By Tracy F. Seelye, Express editor
editor@whitmanhansonexpress.com
HANSON – The Select Board, it seems, feels they have said enough.
On Tuesday, April 8, the board voted to place the article for a Proposition 2 ½ override – currently numbered as Article 6 on the warrant – on the Town Meeting warrant, but declined to vote on whether to recommend it. Instead they are deferring the article to the will of Town Meeting voters.
“I know you guys are going to say to defer [to Town Meeting], but the problem we ran into the last time we said to defer, was people at Town Meeting are saying, ‘Does the Select Board recommend this?’” said Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett. “And, if we don’t recommend it, then what the heck is it doing in the Town Meeting warrant, proposed by the Select Board?”
“I still want to defer to Town Meeting,” Vice Chair Ann Rein said.
“You’re deferring anyway, because the vote is [up to] Town Meeting,” FitzGerald-Kemmett replied. “So, what they want to know is, do we support the override, and if we don’t then we shouldn’t have a damn article in here.”
Rein said she would rater look at the issue from a different point of view.
“I support the placing in the warrant, of this article for them to vote on it,” Rein said.
Board member Joe Weeks agreed with Rein.
“I agree with Ann 110 percent,” Weeks said.
“Fine,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “Then [vote to] place and defer.”
“Defer with the understanding that I’m recommending that we place it,” Rein said. “I have said this a million times, it’s up to the Town Meeting. That’s all there is to it.”
It was only one of several warrant articles up for place and recommend, or not, on the meeting’s agenda, but the board also discussed holding informational public forums about the warrant in the weeks leading up to the May 5 annual and special Town Meetings.
Town Administrator Lisa Green, during a separate discussion about the language of the override question being placed on the warrant – and the Town Election ballot for the May 17 annual Town Election.
“There is some confusion that this override is only for the schools,” Green said. “In the last sentence it does say both towns and schools, there’s some confusion on how it’s read. Town Counsel did suggest you modify the language to specifically point out that the override is the cost of operating the schools, police department, fire department and other town departments for the fiscal year.”
She said a language change would make it clear that it is an operational override for town services as well as the schools.
The board voted to rescind the original text of the article and to approve language to ask for the $3 million override from real estate and personal property taxes for the “purposes of providing for the general administrative cost of operating the schools, police … [and] fire and other town departments for fiscal 2026.
The Select board also voted to hold public forums with public safety chiefs, Town Administrator Lisa Green and, perhaps a representative of the School Committee or the school district during April so people could ask questions.
“This isn’t meant to be throwing tomatoes at people, or getting combative with people,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “It’s meant for people to sincerely ask earnest questions that the have, about ‘How did we get here; what are we doing about it; what’s the proposal on the table.’”
Green said Hanson Middle School is available during April vacation – April 21 to 25.
“They said. Normally, they don’t allow use of the buildings [during vacation weeks], but the would allow the town to use the Hanson Middle School that week, apart from 21st, which is a holiday,” she said, noting that she when school buildings might be useable on other days.
“I think you just need to set the dates and then, whoever will come, will come,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.
Hanson Public Forum dates have not yet been firmed up, but FitzGerald-Kemmett said April 22 would be a good night to schedule a forum at Hanson Middle.
Select Board member Ed Heal suggested a different night of the week should be considered for later meetings to accommodate people who might be busy on Tuesday, April 22.
Green suggested Wednesday, April 30 for another presentation as well as a Thursday morning event at a site such as the Senior Center perhaps April 24, working around program times.
Whitman has also scheduled such informational forums at:
- April 16 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall;
- April 23 at 10 a.m. at the Council on Aging [Senior Center]; and
- May 1 at 6 p.m., most likely at the Whitman Public Library.
FitzGerald-Kemmett said the balance of audiences and times of day was a good idea so Whitman could reach a broad audience he might be willing and able to draw a better cross-section of residents.
“I’m all for open communications debates on the floor and whatever,” Weeks said, but he suggested drafting an outline for how this is going to be might be value.
FitzGerald-Kemmett said the frequency of the meeting dates and times does need to be address.
“Basically, it’s really an educational service – with Green facilitating, perhaps with an assist from Town Moderator Sean Kealy or former School Committee Chair Bob Hayes.
“I just think it’s important to think of stuff like that,” Weeks said. “If it’s an educational forum with an agenda of how we’re going to do it, I think the more structured this can be, the better, because I’m assuming that the point of this is to get information out – and I don’t think you want it to go sideways with other things that could happen that would prevent us from getting as much information out as possible.”
“It is educational,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.
