Whitman-Hanson Express

You are here: Home / Archives for News

New dynamic duo

By

Catwoman and Robin rode into the sunset after an eight-hour mission on Saturday, Oct. 23 to distribute 314 bags of candy to kids in a Halloween-themed adventure.

Melissa Clark of Hanson, a Plymouth County Deputy combined her love of cars and Halloween and used her cool Polaris Sling Shot three-wheeler ride to create a fun-filled day.

After the event blew up via Hanson’s social media Connect pages Clark decided they should organize a route so she could include as many families as possible. They also posed for photos but remained in the vehicle to keep socially distant for all involved.

They started the day at 10 a.m. in her Catwoman attire she rode with side kick Robin — whose alter-ego is her mom Michele Clark. The pair made deliveries of individual bags of candy (COVID regulations in place) to 49 different streets throughout Hanson, and Monponsett within the Halifax Twin Lakes.

They tossed the bags to children and families who were on a pre-scheduled route.

Clark, who calls herself a car enthusiast and drives a Camero,  was exuberant to involve her Cat Mobile in the Halloween plans. When she purchased the Polaris  Sling Shot in March 2019 it was  originally white. The three-wheeled, open-air ride positively turns heads. She designed her custom wrap to emulate the Catmobile, which was special ordered  from AMR Racing Las Vegas. It was installed by Anthony Crisafulli of Northeast Auto Spa in Pembroke.

Clark who grew up in Hanson, where her family still resides, and has a heart for her community. Her father Ron Clark is a long time veteran officer of the Plympton Police Department and is a fellow car enthusiast.

Following the day long adventure Clark said she felt completely “fulfilled.”

“There were no debates, arguments, stress or negativity as we have in the world right now,” she said. “It brought smiles. It was a great day.

“We even stopped at Mc Donald’s. We gave out candy there,” she said with a laugh.

There were lots of pictures posted throughout the day on local town pages. She was pleased at the positive comments she received from so many families; several messages that particularly touched her heart.

With no immediate planned upcoming events Catwoman will ride again … stay tuned.  Meow!

Keeping ahead of COVID

By

HANOVER — South Shore Tech Superintendent-Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey told his School Committee on Wednesday, Oct. 21 that, despite the challenges posed by COVID-19 safety guidelines, having students in their school community really matters.

There have been some positive tests among the school population, but Hickey said he is pleased with parent cooperation. They are letting the school know if their children are showing symptoms after possibly contracting COVID outside of school.

Like W-H Superintendent Jeffrey Szymaniak, Hickey said he is looking for more guidance from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) on how any decisions on possible future lockdowns might be handled.

“We all know about the COVID map that gets published, usually Wednesday nights or overnight into Thursday, and we know about the red, yellow and green coding of towns,” he said. “Last week, a lot of towns in the Route 3 corridor moved to red.”

He said the state wants schools to think in terms of three-week trends.

“There is no immediate trigger such as, if red, something — like close or go all remote,” Hickey said. “We need to look at the data for at least two more Wednesdays and see what those numbers look like.”

The state would then provide guidance on what might have triggered a red designation within a community.

Senior horticulture student Faith Ryan of Scituate was introduced as the student council representative and also gave an idea of how COVID is affecting the school.

“I think you’re going to hear a different kind of report tonight from her,” Principal Mark Aubrey said. “I think she’s going to speak honestly to you folks about what she’s exploring and what the kids are feeling with the hybrid model.”

Her report was a frank look at the challenges vocational education faces in an online setting.

“I feel like a lot of kids are struggling, because it’s hard to learn online for a lot of kids here,” Ryan said. “As you know, this is a vocational school. Most of us are hands-on learners.”

She said she has spoken to several seniors who are struggling with their grades as a result of not having the access to extra help they would receive at the school.

“It’s preventing a lot of kids from going out on co-op because they’re not getting the proper grades they need because they’re not getting the help they need,” Ryan said. She is not currently on a cooperative education assignment.

Most of the hands-on shops such as HVAC and carpentry are in school all five days each week, but shops such as graphics and allied health are only in the school two days.

“We are educating students on how they get their extra help,” Aubrey said. Teachers are available before and after school, but he said it has to be scheduled, a process that is being worked out.

Clubs and activities are also meeting online, as are regional SkillsUSA competitions.

Important Announcement in regards to General Election

By

Whitman Hanson Community Access (WHCA) is hereby inviting any and all candidates seeking election in the upcoming Nov. 3 general election to reach out to our staff and setup time for an appearance on WHCA cable and online distribution platforms.  While candidates have likely already been contacted personally by now, WHCA wants to ensure that every candidate gets an opportunity to be heard.  Reach out to the WHCA staff by email at info@WHCA.tv or by phone at (781) 447-4175.  All interviews must be filmed by Wednesday, Oct. 28.

Business is a piece of cake

By

Life is always sweeter with cake. For Hanson native Abby Burke, owner of “Cake Art by Abby,” a thriving business as a cake decorator six months into a pandemic is not the scenario for success she would have imagined.

Guidelines on properly celebrating while still being socially distant has taken some of the pizzazz out of special occasions but Burke — who has a strong social media presence and has begun to raffle off her cakes — has reinserted some of that birthday joy.

She is discovering that families are looking for unique cakes to make their loved ones feel extra special during this unsettled time.

Burke is a 2010 graduate of Whitman Hanson, ironically her maiden name was Mixer, with a passion for confection.

She met and married her husband who is originally from Whitman. They now live in East Bridgewater with their two young children. She is also a financial planning associate. Her strong point is remaining structured and organized as a key to balance in her busy life.

She always had an artistic eye and tried different mediums but realized watching cake decorating videos gave her a strong sense of satisfaction.

After her first attempt at making her daughter a unicorn cake she gave herself a harsh critique.

“I made one…I wasn’t happy with it – it wasn’t that good,” she said. “So I began to make more, finding a flaw in each one and figured out how to perfect it for the next one.”

She began to put in the work as she continues to educating herself. Her cakes are not of a cookie cutter variety.

Nearly all her communication for orders is through social media platforms, direct messenger and her website. During the peak months of COVID lockdown, it provided a solid platform through which her clients could easily continue to reach her. Her clientele normally has a birthday theme, which they communicate to her. She then asks if they are OK with her artistic spin and her magic production begins.

She has heard from clients that they have had virtual birthdays, driveway visits and other creative ways to make memories. As new norms are formed in ways of celebrations she has noticed families want to have a unique cake adding extraordinary cheer.

She is a 2013 graduate from Bentley, which helped her launch her cake design business. Burke also credits her high school days describing herself as a girl who “had her hand in countless activity and was wildly involved” in both public speaking and the business foundation of DECA (formerly known as Distributive Education Clubs of America).   

In the start up for her confections she raffled off all of her cakes for free to people within the South Shore. The unique cakes were out there for all to see and taste and she did not waste a sweet drop of the icing.

“I didn’t want to throw it away,” she said.

Burke connected on Facebook with a local family who were down on their luck during COVID.

She was thrilled to be able to donate a cake to them, she said.

Belonging to several ‘mom groups’ with women, who help network and support one another, she always chooses to shop local and small when she can.

Burke says her social media presence and growth has allowed a wider age demographic especially with children’s birthdays. She uses TikTok and Snapchat  and her videos have over 300,000 views. Connecting with all ages from the teen bracket through retirement she was hired to make a retirement cake for a knitting group and reconnected with one of her most influential teachers, Lydia Nelson of Whitman Hanson.

One of the most unforgettable cakes she “set up” was  during the height of quarantine when her sister Becca Feldmann of Halifax was celebrating her baby’s first birthday. Feldman was caring for her new baby — who at birth had a severe gastrointestinal condition and after so many milestones the first birthday was extra special for their family.

“It was a big deal for me,” said Burke.  The next best thing she could do in celebrating her niece’s health and birthday milestone was to construct a cake kit with step by step instructions. Her sister could construct the baby’s first cake with the decorative design Burke created.

Happily her niece is doing well and still remains in strict quarantine.  They are looking forward to days ahead when they can spend time celebrating all together.

With a family and running her own business Burke calls time management the key to her growth. She recently launched a six-month, beginner’s subscription goodie box, which arrives every month. It also comes along with an instructional, virtual class with Abby who enjoys teaching others about her craft.  There are also frosting recipes with helpful hints.

To view and order cakes and for information on her products visit her website  cakeartbyabby.com

COVID cases are up

By

WHITMAN — The town is seeing an increase in COVID-19, according to interim Town Administrator Lisa Green, who reported 17-related cases of COVID in Whitman as of Monday, Oct. 19.

Some are in quarantine and some have been tested, but results are not available yet, Green said.

“The numbers are slowly climbing,” she told Selectmen Tuesday, Oct. 20. “Right now, Whitman is still in the yellow, but we are surrounded by towns in red. It’s speculated that we could go to red any day now.”

If that happens, Green cautioned that Whitman would have to return to more restrictive protocols.

“That would be up to the Board of Health and fire chief if the numbers continue increasing the way they are,” she said.

Selectmen also reviewed the status of the Budget Override Review Committee in the wake of Town Administrator Frank Lynam’s retirement and an agenda item to name Green to committees and projects in which he was involved.

Selectman Randy LaMattina said, while he doesn’t see an override happening this year, an override is not out of the question in the future. The strategic plan, combined with the Collins Center capital report, means the committee could reconvene to reassess the town’s position.

“I don’t foresee it meeting before the first of the year,” he said.

“I would vote to keep it on the docket, as well, to look over the progress it had made last year,” said Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski said. He said he anticipates a discussion at the next Selectmen’s meeting regarding the hiring of a consultant to look at the strategic plan.

“That needs to be on the road,” Kowalski said. “You have to know what the town values before you discuss goals and objectives.”

Selectman Dan Salvucci agreed that the budget committee’s work is still needed.
If we take a step back, we may find ourselves with possible issues again.” Salvucci said.

Kowalski also advocated keeping the name, because an override may still be needed, and advocated a regular report to the board from the schools liaison.

Selectmen approved the common victualler’s license application for Restoration Coffee to move his business to the site of the former Mary Lou’s coffee shop at 564 Washington St., in Whitman center.

“I’m looking forward to opening the shop back up in Whitman,” said owner Matt Wood, who had operated the shop on South Avenue for two years, encountering issues when COVID hit. “We’re looking to have our own space now.”

Hanson awarded first CARES Act funds

By

HANSON — Town officials were awarded a $34,280.75 CARES Act check from Plymouth County Commissioners on Thursday, Oct. 14 during a brief ceremony at Hanson Town Hall.

It was the first of what state Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Pembroke, described as the first of several checks the town stands to receive as reimbursement for COVID-19-related expenses this year, including personal protective equipment (PPE) for first responders, town government and school personnel.

“It’s been a challenging year, but we’re doing everything we can to lighten that burden,” Cutler said.

Cutler also credited the Hanson Board of Selectmen, represented at the check-awarding ceremony by Selectman Matt Dyer, and Town Administrator John Stanbrook for their work, which will bring more checks to Hanson.

“In these times when it doesn’t seem that politics works, this shows it does work and we can come together — and we can come serve our constituents — to better serve them, not here in Town Hall, but all throughout the town and all throughout the region,” Dyer said, thanking the town’s partners on the Plymouth County Commissioners and on Beacon Hill. He said the funds awarded also will go toward town infrastructure such as new servers so town employees could work from home, if another shut-down made that necessary.

Dyer also thanked town officials, who have worked overtime to get the applications completed properly. County officials have been presenting the initial checks to communities in-person across the county, O’Brien said after the ceremony.

“It’s a nice day for us to see the sweat equity pay off tangibly,” said Plymouth County Commissioner Gregory M. Hanley said, thanking Hanson officials for turning in such an easy application to process. “The only delay we would have would be an incomplete application.”

Hanley said taking on the administration of the CARES Act was not an easy one for commissioners to make. The $3 trillion federal aid package known as the Cares Act was passed in March.

“There’s a lot of sentiment very high up that we shouldn’t take this money, but we knew that we had an educated workforce and we had the only certified county treasurer in the Commonwealth,” he said. “We were trying to help the governor at the time and take a little bit off his plate.”

Hanley also thanked Cutler for helping with the process while the Commissioners were receiving pressure from the executive branch as to their ability to do it.

“If it wasn’t for Josh Cutler, we wouldn’t have this program,” Hanley said. “This was not an easy decision, but aren’t we so glad to have pulled this off? It’s such a resounding success.”

He said no one knew how to deal with the pandemic, but Plymouth County has “delivered the goods” for its member communities.

“This doesn’t happen unless we have that partnership we need,” Plymouth County Treasurer Thomas J. O’Brien said of the county’s legislative delegation, including Cutler and state Sen. Mike Brady, D-Brockton. “What was relayed to us is the county understands the needs of our community. This pandemic isn’t going to be short-lived, and we are the best resource to provide financial assistance to our communities.”

O’Brien echoed Hanley’s assessment that Cutler is a leader on Beacon Hill who understands what communities need and has the county’s back as Commissioners try to help communities deal with the pandemic and other financial challenges.

“I can tell you, as someone who sits on the Ways & Means Committee, if we had sent all that money back to the state, we would not have seen it come back from the State House,” Cutler said. “It’s the right decision for Plymouth County, for the town of Hanson, for the towns that I represent.”

O’Brien and Commissioner Sandra M. Wright also presented town officials with a framed print of an updated map of Plymouth County, including newer railroad tracks and highways.

“This could be a dress rehearsal for the HEROES Act,” Hanley said after the ceremony of the next round of funding the federal government is considering to being lost tax revenue, due to the pandemic, back to states and potentially to communities.

Cutler said the funds brought back to the region through the CARES Act includes $400,000 for remote learning and PPE expenses for the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District.

“We’re doing everything we can to get as many dollars [as possible] back to our cities and towns,” he said. Current state budget shortfall estimates are between $1billion and $5 billion, Cutler said, noting that while a lot of money, it is significantly lower than the $6 billion to $8 billion deficit previously forecast.

He expects to see another one-month temporary budget passed before the state’s budget figures are finalized to complete the fiscal year.

Holiday trees to aid DFS

By

WHITMAN — Selectmen on Tuesday, Oct. 20 approved a Dollars For Scholars request to hold a new kind of holiday fundraiser — Decorate For Dollars — a holiday tree-lighting in Whitman Park.

“We’re trying to make something exciting for the town to look forward to,” said DFS volunteer Michelle LaMattina. “Nice, a little bit competitive, but also socially distanced. … We’re looking for it to be a nice event to brighten everybody’s holidays a little.”

The hope is that the project can be continued year-to-year.

LaMattina has already presented her idea to Bruce Martin of the DPW, who supports it, she said. No details on participation have been released to the public, yet until DFS receives the permission and support of town officials.

“I can’t wait to see what the park looks like with a lot of decorated trees on it,” Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski said, noting Whitman has not had that kind of spirit in the town for a while since WinterFest was discontinued.

“Every year we raise a lot of money for the seniors in Whitman and Hanson through fundraising and door-to-door,” LaMattina said. “Obviously, this year it’s going to be very tough to fundraise because of COVID, so we’ve been trying to come up with some new ideas.”

LaMattina said COVID restrictions have meant it will be a tough year to raise funds for scholarships as many fundraiser events had to be cancelled.

Decorate For Dollars will allow individuals, families, neighborhoods, clubs, organizations or companies to sponsor a tree for $100. DFS will provide the trees and lights, setting them up right after Thanksgiving. Sign-up times will be allotted to tree sponsors to come and decorate the tree to their liking, LaMattina said.

To make it interesting, DFS will be making the display competitive, with the committee voting on which trees display the best holiday spirit. The winners will be able to award a scholarship in their name to a graduating senior at the May awards night ceremonies.

DFS would limit decorating crews to four people within each group, which will be timed, required to wear masks and observe social distancing guidelines.

Over the first two weekends in December, from 5 to 8 p.m., Friday to Sunday, the trees will be illuminated for the public to view.

“Whether you want to drive around, if you want to get out of your car — but we will have DFS volunteers making sure there aren’t groups of people congregating,” she said.

Severe storm fells trees, cuts power

By

WHITMAN — Donald and Tracey Enos were dealing with cleanup on Thursday, Oct. 8, following a severe storm that felled a tree — that crushed the front left side of their residence.

She was home with the kids, ages 10 and 8 years old, and received an alert on her phone that a thunderstorm was in the area.

She brought the dog in the house and shut the door behind her when moments later a tree crashed down on their 39 Loring Ave. home.

At first Enos said she thought it was a back tree that fell by the deck but realized she heard water running. The rain was coming through her son’s front bedroom and creating its own path through the bathroom was another branch approximately 18 inches long daggered through the ceiling.

“The ceiling and branches were across his bed and water was pouring inside,” she said when she looked at the damage left behind.

She ran down to the kids who were safe and unhurt and had been playing in the basement.

The neighbor across the street called 911 and checked on her. She stayed inside unsure if wires were across the house.

The kids study from home and Donald Enos said they were at their grandparents where they could study online since they were unable to enter the house.   

A car was covered in tree limbs on Temple Street at the Alegro home where a man could be seen checking out the damage in his yard. Following the quick moving wind storm on Oct.7  power was also  knocked out to parts of Whitman and Hanson for approximately 24 hours.

October is National Crime Prevention Month

By

WHITMAN — As part of National Crime Prevention Month, Chief Timothy Hanlon and the Whitman Police Department wish to warn the public about common types of scams.

October is National Crime Prevention Month. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that in 2019 consumers lost more than $1.9 billion to fraud with nearly $667 million lost to imposter scams alone.

Chief Hanlon warns that residents should NEVER give personal information, social security numbers or credit card numbers to people through social media, or to people who call their homes or cell phones unsolicited.

“It is important for residents to be able to identify the various types of scams that are out there,” Chief Hanlon said. “For example, residents should always verify the legitimacy of a caller before giving out any personal information, and should never pay for an item with a gift card.”

Common scams that target residents – specifically senior citizens – include:

• Social Security Scams: Scammers pretend to be from the U.S. Social Security Administration and try to get your Social Security Number or money.

• IRS Scams: Scammers call, pretending to be from the IRS, and say they’re filing a lawsuit against your back taxes.

• Phishing Scams: Scammers use email or text messages to trick you into giving them your personal information.

• Fake Check Scams: Scammers ask you to deposit a check for more than you are owed and send some of the money to another person.

• Utility Scams: Scammers pose as bill collectors from utility companies and threaten to shut off service if you do not pay.

• Sweepstakes: Someone calls to notify you that you have won a contest or sweepstakes and must send money to collect any winnings.

Often, the scammer will demand payment via electronic money order or pre-paid debit card. This should be an immediate red flag. No legitimate vendor will ever demand money via these means.

To prevent similar scams, the FTC recommends the following:

• Do not take calls from unknown numbers. Caller ID is not always accurate. A call from a “local” number might not be coming from a local person or organization.

• Do not share personal, identifying information like your Social Security Number, account numbers, or your mother’s maiden name.

• If a caller claims to represent an organization and you are doubtful, hang up and contact that agency to verify whether the call was truly from a representative.

• Never pay a caller with a gift card.

• Telemarketers are required by law to state that they are making a sales call. They are mandated to say the name of the seller and the product before pitching their sale. If this does not happen, hang up.

• Be wary of callers who talk quickly and pressure you to make a decision quickly.

• Do not buy a product or service because of a “free gift.”

• Get all information in writing before making a purchase.

• Verify the legitimacy of a charity before donating.

• Before making an investment that a caller or emailer is offering, check with your state securities regulator to make sure the offer is properly registered.

• Do not send cash by messenger, overnight mail, or money transfer. If you pay for a product or service with cash or a money transfer, you run the risk of losing the right to dispute fraudulent charges.

• Do not accept an offer that requires a registration or shipping fee to get a prize or gift.

• Beware of offers to “help” recover money that you already have lost. Scammers sometimes pose as law enforcement officers who will help get money back for a fee.

•   Report rude or abusive callers, even if you already sent them money, by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP or by visiting ftc.gov/complaint.

If anyone has any questions or feels that they have been victimized, they are encouraged to call the Whitman Police Department.

Lt. Casey named Dpty Chief

By

HANSON — Two new officers were appointed, and Lt. Michael Casey was appointed deputy police chief effective immediately on the Hanson Police Department during the Tuesday, Oct. 13 meeting of the Board of Selectmen.

Police Chief Michael Miksch said the department had been functioning with a lieutenant as second in command for several years.

“What’s been happening in the area … is departments are renaming their number two officer,” Miksch said. “Their executive officer is the deputy chief.”

Besides the history of that position having been a lieutenant, Miksch said he hadn’t had the right person in the position to necessarily fill the title.

“I’m impressed with the amount [of knowledge] he has picked up, I’m impressed with his enthusiasm, he has a great way of dealing with the officers … he’s just been doing an outstanding job,” Miksch said.

He also noted that Casey has been doing the job, including working on policies and procedures in the department.

“If he’s doing the job, I think he deserves the title,” Miksch said. “That’s all it is right now, is a title. No one is asking for more money.”

The move is a title change to better reflect the job Casey is doing and the responsibility of the job. It also allows better interaction with other police agencies.

“I’m not going to put another person in the lieutenant’s position,” Miksch said in anticipation of that question from Selectmen. “There’s no funding for that. Those badges and the name plate will go on a shelf somewhere.”

But, it would be a good placeholder for future discussion if the right person became evident, he said.

“One of goals, if I leave, is to make sure that you have some choices as to whose going to be the next chief,” Miksch said. “I think it’s the sign of a very successful organization if they can promote from within.”

Selectmen Chairman Kenny Mitchell said a succession plan is a good idea, and Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett agreed, but expressed concern about potential issues the town’s labor counsel should advise them about.

“Not being a Civil Service community, we’re not bound by any of those laws,” Miksch said, but added he does not have a problem with selectmen consulting labor counsel, if that makes them more comfortable.

FitzGerald-Kemmett argued for either postponing a vote for two weeks for an opinion, or approve it on condition of approval by labor counsel. Selectmen voted to approve it subject to labor counsel OK.

Regarding the new officers Miksch said that, when the 911 communications — which encompassed five civilian positions —were transferred to the regional communications center in Duxbury, he sought an additional four officers to keep the station open.

“[It] still brought me in with less of a budget than I had before [the dispatchers] left,” he said.

One candidate, who was supposed to attend the academy in January, did not meet the requirements and left another position open. He decided to seek a trained officer in another department willing to make a lateral move to Hanson.

“As you know from the news, there aren’t a lot of people banging down the door to become cops anymore, but we got about 30 applicants,” Miksch said. Out of those, only five or six met the requirement of having completed a full-time academy.

They also brought in 10 part-time officers for interviews. One of those, Robert Mansfield, stood out, according to Miksch.

“He grew up in Whitman, he’s a W-H graduate, he worked on the Yarmouth Police Department,” Miksch said. After a short time, he transferred to Oak Bluffs when his wife started a job on Martha’s Vineyard. He attended the Randolph full-time academy and as five years’ experience on the job and can be appointed Nov. 1.

Mansfield is a graduate of UMass, Boston and attended the Mass. Maritime Academy where he majored in emergency management.

Appointed to begin service on completion of police academy were: part-time officers Nick Kanarski and Kyle Barsani.

Kanarski has been a part-time officer in Hanson for more than 10 years, Miksch said.

“He’s another local kid,” he said. “He worked in IT for WHRSD when the previous police chief appointed him as a part-time officer.”

Kanarski has done details, “hanging around to do the training he needs to do every year to keep up” and has been willing to work emergency night details despite also holding down a full-time job, the chief said.

“Nick would be a great full-time and he wants a career change,” Miksch said, noting he would begin the Plymouth Academy Feb. 1. Kanarski has worked for the Secret Service is also a personal trainer and his IT background will be helpful.

“My guys’ idea of fixing the printer is smacking it with something and hoping the paper fits,” Miksch said.

Barsani became a part-time officer in Hanson about six months ago, has been an auxiliary officer in Whitman for the past year and is finishing college, working on a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He is also a personal trainer and fitness instructor, at the Old Colony YMCA. He is expected to start the Cape Cod academy Jan. 4.

In other business, Selectmen voted Halloween activities in town.

Mitchell said it should go on as usual, with safety guidelines such as putting candy in bags to hand out.

“I really don’t see cancelling Halloween as a positive,” he said.

“It’s huge,” FitzGerald-Kemmett agreed. “I think people know that they need to be safe. … We’ve got little people who have had a pretty abysmal year, which is the understatement of the year, and this is some little amount of joy they can get before we’re all shut in for the winter.”

“Cancelling Halloween is out of the question,” said Selectman Jim Hickey, who has spoken with younger parents in town, who plan to accompanying their children to ensure social distancing.

“My house is going to be ready,” he said. “So, if somebody comes at 2 in the afternoon, I’m going to be ready. If somebody comes at 8 o’clock, my light’s out.”

Hickey and FitzGerald-Kemmett suggested touching base with the school district to reinforce safety issues with middle school students.

“If you’re at home handing out candy, wear a mask,” Selectman Matt Dyer said. “If you’re out trick-or-treating, wear a mask.”