HANOVER – With budget season heating up on both the municipal and school committee sides of the ledger, South Shore Tech is scheduling meetings with an eye on the calendar.
The SST budget must be certified 45 days before the first town scheduled to hold Town Meeting, which takes place April 1. But a simultaneous process involving the new school project, may be on the same track.
The next public forum on the building proposal is slated for 7 p.m., Jan. 25 at Abington Town Hall. The School Committee/Building Committee also meets on that date at 5 p.m.
Regarding the fiscal 2025, budget, Superintendent/Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey said the district is at the point where they are waiting for Gov. Maura Healey’s budget numbers to be released, which is anticipated to be just before the Jan. 25 meeting. The public hearing on the budget is also scheduled for that meeting agenda.
Hickey said he would consult with the committee chair to determine if a budget certification vote.
“It might be in our best interests to certify – to go on record – essentially, setting a [budget] ceiling,” Hickey said. “A budget certification does not mean anything more than [that] we’re not going to increase it from this point foreward. It can always go lower.”
If the budget is not certified at the Jan. 25 meeting, a remote meeting can be convened in early February to do that, he said.
The Committee also, on Wednesday, Jan. 17, voted to approve a revised educational plan, which had already been approved by the committee.
Vice Chair Thomas A. Petruzelli of Abington chaired the meeting in the absence of Chair Robert Heywood of Hanover.
According to Hickey, the revision is part of the MSBA’s normal process after the authority provides feedback on educational plan.
“They asked a series of questions that we provided clarification to … and we must embed those answers in [the original educational plan] document,” he said. “These edits don’t substantially change anything. They just clarify [points], which will make this process easier when our project eventually comes before the [Massachusetts School Building Authority].”
Hickey did not ask the committee to vote on a five-year bus lease that had been listed as an agenda item. Instead, it will be back before the committee for a vote on Thursday, Jan. 25.
The district initially leased propane-fueled buses in 2017. Hickey is planning to replace that fleet in fiscal 2025 or ‘26 with a newer fleet of buses.
“We have an opportunity to do this with a statewide contract with propane buses,” he said. “We would be trading in our existing propane buses, with equity, so that we can then replace them.”
The upcoming vote would encompass a longer-term lease-purchase contract, which triggers the need for a vote. At the end of the lease the district would own the buses. A dollar amount for the buses will also be included in the vote.
Ordering the buses in January increases the chances of getting the new buses in time for the new school year. Hickey said he was thinking of purchasing 13 buses and trading in 12 to increase the size of the fleet by one.
“That should give us enough capacity for at least the next two, possibly into the third fiscal year,” he said. “I think we’re projecting that, if we couldn’t afford it, we could get away with [using the current buses] for another year,” he said.
Whitman member Dan Salvucci noted that, should the new school, be approved, the district would be seeing an increase in demand for the bus as more students are expected to attend SST.
“I think it’s a waste of money to lease them.” he said.
In other business. Principal Sandra Baldner introduced Student of the Month Stella Glykis of Hanover, a culinary arts senior doing her co-op assignment at Scarlet Oak Tavern in Hingam, where she is works the line, but is fully trained to take on any station in the restaurant.
“I know from personal experience that South Shore Tech staff members seek out her culinary expertise when they go and dine there,” Baldner said. “She’s surrounded by industry professionals who share her drive and creative nature.”
“Her job has not only taught her how to cook, but how to be an asset at the restaurant,” Baldner quoted Glykis’ teacher Charles Doucet as saying.
Glykis is described by the restaurant’s executive chef as a “great team player” who performs at an advanced level and will do great at culinary school.
“She has an open mind and is willing to try new things,” the chef said. “We have seen tremendous growth in Stella and we are glad to have her here.”
Glykis is “laser-focused on her career” and plans to attend the Culinary
Institute of America.
“I would also like to showcase Stella as an outstanding student who represents us well,” Baldner said, adding that the previous week, she was among students asked questions by the South Shore Leadership Group with the South Shore Chamber of Commerce during a luncheon program.
Baldner also shone the Staff Spotlight on the Metal Fabrication/Welding program.

HANSON – The town is finding many hands make more efficient – if not lighter – work when it comes to enforcing codes and running recreational outlets.
The Select Board voted on Tuesday, Jan. 9 to create an Inspectional Services Task Force for code enforcement. It is not a committee, but several town officials working together in furtherance of their day-to-day jobs, Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said.
Fire Chief Robert O’Brien, Deputy Chief Charles Barends, Building Inspector Cary Glass, Health Agent Gil Amado and Green have been meeting regularly on Monday mornings to discuss code violations in town.
FitzGerald-Kemmett said it should not be limited to those officials as Conservation Agent Frank Schellenger or other officials might be included from time to time as their boards or commissions have jurisdiction.
“[It’s] mainly focusing on commercial/industrial code violations,” Green said. “We’ve found these discussions to be very helpful, beneficial – it’s the departments working together addressing complaints that are received and following up and making sure all our businesses are following all the codes – it’s been very helpful to go out to these businesses as the inspectional task force.”
She said they talk about solutions together and with business owners to ensure compliance.
“We would like the board to officially vote to accept this new Inspectional Services Task Force so that we could come up with a mission, some goals, provide the board with some reports of our progress …it allows us all to work together,” Green said.
Amado agreed the task force works well.
“We do have a lot of code violations in the town,” he said. “I think this will work out very well … maybe stop some of these things before they start.”
FitzGerald-Kemmett said the board has expressed a number of times in executive session how impressed they have been on the amount of progress Green has been able to make on some long-standing issues in town.
“It’s been very clear that, when you guys work together and you’re sharing that information, it’s so much more powerful in terms of enforcement and in terms of getting the message … resources and in terms of each of the enforcement disciplines feeling support and not feeling as though they’re on their own trying to … fight the windmills on their own,” she said. “It’s the best of Town Hall working together and I would love to see more of that happening on other things.”
The board also approved the drafting of a warrant article and budget to create the Hanson Recreation Commission.
Vice Chair Joe Weeks had presented an outline to the board to establish some form of recreation committee and what it might be and how the committee would work, how facilities would be maintained and around overlap with other committees and commissions.
“This is just the beginning, it’s just to start the process,” he said. “I don’t know if we specifically want to name things like High Street Park oversight in this, although it might be a good idea, I just want to give a layout at first.”
He suggested a five-person committee that reviews policy, programs, procedures and recommends fee structures to the Select Board, when applicable, with committee input welcomed. He also drafted mission and vision statements to be discussed by the board.
Weeks asked if a committee should be given specific oversight over certain jurisdictions like High Street.
“I guess this is the starting point to figure out what we want to do,” he said.
FitzGerald-Kemmett agreed that the High Street Committee was formed to form the blueprint of the park location [at the former Plymouth County Hospital grounds] but, in doing so, she added, a lot of programming questions have cropped up.
“I don’t have a problem with giving them programming responsibilities at High Street,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “Where it gets weird is [whether] they would be responsible for programming at Camp Kiwanee or working with the Camp Kiwanee Commission.”
Camp Kiwanee Chair Frank Milisi said it would be a cooperative working arrangement.
“That’s one of the joys of a town department, we will work together with you for literally no cost,” he said.
FitzGerald-Kemmett pointed out that it would take a Town Meeting warrant article to create a new Recreation Committee.
“I think this is exactly what I’ve always heard people saying that we need,” she said. “We’ve just never to put pen to paper for it.”
Board member Ann Rein said she was a bit confused about the difference between a commission and a committee. The rest of the board agreed that they did not know the difference, either.
High Street Committee member Alex Stewart said he Googled the terms.
“A committee operates as an internal regulation while a commission is more external,” he said.
“So it’s really a [recreation] commission,” FitzGerald-Kemmett adding the change on paperwork could be easily made.
Milisi said a budget line item for any commission would also be needed in drafting a warrant article.
“You will need money in that account to run those programs,” he said. “That’s the one thing that we weren’t [prepared for] at Camp Kiwanee. You need money for everything. Recreation doesn’t come free.”
FitzGerald-Kemmett suggested some coordination with the Cultural Council, which is funded through the state, the Library and Senior Center.
The Board approved Treasurer-Collector Lisa Clark’s employment contract agreement, which compromises on the use of vacation time. The position comes with a total of 25 days’ vacation time, Green said.
“What we thought was a good compromise on this would be to break the vacation accrual into two separate times,” she said. “Basically, on July 1, 2024, she would receive 12.5 days and then on Jan.1, 2025, she would receive 12.5 days. This way, she’s not being front-loaded the full amount … and there is a clause in the contract that she would be allowed to carry over up to 10 days.”
The Board approved a further modification suggested by Weeks that an additional five days could be carried over, if necessary.
The Select Board had been concerned that someone might use the month of vacation time and then leave the position.
The three-year contract runs through to Dec. 31, 2026.

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.