HANSON – State Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Duxbury, is leaving his seat in the General Court to take a position with the Healey Administration as undersecretary for apprenticeship, work-based learning and policy in the Executive Office of Labor and Workplace Development.
The move clears the way for a race to fill the open seat this year, and area candidates are already expressing interest in, or intention to, run.
“It’s been the honor of my career to serve the residents of the 6th Plymouth District in the Mass. Legislature for the past 11 years,” Cutler wrote in a statement posted on his Facebook page and circulated to supporters last week. “This is a job that I have truly loved! So it is with mixed emotions, but a grateful heart that I write to share that I will be stepping down as a state representative.”
The 6th Plymouth District includes Duxbury, Pembroke and portions of Hanson and Halifax.
Cutler described the new position as a “great opportunity to advance the workforce issues I’ve championed in the Legislture as House chairman of the Labor Committee these past two terms.
“Rep. Culter has been a tremendous partner in advancing workforce development, and we are excited that he will continue his leadership in our administration as we work to grow important programs like registered apprenticeship,” said Gov. Maura Healey in a statement on the appointment. “I’m confident that Rep. Cutler will continue to support Massachusetts residents and businesses in this role and add great value to the team.”
As part of his responsibilities, Cutler will oversee the Division of Apprentice Standards including the expansion of Registered Apprenticeship, the growth of work-based learning career pathways in partnership with the Executive Office of Education, and the Department of Economic Research and other policy efforts for the secretariat such as future of work, caregiving in the workplace, and more.
“Josh Cutler has been and will continue to be an advocate of workforce development initiatives. He has been very supportive of South Shore Tech’s efforts to modernize our school through MSBA,” said the school’s Superintendent/Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey. “Furthermore, Josh understands that South Shore Tech is a key player in workforce training after hours and I know he will continue to be a strong partner on the Career Technical Initiative and other programs that strengthen our local economy.”
Hanson Town Administrator Lisa Green expressed both disappointment about hearing about Cutler’s decision, as well as hope for a good relationship with a new representative.
“I am excited to join the Healey-Driscoll Administration and look forward to working with Secretary Jones as we implement policies and programs to help support our workers and enable our businesses to thrive,” said Cutler who is the Chairman of the House Labor and Workforce Development Committee. “I am grateful to the Sixth Plymouth District for giving me the honor to represent them in the House for the past decade and look forward to supporting them and communities across the state in this new role.”
“Of course, he’s going on to an important position and it’s a loss in a legislative partner for the town of Hanson,” Green said. “But we look forward to who his successor will be and establishing a great new relationship with that legislative partner when they come on board. We wish Josh Cutler all the best of luck.”
According to Hanson Select Board Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett, both Ken Sweezey – the Republican who ran against Cutler in the last election – and Becky Colletta, Cutler’s friend and law partner, have individually informed her they are running for the seat.
“From the moment that Josh declared his candidacy [in his first campaign for the State House] I have supported him, and I’ve never regretted it,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “I’ve been nothing but grateful for his partnership and his support of our community all these years. He’s gotten us all kinds of grants, he understands Hanson, he advocates for us and I just hope the next person that we get does half as much as Josh – he’s been amazing. I’ve got nothing but positive things to say about him.”
Sweezey has already submitted a candidate’s announcement to the Whitman-Hanson Express [See stoy above].
“Becky Colletta is running, and I texted Ken Sweezy yesterday and he confirmed to me that he is running,” she said Monday.
“I want to thank Rep. Cutler for his years of service – but I truly believe the residents of this district are looking for a new vision and fresh leadership that more accurately reflects the values of our neighbors on the South Shore,” Sweezey stated in his announcement. “I promised a common-sense conservative approach during the campaign in 2022 and I reaffirm that commitment now. I will be a representative for everyone – which includes many of us who feel they have not been represented on Beacon Hill for far too long.”
“I’m excited about the opportunity to serve the people of Duxbury, Pembroke, Hanson, Halifax, and Marshfield,” Sweezey continued. “Let’s get started!”
Town Clerk Elizabeth Sloan, however, said she had been unaware that Cutler would not be running again and that no nomination papers had yet been pulled for the race.
Cutler’s friend and supporter Joe Pelligra said that, as he understands it, the office change will be a slow transition.
“I think it will be over the next five months,” he said. “He’s just not going to run again, which leaves the door open to a lot of competitors.”
Pelligra said Cutler felt that being offered the position in the Healey administration was something he couldn’t pass up.
“He’s been in the Ways and Means for labor and workforce development in his job duties as state Rep., so this ties right into what he’s doing.”
Cutler was under the weather last weekend and unable to return calls for comment, referring press inquiries to his statement.
“I leave with warm feelings for my colleagues on both sides of the aisle,” Cutler said. “I know that our delegation will continue to work together in a bipartisan way. It’s never been about party affiliation for me, but always about working together to help people and solve problems. … Thank you for your trust, friendship and the honor of allowing me to serve!”
President of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable J.D. Chesloff and the President of the Massachusetts Building Trades Union Frank Callahan have both supported Cutler’s appointment, as has President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO Chrissy Lynch.
“During his time in the legislature, Chair Cutler has been a great leader, partner, and advocate for our workforce and has championed efforts to grow and expand opportunities for residents across the state,” Lynch said. “While we will miss his leadership and presence on the Labor and Workforce Development Committee, I know he will work just as ferociously for our workers in his new role within the Healey-Driscoll Administration.”
Cutler is a six-term state representative and House Chair of the Labor and Workforce Development Committee. He is a member of the Mass. STEM Advisory Council and recently served as co-chair of the Future of Work Commission and the WorkAbility Subcommittee on disability employment. He also co-chairs the Coastal Caucus.
In the House, Cutler has been a champion for workforce development, vocational education, and career center funding. He is lead sponsor of the wage transparency act, disability hiring tax credit, and apprenticeship standards and re-entry works legislation.
Cutler was a recipient of the Thomas M. Menino Public Service Award for his work on disability employment policy. He has also been recognized as Legislator of the Year by the Mass. Developmental Disabilities Council, the Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers, the Mass. Mental Health Counselors Association, and the Plymouth-Bristol Central Labor Council.
Cutler holds a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, and a juris doctor degree from Suffolk Law School. He is also an attorney and the author of two books on local history.

HANSON – The Select Board’s final two meetings of 2023 featured discussions of rates at Camp Kiwanee, which the board approved, as well as policies and procedures – including a tougher policy on dogs.
Camp Kiwanee Commission Chair Frank Milisi said rates were being increased to $8,500 for wedding receptions/vow renewals with additional hours costing $250 per hour. Weddings and vow renewals on-site are $750 for the ceremony, including rehearsal on the back deck of the lodge.
He said he did not have historic fees with him for comparison.
Campground facilities for weddings with the bridal and groom’s cottage is $1,500 at the entire south end of the facility. Daily rental is $150 each for those cottages.
Parties, company events, nonprofit and charitable fundraisers fees are $700 for five hours with additional hours costing $100 per hour with an extra $150 fee if they plan to use the ovens and stoves in the kitchen. Vendor and craft fairs will cost $1,500 for seven hours with additional hours at $150 each and kitchen fees at $150 per hour.
Company workshops will cost $1,500 for seven hours with an extra $150 for each additional hour and a $150 fee for kitchen use, if needed.
A kitchen-only fee would be $200 for five hours, with long-term use open to negotiation with the commission.
Hanson residents receive a 25-percent discount, and a 10-percent military discount is available for use of the Needles Lodge.
“I don’t want to second-guess a committee that we’ve got empowered to do this,” Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said.
“There’s a little bit of a controversy about our dog policy,” Milisi said, explaining that it has actually been policy to not have dogs at the camp from June 1 to Sept. 1.
“Correct,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “You even have a sign that says that.”
Milisi said the policy has previously excluded service dogs, but also excluded comfort dogs.
“We removed the comfort dogs out of there,” he said. “I don’t know what a comfort dog is. If it’s a service dog, it’s a service dog, it’s ADA federally protected at the camp. A comfort dog – my dog gives me comfort, I don’t want to take it to the camp.”
FitzGerald-Kemmett said the Hanson Police Department’s dog, Ziva, is a comfort dog.
“Ziva will have no problem getting into the camp,” Milisi said. “We have issues with people coming up there, having their dogs all over the grounds, leaving their mess everywhere. They don’t pick it up and things like that, so it’s going to be strictly enforced this year.”
Milisi also said the signs note that “pets” are not allowed during the summer season so people don’t try to get around the no-dogs policy be bringing other animals.
They are also looking into providing dog bags for people to use in cleaning up after their pet when they are allowed on the grounds outside of the summer season.
The board approved the policies and procedures contingent on town counsel having no issue with them.
Town Administrator Lisa Green said she had not seen the policies, but said she would review them and forward them to town counsel for their review, as well.
The Camp’s Facilities Manager will be retiring at the beginning of the year, but will stay on for a couple more months to allow his replacement Chris Hoffman, who was approved by the Select Board for 19.5 hours per week, effective immediately, on Tuesday, Dec. 12, to familiarize himself with camp protocols and procedures.
The Hanson PTO has also been granted a discounted rate of $25 per hour to hold its fundraising Polar Plunge, totaling $150. The same per-hour fee was also granted for the Plymouth County Beekeepers holiday party, totaling $100 with member Ann Rein recusing herself from that vote.
“We’re happy to be the new home of the Beekeepers,” Milisi said.
“The town is abuzz about it,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.
Hanson Youth Football also had a rate of $25 per hour approved for their events.
Milisi made plain he had abstained from the HYF vote on the commission.

HANSON – The town’s plan for a level-service municipal budget, with 2-percent increases for some expense lines in fiscal 2025 is a “huge first step,” consultant John Madden told the Select Board on Tuesday, Dec. 12.
He said he would not rule out an override as a means to solve the ongoing deficit problem, but added that is something to be decided in the future.
“You saw the increases … on the expense side,” he siad. “They’re unsustainable – I don’t think that’s a bone of contention.”
Hanson’s average annual budget increase is 6.23 percent. A halt to using free cash to bolster the operating budget and the town must use disciplined and realistic budget requests and approvals, which are already being used, must continue, as well.
Madden, contracted to do a financial analysis of the town and its spending habits, a few months ago, returned to brief the board about his findings. Vice Chair Joe Weeks was absent from the meeting.
Madden conducted a similar analysis for Whitman, producing a report they’ve been following in their financial planning.
“The town of Hanson is going to have its own Madden report when he presents his final report with recommendations and suggestions on how we can do things better financially,” said Town Administrator Lisa Green.
Madden said he was presenting an interim report.
“We’ve reviewed a lot of information,” he said. “We’ll bury you in a lot of financial information right now.”
Based on his findings so far and town officials’ input on them, an final report is planned for release in early January. While his review was geared to fiscal years 2025-29, the first year he would recommend putting any recommendations into action would be fiscal 2026.
Town Accountant Eric Kinsherf suggested working up a budget to determine what would need to be cut without an override to help decide if there should be one and how much would be needed.
Select Board Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said one point that keeps cropping up in discussions about the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District is that Whitman “has a number they are sticking with.”
“We don’t have that tool in our toolbox right now,” she said.
Madden said that would be one of the recommendations.
“We need to look at this as what can you sustain?” he said. “The difference between Whitman and here is we weren’t looking at an override situation there – we are now.”
But, while an override is not off the table, Madden said if the towns are to pull in the reins of each department, they also need to the schools to understand the town departments have needs, too.
He said Green has already taken steps to close the revenue gap. The next step is to determine if the town’s other financing sources are being used as they should and if there is room for growth there.
“Ultimately, this is your report,” Madded said. “One of the main reasons I’m here tonight is to not only present you with this information, but to give the board and others an opportunity to assist in its development.”
Madden’s process involved reviewing financial trends over the past five years, reviewing “various documents” including documents and official statements to the state Department of Revenue, meetings with Green and other officials, projections of budgets five years forward, and consideration of a future Proposition 2 ½ override.
In addition to taxation, state aid and local tax recipts, Madded noted that Hanson has a series of renewable other financing sources, including fund that helps take care of a Title 5 septic upgrades and a fire apparatus fund that is fed by ambulance reciepts.
“These are ongoing renewable revenues,” Madded said. “When you look at something like that in a community, it’s usually one-time revenue.”
The FY 2024 levy limit of $26,891,943 is reached by adding the 2023 levy limit of $25,405,077 to the 2.5 percent increase of $635,127 and the $316,309 in new growth and $535,430 between two debt exclusions.
Local aid for 2024 is $1,761,054 – a four-year average of 4 percent.
“It’s minimal growtth,” Madden said. “The Water Enterprise Fund – at $3,078,478 – is not considered in any of this because it’s an enterprise self-balancing fund.”
Of the town’s $563,889 in local receipts, $82,399 is in meals taxes, approved in 2013, and $227,237 is investment income.
The motor vehicle excise is 58 percent of local receipts, which is actually down over fiscal 2022.
The town used $357,000 in free cash in fiscal 2024 to balance the budget.
“It’s an indication – a clear indication – of ongoing expenses outdistancing renewable revenue,” he said. “That’s not a value judgment of how the revenues coming in or the importance of the expeses that are being appropriated. It’s just the fact that there is a gap.”
The Division of Local Services’ best practices recommendation to use free cash – as a non-renewable revenue sourse – be restricted to paying only one-time expenses.
“In addition to that, bond rating agences are going to look at something like this,” Madden cautioned. “It won’t be the end of the world, but, obviously, ideally they’re looking to invest in communities with their revenues matching their expenditures. The use of free cash doesn’t help.”
Hanson’s fiscal 2024 operating budget was $32,241,150 – an increase of 4.5 percent over fiscal 2023. Vocational education was up 7.03 percent, W-H regional education budget was up 4.8 percent and the town’s increase was 2.5 percent.
The town’s expense for the regional 911 call center, paid for by state 911 funds for the first three years, will increase from $200,000 in fiscal 2024 to $400,000 in fiscal 2026, with budgets after that subject to the same inflationary effects as any other department. Plymouth County Retirement pension assessments also increase every year.
While the purposes behind the increases were reasonable, he said that Hanson had, perhaps fallen behind in its ability to compete with other communities in keeping qualified, talented people.
“Once you get them here, you’ve got to give them an environment that works,” he said. “You’re not alone in trying to make this work.”

The School District finished fiscal 2023 with a balanced budget and was able to put funds back into the excess and deficiency account during a year when they were also negotiating teacher contracts, Superintendent of Schools Jeff Szymaniak said during a budget review at the School Committee’s Wednesday, Dec. 6 meeting.
“We balanced our budget through the [date] breach and we’re able to move forward with kids and FY ’24, which we’re working through with the state,” he said.
During his budget update, Business Manager John Stanbrook reported that interest income received by the district during the first quarter of fiscal 2024 has been much higher than anticipated.
“Things that are interesting, at least worth discussion is interest income – I budgeted $11,330,” he said. “Already, through September, we’ve got $37,000 – that’s about $12,000 a month times 12 [or] $144,000 if that continues.”
Committee member Dawn Byers noted that interest income had been forecasted for about $11,000 last year, but Stanbrook reported that the district had earned $235,000 overall.
“That’s fantastic, getting more than $200,000 more in interest,” she said. “Could we have budgeted more for interest income? … Likewise, when I look at the FY ’23 closeout, what worries me most is our state reimbursement on transportation.”
That account is showing a $366,000 deficit for fiscal 2023 and she is concerned that fiscal 2024 will show a similar deficit when the books are closed.
Szymaniak agreed.
“I would say that, when the business director makes a recommendation on transportation reimbursement, the committee sticks with that recommendation and doesn’t go over, because that’s what happened in the past,” he said.
While Szymaniak has had a conversation with state Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Duxbury, and feels the transportation reimbursement should be in a better place at the closeout this year. Cutler said transportation had been level-funded over the last three years, but have increased it in the FY ’24 Governor’s budget for next year.
Szymaniak also said the interest income was unexpected last year.
“When we were budgeting in February, we didn’t have any idea,” he said, noting all the budget documents being reviewed by the committee were done by hand as part of the district’s data recovery following a recent system breach.
“That’s why when we got delayed, [Stanbrook] had to create 211,000 accounts for Munis,” he said. “They’re not a company that’s working with us. We were working with them [but] they’re not necessarily working for us. … I know things have been delayed in the past, but all this information was done by hand. Two years ago, he could push a button and we could get a report.”
Szymaniak said the district is also cutting paper checks.
“We’re almost out of the breach,” he said. “But the breach significantly impacted all of our data and how we present things.”
He asked for a conservative idea on the interest income that the district could realistically expect for the coming budget year, now that the problem has been identified.
“It would impact our budget in a positive way,” he said.
The Committee unanimously voted in support of policy revisions for their meeting norms, which will be printed up and placed in front of each member during meetings as well as at the sign-in table for those wishing to speak during public forum.
Member Glen DiGravio voiced objection to a policy against using cell phones during meetings, noting he uses his smartphone for everything, pushing the laptop issued to the committee aside for emphasis.
“I like this [he closed the laptop and picked up his phone] but this is how I do things,” he said. “This is my Google Drive. This is my everything. I don’t need this [laptop], I bring it because everyone else does.”
He said he also uses his phone to research information brought up in presentations.
“I just Wikipedia’d the Hamilton duel [as Hanson Middle Schoolers performed a re-enactment],” he said. “That’s my phone and [while] I’m not allowed to do that anymore, I’m still going to do it.”
Chair Beth Stafford said the policy change was because the Committee receives complaints that members are using phones to communicate with the public during meetings.
“That’s why a lot of the information now is printed,” she added.
Member Hillary Kniffen agreed, noting that was the reason Boston School Committee members’ phones were confiscated a few years ago because people thought they were texting each other during a meeting.
“It’s more to protect us,” she said of the policy change. “If someone sees you … you might be looking something up, but they don’t know and they might want to see your phone and it could be problematic.”
Vice Chair Christopher Scriven says he has a lot of the same functions on his laptop, allowing him to text on that device.
“I think the idea is we’re supposed to try to pay attention as much as we possibly can, and if you can balance that and work off your phone, I don’t see it a problem,” he said.
DiGravio said he would do his “absolute best” to transition to the laptop during meetings.
In other business, new Whitman Student Resource Officer Mark Poirier introduced himself to the committee. He succeeds Kevin Harrington, who has been promoted to the rank of sergeant on the Whitman Police Department.
“I’m excited,” he said. “It’s a whole different role for me.”
Poirier went to Whitman Schools along with Committee Vice Chair Christopher Scriven.

WHITMAN – Somewhere, Ruth Wakefield has been watching the Food Network this holiday season.
That might be because one contestant, Justine Rota, is a home baker from Whitman, hoping to bake her way past keen competition – and a lot of truly bad puns – as the Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship 2023 rolls along. She’s also educating the world about the home of the chocolate chip cookie.
During the Monday, Dec. 4 block of broadcasts, she had survived a smash cake contest in which the baked good had to look impressive from all directions, including underneath through a window the cake was set on. She also dodged a problem with white chocolate that wasn’t setting well in a baked goods mosaic contest, in which she and a partner were supposed to create mini desserts that came together to form that design
The Season 10 Week 5 challenge, aired Monday, Dec. 4, saw her baking close to her New England roots with a Sweet Potato Tartlet with maple creme in a Hanukkah latke-inspired dessert.
Through it all her South Shore accent stood out for fun by fellow contestants and judges alike.
“Your textures are spot-on and beautiful,” Judge Carla Hall said of the tartlet.
“Justine keep it up, you are on fire,” Nancy Fuller agreed.
Baker Duff Goldman was under the weather and unable to participate in the two episodes.
Representing Whitman’s status as the home of the chocolate chip cookie, Rota she is the proud owner of Sweet Standards, a home-based bakery.
The Episode 5 final bake called on them to turn a bar cookie into a letterboard.
“I’m making a raspberry oat bar with a white chocolate ganache,” she told host Jesse Palmer, deciding to switch it up to a white chocolate eggnog ganache with the challenge ingredient. “I’m making bars all the time for my family,” she said. But she had never made eggnog before.
That was key since Josh Juarez of Austin, Texas, winner of the latke prebake, was given the choice of eggnog or mulled wine, with his choice the surprise ingredient the contestants then had to incorporate in their bars.
“This bar is going to lift the judge’s spirits,” she said.
But, just before going to commercial, her raspberry filling ran over onto the bottom of the oven where it began to burn.
“It’s OK, you can do this,” competitor Thoa Nguyen of Englewood, Colo., reassured her after lending a helping hand as the timer ran down.
Then it was time for the judges to weigh in.
“I think that I like your little decorations around it,” Hall said. “I love your colors, that said, I don’t think it looks so much like a sign.”
Rota said during a contestant interview, spiced into the judging comments that she felt her bar looked “a little sad” but hoped the judges liked her flavors.
They did.
“You ‘shu-ah’ did this good,” Fuller quipped with her version of a Massachusetts accent after her eyes lit up on tasting Rota’s dessert. “I’ve got the crunch, I’ve got the brightness of the raspberries, I got the eggnog. You have the most special tasting holiday bar today.”
“This sign didn’t look good, but this is delicious,” Hall agreed.
Rota finished among the top two in the episode, bested for the top spot by Javier Trujillo of Chicago, but finished in second place, to continue in the competition’s semifinal. Juarez, unfortunately, was sent home.
Rota, a Johnson & Wales graduate, says her favorite part of the holidays is baking cookies with her family and then driving around together in search of the best Christmas lights, according to her contestant bio. She’s also a self-proclaimed shopaholic and lover of all that is pink and sparkly.
One more week of competition remains before the final three bakers compete in the year’s finale – “Gifts of Greatness.”
The semifinal airs on the Food Network at 8 p.m., Monday, Dec. 11 and the final is being broadcast at 8 p.m., Monday, Dec. 18.

 By Linda Ibbitson Hurd
Special to the Express
My paternal grandparents Edrice (pronounced Eedriss) and Cyril, better known as “Spud,” mainly because he was a potato grower, lived in a big blue house across an expansive dirt driveway that was next door to us with my Grampa’s garage in between our two houses. Behind all this was a virtual haven of pastures, a brook and the woods beyond that was our playground growing up. 
Gram and Grampa raised eight children, my dad being the oldest, in this big old house of many rooms. The attic being my favorite where I spent many hours going on adventures in the many books that were there. 
We went to my grandparents for Thanksgiving off and on through the years and the year I was seventeen was a special one as all my aunts, uncles and cousins were able to come that year. The big round table in the dining room brought me back to the Knights of the Round Table stories. I loved the table because when we sat down, we could all see each other.  
Wonderful aromas filled the house as we all helped carry things to the table. My Uncle John was carving the turkey while my dad was slicing the ham. Finally, we were all seated, grace was said, and the meal began. Somehow the conversation got around to the first time my father brought my mother home to meet his family before they were married. All of us grandchildren became curious, as this brought grins and laughter to the table. 
Both mom and dad had been in the service during WWII, she in the Waves as a long-distance telephone operator, he in the Seabees. They met in California while horseback riding. Dad reports that a good-looking brunette on horseback rode past him and he knew she was the one for him. Mom says she fell right away for a good-looking blonde man who rode up beside her. They kept in touch even after mom was discharged and went home to Burlington, Vt. In 1945, the first Thanksgiving that dad was out of the Service, he invited mom to Thanksgiving dinner to meet his family. 
Mom was both excited and nervous as she was introduced to dad’s parents, his younger brothers and sisters and my great grandmother who was senile and in a wheelchair. Dad and some of his siblings gave mom a tour of the yard while Gram and the older kids helped get dinner on the table. Mom, being an animal lover was taken with the cows, pigs, hens, Harry the big gray workhorse, the barn cats and the dog. 
When they all sat down for dinner, Grampa pushed his mother’s wheelchair to the table. A plate was ready which was given to her, and she seemed quite content. As the family talked and enjoyed each other, great grandma went unnoticed as she began to point to a bowl in the middle of the table. Again, she pointed but no one seemed to be paying any attention. When she stood up heads began to turn but before anyone could do anything she reached across the table for the potatoes, her false teeth fell in the gravy bowl, she reached in the bowl, plucked them out, put them back in her mouth, grabbed the potatoes and sat down. After an astonished moment gales of laughter rang out around the table. 
My grandfather told my father that if my mother didn’t bolt after that she was a keeper and he better marry her fast!
They were married the following July in the Hanson Baptist Church. 

HANSON – Sometimes when you want a seat at the table, you have to set the table yourself.
The Select Board had made their expectation and demand – during a September meeting with the state DEP and the EPA – for a seat at the decision-making table regarding the cleanup at the former National Fireworks factory site, were left wanting when the next joint informational meeting was scheduled in Hanover, at that town’s insistence.
“Hanover is still pinpointed to have the forum, but I also asked the question if they could have a second forum, possibly in Hanson, for people who could not make the first one,” said Town Administrator Lisa Green told the board on Tuesday, Nov. 7.
While Hanson officials will be attending a January 2024 session in Hanover – and encourage residents to attend – Hanson officials will also be insisting on a separate meeting in Hanson, which the other communities are also invited to attend.
They are also putting it in writing, to the DEP and Gov. Maura Healey.
The DEP and EPA had discussed having a community forum involving the towns of Hanson, Hanover and Pembroke to provide an update on the site cleanup for residents.
“In working with Hanover to try to get this scheduled, we were narrowing in on a date in December to have the forum in Hanover, unfortunately, we just got an email from the EPA that due to some timing issues and conflicts, they have to move the community meeting to January,” Green said.
“Ms. Green told me it was going to be in Hanover, and I said, ‘And here we go again,” said Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett. “Were we not clear with the folks who were here before that we want to have a seat at the table. That Hanson needs to be taken seriously, that Hanover’s been driving the bus the whole time?”
Green reached out to Hanover, finding that town’s manager to be “let’s say, reluctant – non-cooperative, maybe” to have the forum in Hanson FitzGerald-Kemmett said. She asked Green to bring the matter to the board in case it was just her that felt this way.
She was not alone.
“I’m right there with you,” said Select Board member Ann Rein.
“Can we take the reins and just say we’ll schedule a time [and have a forum]?” Select Board member Ed Heal asked.
There have been separate public meetings before.
“But I really thought it would be nice to show a partnership and collaboration,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “Cleary, that was a bit overly optimistic on my part.”
Green said that the one night that works for the EPA and DEP may not work for town officials and residents, so it is hoped that having a second session in Hanson might fill the need for all towns.
“You’re being extremely diplomatic,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.
“We were all on the same page, trying to not only be as collaborative and inclusive as possible with those two particular towns, but with other towns that also might not have been considered that also wanted to have a voice,” Vice Chair Joe Weeks said, asking if Hanson should communicate their request in writing for a more prominent seat.
“Different people learn in different ways,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “Perhaps [one] is not an auditory learner, so we’ll put it in writing to you.”
Heal argued the need to “really push the governor at the same time as the DEP.”
While Green said collaboration was important, she agree with FitzGerald-Kemmett that such overtures to Hanover had been rebuffed in the past and that town seemed to be digging in its heels on the point now. While she would be glad to reach out to the chair of Hanover’s board, Hanson wants to have more equal role as the cleanup gets closer to its backyard.
“Hanover can only take the lead if the DEP lets them,” she said.
“We’re at the table, but it’s not in equal seats,” Weeks agreed. Hanson should start leading and inviting other towns to come to them.
While Conservation Agent Frank Schellenger and Health Agent Gil Amado also agreed with taking a stronger stance, but argued it was very important not to exclude themselves from the Hanover meeting.
The Select Board members also plan on going to the Hanover meeting.
“That town has been more invested on a regular basis,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “I think they probably have more citizens that have been following this more closely than we probably have. … We’re a little late to the game.”
About a bear
In other business, the Select Board moved to clarify the Police Department’s options regarding the black bear roaming around town, having already munched on livestock as well as bee hives and birdfeeders.
“First and foremost, I want to say that we have first responders, who are experts,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said, noting it has been a subject of heated debate on Facebook. “They are professionals in the job they do, and the Police Department is one of those groups. We hire them for their expertise and we hire them to do a job – and at some point, we have to defer to those experts.”
Police Chief Michael Miksch has been consulting with Mass. Fisheries and Wildlife officials about options regarding the bear, she noted.
“You’re not going to find anyone who loves Burrage [conservation management area], wildlife, anything more than I do,” she said. But Miksch and Mass. Wildlife have identified one particular bear that has, on a number of occasions, killed livestock and demonstrated little fear of humans.
“That increases the level of concern,” she said.
Options available
FitzGerald-Kemmett quoted Mass. Wildlife as saying its “staff are coordinating with local police and environmental police to monitor this situation. While the bear has attacked livestock, it has not exhibited behavior that poses a direct threat to human safety. Mass. Wildlife is not attempting to euthanize the bear, however lethal removal by law enforcement may be required if they determine there is a threat to public safety.”
Mass. Wildlife has said that relocation is not an option for bears causing property damage as it would “transfer this problem behavior to another community. Bears that have learned to raid chicken coops or kill livestock will not stop that behavior if they are moved elsewhere.”
The only situations in which bears are removed to another location are to remove an immediate public safety threat in urban areas – not caused by the animal’s behavior but by their proximity to people and could cause a vehicle collision.
“It is possible that the bear will move out of the area on its own,” she quoted Mass. Wildlife as saying. But they spend more time in residential areas looking for birdfeeders, trash, unprotected backyard chickens, goats and outdoor pets.
Mass. Wildlife officials have already spoken to property owners who have experienced bear-related damage, offering tips on removing food services and protecting livestock.
“What they’re saying is, if you truly love these bears then don’t make them feel welcome in your back yard,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. That includes holiday pumpkins, which it has been photographed doing.
Rein objected to the tone of Mass. Wildlife’s statement toward property owners.
“Yes, the bears are here, but they just got here,” she said. “Expecting everyone to be prepared for something that they weren’t expecting and castigating them because they’re complaining because their animals are getting killed is so wrong, I can’t even.”
They did their due diligence for the predators they know are here, Rein said.
“I’ve got bees,” she said. “I got a visit from the bear, but it ended well.” Her chickens are protected, and her bees will be.
“Nothing could have predicted this,” Rein added. “That this one bear is that bold.” By taking care to protect their property and livestock, they are protecting the bear, she said.