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Grenno leads fire chiefs’ association

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BRIDGEWATER — Before a hall filled with family, friends, Whitman officials and dozens of fellow fire chiefs, Whitman Fire Chief Timothy Grenno was sworn in as president of the Fire Chiefs’ Association of Massachusetts (FCAM) during ceremonies at Bridgewater State on Tuesday, May 15.

After taking his oath, administered by Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Grenno noted the date coincided with Peace Officer Memorial Day, first designated by President Kennedy in 1962, and thanked police, particularly the Whitman Police Department, for their service.

Grenno pledged to work closely with the firefighters’ union as well as state officials to ensure firefighters’ safety and well being.

“At the end of the day, we are all the fire service,” he said. “We may disagree at times on the fundamentals of some things, but in the end our mission creed is the same: To see that everybody goes home at the end of their shifts.”

He also pledged to work to restore funding for training, mental health services for stress-related issues such as PTSD, fire safety programs to educate the public and for legislation to provide protection from and treatment for work-related cancers.

Grenno offered a special tip of his hat to his mother Marylyn, who he was not sure would be able to make it due to recent health issues. A new rehabilitation facility, however, has recently helped improved her health and she was able to attend.

“She’s always been the strongest person I know,” he said, adding thanks and “saving the best for last,” to his wife Maureen.

“I love you and thank you for your continued support, even if it appears I love my phone more than you sometimes, I really don’t.”

Family and community was the unofficial theme of the event.

“This is a time to celebrate, to highlight, to spotlight public service — and in particular, the fire service,” Polito said. “I hope that you know when come to these gatherings, that no one goes this way alone, that you have a strong and reliable partner in state government.”

She noted that the men and women who devote their lives to public service are not always forefront in the public’s mind so long as streets are plowed, the lights come on and the cable TV connection works.

“I value public service, as you do, and without you we would not be the great state that we are on many levels,” she said. “We have that because of you, and I cannot state that strongly emphatically enough — how grateful we are for your choice of careers — hometown careers in municipal service that have made your communities better and our commonwealth better.”

Grenno was accompanied in the procession opening the ceremony by retired Whitman Fire Chief Timothy Travers, a past president of the FCAM. Whitman Fire Department Chaplain the Rev. Alan Butler offered the invocation.

Before leading the prayer, Butler recalled the little red fire chief cars kids used to dream of getting for a toy — and how times have changed.

“Today, if Timmy is called to a scene in Whitman he shows up in a black Chevy Tahoe,” he said. “The windows couldn’t be any darker. All the lights are camouflaged and you don’t know whether it’s the fire chief or Secret Service agents — and Timmy pops out.”

He spoke of the level of stress among today’s first responder as “beyond telling.” Equipment is taken good care of, but the personnel need support as well, asking for grace upon those gathered, especially among the fire service for work that is hard — if not impossible to talk about.

Guest speakers at the ceremony included Bridgewater State President Frederick Clark, State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey, Travers and Polito before Grenno’s swearing-in and address.

Travers recalled that Grenno’s father was a charter member of IAFF Local 1769, his sister Missy and her husband Richard also served as firefighters.

The need to prevent job-related cancers and increase aid to cities and towns for public safety was also stressed by Travers in his remarks.

Ostroskey said the FCAM is extremely valuable to its members and agreed that cancer prevention, as well as active shooter and hostile event response are key issues today.

Family ties also figured prominently in Clark’s address.

“You’re really part of the family,” Clark said of Grenno, whose wife Maureen has worked for the university for 18 years. “We know your jobs get more and more complicated based on the challenge that comes before you. … Right now we’re challenged by the opioid crisis, which affects us all. But you all manage through those challenges beautifully, you adapt wonderfully and professionally as well.”

He then joked he was presenting Grenno the virtual key to the campus but noted all the doors are locked for the summer.

Towns head to polls May 19

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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.”

Override averted – this year

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WHITMAN — The use of capital stabilization funds enabled the town to avoid an override ballot question — this year, Town Administrator Frank Lynam announced to the nearly 200 voters present at the start of the Monday, May 7 annual Town Meeting.

Capital stabilization was used to pay capital debt for the police station and Town Hall renovations as well as on a bond taken out in 2000 for limited repairs to Town Hall.

“The simple fact is that we can no longer raise enough money to fund the services that the residents of Whitman have become accustomed to receiving,” Lynam said of the $36,814,122 budget resulting from collaboration with all town departments, the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee. “We are presenting this budget with the realization that the town will need to increase its levy in future years in order to continue funding town services at our present level, and to meet the current and future capital needs of the Town.”

Lynam estimated there is only about $180,000 left in capital stabilization.

The fiscal 2019 budget is up $1,898,402 from last year.

Lynam warned residents that increases in fixed costs such as technology, public safety, education, solid waste, veterans’ services, health life and liability insurance, County retirement and other post-employment benefits are outstripping the town’s ability to fund the budget within the confines of Proposition 2 ½. Work on the fiscal 2020 budget will have to begin next month, beginning with a comprehensive review of our revenue, expenditures and capital assets toward developing that budget.

“The alternative to this would be to significantly reduce services and the quality of education we offer our youth and permit our capital assets to deteriorate over time,” he said.

Finance Committee Chairman Richard Anderson presented the “road map” for town spending in the coming year.

“This is in response to the extremely difficult budget we face this year,” Anderson said. “While we do not agree with each other, we all recognize the benefit of strategic planning and fiscal restraint.”

He offered the analogy that the Selectmen drive the fiscal car while the Finance Committee plans the route, but voters at town meeting decide whether to make the trip at all. Anderson also argued that the town’s position is due as much to unfunded or under-funded state and federal mandates as from spending and limited revenue.

“We have a long road — a long haul,” Lynam said after the Town Meeting, which he said went very well. “I can tell you right now there’s no way we can fund next year’s budget. We can’t continue down the road we’re going down an that’s why I wanted to make that clear tonight.”

There was an initial question, once the meeting got under way, from resident Elaine Williams on how the electronic voting devices would be used. Selectman Daniel Salvucci agreed with Williams’ suggestion that the devices be used in all questions.

“We’re paying the money to use these devices,” Salvucci said. “It seems to be working. Does Town Meeting want to use it for every single vote — and I agree, I think we should — I think that was the main reason we brought these forward.”

Moderator Michael Seele had recommended voice votes unless a voice vote supported using the handsets. Town Counsel Michelle McNulty’s interpretation of state statute agreed with Seele’s recommendation, which was the approach used, specifically on questioned items on Article 2 — which was decided by the devices when a voice vote proved inconclusive.

“The towns that use them on every question had lengthier town meetings,” said Seele, who chaired the committee that studied using the devices. “It’s up to the meeting.”

A special warrant article for $280,000 to purchase streetlights from National Grid was amended to authorize the borrowing of the funds and issue bonds or notes of the town for them. Lynam also indicated the town has applied for two grants, which if received, will pay for the borrowing in two years while the town saves on energy costs by switching to LED lights.

A line item within budget Article 2 later centered on $143,000 sought for street lighting. Lynam explained it was for electricity costs, which is expected to be reduced by the LED lighting in coming years.

BUDGET QUERIES

There were 25 line items questioned within budget Article 2, all of which were ultimately approved. Some of the questioned lines dealt with $1,000 certification stipend earned by some town employees as the town is obligated to meet as a result of approving state laws permitting the stipends several years ago.

A 4-percent increase for Lynam — the third year of an attempt to bring his salary closer to the minimum compensation for a town administrator — and a 2-percent increase for Assistant Town Administrator Lisa Green after Green received a 1.5-percent increase last year — were also approved.

The question was prompted by the fact that the salary for the position was increased prior to hiring Green to a level that will still be the lowest among 15 people in equivalent positions through the region.

A question about Fire Department expenses triggered a question about why a brush fire off Indian Trail last year was left to burn overnight while fire personnel were sent home.

“Do you want me to comment on the expense or why we don’t go in the woods at night?” Fire Chief Timothy Grenno asked, then answered both, noting the expense line funds firefighter salaries, contractual obligations and benefits.

Fires in extremely dry weather burn deep underground along root systems and can take as long as two weeks to extinguish, Grenno added.

“If the ground is burned out and you have a firefighter walking across that ground drawing a hoseline and they fall into a pit, that fire can immediately flare up,” he said. “There’s too many obstacles in the woods, there’s too many obstructions, there’s dangers so when we confine a fire … so it doesn’t spread overnight in the darkness and then you go back first thing in the morning and you start up again.”

A Board of Health request for an additional $22,979 — bringing the inspector’s line from $43,148 to $66,127 — was also questioned. Lynam explained it was due to the board’s assumption of responsibilities for animal control services, placing the inspector at the department head level. Both the fire and health board expenses were approved.

A $6,000 expenditure to Whitman WILL was also questioned, with Lynam explaining it was a division of the $12,000 traditionally budgeted for the Whitman Counseling Center, which also was budgeted $6,000 this year.

“It’s no secret to anybody in this room that we’ve had an explosive growth in opioid addiction,” he said, noting the Whitman-Hanson WILL coalition is providing “serious effort to provide assistance and education to people in handling and combatting addiction to drugs.”

Two residents, who suggested the money go into the general fund, questioned a Police Department revolving fund financed through fines assessed by the department. The revolving fund is intended for training and education of officers.

“That fund offsets what this town spends in the police budget,” Police Chief Scott Benton said, comparing it to the Fire Department’s ambulance receipts account. “As the police chief, I want the money to go to the Police Department. I can appreciate where you’re coming from, but I object to [funneling the money into the general fund].”

Lynam agreed that the funds are used to finance the unique needs of the Police Department.

Whitman OKs region revision: Agreement change to go before May 7 Town Meeting

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WHITMAN — The Board of Selectmen voted 3-2 on Tuesday, April 24 to accept and recommend to Town Meeting the revised regional agreement for the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District.

Selectmen Randy LaMattina and Scott Lambiase voted against the revision because of concerns over the requirement that dissolving the region be a unanimous one on the part of both towns.

“A lot of language has been cleaned up with regard to assessment and capital costs,” Town Administrator Frank Lynam said of the revision. “In 1992 when we regionalized, we were a 9-12 region and added the K-8.”

That agreement provided that either town could opt to withdraw from the region for kindergarten through eight-grade schools, Lynam noted.

“We’re basically being asked to OK an amended agreement that takes away Whitman’s ability to withdraw from the region without Hanson’s permission,” Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski said.

“And vice-versa. Yes,” Lynam said.

“Thanks for the vice-versa,” Kowalski said. “I don’t care whether or not Hanson gets permission from us.”

Selectmen Vice Chairman Dan Salvucci, who served on the regional agreement revision committee, said there is good reason for the provision.

“You’re regionalizing both towns, not just half … and the fact that if you wanted to de-regionalize, the cost would be unbelievable,” Salvucci said.

School Committee member Fred Small, attending the meeting for the budget discussion also said the language was written with flexibility to allow an additional town to join the region, should that ever be a consideration. That flexibility was a reason for South Shore Vo-Tech’s recent revision of its regional agreement, approved by Whitman voters at a special Town Meeting in December.

Kowalski said he shared some of LaMattina’s concerns.

Small said the DESE and the school district’s counsel had both approved the revised agreement and the School Committee unanimously voted for it.

“As Whitman is forecast to pick up more and more of that [per-pupil] swing as the Hanson population declines” it presented additional financial worry for LaMattina on behalf of Whitman.

Salvucci said LaMattina’s concerns were the reason he called for an additional discussion of the revision by the School Committee.

“If the population imbalance keeps going the way it’s going, you could see a time when 30 percent of the students in the school system are from Hanson and 70 percent of the students are from Whitman, and Whitman will have to pay 70 percent of the cost,” Kowalski said.

“But we’ll get 70 percent of the School Committee members,” Salvucci said. Small added that it would give Whitman control of the School Committee and its direction.

Hanson might seek an exit if the Whitman edge reached the 80-20 split, Small said.

“It’s not going to be any easy way to divorce the two towns,” Kowalski said.

Small said that was exactly the term used by the Mass. Association of Regional Schools’ consultants.

“That’s what happens — you get divorced,” Small said. “You both have to sign off on the divorce.”

Selectman Brian Bezanson said he does not foresee such a regional divorce occurring.

“I look at it this way — this is a partnership. If we become in a situation where it’s 70/30 or 80/20, we’re in control and we have a silent partner,” he said. “Why would we want to be paying 100 percent?”

Ferro new assistant superintendent

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Whitman Middle School Principal George Ferro has been appointed an assistant superintendent of schools by an 8-0 vote of the School Committee on Wednesday, April 11. Members Alexandra Taylor and Steven Bois were absent.

Ferro has been a building-based administrator for 18 years, 14 of them as a principal.

He had been an assistant principal in Westport for four years and before that, was a teacher in New Bedford. He has been Mass. Principal of the Year and president of the Mass. School Administrator’s Association (MSAA) and is still on it’s Executive Committee.

“I’d like to thank the committee, I’d like to thank all of you here, I’d like to thank the communities of Whitman and Hanson, and I’d like to tell you that I’m honored, very excited — a little nervous, because I don’t know if I’m going to be a budget cut,” Ferro said. “I moved to this district for a reason. … The choices I’ve made for my family are for a reason, and that reason was to be the best principal that I knew how to be.”

He noted that the opportunity has come up a lot in the last nine years. But past hiring rounds were not the right time.

“Now I say OK this might be my time,” he said. “So what is it that I can bring you? I’m going to bring you me. I’m going to bring you honesty.”

Conley School Principal Karen Downey announced the recommendation from the search committee.

“I want to thank you, on behalf of our committee, for trusting us with that job,” she said. “It was a big job and we were glad to do it. We had an incredible group of people who came together to find the best person for this job.”

Downey was joined on the committee by Duval Principal Julie McKillop, Technology Director Chad Peters, and his fellow Central Office representative Lisa Forbes, Math Curriculum Director Brian Selig and five teachers including union representatives Beth Stafford and Kevin Kavka. Downey also sat down with Jeff Szymaniak, leaving the W-H principal job to become superintendent of schools, on what qualities he is looking for and the role he envisions for the new assistant superintendent.

“All the candidates we interviewed were good candidates,” she said. “But, by far and unanimously, there was one candidate who stood out above everybody else. We are really pleased, not only with the commitment, the enthusiasm and the knowledge base that George Ferro brings to our district, but we really loved his vision.”

She noted that the public has seen Ferro at School Committee meetings as a parent, taxpayer and WMS principal, but “what we saw in that room in the interview was George Ferro, assistant superintendent, and we were impressed.”

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner said that, when the search committee completed its work and Downey informed her of the unanimous decision, she and Szymaniak then spoke with Ferro.

“I think we are both very comfortable in recommending George Ferro as the next assistant superintendent,” she said.

He said he plans to support the vision of the new superintendent and work to move the district forward including an organizational flow chart and funnels of duties that have to take place so everyone knows what is expected.

Ferro said that he moved his family to Whitman three years after then- Superintendent of Schools Dr. John F. McEwan made him a principal because, “I believed in what this district was — or could be,” he said. He also wanted Whitman Middle School to be a great middle school.

As his family grew he made a commitment that his children would not attend W-H Regional High School so they could forge their own identities.

“I chose to put my family first,” he said. “When my son was a kid in my school and my daughter, I had to sit them down and tell them, ‘You will never get an award. You will never be an All-Star. You will never have somebody say you got that because of who your father is.’”

When his son was an eighth-grader, the teen had the choice to go where people would know him for himself and not as Mr. Ferro’s son — and he chose to go elsewhere for that chance.

“That also allowed me to be the person I am and still dedicate what I think is right, and what I think I know about it education to W-H.

While MSAA president, he unified the association to include administrators of all schools pre-K through 12, including charter schools if they wished to join. A year later, there are more than 2,700 members.

Ferro said he also wants to bring consistency and greater respect for teachers to the district.

The field of candidates for the position of WHRHS principal has been narrowed to three with final interviews and site visits to be scheduled.

The next search committee will be for principal of the Whitman Middle School.

 9.5 percent assessment increase OK’d

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The School Committee voted to reduce the fiscal 2019 assessment increase to the towns to 9.5 percent over the current budget during a special meeting on Monday, April 23.

The committee also gave its final approval of revisions to the regional agreement. Both issues will go before voters at town meetings on Monday, May 7.

School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes took part in the meeting remotely by conference call, necessitating voice votes, and member Kevin Lynam was absent. Vice Chairman Fred Small presided over the meeting.

Hanson Town Administrator Michael McCue, who could not attend due to ongoing meetings with his town’s Finance Committee, sent an email to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner Monday advising her that Hanson could go to 9.5 percent, but no higher.

“The town of Hanson will do its best to meet an overall assessment [increase] of 9.5 percent,” McCue wrote and Small read into the record. “Anything in excess of this amount cannot be supported by our FY ’19 budget. Additional reductions in the assessment are obviously helpful.”

At 9.5 percent, the increase to the budget, is $1,924,598. For Whitman that would mean $1,151,295 and Hanson’s share is $773,304 based on enrollment.

He said long-term strategic planning would be necessary before work begins on the fiscal 2020 budget, however.

“This is probably one of the more difficult things that we face,” said School Committee member Robert Trotta, noting the committee had initially debated seeking a 13.65-percent increase to include no-cost all-day kindergarten in the budget. “Obviously that would have been too rich for both towns, and I feel as though, as a School Committee member, going down to 9.5 is probably the right thing to do.”

An 11-percent increase would have added a special ed science instructor at each middle school as well as an elementary-level social worker parent liaison.

The 9.5-percent increase provides level services. A 5-percent increase would have meant the loss of 19 positions, according to Gilbert-Whitner.

“We have a very solid strategic plan and our plan tells us we need no-cost full-day kindergarten, it tells us that our foreign language program is not very strong,” she said, noting that new English, science and math programs are also needed. “It’s all going to cost money.”

Trotta said the School Committee sets assessments with what is best for the school system in mind, but it runs into town budget constraints.

“There’s been a lot of talk about starting this budget process earlier in the year,” he said. “It seems as the budget process as it stands doesn’t really seem to gel when it comes to this idea.”

School Committee member Steven Bois agreed, adding that budgets reflect what students need more than what the district needs — as well as providing other essential town services.

“I want a four-minute ambulance response, I want the best in our police personnel,” he said. “We hope that we can find a way to do this.”

School Committee member Michael Jones also wants taxpayers to realize the schools are struggling, too.

“There’s no new trucks, there’s no new employees, in this budget,” he said. “We’re losing this year. … This is not a step forward at 9.5 percent. In my opinion, it’s a step backward.”

“From my point of view, we’re providing the same services that we provided this year — nothing additional — and we’re eliminating a position from one of the schools that was there due to a bubble in enrollment,” Small said.

“It’s really got to be everyone coming together — all the departments — It’s good fire, it’s good police, it’s good schools. It’s not one at the expense of the others,” Gilbert-Whitner said. “We also have to push at the state level.”

Unfunded and underfunded mandates from state and federal legislation were again criticized.

“I don’t think the people that are making those decisions contact the people who would be impacted by [them],” Trotta said.

“I sit here again disappointed,” said School Committee member Christopher Howard. “I’m disappointed as a whole in where we’re at both within this budget process and where we are collectively with the towns. … It comes down to what should those communities look like?”

Hayes said both towns have been among the most supportive of the schools in the state.

“While 9.5 percent isn’t ideal, it’s probably as much as the towns can afford, whether we’re talking about police or fire or any of those people,” he said. “They’re very supportive of the schools and  the things that we do, so I would support the 9.5 percent 100-percent.”

In other business, Mass. Association of Regional Schools (MARS) consultant Malcolm Reid and Steve Donovan and MARS Assistant Executive Director Stephen Hemman attended the meeting.

Hemman outlined the next steps for the regional agreement at Gilbert-Whitman’s request.

Five or six original copies of the document will be sent to each town meeting with appropriate signatures of School Committee members and certified votes from each Town Meeting — if passed by the required majority vote — will be attached for submission to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for the commissioner’s signature.

Town Meeting will not be permitted to change anything.

“This is the document,” Hemman said. “If one town wants to change something, then it can’t happen.”

Small also noted the agreement has been reviewed and accepted by the School Department’s legal counsel.

Hayes, who also chaired the revision subcommittee, thanked those who served on that subcommittee and otherwise assisted with the process.

“We had people from the town, we had selectmen, we had a lot of people who participated in this committee and did a tremendous amount of work,” Hayes said.

Gilbert-Whitner also thanked the MARS consultants.

“They’ve been with us all the way through the process,” she said. “We began this a year ago … going over an agreement that had been typed on an Apple IIe computer. We’ve come a long way with this — there were schools in it that are no longer in existence. I think this is a great document for the future.”

Operational override sought

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WHITMAN  — Selectmen voted by a slim margin Tuesday, April 24 to recommend a budget to Town Meeting that includes the entire 9.5 school assessment increase within the levy limit — and to call for an operational override to fund the $603,000 needed to fully fund other departments.

Selectmen Brian Bezanson, Randy LaMattina and Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski voted for the override recommendation with fellow board members Scott Lambiase and Dan Salvucci voting against.

A special election for an override question will take place Sturday, June 2.

LaMattina supported the operational override provided department heads be able to make a fair impact statement on Town Meeting floor, at 7:30 p.m., Monday, May 7.

During discussion, Lambiase and LaMattina had argued in favor of including 7.5 percent of the school assessment within the levy limit, placing the remaining 2 percent within an override.

Fire Chief Timothy Grenno, who spoke against an operational override said after the meeting that his cellphone was already blowing up with messages from angry members of the firefighters’ union.

“I think the board has put the town into a difficult position tonight in placing an operational override on town departments that are already strapped to fund one budget,” Grenno said. “I think it would work a lot better, I guess is the best way to put it, if everybody shared a little bit of the pie.”

He said he does not have a lot of confidence in the town’s willingness to pass an operational override.

School Committee member Fred Small, who attended the meeting in support of the assessment, pledged to support other departments in the effort to pass an override.

“I can only speak on behalf of myself, but you have my undying support for the override,” Small said after the vote. “It’s not our intent to pit one department against another, it’s just our intention to try and survive.”

A 9.5-percent assessment increase puts Whitman’s share at $1,151,295 and a 7.5-percent increase puts it at $908,000. If it were part of an override, it would grow by $22,700.

“This has to be coupled with a real understanding that next year we hit a real wall unless we make some progress [with budgets],” said Town Administrator Frank Lynam. He said the immediate course of action, should Town Meeting approve the 9.5 percent, would be to meet with department heads to determine what must be done to ensure a successful override.

The Finance Committee had come back to the Board of Selectmen with a recommendation to place 5 percent of the schools’ assessment increase, or $603,210, within the levy limit, which would have required an override to fund the remaining 5.5 percent — or $602,783 — for the schools. That represents $12,667,403 in the levy and $602,783 outside the levy limit. The total budget increase is 10 percent.

Fiscal 2018 began with a $30,382,000 budget, according to Lynam. This year, requests totaled $32,488,000. There were 29 articles included in the first draft of the warrant totaling $2,500,000 in appropriations.

Articles recommended inside the levy now total $828,433 with articles funded from other sources, including free cash, the ambulance fund, the police fine account and borrowing total $1,743,000.

“In preparing this budget, we removed 13 articles totaling $724,508,” Lynam said. “Each of the schools we’re participating in have significant increases.”

South Shore Vo-Tech, seeing an increase of 10 Whitman students, is up 8.9 percent, Norfolk Vocational-Agricultural is up 10.6 percent and WHRHS is up 9.5 percent in their assessments.

Salvucci, who also serves as the Whitman representative to the SSVT School Committee, stressed that school’s entire budget is only up 3.9 percent.

“The problem is half [the W-H] budget is funded by the state and that revenue is not growing,” Lynam said.

Small said the 9.5 percent assessment increase represents a 2.6 percent increase in the overall W-H budget.

“I am unbelievably uncomfortable with this proposition,” Kowalski said of the Finance Committee’s recommendation for a 5 percent increase within the levy for the schools. “It appears to be arbitrarily a 5-percent assessment and then hoping for a successful override to grant the schools the money they say they need to just keep things going.”

Kowalski noted a strong school system is what attracts families to settle in a town.

“Our police department and our fire department are both departments we can be proud of as a town,” he said to a large crown attending the meeting, including Grenno, Police Chief Scott Benton and Deputy Chief Timothy Hanlon. “They are also well-equipped and well-compensated — and they’re well-peopled.” He admitted that the DPW have routinely been budgeted as “the fourth out of four.”

Kowalski said the town’s budget needs to expand and an override is the only way to accomplish that.

“I’m totally uncomfortable, however, asking for half the money we want to give to the schools and they basically scrape by with what they have now,” I’d like to see the assessment go up. If that means that the Finance Committee has to go back and deal with the other departments and see what can happen there … then it has to go that way.”

Bezanson said he completely agreed.

“I know you’re shocked,” he quipped. “I’m not one for overrides. I’m not one for higher taxes … but why do we subject the schools, all the time, to being the ones that have to have the overrides?”

Bezanson echoed a frequently voiced position of Kowalski’s — “At some point, we have to decide what kind of community we want.”

Salvucci asked if discontinuing non-mandated busing could be a solution, but Lynam argued the money involved was such a small part of the total budget it would not have much effect, and that the bus contract does not allow the town to do much more than reconfiguring a small number of buses.

“It appears that the Finance Committee is looking for direction on this,” Kowalski said. “I would like to see this board give them a little bit of direction.”

LaMattina noted that Selectmen made it very clear to the Finance Committee the previous week that 5 percent was not an acceptable number for the school assessment increase.

“We made it very clear we didn’t want to see less than 7.5 percent guaranteed going to the schools,” he said. “I’m saddened that this was even presented in front of us because this is a complete 180 from what we talked about showing more fiscal stability and ttying to do the right thing — not only by the schools, but by every other department in town. I’ll tell you right now, there’s no way I’m supporting 5 percent.”

LaMattina said he felt they provided sufficient direction last week.

“At some point, we have to come up with a number and maybe and override is going to have to be on both sides,” Lambiase said. “There’s going to be a lot of pain felt on both sides.”

“I think the citizens will do the right thing,” Bezanson said, noting the town has long been one of the more financially stable communities on the South Shore.

Lynam said that, while not enough, 78 percent of new growth funding has been used to finance school budgets.

“The problem is, we’ve been allowed to build a budget that’s not sustainable without our partner in the budget, and that partner being the state, continuing to contribute,” Lynam said. Much of the School Department’s costs, such as utilities and retirements, are not controllable, either. “We’re creating an us-and-them and that’s not the way to fund an operation. It may also be an issue of what area is more sensitive to the voters.”

During the discussion, Grenno asked if, in effect, the town was being asked to vote a second time on the $310,000 override passed last year to add three firefighters to the department.

“I get what the schools are looking for and what maintains basically what they are doing now and helps us further the school district,” Grenno said, noting his son attends W-H schools and he thinks highly of the districts’ quality. “But you’re basically playing Russian roulette with all the other departments in town.”

He said he did not understand the logic.

“If the schools need the money, then I support them, let’s go for an override and let’s support the schools and get them their override,” Grenno said. Lambiase agreed that the schools have to have a dog in the override hunt, too.

“Otherwise, there’s no incentive for the schools to participate in this,” he said. “And they’re the ones that can convince the town that we actually need this — we need it on both sides.”

Kowalski and Bezanson said they have been hearing about departments being pitted against each other for 14 years.

“We’re still looking at a small section of the town [government] to cut up, to make it up if this override doesn’t work,” Lambiase countered. “That’s just not going to work, it would be devastating.”

Small said the citizen in him “understands exactly where you’re coming from. The School Committee member has a little bit of blinders and I want to fight for every single thing that we can do for the schools.”

Whitman Selectmen, Fincom weigh ‘what-if’ scenarios

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WHITMAN  — In a joint meeting with the Finance Committee Tuesday, April 17 — which involved some heated exchanges between Selectmen and Finance member Shawn Kain — officials discussed the town’s ongoing revenue problem and how to balance the fiscal 2019 budget.

Town Administrator Frank Lynam has already “X-ed out” 20 articles from the annual Town Meeting warrant, including those seeking new DPW vehicles, public safety radio, data terminal and radar equipment and a reduction in requests for police cruisers and another which reflects a change to the approach in repairing the library roof, as well as some schools maintenance articles. Some others, including a new utility vehicle for the Fire Department, are in question.

“You’ll see the articles that we went through and said, ‘Can’t do it’,” he said. “What I’m saying is we’ve gone bare-bones and there’s a danger in this because we’re now removing items that involve capital maintenance.”

It also leaves the town’s budget still $1 million short, Lynam said.

“Some of these are critically important,” agreed Finance Committee Chairman Richard Anderson, noting his committee had not yet voted on recommendations. “We’re going to look at budget scenarios that may reinstate some of them or that may actually remove additional ones.”

Selectmen plan to continue that deliberation on Tuesday, April 24 following the Finance Committee’s work in the interim and a special School Committee meeting at 7 p.m., Monday, April 23 when its members are expected to make a final vote on assessments to the towns. Recommendations on annual Town Meeting warrant articles will be voted on next week. The annual warrant must be posted by April 30 for the May 7 Town Meeting.

Four special Town Meeting warrant articles were recommended by a 4-0 vote of Selectmen — Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski was absent — and 7-0-1 votes of the Finance Committee — with Kain abstaining. A fifth article involving town speed limits was recommended by Selectmen.

Right now, Whitman Selectmen are weighing the options between three “what if” scenarios involving the tax impact of each one.

“I would be really opposed to an override that funds part of the deficit and doesn’t fix the problem,” Lynam said.

‘WHAT IFS’

Based on a $16.01 per thousand tax rate, tax bill using the current value with stabilization added, based on a median single-family home worth $278,400 would be $4,596.38 per year with a 50-cent per thousand increase or $139.20. Calculating the current value and adding the school assessment increase would put it at $4,667.12 per year with a 79-cent per thousand increase or $219.94. The current value with both amounts would increase it to $4,821 with a $1.31 per thousand increase or $364.70.

“That’s a fix that solves the problem — for this year,” Lynam said. “But we haven’t solved the problem and with due respect to people who think we have to do more planning, we have a revenue problem.”

That median single-family annual tax bill is now $4,457.18.

“I don’t think any of us are seriously recommending that W-H accept 5 percent,” Lynam said, reminding the board that Whitman is not the only town player involved in the school budget. “We’re probably not going to do 7.25 [percent].”

The town is also taking a serious look at the $381,357 cost of non-mandated busing. While it would not likely be eliminated, discussion will continue to center on subsidizing only part of it.

There are currently 775 students who ride the bus and live outside the 1.5-mile mandated busing radius around schools, putting the per-student cost at $493.

A user fee of $165 per year per student is being looked at to help reduce the cost of non-mandated busing by one-third or $86,245. The School Committee is also looking into a possible suit against the state for unpaid regional transportation funding. [See related story].

“Again, the title of this document is “What If?” so none of these things are etched in stone,” Lynam said. “It’s merely a suggestion for another way to reduce some of the cost that the town is experiencing from non-mandated busing.”

School Committee member Fred Small said the impact of decisions parents make based on user fees will help in calculating how bus routes can be reconfigured and how much would ultimately be saved.

“I think the impact is greater at the high school with people not riding than at the elementary schools,” Small said.

Selectman Brian Bezanson questioned the fairness for large or low-income families. Lynam said non-mandated busing fees only impact families not entitled to a ride in the first place.

“We did set this up and they are counting on it,” Bazanson said. “It’s become a common practice.”

Finance Committee member Marion Mackerwicz said that, as a parent, she appreciated Bezanson’s words but didn’t see the problem.

“If it comes down to will they get an education or if we’re going to cut teachers, I think that walking can be seen in a positive light and I think we’re looking at that,” she said. “We have to look at what creates revenue — the schools do, busing doesn’t.”

But Bezanson questioned if the savings would be enough to improve education. Small said that staggering school start times has already saved the school budgets about $400,000 a year.

“That would be something we’d love to see back to normalcy, but for now it’s just not in the cards,” Small said. “You could establish a family threshold so it would only cost X-amount of dollars per family.” He also suggested a financial need waiver could be considered.

“We’re trying to present this in a way that is mindful of everybody’s interests,” Anderson said.

Lynam said Selectmen had set a 2-percent guide for increases in non-contracted salaries, and requestors who exceeded that were “communicated with” and advised about that position.

ONGOING TALKS

“This is very difficult,” Selectmen Vice Chairman Dan Salvucci said. “We haven’t seen anything like this since 2 ½ went in. … No way am I a fan of doing layoffs … I will not even consider that, me personally, but I don’t know what we’re going to do.”

“Whether it is 9 percent of 11 percent, the budget is devastating to the town,” Lynam said because of constraints of Proposition 2 ½ and the makeup of Whitman’s largely residential tax base.

He argued that the quality of the schools is one of the most important factors in maintaining that tax base.

“We have been fortunate, over the years, to have a good, well-balanced school system, but we’re beginning to lose it,” he said. “We have less services, we have limited language arts in middle school. … When the schools come in and present a budget, what they’re trying to do is meet the basics.”

Anderson said it is important to continue that discussion.

“We obviously have a unique situation,” Anderson said. “While we’re waiting for the schools to certify a budget number, we still have to move forward with recommendations for the rest of the budget.”

He said time is not on the Finance Committee’s side and agreed more time is needed to work on the budget next year.

Lynam and selectmen also argued that the real solution can only be found at the state level.

“We’re not in a unique position here,” said Bezanson, while acknowledging that the town could have acted sooner when state local aid funds were reduced. “There are many other towns in this commonwealth that are in the same boat and that boat is sinking.”

Selectman Randy LaMattina, among other issues, advocates restructuring the police station debt to free up about $860,000 from the levy limit and sees the damage done to the school budget from underfunded regional transportation mandate.

“But I will not strip-mine departments to fund another,” he said of the school budget, while advocating more than a 5-percent assessment increase. “Something needs to be done and it has to start with the people in this room.”

HEATED EXCHANGES

Kain then weighed in with his request to create a strategic capital plan, focusing on Fire Chief Timothy Grenno’s budget requests and recent comments in response to Kain’s last appearance before Selectmen to advocate more responsible budgeting.

“I really hadn’t intended to reply, but I’m going to,” Lynam said, noting he appreciated Kain’s enthusiasm and efforts to stress his points. “You are part of a committee. This discussion occurred in your committee. You have been zealous about establishing a capital plan this year.”

But he added it was made clear to Kain and the Finance Committee in February that the town was not prepared to build that.

“I really enjoy your comments about capital improvements because right now we have no revenue source for capital [work],” Lynam said, raising his voice. “The one revenue source we might have … is committed to paying for a debt that already exists. So, if you’re the guy that has the answers, tell me where it’s coming from.”

Kain argued that there is a misconception that a plan is only needed when there is financial growth.

“We need a plan when there is not growth,” he said. “When we’re in negative feedback loop we’re in triage. The plan tells us what to do. People need to see that we’re in triage, they need to see the financial trends and see what we’re struggling with so that this is an open, transparent process.”

He said the job of Lynam and the Board of Selectmen is to set priorities.

“I think that’s what a leader does,” Kain said arguing that Selectmen should meet weekly until at least 10 p.m. to create budget policy. “We’re in crisis and we need leaders who are going to have swift, decisive action to help us get out of crisis. We don’t need passive leadership right now and I feel like we’re getting passive leadership.”

Board members took strenuous objection to that characterization.

 “You have the answer for everything but you haven’t given one damn answer yet,” Lynam said. “You talk about manuals. Tell me how that’s going to increase money, I want to hear it.”

 “It doesn’t matter how we got here, we’re in a problem,” said LaMattina at another point. “Your solutions right now, although I agree with some of them — I agree with some of the practices, do not solve the problem right now. As the appointed and elected officials in the town, we need to solve the problem and not argue with each other.”

Mackerwicz argued there should be ways to develop revenues in town and that guidance should come from Selectmen.

“They voted for you to provide that guidance,” she said.

Bezanson later in the meeting said he was offended at the charge that the board lacks leadership and he found it “humourous” that Kain followed his comments critical of passive leadership with abstentions on the special Town Meeting warrant articles.

Threat deemed not credible

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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.

Whitman budget talks continue

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WHITMAN — The town’s budget remains out of balance, even as some requests for funding have been removed and officials continue to work toward reducing the deficit.

“As we speak today, based on revised requests, and a number were removed, we’re still $1.2 million over the levy limit, with all requests,” Town Administrator Frank Lynam told Selectmen on Tuesday, April 3. “That includes an increase of almost $1.5 million to the Whitman-Hanson School District, as well as some other pretty significant increases.” Lynam said he will contin ue meeting with the Finance Committee in order to present the final Town Meeting warrant to the Board of Selectmen, which meets next on Tuesday, April 24.

A scheduled vote on the amended W-H Regional Agreement has been delayed due to the need for another meeting of the School Committee’s subcommittee in order to review some provisions of the agreement.

The town will finally be able to sell a vacated property at 1030 Temple St., a property taken in foreclosure about 16 months ago.

The town is required to wait a year before taking action to dispose of it and there were also people living there who had to be removed from the premises, according to Lynam. The last residents left on March 7.

“We also had to secure the property — it’s already been broken into once — and I’d like to move ahead with the sale,” he said.

In other business, Selectmen approve requests by Dollars for Scholars President Michael Ganshirt to declare April Dollars for Scholars month in Whitman and to erect a fundraising thermometer on the Town Hall lawn through the end of May.

Selectmen lauded Ganshirt’s work for, and commitment to, the scholarship program.

“I want to commend Mike for doing such a great job,” Selectman Brian Bezanson said. “For so many years, now his group has been unbelievable with their concern and tireless devotion.” “I second that,” said Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski, who has known Ganshirt since they both served on the School Committee together. “He’s been a man whose been dedicated to this town.” 

Kowalski also noted the receipt of an anonymous letter concerning the issue of town supplies — including a veiled reference to an enclosure. While underscoring the board’s policy not to reply to anonymous letters, he urged a group calling themselves “Wiped Out” to bring their concerns before the board at an open meeting. 

The board also approved license applications for The Garage II at 849-851 Temple St., and the Hungry Coyote at 372 South Ave., pending the receipt of license fees and other stipulations required from the town. Both business owners were afforded the opportunity to put in a plug for their shops during the meeting.

“We see an opportunity to bring a nice product into the town of Whitman,” said Eric Schneider of the Class II auto dealership he is opening. The second-generation business also owns a dealership in Brockton, where it has done business for close to 50 years. The business also holds a finance license and a Class II license in Bridgewater. Sharing space with Sparky’s Automotive offers “one-stop shopping” where people can bring their vehicles in for repair.

The Hungry Coyote’s common victualler’s license approval will hinge on surrender of the license for the site under the name Avocado’s as well as a copy of the eatery’s declaration of fees for workmen’s compensation.

The Mexican restaurant has been on site for three year’s under the name Avocado’s and is changing the name to reflect a real Mexican Aztec approach to its fare. The owners also plan to make improvements to the shop inside and out.