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You are here: Home / Archives for News

Whitman eyes building needs

February 16, 2023 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

WHITMAN – Facilities Manager Todd DeCouto asked the Select Board on Tuesday, Feb. 7 to consider hiring an additional full-time maintenance person for town buildings, as he described an stutter-step approach to the maintenance work in town during the years he has worked there while other town departments are experiencing custodial and maintenance needs as well.
“I can talk about how maintenance has started to warp since I started about 15 years ago to where we are today,” DeCouto said. “It’s been a big change.
His responsibilities when he began working for the town were to maintain Town Hall, including cleaning and snow removal. At that time, there were also part-time maintenance workers at the library, Police Station and the Council on Aging. After three years, those positions were eliminated, and the work combined under DeCouto’s job description.
A full-time maintenance person was hired about three years after that, which made his job a lot easier, he said, even as he still had responsibilities for some work in the other buildings.
“Then that dissolved and I went back to taking care of all the buildings,” he said.
An outside company was then hired for a couple of years, DeCouto outlined, as he remained the contact point for department heads.
“That dissolved, and then it fell on me, again,” he said about another three-year period during which he averaged about 60 hours per week, aided by a part-time associate on the weekends who helped with snow removal.
“Now, with the position that I’m in, the part-time maintenance associate went into the full-time union, but it’s a lot of buildings to cover for one person,” DeCouto said.
While the Police Department still has an outside company come in three days per week for the building that takes a minimum of 30 hours a week to clean and maintain, DeCouto said his job is still difficult.
“It’s definitely not a want, it’s an absolute need,” he said of his request for another worker. “I know money’s tight, but it’s definitely something we do need.”
He said a full-time hire at-will person could fill the need, as well, doing custodial work at the library – which is a 20-to 25-hour job – and the Senior Center is another 10- to 15-hour job.
“To be truthful with you, we probably need a full-time and another part-time, but, I know that’s not going to happen,” DeCouto said.
Vice Chair Dan Salvucci asked if there was anything in the library, police or senior center budgets from which funds could be used to fill the positions.
“If the Police Station is hiring outside, and we eliminate that and hire somebody for the town that would take care of the Police Station … does one offset the other?” he said. “I’m just asking.”
Police Chief Timothy Hanlon said part of the issue is control.
When they’ve needed DeCouto he’s been able to come in, but some of the outside vendors the department has used were also doing work at the DPW, Council on Aging, Library [and] no one was certain where they were or what they were doing, Hanlon said.
“When they came in a bare minimum and showed up, we were kind of thankful,” Hanlon said. After the pandemic the department determined they needed someone on a more permanent basis, which is what we did, and they’re working out fantastically, so I don’t want to change that as far as custodial service goes.”
Maintenance, on the other hand, is lacking, he said, saying that as the 11-year-old building ages, more maintenance needs will crop up. DeCouto said the station’s backup cooling system has failed a couple of times and needs to be replaced and the HVAC control systems need to be upgraded.
The town is barely keeping up with the needs of the library, Town Hall and senior center to “give them the attention they need – that they deserve.” DeCouto said.
Select Board member Justin Evans asked if the department’s outside cleaning service was CARES Act or ARPA-funded or built-in to the budget. Hanlon said the funds were built-in.
Fire Chief Timothy Clancy said his department has been “single-handedly” keeping DeCouto busy during that week, as well as ongoing projects.
“The problem becomes, he’s only one person,” Clancy said. “I think Todd will agree, I can probably keep [him] busy 40-plus hours a week, just at my station.”
Chair Randy LaMattina asked DeCouto to put together a job description and salary ranges so the board could further discuss it at the next meeting. He said the market is tough for finding someone qualified to perform the maintenance work the town needs.
Interim Town Administrator Frank Lynam said the reality of the situation is that this is not a year to add [personnel].
“I can’t remember the last year that was a year to add,” he said. “But we’ll address the needs as best we can.”
“I just want to put it on the radar,” DeCouto said.
In other business, the board reached a consensus against supporting a request to place vending machines at Memorial Field to be used by teams that play there.
Lynam said he had some minor concerns centering on the installation of power and the potential for vandalism, which has been seen there from time to time. He reached out to DPW Parks and Highways Superintendent Bruce Martin for his opinion and he had similar concerns as well as the potential for empties being left strewn on the ground.
“I’m just not too sure it’s worth taking that step,” he said, noting most kids today bring their own reusable bottles of beverages to drink such as water or Gatoraid. “My observation is, it’s a solution looking for a problem. I rarely see kids unprepared for a couple hours of baseball.”
LaMattina said his concern was that the request was coming from a private vendor instead of one that would roll over funds into a town league. Lynam said his understanding was it would do that.
“It seems like a highly motivated guy who’s willing to do a lot of work to make something like this happen,” Select Board member Shawn Kain said. He said, while it doesn’t seem like exactly the right fit, with the right connection with an organization like WSBA, a solution could be reached.
Lynam said he has seen a lack of respect for facilities at Whitman Park.
“It’s sad,” he said. “I’m not adamantly opposed to it, I’m just not sure it’s a good idea.”
Hanlon said town security cameras can provide a limited view of the area.

Filed Under: More News Left, News

Hanson reviews regional pact talks

February 16, 2023 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

HANSON – The Select Board discussed progress of the Regional Agreement revision, expressing support for a two-thirds vote for all measures before the School Committee.
Select Board member Jim Hickey reported on the Regional Agreement Subcommittee meetings he and Town Administrator Lisa Green attend, during the board’s meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 7.
“Last night, we just finished going over the “Big Seven, I would call them,” Hickey said of the main issues being discussed, at the meeting they attended on Feb. 6.
Those included, bus schedules, leasing and statutory assessment method, among others.
“Right now, it seems like a good round table of discussion,” he said, noting that what School Committee Chairman Christopher Howard is looking to do, is put together the language so he and Green could bring it back for the board to review.
“One of the major concerns is the number of School Committee members, where they have six and we have four,” Hickey said. “It’s been talked about to make all votes two-thirds [to pass].”
He said that he had stated at an earlier meeting that one problem is votes cast by way of how members thought their individual towns would want, instead of what is best for the district.
“I thought that was wrong,” he said.
Votes should be cast with an eye to what is best for the district and its students and faculty.
“That was my concept of the two-thirds vote,” Hickey said.
Select Board Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said she agreed with the two-thirds vote, asking what the downside could be for Whitman.
“It sounds like there’s some disagreement, but everybody’s being cordial,” she said.
“Oh, absolutely,” Hickey said. “It’s very cordial.”
“It’s very good dialog and conversation,” Green said. “Also, pointing out the areas that could lead to confusion, especially capital costs – what’s an emergency cost and making sure language in the agreement corresponds and is in agreement with language in leases.”
Select Board member Joe Weeks, who agreed with the two-thirds vote, asked if there had been any push-back, and Hickey replied that there had been.
“I’m hoping the Whitman Selectmen will kind of look at it again,” he said.
“I think if anybody put themselves in the place of the Hanson taxpayers, they could see that it was a difficult pill to swallow,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said asking what the downside would be for Whitman. “And we have swallowed it, but we’re just looking for an acknowledgment, … and a feeling as though the playing field is level.”
She said she strongly doubts School Committee members vote solely for the interest of their town, but added the two-thirds removes any doubt“I’m not going to be diplomatic about it, but mistakes have been made in the past … but we’re trying to fix [it], for people that take our places in the future” Hickey said, adding that includes frequent review of the agreement – perhaps as often as every three years.

Filed Under: More News Right, News

MOVING ON UP:

February 16, 2023 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

Hanson Pack 34 held its Blue and Gold Ceremony Thursday, Feb. 2, during which 15 Cub Scouts crossed over and become Boy Scouts. Above, – Blake Miller received his Boy Scout epaulets At left, Brady Adams crosses over to Boy Scouts See more photos, page 6.
Courtesy photos, Craig Guido

Filed Under: Featured Story, News

Hanson begins WHCA contract talks

February 16, 2023 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

HANSON – People may complain about their cable bill, but they seem to value the services of the local cable access channels – especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, when people felt isolated during the health restrictions on public gatherings.
The Hanson Select Board held a public hearing with Comcast Communications LLC of Massachusetts during its Tuesday, Feb. 7 meeting regarding renewal of the Whitman Hanson Community Access contract with the town of Hanson.
Select Board member Ann Rein was unable to attend the meeting.The process aims to identify the future cable-related community needs and interest in reviewing the contract under the current provider. The current 10-year contract expires June 1, 2025.
“It’s required to start this renewal process well in advance because of all the formalities that need to take place,” Town Administrator Lisa Green said. Attorney William Sullivan, who represents the town in the renewal process took part in the hearing to go over the specifications.
“Never has community television and the assistance they have provided to both towns – Whitman and Hanson – and the Commonwealth … has it been recognized as such an essential part of the community,” he said of the cable access company’s service during the COVID pandemic. “Those were [among] the essential workers who allowed democracy and government to continue.”
Without it, for several months, local government would have ceased.
Cable access has continued to see public access coverage of government activities make up more of their schedule.
“If you show me a community that has strong local television, I’ll show you a town that works together toward democracy as its goals,” Sullivan said.
He has worked with Hanson during the two previous renewal processes and said his role is to determine how the federal cable law incentivizes both sides to figure out what’s important for the town to negotiate a license.
Comcast began as a small local company whose employees “understand localism,” according to Sullivan.
WHCA-TV executive director Eric Dresser made a presentation on the history of the access channel’s service to the town. He has been with WHCA since 2017. Hanson had 2,292 subscribers out of 10,639 residents as of 2021, and Whitman had 2,160 subscribers out of 15,121 residents in that same year.
Established in 2002, WHCA has gained a production truck for live TV programming, outfitted auditoriums for town meeting broadcasts and moved to tapeless production during that time.
Hanson Veterans’ Agent Timothy White said WHCA provided the ability for him to honor the community’s fallen when public health restrictions on the number of people allowed to gather in public during COVID threatened the event in 2020.
“It was a very difficult situation,” he said. “We really didn’t have clear or set guidelines on what to do, we didn’t have a parade. … The ability to project [that year’s program] and send that out to the community was huge … WHCA was a great partner on that day and every day.”
Indian Head Elementary Principal Dr. Joel Jocelyn said he has also had a very beneficial and constructive partnership with WHCA, which has taped events at the school so the community can see what type of programs are offered.
“But, even more than that, it’s valuable in enhancing the leadership skills of some of our students,” he said, noting the fourth-grade student council members have been able to learn about for their own video work. “You can’t put a price on something like this.”
Superintendent of Schools Jeff Szymaniak told the Select Board that the 10 members of the School Committee, representing both towns, unanimously endorsed WHCA.
“Being a [school administrator], I live in a world of Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook, and I think ‘old reliable’ is TV,” he said. “It’s a real medium for us to get our message out. … They’re professional. They’re always unbiased in how they approach things and they’re always available.”
Carlos Caldas of 87 Waltham St., asked if the town has a cable committee, which Select Board Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said the town does not have, and what has Comcast offered. FitzGerald-Kemmett said the negotiation process had not yet reached that point.
Caldas said he should like to serve on any Cable Committee the town might establish and has undergone the ethics training.
FitzGerald-Kemmett said it might be a good time to establish a subcommittee for the negotiations, but Select Board Vice Chair Joe Weeks said the board had dissolved the committee last year, when Caldas was the only active member.
“I think that was an opportunity for us to, before we talk of removing things, figuring out how to utilize talent appropriately, and we never circled back to it,”: Weeks said. “To me, it makes sense that, if we have people who are willing to help out in some way, if we already had a foundation that existed … maybe it’s worthwhile to come back to it.”
FitzGerald-Kemmett said at the time people expressing an interest in applying, thought they were actually applying to the W-H Cable Access board,” she said, asking Sullivan what he saw in other communities.
He said there are varying degrees of acitivity with cable committees around the state.
“There are a lot of things a committee could do,.” he said. “The best committees are those that stay together in some way [during] the 10-year period.”
The Select Board will discuss reviving the Cable Committee at the board’s next meeting on Tuesday, Feb.21.
Whether or not that committee is re-establish, Select Board member Jim Hickey recommended getting Caldas to advise the board on what would be best for the town. The Select Board agreed to that.
Historical Commission member Teresa Santalucia also voiced support for WHCA for its help with an interview project recording the memories of Hanson residents as part of the town’s 200th anniversary project.
WHCA has also covered her family’s Red Acres Christmas Sing event for several years.
“You’re finding in the aftermath of COVID that people are feeling disconnected and isolated, and sometimes that connectivity, even if it’s just through cable, watching an event or meeting, does help people feel a little bit more connected,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.
Green also expressed support for WHCA, in her role as a private citizen who hosts a Halloween car show to benefit Dollars for Scholars.
“It’s a great way to see … what went on in their neighborhood and community,” she said.
FitzGerald-Kemmett said WHCA’s broadcasting of events and meetings in both towns helps inform Hanson residents about their partner town in the regional school district, as well.
Dresser said WHCA serves more than 200 nonprofit groups, 43 departments and committees – broadcasting 412 government meetings since 2018. They have covered 82 events at the schools over the past 10 years, as well as 1,400 unique programs produced by their staff.
WHCA also devoted time and resources for extensive information about the pandemic and coverage of events during COVID.
“We remain ready to stay dynamic and ready to pivot for whatever might come in the future, and with sufficient resources … we stand ready to continue to proudly fulfil our mission statement,” he said.
More information, as well as opportunities to comment are still available on the WHCA website, whca.tv.

Filed Under: Breaking News, News

WHRSD holds budget hearing

February 9, 2023 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

The W-H Regional School Committee held its public hearing and budget presentation on the fiscal 2024 budget on Wednesday, Feb. 1.
The current budget figure of $60,510,901.43 for fiscal 2024 represents a 3.45-percent increase over the final operating budget of $58,492,314 for the current fiscal ’23 budget.
“The budget I present today aligns with the district’s strategic plan, the School Committee goals and what we believe provides a quality education for the students of Whitman and Hanson,” Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szimaniak said. “What you will see tonight is a level-services budget.
But he is willing to move the financial needle, if the School Committee wants to do that.
Szymaniak said he has also included options for increasing services and “enhancing the educational opportunities” for students.
“This budget is different from the budget presentations in December and January, and I assume this is not the final iteration of the district budget,” he said.
Gov. Maura Healey’s state budget does not come out until March 1, as new governors are given extra time to assemble their first spending plan.
Szymaniak gave a Powerpoint presentation, answering questions from the committee and pubic attending.
The four points of the disctrict’s strategic plan are: ExSEL (Excellence in Social Emotional Learning), a Pre K-12 system of teaching and learning, safe and secure school environments and community engagement.
The School Committee’s focus areas are: Early college and Innovation Pathways, robust related arts curriculum in kindergarten to grade 12, improving school culture and climate ad an examination of school start times. The strategic plan initiatives included in the FY24 budget presentation are an adjustment to school start times, inclusion of a K-8 robotics and foreign language with implementation of Spanish in grade 8.
A presentation on transportation costs will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 15, but the cost of aligning elementary start times in one of three scenarios, could cost as much as $148,666.72 more than the proposed budget of $1,759,984.88. Excess and deficiency would be looked to in that case.
The deadline for sending the school budget to the towns is March 16, with a certification vote slated for March 15.
A major unanticipated cost to the budget is a 14-percent potential increase for private and public special education placements. Szymaniak said administration has recently learned there is a potential for two out-of-district placements to be moving into the district under the new budget year.
“It could be 14 percent,” he said, noting Business Manager John Stanbrook had included a 3-percent benchmark in the budget for the increase. “But, I’m also not confident that it’s going to be 14 percent, so this number of $650,000 is not in the budget.”
He pulled it out of the budget, where it was included in December and January, and has placed it as a separate line item that the School Committee will have to provide guidance in funding, using either excess and deficiency (he sees it as a one-time cost), or fiscal 2025 Circuit Breaker funds could be used.
Szymaniak is estimating that retirements planned across the district could save $313,937 in replacement costs at lower salaries. ESSER III funds used in the fiscal ’24 budget are $67,000 for BCBA (?), $125,000 for English as a second language teachers and $260,000 for interventionists as well as $300,000 for paraprofessionals. ESSER funds expire in fiscal 2025.
“The goal and objectives for FY 2525 will be to drill down, after three years of data collecting, [to learn] how well the interventionists worked in the district and if they’re a necessity moving forward , or how we could pare down that,” Szymaniak said. “I know that’s a big number, but it’s a number we’re going to be working on moving into this school year.”
Interventionists were hired to help students struggling after the isolation of remote instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. The efficiency of paraprofessionals will also be studied.
State and federal student support guidelines also inform district programs.
For STEM and robotics trough grade eight, the options are to conduct if through library class at elementary schools with pre-constructed curricula of iRobot ($30,000) for K-2 and Robotifi ($25,000 online programs) for grades three to eight, and revamping middle school ccurriculm to create a solid foundation for high school instruction. The additional cost to move the district forward is $55,000.
Foreign language options are: an approach with independent student work augmented with part-time teachers for a cost of $98,400, or adding three Spanish teachers and two reading teachers between the two middle schools at a cost of $335,000 to add.
“I don’t know if we can hire three Spanish teachers in this current climate of teachers – they’re few and far between,” Szymaniak said. “I’m also looking at a potential building project in Whitman, moving between a grade alignment.”
He said he’d prefer phasing the language program in through an online presence, but noted that was a discussion for another time.
But W-H is no longer at the bottom of per-pupil spending in the state.
“We’re not at [the per-pupil spending level] of the area communities yet, and I don’t know if we’ll ever be … but it’s important that we are still behind,” Szymaniak said. “Most of our league-mates in our athletic league, and most of our colleagues on the South Shore [spend more].”
Committee member Fred Small said state officials are anticipating a revenue increase of 1.6 percent, rather than the larger percentages of recent years, and that projections should be cautious. “We’re talking about how much we’re going to get in reimbursement,” Small said. “But we’re also a year behind on reimbursements, but yet we’re factoring in those funds.”
Chair Christopher Howard said the Budget Committee had been discussing that issue.
“It’s not going to help us for this year, but it kind of speaks to the one-time offset,” he said.
Small said that if the Committee was sure a reimbursement was definitely coming back, then the special ed increase would be a proper use for one-time money.
“But it’s not in here, anywhere,” he said of the budget and presentation
Committee member Dawn Byers commented on Szymaniak’s assessment of teacher morale and it’s impact on the budget.
“I have a teaching staff whose morale is teetering,” he said. “Things are difficult in the classroom. Things are difficult with our students.”
Students are returning to school with socialization issues following the pandemic, acting differently. Parents are also different, while they have always been respectfully demanding, there has been an increase in the attitude that “I want an answer now,” he said.
“It’s not bad, it’s just different,” he said.
Szymaniak said he wanted to avoid presenting a budget that residents attending would feel there is no way they could succeed with, and have teachers fear layoffs.
“We pink-slipped 62 people while we were home during COVID, and I don’t want to do that again,” he said.
Byers said the new state Secretary of Education has already been speaking about the importance of working to stabilize, heal and transform.
“I feel that’s where we’re still at,” she said. “When you say staff is panicked about pink slips, I don’t think we’re at all near that, nor should we.”
She said the towns, having received the MARS report on funding formulas, officials know where they stand.
“We know that best practices for finances in municipalities is that they should take care of their largest budget first, and the schools are the largest budget,” she said. “Absolutely. They should be. It’s education. It’s the future. I can’t at all participate in any type of false narrative, if we get there, that the town’s can’t afford our education budget. It is important and we are nowhere near providing what our students and staff deserve.”
She asked Szymaniak if he had anything in writing pertaining to what is being done with the savings to the budget from teacher retirements.
“As I said before, the numbers I had in December were off,” he said. “Salary increases moved the budget needle to 5.5. That $300,00 went right into making sure this budget was around a 3.5 target [increase], pushing it forward.”
Small said the committee should try sending a Student Success Budget again.
“It’s not up to us to go over the town’s budget and try to tell the town, ‘You should cut this, you should cut that. You have too many police officers, you have too many firefighters.’ They have their budgets and they have what they’re doing for a reason,” he said. “We know there’s a guidance for us, at least in Whitman, and if we can live within a guidance … I would hope we can make a case for everything we want.”

Filed Under: Breaking News, News

Whitman, Carter reach TA contract

February 9, 2023 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

WHITMAN –As they welcomed a new town administrator – set to start work on Feb. 21 the Select Board heard a sobering update on the state of the town’s finances from Budget Subcommittee member Shawn Kain.
Former Treasurer/Collector Mary Beth Carter has accepted a contract proposal to become town administrator, interim Town Administrator Frank Lynam announced during the Tuesday, Feb. 7 Select Board meeting.
“I’m already loading up her email,” he joked. “While I’ll be happy to assist in the transition, I’m looking to that light at the end of the tunnel [so I] can go back home and do what I was doing when I was doing nothing.
Chair Randy LaMattina thanked Lynam on behalf of the board and the town for coming back.
“I think, for the transition, you’re going to make that as smooth as it possibly can be,” he said.
“I’m excited for the town,” “Lynam said. “We’re moving into a new era [with] a different focus and I have nothing but confidence in the board’s selection of Mary Beth Carter.”
Carter thanked the board, as well.
“I truly appreciate your confidence in me,” she said. “I have known many of you for several years, and a few of you for over 19 years. You know my work ethic – and it has not changed. I will work tirelessly as an agent of the Board of Selectmen to carry out mandates and policies set by you.”
She pledged to work collaboratively with department heads, boards and committees to assist in the preparation and final presentation of the budget for fiscal 2024.
“I am really looking forward to being back in Whitman,” she said.
Budget review
Kain began the meeting’s work with a report on the town budget status and the Budget Working Group’s progress, noting it would take a couple weeks to fully update Carter so she can give her feedback for future action.
“We’re looking at the excise tax and the trash [fees], and because we’re through January now and we have an indication of what the first commitments were,” Kain said, noting that 75 percent of excise taxes were collected in the first commitment in January. “We have a pretty good indication of where we’re at, and surprisingly, we’re doing really well.”
He thought there would be a dip in excise tax revenues, but so far collections are $140,000 over what was collected by this point last year, pointing to estimates on both excise taxes and trash fees moving in the right direction.
Expenditures are showing this year is a “bit of an anomaly” for contract steps and lanes because of recent negotiations, he said, particularly in the fire department where an unusually large number of firefighters reached their 20-year mark.
“Big picture, again we’re looking at our level service,” Kain said. “When we look at level service, and that does include some of the salaries that we’re talking about … and the schools’ at 5 percent [assessment increase], we’re really close to a balanced budget.”
He is concerned that the town side still doesn’t know where the school budget will end up, however. Town figures are estimating 5 percent, but it looks like it would be more, Kain said, noting School Committee member Dawn Byers questions about what the town can afford.
“She talked about a false narrative, meaning that there is a little bit of confusion in the community about this,” he said. “What we can afford … of pretty much what we can afford within the tax levy.”
He said Byers is suggesting the town consider what it could afford if it didn’t take into account the tax levy and just compared it’s education costs to other towns, saying it’s “a different kind of big picture argument.”
“For us, one of the things that we really need to consider is what we can afford within the tax levy,” he said, where the Madden report was clear that 5 percent, or up to it, was what could achieve a balanced budget along with level-serviced town expences.
“For me, it still seems relevant that that 5 percent is still a good number to use,” Kain said.
Right now, with numbers coming in from the schools and department heads, the budget gap is a little over $1 million.
Lynam said the town is “kind of downplaying” the impact of the 5 percent on the town. While he agrees with the analysis that consultant John Madden did and that the town needs to support education, the 5 percent absorbs every dollar of revenue the town grows – and then some.
“That’s the type of thing we have to keep in mind,” he said. “We continue getting additional revenue from other local receipts, but at some point in time, just like the 3-percent budget growth started to become unattainable at the district level when we had state support and it faded, we are now building a budget that’s going to be difficult to maintain, even at 5 percent with the efforts we’re making.”
He said it was more critical that they jointly growth and expenditures to make the budget work, because voters will be the ultimate arbiters of how much will be spent.
“We have to start looking longer and harder at things,” he said.
LaMattina requested that Lynam meet with Hanson Town Administrator Lisa Green about the reality of what they are dealing with, because he is concerned that the School Committee has not yet voted a budget ceiling.
“It is frustrating that there’s a lot of things that possibly could be added between now and then that we will not be able to fund in this budget,” he said.
Lynam also expressed concern that the town has been financing capital improvements through free cash.
“That’s not always going to be possible,” he said.
“This is a really valuable, document guiding us going forward,” Select Board member Justin Evans said. “If we can … continue this process every year, it’ll help shape how we look at the whole budget cycle.”
He noted that town budget increases are also nearing 5 percent and cautioned that, if the town wants the schools to control budget increases, the town should do so as well.
COVID report
According to Fire Chief Timothy Clancy’s regular COVID-19 report, saying he is hopeful that the town’s numbers will follow predictions that numbers should be going down shortly, adding the town is still “not doing too bad.”
Over the preceding week, however, Whitman saw 35 cases among 291 tests performed for a 12.02 percent.
“We see a significant jump of almost 4 percent in the positivity rate, but also realize that’s not always accurate. It’s based on seven additional cases and we did less testing.”
He said health officials would continue to watch the numbers and keep selectmen advised.

Filed Under: Featured Story, News

Burst pipes at senior center

February 9, 2023 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

HANSON — The Hanson Multi-Service Senior Center sustained “extensive water damage” due to a burst pipe during last weekend’s sub-freezing cold snap, according to Select Board Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett, who has arranged an alternative site for senior programs while repairs are being made.
Senior Center Director Mary Collins, however, told FitzGerald-Kemmett they can “make do” during the month or so it might take to repair the damage.
FitzGerald-Kemmett said security cameras indicated the pipes burst at about 6:30 a.m., Sunday night
She contacted Camp Kiwanee Commission Chair Frank Milisi to obtain permission to offer use of Needles Lodge for the Senior Center. Melisi agreed, she said, noting the Kiwanee staff is there from 8 a.m. To 2 p.m., anyway, and the building is handicapped-accessible. Hanson Middle School also sustained some flooding from burst pipes, she said. There has been no damage to the Hanson Library.
Health Agent Gil Amado and Local Inspector Kerry Glass inspected the damage Monday and determined, since there are still bathrooms available in the connected library building, some programming can still be offered.
“Frank’s telling me don’t worry, he’d love them to use the [Camp Kiwanee] building,” she said she told Collins. “I left it with Mary and Frank are going to connect and talk about whether she’d be better off there, or whether she could hold some programs there and have some at the senior center.”
South Shore Tech Superintendent Dr. Thomas J. Hickey, whose carpentry and electrical shop students had just recently completed a project creating an office space where Senior Center staff can offer confidential health insurance consultations, said the school would be willing to help with repairs if they can.
“I’ll ask my off-campus projects [director] to look into it,” Hickey said. “The only thing that could possibly get in the way would be if the town has an issue with insurance, but it’s worth an ask. If we can help them out, we certainly will.”
Hickey explained an insurance company might require other measures under their coverage, that would take precedence. He confirmed on Tuesday afternoon, that insurance requirements would, indeed, prohibit his students from offering assistance.

Filed Under: More News Right, News

Hanson reviews strategic plan

February 9, 2023 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

HANSON – The Select Board on Tuesday, Jan. 31 reviewed the recent strategic planning session held at Camp Kiwanee with consultant Ann Donner of Ann Donner Consulting in West Newton.
A citizen’s survey had been conducted earlier last year to “lay the foundation” for the November session, according to Select Board chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett. Donner has also interviewed the Select Board members, department heads and other stakeholders in town to gauge opinions on plan priorities.
“This is not a document, or even an effort that’s set in stone,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “This is a placeholder and then it’s an organic document, going forward. We’re constantly going to be updating this to reflect where we’re at, but we need to start somewhere.”
Donner was brought in to determine where that somewhere would be.
She focused on the key strategic areas developed as part of the November session and a possible framework through which those goals could be achieved through the draft document.
The five areas identified were: public facilities; public programming and recreation; economic development; citizen engagement and town administration.
“These strategic priorities are very reasonable,” Donner said. “This grew from … the citizens’ survey and out of the discussions with the Select Board, with the Department Heads and reflect a synthesis of what can we do in response to the priorities we heard that people value.”
There are high-level initiatives identified for each goal, for example, a five-year matrix for facilities to understand the state of facilities so the Select Board can convene a summit to identify and prioritize public facilities while improving internal and public communications about the projects and the outcomes envisioned.
“For every goal or priority there are stakeholders,” she said. “It’s like asking ourselves who needs to be involved … to make these things happen?”
Resources needed to achieve initiatives in each goal area are also listed.
The Economic Development goal aims to initiate and promote economic development as a way of mitigating tax increases while providing first-class services to Hanson residents.
Increasing traffic through MBTA use was one of the preferred outcomes.
Hanson has also wanted to involve more people in town government by filling volunteer positions and boosting Town Meeting attendance by developing and publicizing a table of board and commission openings, a mentorship program for new members and other suggestions among others.
“The thinking outside the box was really evident in this conversation,” Donner said.
An HR department and retaining town employees are key goals of improving town administration.
A reporting schedule for the rest of the year are designed to keep residents informed and to gauge what is working and what is not working.
“I’m looking at all the great work that has been done and I’m saying we’ve got to get on with it here,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. She said it was the first time in her six-year tenure that she saw a cross-section of town officials and departments gathering to discuss the town’s direction.
“We have made some progress,” she said of the hiring of Capital Strategic Solutions to improve communication with residents through the town website.
“We talk every meeting about tactical things we need to get done – and we get stuff done – but we’ve got to take it to the next level.”
Select Board member Ann Rein said a primary focus should be the table of board and committee vacancies.
Vice Chair Joe Weeks said that, once the town reaches 100-percent filled vacancies for boards and committees, they could look to making them more competitive and diverse in membership.
“Everyone here is on several different committees,” he said. “How do we diversify that and keep [membership] at 100 percent.”
Board member Ed Heal said it should be a line item on board agendas to keep the goals before the Selectmen.
FitzGerald-Kemmett asked Town Administrator Lisa Green to prioritize what she wanted to see as a next step.

Filed Under: More News Left, News

Hanson looks at early budget numbers

February 2, 2023 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

HANSON – Interim Town Accountant Eric Kinsherf and Town Administrator Lisa Green presented “real preliminary budget numbers” to the Select Board on Tuesday, Jan. 24, while the board said “no thank you to sharing accountant services with Whitman,
“I think we have a good start for this time of the year,” Kinsherf said about the amount of information now available to the acountant’s office.
Green said all departments had submitted their budgets on time but “we don’t have numbers outside of Town Hall to work on,” as Gov. Maura Healey plans to unveil her state budget March 1 and the W-H School District is still dealing with preliminary numbers because of that, too
“We have put together, based on some revenues, a very preliminary initial budget kickoff,” Green said, handing off the presentation to Kinsherf, who termed it “a good footprint to work with,” but noted some information such as real estate taxes is easy to forecast.
Hanson can anticipate $883,000 – 3.4 percent of the levy – in new real estate taxes next year, he said. Of that, the new growth forecast is level with last year at $250,000.
Local receipts were also fairly level, according to Kinsherf.
Based on initial receipts from the new meals tax, he is estimating a $48,000 gain, for the town coffers.
State aid figures will not be available until March.
“The long and short of it, for new revenues, compared to last year, we’re looking at $945,000,” he said.
Budget requests have not been vetted yet, he said, but the biggest preliminary numbers are from the school budget, where a $1 million increase is being estimated.
Select Board Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett again asked if any information about local impact revenue from cannabis business Impressed LLC had yet been determined.
“It seems to be taking quite a long time,” she said. “It’s been more than a minute.”
Green said they would be seeing real estate and personal property taxes, but sales tax information would not be available until the business harvests its third crop, having grown two test crops so far.
“It seems we have not been having a robust and ongoing conversation with them,” said FitzGerald-Kemmett, in asking that the company be contacted for more information. “We’ve taken quite a leap of faith in entering into a community host agreement with them and we’ve seen – other than the real estate taxes and the real property, we have not seen the money that we were hoping to see.”
Select Board member Ann Rein advised Green to see if there have been any top-level changes at the company, and she said that she had heard a rumor that they were missing a certification, which was holding everything up.
FitzGerald-Kemmett said the community host agreement requires Impressed LLC to inform the town of such personnel changes, if any had been made, and no mention of test crops had been made, either.
Green said she would contact the company.
FitzGerald-Kemmett also said a lot of new growth given the green light by either the ZBA or zoning inspector had been delayed by materials shortages during the supply chain crisis, and related cost increases, have lately shown signs of activity only to halt.
The board also discussed Whitman interim Town Administrator Frank Lynam’s suggestion that the two towns share an accountant.
“Financially, it looks like it’s a good idea,” Green said. “But after speaking to Eric about it, and looking at how sharing somebody has either benefited us or not … in the past, it may not be the best road to go down, but I’m going to leave that to the board to discuss.”
FitzGerald-Kemmett said she agreed with that reasoning, as well as the prospect of sharing an accountant with a town with which Hanson is in a regional schools agreement – “which, at times, has had some contention and difficult moments” – might not be the best fit.
“I appreciate them reaching out and, for certain services, I certainly would entertain shared services, town accountant is just way too close to home for me,” she said.
Despite the standards of practice and ethics in the accountant profession, FitzGerald-Kemmett said she felt the optics are “not great.”
The board was unanimous in agreement.
“I think we’ve decided we’re looking for someone full-time here,” Weeks said. “It’s a good Plan B if we ever needed it.”
“[We] would like to thank our brethren in Whitman for thinking of us and for reaching out and … no thank you,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said, noting that former accountant Todd Hassett had urged the town to hire a full-time, in-house accountant. She also note that, no matter how well-intentioned such a partnership is, it is difficult to get an even 50/50 split of services.

Filed Under: Breaking News, News

Vets’ agent, senior center make impact

February 2, 2023 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor


HANSON – With the federal PACT Act going into effect this month, veterans service officers are already seeing an increase in the need for their services, and it’s making Hanson reconsider sharing a part-time VSO with another community.
The PACT Act is a new federal law that expands VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances, adding to the list of health conditions that are presumed to have been are caused by exposure to these substances.
Town Administrator Lisa Green also recommended making Hanson’s VSO a full-time position, paying $55,000 to $60,000, with benefits, for 32 hours per week of work. The Select Board voted unanimously to support the move.
Green reported to the Select Board on Tuesday, Jan. 31, on the pros and cons of shared services officer in the wake of current VSO Timothy White announcing his departure to take a full-time position in another community.The board had voted to accept with regret White’s resignation when Green announced it last week. He has been a part-time agent in Hanson and is taking a full-time position as veterans’ agent in a neighboring town.
“We’re losing a part-time, wonderful, talented, dedicated veterans’ officer to a full-time position,” Green said Jan. 24. White has agreed to stay on while the town vets the process and would be willing to train a new agent.
Hanover had expressed interest in shared veterans services with Hanson, with Hanover funding the position benefits.
Green said, in talking with Hanover officials, there were more cons to the arrangement than she anticipated – difficulty in transportation for Hanson veterans if the agent were located in Hanover and conflicts in ceremony and parade schedules, among them – suggesting that the town consider making the position in Hanson a full-time one.
PACT Act
Key among the considerations for that move has been the added services for veterans included in the new PACT Act provisions, which is not only opening new benefits for Vietnam-era veterans, but Gulf War and Post-9/11 veterans, as well as the geography of where veterans served when they were exposed.
“The word is spreading,” White said. “More than half my work is PACT Act or visitation.”
He said a veteran who may have passed away of cancer or another connected illness years ago, the surviving spouse is now eligible for assistance through the legislation, so long as they have not remarried.
“That’s the workload that people don’t know, and the word needs to spread more and more [of] the importance of outreach, if you decide to go in a full-time mode,” White said. “There’s [also] tons of surviving spouses out there that are out there that may, quite possibly be eligible for VA compensation.”
Memorial Day parade schedules are also difficult without angering “multiple American Legions, VFWs, DAVs” when more than one event takes place at the same time.
“All of the people who show up, care deeply,” he said.
White has put in more that the two-days a week he is scheduled to serve Hanson in his shared role with Rockland.
“As veterans’ agent, everything I do brings back money to the town,” he added, through VA claims that aid veteran’s bank accounts, to benefits that come back to the town through state aid programs.
The part-time salary for the position is $31,998, according to Green, citing the FY 2023 budget. In fiscal ’24, it is $32,637. A full-time salary range from $56,100 to $73,358 in surrounding South Shore communities.
“Talking with Eric today, my thought was if we offered a 32-hour a week position at $55,000 per year, that might be enough to entice someone to join us as a veterans’ service officer,” Green said of accountant Eric Kinsherf. “We can actually use some ARPA money to supplement the budget for the next two years.”
FitzGerald-Kemmett also said housing the Hanson VSO in another town was a “no-go” for her, as well, but she cautioned about one-time ARPA funds to pay for recurring expenses like salaries. Interim Town Accountant Eric Kinsherf said $25,000 to fund the post was something that could be funded in the budget, especially if the VSO is effective in bringing funds to the town.
“The way I look at it, would be a bridge to build it in the budget,” he said. By the third year cannabis tax funds can be used to help the cost and a good VSO can also the town will ensure state and federal revenues will be obtained as well. Meals taxes could also be a funding source.
“This is important,” Select Board Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said, noting the difference the PACT Act has made in her own family. Her father died of cancer caused by Agent Orange exposure.
“I will tell you, the fact that he applied for [VA] benefits has made a tremendous difference in my mother’s life,” she said.
White said the $55,000 Hanson is offering is competitive. He said a lot depends on the candidate, saying for example, as a Coast Guard veteran he does not take benefits from the town.
White said some veterans he is assisting now has held off seeking benefits for years.
“These type of human services, supports and resources that we have – I like the way, in talking about this, you put revenue as dead last,” Select Board Vice Chair Joe Weeks said. “It’s about quality of life, it’s about people. It’s about people that have contributed to society in some way, either through the elder affairs office or … the services that you do. We already know it’s a full-time job, just in people coming to you.”
Weeks said a bigger impact would be to go find people that do not know about services for which they may be eligible.
White said Council on Aging Director Mary Collins, provides equally vital services. She has saved 104 in-person and 17 over-the-phone applicants $45,077.66 in supplemental Medicare insurance costs during open enrollment this fall. During the rest of the year, she has counseled an additional 171 residents as they contemplate retirement.
“We very strongly encourage our seniors to seek out a SHINE counselor each year … even if we think things are going well,” she said. “We want to try and get the most bang for their buck.”
She has also seen 22 new fuel assistance applicants this year.
Senior Center
In her update to the board, Collins said the new Outreach Coordinator Linda Mulrey is “the perfect fit” for the position helping with fuel assistance applications, and she will be taking SHINE counseling training, along with two volunteers, to help with health insurance applications next year.
Families may be eligible for fuel assistance without realizing it, she said, with an application deadline at the end of April. Applications may be completed online or in-person. Last year the deadline was extended, and Collins said federal officials quite often add funds to the program.
“It’s been a really tough year for people,” she said regarding fuel assistance. “They are really struggling.”
To obtain fuel assistance, salary requirements are up to – $42,411 for a single applicant; $55,461 for a family of two; $68,511 for a family of three; $81,561 for a family of four and $94,610 for a family of five.
She also urged elders to stop by to peruse food donations, which are often given by stores like Shaw’s as well as charitable groups.
South Shore Elder Mental Health Consortium through a grant, will offer mental health counseling and classes for seniors by Bridgewater State University second-year masters-level social work students at the center in the fall.
“This is something that, sadly, very few senior centers can afford to provide, but is very, very necessary,” she said.
She also thanked local groups such as South Shore Tech, Hanson Community Christmas, the Hanson AKTION Club, the Senior Center Friends Group and the volunteers and staff at the Senior Center for all they have done to support the town’s elders.
“You are amazing and we always feel grateful to have you in this role,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.
“Mary talks about other people,” Select Board Member Jim Hickey said. “She would never say the stuff that she does. She’s just an amazing woman.”

Filed Under: More News Left, News

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