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By Carol Britton Meyer
Following the recent reporting of two coyote-related incidents in neighboring Cohasset involving attacks on dogs and a dog owner, Hingham Animal Control Officer Leslie Badger reached out to the community to share information in a continuing effort to educate Hingham residents. "We have received the normal amount of calls about coyote sightings that we get every year in Hingham," Badger said, "but I am not aware of any actual coyote attacks this summer on humans or pets that were reported officially to us at Animal Control/Hingham Police Department. That said, "I cannot stress enough to always be aware of your surroundings -- in your yard and out on trails -- and to supervise small children and pets," Badger advised. The ACO webpage on the town website includes a video of a panel of wildlife experts having an in-depth conversation about coyotes, a link to report sightings considered serious concerns, and other information. MassWildlife also offers tips for keeping coyotes away from your house. Residents are asked not to call 911 or the police station business line to report seeing a coyote unless there is an emergency or immediate threat to humans. The Hingham Police Department and the ACO log all sightings reported in a central location to address any threats appropriately. By Carol Britton Meyer
The Planning Board recently began its review of the proposal to build a new Foster Elementary School, contingent on voter approval at the Nov. 1 Special Town Meeting and subsequently at the ballot box Nov. 8. The proposal calls for a three-story, 126,385-square-foot building with related improvements at 55 Downer Ave. The existing building is roughly 72,000 square feet. About seven of the 40 acres that comprise the site are developable. The proposal focuses on taking advantage of the natural surroundings. Features include a basketball court, softball field, a wilderness classroom with a raised boardwalk perched over the wetlands, 134 shade trees to create a canopy, tennis courts, an accessible path through the play spaces, additional parking, electric vehicle charging stations, a community garden, and a therapeutic learning center and language-based classroom for special education programs. The groundbreaking is expected to occur in the Spring of 2023, with the new building occupied in Sept. 2024 and fully completed by Spring 2025 if all goes as planned. "Overall, a lot of progress has been made on these plans," Planning Board Chair Judith Sneath said. "We will get into more detail at our next meeting," which is scheduled for Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.  Click here to watch Hingham's Weekly Update By Carol Britton Meyer
In addition to in-person voting for the state primary on Tuesday, Sept. 6, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., in-person early voting is also an option under the recently passed VOTES Act, as is voting by mail-in ballot. For in-person voting on Sept. 6, Precincts 1-4 will vote at Hingham High School, 17 Union St.; Precincts 5-7 at Hingham Middle School, 1103 Main St.; and Precinct 7A at Willard Square, Linden Ponds, 201 Linden Ponds Way. Early voting will be held at Hingham Town Hall, 210 Central St., in the Central Meeting Room located on the second floor on Aug. 27, 29-31, and Sept. 1 and 2. For further information about in-person voting, in-person early voting, voting by mail, absentee voting, and election precincts, visit the hingham-ma.gov website. The deadline to apply for a mail-in state primary ballot is Aug. 29 at 5 p.m. The deadline to apply for a mail-in state election ballot is Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. Citizens are encouraged to call the Town Clerk’s Office with any questions at (781) 741-1410 or email TownClerk@hingham-ma.gov.  Click here to watch Hingham's Weekly Update By Carol Britton Meyer
The much-anticipated, newly-completed boat ramp at Hingham Harbor features a wooden pier, a gangway, and a floating wooden dock to help boaters safely launch their boats and then return them to their trailers at the end of their boating outing. The ramp is open to the public at no charge. The new ramp offers boaters without moorings in the harbor an opportunity to also enjoy being out on the ocean. "A lot of people have been using the ramp since it opened, and they are very excited and pleased about it," Harbormaster Ken Corson said recently. The approximately $2 million project was funded by the Mass. Dept. of Fish and Game Office of Fishing and Boating Access.  Click here to watch Hingham's Weekly Update By Carol Britton Meyer
A communication/outreach plan is in place to ensure that voters are fully informed prior to the Nov. 1 Special Town Meeting. This effort includes public information sessions, tour dates, details about project costs and associated tax impacts, and the permitting status for the proposed new Foster Elementary School and new public safety facility. There are two separate articles for the two projects and a third related to creating a stabilization fund to help lessen the burden on taxpayers. Two local debt exclusion questions will appear on the Nov. 8 state election ballot regarding the proposed Foster School and public safety facility projects. A debt exclusion is a temporary funding measure that excludes certain debt from counting against the Proposition 2-1/2 limit on year-to-year property tax levy increases. In order to secure the requested funding for both projects, two-thirds of the voters at Town Meeting would have to vote favorably on both warrant articles, while the ballot questions would each have to pass by a majority vote.  By Carol Britton Meyer
New Hingham Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Margaret Adams presented an "entry plan" to the School Committee recently, focusing on developing an outline of activities to support her transition into this new role. Key points include governance, community, communications, teaching and learning, and culture. The entry plan reflects Adams' core values and beliefs about education, including the "collective responsibility as educators to ensure the success of every single student in our care," among others. This collaborative and collective effort "will ensure the success of all of our students, [whose] sense of belonging is strengthened when we honor and celebrate their diverse backgrounds," according to Adams. The report, including conclusions and recommendations resulting from the interpretation of information gathered during the entry plan process, will be shared with the School Committee next January.  By Carol Britton Meyer
The newly-updated Hingham Hazard Mitigation Plan assesses the potential impacts to the town from flooding, high winds, winter storms, brush fire, geologic hazards, extreme temperatures, drought, and invasive species while also identifying the projected impacts of a warming climate for each risk -- including sea level rise. Goals of the plan -- which involved town officials partnering with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council -- include helping to ensure that critical town infrastructure sites are protected from natural hazards, protecting existing residential and business areas from flooding, and working with surrounding communities to ensure regional cooperation and solutions. "Hazard mitigation planning reduces loss of life and property by minimizing the impact of disasters," according to Hingham Deputy Fire Chief Louis Lachance. The Hingham Hazard Mitigation Plan is posted on the town website.  Click here to watch Hingham's Weekly Update By Carol Britton Meyer
Current Hingham Public Schools Science Director Kathryn Roberts was recently named interim assistant superintendent. She will be stepping into the role formerly occupied by Asst. Supt. of Schools Jamie LaBillois, who resigned after accepting a position with the Brockton Public Schools as assistant superintendent of student support services. The School Committee approved Roberts' appointment upon the recommendation of the new Supt. of Schools Dr. Margaret Adams. Adams expressed appreciation for Roberts' willingness to serve in this capacity "during this year of transition" and said that she is highly respected among members of the school community. Roberts, who has worked in the Hingham Public Schools for more than 20 years, was hired as a middle school science and math teacher and transitioned to a K-5 science specialist before being asked to serve as the K-12 Science Director.  Click here to watch Hingham's Weekly Update By Carol Britton Meyer
If all goes as expected, a Special Town Meeting will be held Tuesday, Nov. 1, for voters to consider approval of full funding for the construction of a new public safety facility on Lincoln Street and for a new Foster School. Both buildings would be energy-efficient. Town Meeting 2021 and 2022 approved $1.6 million each for the preparation of schematic and design documents for the public safety facility and the preparation of pre-construction bid documents respectively. Town Meeting 2022 approved $3.1 in interim funding to pay costs associated with moving forward with the Foster School proposal. The Foster School project cost is estimated at about $113.3 million, with an expected state reimbursement under the Massachusetts School Building Authority partial reimbursement program of between 36.87 to 40.52 percent, depending on various factors. The construction cost for the public safety facility was last estimated at $38 million, a figure that will be adjusted for inflation and other considerations. The expectation is for the new school to open in Sept. 2024. "This is an aggressive schedule, but we're committed to staying as close to this goal as possible," School Building Committee Vice-Chair Ray Estes said. "The kids and staff have been dealing with Foster's issues for many years, and they have waited long enough."  Click here to watch Hingham's Weekly Update By Carol Britton Meyer
The tagline for the newly-created strategic plan for the Hingham Public Schools is "Hingham together: Navigating our future." "This plan really does signify a moment in time," Interim Supt. of Schools Gary Maestas told the School Committee during a recent presentation. "How do we bring our community together educationally and how do we set the future straight for our students?" The strategic plan is based in part on feedback from stakeholders who participated in a survey that garnered nearly 400 responses and comments and from numerous meetings. The plan's mission is: "Together with students, staff, families and community, we cultivate an equitable, inclusive, innovative learning environment that empowers all students to contribute to their local and global community." School Committee Chair Michelle Ayer called the plan "an excellent road map" for the next three years. The plan is posted on the Hingham Public Schools website. |
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