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Whitman OK’s tax rate formulas

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WHITMAN – The Select Board on Tuesday, Nov. 15 voted, in agreement with the Board of Assessor’s recommendation, to maintain a single tax rate for all property classifications for fiscal 2023. 

Neither the residential nor small commercial exemptions were approved, as has been the board’s usual course of action.

The excess levy capacity is estimated to be $286,521.94.

“That was calculated last week [before the Nov. 14 special Town Meeting],” said Assessor Kathleen Keefe. “That number is going to change.”

Interim Town Administrator Frank Lynam said the number should go down a little bit because of corrections the town is making, including funds from the DPW as indirect charges and they are not supposed to be assessed that way. After the Town Meeting votes are entered and the Department of Revenue (DOR) approves corrections on estimated revenue, a final number will be available.

“We have more than one variable going on,” Keefe agreed.

“The revenue estimates are going to change slightly, too,” Lynam said. “This process is intended to give you an idea of what happens if you tax everyone the same or you tax people differently.”

The actual tax rate is set after the board decides how to assess and the assessor compiles all that information.

“There’s not going to be a huge difference,” he said. “I learned a long time ago, don’t tell people what the tax rate is and then change it.”

“This is not the tax rate,” Keefe said.

Keefe presented her annual report concerning the town’s options regarding how the town’s fiscal 2023 tax rate would be set for the property classifications – residential, commercial, industrial and personal property, referred to by the shorthand CIP.

The DOR reviews and approves the adjusted values approved by the assessor’s office.

The assessed residential value is based on a comparable sales market analysis, which looks at the prices for which properties sell each year to determine a property’s worth. Commercial value is based on income and expenses incurred by businesses as well as sale prices for properties analysis. Assessments are set on values as of Jan. 1 each year.

A more in-depth analysis – which Whitman underwent in fiscal 2022 – is done every five years.

The DOR approved the following valuations for Whitman in fiscal 2023:  $2,007,037,255 for residential value or 89.69 percent of the town’s total valuation; the other three classes combined total 10 percent of the total valuation or $130,891,654 – $110,906,557 for commercial; $26,240,515 for industrial and $93,554,562 for personal property.

“That’s [the residential to CIP ratio] an important ratio that the board looks at when they’re trying to determine whether or not to split the tax rate or go with a single tax rate,” Keefe said.

She said there has been some industrial growth this year – in the form of 11 warehouse condos on Bedford Street, on land that had already been classified as industrial, so they were calculated that way.

Keeping in mind that the numbers she presented regarding the fiscal ’23 tax levy will be changing following the Nov. 14 special Town Meeting, Keefe used figures approved at the May Town Meeting to demonstrate what tax rate shifts would look like.

The town voted in May to raise $48,404,502.82. Subtracting $18,046,704.76 in estimated receipts puts the town’s tax levy at $30,357,798.06. 

“To come up with a tax rate, it’s simply that $30 million divided by the valuation that was approved [by the DOR],” Keefe said. “That gives us a tax rate.”

Towns are allowed to use a shift in tax rates between 1 and 1.5 percent. With a 1 percent shift, all taxpayers pay the same rate. A 1.5 percent shift reduces residential rates while increasing rates for the other classes.

Whitman does not tax open space.

If the board approved small commercial exemptions it would affect only sole owners or partnerships with no more than 10 employees and a total property value of $1 million or less. The business must be certified by the Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development. If a business owner does not own the property the company occupies the tax benefit goes directly to the property owner instead.

“It’s really difficult to track and businesses we’re talking about are just run out of someone’s home,” Keefe said. “It’s really muddy water, so the board [so far] has voted not to recommend that option.”

A residential exemption shifts the tax burden from lower-priced homes to higher-priced homes. The Board of Assessors recommended against that shift as well.

Resident John Galvin asked about several new “split-use” buildings with retail businesses on the ground floor and apartments on upper floors.

Keefe said they are classified as mixed use, with each use tallied in the proper classification.

“It’s a single valuation,” she said. But the valuations for the commercial space would go into that classification and the remainder into residential. “The bill is going to be the bill no matter which class of property.” With two public construction projects moving forward during tight budget times, Galvin said they would present a “significant impact to the taxpayers.”

“I’m not sure that there’s anything we can do here that’s going to affect, necessarily, the impact of these project, but we have to do something,” he said. “We’re kind of stuck at what we can do here. … I would make a suggestion that a residential exception, not necessarily this year, but in the future, is something that we need to strongly consider.”

With two large debt exclusion votes coming, Galvin argued the town has to think about the people who can least afford it. He suggested something like a budget override committee – not necessarily called that – to evaluate what the town can do somehow increase revenue that evaluates who is going to get hit the hardest and what can be done to help taxpayers who can’t afford increases.

Lynam said any shift in commercial taxes would be significant and there would be nothing to keep those businesses in town.

“I have yet to come up with an example where it would make more sense for us to shift the tax burden because the businesses we have in this community are very small,” he said. “All the big businesses are gone.”

Lynam did agree that this year’s new growth was disappointing and he doesn’t expect it to get much better next year.

“We’re going to have to get more creative,” he said.

That challenge, Galvin said was his only reason for commenting.

Budget Committee member and Selectman Shawn Kain said he hears the message and noted that discussion about creative revenue options is being discussed.

Select Board member Justin Evans said Galvin makes a good point on the question of the residential exemption.

“It’s probably something I’ll think about for the next year,” Evans said. “If this board complies with the MBTA communities, really revitalizes east Whitman and sees an increase in more mixed-use development, more rental properties, that’s probably something we’ll want to look at as a way to save the families that need it the most.”

With Town Accountant Kenneth Lytle moving into the treasurer/collector position, the board voted to appoint CPA Eric Kinsherf as a consulting accountant until the town hires a permenent person.

Town Administrator Frank Lynam made the recommendation, saying he met two weeks previous to the board meeting with CPA Eric Kinsherf, who is a Whitman native. His practice specializes in advising, providing accounting services for municipalities, forensic accounting and other financial services.

Kinsherf has offered to serve as a consulting accountant for 90 days or until the town hires it’s own accountant. His hourly rate is $115 per hour and the responsibilities would “probably require the better part of a day per week” to accomplish what the town needs done now, Lynam said, recommending he be hired under a consulting agreement. The existing town accountant salary line will cover that cost.

1 out, 1 stays after Hanson ZBA hearing

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HANSON — Zoning Board of Appeals Chair Kevin Perkins was removed, but Alternate Sean Buckley was not removed, as the Select Board, held a public hearing on Thursday, Nov. 10 to determine their status on the ZBA.

Select Board member Jim Hickey voted to allow Perkins to remain on the ZBA.

The two ZBA members were investigated for charges of unprofessional conduct, failure to disclose and failure to cooperate with the investigatory process. Both Perkins and Buckley requested the hearing be held in a public meeting instead of the executive session offered.

Perkins’ attorney William Simms, before a motion could be made, accused both Select Board Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett and member Joe Weeks of having complaints filed against them by Perkins and asking why they didn’t recuse themselves from a vote.

FitzGerald said she knew what the complaint against her was — that she did not like Perkins and kept voting against appointing him.
“I don’t need to like somebody, I don’t need to appoint somebody,” she said. “I don’t know him. … I just felt based on things I had been told over the course of several years that I did not feel comfortable endorsing Mr. Perkins to the Board. … That’s my job.”

He claimed Weeks was a member of a Facebook group “Investigate the Board of Appeals,” which Weeks said he had once been a year ago, but had deleted his Facebook account in April.

“I am absolutely unbiased, because I don’t know what you are talking about,” Weeks said.

At an August 2021 the board received a citizen’s petition signed by 150 voters seeking an investigation of the ZBA citing potential conflict of interest between and among its members, Select Board Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said. Selectmen were compelled to include in the October special Town Meeting warrant that year, which voters approved unanimously. 

The Select Board voted Oct. 19, 2021 the Select Board votes to hire an investigator, hiring James Lampke that November. She noted that the town received the results of the ZBA investigation as they were meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. The Select Board received it the following day and the ZBA were given copies and public the opportunity to view it the following week on the town’s website hanson.ma.gov.

Simms requested that specific allegations and any supporting evidence read in the open session.

FitzGerald-Kemmett read from the letter sent to Perkins listed:

 •Unprofessional conduct displayed on Sept. 27, 2022 at which time he was heard by meeting attendees and the Select Board of using profanity during that meeting; on June 21, 2022 after William Cushing an Joshua Pratti were appointed to temporary terms, Perkins “behaved in a disrespectful manner and used contentious language when leaving;”

• Failure to disclose: Lampke’s report concluded that Perkins failed to file a potential conflict of interest form regarding his business relationship with Ed Johnson with the Town Clerk;

• Failure to cooperate with the investigation process by refusing to meet with Lampke.

Specifically, Perkins had done electrical work for the Elizabeth Brown Trust at 143 Woodbine Ave., in November 2020, which was the initial applicant for the 40B development on Spring Street. The project changed back and forth between Cushing Trails and the Trust, FitzGerald-Kemmett said referring to permits on file at Town Hall.

Simms maintained that Perkins disclosed “what he thought was appropriate” about a business relationship he had in the past. He felt he could sit impartially and hear a proposal. FitzGerald-Kemmett stressed he, to the contrary, said he had no relationship. 

Simms countered that the relationship has ceased.

“Professionalism is a critical component of members of the Zoning Board of Appeals, and as a public official, the breaches in question deviated substantially, publically and overtly from the expectations of a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals,” the letter concluded.

Simms said he requested an un-redacted video recording of two of the Select Board meetings, but instead got and edited version, which was available online to anyone in the public.

“We do not tape those meetings,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “That is Whitman-Hanson Cable. They are a separate entity and we’ve got no control over that.”

He said they had filed public complaint requests with WHCA for the un-redacted version and have not yet received it.

“So we are not fully prepared to address everything tonight,” Simms said. “We’ll do our best, but we think there was a lot of information presented in public by this board that was not available for me to review and the public to comment on.”

Minutes of the meetings, which Simms received only 24 hours before the hearing, were unapproved drafts, rather than official minutes.

“We’re dealing with information that is incomplete and unavailable to me to adequately respond,” he said, further arguing the allegations were not specific. “We’re talking about cause here. You want to dismiss a member from the [ZBA], you need cause, and I want to hear exactly what that cause is with specificity.” 

FitzGerald-Kemmett said the board had clips from the videos and asked Town Administrator Lisa Green to play them. He clearly said “this is bullshit,” witnessed by the board, members of the audience in the room and watching the live meeting, but FCC regulations prohibit WHCA-TV from rebroadcasting the profanity.

Simms said it sounded “muffled” to him, which is why he wanted the un-redacted version.

The video of the June 21 meeting showed him storming out of the room.

“What was that about?” Simms said.

“We are the appointing authority of the ZBA and his conduct has been consistently disrespectful,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “Those were just a couple of examples.”

Simms argued he was sitting at the meetings as a citizen, not a ZBA member and asked if Perkins was heard using profanity at a sporting event, would that be unprofessional conduct?

“We haven’t had anybody else speak to us that way,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “Nobody.”

The failure to disclose allegation, concerns a business owner who “comes before the board on a fairly frequent basis,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

Simms replied that Perkins informed him about multiple disclosures he has filed over the years.

“We have one disclosure on file,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said, admitting in response to a question from Simms that Town Clerk Elizabeth Sloan was unable to fine one such form during an Ethics Commission investigation of Perkins. She later discovered she had misfiled it and apologized for it several times, including publicly and in writing.

“It’s pretty clear to evidence that there’s something going on that is inappropriate, and I don’t know exactly what it is, but it reappeared, we’ve got apologies from public officials and town employees,” Simms said, suggesting the investigation should “focus a little bit more on what’s going on in Town Hall.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett reminded him of the parameters of the hearing.

“We would like to see the additional disclosures that Mr. Perkins has filed, because we have not been provided anything other than the one that the town clerk misfiled,” she said.

“I’ve filed multiple disclosures over the time I’ve been on the ZBA,” Perkins read from a statement. “In these years I have served there have been at least four town administrators, at least three administrative assistants and various turnovers of selectmen and members.”

He said he has received conflicting information about filing disclosures and to whom. He pointed out that Town Hall security had “previously been an issue.”

When asked if he could provide copies of the disclosures, Perkins said he would “look to see if I can locate copies,” but he added that he has “moved twice since then.”

Town Counsel Jane Friedman suggested that, since Perkins is on the ZBA perhaps minutes of their meetings could shed light on those copies.

Former ZBA member William Cushing said his practice, when he served as chair, was to recuse himself from discussions in which he had an interest, and that positions he and other who recused themselves would not likely appear on the minutes for that reason.

Simms said Lampke called to ask if Perkins wanted to participate in an interview for the investigation.

“He said no, that’s all,” he said. “He said no.”

Select Board member Joe Weeks insisted the board know when that phone call took place.

“I want to know,” he said. “In the report it says there was no cooperation and I want to know how long that non-cooperation was happening … we’ve had many derailed Selectmen’s meetings in which ground rules were  made, and we were not going to talk about certain things, and it kept happening. … I’m dying tp know … when the decision was made to not cooperate and then get on a soapbox every single meeting and say this investigation is going nowhere.”

Simms said his associate John Fink took the phone call and he didn’t have the information.

“I don’t think Mr. Perkins declining to be interviewed had any impact,” Simms said, but agreed to supply that information to the board.

Weeks was angered about continued accusations that delays in the investigation were the fault of the Select Board when it was being held up by other parties.

Cushing said the first time Lampke contacted him was on Mother’s Day and again on Father’s Day in 2022 and he spoke to him at that time. Another ZBA member said he was contacted in December 2021.

“I don’t like the idea that this is being put out in public as if there was something awry,” Weeks said. “I want answers.”

During the hearing, Perkins said he felt Lampke should get is information from “public documents and facts,” not to interject his opinion.

“I’ve always acted in the best interests of the town of Hanson,” he said. “I did what was right, I did what was ethical, I did what the town of Hanson needed, and that was to reduce their legal liability from pending applications.”

Select Board members Ed Heal and Ann Rein, who are both new to the board were adamant that the unprofessional conduct by ZBA members has been unacceptable.

FitzGerald-Kemmett said additional ethics education would be required of board members going forward.

Panthers are ready for Thanksgiving

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Turkey and football. 

Name two things that are more synonymous. 

Good luck, especially if you’re from the towns of Whitman, Hanson or Abington. 

That’s right. Those three towns are set to see their local high schools clash for the 111th time this Thursday at 10 a.m. at Abington. 

The Panthers are 5-5 on the season. 

They’re coming off of a 21-14 non-playoff victory over Westwood in which senior Ben Pace racked up three interceptions from his safety position.

W-H also owns wins against Pembroke, Foxboro, Silver Lake and Plymouth North. 

Abington sits at 4-6, fresh off a 28-0 loss to Rockland in the state quarterfinals. 

W-H leads the all-time series 60-47-3. 

Elsewhere around W-H: 

The Massachusetts All-State Championships were held on Saturday, Mov. 19, at Devens, Massachusetts. Whitman-Hanson had one runner entered in the meet.  Junior Sky Bucci-Anderson finished 101st among 189 of the state Div. 1 cross country runners, covering the 5K course in a time of 20:30. 

On the mat, W-H cheer placed fourth at states on Sunday, Nov. 20. 

— Nathan Rollins

What a community can do

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WHITMAN — What can one kid do?

Conley School Principal Karen Downey used a can of green beans and 24 laundry baskets to illustrate the answer for the students at her school during the annual Thanksgiving Basket Assembly on Friday, Nov. 18.

“You live in a wonderful community,” said Whitman Food Pantry volunteer Lauren Kelley. “Anytime we’ve asked for support, you’re always there to help us.”

But she reminded the students that she was getting older and the pantry would be looking to them to step up and help other families.  Kelley mentioned the high school volunteers, who are realty appreciated — especially lifting heavy boxes.

Members of the Whitman-Hanson football team had a hands-on answer as they volunteered as servers for the annual Knights of Columbus Thanksgiving Dinner for seniors.

The Knights prepared 24 turkeys — as well as all the fixings — to serve the early holiday meals to 305 elders and volunteer on Saturday, Nov. 19.

In both cases, the commitment of young people to their town gave comfort that Whitman is a community that cares.

“Everybody brings something and we make something very special happen,” Downey said. “We’ve been talking all year about being kind, responsible and respectful and now we’re going to see sort of the fruits of our efforts.”

She held up that can of green beans and asked the students if bringing in the one item they were asked to donate was hard.

“No!” the children yelled back.

She asked them if they thought that can would feed her whole family if she brought it home? Again, the answer was no.

“But, when I put it all together, with all these beautiful baskets, I can probably feed my family for a couple of days,” she said. “There’s leftovers and all kinds of good stuff.”

Downey then told the children, when she thinks about the assembly and what they accomplished it makes it clear what people can do when they work together.

“Sometimes it feels like we can’t do a lot on our own … and sometimes it feels like we’re just kids,” she said. “But guess what? Are you ready to see what you did?”

As Student Council members filed out of the cafeteria, Downey spoke of her pride in the student body.

“I’m so proud with the work that you have done — everybody just brought in one little thing,” she said. “We just did something special. You are going to feed 24 families. You did that.”

She challenged them to tell other kids they can do the same.

“It’s more important to me that you are good citizens and that you take care of people and each other,” Downey concluded adding that it is just as important as reading or math.

As the students sang “When Fall Comes to New England,” the Student Council members filed in carrying those 24 dinner baskets and placing them on the steps to the stage.

Kelley, herself a retired teacher was overwhelmed with the donation of the baskets.

“I want to thank you for your generosity,” she said. “We will be servicing probably 100 families this year. … We’ve had wonderful donations, moneywise, that will help offset some of our costs, we’ve also had food drives, but this is the icing on the cake for us.”

The dogs and cats sheltered by the Animal Control Department are also remembered each year by Conley School students through their year-long change drive, Pennies for Paws. This year the school raised $950.

“You guys are wonderful every year,” Animal Control Officer Laura Howe said. “These times are very challenging for families, so this year I’m even more emotional. … We always spend [the donation] on just the animals,” she said. “We tell the town, ‘You can’t spend this on anything other than toys and dog bones and things that the animals enjoy.”

During pre-dinner speeches and a blessing before the KofC dinner the next day, another kind of service to community was celebrated.

Police Chief Timothy Hanlon presented a plaque honoring the retirement of Edward DeAndrade after 28 years of service as an auxiliary police officer. The requirements of the state’s new police reform law did not provide a sufficient window in which to complete the 200 additional hours of work he needed to be fully trained as a full-time officer, in the wake of the closure of the part-time officers’ academy.

“He volunteered for every shift that he needed to, every cruise patrol, on different events in different types of weather,” Hanlon said. “He has sacrificed for this town and volunteering. I didn’t want him to go as much as he wanted to make it closer to 30 or even more.”

The pre-dinner ceremonies also included the blessing.

“It’s wonderful to gather this way to give thanks, to celebrate and to eat said the Rev. Andrian Milik, pastor of the Holy Ghost Chrurch as he said offered grace.

Whitman Council on Aging Director Mary Holland noted that some other KofCs in the state have had to cancel the last three years because of COVID ad this year, because they couldn’t get the food,

“Thank you to the Knights of Columbus for hosting this every year,” she said. “It’s amazing what these guys do and they go above and beyond to make sure we have this turkey dinner.”

During the pandemic, the meal was distributed to seniors at their homes by Whitman Police as a kind of door-dash service and it returned to an in-person event last year.

Panthers are Back

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Thanks in large part to Ben Pace, the Whitman-Hanson Regional High football team is back on track. 

The senior captain hauled down three interceptions from his safety position in a 21-14 victory over Westwood in a non-playoff game on Saturday, Nov. 12. 

The Panthers’ defense was stout all contest. Fellow senior Nick Beauregard also came down with a pick of his own. 

Also on defense, classmate Collin Murphy added two sacks, bringing his season total to 10. 

On the other side of the ball, the Panthers were balanced all night with seniors Trevor Googins, Evan Casey, and Will Frazier all scoring on the ground. 

The win leveled W-H’s record at 5-5. 

The Panthers are back 

— Nathan Rollins

Whitman  financial post is headed to ballot  

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WHITMAN — With 101 voters present on Monday, Nov. 14 — just one over the required quorum minimum of 100 — voters backed Select Board requests to change the Treasurer/Collector position to an appointed one and increased the salary being offered a new Town Administrator.

The Treasurer/Collector question will appear on the May 20, 2023 Town election ballot to be ratified, now that Town Meeting has approved it.

Interim Town Administrator Frank Lynam argued in his report, initially placed on the warrant as Article 12 from the board, that both moves were in recognition of recent changes that mean people serving in those positions these days require more advanced certifications. The report was taken out of order and made the first item of business for the evening.

“As an elected position, the sole requirement for the [Treasurer/Collector] role is to receive more than one more of 50 percent of the votes,” Lynam said. “There is no requirement that the candidate have any experience in managing and handling cash or in collecting municipal bills.”

He and former Treasurer/Collector Mary Beth Carter listed some of he requirements of the job today, as the financial market is more sophisticates and a town’s financial security leans mainly on the person in that post.

Carter was appointed by Selectmen Oct. 15, 2005 “following turmoil and resignation in the Collector’s Department.” She was subsequently appointed Treasurer on Dec. 2, 2008 after a retirement, Lynam outlined.

Questions about the appointment route, from Finance Committee member Rosemary Connolly, Town Clerk Dawn Varley and a resident centered on their concerns over taking away the voice of voters in that hiring decision.

Carter echoed Lynam’s remarks that the article is vital to the financial well-being of the town.

“I experienced first-hand the sense of duty and accountability of this position and the integral role this position plays in the town’s finances,” she said.

The positions require one to test for certifications and demand daily that the office-holder maintain cash book and record of all receipts, disbursement, cash balances as well as playing a major role in issuance of payments on all town debts, Carter enumerated. She recited a long list of job obligations including payroll, personnel  insurance, trust funds, enterprise funds and investments. On the collectors side, the responsiblilities include for collecting all money the municipality takes in, payments of refunds, accuracy of information and initiates tax-takings. Basically they handle every single penny that comes into the town and goes out of it.

“If the position is not changed to an appointed position, the town runs the risk of possibly having a person who is unqualified or is inexperienced as a treasurer/collector,” she said. “This position is too important to … have a person who may be popular, however is not qualified for this job.” 

In response to a question about who is responsible for paying for the educational credentials needed, Lynam said the town has always encouraged employees to further their education, but the initiative to learn the job requirements rests solely with the individual. But an elected officer cannot be directed or managed by anyone other than a town election, he said.

“It is very much in the town’s interest to thoroughly scrutinize the qualifications and skills of someone who will have access to and authority to invest, at various times, up to $45 million of taxpayer and ratepayer money on behalf of the town,” Lynam said.

There is little option to address an elected treasurer/collector is not performing, he cautioned, beyond a recall or superior court process.

Appointed persons go through a very public application process before they are hired. The majority of treasurer/collectors in both the area and the state are appointed, Lynam said.

Town administrators, meanwhile, present a salary problem, as Lynam’s research has shown average salaries have increased “well over 25 percent” since he retired in 2020 after 19 years on the job.

Extending the salary range by $10,000 – to a top level of $160,000 – has resulted in better responses to advertisements for the job.

He provided voters with a list of 30 municipalities on the South Shore in which administrator/manager salaries ranged from $142,500 in Acushnet to $215,000 in Scituate. Closer to Whitman, Bridgewater pays $178,607; East Bridgewater $150,000; West Bridewater $156,005; Hanover $158,200; Hanson $145,800 and Abington $150,000.

Whitman’s offering of between $143,000 to $150,000 “produced limited results” Lynam said and market conditions require more compensation than the town was offering. Increasing the range to $160,000 on the top end has already resulted in better responses, he said.

“But unless we are willing to offer competitive compensation, our ability to recruit is extremely limited,” he said.

The $10,000 for potentially increasing the town administrator salary was passed, along with eight other salary line adjustments in Article 13, which had to be amended from a total of $21,065 to 23,065 because of a typographical error. In fact, discussing whether that represented increasing a warrant article raised more attention than the $10,000 request.

Town counsel pointed out that it was, indeed, not an increase because adding up the figures for each line – none of which had changed – added up to the $23,065 figure and not the lower number originally printed in the warrant. In that way, voters were informed of the amount of the article, which was passed.

A salute to service

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HANSON — Instead of the usual program of paeans to patriotism, speakers at the annual Veterans Day Breakfast at the Hanson Multiservice Senior Center Thursday, Nov.10, focused on the future of veterans’ health. The annual program is hosted by the Friends of the Hanson Senior Center.

Home health care programs through the Brockton VA Hospital under its Community Care Program, were discused as were the Camp LeJeune Justice Act and the newly signed PACT Act.

“I thought I’d do something a little different than we have in the past,” White said about the program he planned for the event.  “There have been many recent law changes and additional services that the Department of Veterans Affairs provides that are fairly new, and I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to inform you of [them].”

After celebrating the Nov. 10 birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps, Veterans Agent Timothy White also wished a belated birthday (the U.S. Navy — founded on Oct. 18 — as well as holding a moment of silence in honor of senior volunteer and Navy Veteran Ernest Jutras, who died Oct. 17.

Jutras’ widow and daughter surprised his gathered friends among the town’s veteran community by baking patriotically decorated cupcakes and staying to attend the program, Senior Center Director Mary Collins said.

“We’re so glad that they could be with us this morning,” Collins said.

White also spoke of a Malden Army corporal, who had been taken prisoner of war around Thanksgiving in 1950, during the Korean war, and killed in February 1951. His remains had only recently been returned to his family for reburial.

He then read the Veterans Day Proclamation issued by Gov. Charlie Baker.

Brockton VA Medical Center RN Karen McCabe spoke briefly about non-institutional care, a program she coordinates at the hospital, including home care benefits, under the VA Community Care Program.

“Basically what we do is cover services that might otherwise not get covered or things like skilled or non-skilled  services,” McCabe said. Skilled services include physical therapy needed following hip or knee replacement or daily wound care, and non-skilled are more along the lines of a non-health aide to assist with tasks that mobility impairments make difficult such as bathing, dressing or  those involving finer motor skills such as preparing meals.

Her office processes paperwork and answers questions about co-pays, or services the VA can provide that a private insurance plan may not cover and helps contract with home health aides for non-medical assistance to patients.

“Our assessment would determine how many hours you would need per week,” she said. “That’s long-term, forever, if needed.”

Caregiver support, usually linked to a percentage of how service-related the need in, can also provide respite for a veteran’s primary caregiver.

“Respite is very important,” McCabe said. “Caregiver burnout is real and you want to see that before it gets too bad.” 

Home-based primary care for “complex” cases with a service-connected need, has a waiting list at the moment, she said. Veteran do not have to change primary care physicians to take part in VA programs, and White said he could help veterans or their family members sign up for care programs.

White provided a brief overview of the Camp LeJeune Justice Act and the PACT Act.

“It adds diseases and medical complications as presumptive diseases to Agent Orange exposure,” he said. “They also added geographical locations that were not included in the past.”

Agent Orange coverage used to be limited to personnel with boots on the ground in Vietnam and had a presumptive disease linked to direct exposure to the dioxin used as a defoliant to make enemy troops more visible in jungle terrain. The list of illnesses was later expanded, and included blue water sailors in harbor waters within the path of trade winds carrying the dioxin fumes. The PACT Act expands the list of illnesses and locations further, with Guam and Enewetak — for which the act authorized a study of radiation effects for nuclear cleanup personnel where nuclear testing took place in the 1950s — among them as well as to personnel exposed to smoke and pollutants from burn pits in the Middle East.

He said he can help veterans previously denied with coverage based on the new legislation. Widows of veterans who died of presumptive diseases might be able to receive death benefits.

“My intension here is to get the word out so I can help figure out the case,” White said. “Every case is different.”

Inside the PACT Act is the Camp LeJeune Justice Act, which has been the subject of class-action lawsuits.

“Just about every other day somebody’s in my office asking about it,” White said of law firm TV commercials about the class-action lawsuit over contaminated drinking water at the Marine Corps’ Camp LeJeune in Jacksonville, N.C. “Every one of you has seen one of these commercials.”

He cautioned that, before making that 1-800 phone call, veterans should know that the compensation for any settlement could be used to compensate any funds paid by the VA for past care a veteran may have received, minus a reference fee to the lawfirm advertising.

“This is going to take years if you file,” he added.

­The program was followed by a performance of service anthems and other patriotic songs by the Senior Center’s chorus, The Swinging Singers.

Hanson OKs help for town office staffs

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HANSON – With a nod to the changing demands on town officials in general and Hanson’s in particular, voters in the Wednesday, Nov. 9 special town meeting approved staff additions to the Town Administrator and Conservation Commission offices. Both were approved during the session, which spanned just over an hour in length.

It was the second attempt to complete town business, as the town failed to draw a quorum on the original date of Monday, Oct. 3.

“I thank you very much, from the bottom of my heart for coming out tonight,” Town Moderator Sean Kealy said. “We worried we weren’t going to get a quorum, but I can officially declare that a quorum is present, and that, we, the special Town Meeting of the Town of Hanson is now in session.”

The meeting started with $1,490,984 in available free cash; $1,365,763 in stabilization; $187,637 in school stabilization; $1,426,920 in Water Department surplus; $135,512 in Recreation Department retained earnings and $166,108 in the solid waste retained earnings fund.

One of the staffing articles, sought the transfer $17,659.20 from free cash to make the conservation agent position a full-time one at 35 hours per week. The added 16 hours per week had originally been placed at $26,488.80 in the warrant, but was lowered at the request of the Conservation Commission, Kealy said.

“The number’s lower because the time frame for this fiscal year is shorter,” Commission Chair Phil Clemons said. “This lower number recognizes that it would be more feasible just to plan for January to June.”

He said the position is needed because the position was originally a full-time one and there is still a need for that. The fiscal crisis during the Great Recession in 2010 led many town departments to voluntarily reduce hours to help balance the town’s budget.

“Since then, most departments have been restored,” Clemons said.  “Conservation has not and the conservation agent is considered the head of the Conservation Department — the only non-full time department head.”

He noted that requests for services are up and a part-time conservation office is not serving the public well.

“The job is getting more complex, and more regulations and workshops are happening, and we can’t have our agent go to those things or answer the phones or handle issues,” he said, noting committee members are limited in how they can fill in.

But it was the statement made by West Washington Street resident Joseph O’Sullivan that may have changed minds in the room. He was an abutter of a project on County Road that would have built 10 four-bedroom houses on six acres that were surrounded by 40 acres of wetland.

“That project passed through every board except the Conservation Commission, and through their due diligence, it went through appeal after appeal and the DEP finally rejected it in a 14-page document that cited five different irregularities in what the company had proposed,” O’Sullivan said. “They are, in fact, our homeowners association, because they can use their judgment about the future impact of this.”

He pointed out that 75 people had written letters of concern from abutters about the houses which would have taxed the water system at about one million gallons of water each year.

While the Finance Committee did not dispute the need for extra hours, they recommended passing over the article because of the town’s fiscal position.

The meeting voted overwhelmingly to approve the article.

That recognition of needed help for overtaxed town employees carried over to the next article seeking the transfer $23,034 from free cash to Selectmen’s budget to hire a part-time administrative assistant for 15 hours per week.

Town Administrator Lisa Green spoke about the request, which was also approved.

“We really saw the value of that this past few months when we had an intern from Bridgewater State University work in the office,” Green said. He helped review policies, draft procurement paperwork and help with other projects that were overloading the office staff.

Resident Kathleen Marini about the fiscal responsibility of the move, noting a full-time person would mean health benefits. 

Ken Sweezey of Matakeeset Street asked if more interns could be sought in the future.

While Green replied that is always a possibility but the town may not always get one, but their intern was paid for 23 hours of pay while the college also offered a stipend. Internships are usually tied to a specific project and are not always available every day. There is also a growing call nationwide for all such internships to be paid positions. 

Green also said the position could be combined with the 19-hour part-time Planning Board administrative vacancy to retain staff.

“That position is, unfortunately, a revolving door type of a position,” she said, noting that people have been hired and trained only to leave for a full-time job in town.

Combining it with the Planning position will give the person hired a 35-hour full-time job — working 15 hours in the Select Board office and 20 hours per week in the Planning Office.

“It will cover the needs of both offices and it will create a position that will encourage the person to stay with the town, so we’re not a revolving door,” she said.

Frank Milisi asked why the Select Board recommended the hire and if they would  be involved in grant writing. Select Board Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said the board has “consistently” been getting feedback from everyone they have hired, and from those before their tenure, that the office is under-staffed.

“There was not one town with the same population that we have that only had a two-person office,” she said. “We, honestly, thought that we needed three people, but we felt that was probably an overreach at this point.”

She also mentioned the new salary levels that Whitman would be deciding on at their special Town Meeting Monday, Nov. 14.

“This is a very competitive environment right now, for anybody in the town administrator position,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “We need to retain people.”

Former School Committee Chair Bob Hayes spoke in favor of the article before it was eventually approved, noting that regulations that had once been simpler are now much more complex.

“You have immense, immense things for the town administrator to do and for the paperwork that we all want done,” he said.

Hayes also pointed to the Conservation hours the meeting had just approved.

“I was against it until I heard Mr. O’Sullivan stating why it was needed,” he said. “The same thing is needed in the Selectmen’s office.” 

Select Board member Joe Weeks reminded voters that for several years, the town had the luxury of a well-seasoned and skilled assistant in Meredith Marini, who was able to serve as a temporary town administrator.

Corrine Cofardo, a volunteer on several town committees reminded the meeting that Marini also frequently worked on her own time at night and weekends to complete work. 

“That’s how the job got done,” she said. “That’s why we need this part-time position filled.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett said the board had received a letter from Impressed LLC earlier in the week asking that an article amending Zoning Bylaws regarding medical marijuana facilities and marijuana establishments be passed over until the May Town Meeting.

“They are tied up with trying to finalize their license and they felt that [May] would be a better time for them,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “They also thought by that time, they would have some financial experience to share with us.”

She said the board also asked to have the town assessor provide numbers to indicate the value of the personal property tied up in the building and business and what could be expected in the way of propery taxes.

The meeting was opened with a moment of silence for town officials and volunteers who died since the May Town Meeting: Carroll P. Gagnon, Ernest E. Jutras, Peter Muise, Richard Muncie, Della Snow and William Strait.

Before dealing with the evening’s final article, Kealy asked the meeting to join in a round of applause for Town Clerk Elizabeth Sloan and Assistant Clerk Jean Kelly and the town’s volunteer clerks who checked people into the Town Meeing for their work on the state election the day before.

Tournament heartbreaker

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On the heels of a shutout  win in their tournament opener, the Lady Panthers soccer team fell to Notre Dame Academy 4-0.

 “It’s amazing how much adversity our tea, has faced this season with injuries, but the girls and coaches never gave up,” Athletic Director Bob Rodgers Tweeted after the Monday, Nov. 7 game. “They made us all proud.”

After a scoreless first half, Notre Dame poured on the offense, scoring their first goal five minutes into the second half. There was only 15 minutes to play when they capped off the scoring with their fourth goal.

The girls’ soccer team defeated Amherst-Pelham, 6-0, in their opening game of the MIAA tournament on Sunday, Nov. 6.

Makenna Marshall opened the scoring for W-H with a blast from 20 yards out, according to AD Bob Rodgers, and Kennedy Frazier doubled the goal with a put back off a Savannah Kamperides cross. The score remained 2-0 until the half.

The Panthers came out flying in the second half with goals from Anna Schnabel, Elizabeth Kowlski, Olivia Godwin and Ella Nagle. The defense of Brooke McAloney, Lexi Cole, Hayley Gillis and Kamperides were strong all night, helping goalkeeper Aylla Dernier earn the shutout. Ayla Dernier was outstandind in the midfield.

Maura Healey makes history

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Former Attorney General Maura Healey became a history-maker twice over on Tuesday, Nov. 8 — she was not only the first woman to be elected governor of Massachusetts, she was also the only openly gay person ever elected to the Corner Office.

While former state Rep. Geoff Diehl carried his hometown unofficially by a close 129 votes (3,159 for him and running mate Leah Cole Allen to 2.969 for Healey and her running mate, Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll), the Healey/Driscoll ticket won by a 63.2 percent to 35.2 percent margin over Diehl.

In Hanson, 503 votes separated Diehl/Allen’s 2,704 votes from Healey/Driscoll’s 2,201. There were 5,040 votes cast in the town of 8,117 eligible voters — 62.1 percent of those eligible.

In fact, the race had been called only minutes after the polls closed, a fact that WBZ News reported, angered the Diehl campaign. But by the end of the evening Diehl did concede his loss.

“The people of the Commonwealth have spoken,” Diehl said before calling Healey to concede. “I respect their choice, and I ask everyone who supported me and Leah to give [Healey] the same opportunity for success as I would have asked if the shoe had been on the other foot.”

He said he was proud of the race he and Allen had run, highlighting issues important for people across the state.

“Tonight, I want to say something to every little girl and every young LGBTQ person out there,” Healey said in her Copley Plaza victory speech. “I hope tonight shows you that you can be whatever, whoever you want to be. Nothing and no one can ever get in your way, except your own imagination, and that’s not gonna happen.”

In Hanson, 560 people early voted in-person, with more than 1,500 mail-in ballots, which were being run through the tabulation machines, but not counted Tuesday morning, according to Town Clerk Elizabeth Sloan.

“We had more mail-ins this time,” she said. “Now they know that we get it [the ballot] and they actually get taken care of.”

Despite Secretary of State Bill Galvin’s prediction of a low-turnout, Sloan said she has seen and expected to continue seeing a higher-than usual turnout for a midterm election. With almost 2,000 early votes among the 8,000 or so voters in town, Hanson had already hit 20 percent turnout before the polls opened Tuesday.

In Whitman, Town Clerk Dawn Varley said there were 2,329 early votes cast, and 46 absentee ballots, compared with 985 in 2018, the last midterm election. Whitman ended up with 55.37 percent of the towns 11,350 eligible voters casting ballots in some way. There were 6,284 votes cast Tuesday in Whitman.

So who did everyone think was going to end up in the winner’s circle as the day began? Everyone is optimistic on Election Day morning. 

“I think it’s a win,” Diehl said of his chances to WCVB Channel 5 Tuesday morning, after casting his own ballot at Whitman Town Hall. “I think it’s going to be a very close race, but from what I’ve seen with the trends with early voting vs what we’ve seen with our enthusiasm, I think we have a great shot at this.”

Outside Town Hall, Diehl supporter Dan Cullity agreed.

“Hopefully, we sweep the state,” Cullity said. “People are fed up. … High prices, stupid green initiatives that ain’t gonna work — no infrastructure for it, there’s no money for it — stuff like that.”

But in Hanson, where former Select Board member Bruce Young was among the Diehl sign-holders, a 40 percent share of the vote was more expected. Young noted that Republicans in Massachusetts have not been able to break that barrier since 1948.

Diehl supporter Gwen Hunt said she was trying to be hopeful.

Democratic candidate Maura Healey, meanwhile voted by mail, according to WCVB.

“I have to stay positive,” she said, noting she was even more hopeful that challenger Kenneth Sweezy would best incumbent state Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Duxbury.

Her supporters locally expressed confidence in the chances for state Democrats, if they were casting a wary eye on national races.

“I think, statewide the Democrats are going to do quite well,” Whitman Democratic Chair Michael Hayes said as he held signs along South Avenue Tuesday morning. “Obviously, nationally, we’ll have to wait and see about that. There’s concerns about what’s going to happen with Congress, but it is what it is.”

Hayes said he hopes women voters turned out in greater numbers after the Supreme Court Decision overturning Roe V Wade.

“They have to be angry,” he said.

“I hope people get out,” agreed Whitman Finance Committee member Rosemary Connolly. “I hope they’re aware of what’s at stake and really exercise their right to vote and don’t take it for granted — even on the local level, it’s important.”

Hanson Select Board member Joe Weeks said he will be keeping his eye on the governor’s race, meanwhile.

“It’s going to be very interesting to see where Massachusetts ends up falling,” he said. “Are we going to stick Republican or are we going to go back to being Democratic [in the corner office].”

He said he agrees with polls that Healey will win, but said it could be “a heck of a lot closer” than the polls are saying.

“It’s the most exciting day of the year as far as I’m concerned,” Weeks said as he headed into Hanson Middle School to vote. “We’ll have to see what happens. … You really can’t trust the polls, so it’s difficult.”

Hanson Democratic Committee member Kathleen DiPasqua-Egan said she was especially hopeful that state Sen. Mike Brady, D-Brockton wins re-election as well as that Healey takes the governor’s office.

She was less hopeful for national Democrats’ chances. 

“I’m happy to see what a Democrat could do in the governor’s office,” she said. “I hope I see that the things I care about that haven’t been done under the Republican governors will be done.”

She granted that, in either case, there could be disappointment ahead, but said taking a chance with a Democrat was a better decision than voting for Republicans that are 2020 election deniers.

“I don’t want Republicans in who feel that way — who actually supported Trump all the way along and maybe now they don’t, but it’s kind of too little too late,” she said. “I think Maura Healey deserves a chance to prove what she can do.”

There was some ticket-splitting evident, as well as incumbent Democrat William F. Galvin won the majority of Whitman votes at 3,377 to Rayla Campbell’s 2,684.

State Rep. Josh Cutler fell short in Hanson with 1,568 votes to Republican challenger Kenneth Sweezey’s 1,697, but Cutler was ultimately re-elected with 57.2 percent of the vote to Sweezey’s 42.8. Running unopposed state Rep. Alyson Sullivan, R-Abington cruised to re-election, receiving 4,142 votes in Whitman.

On the ballot questions:

Question 1, regarding the constitutional amendment for an additional tax on incomes over $1 million to fund schools and transportation was rejected in Hanson 3,040 to 1,902 as well as in Whitman by a vote of 3,365 to 2,730. The question was passed statewide by a 51.8-percent to a 48.2- percent margin.

Question 2, regarding direct payment of dental benefits to dentists for patient care was approved in Hanson 3,134 to 1,809 as well as in Whitman by a vote of 4,006 to 2,055. The question was passed statewide by a 71.2-percent to a 28.8- percent margin.

Question 3, regarding an expanded number of state liquor licenses issued was rejected in Hanson 3,034 to 1,869 as well as in Whitman by a vote of 3,540 to 2,483. The question was rejected statewide by a 55-percent to a 45- percent margin.

Question 4, allowing driver’s licenses for undocumented residents was rejected in Hanson 3,198 to 1,758 as well as in Whitman by a vote of 3,743 to 2,337. The question was passed statewide by a 53.4-percent to a 46.6- percent margin.