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Halifax selectmen plan for COVID-19 business shutdowns and school closings

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen meeting on Tuesday, March 17 began with the three selectmen and Town Administrator Charlie Seelig seated 6 feet apart at a very long table.

The first item on the agenda was a discussion of the revised draft from late February of potential changes to the multi-family housing zoning by-laws. Seelig said that Building Inspector and Zoning Enforcement Agent Rob Piccirilli had approached him with specific concerns regarding various definitions. Halifax’s land use counsel Amy Kwesell was also in attendance to advise on the proposed revisions to the by-laws.

Piccirilli stressed that he felt that there should be a definition of both a townhouse and an apartment in the by-laws. Seelig said that a townhouse would fall under the multi-family category as it is simply another form of a multi-family dwelling.

There was some debate as to whether it would be beneficial to include a specific definition of an apartment in the by-laws. Currently an apartment is classified as a subset of a dwelling unit. Piccirilli said that many other towns clearly define what constitutes an apartment in their by-laws. Seelig said, “An apartment in my head is someone is renting it; if you own it, it’s a condo.”

The conversation moved on to in-law apartments as well.  Piccirilli asked, “Our problem with in-law apartments, and I think they are a fantastic thing, but to try and monitor these… when does a single-family dwelling become a two-family dwelling?” Selectman Tom Millias responded with, “immediately.” “In-law is a subject that is ripe for revision, I don’t think anyone is disagreeing with that,” Seelig said. Selectman Gordon Andrews asked, “Can we just note in the multi-family by-law, no accessory apartments allowed?” Seelig said, “I think there’s a worry that somehow, someday, somebody is going to try and glom an additional accessory unit onto one of the condos in the two, or three, or four, and the idea is no, you can’t do that and it needs to be explicitly in the by-law.” Millias agreed saying, “People get creative… we have to get specific.”

There was also a discussion on the differences between two-family homes and multi-family homes. A two-family and duplex are classified as one and the same whereas a multi-family home would have three or more units. Chapter 167, Section 3 provides updates to both the definitions and use requirements for a single two-family dwelling and multi-family dwellings.

Piccirilli shared his concerns over the development of Chapter 40B. Chapter 40B is Massachusetts’ affordable housing law which allows developers to build under a simpler permit process as well as less stringent zoning rules as long as a certain percentage of their units are devoted to low and moderate income families. “I’m not here to say what I want or what anyone else wants; I’m here to do what’s best for the town and the question that’s going to come up at town meeting, that I can foresee, is what kind of breathing room do we have within this to prevent the 40B from coming here?,” Piccirilli asked. Seelig immediately responded with “we don’t.” Kwesell was also quick to respond saying simply, “none.”

Piccirilli was told that cleaning up the by-laws for multi-family dwellings was the first step in incentivizing developers to not go to a Chapter 40B. Kwesell said that the plan was to allow developers to build market-rate units and sell them as market-rate units under the revised by-laws while still providing as much protection as possible to abutters.

Seelig and the selectmen also discussed the ongoing and continually developing situation regarding COVID-19. Seelig addressed the logistics for working from home saying, “If we’re going to both allow or be required… a department head has to make the request of the Board of Selectmen for an individual to work from home.” Seelig also said that the town Board of Health had some money available to pay for laptops for select employees who do not have the required equipment. Town employees working from home are required to provide a synopsis to their department head of how they spent their time each day. Seelig explained, “we need to provide some assurance to the public, to the Board, to the department head that work is actually being done.” “If there are details that need to be filled in, we have time to do that. As with many other things, we’re doing this a little bit on the fly, we’ll smooth out the rough edges as we move along,” Seelig said. The Board of Selectmen voted to approve the framework of the work from home policy.

The possibility of holding public meetings remotely was also briefly discussed.

Since the meeting on March 17, Halifax has actually moved to holding meetings via the platform Zoom with login information available on the town website.

Andrews informed the other selectmen that while 25 percent of students at Halifax Elementary qualify for free or reduced lunch, there was a delay in setting that service up for those still needing it with school closed. He said the delay was due to contract issues within the school system.

The issue has since been resolved. Andrews said that those that are not currently part of the free or reduced lunch program but are currently in need will be helped. He advised that they reach out to the food service director at Silver Lake whose contact information can be found on the town website.

Fire Dept. Special delivery lunches

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The Plympton Fire Dept. helps out in many ways – and with the COVID-19 order to close the schools for several weeks, it is delivering lunches that students would usually enjoy in the cafetoria.

Lunches are picked up at Silver Lake Middle School where they are prepared, then brought back to the Dennett Elementary School for distribution Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  On the left is Lt. Andrew Norton and right is Firefighter Steven Fennell.

“The guys are awesome – ready to step up and are glad to help,” said a proud Capt. John Sjostedt.  “We’ve never had a situation like this …”

Second case of COVID-19 confirmed

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The Town of Halifax notified residents on March 25 that a second case of COVID-19 has been confirmed.  Due to privacy requirements, the name and address were not disclosed, although the close contacts of the positive case have been notified and are following CDC guidelines for self-quarantine.

Other contacts are still being investigated. With increased testing capabilities and community spread of COVID-19, having positive cases in Town was inevitable. This is a crucial time in infection control. Maintaining social distancing, limiting exposure to others, avoiding crowded places, and vigilant hand washing are vital steps in slowing the spread of this disease.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) continues to work closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), other Federal agencies and our local Board of Health to share the most up to date information available. The DPH website is updated constantly with the latest guidance, including printable fact sheets in multiple languages at www.mass.gov/2019coronavirus.

The CDC website is https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html   The Town will continue to share information to ensure you are updated as broadly and quickly as possible.

How our families are coping

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The Express spoke with several local families to find out what kind of effects the global pandemic caused by COVID-19 is having on the day-to-day lives of residents. Among those interviewed were Suzy Scott, a Halifax resident and mother to two young boys ages 5 and 7, Stephani Teran, a Plympton resident and mother to four children ages 14, 12, 7 and 2, Lisa Bethoney, a Halifax resident, local business owner, and mother to sons aged 8 and 2, and Plympton resident Heather Sheehan who is a mother of three children 6 and under.

Q.  In what ways has your family practiced social distancing?

Most of those interviewed said they are utilizing grocery delivery or pickup services to avoid having to go to the store and minimize contact with those outside of their immediate family. Scott said that her extended family has also been helping to minimize trips by picking things up for one another while shopping. “We exchange items on the front porch and wave at each other and have quick conversations through the windows.”

Teran, who said that her family has been utilizing online services whenever possible, makes sure to take all the necessary precautions should a trip to the store be needed. “If it’s absolutely necessary we will go to the store, latex gloves (or even sandwich bags) over your hands and quickly get what is needed… and leave as soon as possible. We make sure to sanitize surfaces in the car as well. We also use hand coverings at gas pumps as we hear that is how many people are being exposed,” she said.

Bethoney said that they are having their groceries delivered and simply making do with what they have. “It’s tough but I know it’s for the best. The only way we’re going to beat this thing is if everyone practices social distancing and does not allow this virus to spread.”

Bethoney said that social distancing has also had a tremendous effect on her business, Stencil It, an arts and crafts studio in Carver.  “I was forced to cancel all of the events and parties that I had scheduled to avoid having a group of people interacting with each other. Right now, the business has no money coming in and it’s unclear as to when I will be able to open again,” she said.

Sheehan said her husband has overseen the grocery runs and other errands. “My husband has been picking up the groceries and running necessary errands outside of the home, making sure to stay a safe distance from others and sanitizing carts, handles and gas pumps etc. and we’re all constantly washing our hands.”

While those interviewed said that they are mostly hunkering down at home with their immediate family, there are still exceptions for work or medical related purposes. Teran is currently undergoing physical therapy to regain her ability to walk after sustaining an injury this winter and her husband Brett is a physiatrist who is practicing telemedicine whenever possible but must still travel to work to perform mandatory procedures. “When we are required to leave and go into a medical facility we have to take extreme precautions while there. The employees follow us around and sanitize every surface we touch and also work with us with gloves and some masks on,” Teran said. Once home, Teran said that they are careful to change their clothes and shoes at the door and then wash them with hot water and bleach. “Brett especially, has to shower if he has been doing spinal procedures that day,” Teran continued. Teran acknowledged that should it be necessary, her husband could be called to help with the pandemic saying, “We are supportive as a family in him taking that risk if needed because it’s what his medical oath requires.”

Sheehan’s husband Johnny is the executive chef and partner of two restaurants in Plymouth – Salt & Leena’s Kitchen. “This has affected my husband’s businesses in most every way, beginning with first heavily sanitizing and rearranging the restaurants to comply with social distancing regulations, to having the painful task of having to lay off the majority of the staff to comply with the government’s changing restrictions,” Sheehan explained. “They had to quickly change their business model from full-service restaurants to temporarily closing one of the locations to operate a curbside pickup and delivery service for both out of one location,” Sheehan continued. In addition to wanting to stay open to serve the community, Sheehan said they have also been preparing meals for their staff who aren’t working to pick up and share with their families.

Q.  Have you found ways to safely stay connected to others?

Everyone mentioned various platforms for video chatting friends and family such as FaceTime and Zoom. Many of the parents have even been keeping their young children busy with virtual playdates. Scott said that her boys have participated in virtual get-togethers with their hockey team. Her sons also enjoy having a bedtime story read to them over the phone by their grandparents. “That has definitely helped both my boys and their grandparents stay connected,” Scott said. Likewise, Sheehan said, “We have video calls with our family and friends daily to keep in touch from a distance.” Sheehan has also been keeping up with her cosmetics business virtually. “My team and I utilize video conferencing and messenger to keep in contact, to provide training and connect with our customers.  I’ve also enrolled in real estate courses and am taking them virtually online instead of in a classroom at this time.”

Teran said that her seven-year old daughter’s Irish Step studio utilizes an app that allows the students to see and hear one another. Sheehan’s six-year old daughter has also been able to keep up with her dance lessons thanks to some ingenuity on the part of the studio. “Her dance studio also provided video and music for her to practice at home as well, which is amazing,” Sheehan said.

Q. How have your children reacted to the sudden changes in their daily lives?

There seems to be a consensus that while the children may have initially seen the break from school as a welcome reprieve, even the youngest among them are now starting to pick up on the uncertainty and anxiety surrounding COVID-19.

Scott said that initially she didn’t think her children understood much of what was going on but was surprised at just how much they were absorbing. “When my youngest, who’s 5, heard me listening to one of the press conferences he commented that he didn’t like to hear about the virus and that it scared him. I honestly didn’t know he knew anything about it other than we were staying in to not share germs. I had no idea he had even heard the word virus.” Scott said she is now very aware of what she says in front of them.

Teran, who has a pre-teen as well as a teenager, said, “We try not to talk too much about it around them but the oldest two are old enough to see the news and hear from their friends what is going on. We try to make ourselves available for any questions they have. The hardest one to be asked is also the most frequent: ‘When will this be over?’”

Teran’s oldest son actually traveled to Italy with his 8th grade Latin group in February just prior to the threat of COVID-19 really taking off both here and in Europe. “Twelve hours after he landed back at Logan they declared a state of emergency in Northern Italy,” Teran said. Consequently, her son was forced to quarantine for 14 days while being monitored at home for symptoms. “We are so grateful that our son stayed seemingly healthy after his trip.”

“I am also trying to shield the kids from the media and news stories as I don’t want to worry them,” Bethoney said of her preschool and elementary school aged sons. “They know what’s going on to a certain extent, but I don’t talk about it a lot in front of them. I explain the situation to them and give them only as much detail as I feel is necessary.”

The local schools have done their best to quickly adapt to online learning in order to ensure that students are progressing during this strange interlude. Teran’s older children have been sent homework via Google Classroom as well as hard copies from their school. “Their schools, teachers, and coaches have been incredible in providing resources, learning opportunities, and motivating activities to keep them up to par and engaged in learning -but without rigor as they know these are stressful times,” Teran said. She also expressed her appreciation for the schools’ efforts saying, “I can’t say enough how much I appreciate all the teachers and educators. As a parent I feel very supported by all of them right now.”

Sheehan said that while her oldest daughter is sad to be missing out on part of her first real year of school, she is grateful for the school’s remote presence. “My daughter was enjoying her first year in school in kindergarten and is missing her teacher and classmates, but thankfully the school is very active in keeping in touch and the kids have been able to communicate through the parents.”

Like others, Bethoney said that her sons are missing their usual routines but are resilient. “They are enjoying the extra family time and we are doing are best to mix fun/play time with some academic time as well.”

Scott said that while following a strict academic schedule hasn’t worked for her family, they are making sure that their boys are staying engaged in other ways. “I find all the posts about distant learning to be very overwhelming, so we are doing our best to not get stressed and to find ways to keep them learning while they are playing,” she explained.

With a large family Teran said that it can be difficult to accommodate everyone’s needs while adhering to a strict schedule. “We are using our schedules as a backbone for structure but if we are off one day it’s not a big deal. I also want our kids to take this time to enjoy some down time since during our normal schedule there is very little in our big, busy family.”

Do you have any tips for other families during this difficult time?

If a silver lining is to be found in this trying time, there seems to be agreement that it lies within the extra family time that has come along with social distancing. Scott said, “Like most families I’m sure, we typically have a very busy schedule… especially on the weekends. We have spent a lot of time together doing yard work, playing games, building forts and baking.” Teran shared a similar sentiment saying, “As parents we are doing our best to have daily family walks, a few daily chores, and lots of cooking/baking/board game time together.” Bethoney said that her family is doing their best to put a positive on the situation, “We’re taking advantage of the down time and spending more time together as a family.” Sheehan said that her family has tried to include the children in a fun way in meal planning as well as cooking and clean-up. “They have also been enjoying writing letters and drawing pictures and sending mail to family and friends and putting on performances for us” Sheehan said. She also said that she has found that staying active and listening to music has been helpful for her family as well. Bethoney said that getting outside has been key for her family.

“Things like this have happened in the world before, and they will happen again. The trick seems to be finding a healthy way to respond and then be productive and proactive in our actions. We need to be brave, selfless, and aware. We need our communities now more than ever,” Teran said.

Teran said that her family is “blown away by the strength of health care workers right now but also completely disturbed by the lack of supplies and infrastructure for them and patients.”

“Physicians, my husband included, are begging people to listen to and pay attention to the science, not those offering opinion or biased projections. We will get through this, but the world will undoubtedly be changed by it.”

North Easton Savings closes lobbies; drive-up, ATM banking service only

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North Easton Savings Bank announced that, due to the evolving situation related to the coronavirus outbreak, banking office lobbies will close until further notice.  Additionally, the bank has temporarily closed its two in-store locations at Roche Bros. in Easton and Shaw’s in North Attleborough.

Rich Spencer, Chief Executive Officer at North Easton Savings Bank, said that he hopes that lobby service will be restored soon, and reminds the public that, despite the temporary closings, Bank customers have several other ways to conduct banking with North Easton Savings Bank.

Individual locations will continue to offer drive-up and ATM services. In addition, the bank offers a variety of convenient services that include:

• Online and Mobile Banking – pay bills, transfer money between accounts, check balances and recent account activity, deposit a check, set up Alerts, and open a new account in our secure site. Login or enroll at www.NorthEastonSavingsBank.com.

• ATMs – Deposit cash or checks, withdraw, transfer funds between accounts, and check balances at the bank’s network of 23 ATM locations. Find maps and directions at www.NorthEastonSavingsBank.com./locations

• 24/7 Automated Telephone Banking Line – Get real-time balances, monitor recent account activity, transfer funds. To enroll, call the Contact Center. To access, call 888-226-5276.

•  Customer Contact Center – the bank’s service team can help with banking questions, or quickly put customers in touch with an expert if needed. Current hours are M-F 8-6; Sat 9-1. Reach the Center at 508-238-2007.

• Limited In-person Service by Appointment – For urgent matters requiring in-person assistance, individuals can call the bank’s Customer Contact Center to request an appointment. Appointments would be available based on the bank’s evaluation of conditions at the time of the request.

• Online Account Opening and Loan Application at www.NorthEastonSavingsBank.com

Spencer said, “We are sorry for any inconvenience this temporary closing of our lobbies will cause. We did not take the step lightly. But, given the current circumstances, it’s the right decision. The safety of our customers and employees must come first.

The North Easton Savings Bank employee team is working hard to help our customers smoothly navigate this temporary situation, and we are looking forward to the day we can restore our lobby services.”

He continued, “As a community bank, our goal is to meet the needs of our customers and communities and do so in a way that we believe best protects their health. Our top priority is to maintain a safe workplace for our employees, and a safe place of business for our customers.”

North Easton Savings Bank will maintain current information about its banking operations, and possible impacts to service delivery, on the Bank’s web page, and will communicate with its customers by email.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, an arm of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html, provides situation updates, advice, and FAQs.

About North Easton Savings Bank

With eighteen local branches and over $1.1 billion in assets, North Easton Savings Bank is uniquely situated to provide personal and business banking and lending solutions to southeastern Massachusetts. Founded in 1864, the Bank has a proven track record of growing the community through fair banking practices, financial advising, and local philanthropy.

Looking forward, North Easton Savings Bank is well-positioned as the preferred area banking partner with a powerful combination of convenient features like mobile and online banking and the personal, hometown touch of a local bank. North Easton Savings Bank is fully insured by the FDIC and the DIF and is an Equal Housing Lender. For more information, please visit www.NorthEastonSavingsBank.com.

Difficult cuts predicted as School Committee votes the budget

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The budget for the Silver Lake Regional schools were voted on by the Silver Lake Regional School Committee during their Thursday, March 12 meeting. Superintendent Jill Proulx began the budget discussion saying that before former superintendent Joy Blackwood even introduced version one she had already made $107,000 worth of cuts at the high school level and another $60,000 at the middle school level. Additionally, there was no replacement for a retiring high school aide.

The most recent version of the budget includes cuts in the form of two teaching positions at the middle school. Committee chair Jason Fraser said that he had received a letter from the president of the Silver Lake Educator’s Association (SLEA) stating that they were, “sad, shocked, and disappointed that the committee didn’t speak more about the budget at our last meeting specifically to the fact that the budget as presented included a reduction of two teaching staff members from the middle school.” Fraser apologized if it felt that the topic was glazed over at the prior meeting and said that it would be discussed during the current meeting.

Proulx offered several suggestions for additional cuts including $1,400 for teaching supplies, $1,500 from the library line item, $1,200 from AV, $1,000 for worn out band equipment, $4,000 for new ELA texts, and $2,000 from transportation for events such as music festivals. Proulx also offered the possibility of only offering late buses on two, rather than three days of the week. “The reality is that as you get to some of these categories, there are no good options,” Proulx explained. After some discussion, Fraser made a motion not to accept any of the additional cuts and the committee agreed unanimously.

Committee member Leslie-Ann McGee asked Proulx if they considered any administrative cuts. Proulx said that they did explore the possibility of cutting one position from a 12-month to a 10-month position but were advised against doing so as it was not in the current contract. McGee addressed Kingston’s high assessment saying, “I just don’t see how this is going to happen. I think we need to dig a little deeper, especially on the administrative side maybe.”

Fraser said that during the tri-town finance meeting that was held previously, Halifax made it known how difficult the budget would be for the town while also expressing concern about sustaining these increases into the future. “The goal is always to get all three towns to support our budget even though we can do it with two,” Fraser told the other committee members and school administrators. Fraser said that given the concerns over the number, he couldn’t see how it would be possible to proceed with putting the two teaching positions back into the budget.

Another ongoing issue of concern for Halifax is the proposed mechanism for paying for a part-time school resource officer at the middle school. Halifax has maintained since voting their share of the cost of the position down at town meeting last year, that they believe the position should be in the school budget rather than voted on as a warrant article. “It doesn’t belong in the budget. We have to get Halifax past this issue somehow,” Committee member and Halifax resident Paula Hatch said.

Fraser opened the budget discussion to public participation, but no one elected to speak to it. Fraser also asked the committee if anyone had any desire to either lower the number or add anything back into the budget before proceeding with a vote. The committee unanimously voted for the fiscal year 2020-2021 Silver Lake Regional Schools’ operating budget of $26,698,578. They also unanimously voted the fiscal year 2020-2021 construction budget of $1,515,905 and $766,250 Excess and Deficiency (E&D) funds to fund the 2020-2021 capital plan. The acceptance of the assessments as presented was the only vote not to receive unanimous support, with one vote against. The regional agreement identifies the statutory method as the method used to compute the assessments. The overall increase as voted on was 2.72 percent.

Fraser took time during the meeting to recognize Kingston Fire Chief Mark Douglass for his superior response during the hazmat situation that took place at the high school on Friday, February 7. The committee extended a hearty applause for Douglass. “One thing that I need to make a very clear point on is you don’t do this alone; this requires an enormous amount of help and that help comes from all different areas… specifically the school nurse was absolutely fantastic in handling and managing it,” Douglass said. Regarding the cause of the incident, Douglass said, “There is some degree of, I don’t want to say certainty, but suspicion that it could have been a vape pen.” Douglass said that should they find out the exact cause, they would be sure to pass the information along.

Student Opportunity Act Discussed

Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch presented on the Student Opportunity Act. Lynch explained that in order to receive their portion of the funding, they would have to submit paperwork demonstrating the ways in which the funding would be spent by the district to close student opportunity or achievement gaps. According to Lynch, Silver Lake received minimal funding with 85 percent of new funding going to just 37 of 351 districts in the commonwealth. “In a district where we’re not receiving a significant amount of new funding, ours really focuses on the overlap between our current plan and what we’re trying to deepen as opposed to adopting lots of new staff or new programs,” Lynch explained. The population identified as needing additional support to close the gap at Silver Lake include both students with disabilities and students that qualify for Title 1 services.

Lynch said that the plan places a focus on engagement opportunities for families. A meet and greet was originally scheduled for parents to speak with both Proulx and Lynch prior to the concerns over the coronavirus. A survey will, however, go out to all families and will be translated into the language spoken within that home.

New Vape Deviation Program Proposed

Silver Lake Regional High School principal Michaela Gill introduced several staff members who are the backbone of a proposed, new vape deviation program. That staff include assistant principal Katherine Pratt, School Resource Officer Richard Allen, school nurse Penny Svenson, guidance counselor Andrea Cranshaw, school adjustment counselor Leah Wilkinson, wellness teachers Julie Warnock and Marlene Lopes, and Spanish teacher Jessica Drew. Unlike the current discipline-based approach, the LEAP (Laker Education Action Prevention) program would be education-based and would hopefully empower students to make healthy choices.

It is a five-week course and students must enter into a contract in which they agree to complete all five weeks. The program begins with a meeting with the assistant principal and then each week will cover a different topic with a different staff member. During week one, students would discuss the health effects of addiction with the school nurse. Week two would cover the social emotional aspects of addiction and mental health and would be led by a school adjustment counselor. Week three would cover the legal consequences and would include a meeting with the school resource officer. Week four would be a discussion of the ways in which media and marketing have contributed to the rise in use by adolescents. Students would have some flexibility during this week to choose a staff member to work with that they might have an established relationship with. The final week would be dedicated to planning for the future including setting goals and would involve either a guidance counselor or the assistant principal. Students will complete several assignments each week including readings or short videos. Upon completion of the program, students will receive a certificate.

In addition to the proposal, student members of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) have been working on solutions to the vaping problem as well with ideas such as a school-wide pledge.  Students in the Allied Health program at the high school have also been working on a number of initiatives.

Credit for Life Fair a Success

Gill also spoke about the first annual Credit for Life Fair which took place recently at the high school. “Our students had the opportunity to learn how to balance a budget, make financial decisions, and experience what real life financial management is like,” Gill explained. Each student attending the fair was given a career, a salary, and a credit score. Booths were setup with volunteers who helped guide the students.  “Our hope with the activity was that afterward our students would have a better perspective on financial management and that they left feeling better prepared for an independent and financially responsible future,” Gill said.

Students Earn Recognition at METG

On February 29 several Silver Lake students participated in the one act Massachusetts Educational Theatre Guild (METG) Competition. Eight of the students were independently recognized by the judges. Liz Croteau received an award for Excellence in Stage Management and Technical Direction, Caitlyn Beckwith received an All-Star Award for Lead Acting, Toni Mello received an All-Star Award for Supporting Actor, Keira Nagle received an All-Star Award for Ensemble Acting, and Ava O’Connor, Allyson Peta, Kerry Driscoll, and Sarah Anderson all received All-Star Awards for Stage Design. Gill also thanked teachers and METG advisors Ashley Ferrara, Kim Orcutt, and JennyLyn Berry.

Cancellations Over COVID-19

Middle school principal James Dupille told the committee that the out of state field trip in May to Kennedy Space Center would have to be cancelled. Dupille asked permission from the committee to reschedule the trip for next year without assigning a date for the rescheduling. The committee agreed.  Dupille also said that the Grade 6 parent orientation will be handled virtually as a power point narrated by himself and others until a makeup date could be scheduled.

Dupille informed the committee that a number of students were selected to participate in the Junior District Music Festival that was now cancelled due to coronavirus concerns.  “Please let them know that we’re proud of them nonetheless for making it to that level with their music.” Fraser said.

Express office closes as employes work from home

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Employees of Express Newspapers joined thousands of workers all over the country who packed up their offices and brought them home to work there while they wait out the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those who need to contact the Express should use email.  If you have a news story, subscription concern, or legal notices, contact deb@whphexpress.com.

To contact the editor of the Whitman-Hanson Express, email editor@whitmanhansonecpress.com and Tracy Seelye will respond.

Our printing company has  assured us that they will be able to print our paper, and the company that processes our online newspaper edition has taken on additional capabilities to get ahead of the anticipated additional demand for online news.  They have been closely following what has happened with their clients in Europe and Asia, and predict that increased online demand will follow here in the United States.

As we all voluntarily shelter in place, and respect each other’s personal space, please be kind and helpful however you can.

Remember when?

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The Halifax Council on Aging hosted a St. Patrick’s Day luncheon on Tuesday, March 10, at the Our Lady of the Lake Church Parish Hall in Halifax. Close to 100 residents were served a traditional Irish corned beef and cabbage dinner by Halifax first responders, the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department, staff from the Plymouth County District Attorney’s office, and a group of volunteers known as the Fab Five Members of Generations who decorated the hall and tables.   Entertainment was provided by John Ahl who serenaded guests with a selection of songs ranging from the Beetles to traditional Irish music.

Halifax seeks grants

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Highway surveyor Steve Hayward spoke with the Halifax Board of Selectmen at their regular meeting on Tuesday, March 10,  to get approval for two contracts. The first is a precision weather forecaster that was free for the past year and will cost $1,295 to renew. The second was for a GreenSeal Environmental prioritization plan for $38,000. Hayward explained that the plan would look at all the streets in town, saying, “Any hazard for bikes, walking, any bad intersections, stuff like that, we can get a $400,000 grant but we have to have this program.” The Board approved both contracts.

Grant to Hire New Police Officer

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig also recommended to the Board that they discuss the COPS Hiring Program (CHP) with Police Chief Joao Chaves. The program provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies in order to rehire officers previously laid off or hire new, additional officers. Chaves plans to apply for the grant this week.

Seelig explained that every year for three years, the percentage funded by the grant is reduced until at the end of that period, the town is fully funding the position.

The grant stipulates that the town must then keep that position for a set minimum number of years. Seelig said that the town was involved in a similar program 25 years ago.

Resident Requests Earth Removal Waiver

Resident Joseph Peck attended the meeting to request a post permit for earth removal on behalf of his father, John Peck.

Back in 2018, the elder Peck had removed 1200 cubic pounds of soil from the bottom of an irrigation pond, violating the town’s bylaws that limit earth removal to 1000 cubic pounds.

Board of Selectman Chair Troy Garron said that his biggest concern was that there was no change to the contour of the land.

Some abutters attended the meeting after receiving a notice but said that they had no issues as long as the work was already done.

Selectman Gordon Andrews said that he wanted to see a plan showing the current contour of the entire property before signing off on the waiver.

The hearing was continued until 7:45 p.m. on March 24.

Electricity Costs Going Down

Seelig said that natural gas prices are going down and consequently electricity rates are as well.

As a result, Halifax will be going with Old Colony Gas for their municipal electricity aggregation. Seelig said that the new rate would be 10.5 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) versus the current rate of 10.876 cents per kWh.

Affordable

Housing Option

Seelig said that newly appointed Planning Board member Ashley DiSesa approached him about the possibility of having mobile homes count toward affordable housing. Chapter 40B is an affordable housing program in Massachusetts first created in 1969.

Under 40B, residents must earn no more than 80 percent of the area-median income to qualify.

In addition, developers may be able to bypass certain restrictions imposed on them by planning and zoning bylaws if 20 to 25 percent of their development is deemed affordable.

Seelig said that other local communities have been met with great resistance when attempting to designate mobile homes as low- and moderate-income housing.

Nevertheless, Seelig said that he would reach out to Senator Michael Brady and Representative Kathleen LaNatra to find out their thoughts on the matter.

Building and Facility Needs committee

The newly created Building and Facility Needs Committee met on Tuesday, March 11 for the first time.

The Committee, which includes most of the department heads in town, will be reviewing the various town buildings and facilities and making recommendations regarding whether to renovate, repair, or construct new buildings.

Among those facilities being reviewed are the Police station, the Fire station, and the Council on Aging building.

Changes Coming to Water Restrictions

Superintendent of the Halifax Water Department Keith Swanson informed Seelig that changes are needed to the mandatory water use restrictions bylaw in connection with a withdrawal permit.

All water departments or water facilities need a withdrawal permit from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and that permit must be renewed every ten years or so.

Swanson must make a judgment call regarding restrictions based on available water and water being used.

Selectman Tom Millias said he spoke with Swanson and was told there is a decent cushion currently between what is available and what is being used.

Selectman Andrews called into question why some communities such as Whitman and Brockton don’t have restrictions on water usage when they are drawing from the same aquifer.

Seelig said that he would speak to DEP to find out what the limits are for Brockton under their water withdrawal permit.

Taking action against COVID-19

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Governor Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts on Tuesday, March 10, to aid in the state’s response to Coronavirus Disease 2019 or COVID-19 as it is identified. Baker said, “We will continue planning and preparing to mitigate the spread of this disease…I urge employers and other large organizations to follow our example and limit or eliminate non-essential travel, limit or eliminate large events where possible, and explore telework where appropriate for your organization.”

Older adults and those with health issues are also being implored by the administration to avoid large crowds and gatherings as are those that live with someone in the vulnerable population. As of press time, the number of confirmed or presumptive positives in Massachusetts had reached 91 with the majority of those being linked to a Biogen conference held in Boston in late February. As of Wednesday, March 11 the World Health Organization had declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. What does all of this mean for our local communities?

On March 11 Kingston Town Administrator Thomas Calter posted a letter to residents alerting them of a possible COVID-19 case in a Kingston resident at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Plymouth. Later that same day, Kingston town officials leaarned that the patient was negative for the virus during a lengthy call with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. As of press time, there are currently no presumptive or confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Kingston or Plymouth County.

The Kingston Board of Health said that thus far they have been following the guidelines provided by the CDC and Mass.gov. They did say that they planned to run a simulated drill with emergency services personnel in town in conjunction with the Board of Health on March 21. The drill is meant to assess the level of preparedness of the town should the worst-case scenario take place.

They also said that they are in talks with a contractor should they elect to do a commercial grade clean of the schools and other town buildings. The cleaning would involve a mist spray made by the same company that produces Lysol.

Other local communities have taken similar measures to help ensure that their schools are being properly disinfected. Whitman-Hanson performed a deep cleaning of all school facilities over the February break and plan to do another this coming weekend. All public schools in Plymouth were closed on Friday, March 6 in order to thoroughly clean and disinfect them. The closing was due to an abundance of caution after a student became ill upon returning from a recent trip to Italy. That student ended up testing negative for COVID-19.

The Plympton Board of Health is referring residents to a letter jointly posted to the town website on March 10 by Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy, Fire Chief Stephan Silva, and Chair of the Board of Health Art Morin. The letter reminds residents of common-sense actions they can take including washing hands, avoiding touching their face, and cleaning of frequently touched surfaces.

According to the letter, the town is following the advice of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Department of Public Health (DPH). Specific questions, it says, can be directed to Fire Captain Cheryl Davis (cdavis@plymptontown.org).

The Halifax town website also provides information on COVID-19 including links to resources such as the Massachusetts Department of Public Health webpage and the CDC’s frequently asked questions regarding coronavirus and another page dedicated to interim guidance for employers. Halifax Town Administrator Charlie Seelig, who advised listening to medical professionals, said, “People should practice hygiene, if they feel sick whether it’s COVID-19 or the flu or a cold or something else, stay home. Obviously, people over a certain age or with frequent health problems are more endangered with this so they should probably take additional precautions.”

Regarding town business, Seelig said that unless specific directives were given by the Governor’s office, business would go on as usual with some obvious precautions taken. “We’re going to continue, until otherwise I would say, operating as normal,” Seelig said.

Seelig did say that maintenance staff both within the schools and other municipal buildings have been taking extra care to disinfect common surfaces such as doorknobs.

Given Governor Baker’s suggestion to avoid large gatherings, Seelig said he will reach out to the administration to find out how best to handle potentially large gatherings such as the Chapter 40B public hearings scheduled for next week.

Seelig’s advice to those in the community is to “Try and maintain, as well as you can, a sense of normalcy given the circumstances.”