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Cable access pact questioned

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HANSON — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, June 14 discussed reviewing the regional contract for Whitman-Hanson Community Access Television with legal counsel over budget, programming and personnel concerns since the current contract’s expiration last year.

Selectman Bruce Young said he received a call from a resident seeking information on “how cable access is run.”

“I first got involved in cable, back in the ’80s when I did a program, I just assumed that everything was taken care of by the cable company,” he said. “Which it was, I’m assuming, up until 2005 when this nonprofit corporation was formed between the two towns.”

Young obtained a copy of the most recent agreement between Hanson and Whitman, establishing the quasi-nonprofit corporation in 2005. He said that agreement expired in 2014.

It actually expired in 2015, according to Chairman of the WHCA Board of Dirctors Arlene Dias of Hanson, who plans to attend the next Selectmen’s meeting on Tuesday, June 28 to “clarify inaccuracies” in the June 14 discussion and to answer selectmen’s questions.

The contract’s expiration date was one of those inaccuracies, she said.

Dias said the cable access contact should have been renewed at the  same time as Hanson’s license contract with Comcast, which was completed in June 2015. New to her position, Dias said Monday she was not previously aware that had not been done. The last WHCA contract, approved 10 years ago, was finalized six months after the licensing agreement.

Rent on the Whitman studio is paid by the town of Whitman based on the amount of taxation it would pay, according to the 2005 pact. Young estimated the value of its equipment at about $340,000. An annual report and financial report are to be presented to both towns’ selectmen, as well as the results of a biannual audit.

Town Administrator Michael McCue has reached out to lawyer Bill Solomon, who works in cable TV law, and to Whitman Town Administrator Frank Lynam to discuss Young’s concerns.

Dias has assured him that the required reports have been filed, McCue said.

“All of the money that goes to support that cable studio appears to come out of [public access, educational and government] PEG — a percentage of everybody’s cable bill is devoted to funding that studio,” Young said. “The Board of Selectmen have a right to oversee how that money’s being spent, who the employees are — who’s getting paid — what their annual budget is, and how that money is being doled out.”

The board of directors represents the two towns equally, although there are vacancies, which Young argued should be done by the Hanson Board of Selectmen.

The late Stephen Roy had been retained in the full-time executive director post by a vote of Whitman Selectmen, Young noted.

“I’m assuming that any replacement of Stephen Roy would have to go through the Whitman Board of Selectmen,” He said. “I don’t see anything in the agreement as to who actually hires that particular individual, who replaces [them] or how it’s done.”

“I think we ought to consider getting a new director [to replace Roy] and a very qualified one for that position,” said Hanson resident Richard Edgehille. He advocated a person capable of conducting an outreach program to carry the facility into the future.

“It’s been lackadaisical and I think it’s time we move forward,” he said, charging that meetings are slow to be put on the air.

“We need to be briefed on what the process is,” said Selectmen Chairman James McGahan. “Maybe we need new blood in there.”

Liaisons set aside

In other business selectmen decided to discontinue public safety liaisons for the time being, but would prefer retaining regular reports from department heads.

“I feel we have strong department heads, excellent department heads, I think they do a great job,” said Selectman Kenny Mitchell. “With Mike [McCue] here, I think we have an excellent town administrator to work with these department heads and I just don’t think … we need to keep it.”

Selectman Bill Scott agreed, noting that as Police Department liaison he has not met with the chief in six months, but urging that the monthly reports be continued.

“There’s a war on police currently,” Scott said. “The job is way different even from when I was on the job — the shootings have by far increased. Our police have to be trained on this terrorist activity … I’m sure they are getting that, but they need more.”

Monthly reports are the best way of keeping up with the needs to support police and fire personnel, he said.

Adminstrator goals

The board also approved by consensus a list of goals and objectives for McCue, largely from a list Young compiled. That list includes:

• Completion of the demolition of the former Plymouth County Hospital and establish an acceptable plan for developing the site;

• Taking action, by litigation if necessary, to cancel the cell tower contract with Bay Communications, opening the prospects for other carriers;

• Working with the regional school committee to make necessary changes in the regional school agreement;

• Replacing the inadequate Highway Department facilities with the project at the former Lite Control site;

• Hiring of a new Recreation Services Director and work with the commission to make better use of Camp Kiwanee facilities;

• Encouraging land use committees to work more closely together to bring more commercial and light industrial business to town;

• All government boards and officials responsible for planning and conducting the town meetings should work together to ensure they are open, fair and purest form of democracy “by encouraging and promoting attendance and active participation and actively question articles and budget that they deem necessary.”

The School Committee is already working on a review of the regional agreement.

Scott requested the addition of another goal, noting the Police Department still needs to appoint a sergeant and has been without a lieutenant since the resignation of Lt. Joseph Yakavonis in January.

“Mr. McCue should work on that, possibly with the chief of police, to set up a testing agency with someone to see if any of our sergeants would be interested, or if we want to fill the lieutenant’s position,” Scott said.

McGahan advocated inclusion of the audit recommendation for changes in accounting procedures and a review of the open space agreement.

5K honors memory of sparking little girl

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East Bridgewater residents Heather and Shane Craven are inviting all local towns to come out to support their late daughter in the Sydney Craven Memorial Fund 5K Tutu Run & SparkeFest.

EAST BRIDGEWATER — March 28, 2013 was a special day for Heather and Shane Craven. The couple introduced two newborns, Sydney and Logan, who were separated by one minute at birth.

Gender was about the only thing that set these two apart, as they would spend countless days and nights living the same fun-filled lives. They were certainly joined at the hip. Little did the young family know what they were about to endure.

On March 19, 2015, nine days short of the twins’ second birthday, the Cravens’ lives were about to be turned upside down. The unimaginable, the indescribable, the incomprehensible happened; their beautiful daughter stopped breathing. The family went from perfect lives to an immediate state of grief. One thing was for certain, they wanted to continue Sydney’s legacy in more ways than a gravestone.

After Sydney’s passing, friends and family began to join together to carry on her smile and special touch by creating the Sydney Craven Memorial Fund, a non-profit organization. Now, the family is expanding their efforts to honor Sydney.

On Saturday, June 18, what is intended to be an annual event — the Sydney Craven Memorial Fund 5K Tutu Run & SparkleFest — will take place.

It’s not often that you see folks running through the streets in tutus, but Heather Craven said they were her daughter’s go-to outfit.

“Sydney was always in a tutu with a matching bow,” Craven said. “She loved to dance.”

The sparkle wasn’t something Sydney had to put on, it came natural, according to Craven.

“She was spunky, full of energy, and just was a sweet girl full of personality,” Craven said.

Registration for the run begins at 8 a.m. and will cost $20 for children and $30 for adults. Kids ages six to 12 will receive a water, banana, bar, and shirt. There will also be finish line snacks and water stops along the route. The race begins at 9 a.m.

The run will start at East Bridgewater Common, head down Central Street and sweep through Chestnut and Bridge Street before heading into the home stretch.

The SparkleFest on the common will also begin at 9 a.m. and will feature dancing and lawn games, crafts, a bounce house, face painting, and much more. The event will conclude at 1 p.m.

Craven said it was a no-brainer to have an event such as this one.

“Sydney’s legacy inspired me,” Craven said. “She was taken way to early, and unexpectedly. I wanted to do something immediately so people could remember her, and I could find strength from her fund.”

All of the money raised will go towards scholarships for children under the age of 12 in the East Bridgewater, Bridgewater, and West Bridgewater communities.

You can visit the Sydney Craven Memorial Fund’s website at sydneycraven.com.

Rooting out garden woes

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HANSON — It started as a Christmas gift for Les and Marian Wyman from their daughter, Joanne Gauley, but the self-published volume of gardening columns the couple wrote for the Brockton Enterprise in the 1970s and ’80s has become available to the public.

“The Grass Roots,” which was also the name of the column, was the topic of a reading and question-and-answer session at the Hanson Public Library on Sunday, June 12. Questions from the audience of gardening enthusiasts ranged from how to grow blue hydrangeas like they do on the Cape and Nantucket — he advised moving to Nantucket, with a chuckle — to when to move or prune trees, how to spread foxgloves, and encourage growth of rhubarb plants.

“Many, many different varieties of hydrangea have come along — blue ones, pink ones — but I like the white,” he said.

He also took the opportunity to dispel some gardening myths such as the one about ants being necessary to spur bloom in peonies, as well as some regarding other insects and spiders.

“I’ve heard a radio talk show host repeat this,” he said of the peony myth. “The ants are only looking for the waxy substance on the peony bud, which they feed on. It has nothing to do with the peony flowers opening. … But it’s been repeated so many times people are beginning to believe it.”

Wyman also said it was an old wive’s tale that the drops of water left on leaves will burn plant foliage, but cautioned against over-watering vegetable gardens, instead advocating a good soaking once a week when watering restrictions are lifted to keep soil well oxygenated.

Where water restrictions pose problems, as is currently the situation in Hanson, mulch or well-water use are the only methods to help soil retain water, according to Wyman.

Imparting her father’s expertise to new generations as well as a walk down a garden path of memories for those who remember her dad’s column, were Gauley’s aims.

“She had fun doing it and I had fun reading it,” Les Wyman said of the volume his daughter compiled and edited from a box of 732 column clippings saved by his friend Sam Hammond. “She showed up last Christmas with two shopping bags full of books. I knew she was thinking of doing it, but I didn’t realize she was going to go through with it and finish the job.”

That comprised the book’s first printing, so they contacted the publisher in southern Maine to order more, which are on sale at Wyman’s Nursery.

He outlined how the column began, his days doing a gardening show on WATD radio and gave some insight into how he came to write many of the columns included in the book.

“I found two-and-a-half pages [hand-written] on a legal pad was just about long enough for a column,” he said, noting his wife would then type up for submission to the paper in those days before computers. Marian often wrote as “Mrs. Garden Writer” at the end of the columns, too.

Gauley also included a note in the book’s introduction that some of the treatments for pests and plant conditions noted in the columns are no longer used or advised, but were accepted horticultural practices at the time they were written.

One column related how former Indian Head School Principal had his students plant a Dawn Redwood tree at Wyman’s suggestion as an Arbor Day project. The tree, which has been found in fossils all over the northern hemisphere, were rediscovered still growing by a Chinese botanist several decades ago.

“The seed was distributed to plant-growers all over the northern hemisphere so that Dawn Redwood is now growing again where it existed millions of years ago,” he said.

As to spreading foxglove from one year to the next, Wyman said the easiest way is to go to a nursery and buy another plant.

“Foxglove, or digitalis … is a biennial,” he said. “They grow seed, the seedlings winter over and flower the next year. The seed is scattered by wind. It’s just a freak of nature, you can’t depend on it.”

One can gather the dust-like seed and scatter it where it is wanted.

Where transplanting trees to another location is concerned, he said to wait until the tree is dormant after leaves fall or early spring before new leaves appear, but one can root-prune — cutting down through roots about 2 ½ feet around the trunk — sizable trees during the season before to encourage a more compact root system.

“There will be less shock when transplanting,” he said.

Wyman also discouraged fertilizing shrubs growing near foundations and to avoid placing plants too close to walnut trees, due to a chemical the tree emits that retards plant growth. If one smokes, always wash your hands before gardening to avoid spreading tobacco mosaic virus and always rotate garden crops to prevent disease.

For one gardner’s under-sized rhubarb conundrum, he had two words of advice: mulch and manure [or other organic fertilizer].

PCH site study is authorized

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HANSON — Selectmen on Tuesday night approved a request by the Final Plymouth County Hospital Reuse Committee to apply for a site visit by the nonprofit Urban Land Institute (ULI) as a way of nailing down a viable plan for the site of the crumbling ruin.

The investigation carries a $5,000 price tag, but committee member Marianne DiMascio said ULI helps applicants find grants to cover the cost and, if no grant is available, the town may withdraw its application without obligation.

The five-member committee has been meeting for five months and also includes Selectman Don Howard, Planning Board member Don Ellis, Conservation Commission member Phil Clemons and Robin Sparda-Curran.

“I think the committee is going in a great direction,” Ellis said. “I think we’ve got time to research other avenues, look at different things, we all seem to be coordinating together and going in a positive direction.”

Selectman Bill Scott cautioned that, as DiMascio said during her update on the committee’s work, nearly a half-dozen studies have already been conducted on the site over the past 16 years. The town bought the property in 1999. Demolition costs have been estimate of $1.5 million, but could go a bit higher.

“I’m just wondering if we’re not repeating ourselves,” Scott said of the ULI study. “It ends up being a history lesson every time.”

He noted the town just had the Old Colony Planning Council prove a comprehensive report on use of the site.

“The committee’s going to have to come up with some decisions and I don’t know if we need another outside source to tell us what we already know,” he said.

Clemons replied that ULI will be able to help with some of the more difficult questions remaining.

“What we would have would be a customized team more specifically put together for this project,” Clemons said. “There could be new information for zero or very close to zero dollars.

Requests for proposal may be written to find a developer interested in incorporating demolition costs into a given project, or to demolish the hospital in exchange for the eight acres of land. A combination of Community Preservation funds, grants and/or taxes is possible financing avenues, although officials are not enthusiastic about depending on taxes.

Selectmen, by consensus, endorsed the RFP avenue concurrently with the committee’s consultation with ULI.

Ellis said the committee may invite those submitting RFPs to come in and discuss their plans with the town administrator, within the zoning restrictions on the property. Scott agreed, noting it could result in plan mitigations that could benefit the town.

The focus of Tuesday’s discussion involved the parcel containing the former tuberculosis hospital. The two other parcels are a long strip of land and meadows and the land encompassing the food pantry and water tower, including a U-shaped section around the hospital site.

The meadow, according to almost every previous study, would be best used as open space for recreation and the committee has focused on the parcel containing the decaying, fire-damaged hospital building and eight acres of surrounding grounds.

“It’s just a dangerous building that needs to come down from everything we’ve read and heard about,” DiMascio said.

The committee had discussed the issue with lawyer and Hanson Housing Authority Chairman Teresa Santalucia regarding housing development possibilities on the site and with state Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Duxbury, on grant availability, as well as Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett on potential use of Community Preservation funds.

FitzGerald-Kemmett said there is $750,000 available and CPC funds can be bonded against future Community Preservation Act revenue.

“Obviously we don’t want to be using all the CPC money because then we wouldn’t be able to acquire any open space, restore any [properties],” she said. “But, as a committee, we’ve talked about it exhaustively and — to a person — we’re quite in favor of trying to use this money to try and do something positive up at Plymouth County Hospital.”

Selectmen Chairman James McGahan said he does not advocate using all the CPA funds either, and said the ULI study may provide the town more time to figure out how to fund the demolition.

CPA funding would also carry deed restrictions requiring it to be used for open space, historic preservation or passive recreation unless the town reimburses the CPA for use of its funds.

“I don’t want to start getting into taxes, that has to be a last resort,” McGahan said.

Funding for over-55 housing has been drying up in recent years, but is more likely for multi-generational housing or a project linked to proximity to the commuter rail, DiMascio said the committee has found. An abutter suggested looking into bringing a Recovery Centers of America treatment facility to the site, but she cautioned that — while it would have minimal traffic impact — a drug treatment facility may have more negatives for the town than benefits.

“We’re just putting up here what we’ve found, we’re not promoting anything at this moment,” she said.

In other business, Selectmen authorized Town Administrator Michael McCue to work with the town’s labor lawyer Leo Peloquin on the inquiry into Camp Kiwanee operations, and to require Recreation Commission members and camp employees to fully cooperate, including their providing all requested documents and participation in interviews with Peloquin and McCue.

Selectmen declined an amendment, suggested by Selectman Bruce Young, to the original motion to limit the inquiry to 30 days. The amendment did not receive a second, and was not accepted.

“It’s been going on for too long, I want it to get resolved,” Young said.

“My understanding in discussions with counsel is that the cooperation has been not up to par,” McGahan said in speaking against a time limit. He suggested giving McCue until the June 28 meeting to determine how the process is going. The inquiry had already been voted, Tuesday’s vote only allows McCue to help.

New Recreation Commission Chairman James Hickey said employees are feeling uneasy about the lingering inquiry and also advocated a time limit.

Selectman Don Howard recused himself, as he had in the past because of a relative who abuts Kiwanee. While that is no longer the case, McCue said Howard was permitted to recuse himself for any reason without explanation and he preferred to do so.

Finding Direction: Vo-Tech grads discover their career calling

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HANOVER — For the 139 graduates receiving diplomas from South Shore Regional Vocational Technical High School on Friday, June 10, the ceremony meant much more than an end to classes and the ubiquitous post-ceremony cigars.

As Superintendent-Director Dr. Thomas Hickey, noted their high school experience has meant finding a calling or at least building a foundation for discovering what that calling might be.

“We believe that discovering a career, learning a trade, can help one discover one’s calling,” he said. “We gave you choice, opportunity and time and surrounded you with great teachers and resources. And as a result you have built for yourselves a solid career foundation, and wherever life takes you, I am sure your foundation will help you discover your calling.”

While Hickey focused on allied health student Rebecca Reardon of Rockland, culinary student Connor Christie of Whitman and metal fabrication/welding student Tim Cashman of Abington as examples of his point, the school’s co-valedictorians and other student speakers also illustrate it.

Reardon will study occupational therapy in college, and Christie plans to attend the Culinary Institute of America with a goal of following his love of working as a line chef. But Hanson Valedictorian James Cosgrove, a metal fabrication/welding student plans to study nursing at UMass, Dartmouth and Abington Valedictorian Rachel Rapson, a drafting student, plans to major in pre-veterinary at Beckett College. Senior Class President Emily Flynn of Whitman, an auto student plans to major in education in college with the goal of becoming a middle school teacher.

“Your future is like another exploratory program,” Hickey said. “So take the advice we gave you as freshmen: Be flexible, try your best, be open to learning new skills.”

Flynn and Cosgrove reminded classmates of the progress they’d made since entering SSVT as nervous freshmen, and the life lesson that progress holds.

“Walking into the doors freshman year was OK for a few of us, but for the unlucky majority it was scary,” Flynn said. “Coming out of this school, we are going to be technicians, cosmetologists, graphic designers, generals in the Army and much more.”

She added that, with the educational opportunities afforded by SSVT, that even if they don’t stick with their trades, they come away with an education to last a lifetime.

“For those of us entering college or the workforce, I urge you to always remember where you started and to think about the positives of what Vo-Tech has brought us, even if it’s something as simple as an inside joke or as meaningful as lifetime friends,” he said.

He also reminded the class that they have already impressed people outside their school for what they have learned outside the classroom, relating how a waitress at their prom venue had complimented them.

“‘I can tell you guys are Tech kids,’” he recalled. “I didn’t know where she was going with it, but then she went on to say that we had a certain maturity about us. It was a nice memory on top of a fun night.”

Rapson, too, spoke of the dividends gleaned from their high school years.

“For the past four years, we have been going to school together, finding friends and creating relationships,” she said. “And the day has come where we will be leaving this community. … We are able to grow and see the world. We get the chance to live our lives, educated and inspired, a privilege other people don’t always get.”

The Class of 2016 had a sense of fun, too, which was evident by the mortar board décor alone — cosmetology students tweaked the title of last year’s biopic about rappers NWA with their “Straight Outta Cosmo” caps and Student Body President Madeline Long of Rockland referenced the catchphrase for Disney’s “Up,” “Adventure is out there.”

Assistant Principal Mark Aubrey literally gave a tip of his hat to the graduates’ humor after relating the fate of the senior prank. A group of students planned to camp out on his front lawn, he said — but were unaware he had moved.

The class also held a beach party on the school’s front lawn last week, but didn’t tell him because they were concerned he’d be angry.

“I’m just mad I wasn’t invited,” he said, pulling an over-sized white, black and green Aloha shirt out from behind the podium and putting it on over his robe, topping it off with his trademark black cowboy hat before announcing scholarship awards.

School budget finalized: State budget eyed as time limit forces local decision

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The School Committee, faced with a daunting time window, voted Wednesday, June 8 to approve the 3.5-percent assessment increases passed by Whitman and Hanson town meetings within the levy limit.

They also reluctantly voted to transfer an additional $200,000 from excess and deficiency — before the assessment vote — in order to ensure class size issues were dealt with at Conley, Indian Head and perhaps Duval schools. Both were 8-0 votes, with members Robert O’Brien Jr., and Alexandra Taylor absent.

That means Whitman’s share will be $10,956,757 and Hanson’s is $7,715,066 of a level-service budget of $46,914,344 for fiscal 2017.

No one was happy with either decision, but Business Services Director Christine Suckow cautioned there were serious deadlines to consider.

“We discussed the time frame,” School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes said. “If we don’t have a budget in place by June 30 it starts triggering other problems.”

Suckow explained that, if the district did not meet the June 30 deadline for an approved budget, school officials would have had to inform the Commissioner of Education of the situation. The district could then use 1/12 of the current budget each month until a new budget could be approved.

“Which would be fine for July and August, but come September when we have three payrolls … we won’t be able to make our payroll obligations,” she said. “If we do not have one by Dec. 30 of this year, then we’d go into receivership and the Department of  Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will take over the budget, plain and simple.”

The September payroll period is most problematic without a budget because that is when the height of costs is felt, along with the start of the new school year. A limitation of 1/12 of what the towns would assess overdraws that first payroll.

Hayes said there were several options facing the committee on June 8 — lessen the amount of the Student Success Budget, accept the level-service budget or go somewhere in between, which would trigger another override anyway as neither town has the funds to exceed the level-service budget available now. He also suggested the E&D transfer, which would reduce the account to a “dangerous” level of $415,000 could help. The decision to vote the transfer was helped by Suckow’s cautious forecast that end-of-budget-year figures could allow officials to return it to more than $1 million through savings in health insurance, utilities after a mild winter, personnel movement and a $62,000 FEMA reimbursement from costs incurred during the winter of 2014-15, among other savings.

“I want everyone to be cognizant that is one-time money we’re spending to get us over a hump,” said committee member Fred Small. “That said, I think we’re in dire straits and an emergency situation.”

The situation left a bad taste in the mouths of committee members, and residents attending the meeting, alike.

A Woodbine Avenue resident of Hanson, who moved to town only two years ago and is expecting a child, is already planning to move because of the failed override.

“We knocked down a house and built a new house that was worth two-and-a-half times more than the old one — we’re the type of people you want in your town and in your district, but given the state of the schools … we don’t plan to stay in town,” said Amy Koskowski, who is an educator, as is her husband. “We don’t see the towns value education. … I think it’s important that you know that it’s a bigger issue. Within the region, people don’t want to come here.”

Whitman resident Marshall Ottina said he is still angry about the vote outcome.

“Plain and simple, our community is not properly investing in our children,” he said. “If the towns continually to refuse to bake a bigger pie, it’s time for the schools to demand a bigger piece.”

They received no argument from School Committee members.

“We’re giving the assumption that we can fix things and we’re back to where we were,” said member Stephen Bois.

“I’m hoping that the Student Success Budget stays somewhat intact for the next fiscal year so we can move it forward,” said committee member Robert Trotta. “After the election I heard it said ‘Well, the people spoke,’ but I don’t know what they spoke about.”

He questioned whether that meant there were too many taxes, that they don’t support public education, that they don’t trust the school committee or that they had no interest in the town past their house and property.

“Everybody knows my position, that public education should be supported by the town,” Trotta said.

Small echoed those sentiments but cautioned if the committee did not certify a budget, it would place the school district in jeopardy.

“If we can’t swallow everything all at once, we’ve got to just keep taking little bites of the apple to get to where we need to be,” Small said.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner reported that, on the state budget level, including the increase in per-pupil funding to $55 per student under Chapter 70 [an additional $140,000 for W-H] as well as increases to regional transportation, Circuit Breaker and, possibly, Charter School reimbursement would be a plus for the district budget.

“There is some revenue we can’t account for, for sure,” she said.

She said discussions with the school principals showed they are unanimous in seeing a need for using any available funds within the level-service budget should go to reducing elementary school class sizes and re-opening libraries.

Ottina suggested that cuts, if necessary, should occur at the high school until class size and library problems are resolved at the elementary level.

“One of the core values of our leadership team has always been what goes on inside the classroom,” Gilbert-Whitner said. “The understanding and consensus of that team was, if any additional funding should come into the district, the first priority would be to tackle the big class size issues that we have, particularly at the Conley School right now.”

While the move would only benefit one school, the leadership team recognizes that the problem is most immediate. She is also looking into the possibility of using partial staffing, as well as some “new ways of looking at how we do library services,” to help re-open the libraries if revenue allows it.

New Hanson member Christopher Howard was concerned that the state funding would not materialize to help ease the class size and library issues.

“Everything on the Student Success budget is important,” Howard said. “The leadership team’s at a point where they need to look at trying to prioritize.”

Committee members from both towns said they have spoken to their respective finance committees about building future budgets and Hayes indicated the entire school committee should attend those sessions.

“They need to see the 10 of us,” he said. “We never want to see public education become the haves and have-nots.”

Hayes and Gilbert-Whitner also advocate multiple public hearings on the school budget before it gets to Town Meeting to answer residents’ questions and concerns.

W-H Community Evening School graduates 30

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For the 30 graduates of the W-H Community Evening School, the commencement ceremonies Thursday, June 2 were akin to a victory lap after a marathon.

A large audience of family, friends and fellow CES students filled the Dr. John F. McEwan Performing Arts Center to help celebrate that victory.

Co-Director of the program William V. Glynn, in his welcoming speech, congratulated the 27 graduates who were able to attend the ceremony for the hard work they put in to succeed. He also took the opportunity to offer some final words of advice.

“And you are forced to listen to me — one last time,” he said irreverently before concluding that the graduates are assuming an important place in society.

“I need you out there,” Glynn said. “The money-lenders, the authoritarians, the know-nothings — they’re out there and they’re in it to win it. I need you out there and the community needs you out there, the nation needs you out there and, I’m not afraid to say it, this planet needs you out there. Get out there.”

Before Co-Director Dianne Nicol announced guests graduates had asked to award their diplomas, Glynn advised the Class of 2016 to not freak out as they face the future, to have faith in themselves, to listen, abide, not to “talk smack” about others on social media and give into hate, to keep reading and continue working hard to achieve their dreams.

“Believe in yourself — you can do it,” he said. “You made it here today after any number of ridiculous or dreadfully serious roadblocks, mistakes, issues, failings, but you made it.”

He said their success shows a willingness to take responsibility for themselves.

Calm, cool responses in difficult circumstances can positively infect those around you and that  “amazingly beautiful, amazingly good, amazingly true things tend to happen when people don’t give in to losing their heads,” Glynn said.

He also advised the graduates to take chances and travel to far away lands — “and I’m not talking about the Cape or Rhode Island when I say that,” he stressed  — eat freaky foods, make friends with different kinds of people and avoid being overly impressed with wealth, power or celebrity.

“Be the same you when speaking with Barack from D.C. as you would with Chip, the pizza dude, from Tri-Town,” Glynn said.

School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner noted Glynn was a hard act to follow, but offered their own advice to the graduates.

“Everything [Glynn] just said to you, I know came from his heart,” Hayes said. “The path you took to get here tonight had a few bumps in the road … but you made it, that’s the whole thing.”

Hayes urged the graduates to continue the commitment to graduate as they face the future outside of school.

“That’s the key to success as long as you never, ever give up,” he said. “Keep searching for the answers to problems.”

Gilbert-Whitner spoke about decisions, noting a recent study calculated that adults make about 35,000 decisions a day — 226.7 daily decisions about food alone.

“Some decisions seem to have little impact on us, while others may change the course of our lives,” Gilbert-Whitner said. “The decision you made to enroll in W-H Community Evening School was one of those life-changing decisions.”

She said that thoughtful and deliberate choice will serve the graduates well throughout their entire lives and urged them to keep making those good decisions.

Graduates are: Madison M. Beguerie, Robert E. Cavicchi, Kimberly J. Chalmers, Dominic A. Colarusso, Nicholas L. Consalvi, James W. Cullity, Nicholas J. Dearden, Michael W. Eaves, Jaime Escalera Torres, Robert P. Fader, Brandon A. Jenness, Jacob M. Joyce, Ryan J. Kelly, Jesse S. Knight, Allison M. Leitch, Matthew C. Linn, Kyle J. Lydon, Charlie J. McAdam, Joseph M. McDonald, Jared A. Moussalli, Nicholas D. Murphy, Joshua C. O’Brien, Brandon A. Paulo, Marita J. Roblee, Nicole D. Sanchez and Stephanie A. Scammell.

Not present, but having earned diplomas were: Edward J. George, Tadg F. Jenness and Breanna V. Trabulsie.

Opioids remain a concern: Overdose numbers are down slightly officials say

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WHITMAN — There has been a slight decrease in the number of overdoses in town so far this year, but there is still work to be done, Whitman police and fire chiefs reported to the Board of Selectmen Tuesday, June 7.

Police Chief Scott Benton and Fire Chief Timothy Grenno provided a statistical snapshot of their departments during their monthly reports to selectmen.

Benton said there have been 5,656 log calls between Jan. 1, and May 6, compared to 4,782 during the same period last year and noted there have been 14 overdoses, two fatal, as of May 31, compared to 19 overdoses with one fatality during the same period last year. As of May 31, the department has recorded 181 arrests, criminal complaints and protective custodies.

Grenno reported 199 emergency responses in May, with Mondays being the busiest day and 59.8 percent of the calls being for rescue or EMS services and 10 percent of transports being for behavioral emergencies. The department also dealt with three DOAs in May, two directly related to opioid overdoses. Of sick patients the department helps, 4 percent have been Priority 1 patients requiring three firefighters to help them.

“The opioid crisis continues to be at the forefront,” Benton said, crediting legislation and the efforts of schools and community groups to aid police in combating the problem. “People are working tirelessly, I know. … This is not something that we’re just going to fix overnight, unfortunately.”

He said it will take a while before effect of a new state  law limiting the length of new prescriptions for opioid pain killers is known.

Selectman Brian Bezanson asked Benton about the approach one Massachusetts police chief is taking — agreeing to help get addicts into rehab instead of charging them if they voluntarily surrender drugs and paraphernalia to police. Bezanson noted that district attorneys have problems with that approach.

“I’m for anything that is going to help people,” Benton said. “I think probably the concern is police departments can’t grant amnesty to people, that’s the district attorney.”

Benton said police are concerned with probable cause before charging people, but indicated he is willing to try to help people who ask for it.

“I think anything that works, that helps people with this epidemic … it’s a public health and a public safety issue,” Benton said. “We have to deal with it. I’m proud of the way this town is dealing with it.”

The issue of probable cause also cropped up regarding the death of a dog last week at a local grooming business, as Benton also replied to Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski’s inquiry about that case.

“A lot of negative energy has been spent on that,” Kowalski said. “I love dogs. Dogs are good. It’s a sad thing, but that explosion on social media about that event [was] way over-blown.”

Benton agreed that pets are important to people and he does not take such incidents lightly, but the department is charged with investigating criminal activity. Animal Control Officer Lisa McKay, who is an ACO in several communities and has earned a solid reputation for her work, he said.

“She wouldn’t sweep something under the rug, even if you wanted her to,” Benton said.

The chief said they reviewed the groomer’s surveillance video, which showed six other dogs on premises at the time that were not harmed. There had never been a complaint filed against the business owners and no veterinary reports indicating involvement in the dog’s demise. A necropsy was not performed because the family was advised that the dog’s fever would have negated any results, according to Benton.

“Why did the dog die? I don’t know,” Benton said. “Our sole responsibility was looking at did Canine Groomers, in any way, negligently or recklessly — through a criminal act — facilitate that dog’s injury or death? The answer is no.”

Benton said once the incident was posted on Facebook, before the investigation took place, accusations of the police covering up for a business in town began.

“Do you know how many people we lock up? We lock up Whitman residents,” Benton retorted. “We don’t care. It is what it is.”

Benton said the business owners have since received threats to kill them or burn their house down.

“There was nothing, based on the evidence, that we were able to [determine] from the information we had,” he said. “The threshold is probable cause. We don’t worry about innocence or guilt, that’s up to the jury. Probable cause is not there.”

Bezanson agreed there are no winners in a case such as this one and commended Benton for his investigation.

Grenno also reported that a 21-year-old ambulance is being replaced, but the department may be running with a single ambulance in July. A new pumping engine, approved about two years ago, will be in service in about two weeks, with all necessary equipment to respond to both fires and motor vehicle accidents.

The LUCAS devices, which supply automatic chest compressions for CPR, have helped save more lives, including one cardiac patient who was taken directly to a cardiac catheterization procedure with the LUCAS device still in place during surgery.

“The important factor is to show what we’ve spent Town Meeting funds on for equipment for the ambulances,” Grenno said. “Last year we bought two LUCAS devices … We’ve had more patients delivered to the Brockton Hospital with pulses since we put those in service than we have in the past 20 years.”

The Fire Department observed Firefighters’ Memorial Sunday on June 5, bestowing service awards to 11 department members for service milestones ranging from 20 to 30 years.

In other business, a resident, frustrated by the failure of the school budget override, asked Selectmen Tuesday night if there was an alternative to the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday polling hours for Town Elections.

“I had no idea you had a vote on Saturday, 9 to 5,” said New York native Mary Fox of Washington Street, who has grandchildren in the W-H school system. “I think that’s a little restrictive. People have 12-hour shifts, they work. I would prefer, if at all possible that another date be selected and a bigger window … such as 12 hours to vote.”

Town Administrator Frank Lynam replied that town bylaws dictate a third Saturday in May election.

“We have actually tried to reschedule both Town Meeting and election in the past and we failed miserably in each case,” he said.

Lynam added that absentee ballots are available to those who can’t vote in person due to absence from the town during poll hours or are prevented from voting in person due to physical disability or religious belief.

“Our intent is to invite, not disenfranchise voting,” he said.

Positively awesome: Class of 2016 graduates 267 to new roads

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The Whitman-Hanson Regional High School Class of 2016 has already made its mark in the community and, with the Friday, June 3 graduation ceremony behind them, they are focusing on what Valedictorian Lea Polito calls “the power to be positive ” as they approach the future.

“As humans, we tend to absorb the attitudes that surround us and reflect these attitudes in our own behavior, which is why I think that we are in the midst of a general slump in our country today,” she said. “However, I do not think the world has to be cruel. Within each of us exists a power — the power to be positive … there is power in simply doing the right thing.”

One need only take a tour of the school for evidence of that, noted Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner in her remarks.

“Throughout the high school, I saw information about Special Olympics, Best Buddies (it takes just you to make a difference), Relay for Life, Cancer Awareness Week, and support for Children’s Hospital,” she said.  “In the library, Portraits of Kindness, the Whitman-Hanson Art in Action memory project for children living in Ethiopian orphanages, was on display.”

Students have been active in feeding neighbors and protecting the environment, too. The latter reflected in the class gift, the addition of environmentally friendly, refillable water bottle stations.

“Every graduating class has an overarching personality,” Class Treasurer Joshua Spicer said in announcing the gift. “Our class is full of leaders and innovators who are very interested in and compassionate about the world we live in. We are a class that is well aware that many small actions can lead to something bigger than ourselves.”

The Class of 2016 hopes the water stations will encourage future students and staff to consider the effect of small actions on the greater world.

“My tour of this high school served as a testimony that you, the Class of 2016, through your involvement in an array of activities, concern for the environment, and service to others have learned the skills necessary to become responsible citizens,” Gilbert-Whitner said. “You have offered your time, energy, and commitment for meaningful participation in plays, projects, presentations, and organizations by demonstrating the skills of self-discipline, positive goal setting, and team work.”

As W-H Principal Jeffrey Szymaniak spoke of some of the graduate’s accomplishments, the numbers spoke for themselves.

There were 76 John and Abigail Adams Scholarship winners, based on MCAS scores; seven seniors received college book awards; five won prestigious science or social service prizes; four won music prizes; four art students were honored for their professional endeavors; Student Council members received the Gold Council of Excellence Award for their charitable and service projects; 34 seniors earned All-Scholastic sports team honors; and 23 won sportsmanship awards.

The show choir High Frequency, the boys’ basketball team and the cheerleading team were recognized for competition championships as were other teams participating in post-season play, as well as students participating in music, drama, art, DECA, Key Club, sports programs, CSL internships and honors societies.

Thirteen members of the Class of 2016 also plan to serve their country, with five joining the U.S. Marine Corps, another joining the Air Force and seven enlisting in the Army or another branch of the service. They received a standing ovation from classmates when they were announced.

One member of the Community Evening School Class of 2016 is also joining the Marines.

West Point-bound

During the Wednesday, June 1 Dollars for Scholars/Community and School awards ceremonies, senior Samantha Coletti was awarded her certificate of appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

The West Point liaison officer for the Mass. 8th Congressional District, Lt. Col. William Ramsey presented Coletti with her appointment, representing a scholarship valued at more than $250,000.

“I would like you to meet one of your neighbors who is stepping up to the challenge of accepting a West Point appointment,” Ramsey said. “As an officer, she will be entrusted with the responsibility of leading your sons and daughters all over the world. In these trying times, it is important that we all realize the magnitude of this responsibility and Samantha has proven to-date that she has what it takes to be successful at West Point and in our Army.”

West Point’s mission is to train and educate a corps of cadets so that each graduate is a mission leader of character committed to the values of duty, honor country and prepared to serve with professionalism as an Army officer, Ramsey said.

“Tonight, we celebrate and reward hard work, dedication to school and academic achievement,” Szymaniak said before the awards were presented. The combined awards programs bestowed a total of $230,000 in scholarship awards this year.

“We would like to express thanks for the businesses and organizations, alumni and the townspeople of Whitman and Hanson whose overwhelming generosity and support for Dollars for Scholars allows us the ability to award $125,055 to the Class of 2016,” said DFS President Michael Ganshirt before he and Treasurer Jean Dean awarded the 54th annual scholarships, some of which are matched by colleges.

Recognizing the importance of student volunteers toward DFS scholarship fundraising, Ganshirt announced the $1,000 Nancy McLaughlin Volunteer Award, honoring the student who put in the most volunteer hours for DFS, was earned by Nils Wanchers, who will attend UMass, Boston in the fall.

Kayaker recovered from Silver Lake

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HALIFAX– A man who drowned while boating at Silver Lake Friday, June 3, has been recovered and identified. Shi Hu, 28, of Boston, was found in the water shortly after noon, Sunday, June 5, by State Police divers, according to Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz.

Local officials said that  at approximately 1:23 p.m., Friday, June 3, the Halifax Fire Department and the Halifax Police Department responded to a report that an individual had fallen into the water and was struggling offshore from the Brockton-owned water treatment facility located on Route 36, situated on Silver Lake straddling the Halifax/Pembroke line.

There were multiple witnesses to the incident, both from the water and shore, saying they believed the victim was fishing with a friend, according to officials. The friend was in a canoe, and the victim was in a kayak, which then overturned.

The friend attempted to reach the victim before he went underwater, but was unable to reach him in time. An investigation into how the drowning exactly occurred is ongoing. The victim was not believed to be wearing a life preserver, multiple sources say.

During the initial response, employees at the water treatment facility assisted firefighters by shuttling them on a facilities boat to the last known position of the victim. That initial search was not successful, at which time Halifax officials called for assistance from the State Police, Environmental Police and the Plymouth County Technical Response Team (Dive Unit).

More than a dozen Plymouth County communities responded, and scores of rescuers from local and state agencies were quickly on scene with specialized equipment, coordinated by Halifax Fire Chief Jason Vivieros.

Rescuers suspended the search on Friday evening, after a herculean effort to locate the missing boater with no success. By Saturday morning, the search and rescue mission had grimly turned into a recovery operation.

The State brought in a mobile command post and other assets to assist with the recovery efforts. Personnel from as far away as Rhode Island were seen and a staging area for divers was bustling with activity as firefighters, police, and others supported the efforts of divers in the lake from shore.

Advanced “side-scan” sonar was used to scour the lake bottom, along with cameras and other technologies, which had very low visibility, say sources. Sonar (sound navigation and ranging) uses sound waves to find and identify objects in the water. Side-scan sonar is a specialized system for detecting objects at the bottom of a body of water.

At around 11 a.m., Saturday, about a half-dozen family members of the victim arrived, and appeared to speak with various officials, who sources say updated them on the recovery efforts. They could be seen, visibly distraught, under a tent set up on a lawn near the mobile command post.

Local firefighters and police were seen comforting them and providing them with water and other amenities. The family members left after about two hours. Members of the press were politely asked to keep their distance, which they did, although distraught crying could be heard from hundreds of feet away.

On Sunday, the decedent was finally recovered, under gray skies and a light rain. Although State Police say they actually made the recovery, they did note that it was a “cooperative mission.” Within a couple of hours, almost everyone had left, leaving behind just a handful of law enforcement and fire officials.

Officials say they do not yet know how the man gained access to the lake (and if so, if it was via the treatment facility), although Halifax Police Chief Edward Broderick mentioned that Silver Lake is a popular fishing area, where fishing may be, “Tolerated…”, but, “not encouraged.”

Use of the lake is restricted because it is a component of the City of Brockton water supply. “No Trespassing” signs are widely visible around Silver Lake. Motor boats and swimming are strictly prohibited, but other restrictions Brockton puts on the lake were not specifically known.  Broderick could not say if the man was trespassing on the lake at the time of the incident.

The Plymouth County Tactical Response Unit, via Twitter, thanked all of the responding agencies. In a statement late Sunday evening, Chief Broderick on behalf of the Town of Halifax said, “Our sympathies go out to the family and friends of [the victim of] this tragedy.”