 Click here to watch Hingham's Weekly Update. By Carol Britton Meyer
It's been a busy election season so far, with four confirmed races for the 2022 town election -- School Committee, Board of Assessors, Board of Health, and Sewer Commission. Incumbents School Committee members Elizabeth (Liza) O'Reilly and Carlos A.F. Da Silva; Housing Authority member Greg O'Meara; and Recreation Commissioner Nandita S. Scott are not running for reelection. There's a four-way race for three School Committee seats among incumbent Nancy (Nes) Correnti, Alyson B. Anderson, Matthew J. Cosman, and Matthew B. LeBretton and a Board of Assessors race between incumbent Carlton A. Chambers and Randall M. Winters. Current Board of Health member Kirk J. Shilts is being challenged by Rosemary D. Byrne and by Joseph P. Kelly for his sewer commissioner seat. Town Moderator Michael J. Puzo, Select Board Chair Joseph M. Fisher, Board of Assessors member Christine M. Roberts; and Planning Board member Gordon M. Carr are running for re-election unopposed. Michael D. Reive is running unopposed for the Municipal Light Board seat earlier vacated by Roger M. Freeman, who resigned, and Michelle Larned is running unopposed for the Housing Authority seat currently held by O'Meara. Stephen P. Buckley is running unopposed for Scott's seat on the Recreation Commission.  Click here to watch Hingham's Weekly Update. By Carol Britton Meyer
The creation of a state-required Hingham Public Schools District Wellness Committee is underway, aimed at recommending, reviewing, and helping to implement school district policies addressing school nutrition, nutrition education, physical activity, and related issues that affect student health. A school district’s opportunities to receive grants are heightened by taking this step. The Committee has oversight over reviewing district-wide policy to promote student wellness; ensuring that all foods and beverages made available during the school day are consistent with school lunch program guidelines and that the HPS physical education program is aligned with Department of Elementary & Secondary Education standards; and assessing all education curricula and materials related to wellness. The Wellness Subcommittee of the School Committee was formed earlier to help bring to reality its current-year goal of "furthering efforts on equity, inclusion, diversity, and belonging."  Click here to watch Hingham's Weekly Update. By Carol Britton Meyer
The Foster School principal search team recently identified three candidates to move to the next phase of the process, which will involve meeting with the Central Office team and new Supt. of Schools Dr. Margaret Adams. "We're on target," Asst. Supt. of Schools Jamie LaBillois told the School Committee recently. "We expect to announce the [final] candidate by the end of March or in April." He noted that while 14 applications were submitted for the Foster School principal position, not as many were submitted for the East School principal opening, but that "a couple of candidates asked to be included in both pools of candidates." The final candidate for East School principal is expected to be announced by the end of April. "It's exciting that we have so many good candidates," School Committee Chair Kerry Ni said.  Click here to watch Hingham's Weekly Update. By Carol Britton Meyer
Eleven elected town officers have terms expiring in 2022, representing the role of town moderator and 10 different boards, committees, and commissions. These include select board, school committee, planning board, board of assessors, board of health, municipal light board, housing authority, and the recreation and sewer commissions. Nomination papers for this year's town election -- date to be determined -- are due back March 11. A number of incumbents along with several "newcomers" to town government have taken out nomination papers for various positions. Those who return their completed nomination papers become official candidates once the required number of signatures are certified. "While 50 certified signatures of voters registered in the Town of Hingham are required to be placed on the ballot, it's recommended that those submitting papers obtain a minimum of 75 signatures," according to Town Clerk Carol Falvey. Having more candidates than the number of available seats on a particular committee, commission, or board, constitutes a race. This could be an exciting election season!!  Click here to watch Hingham's Weekly Update. By Carol Britton Meyer
The newly established Human Rights Commission represents the town's commitment to supporting the ability of all individuals in town "to enjoy the free and equal exercise of their rights and privileges as secured by the Constitution and Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and of the United States and to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Town of Hingham." The Select Board recently voted to approve the Hingham Unity Council-proposed initiative. HUC Board Member Courtney Orwig called this "an important step toward ensuring that all who live, work, study, and worship here feel safe and welcome." Select Board member Liz Klein worked on this HUC-proposed initiative with Orwig, HUC members Katie Sutton and Andrew Turner, Town Administrator Tom Mayo, and Town Counsel John Coughlin prior to the unanimous vote. "This is an important step as we create a welcoming and inclusive community and is very much aligned with the community vision outlined in the Master Plan as well as the recommended action to create a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee," Klein said. The initiative -- which will not require town funding -- stems from the fact that over the past years, the HUC has heard directly and indirectly of incidents of bias in Hingham; studied the need for, and potential structure of, a Human Rights Commission in Hingham; and met with representatives of Human Rights Commissions through the state to learn about their experiences and initiatives. |
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January 2023
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