HANSON – Sometimes the wheels of government turn slowly, other times it just seems that way.
The Select Board held a layout hearing for Alden Way, Gray Lane and Stringer Lane Tuesday, Sept. 5 as a protocol step before the Oct. 2 special Town Meeting. Working to fill the time before starting the hearing scheduled for 6:15 p.m., became a demonstration of the adage that time is an illusion.
“What can we talk about?” Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett asked.
“Committee updates?” Vice Chair Joe Weeks said.
“We could do Committee updates,” she said. “That’s a great idea, Mr. Weeks, did you have any?”
“No,” he said.
“Oh, OK, you’re just being controversial,” she joked.
Once underway, the hearing lasted about five minutes.
“We’ve already done this,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said of the process ahead of the May Town Meeting when the article was passed but ran into some clerical issues. “But it’s required anytime we have this type of an article.”
Once open, it became apparent that even the citizen’s petition article sponsors had no questions remaining. After reading the article, FitzGerald-Kemmett was met with silence when she asked for public comment.
“This is new for us, too, and we hope that we never have to have another second layout hearing for anything like this,” she said. “We’ll just give it a couple of respectful minutes because it’s a hearing.”
To help fill in the time, Weeks read out the motion.
“Well done, sir,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.
“I used to be afraid to read [aloud] in elementary school,” Weeks said.
“Well, you seem to have gotten over that impediment,” she replied. “We’re proud of you.”
After a pause, board member Ed Heal asked if they were going to vote on it.
“We are going to vote on it,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “Did you know some show tunes? We need to fill a little bit of time.”
Weeks reiterated that the issue was something the town had already voted on at the last Town Meeting, but clerical errors had resulted, and the board wanted to make sure it was done correctly so the people get what they asked the board to do, which was accepting the streets.
“It’s really more of a housekeeping issue,” he said. “I think we all support it, and we’re going to support it at the October Town Meeting.”
FitzGerald-Kemmett then determined they had stretched the time as long as they could, with no questions or concerns brought forward and called for the vote. The board unanimously approved the article.
Slated for a 6:15 p.m. start, FitzGerald-Kemmett had found it tough going to fill the time before the hearing began. After ticking off appointments and resignations, and an event approval, she asked what else might be addressed in the five minutes remaining.
Member Ann Rein mentioned the town’s website has an Economic Development link that FitzGerald-Kemmett had not been aware of, but she took the opportunity to announce the Hanson Business Network “really, really, really are not accepting anybody else [as a vendor] for Hanson Day.”
She’s extended it before, but the space is “maxed out” and cannot accommodate any more.
There will be 60 participants sponsoring booths at the Saturday, Sept 16 event, including Tick Races by Plymouth County Entomogist Blake Dinius to draw attention to the need to be aware of Lyme Disease and other tick-borne diseases. The event is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., on the Town Hall Green. The Rain Date is Sept. 23.
Several food trucks will also be on hand.
“Essentially, no healthy food choices will be available, but you can come there, knowing that and plan accordingly,” FitzGerald-Kemmett quipped. “Does anybody else have any committee updates? …