HANSON – If you arrived a few minutes late, you missed it.
The Wednesday, June 25 special Town Meeting to decide whether the town would approve the assessment proposal put forth by Whitman, which had accepted it at their special Town Meeting two weeks before, must have set some sort of speed record for town meeting government.
The whole thing, from pledge of allegiance to Town Moderator Sean Kealy’s final gavel for adjournment clocked in at 3:18.
The session was held in the Dr. John F. McEwan Performing Arts Center at W-H Regional High School, as the Hanson Middle School auditorium had already been booked for the evening for a dance recital.
Therefore, we present to those unable to attend a transcript ot the entire proceeding:
KEALY: “Welcome, everybody, to a special Town Meeting. My name is Sean Kealy, I’m the town moderator. To my left is the Finance Committee. To my right is the Select Board, and we have town officers behind me. Before we get going, as we always do, would you please rise and join me in the pledge of allegiance.”
Following the salute to the flag, Kealy returned to the podium for his traditional opening greetings.
KEALY: “So, one – I think we only have, really, one piece of housekeeping.
“The rules of tonight’s Town Meeting will be governed by “Town Meeting Time,” which is the official handbook of parliamentary law by the Massachusetts Moderators’ Association, and, as I said, we onl have one article.
“I’m hoping that we can all get back to the air conditioning as quickly as possible, and so, what we’ll do is, I’ll read the article, it’ll be seconded and then we’ll have an explanation.
“So, Artcle 1 – to see if the town will vote to transfer $262,669 from free cash to supplement Article 5, line 57, as appropriated at the May 5, 2025 annual Town Meeting to meet the Whitman Hanson Regional School District assessment, or take any other action in relation thereto.
“Seconded by Mr. [Robert] Hayes.
“Explanation. …”
Town Clerk Jessics Franceschini corrects Kealy out of range of a microphone.
KEALY: “Oh, thank you very much.
“I’ve been corrected for the very first time by our new town clerk,”
[Applause for Franceschini]
KEALY: “I won’t tell her it was just a test,” he said in a mock stage whisper as a joke.
“But, I hereby declare that we have a quorum. More than 100 voters have checked in, and are in attendance. And I see the youngest voter right over there. She’s doing magnificently,” he said, gesturing to the small child a resident was holding in the audience.
He then returned to the explanation of the article.
KEALY: “So, we have a motion and it has been seconded. Explanation – This article is to supplement Article 5, Line 57, as appropriated at the May 5, 2025 annual Town Meeting to mee the Whitman Hanson Regional School District operating assessment to the town of Hanson.
“Do I see any questions or concerns?” he asked, scanning the audience.
He did not
KEALY: “Seeing none [his emphasis], all those in favor of Article 1, signify by saying, ‘Aye.’”
AUDIENCE VOICES: “Aye.”
KEALY: “All those opposed, ‘nay.’
FEWER AUDIENCE VOICES: “Nay.”
KEALY: The ayes have it, Article 1 is adopted.
Scattered applause was heard.
KEALY: “And, with that, I will adjourn this special Town Meeting, sine die.”
[“Sine die” adjournment means a legislative session is adjourned without setting a date to reconvene – a Latin phrase meaning “without day,” effectively ending the session.]