.”

“This budget is a first step to supporting the kids in the district,” said Whitman member Dawn Byers.

Szymaniak recommended the $55,320,238 for FY 2021 budget, using $250,000 of Fiscal 2021 Circuit Breaker money in addition to the $450,000 already being used, as well as $350,000 of the $605,000 remaining in the excess and deficiency account, to lower the operating assessment. The budget figure includes the return of the four teaching positions cut last year.

Rollovers from contract savings should result in no change to the $605,000 in E&D when the dust settles.

“This committee doesn’t like using E&D, and I get that, but this money would be rolling into E&D [see below], and I find it as a way to lower the assessment for both communities,” he said.

Potential savings because of the coronavirus closure of district schools were calculated into the E&D numbers so that a 50/50 split on the assessment to both towns would be $11,214,176.79 for Hanson and  $15,367,391.75 for Whitman, Szymaniak said.

He met on a Zoom call Monday morning with Christine Lynch and Michelle Griffin of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the district’s legal counsel and Steve Hemmand from the Mass. Association of Regional Schools (MARS) to relay questions from the committee about the the budget as well as de-regionalization that cropped up in the Wednesday, May 13 meeting.  Town administrators, a half-dozen school officials and School Committee members were also on the call.

“I think this is laid out really well,” said Howard. “It hits a lot of what we talked about.”

Szymaniak said on May 13, that there have been passionate discussions in both towns regarding the budget bottom line for the school district.

“I’ve heard the word compromise, I’ve heard the word deal, I’ve heard the [phrase] ‘Let’s make this happen,’” he said, noting that he and a couple members of the Regional Agreement Committee spoke with Lynch on whether a compromise was doable and what it might look like.

Lynch discussed what a 50/50 compromise would look like for fiscal 2021 moving toward a statutory formula going forward. Using that split between the statutory number between the two towns as well as dividing the current formula to arrive at an example for the School Committee to discuss.

“This is a one-year only method,” Chairman Bob Hayes reminded School Committee members.

Szymaniak said Monday night that amendment language presented by district legal counsel must be approved by DESE, which he said they have done. He also asked legal counsel to write up an amendment to the agreement to submit to DESE and to place on town meeting warrants as a line item.

“They changed a couple of words around, but the overall gist of that amendment met their baseline for approval from the legal side,” he said. Lynch said it would have to be voted on by the committee to forward to town meetings for a vote before budgets are voted on.

If voters affirm the article, then they could vote a school budget.

However, if the commissioner does not approve the amendment, there is still no budget, Szymaniak said.

“I think every person on this committee has influenced a portion of that [compromise],” Howard said. “It’s something that we can put forward in front of the towns, giving the voters of both Whitman and Hanson an opportunity to move forward. … I really think this is a step in the right direction.”

Byers agreed.

“There has been a lot of good communication and a lot of good progress,” she said, expressing pleasure at the savings that prevented budget cuts. “My one reservation was putting students first.”

Lynch also cautioned that it will not be a benefit to allow the district to go to a 1/12 budget — the commissioner would then use the FY 2020 budget, the minimum local contribution used under the statutory method and the FY 2021 Chapter 70 funds.

“In her experience, the commissioner has never increased a 1/12 budget over the FY 2020 numbers, whether it be September, October or November,” Szymaniak said. “She understands that this is painful and problematic for districts [but] if the district doesn’t have a budget by Dec.1, the state will take fiscal control using the statutory method. She said no one benefits if the commissioner is involved with the budget.”

Szymaniak said the major question of an 50/50 split amendment is OK with DESE legal going forward, if that’s what the School Committee wants to do to move a budget.

“I’m really asking — almost begging you — to get a budget out of committee,” Szymaniak said March 13 and echoed that sentiment Monday. “I have to issue pink slips to teachers by May 31. I have some very anxious folks, teaching from their home right now, knowing that the School Committee hasn’t affirmed a budget out of committee yet.”

He said Silver Lake Regional has already made some staff cuts. Szymaniak said he is trying to avoid a 1/12 budget.

Hanson committee member Christopher Howard agreed during the May 13 discussion that it has been a contentious debate that has prevented movement on the issue. To prompt a more formal discussion on Monday, he moved the committee accept the amendment with Lynch’s modifications.

Amendment

On the budget bottom line, Howard is looking to return the four teachers cut last year while looking to excess and deficiency to help bring the numbers down.

Whitman member Steven Bois said Szymaniak’s proposal makes sense, but asked what the agreement amendment committee might think. Whitman’s Christopher Scriven, who sits on that committee, indicated the two are really separate issues.

“This is an amendment to the 1991 existing agreement that’s put forth today,” he said.

Byers questioned the procedure that was being discussed, especially in view of only receiving the three-page amendment proposal a half-hour before the meeting.

Chairman Bob Hayes then suggested waiting a week to vote on the budget, and focusing on voting on the amendment before voting a budget with or without the four teachers and on whether or not to rescind the vote basing the assessment on the statutory method this year.

He suggested giving DESE time to review the amendment to “see if it holds water,” and giving the towns time to weigh in before voting on the budget.

Howard agreed that time for review was fair, as did Whitman member Fred Small.

Budget snapshot

Szymaniak began the budget discussion with a review of the district’s current financial situation.

Potential savings due to schools being closed since March 19 because of the coronavirus pandemic include: the furloughing of custodial contractor SJ Services as of the first week of April when the wife of an SJ employee contracted the virus; the halting of payments to First Service after the last bus run on March 13; and furloughing special education van drivers from North River Collaborative since April 22, but storage fees and the need to keep vans running for upkeep will have to be paid.

After receiving a full bill for April, Szymaniak contacted SJ Services’ owner and he is revising the bill for April and May. The SJ contract typically costs the district about $99,000 per month, but the district could save $100,000.

While three W-H employees are paid by SJ Services, Szymaniak said he anticipates a substantial reduction in the bill from the company due to the furlough.

Szymaniak said a meeting between school districts in the area and First Student on Monday, May 18 was intended as a negotiation over costs for upkeep of buses, insurance and locked storage, for a savings of $250,000 in fiscal 2020. Savings from the contracts would be rolled over into excess and deficiency.

A modification of a contract with Fox Transportation for other special education transportation needs is also being examined, which could bring a $50,000 to $60,000 savings.

“If we don’t spend it, we’re not getting it back next year,” Szymaniak cautioned, however.

North River van drivers have been working with the district to deliver food to families in need who lack transportation, saving about $60,000.

Copy center contactor Collegiate Press has kept employees on and applied, but was turned down for the first round disaster loans, so the district is discussing options with the company, Szymaniak said. Collegiate press has again applied for a loan, and has issued a credit for next year on their bill, but actual copy costs were frozen on March 13.

Despite a canceled spring sports season, head coaches are being paid a “small amount for their service” in the offseason, but  Szymaniak is still anticipating a $65,000 to $70,000 savings in the athletics budget.

“Those are our big-ticket savings, right now that I could see, I didn’t want to put numbers to them because I didn’t have hard numbers, and I don’t want the committee to be upset if those numbers come in lower than I’m anticipating due to whatever expenditures we have going forward,” he said.

On the other side of the ledger, pre-kindergarten tuition is running at a deficit because of the school closing. Savings from SJ Services, athletics and other closure-related cost savings would help fill that projected $300,000 shortfall, Szymaniak said Monday.

Circuit Breaker

“There’s a buzz around both communities around Circuit Breaker,” Szymaniak said of the special education aid the district receives. “Folks have said that we have millions and millions of dollars that we recover in special education every year.”

Tuffy said the program received funds to assist with the cost of individual education plans, with the district using them to pay for the next year’s special ed costs, usually transportation and tuition, because those costs are easy to track — $1,171,000 in fiscal 2020.

“But those carryovers are often used to take care of for unexpected and unbudgeted expenses,” he said. At the end of last fiscal year, the carry-over was $692.

This year’s budget assumed that the district would to spend $450,000 and expect to get the $171,000 plus the $692 carryover makes $1,172,000 available, he said.

Howard asked where remaining funds “live” until the next budget cycle, to which Tuffy replied the money goes to a separate Circuit Breaker fund.

COVID-19-related mental health support costs, meanwhile, don’t include lost revenue such as preschool tuition. A state emergency fund speaks to “any costs” related to closing schools and moving to remote learning, which the district will apply for, but also does not include lost tuition revenue.

CARES funds are also intended as reimbursement funds that must be carefully accounted for, according to Szymaniak.

The preschool line starts off $97,000 in the red for more than $300,000 in fiscal 2021. Szymaniak said it is usually in the negative because the district hasn’t fully funded it since is a partially tuition-based program.

There are also deficits expected in some facilities accounts, according to Tuffy.

HANSON — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, May 5 discussed voter registration and absentee ballot procedures in an effort to reassure voters of their safety during the upcoming town Election.

Absentee and early ballot requirements and procedures are outlined on the town website at hanson-ma.gov.

“The governor has said we can do early voting for Town Election, which they usually don’t do,” said Town Clerk Elizabeth Sloan. “That does not mean people come into the Town Hall and actually vote. It’s just basically absentee voting again, but with no excuses needed. … Early voting is I just want to vote [before Election Day.”

Absentee ballots require voters to attest inability to go to the polls on Election Day due to illness, travel or religious obligation. Early voting ballots must be returned before Election Day and can be deposited in the Town Hall Drop Box.

She said the Town Election cannot be extended beyond June 27. Ballot, however, had not been printed yet and people were still able to return nomination papers until Friday, May 8. The last day to withdraw is Wednesday, May 27.

Town Moderator Sean Kealy discussed a definitive date for the annual Town Meeting, noting there has, as yet, been no advice from health officials on when that might be.

“My main priority is to have a meeting where people aren’t getting sick and we’re not transmitting [coronavirus],” he said. “We’ll do everything that we can.”

Selectmen have already postponed the date to June 15.

“But the closer we’re getting to that date, the less certain I am that people are going to feel comfortable — at the best of times, we have difficulty getting a quorum, let alone when people are still extremely nervous about being out in public, and in an area where it will be incredibly difficult to socially distance if we actually do get a quorum — I get very insecure about the date of June 15,” said Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett.

She said Town Planner Deborah Pettey has suggested that classrooms throughout Hanson Middle School could be used for breakout rooms with a designated teller, combined with some form of video conferencing, could be used to ensure safety.

“It sounded incredibly complicated, but I think it would meet some of the needs,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said, expressing confidence that, before the decision needs to be made, more guidance will be available. Town Meeting has had to use the gym for overflow in the past, but Kealy said it gave him concern that some residents were not able to be heard the way they should have been.

Kealy said there are issues on the warrant for which people will be interested in showing up, so lowering the quorum figure would not be beneficial.

‘It seems early to me, too,” said Kealy, noting that Gov. Baker has set a date of Monday, May 18 as the date state businesses begin re-opening. “I would not be surprised to see that extended out.”

His concern was what happens if a Town Meeting does not occur before the June 30 end of the fiscal year.

Town Administrator John Stanbrook said some transfers of funds must be done by June 30, but indicated state officials could approve delays.

“[Lt. Gov.] Karyn Polito was pretty clear at the press conference [May 4] in saying that’s the date we’ve been given as the advisory group to start issuing guidance, but that is not going to be the date everything opens up,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “She was pretty clear about that.”

Select Boards are permitted to postpone town meetings for 30 days at a time, but must permit 20 days for voter registration before a town meeting. That means Selectmen must take a vote on the matter by Tuesday, May 19.

FitzGerald-Kemmett said the board would have Kealy attend the May 19 meeting to continue the discussion.

As they await the outcome of ongoing talks between town officials and information on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the school budget, the School Committee on Wednesday, April 29 opted to pass over setting a budget figure.

The committee will meet again on May 13.

The discussion and votes followed an executive session at the beginning of the meeting, conducted remotely on the Zoom platform. The executive session was to discuss negotiating strategy or possible litigation concerning collective bargaining with the WHEA teachers’ Union.

Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak sought to pass over discussion and action on the fiscal 2021 budget and local assessment because he is awaiting information on any revenue the district can expect from the early school closure forced by COVID-19.

The committee also voted to pass over a discussion about rescinding an earlier vote on the establishment of the statutory assessment method.

School Committee Vice Chairman Christopher Scriven of Whitman said he has heard that some “significant progress” has been made in compromise talks between the two towns.

“If we wait another week, it’s best to hold off and look to set the budget next week,” he said.

Member Dan Cullity, also of Whitman advocated waiting as town officials were slated to meet the next day.

“We’re not going to get anywhere talking about this budget because there’s no new information,” he said. “We’re just going to have the same fights … until we can get over this hurdle.”

If the district does not have a budget in place by June 1, school officials have to inform the Commissioner of Education. Since town meetings are not scheduled until June 15 in Hanson and late June for Whitman, Szymaniak said he will be drafting a letter advising him of that situation so the commissioner can start preparing a 1/12 budget for the district based on the FY 2020 and projected FY 2021 budgets and minimum local contributions and anticipated Chapter 70 funds set by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for FY ’21.

“Right now we’re looking at every regional school district in the commonwealth not having a budget by July 1,” Szymaniak said. “I don’t know the process or the formula the commissioner is going to use for every district.”

Committee member Dawn Byers of Whitman argued the district should at least discuss athletics user fees in an effort to put academics first in a school budget.

Member Michael Jones of Hanson asked why she keeps bringing up the subject, when changes in such fees could cost the district students.

“If we lose more students to school choice, that’s a total loss,” he said.

Byers asked for more data on why families make the decision to take advantage of school choice. Small said that would have to go before the Policy Subcommittee for a decision before a decision on user fees is made.

Whitman member Alezandria Taylor also said user fees were not a good idea when a lot of families cannot even afford school lunches.

Revenues from preschool and extended day kindergarten tuitions have “taken a substantial hit,” according to Szymaniak.

“Before we can roll any revenues or money that we’re saving from the closure, [we need to] make sure we can cover the cost of providing salaries for paraprofessionals and teachers due to the loss of tuition that we either couldn’t process because we’re not in school, and all the tuition we have to refund because of the closure,” he said.

State Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Pembroke, has advised the district about federal grants administered by the states to municipalities covering any losses related to COVID-19 and the district is compiling as much information as possible for the application. Areas covered would include cleaning and technology.

Hanson member Robert O’Brien Jr., a deputy chief on the Hanson Fire Department, said FEMA also has funding opportunities for recouping salaries and other costs lost due to COVID-19.

The School Committee on Wednesday, April 22, again failed to set a fiscal 2021 budget figure as the assessment formula impasse continues.

The committee voted 5 to 4 against setting a budget number of  $55,320,238. Committee members Steven Bois, Dawn Byers, Dan Cullity, Fred Small and Alexandria Taylor voted in favor of Byers’ motion for a $55,320,238 budget, including the return of four teachers cut last year. Christopher Howard, Michael Jones, Christopher Scriven and Chairman Bob Hayes voted no. Member Robert O’Brien Jr., was not present. Hayes said his no votes were because of expected information from the state by the end of the week.

“There’s no ‘win’ in this, this isn’t a game,” he said. “We’re trying to do the best we can and there’s 10 of us.’

Two-thirds of the full committee must vote in favor of a budget for it to pass.

In the fiscal 2020 budget, the bottom line was $52,425,738. The required budget without the added four teaching positions is $55,040,237 — a 5-percent increase equating to $2,614,499.

Small moved that the budget be set at $55,040,237, which was also rejected by a 5 to 4 vote. Bois, Cullity, Small and Taylor voted in favor of the lower number with Byers joining Howard, Jones Scriven and Hayes in voting no.

Taylor asked if she was correct in her conclusion that there was no number Hanson members would support unless they heard something different from the committee regarding an assessment compromise.

“That is true,” Jones said. “Until Whitman makes a deal with our selectmen, we’re not going to vote yes.”

“Excuse me for being rude, but I think that’s extremely irresponsible,” Taylor said. “We need to set a number.”

“That’s your opinion,” Jones said. “You’re going to set a budget that Hanson’s going to oppose and [for] years and years, that’s going to have negative effects on our district. We’re looking at the bigger picture.”

Taylor said she is losing patience with the committee, even as she sympathizes with Hanson’s position. Howard has asked for the assessment discussion to be placed on this week’s agenda.

Byers opposed the lower figure as failing to address class size requirements before the schools reopen in the fall to students returning for the first time since mid-March.

“I believe setting this budget does meaningfully protect our students, because what it does is tell Commissioner Riley that we believe in what our students need,” Byers said in support if the $55,320,238. “We know what they need, we know what our teachers need, and that’s what we’re voting for.”

Cullity argued waiting another four or five weeks to set a budget would accomplish nothing, reminding the committee that its job is to set a budget that the towns are charged with voting on it.

“I’m not saying this is it, and it can’t change,” Cullity said about the budget number. “We shouldn’t be taking things away from the kids. We’ve got to throw it at the towns and see what the towns say.”

Small agreed, arguing that setting a budget now would not avoid a 1/12 budget, but towns need information.

“I firmly believe, based on the new information from the superintendent, the changing times, the $53 million and change as a budget is the bare-bones of what these kids need,” Small said. “To do anything else … would not be a responsible act. Let’s give the towns the number.”

Howard countered that he would like to see an agenda item next week that allows a vote on rescinding the statutory assessment formula, allowing Hanson officials to come up with a compromise. He argued that Whitman’s take-it-or-leave-it attitude would decimate the district.

“As a committee, we have to put forth that [budget number] to the towns to vote on it,” Cullity said. “But we can’t keep taking away from the school system. We have to set the goal and give them what we think the children of the region need.”

Whether both towns approve that budget number is not up to the School Committee, their job is to inform the tows as to what the schools need.

“We still need to get a budget out of committee,” he said, arguing a compromise is unlikely this year. “Then, if it’s denied, it’s brought back to us again to discuss, but hen we really have to take on a bigger role of what is going to happen to the future of this school district.”

While agreeing that the committee’s role is to support the district as much as possible, Scriven, like Small, Cullity and Byers, a Whitman resident, argued there has not been a concerted effort in good faith from Whitman to come up with a compromise.

Superintendent of Schools Jeff Szymaniak. “The challenge is … we’re getting conflicting guidance with COVID and the fact that town meetings are moving around … on how a 1/12 budget will look for regional schools.” Some towns within regional districts aren’t going to have town meetings until June or July, if they can have them, he related.

Because schools will not reopen for the rest of the year, Szymaniak is compiling cost estimates from facilities, athletics honorariums for spring varsity coaches who have been working to keep students engaged. But he expects to see savings in athletics, regular building cleaning costs and utilities.

“We just don’t know those savings yet,” he said.

Whitman Selectman Randy LaMattina had asked in a letter to Christine Lynch of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) about the problems in agreeing to a budget, specifically whether if, under a 1/12 budget, Whitman could end up providing more payments than last year, ultimately giving the distict more than level-funding in fiscal 2021.

Lynch responded that many, if not most, regional school districts will be operating under a 1/12 budget this yea, and that DESE would soon be issuing guidelines to help districts and member towns navigate the process.

The commissioner of education would set a budget that is, generally, not less than the previous fiscal year’s, but member assessments would change from the previous fiscal year due to changes in minimum local contributions, enrollment shares and potential changes in state aid.

Further guidance was expected to be issued Friday, April 24, prompting Hayes to schedule another School Committee meeting for Wednesday, April 29 (after the Express goes to press).

Szymaniak said he may be able to recoup costs of COVID-related expenses from cleaning and safety equipment, but it takes time to process state and federal paperwork. Because van drivers who work with North River Collaborative are furloughed, he also expects a 50-percent savings in special education transportation costs for the remainder of the school year. North River teachers are still working and paraprofessionals are either engaging with students or working on required professional development benchmarks and are being paid, even while the students are not being transported.

Cafeteria workers were being furloughed on Monday, April 27.

Now that school is out, the lack of preschool and kindergarten tuition will create a deficit in those programs.

Small asked if other school budget lines were being examined for potential cost savings.

“We’re going to look at everything, not that it’s official,” Szymaniak said about the decision to keep schools closed. “We will have some savings. I just don’t have those dollar figures now.”

Byers suggested that, when the 450 Chromebooks out on loan to students are returned, the district would likely be faced with repair or replacement costs for damaged units.

“Not only repairs and replacement, but we’re going to have to clean them,” Hayes said. “It doesn’t sound like much, but the cleanliness of these buildings is all going to come into play before September.”

Assistant Superintendent George Ferro raised the question of what schools would have to do if student desks have to be placed six feet apart in September.

A 1/12 budget based on fiscal 2020, could result in the loss of 48 more people, including unemployment costs, with an impact on class size across the district, Szymaniak said.

“Coming off of a timeframe where kids haven’t been in a classroom since March, that’s a tremendous effect on student learning in this district,” he said.

“I think it’s best that we hold off and get as much information as we can,” said Scriven. “The more we educate ourselves, the better.”

A committee reviewing the regional school agreement has agreed, in principle, that a statutory assessment to the towns is the likely result of its work, has begun the task of negotiating a compromise path by which to get there.

The W-H Regional Agreement Amendment Committee, a subcommittee of the W-H School Committee, met remotely for it’s first session via Zoom Meeting Wednesday, April 15.

School Committee Vice Chairman Christopher Scriven, of Whitman was elected as chairman, as subcommittees are generally chaired by a member of the School Committee.

Scriven opened the meeting by seeking for suggestions within the charge of amending the regional agreement that could help resolve the current impasse on the school budget.

“If we look at the exiting regional agreement, the language around the apportionment of operating costs … presently spells out the agreement methodology that I think everyone on this call is fully ware of,” said Hanson School Committee member Christopher Howard.

He suggested a phased approach of specific language within the agreement to create a framework that would enable the two communities to move past this year after focus only on that issue until the budget is settled.

“Then, after the budget cycle, or concurrently, we work toward fully working through the agreement itself,” he said.

Howard said just tweaking the last revision is not enough, but that the new committee must look at too many issues to re-examine them all at once.

“What I would propose is a phased approach,” he said.

Whitman Finance Committee Chairman Richard Anderson, also a member of the RAAC, said he was unable to adequately convey his disgust at the School Committee’s inability to agree on a budget yet. He reminded the panel that the Whitman FinCom has stated publicly before that it will not support any assessment calculated by any formula other than the statutory method.

“I’ve been tasked further by the full committee to publically state that this Finance Committee will not recommend any phased implementation or any other financial consideration that causes us to pay Hanson’s bills,” Anderson said. “I would say I am opposed to any recommendation for changes to the regional agreement that would effect that type of a change.”

Hanson Citizen At-Large member of the committee Bruce Young said it was his impression that, in order to be on the panel, that he should be willing to compromise to help reach an agreement.

He agreed to keep an open mind on the issue.

“If you take a hard-ball approach and say, basically, this is going to be statutory or nothing, or basically this is going to be a percentage of pupils or nothing, then … there would be no way in the world that I would want to be on that committee,” Young said. “I’m looking for a fair compromise.”

He noted that Hanson would like to continue to operate the assessment split the same way as has been done for the past 60 years, and he recognized why Whitman would favor the statutory method, which benefits Whitman by about $1.5 million. Young agreed with Howard that an average of the two methods — which puts the towns at only $500,000 to $600,000 apart — is a better place to start.

The statutory method takes into account a town’s minimum per pupil expenditure designated by DESE — the minimum local contribution — which fluctuates based on inflation, wage adjustment, town’s total earned income, property values and municipal revenue growth. Anything in a budget over the minimum local contribution goes to the regional agreement, based on pupil population, for any other operating expense.

There is no requirement for unanimous agreement by both communities to use the statutory method.

The agreement/alternative method uses strict per-pupil representation to assess the communities, the method currently used by the district. Both communities have to pass the assessment methodology prior to the budget distribution or at town meeting in order to use this method. If one town does not vote the budget forward and the other does, it does not constitute unanimous agreement for the method to be used.

Hanson Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said that, while she can appreciate where Anderson is coming from, he is one member of the RAAC.

“If the majority of the committee is willing to work on some type of compromise … we’ve got to start someplace,” she said. “Without compromise, I don’t even see why we’re meeting.”

Whitman Citizen At-Large member Christopher George said any compromise must be carefully drafted, assuming a compromise is possible.

George presented the argument that a statutory assessment was the likely end result, and that the work of a compromise would involve how the towns arrive at that point. Howard, FitzGerald-Kemmett and Young all agreed that the argument had merit.

Local assessments are not permitted to go down, he noted.

“We should outline the goals of this committee before we get too far into this conversation,” said Whitman Selectman Justin Evans, also a member of the RAAC. “Even if we were able to send something to DESE tomorrow, they’ve got a lot going on right now. They’re probably not going to be able to approve anything for the next two months.”

He cautioned that any compromise agreement reached for this budget cycle would have to fall under the current regional agreement and Chapter 70 rules.

“To be honest, my objective was to get past our [budget] impasse, and however we need to do that legally,” Scriven said. “We can meet as often as we need to.”

After the subcommittee reaches an agreement, it must be approved by the full School Committee and sent to DESE for approval and ratification by the towns. Anderson likened it to an “exercise in futility,” as he did not think it likely that either town would accept any type of compromise that includes its town departments supplementing their budgets with budgets of a member town.

If an average for compromise were to be used, he advocated going back over the past six years that Whitman has overpaid — a figure he put at closer to $4.2 million — as a starting point.

“In my estimation, the compromise has already taken place and [Whitman is] still on the losing side,” Anderson said.

Howard argued both towns have benefitted financially from the regional agreement.

Young asked for an explanation of “retroactive overpay” and stressed that if someone actually believed in it, the committee was not going to get anywhere.

Anderson said that was not the term he used, but that he could provide documentation to the committee on the amount Whitman overpaid in assessments after the state shifted to the statutory agreement.

Scriven stressed the benefits of the region above financial consideration and that he hoped the committee would keep that in mind. Anderson agreed, but noted Whitman also faces the financial challenges of a new or renovated middle school and a DPW facility where conditions could accurately be described as hazardous — in the coming years.

Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak said the committee’s charge is also to review the regional agreement in its entirety, but the first task if getting out a school budget that the towns can vote on in June.

The School Committee, meeting via Zoom conference call on Wednesday, April 8, learned the reconsideration vote which approved setting the budget at $55,040,238 by a 7-2 vote was improper.

It failed to set a budget on a re-vote 7-3 with only Whitman’s Steve Bois, Dan Cullity and Fred Small voting in favor.

An amendment to set the budget at $55,320,328 including the return of the four teachers failed 6-4 with only Whitman members Bois, Cullity, Dawn Byers, and Alexandria Taylor voting for it.

“We do not have a budget number yet,” said Chairman Bob Hayes.

The committee also voted to forego April vacation — with the full support of the WHEA — to enable setting June 15 as the last day off the school year,

Hayes admitted his error in stating the affirmative votes in the 5-4 vote to set the budget on the first try was the side to move for reconsideration. In fact, it was the prevailing side — the four votes preventing a two-thirds majority to pass the motion — that was to have the opportunity to move for reconsideration. The committee also did not re-vote on the number.

School Committee member Christopher Scriven of Whitman suggested that, since Whitman has postponed its Town Meeting until at least June 3, the committee is not faced with a need to submit a budget at this point.

“We don’t need to set a budget at this point. I think we should think about that before we go ahead and vote something,” Scriven said, after speaking to legal counsel. Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak said he also spoke with the School Department’s legal counsel, who concurred that a budget need not be set yet.

“We don’t have to set a budget today,” Szymaniak said. “We’re within the 45 days and new legislation that came out today … about, if we don’t have a budget by July 1, what that means to us.”

Whitman Committee member Steve Bois said he would not vote for a budget that does not include the four teachers because he has heard from several residents how critical that is.

Two Whitman residents also sent emails to the committee decrying the budget vote that did not include the four teachers cut from the budget last year, citing concerns over equity since Whitman schools have higher class sizes and number of low-income families.

“There are a lot of unknowns right now,” said committee member Christopher Howard of Hanson. “We know that state revenue is going to change, we know revenues for the town of Whitman are going to change, we know revenues for the town of Hanson are going to change, and it’s likely — depending on what happens to the rest of the school year — that the school budget is going to change and that’s going to impact us, as well.”

Howard said the committee has not yet reached the point where it can responsibly set a budget. He is “all in” for returning teachers for the benefit of students, but has an issue with the extraordinary time both communities are facing.

Whitman committee member Fred Small noted that the panel has the ability to change its budget numbers right up to town meeting. He said the district is likely to see cuts to regional transportation reimbursement, and that the state is likely to impose 9C cuts for fiscal 2020 before the committee even sets the 2021 budget.

“I agree that we need four teachers, I just don’t know how to pay for them,” Small said.

Szymaniak said teachers could be moved around in-district, within their certification if necessary, to ease class sizes.

“I recognize that life as we know it has changed with coronavirus,” said Whitman committee member Dawn Byers, in urging the committee to maintain its focus. “Coronavirus is impacting the entire world, but still, for the purposes of this committee and the policy we need to set, which is a budget, I still feel we need to focus on our goals — and I know we have a district goal of class sizes, no more than 20 in K-three, no more than 25 in fourth and fifth grade. It’s really frustrating for everyone at this point.”

She said, the revenue problems are not new and were something she heard about for years, but had turned out to be an assessment problem, an excess levy problem.

She then moved to set the budget at $55,320,328 to include the return of the four teachers.

“When I look at this budget I think about what it doesn’t have,” she said.

Scriven countered that it would be in the best interests of the district in the long run to delay a decision until the regional agreement committee can start to work on determining an assessment method. That committee is tentatively slated to meet on Wednesday, April 15.

Hanson committee member Michael Jones agreed.

Committee member Alexandria Taylor of Whitman urged a vote as the committee had “kicked the can down the road” for weeks while knowing the needs of the schools and district.

Howard, who works for a bank where he has seen thousands of deferments on auto loans already, said he wants to see that the committee sets the right budget that the towns will support to take care of the district’s children.

“This is nothing I’ve ever seen before in terms of impact,” he said.

Whitman committee member Dan Cullity said that, while there are revenue concerns, the School Committee has to focus on setting a budget for the schools so Finance Committees can begin working with the numbers.

“Tonight we should be setting something, even though we know, in our hearts that we’re going to take a major hit somewhere down the line over the next few months because the money just won’t be there,” he said.

Cleanup slows

In other business, Szymaniak said that due to a positive COVID-19 by the significant other of a facilities employee has led to a slow-down in school building cleaning. Most SJ employees who were cleaning buildings are now under quarantine as of Monday, April 6.

Most district staff were already working from home, Szymaniak said.

WHITMAN — The annual Town Meeting will be delayed by at least 30 days and the annual Town Election will be pushed into June, with a date to be determined by June 9, the Board of Selectmen decided on Tuesday, April 7.

Health Board Chairman Eric Joubert said Town Administrator Frank Lynam has done an outstanding job of acting to control the spread of the virus.

“We’ve all contributed,” Lynam said, crediting the Health and Fire departments for their response, as well. Links on the town website whitman-ma.gov provide updated information.

The state has passed two emergency bills, Chapter 53 and Chapter 45, that affect towns’ ability to manage and control when town meetings and elections are held, according to Lynam.

“More importantly, the town has been working at minimizing exposure of employees to the virus by working rotating staffs so that we have the minimum number of people necessary to operate in each office,” Lynam said. “All of the essential functions are being performed. We are experiencing some increase in expenses due to our need to take care of and maintain facilities, but all-in-all, I think the town is doing pretty well, and all of its departments have made the effort to make this thing work.”

He said that, to his knowledge, no town employees have tested positive for COVID-19, but some have family members who have and they have managed the cases to minimize exposure.

One of Lynam’s main concerns going forward is on the effect of coronavirus on revenue.

“Eventually, it’s going to trickle down to us,” he said, noting he expects the state to announce that the drop in lottery sales alone could be responsible for a forecast 10-percent drop in local aid receipts. Sales taxes and meals taxes are also down.

The town moderator can extend the Town Meeting date for 30 days at a time — and the board voted to advise that Moderator Michael Seele do that, as most surrounding towns have already done. The postponement pushed it to June 3, but it could be revisited.

Calling into the Zoom Meeting, Seele asked for an opinion for public health and safety personnel.

“I think we’re all in agreement that the less social contact, the better,” Joubert said of his discussions with police and fire officials about both the Town Meeting and election. “Delaying the election would be the most appropriate thing to do from a public health standpoint.”

Fire Chief Timothy Grenno agreed.

“Things are rough in town,” Grenno said. “I don’t think a May 4 [Town Meeting] date would even be approachable right now for us to have a large gathering. It’s just not a safe thing to do.”

The Town Election must be held by June 30. Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski said he does not think it would be safe to hold either as scheduled, and agreed that would be the wise move.

Town Clerk Dawn Varley said the board was permitted to vote to delay a vote without a date — which doesn’t have to be set until June 9. She is going to proceed with having the ballots printed with the May 16 date on them, but that won’t affect votes, which will be counted when the election is held.

Lynam endorsed that suggestion in the interest of flexibility for the town the election should be postponed with a date to be determined later.

“I’m highly recommending that people start now to early vote,” Varley said of the municipal early voting form — different from absentee voting. “They’ve allowed a lot of leeway for this election because a lot of towns already have their ballot printed. … I don’t want to see anybody in Town Hall.”

Residents can contact the Town Clerk’s office at 781-618-9710.

Kowalski noted that, since he and Selectman Randy LaMattina are both up for re-election, their votes reflect only a concern for public safety.

Selectman Brian Bezanson expressed concern about the number of people out walking in Whitman Park.

“There are an awful lot of people out there,” he said. “I can see that they were somewhat trying to distance themselves, and it was a beautiful day.” But he asked if the parks were included in any restriction on gathering in public places.

Restrictions have only been placed on playground equipment and basketball courts.

Lynam said the police are conducting hourly passes through the park and are “encouraging them to move on” if they see people ignoring guidelines for physical distancing. Joubert said the intention is not to have to close the parks so long as the public cooperates.

“It’s a great time to be a dog,” Kowalski quipped. “Dogs are getting more attention than anyone.”