HANSON — The Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 on Tuesday, Sept. 10 to close all town fields, including school athletic fields, from dusk to dawn until after the first hard frost due to the elevated threat of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus (WNV) in the region.

While the vote, in response to concerns expressed by the public — including a handful of parents at the meeting — was initially intended to include WHRHS athletic fields, the was later reminded that those fields are in Whitman and the school is in Hanson.

“We’re just talking about this very small window, so just lock it down for a couple weeks,” said Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett, expressing her personal concern. “It’s not going to kill us not to have practice, but it could kill us to have practice.”

Test samples of mosquitos in Whitman have tested positive for EEE over the summer and the risk level is high for EEE while low for WNV, according to the Mass. Department of Public Health. Hanson is listed as at moderate risk for EEE and low for WNV.

After consulting with the Whitman Board of Health, the Hanson Board of Health, Whitman Fire Chief Timothy Grenno and Hanson Deputy Fire Chief Rob O’Brien, on Thursday, Sept. 5, Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak recommended that there be no change to current outdoor evening activities in either town, including school activities and sports for the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District. [See related story].

“What I’m seeing across the state is, typically, they raise the risk to critical after someone is diagnosed, or an animal is diagnosed or someone is dying,” asked parent Michelle Bourgelas of Holmes Street. “Is that what Hanson is waiting for?”

She urged that fields be closed right away to protect student-athletes, noting that other high-risk communities have done so.

“What are we waiting for?” Bourgelas said. “Whitman is high [risk] and youth sports are playing at Whitman High School at 8 o’clock at night when Whitman is high.”

The parents said they have already talked to school officials and were told the school district follows advice of the boards of health.

The Selectmen’s vote came after an update FitzGerald-Kemmett requested as a courtesy from Health Board Chairman Arlene Dias.

“Things haven’t changed for Hanson,” Dias said. “Hanson was still listed as moderate risk, so the recommendations that had been made a month and a half ago — dusk-to-dawn be careful being outside, wear repellent, long-sleeved clothing, long pants — that hasn’t changed for us because we haven’t had any more positive mosquitos in Hanson.”

She said people should continue to exercise those cautions until after the first hard frost. Some communities are being sprayed again, but Dias said Hanson is not on that list.

FitzGerald-Kemmett asked when the town should take additional action.

“We should have started taking them a month ago, in terms of making sure when you’re out at night that you’re wearing repellent, that you’re wearing long-sleeved clothing, make sure there is no standing water — the same things that we had recommended when they first got that positive test,” Dias said. “If the DPH considered us critical, then we would implement people not being on the fields for the schools and town places.”

Dias said the schools do not have to wait for such an order from the Board of Health.

“They can, on their own, decide they don’t want the kids on the fields,” she said. “I think, if was critical in Hanson, they would want to protect the kids, they would want to close the fields.”

She said the Board of Health had already voted a couple of months ago to close the fields if Hanson was placed on the critical risk list.

FitzGerald-Kemmett said she would be expressing that concern to the school disctrict if her children were still in school.

“I don’t know how responsive they would be to that, but I certainly would be expressing it,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

Dias said the state has not changed the guidelines to require closing fields at the moderate-to-high risk levels and asked if youth sports participants were being required to use repellent when playing after dusk.

“Think about it, bug spray and sweat — how does that work?” said parent Danielle O’Brien of William Way. “You sweat, your bug spray is gone. I can spray my son up and down but, when he’s out there, he’s in full gear head-to-toe and it’s gone.”

O’Brien said parents have few options.

“Right now, my son’s not playing Saturday night because I’m not taking that risk,” she said.

Lakeside Road resident Meghan Moore told Selectmen about how her brother was left with brain damage after being infected with EEE more than 40 years ago when he was 6 years old.

“We didn’t have all of these warning signs and people telling us, ‘Enough. Get in the house.’ We’re being told that,” she said. “Why are we putting our kids outside and putting them at risk for something. … Someone has to start listening to parents.”

Moore’s mother Marie Clifford of Gorwin Drive also spoke of her son’s situation.

“For 40 years he’s had a seizure problem, he’s brain-damaged and it’s been hell for a long time,” she said. “Today, hospitals can keep them alive … but the side-effects are terrible.”

Moore also asked how often the state tests mosquito samples. Dias said that is done weekly.

“I’m not sure how to be responsive,” FitzGerald-Kemmett initially said, asking if the Board of Health could meet on an emergency basis ahead of its posted meeting next week.

Selectman Kenny Mitchell also asked if the parents had spoken to the football coaches or youth sports boards. Parents said those officials, too, refer them to the Board of Health and that W-H Athletic Director Bob Rodgers has been “making a mockery of us” on Twitter by equating the use of bug spray to buckling a seat belt.

Dias said she would reach out to Rodgers about the issue.

“Everyone thinks it’s the off chance, it’s not going to happen to me,” O’Brien said.

“I’m not going to lie, I’ve changed my habits,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “I used to walk my dog after dark, but I’m just not going to risk it.”

Another parent, and youth sport board member, Warren McCallum of Thayer Drive said one of the concerns among the groups centers on being the stand-alone on a board to advocate against playing after dusk.

“I know that’s part of the struggle the football board is going through,” he said. “They’re looking for a scapegoat in some way, someone they can say to the parents, ‘Oh, we can’t [play] because the Board of Health says it’s time to cancel.’ … Sometimes the town needs that easy way out.”

“Sometimes you’ve got to do the right thing,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

McCallum agreed.

“Would a two-word answer be common sense?” said Selectmen Jim Hickey, who was a youth coach in Hanson for 20 years. “It goes right down to them. There’s no need to play a Saturday night game. … Somebody’s going to come out of this looking like the bad guy, whether it’s a parent, the Board of Health, Board of Selectmen or the schools and it just comes down to common sense.”

The School Committee plans to open it’s Wednesday, Sept. 18 meeting with a public hearing on the funding formula on which assessments to the towns of Whitman and Hanson are set.

Lawyers for the committee, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and school and town officials will be asked to attend.

“This needs to be done immediately, because it affects how we move forward budgetarily,” said School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes. “It has serious budget impact for everything that we do and this needs to get settled first. This is step one.”

Whitman Town Administrator Frank Lynam agreed this issue is too critical to get bogged down on.

“This stuff is fairly complicated and, unless we’ve got our eye squarely on the ball at all times, things will be either misinterpreted or not understood,” he said. “Let’s just say what’s done is done. We need to move forward. …The quicker we work on this, the quicker we work on the real work at hand, which is establishing a budget.”

Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak provided information on the funding formula as he presented an update to the School Committee Wednesday, Aug. 28 on Whitman’s Override Evaluation Committee, which last met Monday, Aug. 26. [see related story, page one].

Regional agreement

The School Committee approved a proposed new review of the Regional Agreement in June 2018, which was approved by Hanson voters that November. Whitman voters, however, passed over the article at Town Meeting in May.

“Questions had started to arise surrounding the Regional Agreement, whether a town could move out easier than not, but there was an overarching question mark about how the funding was broken up in the two towns,” Szymaniak said.

Szymaniak said the new language was confusing to him, particularly regarding the alternative method of assessment that has been used in the district since 1991 and the structural method requested by DESE. There has also been some question about whether DESE’s request was, indeed, a requirement.

A couple of School Committee members presented Szymaniak with a document regarding that recommendation dated 2007 “encouraging regional school districts to use the statutory method of assessment.”

There are two ways to fund a regional school district, according to Szymaniak. The statutory method is based on the minimum local school contribution and the alternative method, which does not — it is instead currently based on enrollment figures with Whitman bearing the cost of 60 percent of the school budget and Hanson 40 percent. Under the statutory method, he told Hanson Selectmen on Aug. 27 that Hanson might be paying more under the alternative method.

“That will change the amount of funding given by both communities,” Szymaniak said. He said he informed Hanson Selectmen that the change could be coming down the pike, but that School Department attorney Andrew Waugh has interpreted the situation as one where, if an alternative agreement is not adopted, the statutory agreement is used.

“The statutory agreement could swing the pendulum by close to $1 million from Whitman to Hanson,” Szymaniak said. He noted that Hanson Selectmen had questions and plan to seek counsel from their town attorney as well.

“It was more than a recommendation from DESE that we should do this,” he said. “Our counsel is involved with this. We’re still up in the air as far as a firm decision, but their guidance is them saying that we probably … should be using the statutory method for the fiscal 2021 budget.”

Szymaniak said that the alternative method — in which the funding for the prior year stays consistent and the assessment goes up based on pupil population — has been used by W-H.

“I’m an amateur at this,” Szymaniak said. “I’m walking through this for the first time, there’s a lot of new information and I’m not the numbers guy, yet.”

School Committee member Chris Scriven said he was looking for some direction on where the ambiguity lies, because his research on the DESE website indicates the statutory method is a requirement, not merely a recommendation.

“It looked like it was pretty clear,” Scriven said.

Szymaniak said he did not want to present inaccurate information, but wanted to present an idea of what is happening regarding the Regional Agreement.

He read the memo aloud at the meeting, a portion of which requires an annual unanimous affirmative vote by the appointing authority as required to change it to the alternative method.

“We’ve been using the alternative assessments, but I don’t remember us ever, prior to me, taking a vote on this piece of it,” Szymaniak said. “We’re trying to define what we need to do, as a committee, as a district, to move forward, and that’s the legal piece of it.”

A letter Szymaniak received from Waugh indicated that such a vote would be required to use the alternative method.

Hanson Selectmen have placed a place-holder article on the October Town Meeting to discuss revoking the town’s approval of the revised Regional Agreement.

Hayes said the Regional Agreement was revised simply to update it, especially where it referred to schools that no longer exist.

School Committee Christopher Howard said the issue carries the risk of moving officials’ eye off the ball.

“Let’s move on this quickly,” he said, noting that it could bog down efforts to move on improving the budget issue forward.

School Committee member Robert O’Brien Jr., asked how it could have gone unnoticed for 12 years, saying the state should have flagged any improper use of the alternative method by the district, despite the district’s annual filing of end of the year reports on how budget votes are taken.

Szymaniak said, while that is an issue of concern, it shouldn’t be allowed to derail progress on solving bigger budget issues.

“I want as clear a document as we can possibly have, moving forward in my tenure … so we’re not in a shade of gray,” he said.

Szymaniak, meanwhile, lauded the work and mission of Whitman’s Override Evaluation Committee.

“It’s a pretty awesome group of folks that are committed to, I think, what’s in the best interests of Whitman, specifically to see if there’s a need for an override in Whitman and what would that be?” Szymaniak said. “I think we have a couple of things hanging out there … but the group is asking some really good questions to see where Whitman would be in the next five to 10 years financially.”

Reviews planned

He also noted that both the Override Evaluation Committee and the School Committee — using Mass. Association of Regional Schools (MARS) — have approved the conduct of reviews of their respective budgets and financial processes.

School Committee member Dawn Byers, who serves on the Override Evaluation Committee, said former Duxbury Finance Director John Madden’s review of Whitman’s financial picture is aimed to determine whether the town “really does need an override [for] a sustainable budget going forward.”

“The great thing about this committee is everyone has an equal voice at the table,” Szymaniak said. He noted the funding formula could have a “tremendous impact on the override and where the evaluation piece is and the financial needs of Whitman.”

Override panel Chairman Randy LaMattina, a member of Whitman’s Board of Selectmen said Madden will provide a progress report at the Monday, Sept. 16 meeting.

“The committee came up with this idea to add another level of transparency — another level of eyes doing an overview, an independent set of eyes — to go along with what Jeff has put forward with MARS,” LaMattina said. “It’s gathering information stage we’re at now.”

LaMattina said he does not think there is yet an answer to the question of whether an override will be necessary. He did say a previous estimate of October as a time frame for any Town Meeting to deal with an override issue was premature. Officials have lately been discussing the possibility of January or February for that.

A capital study conducted by the UMass Boston Collins Center will be presented at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 8 in the Whitman Town Hall Auditorium during a joint session of the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee.

“All pieces will work together,” LaMattina said, including involvement by the School Committee and Hanson officials. “I don’t have any results for you right now, but we have made progress.”

Hayes thanked the Override Evaluation Committee for their work findig solutions, cautioning that it is a “monumental task” that won’t be accomplished overnight.

HANSON — Maintaining progress at a group of former old Ocean Spray buildings along Main Street, where workers have been installing new windows and siding recently, is key to the future of South Hanson, town officials say.

“We all get a lot of pressure about that,” said Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett. “Every time we see people at an event … they say, ‘What the hell’s going on with that whole area?’”

A past security problem at 1011 Main St., has led the Fire Department and Building Inspector Robert Curran to approve an occupancy permit to help secure the building, Curran told Selectmen at the board’s Tuesday, Aug. 20 meeting.

He said the building has a fire alarm and sprinkler system, but has had issues while renovation work has been done, including a roof collapse from snow pack

“I have been approached by prior Selectmen to try and help this guy the best I can, to encourage him not to close the building down,” Curran said of the building’s owner. “If the building becomes abandoned, then my feeling is, we’re going to be in trouble.”

He said that, in abandoned buildings, sprinkler systems freeze and fail, leaving the structure to become a potential fire hazard.

Curran noted the owner has Zoning Board of Appeals approval for 21 residential units, with 13 planned in the first phase of development.

“The problem is, it’s going to take a lot of money,” Curran said. “I think he’s spent more money on that project than he ever thought he would.”

He added that industrial buildings could always be shut down.

“There’s all kinds of problems all the time,” he said. “What you’ve got to do is hope that everybody’s safe and that you’ve identified most of the structural issues.”

The building’s owner spent more than $100,000 in design so far just to get the residential aspect started, but Curran said he does not think the man was aware of all the new seismic requirements and other requirements.

“This is going to take a, hopefully, positive attitude from the town,” Curran said.

Curran said his vision for the property is a project called The Village at South Hanson with businesses on the first floor and residences two or three floors.

“Then the whole area will start to develop,” he said.

The board of Selectmen planned to meet with the building owner on Wednesday, Aug. 21 to discuss his plans and what the board can do to help, short of a financial investment.

“We need to try to move this ball forward,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “It’s a blight and everyone in town acknowledges it — and it’s private property. You can’t really dictate what people can do with their private property.”

“It’s been an ongoing issue since the 1980s,” Curran said. “This building hasn’t looked good in a lot of years. As long as there’s forward movement, I think that’s progress and I do believe that could be downtown Hanson — I really think that is a possibility.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett said the property’s location near the Commuter Rail station makes it logical for such a project.

“I think the attitude of the town has got to be to reach out and help him,” Curran said, noting that some buildings to the rear of the property have been sold and plans are in the works by new owners.

Curran provided a department report to the board, noting the busy time of year for inspections.

There have been 172 residential building permits issued since January and nine commercial building permits, Curran said. The department has also issued 132 electrical permits, 77 for plumbing projects and 93 gas permits.

Curran also reported that he had just completed the back-to-school building inspections.

He has also asked the attorney general’s office for help with eight properties in town through the abandoned housing initiative, one of them being the former liquor store on Main Street as well as buildings on Bayberry Road and West Washington Street, among others.

“They are amazing,” he said of the attorney general’s office. “They’ve helped us tremendously.”

In other business, Selectmen reviewed their goals and warrant articles for the October special Town Meeting.

Troop 68 Boy Scout Zev Andruk also outlined his Eagle project to rehabilitate the three-quarter mile section of the Bay Circuit Trail that winds through the Hanson Town Forest.

The trail passes through two wetlands zones in the town forest and he has received permission from the Conservation Commission for two small foot bridges he plans to put in.

“It needs a lot for it to be an active hiking trail, but with what we have in store for it, we believe we can get it done in just under a month,” Andruk said. “This project is basically reclaiming an entire portion of the town so that it has an entire lap around the town forest, making easy access for town employees or the Fire Department.”

He and Conservation Agent Philip Clemons have already walked the trail and marked trees, mostly fallen, that need to be removed. Clemons has also donated all the four-inch Bay Circuit Trail markers and two larger signs for the parking area. A small ATV will need to be used to haul equipment and chainsaws — which, like the ATVs will be used by adults.

The Board of Selectmen’s permission was needed to use motorized equipment in a conservation area. The board voted to grant that permission.

WHITMAN — The Board of Selectmen honored police chief Scott Benton Tuesday, Aug. 20 ahead of his retirement on Sept. 16.

Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski read a proclamation signed by the Board of Selectmen in recognition of the many achievements and honors that had been bestowed upon Benton in his nearly 33-year career including becoming the town’s first DARE officer and receiving the Medal of Valor in 1992.

Benton began his career in 1986 as an auxiliary police officer before becoming a full-time officer in 1990. From there, he was promoted to sergeant in 1994, detective sergeant in 1997, deputy chief in 2008 and finally chief of police in 2013.

“The Board of Selectmen on behalf of a grateful community does hereby commend Scott D. Benton for services rendered to the town and now therefore the Board of Selectmen of the town of Whitman does proudly proclaim Monday, Sept. 16 Scott D. Benton day in the town of Whitman,”  Kowalski read from the proclamation.

Selectman Randy LaMattina, who chairs the Budget Override Committee, gave a brief update saying that the committee had not met again since the last Selectmen meeting. They are scheduled to meet again on Monday, Aug. 26 at 5 p.m. LaMattina said he had locked down a consultant who would be coming to the meeting to make a brief presentation and answer questions from committee members. The only other update from LaMattina was that he had received an email from one of the committee members inquiring about the Old Colony Planning Council. From their website, “The Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) is a governmental entity that was established under state statute in 1967 as a comprehensive regional agency to “prepare plans for the physical, social and economic development of the District”. The Council was formed in response to a growing need of local communities to be able to address the multitude of problems that cross over local boundaries such as air and water pollution, transportation deficiencies and economic distress.”

LaMattina said it is certainly something Town Administrator Frank Lynam can look into as it may provide yet another building block toward a solution. Additionally, Lynam is attempting to set up a meeting between the Selectmen, the Budget Override Evaluation Committee and the Capital Improvements Committee to hear a report from the Collins Group on the work that they’ve been doing. The tentative date for that meeting is September 10.

The Board approved a change in date for the Whitman Area Toy Drive’s tollbooth fundraiser to from Aug. 31 to from  9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday,  Sept. 7. The rain date for the event will be Sept. 14. The Board also approved the Whitman Youth Soccer opening day parade for 8:30 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 7.

Kowalski also discussed a number of existing vacancies on the various Boards and Committees in town.

The Board also voted unanimously to rescind two appointments to the Cultural Council. One was due to a resignation and the other due to a member never having been sworn in and never attending any meetings. Oliver Amado was appointed to a three-year term through June 30, 2021 on the Cultural Council. Kowalski described the Cultural Council as being wide open and said if any residents are interested in joining, they should contact the Selectmen’s office.

Other vacancies include a regular member and an alternate delegate vacancy on the Triple A Advisory Committee. The Building Facilities and Capital Spending Committee have two vacancies. The Conservation Committee has two vacancies, both with terms ending in 2022. Additionally, two alternate member vacancies with terms ending in 2020 and 2021 also exist on the Conservation Committee. The Economic Development Committee and the Fair Housing Committee both have one vacancy each with both terms ending in 2020. The Historical Commission has two associate member vacancies with terms expiring in 2022.

The Board voted to approve a request from Bruce Perry on behalf of the St. Vincent de Paul Society doing business with the Whitman Food Pantry at Holy Ghost Parish for a one-day liquor license on Saturday Sept. 21. The Board also unanimously voted to waive the fee for the aforementioned permit.

The Board also addressed Environmental Pickup Corp.’s application for a junk collector’s license. The company is purchasing Conway Scrap Metal Inc. from Michael Conway. The current license held by Conway Scrap Metal Inc. will be rescinded upon the issuance of the license to the new owner. The Board asked the new owner what street they planned to use for their business. The new owner said he planned to use 36 Vincent St. as the previous owner had done. The Board asked that the new owner work with residents on neighboring Paul St. as damage had been inflicted on the road from the trucks pertaining to the business and the DPW is unable to fix it as it is not an approved street.  The new owner said, “I did speak to the neighbors and introduce myself. I did tell them I’m going to help fix the street as best I can.”

HANSON — Camp Kiwanee will become the latest South Shore location for filming of the upcoming Netflix movie, “The Sleepover,” as final approval was granted by the Recreation Commission Tuesday, Aug. 13.

The Board of Selectmen must also approve use of the former Maquan School parking lot for film company vehicles, which is slated for the Tuesday, Aug. 20 agenda.

Crews will be working on scenes at Needles Lodge, the shoreline of Maquan Pond, several cabins and other locations at the camp, according to Assistant Location Manager Liliana Kondracki, who briefed the commission on the project.

Netflix will be paying $25,000 — plus costs associated with camp staff, police details and other expenses, according to Kondracki. Caretakers will be asked to monitor the camp and one or two Hanson Police officers will be contracted for the filming dates.

Scenes have already been filmed at Hanover High School and in Scituate and Boston. Filming at Kiwanee is slated for Aug. 21 to 30 with wrap work on Sept. 3 and 4. Filming will not interfere with a wedding already approved for Needles Lodge Thursday, Aug. 22.

The amount offered for the rental was based on the film’s budget and what work would need to be done to dress the location, Kondracki said.

Selectman Matt Dyer, the board’s liaison to the Recreation Commission, asked how Kondracki found Camp Kiwanne and whether she had any advice on how the commission might better market the facility.

“I found it after a lot of research,” Kondracki said describing the process of narrowing down a Google search for “log cabin” after a couple of weeks’ work.

“I’ve been in Boston for about year,” the Florida transplant said of her research here, after working for 20 years in the Miami area. “If you ask me about Florida, I knew everything, here, I’m starting from scratch. … [Camp Kiwanee] wasn’t easy to find.”

She said she didn’t know what to suggest, except to say the “amazing facility” should be marketed better. As for screen credits for use of the location, she said that is up to the production company.

“If they are feeling particularly generous, they might put [thanks to the] ‘Town of Hanover,’ ‘Town of Hanson,’ or something like that,” she said. “They not always do.”

Kondracki described the adventure/comedy plot as a coming-of-age story mixed with an “Oceans 11”-type crime tale.

It focuses on two boys planning a sleepover while their goody-two-shoes sister plans to sneak out of the house for the first time at night. Their mom, meanwhile, is kidnapped because of a secret in her past and the kids have to come to the rescue.

Kondracki noted, with a resigned laugh, that plot details were supposed to be confidential, but that an Aug. 7 story in The Boston Globe, already outlined a lot of that information.

“We’ve been working on finalizing things with [Town Administrator Meredith Marini] and the [police and fire] chiefs about it,” said Recreation Director William Boyle.

Kondracki provided the commission a filming outline.

“It’s a family action/comedy,” Kondracki said. “They’re trying to compete with Disney, so it’s that type of project.”

Kiwanee was chosen to film scenes surrounding a portion of the plot where the parents are taken to a remote cabin, as well as the sleepover scenes with the kids. The Frontier Cabin is a focal point of the filming, according to Kondracki.

“They obviously need to do a number of changes to it in order to make it work for the scene,” she said. “Anything that we do would be returned to the original condition, unless it’s something you guys want to keep.”

Among the changes would be replacing the windows at the front for those with a more rustic look, adding wood-panel façades to interior walls to give them a more rounded log look to the room, moving a woodstove out of a fireplace, and adding a vintage refrigerator. A certified HVAC contractor will be installing a propane-fed flame to the fireplace and the film crew has cleared the work with Fire Chief Jerome Thompson Jr.

Boyle has also approved the clearing of a few low-hanging branches in one spot for better camera angles and a hose will be used to add water to a dry creek bed for a plot point. The pavilion will be used for catering, with food prep being done in a food truck that has already been licensed by the Board of Health.

A temporary floating dock, which the crew is covering with a wooden dock mock-up is being added for scenes at the boathouse.

Gator vehicles will be used to transport equipment, parking of large trucks will be done at the former Maquan School and Kondracki is working to negotiate with Shaw’s for use of part of their lot for crew parking. They expect about 120 cars.

“We’re taking over,” she quipped.

Filming will be done on most of the days from noon to 10:30 p.m. or 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. On the last day, filming is expected to continue all night with the adult cast members — with filming of scenes involving youth actors complete by 10:30 p.m. to midnight.

“In all likelihood, we’ll be seeing the sun come up on Saturday morning,” Kondracki said with a laugh.

WHITMAN — The Board of Selectmen began the transition process for changes at the top in the police and fire departments while they reviewed progress toward addressing the ongoing budget crisis Tuesday, Aug. 6.

Fire Chief Timothy Grenno indicated he plans to retire by Aug. 1, 2022 and requested Selectmen call for a fire chief exam by spring or early summer of next year. Grenno has been chief for 12 years, appointed in 2007.

“My wife and I are in negotiations right now, and I can tell you that you should hold the assessment center or the written tests now,” he said.

A spring test should provide a two-year promotions list for the town. Civil service no longer provides the exam as most towns across the state are opting for assessment centers, which create any written tests. A date cannot be set until an assessment center prepares an exam and/or assessment process.

The board approved the request and also voted to promote Deputy Police Chief Timothy Hanlon as chief as of Tuesday, Sept. 17 and to promote Sgt. Joseph Bombardier as deputy chief on that date.

Police Chief Scott Benton has informed the board that he plans to retire on Monday, Sept. 16.

“Hopefully, between now and then, we’ll have an opportunity to have the chief here to thank him for his years of service,” Town Administrator Frank Lynam said.

Both Hanlon and Bombardier were the top candidates on their respective promotion lists.

Budget update

Lynam also updated Selectmen on the town budget and Selectman Randy LaMattina updated the board on the Monday, Aug. 4 Override Evaluation Committee session.

Lynam said the town is close to receiving a final draft from the Collins Center on capital planning and that he has received some, but not all, departmental budgets including the requested five-year projections for planning purposes.

There was some disagreement between Lynam and override panel citizen at-large member John Galvin about the meaning of a state Department of Revenue.

Lynam said the DOR indicated that revenue raised, if not used right away, the opportunity to use it for that year is gone forever. However, that money then ends up in the levy limit. Galvin argued that his understanding was that, while the excess levy does need to be appropriated, it does not end up in the levy limit the following year.

“It’s a one-time use,” he said. “If our levy is above the levy limit, any excess levy cannot be used the following year. That’s the discussion Frank and I had at length this morning and I still think we’re not on the same page yet.”

Lynam said he agreed that if the money is not used when it is available, the opportunity to use it is gone, but that the DOR said the levy limit would reflect that money.

“We just got a taste of how daunting this is going to be,” LaMattina said, noting that the Override Evaluation Committee has made a lot of progress after its second meeting. They established a mission statement concerning what the committee is going to do — evaluating the town’s finances and determine whether an override is needed.

He reported that the School Committee will be asking the Mass. Association of Regional Schools for an audit and Selectmen also authorized an independent audit, at a cost not to exceed $10,000, to determine where Whitman is now and what it’s five year financial outlook would be.

“This is something that, I think, really helps us in terms of credible support for presentation,” said Lynam, adding that the Collins Center work does not include a budget review and forecast. “This is a third-party, independent assessment.”

Galvin said if the two independent audits reach similar conclusions, it would provide valuable information about where the town is going financially.

“The key word is independent,” he said.

Heat response

Grenno also opened the meeting with an impassioned defense of his department’s — and the town’s — response to the four-day heat wave from July 18-21 in response to criticism on social media and a resident’s tirade against a member of the department in a local grocery store.

“I feel the need to publically set the record straight to reassure our residents as it pertains to our response to emergency preparedness,” Grenno said. “I’m troubled that I need to come before you this evening to defend our great community, you the board and public safety after a rogue resident took to social media making false claims and statements relating to the recent heat wave.”

The fire chief outlined that the response was in keeping with emergency preparedness plans already in place. Those plans call for a cooling center when: power is lost in town; if a heat wave lasts more than 48 hours; and if the Fire Department begins to see issues with residents. On Sunday, a cooling center was opened because the heat wave had hit the 48-hour mark and, after a vehicle had crashed into a utility pole on School Street and National Grid advised the town that power loss was possible.

“Because of those two issues, we opened the center in accordance with our plan,” he said. “We are on the street. We know what’s going on in our community.”

All information was also relayed via social media, reverse 911 and town websites and, Grenno said, no one uses a cooling or warming center or shelter as long as they have electrical power or during the first 48 hours of a weather emergency.

A cooling center was opened at the Whitman Senior Center on Sunday and the only person who showed up, did so out of an effort to see if they could be of help, according to Grenno. All Housing Authority facilities had power, including in common rooms with air conditioning with generator back-up.

“This resident verbally attacked and bullied one of my members at a local grocery store that day, berating him in public as to why a cooling center was not opened and that my lack of action [reflected] poorly on them as firemen,” Grenno added. “It was so bad that another citizen stepped in.”

He said bullying is unacceptable in any venue, but confronting a firefighter in public to the point where others take notice and comment “is not only ignorant, but repugnant,” Grenno said.

“The type of attitude or politics this person displayed has no place in our community,” he said.

WHITMAN — The town’s Override Evaluation Committee met for the first time on July 22 to evaluate the town’s financial needs and assess recommendations it would seek to make regarding an operational override in the fall.

Serving on the committee are: residents John Galvin and Christopher George as citizens at-large; Finance Committee members David Codero and Scott Lambiase; Fire Chief Timothy Grenno; Public Works Superintendent Bruce Martin; Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak; School Committee member Dawn Byers; Selectmen Justin Evans and Randy LaMattina, Town Administrator Frank Lynam and Assistant Town Administrator Lisa Green.

The meeting, held in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room in Town Hall, is being rebroadcast on Whitman-Hanson Community Access TV. The next meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m., Monday, Aug. 12.

The committee organized officers July 22, electing LaMattina, who had expressed interest in the post as chairman. LaMattina was not able to attend the meeting. Lambiase was elected vice chairman and Lynam as clerk.

“Obviously, I think I know what our community needs are overall, but I think the focus of the committee, most important here … is how we’re going to get from here to Town Meeting and get the information out,” Lambiase said.

While a Town Meeting is currently planned for October, Lynam said he would prefer to push it back to November if it means the town’s financial need would be more clearly understood in the process. The committee’s meetings are public and the issue will also be discussed frequently by Selectmen.

Lynam said the short-term task is to take the information already available and information on five-year expenditure estimates that he has requested on capital needs.

“Because no one has responded, I’ve compromised and asked for three-years’ estimates,” he said.

A proposed draft of a capital planning document Collins Center at UMass, Boston had composed — following an earlier version Lynam had sent back to address errors — were to be discussed with the center by Lynam and Selectmen Carl Kowalski and Dan Salvucci this week.

If the draft is acceptable, a public meeting will be scheduled to review it, Lynam said.

The replacement of a primary sewer main between Whitman and the wastewater treatment plant, which has come to town officials’ attention since the capital plan update was requested, will be significant in the upcoming budget. That work is estimated at more than $8 million within the “cheapest alternative” plan, he said.

“We are looking at whether there are impact funds, or anything else, that can help us with it but year-to-year you’re just going to get things that are going to skew the numbers,” Lynam said. “We need a long-term budget [of] at least three years … because the longer you go in an expenditure budget, the less accurate it’s going to be.”

Current budgets and projected expenditures for the following year, based on needs, are calculated for separate town government and capital needs budgets from each department.

“I’m actually confident that, if we just get these things together in a formal way and we look at them as part of a total picture, we should be able to put together a plan that works and can be given to the public in a way that makes sense,” Lynam said.

Grenno said his department has just completed its five-year plan “based on where we are today,” a cumbersome and time-consuming process.

He asked if the override is intended to make departments whole.

“The budget has to reflect what you believe is necessary to operate your department appropriately,” Lynam said. “Some of us can really accurately predict what our budget numbers are going to be because there’s very little room for variance. Others can’t.”

George said the committee should be looking at what the town is missing compared with towns around Whitman, adding that he is aware of where the schools fall short as a parent, but is not as well informed about other departments.

“What does that mean for you?” he asked. “That’s hard for me to see from a Fire perspective or a DPW perspective, or even a police perspective, so I think that will be helpful as you give us that five-year projection.”

Lambiase said the committee must also discuss what cuts would need to be made if an override question fails. He argued an Economic Development Committee, if not hiring at least a part-time town planner, make sense.

“The challenges are immense,” Lynam said. “Small towns can grow on small businesses and do well. As it sits today, we have a fairly productive downtown business center and we have a stretch of business on Route 27 and on Route 18, but trying to grow that business, we have to come up with things that attract people and when you are in our position TIFs are not an option.”

Tax Increment Financing, which provides tax-breaks to attract businesses, would not help Whitman’s need for revenue.

“People think they are over-burdened with taxes here and it couldn’t be further from the truth,” Lynam said.

They also discussed the format of a question — single question or menu approach — scope of work and timeline.

“I’m absolutely opposed to a menu,” Szymaniak said. “If we’re going to be sustainable as a community … it has to be all together.”

A tier of financial options, with every department having a piece of the override was preferred if a menu option were to be offered.

They also discussed going to a regular special town meeting in the fall, as Hanson does, for capital needs.

HANSON — Impressed LLC cleared the first regulatory hurdle toward opening a cannabis cultivation facility at 15 Commercial Way when the Board of Selectmen approved a revised host agreement with the company on Tuesday, July 23.

There were no questions asked by the board or residents attending the meeting before the 5-0 vote was taken.

Selectmen Chairman Laura Fitzgerald-Kemmett summarized the changes sought by the board after a draft of the agreement was discussed July 16.

Those changes — which Impressed LLC agreed to incorporate into the host agreement — include odor mitigation and water conservation practices, board approval before any transfer or sale of the business ownership and payment of a 3-percent impact fee to the town for five years. The company may not apply for a nonprofit or agricultural tax exemption and has agreed to pay for the services of an independent third party, hired by the town, to peer reviewing plans for the facility.

“I cannot conceive that there is anything in Massachusetts that is as heavily regulated as cannabis,” said Selectman Wes Blauss.

“We tried to put in the kitchen sink there,” said Town Counsel Kate Feodoroff.

Fitzgerald-Kemmett noted that Impressed LLC has been “very responsive” to terms the town has asked for in the agreement.

“This is just the first of many chapters,” she said.

The company must now comply with all applicable local regulations as well as obtain a license from the state’s Cannabis Control Commission and comply with the CCC’s regulations.

Fitzgerald-Kemmett also noted that residents had originally voted by a 51 to 49-percent margin to support the state ballot question legalizing marijuana use in the state.

“Since that date, there have been several town meetings and ballot votes regarding marijuana-related businesses in Hanson, where the voters have had the opportunity to let the Board of Selectmen know their wishes with respect to marijuana-related businesses,” Fitzgerald-Kemmett said, reading from a prepared statement. “This board takes its role as the licensing authority seriously. It is our job tonight to determine whether the draft host agreement is acceptable to us and whether it is in the best interests of the town to agree to enter into this agreement with Impressed LLC.”

Town by-laws currently ban the sale of retail marijuana, but allow other cannabis-related businesses to locate in the zone that includes the Hanson Industrial Park on Commercial Way.

Impressed LLC has held several public outreach meetings, as required by the CCC, as their attorneys negotiated a host agreement with town counsel.

Vehicle chargers

Selectmen also voted to set a fee of $1.50 per hour for the two electric vehicle chargers installed at the upper rear parking lot at Town Hall. Each charger has two plugs.

The fee covers a portion of a $250 per plug networking fee, that electric vehicle owners can ping off to locate the chargers when their vehicle needs a charge.

Selectman Jim Hickey did not like subsidizing the networking fee, but Selectman Matt Dyer argued that, without the network’s advertising of the charging stations, it would be difficult to make them successful.

The board decided to try the project for a year and review it.

Cooling town

In other business, Fitzgerald-Kemmett read a statement lauding town employees and volunteers for helping residents cope with last weekend’s heat wave. She said such work behind the scenes is typical of the way they work together to get things done.

“It’s important to occasionally take some time to express our gratitude for all that they do, and this weekend was a perfect example of people working tirelessly for the benefit of the town,” she stated.

The Hanson Public Library extended its hours on Saturday and opened from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Cranberry Cove extended its hours each day by two hours.

She said the Cove crowd on Saturday reminded her of Nantasket Beach.

“Quite a few people ended up taking advantage of these extended hours, but these types of things don’t happen magically,” she said. “On behalf of the Board of Selectmen, I hope you’ll join me in thanking the director, board and employees at both the library and the cove and … [Interim Town Administrator] Merry [Marini] as well as Hanson Fire, Police and Highway for helping to get the word out.”

WHITMAN — In a joint deliberation with the Finance Committee on Tuesday, June 9, which also met that evening, Selectmen approved line item transfers required before closing the books on fiscal 2019.

Selectmen Vice Chairman Dan Salvucci said the Finance Committee had to vote on the transfers before Selectmen could vote.

“These should have been voted last week, but the Finance Committee didn’t have a quorum and today is the last day to make any of these moves for fiscal 2019,” Selectman Brian Bezanson said of a scheduled July 2 Finance meeting.

Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski, who is traveling, and Selectmen Justin Evans were absent from the July 9 meeting.

Some transfers had been previously approved by Selectmen and had to be voted by the Finance Committee.

A transfer of $45,816.28 from Line 123 to Line 124 to fund vacation time accumulated by Police Chief Scott Benton was approved after some vigorous discussion.

“I don’t think its any secret that the chief of police is planning on retiring within the next year, possibly within the calendar year,” Town Administrator Frank Lynam said. “While we are developing policies to prevent this type of accrual in future years, we’re obligated to pay unused vacation on termination of employment.”

Finance Chairman Richard Anderson said his committee’s collective concern was for the policy, which while still in development, is “long overdue.”

Salvucci wanted to know if there were any employees who could be grandfathered under any policy change.

Lynam recommended setting aside what is anticipated to be unexpended funds in the police salary line to lessen the financial impact when the chief does retire. The funds would be encumbered in an appropriation number created for that purpose, according to Lynam.

Finance Committee Vice Chairman David Codero said department heads had told his committee over the last budget season that they would be able to absorb any increases to their line items in order to save money for the town.

“This line item transfer is going to represent about $80,000 of money that was transferred from one police account to another,” he said. “The concern that I have is that, in a fiscal year that we were asking department heads to really tighten the belts, we’re getting $80,000 of transfers for unexpected expenditures. I don’t think it was prudent for that particular department head to have $80,000 to be sitting in an account when it could be used for other town services.”

Lynam argued the $80,000 represents 2.2 percent of the entire police budget. Unlike Town Hall or other departments, where schedules and costs are fixed, “in public safety, we have a number of items that are unpredictable.”

Line-of-duty injuries, for example, cannot be foreseen and not all shifts are always filled, he argued.

“If we were not doing these transfers, at the end of the year, we would be turning back $80,000 to the General Fund,” he said. “That money could easily have been spent by filling shifts we didn’t fill and for doing things that we probably should be doing that we don’t do because we’re trying to be fiscally prudent.”

He added that the only reason the transfer is being sought now is that the opportunity now exists to do it without needing to go to a special Town Meeting vote — which may still need to happen depending on how things play out.

“We’re paying for something that, essentially, the town agreed to,” Lynam said.

Benton asked what the $80,000 figure represented. Finance officials said it was cumulative transfers, including $12,000 in unanticipated costs for computer repairs.

“I come to the Finance Committee every year and I tell you that we don’t fill about 500 to 700 shifts and I tell you I can’t anticipate snow, emergencies and things like that,” he said. A mild winter helped this year.

“I didn’t know we were going to have a joint Selectmen/Finance Committee meeting that wasn’t posted, I didn’t know my name was going to come up, I didn’t know we were going to get into this, but I have no problems with getting into it,” Benton said.

Benton said he told Lynam that he thought transferring the funds was preferable to crippling the Police Department budget for the next year.

An additional $355.28 (over the $750 already approved by Selectmen) for a shortfall in payment for hours worked by the Selectmen’s administrative assistant was also approved. That salary covers hours that are uncertain from year to year, according to Lynam, who said the $355.28 — an additional shortage found when year-end payroll was completed — is being transferred from a line used to fund all salary increases when contracts were settled last year. Both boards approved the transfer.

A transfer from Line 172 (Norfolk County Agricultural High School) of $12,000 for legal costs was approved by both boards. A transfer from Line 256 to Line 257 of $2,230.42 for the FICA payment based on total salaries paid, a figure that is not clear as a year-end total until the June payroll is complete was approved by both boards. A transfer from Line 48 of $140.30 to Line 50 to close a minor shortfall in salary for the treasurer-clerical employee in the collectors’ office was approved by both boards.

Selectmen also voted to increase ambulance rates for the first time since 2016, at the urging of Fire Chief Timothy Grenno.

“It’s a sign of the times,” he said. “Insurance rates are going up. Also, some legislation has been filed — which sits in conference committee right now — which will limit the level to which you are able to bill insurance companies for the use of emergency services.”

That bill would include a rollback date governing when rate increases would be allowed, after which it would be limited to a benchmark of 2 or 3 percent, Grenno said.

“These rate increases are in line with what our billing company has recommended,” he said. “It is the same Medicare billable rates which most of our neighboring towns are using.”

Salvucci said he has noticed that Whitman has, in the past, been much lower than neighboring towns.

The Board of Selectmen appointed a nine-member Budget-Override Evaluation Committee.

Serving on the committe will be: residents John Galvin and Christopher George as citizens at-large; Finance Committee members Codero and Scott Lambiase; Grenno; Public Works Superintendent Bruce Martin; Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak; School Committee member Dawn Byers; Selectmen Evans and Randy LaMattina and Lynam.

“The town cannot show that we are approving it — even though we are approving [of] it — the taxpayers have to make that decision,” Salvucci said of the committee’s title.

Police Chief Scott Benton said he and Grenno had decided to have one public safety representative on the committee.

Grenno asked why there was no representation of the town accountant or assessor’s office on the committee, but Assistant Town Administrator Lisa Green said the accountant would be actively involved, reviewing figures.

Over the next few months, The Whitman Department of Public Works Water Division will begin its Water Meter Replacement Program. This is a mandatory replacement program for all residential and commercial business customers. There is no cost to the homeowner or business owner for the meter replacement. We ask all property owners to allow us to enter each property to replace the meter. The new meters will provide the Town with accurate water usage readings which will ensure accurate billing. Once the new meters are installed, the Town will be able to collect the usage readings electronically using a drive-by system.  Residents and business owners will no longer be responsible for manually reading and submitting their water usage to the Department of Public Works.   

What to expect:

Employees of the Whitman Department of Public Works Water Division, will visit your property to remove the old meter and install the new meter. The employees will have proper identification and will be driving clearly marked Town vehicles. We ask that the property owner allow us to enter the property to replace the meter. If you wish to confirm the identity of the employee, contact the Department of Public Works at 781-447-7630. An adult over the age of 18 must be present in your home during the meter change. If it is not a convenient time or if no one is home at the time, a notice will be left with information to schedule an appointment. You may also receive a call from the DPW to schedule an appointment. Most meter replacements will take about 30 minutes.   

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: When will my meter be replaced?

A: The water meter replacement project will commence in the next few months and continue until all water meters are replaced with the new Allegro Master meter. Water meter replacements will be done during regular DPW business hours. There are also some limited appointments for after normal hours and weekends. Please contact the DPW as soon as possible to reserve one of these appointments.

Q: How do I schedule an appointment?

A: Call the Whitman Department of Public Works at 781-447-7630 Monday thru Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. In the event your call is not answered, please leave a message with your name, address, telephone number, and a time that is best to return your call.

Q: How will this affect my service?

A: Any interruption of water service will only occur during the meter changeover, it typically will be less than 30 minutes, in some cases it may take longer. The new meter will allow reading from outside your home and remove any need for a meter reader to enter your home to read the meter, or having to phone in the reading yourself. This will end estimated bills. The new meter system can enter readings electronically to billing resulting in complete accuracy and elimination of hand entries.

Q: What is expected of the homeowner?

A: Homeowners are obligated to provide clear and unobstructed access to the water meter. Any boxes or stored items should be cleared prior to the arrival of the meter installer. If for any reason, the water meter has been covered by drywall or paneling it is the homeowner’s responsibility to ensure that access be created. The water meter is the property of the Town of Whitman, Clear and free access to it must be provided.

Q: What might prevent the meter changeover to occur?

A: In some cases, plumbing repairs may be required prior to meter installation. If defective plumbing, inoperative shut off valves or deteriorated pipes prevent meter replacement, you will be required to hire a licensed plumber to make the necessary repairs. A fully functioning main shut off valve before the water meter, knowing the location and how to operate this valve is an absolute must for homeowners and household members. The main valve is the one to stop most plumbing catastrophes, such as a burst pipe. If your main shut off valve does not work you must replace it.

Q: Will the DPW replace or repair my plumbing to install the meter

A: NO, pipes and plumbing on your property are installed by private contractors and are the responsibility of the homeowner. The homeowner owns the pipes and plumbing from the curb stop shut off valve (usually located at the property line by the street) into and thru the entirety of their home. In order to connect to and continue to receive water from the Whitman Water Distribution System it is a condition of the Town of Whitman Department of Public Works Water Rules and Regulations that “Consumers shall keep their own water pipes and fixtures connected therewith in good repair and protected from freezing at their own expense”

Q: Why is my meter being replaced?

A: The new meters will have technology that permit faster and more accurate reading. This will also make billing processes faster and more efficient. The new meters eliminate any need to access the property for a reading.

Q: Will I be able to read my own meter?

A: Yes, the new meters have a digital display to be read manually.

Q: What if I don’t want my meter changed?

A: Water meter replacement is mandatory. All meters belonging to the Town of Whitman Water Distribution System will be changed. If you do not allow the Town to install the new water meter, you will no longer receive   service from the Whitman Water Distribution System or the Whitman Sanitary Sewer System. Your water service will be turned off.

For more information call the Whitman DPW at 1-781-447-7630.