In the end, the story might just be the large number of people who voted third party – or didn’t vote at all.
With an official winner not declared until early Wednesday morning, it appears voters were willing to risk believing Donald Trump’s economic vision, or anyone else’s – and in battleground states “third-party” candidates have traditionally tipped the scale in close elections – than the reality of the four years of economic growth seen under the Biden-Harris administration, and the potential of being led by a Black woman.
Locally, just 226 votes in Whitman separated the two major party candidates, with Trump receiving 4,330 votes to Vice President Kamala Harris’ 4,104 of the 8,705 votes cast. The remaining 271 votes were scattered between four fringe parties, of which ubiquitous Green Party candidate Jill Stein received only 33. There were 80 blanks.
The margin was greater for Trump in Hanson, where he received 3,687 votes to Harris’ 2,931 – a difference of 756 votes – with fringe candidates garnering 150 votes with 84 blanks for a total of 234 votes.
There are 12,062 registered voters in Whitman, meaning 3,628 eligible voters did not vote. There were 6,852 votes cast in Hanson, meaning 1,625 of the town’s 8,477 eligible voters did not vote.
In the U.S. Senate race, John Deaton carried Hanson 4,004 to incumbent Elizabeth Warren’s 2,685 and in Whitman Deaton took 4,645 votes to Warren’s 3,828. Statewide, Warren won re-election 60.3 percent to 39.7 percent to return to a now-Republican-controlled Senate.
Massachusetts returned it’s Blue slate to a House of Representatives that could also have a GOP majority when the counting is done. Whitman gave incumbent Democrat Stephen Lynch 4,848 to Republican Robert G. Burke’s 3,482. Hanson preferred Republican challenger Dan Sullivan with 3,500 votes to incumbent Bill Keating’s 3,083.
Hanson sends Republican Ken Sweezey to the Statehouse in the 6th Plymouth District with 2,590 votes to Democrat Rebecca Coletta’s 1,808.
A Trump win, according to PBS fact checking, will likely end Trump’s federal felony criminal cases, and while Fulton County Georgia DA Fani Willis, who is still prosecuting the former president, the case is awaiting a judicial ruling.
“This was a movement like nobody has ever seen before, and frankly, this was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time” Trump said shortly before 2:30 a.m. in Palm Beach, Fla., as he seemed close to winning all seven battleground states.
Trump’s win will likely also mean an administration of promised retribution against perceived “enemies among us;” stripping large numbers of immigrant citizens of that citizenship and mass deportations; pledges to enforce tariffs that could cost Americans $78 billion in spending power, according to Reuters; along with cuts to Social Security and Medicare and a quest to eliminate birthright citizenship.
His promised “dictatorship on Day 1,” will also likely mean the end of Biden administration job-creating programs like the CHIPS and Science Act, which aims to bolster the U.S. semiconductor supply chain and the defunding of some of the infrastructure initiatives of the bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs Act. He plans on placing Elon Musk in charge of Cabinet office overseeing a massive downsizing of government agencies as outlined in the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, as well as giving Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a post with “sweeping powers” to control public health agencies.
Draconian laws in the states aimed at limiting women’s reproductive freedoms in the wake of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson ruling, are likely to continue and Justice Clarence Thomas has signaled a willingness to reconsider protections for the right to birth control [Griswold v. Connecticut] and same-sex marriage [Obergefell v. Hodges].
Harris had made such personal freedoms a key focus of her campaign’s Freedom theme.
“Almost everywhere,” according to Politifact, by the Poynter Institute, “[Vice President Kamala] Harris underperformed the marks that produced Joe Biden’s 2020 victory over Trump.”
Harris, who had hosted an Election Night rally at her alma mater, Howard University in Washington, DC, opted not to make an address the gathering and planned to speak at the university on Wednesday.
Her campaign co-chair, former Congressman Cedric Richard addressed the crowd at Howard instead, shortly before 1 a.m.
“We still have votes to count,” Richard said. “We still have states that have not been called yet. We will continue overnight to fight to make sure that every vote is counted, that every voice has spoken.”
Some hope locally
Still, local political leaders had expressed an optimism that Americans could still bridge the divide.
Perhaps the first person at the polls – or at least nearby – was Democratic Town Committee Chair Justin Evans, who was unloading Harris-Walz and Elizabeth Warren signs for his volunteers to use later that morning.
It was too early for Evans to predict how the day would go.
“It’s been a very intense, very passionate election – very short for one candidate – and I’m optimistic that things work out the way I’m hoping,” he said. “However it turns out, I’m just hopeful that people come together in the end … and we can bring the country back together.”
While some political consultants have suggested that this year’s shorter campaign, while not as brief as the six-week snap elections seen in the U.K, might work for the United States going forward, Evans was skeptical.
“I think Kamala Harris spent most of the last couple of months introducing herself, where Donald Trump’s been a known entity for decades,” he said. “It may have been a disadvantage for her.”
Kathy DiPasqual-Egan, of the Hanson Democratic Town Committee said she was feeling good about the day ahead as she and volunteers unloaded signs at the veterinarian office across from Hanson Middle School.
“Well, We’ll have fun,” she said. “I’m hopeful.”
Hanson Select Board member Ed Heal, doing sign-holding chores for one of Hanson’s Republican state representative candidates, Ken Sweezey said he felt confident in the day’s outcome.
“We’re confident about Sweezey,” said Hanson resident Paul Benanato. “The battleground for this race is going to be Duxbury. In this state, that’s about it.”
Asked about the top of the ticket, Benanato replied referring to Warren and John Deaton, “Are you crazy? Those two knuckleheads? No. It’s like, is Elizabeth Warren in the state right now?”
Where the Harris-Trump race is concerned, Benanato expressed more confidence.
“I’m not worried about it,” Benanato said.
“It depends on what news people get,” Heal said.
On the Democratic side of the state representative race vs Sweezey in the 6th Plymouth district, Becky Coletta said she was confident, too.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” she said in a phone interview Tuesday. “We’re looking at the early vote and it looks really strong, really good and the polls are really busy today. We were very excited to see the early vote, I think that will be very helpful to us, but I’m also seeing a lot of people voting out here today and that’s exciting.”
As she spoke, former state representative, and her law partner, Josh Cutler, did some sign holding for Colletta at the Hanson Middle School polls.
“I think it’s going to be a great turnout,” Coletta said.
But where the top of the ticket is concerned, Coletta said, “I think it’s going to be nerve-racking for a couple of days as we try to find out who’s going to win the top of the ticket.
As first-time volunteer sign-holder Rhonda Fiandaca stood holding a Harris-Walz placard stapled to a very long stick, two women drove by to offer encouragement. One older woman waiting to turn onto South Avenue from Central Street, leaned out her window, applauding and said “All the way! We’ve got to get rid of that a*e.”
Another driving along South Avenue said, “If I wasn’t on my way to work, I’d be there with you.”
Further up South Avenue, in the Venus Pizza parking lot, Republican stalwarts held signs and acknowledge the horn honks from Trump supporters driving by.
“It’s so important,” Fiandaca said. “This is so important. I have so many family members that would be affected – just for the women’s rights alone – I have granddaughters and one of my granddaughters just went through a pregnancy scare, and if she didn’t live here … and that is so frightening to me.”
She said the positive comments from women driving or walking by is encouraging.
Across the street, at the corner usually frequented by Democratic volunteers, School Committee member, an write-in candidate for state representative Rosemary Connolly was sign-holding for a few Democratic candidates. Her late decision to challenge Rep. Alyson Sullivan-Almeida, was an effort to provide some representation for Democrats on the ballot.
“My feeling today is that people sit and talk to each other and don’t ‘us’ and ‘them’ everyone and make it about people more than about politics,” Connolly said. “Society can’t go that way. In the end, if things go wrong, nobody in Washington is going to sandbag around your house with you – your neighbor is.”
Whitman Democratic Committee member Tom Evans said he felt really good about the party’s chances on the day.
“I’ve got a feeling that things are going to go a more positive way,” Evans said. “Hopefully, I’m right.”
Unlike his committee Chair Justin Evans (no relation), he thought the shorter campaign was a good turn of events.
“If she wins I hope people realize you don’t have to go two years [on a campaign] anymore,” he said.
Trump backers, more subdued in the morning, but more raucous toward afternoon, were respectful of the Democratic sign-holders, if just as confident of his chances.
“I think he’ll do better in this state than last time,” said a man walking by after he had voted. But he was hedging his bet. “We don’t win this time, I’m out of Whitman,” he said. “I’ve already spoken to a realtor in Florida.
“Trump’s gonna win,” said a woman holding a sign for her candidate.
“Confident,” replied former Select Board member Brian Bezanson to the question of how he felt going into the day.
“Optimistically confident,” offered another volunteer.
“It’s going to be good weather and we’ll have good results,” Bezanson said. “There’s been a lot of early voting. … As long as they vote – that’s what you need. You need to get the biggest turnout you can get because the more people come, the more of a good snapshot you can get of the way people feel.”
Bezanson also said it has been the very first election in which he early voted.
“I felt it was a good idea to bank it early,” he said. “Campaigns check and see who’s voting and then they can spend their resources getting somebody else out to vote. It saves money for the campaign, I guess.”
Hanson Select Board Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett summed it up this way:
“The one thing I’m truly grateful for is that this election, both on the local and national level has engaged people on the issues and motivated people to vote,” she said. “At the end of the day, after the election we will all be neighbors and we will all continue to make our town a great place to live. Regardless of who wins the state representative seat, the Hanson Select Board will continue to work with the state advocate for our town.”
Whitman reviews its use of open space
WHITMAN – The Old Colony Planning Council held a public forum on Wednesday, Oct. 23 on results of Whitman’s recent public survey on preferred Open Space and Recreation uses.
The brief meeting was conducted at the Whitman Public Library’s Community Room.
Senior Planner for Housing and Public Engagement J.D. Desrosier, who now lives in Whitman, moderated the presentation, which concluded with a workshop session, and was also attended by is associate Laurie Muncy and members of the Open Space and Recreation Plan Steering Committee, LeAnne MacKenzie and Brian Lapierre.
“We’re making sure that we’re connecting with the various users of the parks in spaces that make sense to them, to make sure we’re very hearing that the way people use the various ways that people use these spaces” he said. “Most of the land in Whitman is zoned as residential. We’re a very residential community, so making sure that we are stewarding our current open space responsibly is important.”
But identifying additional acquisitions of open space/recreational facilities that town many need is going to be part of the plan, as well.
Whitman’s updates Open Space and Recreation Plan will reflect changes since 2000, when the last plan was crafted.
“A lot has changed over the last 24 years, so making sure the updated plan meets the needs and priorities of a community with changing and shifting needs [is important],” Desrosier said.
Founded in 1967, the OCPC focuses on comprehensive development with the aim of improving the physical, social and economic conditions of the 17-community district. Planners work on transportation, economic development, housing, open space and recreation and sustainability planning projects.
The update is intended to discover why residents use open or recreational spaces, and if they don’t use them, why not and how can those issues be improved.
“We have a robust region of the South Shore and we engage in various planning project,” Desrosier said.
The Council’s work under Whitman’s Open Space and Recreation Plan, is drafting specific language for its goals, objectives and actions; developing a public participation plan; collecting data – primarily on parcel and Americans with Disability Act-accessible inventories while analyzing the town’s needs and demographics; and analyzing the resource protection and management needs.
Part of that work involves the resident survey that may still be filled out and is available online or via a QR code on literature available at the library.
“We don’t necessarily need, or want, every resident in the town of Whitman to respond to the survey, but we want to make sure that we have a robust enough response rate that we can use that in determining specific needs and priorities,” Desrosier said. “But your input on the survey is important.”
So far there have been only 120 responses. Scheduled to close Nov. 9, the survey may also be taken by people who may not live in Whitman, but who uses recreational and open spaces.
“If we see a steady stream of survey responses, I can leave that open a little bit longer,” Desrosier said.
An analysis of needs and a brief analysis of Whitman’s demographics can be done in concert with an analysis of resource protection needs, especially in regard to wetlands.
Desrosier said an Open Space and Recreation Plan prioritizes the needs of the town in those areas as well as costs.
“It’s a prerequisite for the Mass. Department of Conservation Service Grants,” Desrosier said. The public process includes the survey, public meetings and focus groups – including some interviews with clients, from elders at the Senior Center to “young folks,” at the high school.
The plan also includes an environmental inventory of environmental and recreation spaces.
“Open space can be a lot of different things,” Desrosier said. “It’s not just an open field or park. In includes Conservation lands, forested lands, agricultural lands, atheltic fields, polaygrounds, small “pocket” parks; green buffers along roadways and undeveloped land of conservation or rectation interest.”
Whitman’s open spaces include Hobart’s Pond, Whitman Middle School softball field and the fown forest, just to name a few,” he said.
The town’s demographic breakdown is – 89.2 percent (13,510) is white alone; 339 persons are Black or African-American alone; 124 are Native American or Native Alaskan alone.149 are Asian alone. There are 678 who idenitfy as two or more races and 346 who are some other race alone.
“The reason I include the demographic data is just so I’m holding myself accountable to making sure that we are connecting with the various community members that call Whitman home and/or use the vaious open or recreation spaces that we have,” Desrosier said. “I’m not naive enough to think that I’m going to connect with all 15,000 people, but I’m going to make sure that I’m going to connect with as many people as I can.”
The ADA assessment makes sure that the 5.7 percent of the population is also able to enjoy and use open space and recreational facilities.
Hanson OK’s W. Washington site plan concept
HANSON – Select Board on Tuesday, Oct. 29 accepted an updated concept for permitting commercial-industrial building at ) West Washington, provided it goes through; and it is is sold, with the price need to be more than, but at least close to a state grant of nearly $100,000 for reviewing the site, as well as adhering to zoning restrictions on the site.
Board member Joe Weeks moved to sell the property, following a presentation updating the project, contingent on the land-use boards approving it in their respective committees.
The board voted 4-0 to accept the motion. Vice Chair Ann Rein was absent.
Town Planner Antonio Defrias updated the board on the 0 West Washington St., (town map 67, lot 17-14), which is adjacent to the locations of the Water Department and the town’s industrial Park.
The Planning Department had received a Mass. Development One-Stop Grant of $98,826 last year to review the seven-acre town-owned site. Mass. Development has a list of “in-house doctors,” vetted engineering companies that work with the state who look at the site – a resource area, a wetlands – and what impacts that DeFrias explained.
“The state enters into an agreement with BHB, which then looks at the site and the resource area, wetlands and what impacts that has for the site and what could this site yield as far as buildings or a building,” he said. “So we’’re working with BHB. They’ve been out there and done some survey work, re-established the wetlands line.”
Based on that resource area, BHB has come up with some concepts.
Zoned in a commercial-industrial district, which requires 44,000 square feet, and a “good portion of the lot,” falls within the Zone 2 well protection district,” DeFrias said.
In any case, the town requires that 39,800 square feet be upland – 90 percent of that lot size – in order to build on the lot.
“When it comes to business or industrial, it cannot be a manufacturer that processes, stores or disposes of hazardous waste,” DeFrias said of the Zone B Wetlands protection district.
“Any type of thing going forward here is going to require a site plan, which goes to the Zoning Board of Appeals,” he said. The minimum lot frontage is 200 feet with side and back setbacks of at least 25 feet and a maximum lot coverage of 60 percent – including buildings, parking and service area – and maximum building coverage of 15 percent.
Under the town-own laws there is a 15-foot no-disturb, single-family home buffer between homes and commercial-industrial structures and a 95-foot no-disturb area required between paved areas and asphalt and the wetlands.
BHB has done some survey work and reestablished the water protection line.
“What BHB is going to do for Hanson is look at this site and look at the resource area – also known as wetlands – and what impacts that has to the site and what could this site yield as far as a building or buildings,” DeFrias said. “There is a water main that goes through that site, so there wouldn’t be anything as far as structures that can be built on top of that.”
Considering the site’s setback of 95 feet, the site’s buildable envelope is about 1.6 acres out of those 7 acres on the site, according to DeFrias.
A 50-foot setback would increase the buildable envelope to 2.33 acres, but the Conservation Commission would have to approve that.
“Based on that BHB came up with two concepts,” DeFrias said.
The first compliance option would be in compliance with the building lot coverage, all the set backs, parking spaces, leaving room for a 25,000 square-foot building.
“That’s not insignificant,” said Select Board Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett.
“This is the main concept,” DeFrias said. “The next step is looking for a blessing, in essence, from the Select Board, because we want to continue to move forward to come up with some preliminary plans.”
“Excellent work,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “If you will recall, one of the things we had discussed was what town-owned property do we have that we might be able to sell or lease for some additional revenue and what can we do to incentivize businesses to locate to Hanson? This kind of does that, really.”
Tournament time
The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ soccer team is moving on.
The Panthers opened the MIAA Division 2 tournament with a 3-0 preliminary round win over Southeastern Regional on Sunday, Nov. 3. Keira Manchester put the Panthers on the board when she redirected an Elizabeth Kowlski corner kick into the back of the net. Kowlski would double the lead with a blast from 25yds out that found the top of the net. The score remained 2-0 until Madeleine Fitzgerald headed home another Kowlski corner. Anna Schnabel was outstanding in the midfield while the back line of Milly Mahoney, Brooke Bell, Shelby Bell and Caleigh Mahoney kept Southeastern from getting many shots off on Keeper Addison Hughes (two saves).
After posting its best regular season ever, girls’ volleyball fell to Hingham 3-2 (24-26, 22-25, 25-20, 25-15, 13-25) in the first round of the Div. 2 state tournament on Friday, Nov. 1. Seniors Brooklyn Buchanan and Sophie Ennis led the team with 12 kills each, while fellow senior Andrea Mulligan contributed nine. Buchanan and Senior Captain Brianna Eddy each added four aces for the Panthers. Other key contributors included senior Captains Caroline Gray and Hazel Carew, along with Sejuniors Molly Geddis, Leah Barnett, and freshman Nguyen Vo. The Panthers finished their season with a 15-4 record.
On the football field, Whitman-Hanson dropped their regular season finale to Marshfield 39-7.
Austin Breheny scored the Panthers lone touchdown.
Defensively the Panthers were led by Brady Markowski (7 tackles) and Bobby Walker (5 tackles). DeVaughn Marshall added a fumble recovery and Bryan Caliman had a sack.
Healing the big divide
As one of the most acrimonious political seasons in U.S. history draws to an electoral deadline on Tuesday, Nov. 5, there’s no guarantee the division will automatically heal.
That will require work, specifically in listening to each other and offering respect. It was the message of speakers during a Unity Night presented at W-H’s Dr. John F. McEwan Performing Arts Center on Thursday, Oct. 24. The Whitman Freedom Team, whose mission is to explore ways of offering dialogue and support to the entire community, with a goal of promoting love, inclusion and trust, produced the program. The group aims to “move beyond tolerance, to embracing, celebrating and sharing our community’s diversity.”
“The key to unity is better understanding,” said psychologist Dr. Joshua Twomey, PhD, a member of the Freedom Team’s Board of Directors, and an assistant professor of family medicine at UMass Medical School.
“I fundamentally believe that an essential element in pursuit of unity is the practice of listening.”
Bridgewater State University’s Assistant Vice President for Student Success, Diversity and Inclusion Yolany Gonell continued that thought, saying, “unity requires us to work across difference.”
The evening’s discussion was aimed at fostering a return to civility in discussing “tough and difficult conversations, particularly in the political climate we find ourselves in today,” founder Tom Evans, a retired teacher, said in opening the event.
The evening’s theme was civility and respect, featuring speakers who devote their lives to promoting those goals.
After opening with a series of quotes on the meaning of communication, Evans introduced each speaker before they offered their message for the program.
“All of our stories are subject to bias,” Twomey said. “They are influenced by our fears and our disappointments and our needs. … Bias is not inherently good and is not inherently bad, either.”
Gonell began by asking who in the audience were athletes in school or parents of an athlete now, or if any are active-duty service members or veterans. She was greeted by a smattering of applause to each question.
Both these categories that people can fall into, forge community – and help build unity.
“Unity requires common ground,” she said. “We ask questions. Do students and employees feel a sense of belonging here? If they don’t, what do we do as a community to break down barriers?”
Conversations, celebrations and shared learning communities are created.
“The more welcoming we are, the more economic progress we can make,” she said.
“Listening is where change takes place,” Twomey said, noting that telling someone how they should feel – in daily life as well as counseling – simply doesn’t work,
“Genuine listening allows for people to examine biases of their own stories and allows them to be open to a multitude of other perspectives,” he said, and agreement is not required.
“The only thing that is required is to see them as a person,” he said. “Listening establishes trust.”
The evening’s first speaker had been Dr. Carl Kowalski, an educator, former member and chair of the School Committee and chair of the Whitman Select Board.
“Historians tell us that past is prologue, that one way of getting to tell what is, might be to review what has been,” Kowalski began and leaned on poets to paint a picture of humanity’s continual struggle against darkness.
“The only way to shed light is to join with, and be true to one another,” he said. “How fog-covered is our world? How can we find happiness in a world filled with hate, fake news and division?”
In seeking the answer, Kowalski turned to Aristotle and said, “If it’s in our nature to think, we can only be happy if we think logically. If it’s in our nature to feel, we can only be happy if we feel deeply. … The first step toward happiness is to know oneself.”
State Sen. Mike Brady, D-Brockton, touched on the theme of happiness, too, as he recalled a fundraising play he and Kowalski had performed in “many years ago,” to benefit the Brockton Library in an effort to make it more accessible to handicapped patrons such as their mutual friend the late state Sen. Thomas Kennedy.
“We used to do these plays called ‘Murder in the Library,’ and Dr. Kowalski and myself were the two suspects and it was a computer virus that caused a disease,” Brady recalled. “We sang a song that was to the tune of ‘Making Whoopie,’ and the theme was computer viruses.”
Brady said that experience, along with another in a community watch program, demonstrated the value of community.
“Nobody does this job alone,” he said. “Unlike what we hear in the media, and the division in this country is unfortunate, we have a good team in the commonwealth. We have Republicans and Democrats who work very well together.”
That cooperation will be needed for some of the rumors being spread in efforts to widen divisions.
“This past weekend, there were some rumors floating around [in Whitman], mostly on social media,” he said, noting he had seen screenshots that showed symbols appearing to be swastikas. “I’ve been in conversation with the chief of police, Tim Hanlon [who is a member of the Freedom Team], and I’m taking his advice and saying that the police will handle it and are well aware of it.”
Hanlon told Evans that he would say, “there are so many rumors out there, [and] people are getting all upset.” One of those rumors was that Gov. Maura Healey was going to use the Whitman Armory to house immigrant families.
“It’s not true,” Evans said. “But these are the kind of things that are out there and are making it difficult for people to stay calm and it causes a lot of dysfunction.”
State Rep. Alyson Sullivan-Almeida and the Rev. Michele Matott, rector of the All Saints Episcopal Church in Whitman, had also been scheduled to speak, but Sullivan-Almeida, had a scheduling conflict and Rev. Matott was ill with COVID, so neither were able to attend.
Dr. Michael Kryzanek and the Rev. Adrian Millik of the Holy Ghost Church filled in for them.
Kryzanek, filling in for Matott, is an author and retired professor of political science, and has served on the Board of Directors of Father Bill’s Mainspring as well as that of the Freedom Team.
“All people in Whitman should be involved in the common good,” he said. “And unity brings stability and strength and opportunity.”
He listed the ways the founding documents of the United States pertains to unity and diversity.
“Diversity is a goal worth pursuing,” Kryzanek said, referring to Unity Day as the beginning of a movement to make the values of our Founders come to life. “Diversity will only strengthen what we have here in Whitman.”
The Rev. Millik offered a blessing to the group following his remarks, as a person whose parents grew up in Poland before the Soviet-backed regime was removed.
“Totalitarians pit people against each other,” he said.
Former School Committee member Christopher Scriven, an unscheduled speaker, was also invited to speak, arguing that those who don’t have advanced degrees have something to contribute to community-building, too.
“I recognize what we’re dealing with in this situation, and it breaks my heart that our community is going through this,” he said. “I want to make a point about how important it is for all of us to be involved. … have a voice that’s no more, no less important, and that’s something we should all exercise.”
He noted that many in the meeting have been leading in Whitman and serving the community for a long time and more people should join in that work.
Decision time is here
The campaign trail for 2024 has had more twists and turns than the Appalachian Trail, but it’s nearly over, now.
In much of the country, including Massachusetts, as early voting has been going on for nearly three weeks – Bay Staters were able to cast early votes by mail, in-person or via absentee ballot since Oct. 19. After early voting concludes on Friday, Nov. 1.
Those who prefer the traditional route, in-person voting on Election day is from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. On Tuesday, Nov. 5. Whitman voters from all precincts vote in Whitman’s Town Hall Auditorium at 54 South Ave., and Hanson voters from all precincts cast their ballots for all precincts at Hanson Middle School, 111 Liberty St.
Because Hanson voting is done at a school, the School Committee voted to permit the closure of schools for the day.
Voter parking
Parking is plentiful at Hanson Middle School, but the smaller parking lot at Whitman Town Hall has nesessitated moving employee parking off-site.
The Select Board approved the arrangement at its Tuesday, Oct. 22 meeting.
Whitman had a policy in place, adopted in May 2019, for the following parking plan: requiring that parking for Town Hall staff to be limited to beyond a 180-foot perimeter of Town Hall so that voters could use the spaces for 30-minute parking for voting. In addition, during federal elections, election workers were required to park at the Senior Center, 16 Hayden Ave., and at Memorial Field, 20 Essex St., with the Senior Center providing bus transportation and employees would be restricted from parking at those sites as well as at Town Hall.
Any exceptions to that policy would have required a prior vote in advance of the election by the Select Board.
“The Town Clerk [Dawn Varley] had spoken with the Mary Holland, the Council on Aging director,” Carter said. “Dawn had said that she didn’t have election workers that needed the bus this year, so we would like to do away with this [2019] policy and instead do what we’ve done before.”
She suggested going back to sending a memo to Town Hall staff outling the parking rules.
“In order to improve voter access to the Town Hall during the Nov. 5, 2024 presidential election, Parking in the Town Hall parking lot, for the duration of the election is restricted to those coming to the Town Hall to vote,” Carter read. “All employees, elected and appointed [are required] to park off site for the entire day.”
She said the municipal parking lot across the street, the municipal lot behind Duval’s and on-street parking outside the 180-foot buffer would be allowed.
The Select Board approved the suggestion.
Varley reported Monday that, as of Saturday, Oct. 26 Whitman residents had cast 2,389 in-person early votes and there were more than 900 absentee ballots not yet returned. There are 11,000 registered voters in Whitmn.
Hanson Town Clerk Elizabeth Sloan said 677 of the town’s 8,477 eligible voters had already voted in-person in Town Hall and there were 1,000 absentee ballots sent out.
On the ballot
Electors of the President and Vice President of the United States;
- Ayyadurai and Ellis (Independent);
•De la Cruz and Garcia (Socialism and Liberation); - Harris and Walz (Democratic);
- Oliver and Ter Maat (Libertarian);
- Stein and Caballero-Roca (Green) and
- Trump and Vance (Republican) appear on all ballots as does Senator in Congress. Refer to your town’s ballot for the order in which they appear.:
Senator in Congress. - Elizabeth Warren (Democratic) and
- John Deaton (Republican.
Whitman and Hanson also vote between the same candidates for county-wide offices
Register of Deeds for the Plymouth District; - John R. Buckly (Democratic) running unopposed.
Clerk of Courts for Plymouth County; - Robert S. Creedon Jr., (Democratic) running unopposed.
County Commissioner for Plymouth County; Voting for TWO - Gregory M. Hanley (Democratic);
• Jared L. Valanzola (Republican); - Rhonda L. Nyman (Democratic);
Anthony T. O’Brien Sr. (Republican).
In Hanson there are two ballots as the town’s state representative districts differ, but all other offices and ballot questions are the same.
Governor’s Councilor, 2nd Distirict; - Tamisha Civil (Democratic)
- Francis T. Crimmins Jr. (Republican)
Senator in General Court — 2nd Plymouth and Norfolk also appears on both town’s ballots; - Michael D. Brady (Democratic) running unopposed.
The town’s Congressional race also differs from Whitman — Representative in Congress — 8th District; - Stephen F. Lynch (Democratic);
- Robert G. Burke (Republican)
Representative in Congress — 9th District; - Bill Keating (Democratic)
- Dan Sullivan (Republicsn)
Representative in General Court — 5th Plymouth District: - David F. LaCoste (Republican) running unopposed,
Representative in General Court — 6th Plymouth District: - Rebecca W. Coletta (Democratic)
- Kenneth P. Sweezey (Republican)
Whitman’s state representative, like Hansons’s 5th Plymouth is also an uncontested race.
Representative in General Court — 7th Plymouth District:
Alyson M. Sullian-Almeida (Republican) running unopposed.
Ballot questions include; - Question 1 – Initiative petition to specify that the state Auditor has the authority to audit the Legislature.
A YES vote would specify that authority.
A NO vote would make no change relative to the state Auditor’s authority. - Question 2 – Initiative petition to eliminate the requirement that students pass the MCAS exam to graduate high school.
A YES vote would eliminate the requirement, but would still require students to complete course work to meet state education standards.
A NO vote would make no change in the graduation requirements. - Question 3 – Initiative petition on unionization for transportation network drivers.
A YES vote would provide transportation network drivers the option to form unions to collectively with transportation network companies regarding wages, benefits and terms and conditions of work.
A NO vote would make no changes in the law relative to the drivers’ ability to unionize.
Question 4 – Initiative petition relative to the limited legalization and regulation of certain natural psychedelic substances.
A YES vote would allow persons over age 21 to use certain natural psychedelic substances under licensed supervision, grow limited quantities in their home and create a commission to regulate the substances.
A NO vote would make no changes in the law.
Question 5 – Initiative petition establishing a minimum wage for tipped workers.
A YES vote would gradually increase the minimum wage an employer must play a tipped worker over the course of five years at which point employers could pool all tips and distribute them among non-management workers.
A NO vote would make no changes in the law.
The full text of the questions as well as detailed arguments on either side of each issue can be found in the “Massachusetts Information for Voters – 2024 Ballot Questions – State Election,” published by Secretary of State William F. Galvin and mailed to registered voters or online at VoteInMA.com.
CCC changes concern Hanson
By Tracy F. Seelye, Express editor
[email protected]
HANSON – Changes to Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) requirements for contract consideration that will affect host community agreements (HCAs) are doing so in a way that has some town officials again protesting that the state is overreaching its authority.
For now, however, the town is working with its town counsel to determine a set of actionable items to complete, with deadlines to help them comply with the new regulation requirements.
“I think having counsel assist us will be a big help.” said Town Planner Antonio DeFrias as he and Town Counsel Liz Lydon met with the Select Board on Tuesday, Oct. 29 to discuss those changes.
“It shouldn’t be a heavy lift,” Lydon said as Board Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett balked at the cost of legal fees in the face of Hanson’s financial situation and she wanted the board to have time to think about and process the information presented.
“This has been going on for, roughly, about a year, so I’ve worked with counsel … to stay up to date and keep Hanson in compliance,” DeFrias said as he passes the microphone to Lydon to explain the nuances of the changes, how they affect Hanson and what, if anything, the town needs to do remain in compliance with the law.
The regulations were amended within the past year or so, according to Lydon.
“We knew that [changes were coming, but we weren’t sure to the extent, because the statute changed first, then the regulations were issued about a year ago,” she said. “The statute was unclear about what the regulations would state and how restrictive they would be.”
Town counsel then began the process of trying to renegotiate the HCAs. Only to find there were still uncertainties.
“The regulations actually went beyond what we had anticipated for restrictions on HCAs,” Lydon said. “They came up with a model HCA, they changed the whole payment structure around community impact fees, so that you could no longer charge a percentage of sales … and it has to be based on documented costs over the prior year.”
Any HCAs already negotiated, once their term expires, they would have to comply with the model agreement, or very close to it, according to Lydon, who added there is briefing case law to the effect that it’s not final because it hasn’t been appealed to the Supreme Judicial Court.
“But it’s created more uncertainty in the law because it says that the regulations are not retroactive to existing agreements,” she said. “That means all the agreements that are in place now should still be valid, however that doesn’t help with the uncertainty around payments under the existing agreement, because you still have to have documented costs related to the impacts of [an establishment].”
That boils down to: all of the existing host agreements have to be renegotiated, with fees based on documented costs and only cover impacts directly caused by a facility.
“We kind of knew that they were going to lean in this direction,” Select Board Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “It wasn’t as if they took a sharp left and nobody knew. … The CCC kept saying, ‘You better document,’ and, ‘It needs to be real costs.’”
She asked if Hanson had looked at when its agreement expires and what would need to be taken into consideration in negotiating a new one.
“We’ll need to very closely mirror whatever that model agreement is,” she said.
Lydon said she didn’t have that information at hand, so FitzGerald-Kemmett asked that the firm circle back to the board with it.
But Lydon said the CCC would notify the town when the agreement does expire at which time the establishment would reach out to town counsel.
“I have plenty of models that we can use,” she said.
“At the risk of stating the obvious, to me, it’s super-frustrating that we were sold a bill of goods,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “The rules have changed mid-stream … with, as far as I can tell, very little ability for voters, or the people impacted, or the towns impacted, to even influence what ended up happening. … It’s really disappointing to see the state take that approach.”
Other board members agreed.
FitzGerald-Kemmett said that, without the community impact fee they agreed to she doubted that agreement would have been possible.
Lydon said the agreements are still discretionary with case law as well as the aspect that towns can elect not to continue relations with a marijuana establishment if it is not in the town’s best interests.
“I have not seen that happen yet, but it is an option,” she said.
Lydon added that another piece of the regulation is that there is now a requirement for a social equity policy in place, requiring prioritize consideration of social equity applications from historically disenfranchised groups such as minority-owned businesses, or those seeking permits who are persons who were impacted by the war on drugs (including arrests for marijuana) or others who might fall under the label of an historically disenfranchised group.
The policies must include streamlining the application process, providing all the materials and information needed on the town’s website, including permitting requirements and a contact person and all applications must be easily accessible and an application process for a new HCA must be made available and transparent with decisions posted as well as how many establishments exist in a town and how many are social equity applicants.
“That should have been done already, under the law,” Lydon said. “But they are not enforcing [the policy requirement] it until May. Once the policy is in place, you’ll have to move forward to implementing the policy.”
There are three options:
- adopt a bylaw to exclusively permit social equity businesses for three years or until the exlusivity goal has been met;
- adopt the model bylaw ordinance created by the Commission to permit social equity businesses; and the easiest option, which does not require a Town Meeting vote;
- create a local approval process, which is required by the regulations anyway for equity applicants, that is administered on a one-to-one basis with a general applicant.
“This is a lot to unpack, but what I’m hearing you say is we’re getting no more money, but we’re being asked to do a lot more regarding this type of business,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.
Lydon said the 3 percent fee still applies if Hanson allowed retail facilities in town, something Town Meeting did not approve.
“I don’t see that floating,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “We’ve tried that several times and we’ve gotten a very strong message on that.”
She did not see any incentive for the town to agree to what she called an unfunded mandate to comply with the new policy requirement.
“My thought is, we just do what we’ve done up until this point, and take it to Town Meeting for option one or two and see if the town wants to do anything with them,” said Board member Joe Weeks. “The town really needs to have a say in this.”
FitzGerald-Kemmett had more questions about what Town Meeting would be asked to decide.
“We don’t need to make that decision tonight,” she said. “It seems like a lot for a little town like ours, with very few resources, to take on.”
Lydon said, while there is assistance to applicants, there is no real assistance to towns and there is a lot of turnover going on at the CCC, which creates difficulties.
FitzGerald-Kemmett asked if the town could opt against allowing more facilities in town at all, because they lack the infrastructure to work with it effectively, and Lydon said it could be limited to the one license Hanson has already approved.
“If someone applied, it’s still at your discretion if you want to award another HCA,” Lydon said. “That is in the Select Board’s hands.” But another way to comply is to draft a social equity business policy first.
Lacking a policy, the town could be subject to fines if an applicant reported the town to the CCC.
She said there are other area towns who have complied, that Hanson can refer to for policy language,
“This is extremely concerning to me,” said Board member Ed Heal. “This sounds like a huge, huge, huge, slippery slope. We’re in the middle of an MBTA slippery slope, and it’s like, ‘Wow, they’re going to make us approve permits …’”
FitzGerald-Kemmett broke in to explain that the policy is required only if the town allows more permits.
“We don’t know what Town Meeting will decide,” Weeks repeated.
“This is the state going above and beyond yet again, forcing us to do something,” Heal said, later adding, “A white male cannot start a…”
“Well, maybe let’s not get quite…” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. But Lydon said a white male could if he had ever been arrested on marijuana charges.
“But that’s the person that gets the business,” Heal said to Weeks. “Somebody like me or you or even you,” he said, gesturing to FitzGerald-Kemmett, “wouldn’t be able to start a marijuana business.”
“Well, I’m a woman,” she said.
“To put it in a nutshell, you have the policy in place, but once you have it in place, it doesn’t mean that you have to allow any more [businesses],” DeFrias said.
Friends of Whitman Library hold membership drive
The Friends of the Whitman Public Library is currently conducting its 2025 Membership Drive. Memberships start as little as $5 for a Senior, $10 for an Individual, or $15 for a Family.
Membership forms are available in the library, on the Friends Table, and also online at WhitmanPublicLibrary.org under “Get Involved” and on the Friends Facebook page at “Friends of the Whitman Public Library.”
Members receive Preview privileges of book sales, the Friends Newsletters, and coupons or discounts at participating fundraisers.
If you do not wish to become a member at this time, a donation in any amount is always appreciated.
A donation can be made in memory of someone or in recognition of a special occasion, anniversary, or other event. These donations will also be acknowledged in our Newsletters.
Volunteers are needed in setting up many of the fundraisers. You can be involved as much as you are able.
All donations support the Whitman Public Library’s programs including performers, crafts, and other items needed but not included in regular Town funding.
Thank you for considering becoming a member or volunteer of the Friends or the Whitman Public Library!
Whitman seeks return to civility
WHITMAN – A spate of recent events has reminded Select Board Chair Dr, Carl Kowalski of a line from a movie that he says speaks to a need for talking to each other, rather than at each other.
“As I was getting ready for the meeting tonight, something kept going through my head. … I’ve had [that line] in my head for a long time,” Kowalski said. The 1990 film “The Sound of Silence,” featuring Nicholas Cage and Laura Dern, included the line, “The whole world’s wild at heart and weird on the top,” he recalled, going on to explain his meaning.
The line reminded him of some things.
“We’re living that right now,” he said. “We have reports of swastikas in the neighborhoods. We have rumored reports – false rumored reports – of illegal immigrants living in the armory. We had a stand-out of 300 people in Hanson over the weekend in support of a man who’s breaking the law in Hanson by projecting something on the town [water] tower – which is town property.
“We have the police having to pay attention to the house of the town manager in Hanson – one of our former colleagues – who merely did the right thing by telling that person that it was against the law and he should take it down,” he said, noting that official’s life has been threatened and they have received “nasty emails.”
Contacted that evening, Hanson Select Board Chair Laura Fitz-Gerald-Kemmett had no comment. [See story opposite]
All of that’s been going on over the last couple of days, Kowalski informed his board about the examples he cited.
“The whole world is wild at heart and weird on the top,” he repeated.
He said he was relating that information as an introduction to a program, planned by the Whitman Freedom Team, at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 24 at W-H Regional High School.
Kowaksi was extending an invitation to all residents to attend, or to watch at home. Speakers at the event will include Democratic state Sen. Mike Brady of Brockton and Republican state Rep. Alyson Sullivan-Almeida of Abington.
“It’s for a night of unity, hoping to inspire and share the Whitman team’s message of civility and mutual respect,” he said. “Certainly, it’s timely. Unfortunately, it’s really needed.”
Campbell retires
The Board then recognized the retirement of Det. Eric Campbell, who attended the meeting with his wife Diane, daughter Morgan and sons Dylan and Justin.
“They’ve always been supporting him, as families do in the police profession,” Police Chief Timothy Hanlon said.
Campbell began his career in the auxiliary unit, moving on into patrol in 2001 and beginning a 24-year career as a full-time officer. He has served as a DARE officer, a school resource officer, has been a detective since 2012, and has been an honor guard volunteer as well as the auxiliary liaison officer. He has also served as a union president for many years and still serves as the department’s evidence officer until his official retirement date.
“He’s worn many hats here and all those are appreciated,” Hanlon said. “What I can say about Eric Campbell is, he’s always been available to do those jobs to the best of his ability. He is as dedicated as they come.”
Hanlon said that Cambell won’t be completely retiring as he will return to being an auxiliary/special police officer.
“He’ll be down to one hat,” Hanlon said, presenting Campbell with his retirement badge. The police union presented him with a plaque in appreciation of his service and the Select Board presented him with a citation from the town.
The board then voted to appoint Campbell as an auxiliary/special police officer, effective Oct. 24 through June 30, 2025.
“That was a long retirement,” Kowalski joked. “OK, you’re back on the job, Eric.”
“Heck of a retirement,” Vice Chair Dan Salvucci jested.
Green report card
In other business, Old Colony Regional Planning Council (OCPC) Senior Development Specialist Paul Umano presented Green Communities program’s annual report.
The town’s 10-year report card was encouraging.
“You guys have done an amazing job with reducing your energy use and I’m looking forward to continuing to work with [Assistant Town Administrator Kathleen Keefe] and her team with the upcoming spring round grants,” he said, noting the typical grant is around $225,000 per grant year There is also a grant program for $500,000 for de-carbonization programs.
“The possibilities are endless,” he said.
Umano’s presentation was aimed to show the town’s overall standing as a green community. There are five criteria required by the program: as-of-right siting; expedited permitting; maintaining energy use; fuel-efficient vehicle policy and the “stretch code,” which is the more stringent building code governing new construction.
Under the as-of-right siting criteria, there are requirements for renewable or alternative energy generating facilities; renewable or alternative energy research and development and renewable or alternative energy manufacturing facilities in designated locations.
“The town currently has a range – I know the town as a little bit of aggregation and a little bit of solar as well – you’ve maintained that status throughout [and] you’ve been designated as a Green Community,” he said.
“The third criteria, I think is the most important – maintaining your energy use baseline data,” Umano said. “The idea is [that] your baseline is FY 2014.” That calls for a 20-percent reduction of energy use.
“You guys are doing an amazing job in terms of reducing your energy use throughout,” he said again, The 20-percent benchmark is maintained in municipal buildings, while open space is well over 20 percent, while traffic and streetlights are almost at 60 percent; town-owned vehicles are at a 16-percent reduction level and the Water and Sewer Department is at just 6 percent.
“That’s just amazing work across the board,” he said.
Board member Justin Evans offered kudos for the long-term energy reductions.
“The streetlights was all Lisa Green, our now twice mentioned in this meeting former assistant town administrator – a project that she spear-headed and really converted them all to LED using Green Communities grant,” Evans said. “I think credit where it’s due. It saved us 60 percent off our carbon emissions chart there.”
Projects the town has done which stand out include the Council on Aging, where a high-efficiency water heater has been put in place; some insulation work at the Fire Department, some rooftop control units have been put in at the police station; some EV charging stations have been placed at the DPW and a boiler has also been replaced there as well as at Town Hall.
“By no means is that an exhaustive list, but some of the key highlights over the years,” Umano said.
For future planning, he called attention to the town buildings with the greatest current energy use: Town Hall, the police and fire stations, the library and the DPW’s “town barn.” They are also the highest carbon emission buildings.
Energy-use intensity, comparable to miles per gallon on one’s car, is also tracked for the review – and the list is basically the same as for energy use, with the armory building replacing the library and DPW on the list. Umano also gave the town high marks for its fuel-efficient vehicle policy, with no reported violations.
“It looks as though there are no new significant changes [under the codes for new buildings] in the community,” he said.
Select Board member Laura Howe noted that, with the new DPW building under construction, that department’s numbers will be greatly improved.
Member Shawn Kain asked if there was anything in the program pertaining to an organic waste, or composting, program. Umano said he was not aware of one, but the topic came up again as the board was voting on the new trash rate of $360 per year based on costs, ($335 for seniors). The rate last fiscal year was $335.
Kain suggested such a composting program could help reduce the weight – and therefore the cost – of trash hauling in Whitman.
“I know other communities do it, and do it pretty well,” he said. “It would be good to get some feedback from the DPW about it.”
Town Administrator Mary Beth Carter said she could send Superintendent Bruce Martin an email about the question.
“It’s worth looking into,” Howe said.
The great costume dilemma
By Linda Hurd
Special to the Express
It was Halloween and the last school bell rang as we headed out to board our buses for home. Those of us in junior high were excited and talking about the Halloween party being held at the Indian Head School auditorium that night where there’d be dancing and prizes for the best costumes. I was going with friends and still hadn’t decided what to wear.
The Jack O’Lanterns, as they were called in our house, had been carved the night before and were nicely arranged on the steps leading to our kitchen door. As soon as I walked into the house, I heard mom and my siblings going on about something and I heard my name mentioned. The main rooms of our house were all open. As you entered, you were in the kitchen. The spacious living room was to the right with two steps going down into it and a big fieldstone fireplace along the back wall. My sister Penny and I helped load the stones that built it into dad’s truck from my Grampa’s field when we were ages six and nine. A wide square arch way in the kitchen led into the dining room where mom and my brother and sisters were. My 6-year-old brother Davey wanted my help with a costume. Mom found something for Barb and Penny but Davey kept saying no to all her suggestions.
I went down the back stairs to the cellar to look around for anything that might catch my eye or give me an idea. I found a cardboard box that was just about Davey’s size, a little red cap and a pair of red tights; I instantly knew what I could do. I grabbed the can of Nestle’s Strawberry Quick out of the cupboard and took it with the box to my room, shut the door and went to work. I copied the picture of the little figure from the can onto the box and colored it in with crayons. I cut holes in the box for Davey’s head and arms.
When I was done I went to show mom. She looked up with a big grin, saying how clever it was. Davey was excited and let me put a touch of rouge on his cheeks and I even talked him into wearing the little red felt cap but when it came to putting on the tights, he balked. We put him in front of the full-length mirror and mom, Penny and I were showing him the picture of the little figure on the can who’s hat was red with legs to match and telling him how much better the costume would look if he wore the tights. We convinced him and although he wasn’t too happy about it, he wore them. While mom fixed some supper, I had to find something to wear to the Halloween party.
In my room I found a scuffed-up pair of sneakers and old raggedy dungarees in my closet. I tacked a few colorful patches on the pants with a needle and thread. Rummaging through mom and dad’s old steamer trunks down cellar I found a man’s brown sports coat that was frayed and thin with a few holes in it and not too awfully big, an old stained t-shirt that looked more gray than white and a piece of rope on dad’s workbench that I used for a belt; all I needed was a hat. I took one of mom’s long-handled, beat up aluminum pots out of the kitchen cupboard, taped a big patch on it and put it on my head. Perfect!
I put makeup on my eyebrows and across my chin and cheeks to make it look like I needed a shave and walked out into the dining room. Mom, Penny and Davey started laughing. Barbie was only three and looked scared and dad just stared. He finally asked if I was really going to appear in public wearing a pot on my head which made us laugh even harder when I said yes.
To that he said, “Geez, one wearin’ a box and one wearin’ a pot,” and he just shook his head.
Dad would be in charge of passing out the candy while mom was walking the kids around the neighborhood and I was at the party. We were all preparing to leave and I felt a little hand slip into mine. I looked down and Davey’s big blue eyes were staring up at me. He asked if I would please come with them.
Penny walked over to us saying, “It won’t be the same without you.” Dad came up behind us and said to me, “if you want to go with them, I’ll bring you to the party when they come back, it’ll still be going on.” I was torn for a minute then Barbie wrapped her arms around my leg. I took the pot off and told them yes, I will come.
Looking back, I’m so glad I did. Davey got many complements on his costume. Barbie looked like a little doll in a hand made Cinderella dress. Penny wore her cowgirl outfit and mom and I managed the stroller and the bags of candy. Jack O’Lanterns were lit up on every lawn. One porch decorated with ghosts, skeletons and spiders had spooky music coming from it that could be heard from one end of Elm street to the other. There were smiles and laughter as we met friends and neighbors along the way and saw how we all were dressed. Dad did take me to the Halloween party, pot on the head and all and I won a prize for the most creative costume.
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