 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.  Click here to watch Hingham's Weekly Update. By Carol Britton Meyer
The design stage for the proposed renovated or new Foster School is progressing. The proposal calls for a three-story building featuring a pre-K offering and robust arts and music programs that will also be the new location for the before- and after-school Kids in Action program. There will be ample play space for recess and community use, a gymnasium featuring a two-sided stage, three music rooms, a rain garden, indoor and outdoor community and green space, potential solar panels on the roof, and a METCO office. A warrant article will be drafted for this Spring's Annual Town Meeting asking for interim funding, subject to Massachusetts School Building Authority approval "so we can begin the fine design development work," School Building Committee Chair Ray Estes said recently. The hope is that the MSBA will fund a significant portion of the project. A Special Town Meeting will be held next Fall for the purpose of asking voter approval of full construction funding. That figure will be announced at a later date. If all goes as planned, construction could begin in the Spring of 2023, followed by the opening of the new school in 2024.  Click here to watch Hingham's Weekly Update. By Carol Britton Meyer
The Sustainable Budget Task Force recently presented highlights of their report to the Select Board in a joint meeting with the Advisory Committee and School Committee. The task force was charged with developing a five-year "sustainable forecast" that will allow the town to provide services that meet residents’ expectations as well as ongoing expenditure obligations that are in line with projected revenue. In the short-term, there is inadequate revenue to pay for services added in Fiscal 2022. In the long-term, expenses are growing faster than revenue. Asst. Town Administrator for Finance Michelle Monsegur explained three different budget scenarios -- reduction of services based on current revenue; maintaining existing services; and the other involving additional services. Scenarios two and three involve potential $5.5 million and $7.8 million overrides, respectively, for Fiscal 2024 unless additional sources of revenue can be found. This is on top of the tax impacts that would result from five potential major capital projects that are in the pipeline. All are subject to Town Meeting approval. "This is the beginning of the town budget process [including the schools over the next five years]," Task Force Chair Liz Klein said. Advisory Committee member Andrew McElaney suggested, "Maybe we ought to start looking at overrides as being a more normal way for the town to function." Sarah Melia, another Advisory Committee member, expressed concern about some taxpayers' ability to absorb additional tax increases. School Committee Chair Kerry Ni called the task force "a really good partnership between the schools and municipal departments that hasn't always existed in the past." The report outlines 23 recommendations by the task force, which intends to continue its work and the municipal/school partnership.  Click here to watch Hingham's Weekly Update. By Carol Britton Meyer
Among the School Committee's goals for the current year is "furthering efforts on equity, inclusion, diversity, and belonging." In support of that objective, the Wellness Subcommittee has plans to review the equity of extracurricular and athletic programs, according to a letter that was sent to booster groups, school PTOs, and other organizations recently. As part of this effort, the subcommittee recently requested financial and operating information from each of these entities. "We appreciate all the support so many groups provide to the public schools -- athletic booster groups, music parents, PTOs, and other organizations," Chair Liza O'Reilly said recently. The goal is "to collect best practices from organizations to see where things are working really well. This information could help to inform other groups and what we need to do better." The goal is to gain "a fuller understanding of the key needs each community is working to fill. In addition, the information will help inform future budgeting and prioritization conversations, address legal compliance requirements [including Title 9], encourage the sharing of best practices across organizations, and create areas of collaboration between the superintendent, faculty, committee, and the community at large."  Click here to watch Hingham's Weekly Update By Carol Britton Meyer
The popular Hingham Farmers Market -- one of the longest-running in the state -- is again operating a winter session at the Wompatuck State Park Visitor Center -- on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. through March 26. This is an opportunity to support some of the market's favorite vendors beyond the normal season, which runs from May to late November -- to shop local, and to help get us all through the long winter months. Winter market offerings include fresh produce, beef, poultry, pork, eggs, seafood, Mediterranean food, beef broth, soup, specialty desserts, and fish products. Delays or cancellations due to weather conditions will be posted on Facebook and Instagram. See you there!  By Carol Britton Meyer
The School Committee is reinstating the practice from last year of holding "office hours" once a month. The purpose of these meetings is to listen to community members' questions, suggestions, and concerns. "Drop-ins" are welcome during the usually 1-1/2-hour meetings, or participants can attend for the entire time. These informal meetings involve a couple of committee members at a time, taking turns. While they may not be able to answer every question, member Tim Miller-Dempsey said recently, any that remain unanswered will be brought to the attention of the committee to be addressed. Whether a meeting will be held remotely or in-person will be determined on a month-by-month basis. Information about the meetings will be broadly shared so the community is aware of when they are happening. |
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June 2022
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