Whitman-Hanson Express

You are here: Home / Archives for Hanson

Voters opt for some new faces

By

Newcomers were the big winners in the annual town elections on Saturday, May 19.

Political novices Wes Blauss and Matt Dyer will join the Hanson Board of Selectmen and Chris Scriven will join incumbent Fred Small in representing Whitman on the W-H Regional School Committee.

Seven percent of Whitman’s 10,589 registered voters cast ballots and in Hanson, 14 percent, or 1,013 of 7,473 registered voters cast ballots.

Blauss was the top vote-getter in Hanson with 545. Dyer received 492, Joseph Weeks III garnered 471 and incumbent Don Howard received 301 votes with 214 ballots left blank for the Hanson selectmen’s race.

In Whitman, Scriven received 516 votes to 331 for Small and 301 for Heidi Hosmer, with another 321 ballots left blank for the school committee race.

Dyer and Blauss said they were eager to go to work for Hanson as a way of giving back to the community.

“I’m blown away and very thankful for all the support and the love from all my supporters, the voters in Hanson, my family and friends who’ve all come out to support me,” Dyer said after Town Clerk Elizabeth Sloan announced results in the Hanson Middle School gym. “I think what the voters were looking for was a younger voice to come and speak and bring new ideas and come at [government] from a different angle.”

He said he thought the difference for him was getting out to talk to voters and town officials to demonstrate he is not a one-issue candidate. He hopes to make a difference and bring in business, but recognizes that will be a tough job.

“My first goal with the board is to make sure we have a good working relationship with everyone on it,” he said.

Blauss was also gracious in victory.

“I think all four of us were good candidates,” Blauss said at his victory party at the Thomas Mill. “It’s a pleasure to have won, but no matter which way the vote went, I would have thought Hanson won.”

He said he has no immediate goals because he entered the race with no agenda, but wants to see the marijuana sales issue resolved sooner rather than later so the town knows where it’s going, pro or con.

“I’m 67 years old, I’ve never run for elective office and it was one thing I felt I probably should do to give back to the town — Hanson’s been a great place to live,” he said.

They were the only contested races on the respective town ballots.

Weeks congratulated Blauss and Dyer, while pledging he would be back to run again, while Howard expressed bitter disappointment in the results.

“I’m going to miss you,” Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said to Howard. “I liked working with you.”

“I’ve been devoted to the town of Hanson for the last 10 years,” Howard said when asked for his reaction to the result. “They aren’t going to be able to do what they said they were going to do.”

Howard said he would particularly miss representing Hanson on the Old Colony Regional Planning Council, but is still a member of the Water Commissioners.

Weeks lost by 21 votes and said he would “try to jump on some other committees” to continue serving his hometown. This was Week’s second campaign for a seat on the Board of Selectmen. He just completed a term on the Planning Board and sits on the Hanson Housing Authority board.

“It’s a matter of who the folks feel should be representing them and I think the town has spoken about that,” he said. “To lose by a handful of votes is tough.”

In other uncontested Hanson results: Sean Kealy received 845 votes for another term as town moderator; Kathleen Keefe had 821 votes for re-election as assessor; Arlene Dias garnered 804 votes to return to the Board of Health; Benjamin Fletcher got 782 votes for re-election to the Housing Authority; Steve Lyons with 740 votes and August Silva with 770 votes were re-elected constables; Corrine Cafardo with 768 votes and Linda Wall with 814 votes were returned to as Trustees of the Public Library; Bob Hayes received 790 votes for re-election to the School Committee and returning to the Water Commissioners will be William Garvey with 770 votes and Denis O’Connell with 713.

In Whitman; Town Clerk Dawn Varley received 587 votes for another term; Daniel Salvucci was re-elected as Selectman with 560 votes; Priscilla Waugh had 571 votes for re-election as assessor; Wayne Carroll garnered 547 to return to the Department of Public Works Commission; Michael Ganshirt with 547 votes and Kathryn Youngman with 468 votes were returned to as Trustees of the Public Library; Sheila Salvucci was elected to a three-year post on the Planning Board with 546 votes and Barbara White garnered 581 votes to return to the Board of Health.

Towns head to polls May 19

By

HANSON — When voters go to the polls in Whitman and Hanson on Saturday, May 19, they will see only one contested race in each town — three candidates vying for two school committee seats in Whitman — incumbent Fred Small, Heidi Hosmer and Christopher Scriven — and four candidates running for two selectmen seats in Hanson.

Polls in both towns are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with all Whitman precincts voting at Town Hall and all Hanson precincts voting in Hanson Middle School.

Hanson voters had the chance on Sunday, May 6 to hear the candidates’ position on the issues and to ask questions during an annual forum jointly sponsored by the town’s Democratic and Republican town committees. Town Moderator Sean Kealy, himself a candidate for re-election, moderated the event.

“This is an opportunity to get to know who’s on the ballot and where they stand,” Kealy said.

Going through the ballot in reverse order, Kealy noted that some candidates were unable to, or opted not to, attend the session.

School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes took the opportunity to talk about his candidacy and ask for voter support at the forum, as did constable August P. Silva.

“I’m about education — I think that education is everything,” said Hayes, a Whitman native who has lived in Hanson for 30 years. “I know it costs a lot, and we get a lot of complaints about taxes, but education is a proven fact and without it, you have issues.”

He has served on the school committee for 15 years and has been chairman for 11. Both of his children are W-H graduates who bought homes in Hanson.

“When I accept a duty or responsibility, I do my utmost to fulfill all that is required of me and then some,” said Silva, a 49-year veteran constable, an Army veteran and retired teacher who has also served on more than a half-dozen other elected and appointed offices in town. “My experience and knowledge are what helps to make doing the job right and in a timely manner.”

The other uncontested candidate for re-election is Steven W. Lyons.

But the bulk of the afternoon was focused on the four selectmen candidates: incumbent Donald H. Howard, Wesley Blauss, Matthew J. Dyer and Joseph R. Weeks III.

Howard noted his residence in the home he built in town in 1960 and his 10 years’ service on the Board of Selectmen in his opening statement as well as his concern over the need for expansion of the town’s commercial tax base. Dyer, who grew up in Hanson, is a political newcomer who noted his wish to give back to the community as well as the need to diversify the tax revenue to attract new business in town. Weeks, too, is a Hanson native — who briefly lived in nearby Rockland — strives to give back to the community and stressed the need for business development and long-term sustainable planning, especially in the Main Street corridor. Weeks is now ending his service as a member of the Planning Board. Blauss, retired after a 40-year teaching career and 30-year member of the Recreation Commission, stressed education and environmental concerns in his opening statement, saying he believes strongly in the affect of global climate change on the lives of today’s children and is a proponent of the pay-as-you-throw trash program. He is also a member of the Hanson Historical Society.

The candidates were asked the following questions, starting with what can be done to attract new business to town:

Howard said Conservation regulations regarding wetland areas along Main Street and a drainage problem from Phillips Street create a particular challenge to development there.

“I’d love to see something done down there,” he said. He said the people’s voice should rule what is ultimately done to develop the former Plymouth County Hospital site.

“Right now we are a drive-through community and we need to [develop] some sort of destination,” Dyer said. He advocated development of a project like a boardwalk trail along the wetlands to entice visitors to come to town and develop a multi-use project at the old Ocean Spray building as well as bringing high-speed internet and sewage service to town to help business development.

“We would be the only community on the Old Colony line to have a walkable downtown — Plymouth doesn’t have it, Kingston doesn’t have it and neither does any of the other communities.”

For the PCH site, an indoor soccer facility could be a way to meet the growing demand for such a field in the area, Dyer said.

Weeks advocates continuation of the complete streets project to make Hanson a more walkable town and, along with tax provisions, can bring more business to town as part of a long-term plan. He agrees with Howard, however, that drainage issues have to be dealt with first.

“I feel like I can’t add much to that, although I would like to give a shout-out to Dunkin’ Donuts,” Blauss said, agreeing with the ideas other candidates were floating. “They have done a great landscaping job — it’s attractive, you can get off the train and the area right around there is a draw.”

For parts of that stretch of Main Street that is not a draw, he said he is not certain how much town-owned land there is in the area with which the town can work.

GREEN COMMUNITY
STATUS

Dyer, who is a member of Green Hanson, said he has worked on green technology and sustainability, noting that Green Community status is “that next step” for Hanson.

Weeks has also been a member of Green Hanson before getting involved in other town committees, said the Planning Board has already taken up the Green Community process.

“It opens us up to all kinds of grants,” he said. “We have a fantastic town planner who is looking at the overall maintenance of the town within both a short-term and long-term plan and she’s in agreement that this is something we hadn’t had the resources to pursue.”

Bluass, noting that so many other communities are working toward plastic grocery bag bans, said he doesn’t know why Hanson hasn’t followed suit.

“I think that there are plenty of avenues that we can start talking about [that in],” he said.

RECALL REVISION
ARTICLE

“I think the recall law, in general, is incredibly important because it’s a great opportunity for democracy and a town can correct itself when it feels it needs to,” Weeks said during the forum that took place the day before Town Meeting. “I do want to take away my personal opinion vs. being a person in a selectman’s seat.”

He said it was worth allowing the public to discuss and vote on it.

Blauss said the stipulations for admission to sufficient facts for conviction or outright conviction of a crime as required by the revision, could take too much time.

“There’s no way to remove that person from the position [before a vote could be held],” he said. “It seems to me the people should have the opportunity to decide in a recall election.”

Howard agreed that the public has a right to debate and vote on an issue at Town Meeting, which is why he voted to place it on the warrant.

Dyer said he opposed the article.

“I believe it will take away the rights of our voters,” he said. “It should be up to the voters to take that [person petitioned for recall] out of office.”

RECREATIONAL
MARIJUANA

“Although I do not smoke pot myself, I think absolutely the town should vote,” Blauss said of why a referendum question is not being put forth. “There are several of us who don’t even understand why it isn’t on this month’s ballot.”

Howard said he was surprised that Hanson voters voted in favor of the 2016 state ballot question.

“I was really disappointed,” he said, arguing that it makes the Police Department’s job harder. “It proved to me that there’s more people smoking pot than voted no.”

Dyer also said it should be on a town ballot.

“I don’t believe a small group should be changing the culture of our town,” he said. “It’s a community decision.”

Weeks said, while there is a referendum option, the moratorium article that the Planning Board drafted last year to provide time to explore that option was voted down at Town Meeting last year.

“We deferred it to Town Meeting because we felt it wasn’t the job of a Planning Board member to say that they are for or against anything.”

He said he would support a referendum question.

RECREATION PRIVATE VENDOR

Howard said that, to be honest, he didn’t really have much involvement with the issue and didn’t have an answer for why a private vendor arrangement was approved.

“This is a really close issue to me,” said Dyer, who has recreation and park ranger experience. “I truly believe in public recreation. I should not be privatized because that’s what sets America apart from every other country — we decided to preserve our land but also [to] make sure we had that balance between conservation and recreation.”

Weeks agreed, arguing privatizing Camp Kiwanee is not in the best interests of the town.

“Would it be good to have it be sustainable? That’s a great idea, businesswise, but we want to make sure we don’t lose the essence of what Camp Kiwanee is, because it is the heart of Hanson.”

Blauss, said he was involved in the purchase of Kiwanee by the town in 1979 as a community recreational center. The weddings and rentals have been used to subsidize its operation.

“As long as we keep Camp Kiwanee on that footing, I think we’ll do well,” he said. “That’s my hope for the future.”

Library Trustee Linda A. Wall, one of two trustees running unopposed for re-election, sent an email to be read at the forum asking for voter support for her continuing collaborative efforts to bring quality programs to the library.

Kealy closed out the afternoon by asking for voters to support his re-election effort.

“No one was foolish enough, other than me, to take out papers,” he joked. “But I would appreciate your vote. I hope I’ve earned it over the past year.”

Sparks fly over recall bylaw in Hanson

By

HANSON — Proposed bylaw changes governing recall elections sparked more heated debate during Hanson’s annual Town Meeting on Monday, May 7 — while bulk soil removal and storage as well as marijuana business placement also spurred discussion.

“It’s amazing we have 124 people who don’t give a damn about the Celtics,” Moderator Sean Kealy said in announcing that a quorum had been achieved to permit the session to begin. There were 177 total voters signed in for the meeting.

After more than two hours of civil discourse on financial and bylaw articles, debate boiled over when the recall amendment came up for discussion. The amendment was passed, 80-50.

While Kealy managed to keep his humor for most of the meeting, the recall debate tested his patience as a resident repeatedly ignored his admonition to confine debate to the current issue and not dwell on past recalls.

The recall revision article changes the time window for recall votes and provide seven specific reasons for recall elections:

• Conviction of a felony or misdemeanors [domestic violence, DUI, illegal manufacturing, distribution or dispersing of controlled substances, assault or criminal harassment — while presently in office;

• Admission to facts, while presently in office, sufficient to be convicted of a felony or the above misdemeanors;

• Was found in violation of the conflict of interest law while presently in office as determined by the state Ethics Commission or the Attorney General;

• Attended less than 50 percent of the posted public meetings of the board of office of which the official was an elected member or to which he or she has been elected or appointed as part of his or her elected position during the previous 12 months;

• Lack of fitness and sobriety while performing official functions, involuntary commitment to a mental health facility, being placed under guardianship or conservatorship by a probate court;

• Corruption, conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude, conviction of bribery or extortion; or

• Violation of law, regulation, bylaw or other abdication of the applicable requirements for the elected position.

Former Selectman Bruce Young, who wrote the current bylaw, reiterated his objection to changes, citing the fact that it is similar to the bylaw used in many other towns. He added that it would be difficult to recall an official elected without voter knowledge of a conviction in another state. He “totally agreed” with Kealy’s admonition not to rehash prior recall debate.

“We tried to use some elements of the existing bylaw for recall,” said Selectmen Chairman James McGahan. “This change proposed is to make this bylaw more fair, responsible and reasonable.”

But resident Mark Vess, wielding a sheaf of recall petitions from a 2014 recall election, raised the temperature of the debate. Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett made repeated point-of-order objections as Kealy worked to rein in Vess’ comments.

“Do not restrict my speech,” Vess said raising his voice. “Hold it right here.” He charged Kealy could not dictate what goes on at Town Meeting, to which Kealy responded was, indeed, his function as moderator.

“I know you’ve got the Enterpriseon speed-dial, but I can decide what is within the scope of this argument,” Kealy said.

Vess then challenged Kealy to have him ejected from the meeting by police, which Kealy said he preferred not to do. Vess then continued to refer to the 2014 recall.

“There are no names mentioned in what I’m presenting here tonight,” Vess said.

“It’s a small town,” Kealy responded.

Vess continued to read from the 2014 recall petition.

“There’s no need to reread what was put forward as the recall several years ago,” Kealy said. “Is this a wise change to the bylaws or not?”

Vess said it is not a wise change because recalls are intended to remove officials voters do not feel are doing their job.

Holmes Street resident Adam Valachovic noted only half the towns in Massachusetts have recall bylaws.

“The fact that we have one is actually somewhat amazing,” he said in support of the article. “If we’re going to have a bylaw, let’s have it as transparent as possible.”

Another resident said it appears to insulate officials a bit, asking what prompted the drafting of the article.

McGahan reiterated his position that misuse of a bylaw to control a selectman is wrong, but it included valid reasons to remove an official not doing their job.

“In most towns and communities, people are removed from office by recall for malfeasance, misfeasance or non-feasance,” said West Washington Street resident Joe O’Sullivan in support of the article. “The toxic political environment in this community causes good people not to run for those seats up there [on the town officials’ dais].”

MARIJUANA BYLAW

Voters grudgingly voted to approve a zoning bylaw governing marijuana sales in town, with an eye toward future amendments and/or a referendum and also approved a 3-percent sales tax on marijuana products.

Marijuana establishment bylaws were required after state voters opted to legalize recreational use in 2016, but former Selectman David Soper wanted to know how Hanson failed to be among 189 communities restricting it or the 25 communities that otherwise regulate it.

A Planning Board-supported effort to pass a moratorium on marijuana establishments was defeated at Hanson Town Meeting, and Hanson was among the state communities voting yes to recreational marijuana in 2016, selectmen pointed out.

“The best we can do to mitigate any potential impact … would be to follow the lead of the Planning Board, which is to zone where these folks can set up,” said FitzGerald-Kemmett. “At least we can control that piece.”

Planning Board member Joseph Weeks said because the moratorium was defeated, Hanson no longer has the luxury of time.

“If we don’t zone it and/or if we zone it and make it too restrictive … there is a possibility in which litigation can come against the town and then we find ourselves really opening up anywhere within the confines of the law and it may go somewhere we just don’t want it to go,” Weeks said. “There is nothing to say you can’t do a referendum after the fact.”

Young asked what the true consequences of voting down the bylaw.

“I’ve been informed by town counsel that the licenses will begin issuing June 1,” Kealy said. “We won’t have another town meeting before then.”

BULK STORAGE BYLAW

The bulk soil storage bylaw revisions were opposed by former Selectman Bill Scott, as a change that would affect “every homeowner in town that decides to put an addition on their home.”

Even the installation of a 40-foot swimming pool would produce 350 yards of material that would have to be moved and stored, Scott said. He also argued it would impact the Highway Department and “anyone trying to run a business” in town while Cranberry growers, of which he is one in Wareham, would be hit hard because of the amount of sand needed in their growing operations.

“This is a knee-jerk reaction to something that has to be decided on its merits, not by putting this garbage in the warrant,” Scott said.

Another cranberry grower, who lives in East Bridgewater but pays taxes in Hanson, said there are already a lot of difficult regulations governing the business.

He doubted the town had standing to supercede state and federal regulations, but pledged to try to work around them if that was the town’s wish.

“I’m not so sure we have the right to tell them how to run their business,” Vess agreed.

Rosewood Drive resident Danielle Sheehan, said she and her neighbors began the bylaw revision effort because of problems with wind-blown sand in a nearby bog. She has lived on the street for 20 years with no problem until recently, saying they had been working with the town for almost a year trying to deal with it.

“We’re not asking them to not do bogs,” she said. “We understand the importance of it. My husband and I are in landscaping and trucking and dealing with sand as well all day long, but there’s a 4,000-yard pile of and out there that, when the wind blows it’s blowing in our faces, our kids can’t play outside. Our outdoor hockey rinks in the wintertime can’t go up because the sand is melting the ice — we have it in our window sills, we have it in our doors, we have it in our cars.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett said the board supports the cranberry business and that the bylaw only requires an annual permit.

Bog owners said that, with dropping water tables and uncertainty over which bogs would be threatened, the permit creates a hardship and that agriculture should be exempted.

McGahan said he has seen the size of the pile in question and noted the severe windstorms this year have exacerbated the problem.

“We didn’t want to do this, but we had to put some kind of control in place so that if it comes down to it, the Board of Selectmen can take action,” he said.

The bylaw change was narrowly defeated 73-67.

“I knew we were going to have a discussion about plants going in, but I didn’t expect it to be about cranberries,” Kealy said at one point during the evening.

BUDGET ISSUES

Only two budget lines were questioned, one by Planning Board member Don Ellis seeking an additional $5,000 for the town planner’s salary, but that is not permitted via amendment from the floor.

The other, regarding Park and Fields expenses was raised by Soper, who questioned the $25,000 budgeted for an expense that he had understood has been covered by user fees in the past.

Selectman Kenny Mitchell said the funds were intended to maintain seven fields used by various sports leagues. He said sports groups do not support that effort financially. Fertilizer alone costs $9,000 each year, Mitchell said.

Sports groups have provided funding for upkeep of fences, one league representative said, but McGahan, who is active in youth sports, said most user fees go toward uniforms and equipment.

Both Hanson and Whitman town meetings were carried live and recorded for rebroadcast by Whitman-Hanson Community Access TV.

O’Brien sworn in as Hanson deputy fire chief: Selectmen delay regional agreement vote

By

HANSON — Fire Department Deputy Chief Robert O’Brien Jr., was officially sworn in at the Tuesday, May 1 meeting of the Board of Selectmen — a session in which the board postponed a vote on the revised W-H regional school agreement.

Selectmen opted to wait for town counsel to weigh in on the pact, and plan to vote on it prior to the Monday, May 7 Town Meeting. Whitman Selectmen already approved it as has the School Committee on the legal thumbs-up from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and school district legal counsel.

It was O’Brien’s swearing-in ceremony, however that most of the overflow crowd at the meeting came to see.

Fire Chief Jerome Thompson Jr., noted that former Chief Peter Huska, who gave both he and O’Brien their start on the department, was in attendance.

The deputy chief position has been vacant for several years, Thompson said, adding that call volume has increased in recent years.

O’Brien has been working as deputy chief since March 5.

“As we get to 2,000 a year, we also have had the percentage of multiple calls [at one time] increase,” he said of the need to again appoint a deputy chief. “As this went on we’ve also seen our code enforcement and administrative duties of our department increase. These factors were making it more difficult for our shift commanders to balance the administrative duties and the daily operations of the department.”

Thompson thanked Town Administrator Michael McCue, Selectmen, the town accountant, Finance Committee and residents at Town Meeting for supporting the position. He said the process of selecting O’Brien also provides the opportunity to promote a firefighter to the lieutenant and the hiring of another firefighter.

O’Brien and Lt. Charles Barends applied for the deputy chief position. The selection process included a January assessment center, which evaluated leadership, administrative and management skills. O’Brien was the top-scoring candidate.

A lifelong Hanson resident, he lives in town with his wife Deb, son Christopher — both of whom took part in pinning on his new badge — and three children the O’Briens are in the process of adopting — Armando, Nathan and Chloe. A 1991 graduate of Cardinal Spellman High School, O’Brien went to EMT and paramedic school, working at Fallon Ambulance for many years before becoming a call firefighter in Hanson in 1997, becoming full time in 2000.

O’Brien attained the rank of lieutenant in 2012. He has also been SAFE and training coordinator, a member of the Plymouth County Rescue Training Association and is the deputy director for the technical rescue team. He had been a lifeguard at Cranberry Cove while in high school and served on the Recreation Commission for many years. O’Brien is currently a member of the School Committee, Parks and Fields Commission, CPC and is the town’s harbormaster.

“I don’t know how he’s going to be able to do any Fire Department work,” Thompson joked before Town Clerk Elizabeth Sloan administered O’Brien’s oath of office.

After the swearing-in ceremony, O’Brien’s School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes updated the Selectmen on the revised regional agreement.

REGIONAL AGREEMENT

Hayes outlined the process the Regional Agreement Amendment Committee’s work over the past year in revising a 1956 contract that had not been changed since 1992.

“The goal was to update the document to reflect legislative changes, financial agreements and current facilities,” Hayes said, thanking the committee members from both communities who worked on the revision.

Hanson Middle School was not listed in the original agreement, but schools long-since closed, such as the Park Avenue School in Whitman, were.

Hayes said a conversation he had with Mass. Association of Regional Schools (MARS) Executive Director Stephen Hemmond Tuesday assured the towns that either community would be able to petition the DESE to amend the agreement, pending the DESE’s approval.

“By law, the town is required to teach students,” Hayes said. “You would have to come up with a plan on what to do [in the event a town wanted to leave the district], and it would have to be approved. … It’s the vote of the people at all times.”

Other stipulations for leaving a district would require a town to assume financial responsibility for other post-employment benefits (OPEB) of school employees — about $15 million to $20 million in Hanson’s case, according to Hayes.

“There’s a lot of advantage to being in a regional school district, and it saves money,” he said.

Hayes also addressed Whitman’s concerns over the 60-40 split in financial responsibility, based on most of the students in the district’s enrollment being Whitman residents. He said he looked into the private school enrollment from Whitman and Hanson — 150 total students — and found 60 percent were from Whitman and 40 percent were from Hanson.

“I never figured it would be that exact split,” he said. “It was an interesting thing to see.”

Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett suggested the delay, not to “second-guess what people have done,” but to provide more time to review the agreement.

“It was very enlightening,” Selectman Jim Hickey said of his appointment to the regional agreement committee.

TOWN MEETING

In other business, during discussion of Town Meeting preview, Finance Committee Chairman Michael Dugan indicated two capital proposals — for a Town Hall generator and Highway Department utility truck were not recommended because the FinCom deemed that clear-cut arguments for them were not made.

Selectmen Chairman James McGahan also spoke of two amendments to the proposed revision of the recall bylaw he plans to present at Town Meeting.

One amendment from the floor would shorten the period in which a recall can be scheduled from 170 days after petitions are certified by the Town Clerk — to 45 days. The other would also shorten the time required for a special election in the event an elected official does not resign within five business days of the date of notice, with a minimum of 45 days.

Brain Marathon effort aided therapy horse program

By

Courtesty photo

Rebecca Brain of Hanson ran the 2018 Boston Marathon for Ironstone Farm in Andover.

When Rebecca Brain second-guessed running the Boston Marathon or contemplated stopping nearly midway through the race, she got the extra motivation she needed to persist — one way or another.

The 23-year old Brain was one of two runners representing Ironstone Farm, a working farm in Andover that provides beneficial therapy using horses for people with a wide range of physical, emotional and cognitive disabilities. After applying to a bevy of charities in November, Brain was selected as one of Ironstone’s runners in February after a visit to the farm.

“Seeing the farm itself definitely made it more real and more exciting when I found out they had accepted me to run,” Brain explained. “When they called me after I visited and told me they would love to have me run, it was super exciting. I went and told my mom and all that and I went for a run that day too, and I think I just smiled the entire run.”

It’s a cause that touches close to home for the Hanson native.

“I’ve had family members with Down syndrome,” Brain said. “My aunt had breast cancer, my grandfather had cancer. I have family members who could have definitely utilized their organization.”

With the Boston Marathon less than two months away at the time, Brain had to kick her training — which consisted of hill climbs in Newton on Tuesdays and longer runs in Boston on Saturdays — into full gear. Brain felt ready to go, but things changed when she looked at the weather forecast.

“I was talking to my mom the Saturday before and I was just really, really nervous about everything and the weather conditions were getting me down,” Brain explained.

So, what kept her going?

“Sunday before the race I went for the last quick run just keep my muscles loose and in my head I was thinking these people who utilize Ironstone, they have a lifetime of struggles,” Brain said, “so I can have an uncomfortable five-hour run ahead of me and in those five hours I can experience sort of the daily struggles that these other people go through.”

The day of the Boston Marathon was something Brain could have never imagined. Frigid winds and torrential downpours put a damper on her 4:30 finishing goal. At mile 15, she nearly quit.

“I was just in a pretty rare state and my mom, my aunt, my grandmother and a bunch of other family members were waiting for me right at the Welcome to Newton sign,” Brain said, “right at mile 16 and my uncle was there with them and he ran in 2003 or 2004 [and] he jumped in with me and ran until the Newton firehouse and he was super motivational and was like, ‘You got this, you got this.’

“That was a super important time because I was really feeling it at mile 15 and wanted to be done, but he pushed me to keep me going.”

Brain finished in 5:10.14. More importantly, she has raised about $5,000 thus far for Ironstone Farm.

“I would love to be able to do it again, especially for Ironstone,” Brain said. “I definitely want to keep running more marathons. I joked the other day that I want to run a marathon in every state so I think that’s my very long goal ahead of me. But definitely Boston comes first, I’d love to be able to run many more Boston Marathons and hopefully qualify one day.”

To donate to Brain’s Ironstone fundraiser, visit: https://challengeunlimitedironstone.causevox.com/rebeccabrain.

They’re armed and ready: Josselyn brothers join forces at Bridgewater State

By

Colin (top) and Matt (bottom) Josselyn. / Courtesy photos: Bridgewater State University Sports Information Office

Brothers Colin, a junior, and Matt Josselyn, a freshman, both of Hanson, joined together to play baseball for Bridgewater State University this season.

When freshman Matt Josselyn of Hanson decided he no longer wanted to attend the University of New Hampshire, he knew right where he wanted to go. With his brother Colin, a junior, attending Bridgewater State University, it seemed like the perfect fit.

“He had a big impact just to go somewhere where I was more comfortable and had a way in at the school, with my brother being there, was very influential,” Matt, who transferred to the school this semester, said of his older brother.

The move certainty grew their relationship, which already was close.

“He’s over almost every day to play video games and relax,” Colin said of Matt.

Not only do they share the same couch and television on occasion, but they rep the same Bears uniform out on the diamond as well, and it’s been a special season for them both.

The brothers — despite their ties — didn’t get to play much competitive baseball at all growing up together due to the near two-year age gap. All they had was a season of fall ball and a summer of Legion ball together, and Matt wasn’t ready to advance to the varsity level at Whitman-Hanson Regional High until after Colin graduated.

“Being able to work together at it is something we had never really done,” Colin explained. “We played catch all through the summer and a little bit in the fall, and now him standing next to me on the foul line playing catch everyday has definitely grown our relationship a little more.”

Bridgewater State head coach Rick Smith said having the Josselyn brothers — who are both pitchers — on his club adds a sense of family in the team dynamic, and he likes it.

“It’s always good to have a brother combination because one looks out for the other,” Smith said. “Right away I could notice Colin was kind of taking Matthew under his wing and making sure Matthew was adjusting well.”

For Colin, last year was tough as he suffered a season-ending labrum tear in his throwing shoulder before the Bears’ annual season-opening trip to Florida. In his return to the bump this season — which came March 6 against Eastern Nazarene — he was lifted after 5.2 innings. With a runner on second base and two outs, there was a call to the bullpen for his younger brother Matt.

“I thought it was pretty amazing,” Matt said of what was his first collegiate appearance. “I don’t think I’ve ever pitched on the same mound that he has ever in my life. So, it was pretty special to come in and I know it was pretty special for our parents to watch that of him handing the reins and putting his confidence in me to continue pitching a great game, which he did before me.”

Colin said when he saw his younger brother warming up between innings, he tried to give him a jolt of confidence.

“I just said, ‘Hitters aren’t as good as you think they are. I know it’s college and they’re probably a little better [because] your above-average high school players are playing in college. But, you’re an above-average high school pitcher so just go out and do you,’’’ Colin said.

Matt fired 1.1 scoreless frames in relief.

“It was very cool to watch and early in the year I kind of tried to play on it,” Bridgewater State pitching coach Josh White said. “And I said to Colin, ‘Listen, your brother is going to pick you up right here.’ And we tried to use that as a motivational thing and it was pretty cool to watch though and it’s something I’ve never seen.”

Colin said he’s used his little brother as motivation for some time now.

“In the competitive spirit of it, since I’ve been in college, I’ve always heard stories of him excelling at the high school level,” Colin said, “so it made me try harder to have my parents go back from my game and say, ‘Hey, Colin looked good today too.’ Just because of that little brother competitive rivalry aspect, so it kind of propelled me to work harder and it also helped him.”

Having an older brother who grew up as a talented baseball player certainty had its benefits to Matt.

“I think he definitely has [made me a better player],” Matt said. “I saw him when I was in middle school and through high school [where] he was a three-year varsity player and I knew I wasn’t as good as him, but I always tried to be as good as him, so to finally get my chance and play on the same team as him, it’s pretty cool.”

Since that outing, both Colin and Matt have seen action in three games apiece and shared the hill April 11 against Curry.

“It is pretty cool,” Colin said. “For him, I think he gets to see a familiar face. I think I get more nervous watching him pitch than he is. It’s very nice to have him around.”

Taking on the Tough Ruck challenge: Panther alum DeMinico takes on a unique marathon-length march

By

Former Panther and Nittany Lion Brody DeMinico, seen in front of the Penn State mascot statue, will march 26.2 miles with a 40-pound pack to raise funds for veterans on April 14. / Courtesy photo

Whitman-Hanson Regional High alum Brody DeMinico (’13), a four-year high school wrestler and boys’ lacrosse player, is marching for a cause Saturday, April 14.

Over the Old North Bridge, onto the roads of Concord and through the Minutemen Trail, Hanson resident Brody DeMinico will carry an immense weight on his shoulders.

DeMinico will participate in this year’s Tough Ruck on Saturday, April 14. The course, which commences at the historic Old Manse, is a 26.2-mile march along the Battle Road Trail in Concord. “Ruckers” also carry a rucksack, weighing a minimum of 15 pounds along the marathon, and ribbons in memory of fallen service members.

For DeMinico, his rucksack will weigh 40 pounds and he will carry a yellow ribbon to remember Army veteran, Sgt. Ryan Patrick Goggin, who lost a battle with leukemia March 31, 2017. Goggin is the late cousin of Hanson resident Robert Goggin, who reached out to DeMinico on his fundraiser page for the event in early April to wear Ryan’s name.

“It’s a huge honor to know that someone sacrificed their life so that I could do this,” DeMinico said. “It’s a huge weight on my shoulders to honor someone that fought and died for this country.”

While the Tough Ruck’s main mission is to honor fallen service members, fundraising is a key component of the event. Each “rucker” must raise up to a certain benchmark, depending on what rucksack they strive to wear, to compete in the event. DeMinico has raised just shy of $1,000 for The Wounded Warrior Project.

DeMinico himself has been a member of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard since 2013.

“My grandfather was in the military, so I just followed in his footsteps,” DeMinico, a 2013 Whitman-Hanson Regional High graduate, said.

It was in Pennsylvania, while studying at Penn State, and participating in its ROTC program, that DeMinico grasped the true understanding of how tough it is to lose someone in the line of duty.

“I’ve known instructors that have seen people die in front of them, and it’s just been a heavy weight knowing there are soldiers that have gotten the chance to go across the ocean in other countries and have fought for our freedom and died,” DeMinico said. “I want to deploy so I can feel the honor that they’ve had.”

The Tough Ruck will begin at 7:20 a.m. and “ruckers” have nine hours to complete the trek.

“I’m doing this for everyone that’s had a family member that’s fallen or is wounded,” DeMinico said. “I’m doing this for everyone in the Whitman-Hanson area.”

Threat deemed not credible

By

According to Whitman Police Chief Scott D. Benton and Hanson Police Chief Michael Miksch, police determined there was no credible threat against Whitman-Hanson Regional High School last week. Police investigated after an anonymous tip was received concerning a student that had been allegedly making threats to shoot a weapon in the school.

The situation came to light at approximately 10 p.m. Thursday, April 5, when another student left their name on the Whitman police tip line about a comment overheard through a third-party conversation.

“We were able to investigate and confirm the statements that were made — shutting down the threat,” said Lt. Casey of Hanson Police. “At no point and time were the students or the staff ever in danger. The situation was under control.”

Casey applauded the students for reporting their concerns to authorities “the incident was thoroughly investigated,” he said.

None of the juvenile students are being identified by authorities, although they are students at the high school.

“I want to assure everyone that the Whitman and Hanson police and fire have the first and utmost priority for the safety of our community, students and staff,” Casey added.

Hanson police said charges may still be pending against the student.

In a prepared joint press release Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth C. Gilbert-Whitner, said the student was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.

“Principal Jeff Szymaniak and I would like to thank  Chief Benton, Chief [Timothy] Grenno, Chief Miksch, Chief [Jerry] Thompson, and the Police and Fire departments in Whitman and Hanson for their support, assistance, and partnership,” said Gilbert-Whitner.

Extra police presence was provided by both towns at the school on Friday, out of an abundance of caution, according to the joint statement.

Chief Benton commended the student who demonstrated the courage to provide a tip through the anonymous tip line.

“Any comments about harming others will be treated with the utmost seriousness and vigilance. The safety of the students and our communities is our top priority,” said Benton. “I would also like to thank Superintendent Ruth C. Gilbert-Whitner and Principal Jeff Szymaniak for their assistance every step of the way with this situation.”

Chief Miksch said, “Detectives made quick work of locating and speaking with the suspect and were able to determine that there was no credibility to the threats.

“Great work by officers from both Hanson and Whitman in quickly resolving this issue,” he said. “We want to remind everyone that if they see or hear any suspicious activity to immediately report it to police.”

In an unrelated event, at 9:55 a.m. on Friday, the fire alarm sounded at Whitman-Hanson Regional High School and the school was evacuated.

It was determined that a trip switch on a sprinkler valve failed, causing the alarm to go off, according to the statement.

What’s in a town’s name?

By

HANSON — What does a deadly riot in Baltimore have to do with the founding and naming of Hanson, Mass., eight years later? More than one might think … and therein lies a tale.

Sixth-District state Rep. Josh Cutler, who represents Hanson, Pembroke and Duxbury, has put his previous career as a newspaper editor and publisher to work in tracing the story of early American politician Alexander Hanson and how the Maryland native’s name was adopted for the new town of Hanson, Mass., in 1820.

The work, “Alexander Hanson and the Mobtown Massacre,” will appear in an upcoming issue of The New England Journal of Historyand he is working to expand it into a book, currently looking for a publisher. He brought the story to a Thursday, April 5 meeting of the Hanson Historical Society to give its members a sneak peak.

“This has been a pet project of mine, and for those of you who know my background as a former newspaper editor-turned-politician, the whole idea of Alexander Hanson, a former newspaper editor-turned-politician, is intriguing to me,” Cutler said. “It’s been a fascinating journey for me. I’ve been working on in my free time over the last year and a half.”

The story relates how Federalist firebrand newspaper editor Hanson’s editorials against President James Madison and the United States’ prosecution of the War of 1812 in the midst of heavily Democratic-Republican Baltimore precipitated a three-day riot, which cost the life of Revolutionary War hero Gen. James Lingen as well as itinerant doctor Thaddeus Gale who was a leader of the rioters.

Hanson was born in Annapolis, Md., in 1786, the second son of a prominent family. His grandfather, John Hanson, served in the Revolutionary cause and as first president in Congress assembled under the Articles of Confederation — a title akin to today’s speaker of the house — and is viewed by some historians as the real first president of the United States.

At 22, Alexander Hanson launched his newspaper The Federal Republican and Commercial Gazette.

“He was a hard-core Federalist,” Cutler said of Hanson, who later merged the paper with another publication edited by Jacob Wagner, brought on board as a partner and co-editor. “The paper soon became known very quickly as one of the most extreme of what we call the partisan press of that era.”

With 46,000 citizens, Baltimore was at the time the third-largest city in America, after New York and Philadelphia, and was a Democratic-Republican stronghold.

His editorials had spurred a duel and court-martial when he was a member of the militia, before the 1812 riot.

“[Hanson] didn’t like [Democratic-] Republicans, number one, he hated Madison and he hated France,” Cutler said about Hanson’s opposition to the War of 1812.

An editorial of about 450 words was the match that ignited a plot by the Democratic-Republican mob in the first of two riots. Gen. Lingen and Gen. “Lighthorse” Harry Lee, who was the father of Conferderate Gen. Robert E. Lee, were members of Hanson’s Spartan Band defending the paper against the mob.

Emboldened, Hanson penned another editorial, critical of the “mobocracy” of the first riot.

“This was a different kind of rioting,” Cutler said. “Historians have agreed this particular riot marked a pivot point in rioting in the United States.”

In the 18th Century, riots were more civil and property-based, but the new kind was more violent.

The mob returned to attack Hanson’s house and, after Gale had been shot while trying to force his way into the house by Lee, Baltimore officials convinced the Spartan Band to take shelter in the jail for the night. Rioters got wind of it and tried to ambush Hanson and his supporters on the way to the jail, but missed the opportunity by about five minutes.

Once safely inside the jail, the Federalists were safe until rumors spread that they would be bailed out and the mob descended on the jail the next afternoon. With help from inside the jail, the rioters gained access to the jail and severely beat the Federalists, which ultimately cost the life of Lingen and caused injuries to Hanson from which he never fully recovered.

“It was really a gruesome scene,” Cutler said, noting that it took a suggestion by responding doctors that the wounded were dead and should be taken into the jail for safeguarding to be used as research cadavers to save them. “This probably saved the lives of a number of them.”

Hanson was later elected to Congress and appointed to the U.S. Senate, the second-youngest at that point.

He became a rallying point through which the Federalists were able to bounce back for a time while he, himself died from the lingering effects of his injuries in 1819 at 33.

“He had really sort of faded,” Cutler said. “Although one of the places he was most popular was here in Massachusetts and New England, which was a big Federalist area.”

During a fishing trip to Hingham, Cutler said, may be where future Hansonites got the idea to petition to name Hanson for the town splitting off from Pembroke in 1819-20.

As for Lingen, when Hillary Clinton was first lady, she honored him during the dedication of the Freedom Forum in 1996 as the first American to die in defense of the free press.

Water future eyed

By

HANSON — The town’s Water Department is working to inform residents — specifically abutters — of plans and progress in the effort to secure future water supplies for Hanson residents.

Water Commissioners Don Howard, Gil Amado and Don Harvey met with a group of concerned residents to address questions and concerns about proposed new town wells on Wednesday, April 4 in a session broadcast by Whitman-Hanson Cable Access TV.

The project is expected to take about a year.

“I’m a water man,” said Howard, who had worked in the field beginning in 1957 and has served five terms as a water commissioner. “Hanson is fortunate now to have two watersheds,” the Taunton since 1982 and the North River.

There are four town wells sunk into the Taunton where water was pumped directly into the water main, until the million-gallon tank was placed off High Street in 1999 to maintain constant pressure.

Two new wells are planned for a watershed off East Washington Street that empties into the Indian Head River, a brook in that area runs 365 days a year, Howard said.

“We’re doing this now to pump out of two watersheds,” Howard said. “That way it will be easier on the aquifers that are under the ground.”

Howard stressed emphatically that no private land in the area would be touched for the project. The entire project will be on conservation land.

“If there’s no water from the wells, the people that live in the area are going to have a walkway,” he said of the 12-foot wide gravel access road that would connect to other trails there now. “But hopefully we’re going to windup getting a couple nice wells in there.”

Doug Martin of CDM Smith engineering consultants said two studies had already been done on new water sources in 1993 and ’94. There must be 400 feet of conservation, or pristine land, around each wellhead.

Two other areas considered, one near Hanson Middle School, were too close to septic systems or not entirely on public lands.

The location now looked to, area five, showed groundwater in an area that met the other criteria. The property was then surveyed to determine the best access route, flag wetlands and inventoried trees to determine which trees could be removed. That survey located a Colonial-era red oak, which required remapping the access road.

Water quantity and quality must be studied next to determine if wells could be placed.

Residents’ concerns centered on the location of the access road, the type of road being put in and its ability to bear the load of drilling rigs, grade changes, and the extent of future vehicle access needed on the road.

Martin said that, while in some places grade will need to be changed a bit, it would follow the natural contours of the land as closely as possible. No other traffic besides maintenance vehicles will be permitted on the road.

The two well systems would work cooperatively with each other to keep the water tank full.

“By pumping out of two aquifers, you’re pumping less water out of each one, and it makes it better for the system,” Howard said.

“The town of Hanson needs a second water source,” Amado agreed. “If anything happens to our existing source — like it did before — we have to go on Brockton water. That’s the only backup we have.”

Brockton water is also expensive. Two years ago it cost Hanson $330,000 to go on Brockton water for three months while the inside of the water tank was painted. Electricity charges for Hanson to pump its own water for that period of time would be $30,000, Howard said. More water would also mean a more effective hydrant-flushing program, he argued.

Amado said the town is committed to the project with the best available engineers working on it.

Conservation Commission Chairman Phil Clemons said the Water Commissioners came to his board early on to discuss its plan to increase the town’s water security and to gain the ConCom’s help in deciding on a location with the least impact on wetlands and other natural resources. The Conservation Commission has continued to keep in close communication on the proposal.

“There’s pretty good water quality in the area and we agreed that it made sense to look there,” Clemons said. “One of the reasons to conserve land as open space and wetlands and all, is for the purpose of protecting water supply. … Why would you protect a water supply and then never, ever consider using it?”

He also agreed a second well field would ease pressure on current water systems as well as the aquifer.