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Board hears WMS update

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WHITMAN — Town Administrator Lincoln Heineman updated the Board of Selectmen on the work of the Whitman Middle School Building Committee at the board’s Tuesday, July 20 meeting.

Heineman and Selectman Randy LaMattina both serve on the building committee, which has been meeting nearly every month.

“Right now, out in the world, the bid document for soliciting an owner’s project manager [has been of interest],” Heineman said. “Bids from prospective owner’s project managers are due back on July 28.”

It incudes an estimate of the total cost of the renovation or replacement of the Whitman Middle School, estimated to be between $50 to $85 million. The grade configuration of the new or renovated middle school — whether it will be grades five through eight or six through eight — is an ongoing question right now and could mean a larger price tag if the school must house four grades instead of three.

“I think everybody on that committee knows the shape [of the school],” LaMattina said. “Obviously the MSBA knows the shape for the Whitman Middle School to get picked in the first go-around for refurbishment or replacement.”

The project timeline includes eight months for a feasibility study and schematic design, 10 months to a year for the design phase and bidding phase including construction document development is expected to take another 10 months to a year with the final construction phase taking two to three years.

“I think that might be sort of aggressive, but I want to make sure the board and the public knows what’s out there in this solicitation for a bid for owner’s project managers,” Heineman said.

Right now, interviews are expected to be done by an evaluation subcommittee to be appointed by the School Building Committee with the awarding of a contract tentatively planned for early October.

LaMattina said the cost estimate is based on “exactly how the building sits right now” a grade six to eight construction with no performing arts center.

He added that he wished he could say everything has gone smoothly on the building committee, but stressed they are people who do not want to see a failed project.

“We know we need a new school and I think some fiscal issues have caused a slight division,” LaMattina said. “It’s still very early, but I think, for myself, and Lincoln agrees — and some other members on there —we know we need a new middle school … and we’re going to try to do it in the most fiscally responsible way so that we get a project that passes.”

He said it is not certain where the responsibility lies right now for the number of grades in the school, but stressed that educational needs will carry the extra grade.

“The superintendent and assistant superintendent have definitely submitted an academic plan where they could justify it,” LaMattina said. “The cost factor, we don’t know yet.”

Whitman salutes selfless service

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WHITMAN — The rewards and challenges of volunteerism became apparent at the Tuesday, July 20 meeting of the Whitman Board of Selectmen as they honored a community volunteer — as well as the heroism of first responders — and found that the new state Police Reform Act places more responsibilities on auxiliary/special officers.

State Rep. Alyson Sullivan, R-Abington, and state Sen. Mike Brady, D-Brockton, helped the board honor Whitman student Clare LaMattina, whose fundraising idea to aid the Whitman Food Pantry went “viral” during the COVID pandemic in the best, and possibly most old-school fashion. Both lawmakers presented Clare with citations from their respective houses in the General Court.

Clare, daughter of Selectman Randy LaMattina and his wife Michelle, “is a very determined young lady and very generous,” Sullivan said.

The Thayer Academy student, as part of a school community service project, sold “Whitman Strong” signs to benefit the Whitman Food Pantry during the pandemic.

“Clare decided to do this Whitman Strong fundraiser with signs to make sure that everyone here in Whitman knew they were banding together as a community, as a town, and to raise money for the Whitman Food Pantry,” Sullivan said. “[She] thought about how many people were probably suffering during the pandemic, which they did.”

Little did she know how the idea would catch on in the South Shore region. While that effort raised more than $17,000 for Whitman Food Pantry, similar sign projects sprang up in Abington, East Bridgewater and Plymouth — among others.

“Clare’s initiative really paved the way for other communities to follow suit,” Sullivan noted. “I would say you probably raised a lot more than $17,000 for food pantries across the commonwealth.”

Brady also lauded Clare’s efforts and quipped: “I think we should get you another fundraiser, we could use a couple of fundraisers ourself.”

The Senate citation noted her “insight and selfless commitment to the community by designing a method to help feed the hungry,” through her fundraising work.

The Board of Selectmen then presented — as soon as absent members have a chance to sign them, that is — citations to Whitman Police Det. Eric Campbell and officer Christopher Lee and firefighter Andrew McGillivray, for their life saving efforts on the job and off duty. Sullivan said her office and Brady, who were not aware of the intent to honor them Tuesday, would also prepare citations honoring their work.

“What you guys do, day in and day out, is something that should be recognized,” Sullivan said.

Campbell was honored for performing life-saving CPR Saturday, May 21 while he was off-duty and heard of efforts to revive a person at a town market. He immediately responded to the scene to help with CPR until Whitman Fire paramedics could arrive.

Lee was saluted for his efforts to save a motorist in medical distress and National Grid employees working in a trench on South Avenue Tuesday, May 11.

“Officer Lee’s actions quickly alerted the work crew, allowing them to safely escape the trench before the vehicle drove into it,” Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski said. “Officer Lee, officer [Kevin] Shantler and officer [Paul] Young then immediately rendered aid to the motorist.”

McGillivray, was honored after a July 4 incident when he was participating in the Squantum/Quincy Fourth of July parade with other members of the Greater Boston Pipes and Drums, when a person on one of the parade floats suffered a medical emergency. McGillivray and other band members responded by securing the float vehicle, idenitifying the incident as a cardiac arrest and immediately rendering CPR and additional care, resuscitating the patient.

On the flip side of volunteering, the Board of Selectmen voted to rescind designation as special police officer for Selectmen Brian Bezanson, Justin Evans, Carl Kowalski, Randy LaMattina and Dan Salvucci as well as for Town Administrator Lincoln Heineman, Building Inspector Robert Curran, and James Ewell, Mark Getchell, Peter Palaza and Thomas Ruble because of changes to training requirements under the state’s Police Reform Act.

Police Chief Timothy Hanlon explained that additional training requirements of about six months. Kowalski noted that the annual appointments, last made less than a month ago, had been a routine matter in the past.

“I’ll let it go,” Salvucci said. “I’m not happy about it.”

“Do we get to keep the badges to give to grandchildren or something like that?” Kowalski asked.

Hanlon said the badges could be kept as a memento.

Whitman’s auxiliary officers have been fully trained and certified for now, but must be kept current through a bridge academy in coming years.

“Outside of the ceremonial positions, the strain this puts on our auxiliaries and our reserve officers and staff we absolutely depend on and the chief depends on, hopefully the state will come down with something quick,” LaMattina said.

Heineman said he would support sending auxiliary/special police officers to the academy and only ask that the town be paid back if they leave the position within a certain amount of time.

“We don’t want to lose the service that we get from those types of officers just because they can’t afford, or don’t want to spend the money, to go on their own,” he said.

Reis hired as boys’ soccer coach

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Tony Reis is the new man in charge of the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team.

Reis takes over for Dave Leahy, who stepped down after four seasons due to a work commitment.

Reis, who works for the Upper Cape Regional Vocational School, spent six seasons as Upper Cape’s head coach. His teams won three league titles and qualified for the MIAA tournament six years in a row.

Reis played his high school ball at Taunton High.

“Coach Reis has a passion and love for the game of soccer,” said W-H athletic director Bob Rodgers. “His success speaks for itself, but his view of the role of athletics in a student’s life is what excites me about having him joining our staff.”
Reis also owns a soccer academy down the Cape.

W-H finished the shortened 2020 campaign with a 6-7 record.

Author pens healing message

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HANSON — Local author Isabella Rose took a sip from her Dunkin’ Donuts iced coffee before speaking about the lifetime of pain and battles with addiction and abuse that led her to writing.

“Don’t ever give up,” she said of her message. “You do matter, your dreams matter, and don’t let anybody make you think differently. Go after them.”

And she has.

Her first full book, “Behind the Masked Smile: A Survivor’s Quest for Love,” is as much a message to others dealing with similar pain that they are not alone, as it is her coping method.

“I hope, by sharing my story, it helps others,” she said of the book published independently through Amazon. “It’s a very vulnerable book.”

Amazon puts authors’ work through a review process before contracting with them, according to Rose. Her book became available on Amazon July 13. Five percent of proceeds benefit Janie’s Fund, founded by rocker Steven Tyler in conjunction with Youth Villages, to help abused and neglected girls as they transition out of foster care.

“It goes directly to survivors and their healing process,” she said.

A contributor to six books in the “365 series” of inspirational essays as well as the “Life is a Gift” and “Calling all Earth Angels and Healers” collections, the Hanson native hopes to spread a message of empathy and hope.

“This is my debut solo book,” she said. “I started writing it at 14 years old after I was raped. It was a way to express my feelings without negative consequence and to help process what was going on.”

Rose grew up in what she describes as an alcoholic family where there was no one who could help her. Struggles with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder led to substance abuse and suicidal thoughts.

Writing was her lifeline.

“Victims don’t really have any rights,” she said of her experience as a survivor of domestic abuse. “We’re the guilty ones until we’re proven innocent and we have to relive everything when it goes through the court system.”

In recovery from substance abuse for six years, Rose found a nontraditional path, spurred by health problems stemming from her drug use, asking her goddess and the angels to take the cravings from her.

“It was a mask for my own pain,” she said of her cocaine use, which became a coping mechanism after her fiancé died shortly before they planned to move to Maine and start a new life together.

“He loved me like no one else did,” she said.

Yet, Rose is a woman who smiles easily and focuses on the joy of others.

“I feel it’s important for me to step out and share my story,” she said. “If I can change one person’s life and make a difference – and if I can help break down the stigmas, especially for teenagers, it’ll be so worth it.”

She admits that a lot of her poetry is dark, but that it invites the reader to enter the real world abuse survivors contend with, and how she found strength in her story to heal and help others – to the point where she participated in a Fed Up rally in Washington, DC in 2017 to protest opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma.

Poetry, she said, is a kind of intuitive writing that helps her advocate for others on the page. It follows her life’s chronology – an autobiography in poetry. She said it began as a poetry volume without a specific theme, but she shared the story behind it with the publishers of the 365 book series, who urged her to write an introduction explaining that to readers and she organized the poems chronologically as she found her way to gain her own power back.

Her ultimate dream is to found a healing retreat center for domestic violence survivors with an education center and social support to help get them back on their feet.

“I worry about the burnout, but I know I won’t be doing it by myself,” she said. In the meantime, she has begun teaching a healing course online during the pandemic.

Rose will be holding a book signing at Storybook Cove in Hanover, held Facebook book launch party July 13 and will hold and author talk and book signing at the Plymouth Library Aug. 3.

  

GRENNO CALLS IT A CAREER

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Congratulatory messages to Whitman’s retiring Fire Chief Timothy Grenno were written on a giant send-off banner by fellow firefighters, including Chief Jerome Thompson Jr., of Hanson, front above. State Sen. Michael D. Brady, D-Brockton, presented Grenno with a commendation for his 37 years of service, as Whitman Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski and state Rep. Alyson Sullivan, R-Abington, looked on. See more photos, page 6.   Photos by Stephanie Spyropoulos

Hearing looks at Cushing Trails project

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HANSON — Residents of the Spring Street area had the opportunity to question specifics of a proposed development — including some 40B units — at a zoning hearing last week.

The ZBA held a public hearing Tuesday, July 6 on the application for the Cushing Trails LLC project proposed on Spring Street. The comprehensive permit would allow construction of 40 for sale condominium units in 20 duplex-style buildings on about 9.6 acres, some of which are intended as 40B units.

The plan has been recommended to go through a peer review on the traffic study and the hearing was continued to 7 p.m.. Aug. 31.

Attorney Michael O’Shaughnessy made the presentation as he had done for Selectmen last month. O’Shaughnessy and architect Jamie Kelleher from Axiom Architects and Joseph Webby of Webby Engineering, as well as a representative of the firm that conducted the traffic study updated the board on the plan, before residents spoke and asked questions.

“I understand there’s a lot of anxious people in the room,” said ZBA Vice Chairman Kevin Perkins, who presided over the hearing, asking for those attending to be respectful of others who are speaking. “If it gets out of hand, we’re going to have to adjourn the meeting and continue it.”

Chairman William Cushing, who has involvement with the project, was not present.

Residents attending the hearing focused on water and soil quality, traffic and pedestrian safety, impact on emergency services and school bus routes as well as damage residents claim work on the site has caused to homes in the area.

Christine Cohen of Spring Street, who thanked the ZBA members for volunteering to serve, nonetheless expressed concern over potential conflicts of interest.

“If you guys are making decisions regarding this project, can I ask questions?” she said.

Perkins said she could, but not at that time.

“I believe all the members of the board have submitted documents with the town clerk regarding that, but you can check with [that office] if you’d like,” he said.

Town Counsel Jay Talerman, who attended the hearing, said he is aware of the questions but said it is not his function to vet the ZBA members. He said he has held confidential discussions with Perkins and that ZBA members have the same resources to ethics training as anyone else in the state.

“We’re obviously aware that in small towns there can be conflicts and I think the chair’s been really thoughtful on it,” Talerman said.

Perkins said that, if anyone had reason to recuse themselves from the meeting, they were not present at the meeting.

The meeting was broadcast by Hanson’s community access channel and is available for viewing on the WHCA-TV YouTube channel­­­­.

Holmes Street resident Gary Banuk, a retired chemist, asked about the development’s proximity to the Rockland dump, and was told it abuts that facility.

“I have things that worry me about the contaminants that would be at the bottom of that dump,” Banuk said. “In the old days everything was thrown in the dump.”

“We’re going to build a subdivision next to soil that wasn’t good enough for a dump, now we’re going to have people up in there,” said another resident, who noted the original plan to expand the Rockland landfill was denied.

Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett’s questions included whether there are any one-bedroom units in the development, whether affordable units will be clustered next to one another and whether they would abut the Rockland town line.

Jane Downey, who lives in the house on Spring Street surrounded by the development, said water from a 36-inch drain looks to funnel water from the development into her back yard. She also asked who would pay for foundation cracks and other damage to her home since site work began at the development.

Webby said a foundation survey could be required and the developer could potentially be responsible for repairs.

O’Shaughnessy said no one-bedroom units are proposed and affordables will be dispersed throughout the development.

Perkins had opened the hearing by reading letters from other town boards and then provided the applicant — Chairman William Cushing — or his representative, the opportunity to give an overview of the project.

“We might have time for abutters in the public comments [but] we’re going to try to get through the application process,” Perkins told the meeting in the Selectmen’s meeting room. “If we have time today, we’ll get to the public, if not then we’ll do that next week.”

The Planning Board’s letter indicated they had voted 3-0-2 on June 28 against approval of the project. A second vote by the same margin on June 30 recommended a re-evaluation and resubmittal of a storm water management engineering and apply the same re-evaluation submittal to all septic proposals.

The building inspector’s letter indicated he had no concerns over the proposal, “however, building permits must be issued prior to the start of construction.”

Deputy Fire Chief Robert O’Brien’s June 17 letter on behalf of the Fire Department indicated that using the name Williams Trail for one of the street names in the development is not acceptable as Hanson already has a Williams Way. While hydrant locations appeared to be acceptable, it would require final approval from the Water Department.

Conservation Agent Frank Schellenger wrote on June 17 that Conservation has no comment on the project as it lacks jurisdiction under the Wetlands Protection Act or the Hanson Wetlands Protection By-law, but the Commission would review the septic plans when the Board of Health forwards them.

Webby said the streets and cul-de-sacs are in the same location as when the project was designed as a 20-unit development. Drainage, he said, is still sufficient. Septic service will be installed and all utilities will be underground. O’Shaughnessy said the development will feature condominium-style ownership with the condominium association responsible for maintaining roads and common areas.

The traffic study concluded that the development would add between 30 and 40 vehicle trips during peak morning and evening rush hours, resulting in little vehicle delays over current conditions. Vehicle lines of sight meet or exceed requirements for safe operation, the study concluded.

Perkins asked how the traffic study was conducted.

Road trip counts were obtained on current conditions along Spring Street at the approximate location of the site, adjusting the count for the effects of COVID as well as seasonal averages, with estimates of trip volume from the project impact based on the Institute of Transportation Engineers manual that is the industry standard. Registry of Motor Vehicles accident histories of the area were also studied, the ZBA was told.

Recommendations of road specifications include a roadway of at least 20 feet in width that can accommodate the turning needs of fire apparatus.

The safety of a sidewalk with a Cape Cod berm was raised, with the recommendation that a grass strip separate the roadway and sidewalk for pedestrian safety. No parking along roadways was also recommended, as was a berm or swale to control runoff from the roadway.

“This seems to be a recipe for disaster,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said of the roadway plan and short driveways at some units, who also touched on the sidewalk safety issue. “If somebody has a party or people over … are we thinking about having the proponent to have some kind of a parking lot?”

Perkins said some kind of guest parking area should be included in the plans. He also stressed separation of sidewalks from the roadway were important.

“My biggest concern is the drainage,” said Patrick Brennon of Armory Engineers in Marshfield.

O’Shaughnessy said he met with the Water Commissioners several weeks ago to discuss extending the water line to the town line with Rockland and improving drainage on Spring Street.

Kelleher reviewed the design of the homes. O’Shaughnessy said the 40B units have not been designated yet, but will be indistinguishable from the way market priced units will be designed, although Mass Housing requires a certain number of three-bedroom units for a family blend.

O’Shaughnessy said there are now eight three-bedroom units — originally having proposed only four to Mass Housing — and 22 with two bedrooms.

“Quality wise, structurally, they are identical to the other units,” he said. “No different.”

Hanson mulls Mewis honor

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HANSON — The town is working on a special event to recognize the Mewis sisters’ participation on the U.S. Olympic Team. Just what it will be hasn’t been decided yet.

Hanson natives and W-H graduates Samantha and Kristie Mewis are both members of the U.S. Women’s Soccer team.

The 2020 Olympic Games — postponed a year by the COVID pandemic — open Friday, July 23 in Tokyo. Town Administrator Lisa Green had reported that a banner was being requested honoring the Mewis sisters be placed on the Town Green, but Selectmen advocated that much more be done.

“That’s really quite remarkable for the little town of Hanson … and we wish them the best of luck,” Green said of the Mewis sisters.

“I think a lot of people are asking is there more we can do as a town to recognize this truly unique fact that we’ve got sisters — from our little Podunk town — that have made it to the Olympics,” said Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett.

“This small little town invented Ocean Spray, we have [singer] Kristen Merlin, we have Kristie and Sam Mewis — Olympic soccer players representing the United States,” Selectman Joe Weeks said at the Tuesday, July 13 meeting. “They are the only [sisters] to ever do it and one of them won an ESPY Award the other day, so this is absolutely fabulous that we keep striking gold like this.”

Weeks said the town should vet the situation and figure out what can be done to honor them because “this small town keeps getting wins.”

He asked if they could be invited to town to take part in whatever is planned.

“I would really like to think about the idea of a parade,” FitzGerald-Kemmett  said. “I love the idea of little people — little soccer players — going like, ‘These girls grew up in our town! This is awesome!’ I think it could be so inspirational.”

Meals tax proposed

The Board of Selectmen, while voting to open the warrant for the October special Town Meeting, voted to draft a meals tax article at Green’s suggestion as a potential revenue source for the town. It would add a .75 percent tax on top of restaurant bills, which would be funneled back to the town through the state. On a $100 dining bill, the tax would come to 75 cents, Selectmen Chairman Matt Dyer said.

The idea came to Green during her research into Hanson’s revenues while she was looking into the town administrator position. Hanson has not adopted MGL Ch 64L and 803 in the Code of Mass. Regulations permitting a local sales tax on meals.

“Basically, this statute has been around for many, many years,” Green said. “Basically all of our neighbors have adopted this law. The only [area] towns that are not on this are Lakeville, Hanson and Plympton.”

She said that belies an argument that adopting a local meals tax would drive business to surrounding towns, because nearly all neighboring communities also have the tax in place.

“It is an area of revenue that Hanson has not tapped into that we could really significantly benefit from,” Green said, noting that a percentage could be earmarked for town employee post-retirement benefit costs.

“It will help us take care of some of our obligations, particularly retirement,” she said.

While larger towns like Abington — totaling $319,000 and Bridgewater brought with $359,000 — saw more benefit, Halifax brought in $42,000 in meals tax revenue last year.

Hanson has 19 eating establishments from restaurants to fast food eateries and prepared food outlets like Shaw’s.

“This isn’t out of proportion, this isn’t going to break the bank for a lot of folks,” Dyer said, noting the board welcomes feedback from restaurants.

Selectmen voted 5-0 to support drafting a warrant article for the voters to discuss and consider.

“I do think it’s important to let the townspeople take a look at this and see if it’s something they want to invest in,” Weeks said.

FitzGerald-Kemmett expressed concern over how long restaurants would have to implement the change.

Green said it would likely go into effect by Dec. 1 with the assessment happening in January and revenue collected by the DOR in February with a distribution back to the town by March 31, 2022 — if the article is approved in October.

Cushing Trails
update

FitzGerald-Kemmett said she has reached out to state Sen. Mike Brady, D-Brockton, and Mass. Housing regarding what the town could do to address neighbors’ concerns about contaminants from the Rockland town dump draining onto the property where a development including eight 40B housing units is proposed.

“I want to be real about it,” she said. “It’s private property — he owns it and, as long as he’s following the regulations, then he’s going to likely be permitted to build there.”

A Mass. Housing partnership via a grant the town can apply for to fund a specialist’s review of the environmental concerns, FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

“I would really like to see this board, in the interest of public health and the things that were expressed in the last ZBA meeting, because this is beyond their purview … apply for a grant,” she said.

Green said a licensed site professional would do that work and, if contaminants are found, the town would be informed and would likely trigger a second phase of review.

If it is found that contamination is due to faulty work in capping Rockland’s landfill, they could be held responsible, Green suggested.

Further moves would be up to the developer.

The board voted to request that Green pursue the grant.

Diehl enters race for governor

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Former state representative Geoff Diehl has his eye on a higher office.

The Whitman Republican, in an address to an Independence Day “Freedom Festival” in Hadley on Sunday — hosted by the GOP Patriots group, which supports the Trump-Pence conservative agenda — announced a candidacy that will focus on the impact of over-taxation and reckless government spending.

“I’ve served in the legislature and seen, first-hand, the impact government regulations have on businesses they don’t necessarily understand but want to control,” Diehl said. “The pandemic response of a total shut down of the economy, followed by arbitrary federal, state and local regulations only made it harder for the small businesses to stay alive, especially in the restaurant and hospitality industries. And I remain mystified how the big box stores like Home Depot remained open while your local hardware store was forced to close. Let that chapter of our state’s history remain a powerful example of what can never happen again.”

Diehl last ran for state-wide office in 2018, in an unsuccessful challenge to U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. He told the Hadley audience that, having been furloughed from his job at a healthcare company while helping his wife KathyJo keep their performing arts studio going, gave him an insight into what small businesses face.

“Making sure Massachusetts is creating the best scenario for job growth is the key to a strong recovery because keeping people on enhanced unemployment is not the answer,” Diehl said.

He also proclaimed his total opposition to the Transportation Climate Initiative signed onto by Gov. Charlie Baker.

“The last thing working families in Massachusetts need is added cost to commuting, food and goods that are already being hit by the inflationary effects of massive federal spending,” he said. “All the original New England states have failed to join in the ‘cap and trade’ scheme and even environmentalists discount the projections for emission reduction.”

He also supports “Backing the Blue” and “making sure local school boards are given the funds and control to determine the best curriculum for their students,” in order to turn more decision-making to the local level.

Hanson taking a closer look at office hopefuls

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HANSON — The Board of Selectmen discussed a new policy of looking into appointment requests with more rigor in all cases at its Tuesday, June 29 meeting — stemming from discussion regarding the reappointment of ZBA member Kevin Perkins.

“I’ve had many a constituent come to me and talk about possible conflicts of interest and I’m curious if any paperwork, any conflict of interest, any disclosures were submitted along with this reappointment request,” Selectman Joe Weeks said.

Perkins was reappointed by a 3-2 vote with Weeks and Selectmen Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett voting against it, but the policy of more stringent vetting of candidates for appointment by the Board of Selectmen received a consensus of support.

Weeks had indicated he had heard of concerns of conflict of interest but Town Administrator Lisa Green said she was told there has been no record of such complaints, by the Planning Department and that past minutes provided to her showed that he has not acted in conflict of interest.

“Going forward, I very much feel that we have to get a little more rigor around making sure that the board’s aware,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “It isn’t that if somebody has disclosures we won’t appoint them, but we need to go in eyes wide open and recognize that somebody has filed a disclosure and they have let us know what potential conflicts are and that they’re well aware of them and they’re going to avoid them.”

She had suggested tabling the appointment until the Selectmen’s next meeting so they could check on the disclosures.

Selectman Kenny Mitchell strongly disagreed with such a move.

“We need to make the appointment.” Mitchell said, noting that Perkins’ term expired the next day (June 30) and there’s no reason to hold it up. “We didn’t hold up the other 40 people that we appointed two weeks ago because of nothing. There’s nothing in front of me that shows Mr. Perkins has done anything wrong.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett said wrong-doing was not the issue, rather that consitutents had raised a concern she felt needed to be vetted.

Selectmen Chairman Matt Dyer asked if there had been any formal complaints filed. Green said she has seen no evidence of that.

“I understand the concerns that may be out there,” Dyer said. “As we discussed [earlier in the meeting regarding the Spring Street project], we need to make sure that all members of all boards do their ethics training and, if they have any question regarding ethics that they call the MassEthics line and file the proper paperwork at the [Town] Clerk’s office.”

But, with pending projects before the ZBA, Dyer said the vacancy needed to be filled and, going forward, Selectmen should take a closer look at files.

“That’s what you’ve got to do with everybody,” Mitchell said.

“It has nothing to do with this individual.” Weeks said. “We don’t represent the Zoning Board, we represent all constituents. There’s no picking sides.”

He said he was responding to a question raised by constituents.

“We have to make sure that we vet everybody,” Weeks said. “There’s a huge difference between a board that we appoint as Selectmen vs. people that get in [to office] by elected means.”

A new Bylaw Committee will also be formed in town.

“The Bylaws can be considered a little bit outdated and have some of what I have found to be a lot of language issues,” said Green. She suggested reaching out to companies that codify bylaws to do a legal analysis and make recommendations for changes based on current statutes. Selectmen voted to approve the Bylaw Committee.

A reconstituted Bylaw Committee would be charged with reviewing the recommendations for the Selectmen’s review.

“This is long overdue,” FitzGerald-Kemmett agreed.

The board is looking at a five-member committee, including Green, a selectman, a member of the Planning Board and two citizens at-large.

Selectmen also voted to accept a settlement in a potential bankruptcy settlement by Purdue Pharma relating to a class-action suit against the pharmaceutical firm to which Hanson signed on as a plaintiff during the opioid crisis.

“The lawyers who are undertaking the class-action [case] negotiated a bankruptcy settlement, which did not yield a monetary distribution to municipalities, but rather, yielded contributions to opioid programs, which is helpful to combat some of the negative impacts for over-prescription of opioids,” said Town Counsel Kate Feodoroff. “The question before this board is: ‘Is this town willing to sign off on that bankruptcy?’”

She said the alternative would be to undertake individual litigation against the company. There are other companies involved in the class-action that are not part of the bankruptcy settlement, Feodoroff said.

She recommended accepting the settlement to take part in the opioid programs it funds.

Selectmen also reviewed needed upgrades to telephone lines and internet infrastructure as recommended by Ryan McGonigle, the town’s former IT director, who has since left to explore other career opportunities.

“WiFi is not always a safe route for the sensitive information that we’re dealing with,” Dyer said. “We need to upgrade our Town Hall security camera systems, we need to upgrade to a town file-sharing system and kind of move away from Dropbox to another system that is going to be more successful.”

Dyer credited McGonigle with upgrading the town’s email and inter-office connectivity.

FitzGerald-Kemmett lauded McGonigle’s efforts to enable town officials and employees to work remotely during the COVID-19 shutdown.

“That was a very new concept,” she said. “Some folks had the ability to work remotely, but not the vast majority and he really kicked it into high gear.”

A spirited day in Whitman Park

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After last year’s COVID cancellation, Whitman found that waiting a day due to rain couldn’t put a damper on it’s July 4th celebration in the park Monday, July 5.  Nick Kardoose, left,  director of sports for the Whitman Recreation program cheered on Justin Fisher, 3, of East Bridgewater who had a slow start in the sack race. See more photos, page 6.