Following lengthy discussion, town meeting removes town manager from light plant role

By Carol Britton Meyer

The citizens’ petition seeking voter approval to remove the town manager from the Hull Municipal Light Plant manager role passed during session two of the annual town meeting on a 116 to 83 vote, following a complicated and sometimes confusing roughly two-hour discussion. The light board was divided on the issue.

Article 37 was one of nine warrant articles addressed on May 6, with 17 discussed during the first session. There were 42 articles in all, leaving 16 to be undertaken on Wednesday night. The second session on Tuesday lasted three-and-a-half hours.

VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED THE CHANGE IN THE STRUCTURE OF THE LIGHT PLANT’s MANAGEMENT.

The citizens’ petition, submitted by light board member Jacob Vaillancourt and others, sought to restore to the light board the statutory responsibility found in Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 164, “including but not limited to the ability to make policy, hire and fire the light plant manager, employees (pursuant to union and any civil service requirements), and to perform as a board those actions and responsibilities it had prior to 1993,” when the town manager was designated to serve in the light plant manager role.

Click here for The Hull Times 2025 Town Meeting page

Click here for the votes taken on each article at the 2025 annual town meeting

Vaillancourt explained his reasons for submitting the petition, and numerous other citizens and light board members spoke on both sides of the issue.

The concept, he said, “is to return control of the light plant to the voters, whereas the light plant [currently] has no authority over the light plant manager.”

Light board member Jacob Vaillancourt advocated for removing the town manager as the light plant manager.

Light board members Thomas Burns and Daniel Ciccariello supported the petition, while members Patrick Cannon and Stephanie Landry spoke against it.

Town Manager Jennifer Constable suggested that instead of leaving the decision in the hands of the roughly 200 citizens who participated in this year’s town meeting sessions, whom she commended for attending, versus the 6,000 light plant customers, the town work collaboratively with the light board to “do what’s right for both. Making such an [important] decision on such an extraordinary question should not be made in a vacuum,” she said.

Constable also suggested hiring a consultant to help determine what is working and what is not under the current system.

Advisory Board Chair Jason Frady noted that the town manager is the financial officer of the town and that it “makes complete sense that’s she involved with the governance of the light board. If anyone has an issue, there are two boards you can go to,” referring to the board of light commissioners and the select board.

Frady said he considers the article as an attempted “power grab that certain light board members want to do, whereas we have a capable manager in place overseeing the budget.”

A substitute motion by a citizen to send the matter to a government study committee for further review failed to pass on a 70-133 vote.

The advisory board earlier voted unanimously not to support this petition and the select board opposed it on a 4-0 vote, with one member absent. That was Jerry Taverna, who spoke as a resident in favor of the article, which he called “an issue of governance.”

Select board Chair Irwin Nesoff spoke against the citizen’s petition.

“If the issues are serious enough to make such a change, why didn’t the light board start this discussion [much earlier]?” he asked. “Why is the article not coming to us from the light board, which is divided on this issue?”

A request to end the discussion after a lengthy back and forth was not supported by voters on the required two-thirds vote, so the discussion continued.

Before the vote, resident Polly Rowe urged citizens to vote against the article.

“The change that is so urgently needed at this time is for the light board to take action seeking to cooperatively engage in constructive conversation with the town manager per her outreach to them, not to remove the town manager as light plant manager,” she said.

Visit The Hull Times’ town meeting page at www.hulltimes.com for more information.

In other business, voters:

⦁ Supported a citizen’s petition submitted by Christopher Sweeney to authorize a 3% fee on all professionally managed short-term rentals, referring to local bed-and-breakfast lodging, not including the Nantasket Beach Resort. This fee will come out of room rental fees.

While short-term rentals are not allowed in single-family zones, they are allowed in commercial and business zones, with enforcement dependent on abutters reporting any violations to the building department.

Sweeney said he believes these fees could be put to use by the town for affordable housing, the general reserve fund, or other purposes.

⦁ Approved borrowing $17.96 million through the Commonwealth’s revolving fund to finance repairs and improvements to the sewer system, paid for in part through a 2.5% yearly user rate increase.

⦁ Supported creating special injury leave indemnity, worker’s compensation, and employment liability reserve funds, allocating $100,000 from free cash for each.

⦁ Approved taking $500,000 from free cash to be used by the DPW in part for repairing fences, transportation-related infrastructure, and rehabilitation of the Draper Avenue pumping station.

⦁ Supported filing a petition within the General Court for special legislation substantially authorizing the select board to establish a schedule of fines for parking violations up to $100 as a greater deterrent among those parking in restricted areas.

⦁ Supported bylaw changes to align Hull’s accessory dwelling unit regulations with recently passed less-restrictive state legislation allowing ADUs as of right.

⦁ Approved amending the town’s general bylaws to expedite discussion at town meeting to reduce the number of minutes a speaker has to get his or her point across the first time from seven to five minutes. No person will be allowed to speak more than twice on any question and will be allowed to talk for three minutes the second time.

Because this article was proposed by Town Moderator George Boylen, resident James Canavan, an attorney and former school committee member, stepped in for him to run the meeting while this article was discussed.

Boylen said the initial proponent of an article will still be allowed seven minutes to speak.

Replays of all the town meeting sessions will be available on demand at Hull Community Television’s website, www.hulltv.net.

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Voters split on Beach Avenue eminent domain proposal, approving two of three takings for Nantasket dune system

By Carol Britton Meyer

A warrant article that would have authorized the select board to take three parcels of land on Beach Avenue by eminent domain ensure continuity of the protective dune system on Nantasket Beach took center stage during Monday’s first annual meeting session, resulting in a lengthy discussion and a split vote.

Two of the three separate votes included in Article 17 won voter support; with approval given to acquire parcels at 31 Beach Avenue, and 33 Malta Street.

Flood protection

The select board, which sponsored the article, has deemed the acquisition of these parcels to be an essential step in protecting residents and property on Beach Avenue and the surrounding area from coastal flooding and expected higher tides. The dune system is part of the town’s flood protection and mitigation planning.

Parts A and B of the article passed following reconsideration of both at a citizen’s request, because there was such a wide gap in the number of total votes between the two on the first vote. The final vote related to 33 Malta Street was 233 to 81, and 235 to 83 for 31 Beach Avenue.

Click here for The Hull Times 2025 Town Meeting page

Click here for the votes taken on each article at the 2025 annual town meeting

among those debating land taking on Beach Avenue was Francine Townsend, who with her husband, Paul, developed the Sandcastle condominiums at 175 Beach Avenue and lived in the neighborhood for many years.

However, voters failed to approve the third part of the warrant article – 17C – which would have taken portion of 169 Beach Avenue, on a close vote, with 162 against and 156 in favor. A request for reconsideration of this vote did not pass by the required two-thirds.

Similar article failed last year

A similar warrant article that did not require separate votes failed to pass at the 2024 annual town meeting.

John Ferrara, who owns the property at 169 Beach Avenue, said he’s been fighting the town’s efforts along these lines for five years.

“We love our dune. It’s our only line of defense. There’s no logic behind the vote, because we are maintaining the dune better than the town would,” he said, noting that he has offered to work with town officials to resolve the issue. “We don’t want this fight, but we’re not going to back down from this.”

While saying he was appreciative of Ferrara’s efforts to keep the dune near his house in good shape, North Truro Street resident Dan Sullivan asked what would happen if Ferrara and his family were to move.

A Malta Street resident urged voters to support the article due to flooding that occurs in that area and behind it.

Select board member Jerry Taverna, speaking as a resident, advocated against the article.

“While I agree in concept, I encourage people to vote no due in part to the extended lawsuits and because this looks to be a political loser,” he said.

Harry Hibbard, an attorney and current member of the planning board, said he believes that there needs to be “a central authority to protect the dune system,” rather than leaving its upkeep to individual property owners.

“We’re talking about a section within the layout of Beach Avenue at three locations, which the town asserts it already owns,” Director of Climate Adaptation and Conservation Chris Krahforst said before the votes were taken. The purpose, he said, “is to strengthen the town’s efforts toward improving primary dune resiliency” in this area through the establishment of a continuous dune system.

Dune cutouts impact nearby properties

Town Manager Jennifer Constable noted that two of the properties in the warrant article “are located in a repetitive loss area” that has already received $16 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance due to flooding, not including private insurance.

“Cutouts in the dunes have a real impact” on nearby properties and the surrounding area, she said.

Manomet Avenue resident Mary Dunphy, who lives around the corner from Malta Street, said the area “is always flooded,” also noting that “there’s no dune protection at 31 Beach Ave., just a pile of rocks.”

She added that this proposed project “is for the greater good of our town, and sometimes you have to do what’s right for the betterment of others.”

Replays of all the town meeting sessions will be available on demand at Hull Community Television’s website, www.hulltv.net.

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300+ voters approve $52.6M budget, Community Preservation projects during first ATM session

ON THE TOWN. More than 300 people attended the opening session of Hull’s annual town meeting on Monday night; subsequent sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday were not as well-attended. [SKIP TULL PHOTO]

By Carol Britton Meyer

All but two of the annual town meeting warrant articles addressed during the first session May 5 passed with flying colors. According to tradition, the order of the main articles to be addressed was determined by lottery.

An electronic voting system malfunction caused Town Moderator George Boylen to call for voice votes until the issue was fixed a little later in the meeting.

In all, only 17 of the 42 articles were completed, with the well-attended meeting adjourning at 10:42 p.m. after nearly fours of discussion – to be continued the following evening. There were more than 300 voters in attendance for at least part of the session.

At the start, advisory board member David Clinton offered a resolution in honor of former longtime advisory board member John “Jay” Polito, who passed away in May 2024 after giving of his time and talents to many town positions and Hull organizations.

Boylen then expressed appreciation for the late Dr. John A. Silva, better known as “Doc Silva,” who also served the town in many capacities for many years before his recent passing, including as town moderator, and a member of both the select board and school committee.

Click here for The Hull Times 2025 Town Meeting page

Click here for the votes taken on each article at the 2025 annual town meeting

State Rep. Joan Meschino, a Hull resident, said the town “is lucky to have such talented, seasoned professionals, including the town manager.” She also thanked the advisory board, “which looks out for the town and scrutinizes everything.”

Looking around the room at the 300+ voters, she said, “This is democracy.”

Town Manager Jennifer Constable presented the town's FY26 budget during MONDay NIGHT’s meeting.

Town Manager Jennifer Constable reminded those in attendance that town-sponsored warrant articles “are the culmination of a year’s-worth of work” by town staff.

She also thanked the high school students who handed out Dignity Pledge cards to voters before they entered the meeting room. This initiative was adopted by the select board to promote “dignity over contempt,” Constable noted.

Among the articles approved by voters appropriated funds for projects recommended by the Community Preservation Committee under Article 13:

• $530,000 for the redevelopment of Friend Park/Jones Park at Kingsley Road and Touraine Avenue. Resident David Irwin said this park is one of the most underutilized ones in town and that he would rather see the proposed funding go toward affordable housing “on this beautiful piece of land – with zoning relief.”

Another resident, on the other hand, was in favor of the project, because it would “give kids in the area a place to play.”

• $137,500 to restore the Hull Lifesaving Museum Boathouse at Pemberton;

• $25,000 for a needs assessment of the town’s historic properties;

•  $111,000 for painting and exterior lighting at the Hull Lifesaving Museum;

• $125,000 for roof replacement at the Paragon Carousel;

• $35,000 for exterior painting of the historic St. Nicholas United Methodist Church in Hull Village; and

• $100,000 for the preservation of historic town documents.

Voters also approved the proposed $52.6-million FY26 municipal budget that includes a part-time assistant library director who will also serve as children’s librarian, and an increase in staff hours to help meet the growing need for services; two additional full-time fire department positions and the creation of four lieutenant positions; and the hiring of a desk clerk for the police department. This year’s school department budget totals $18.4 million.

• A citizens’ petition submitted by Lisa French and others to rezone as public open space several town-owned properties currently located in single-family zoning districts did not pass after she made a motion to remove the private conservation trust parcels wording from the original article.

An amendment offered by Building Commissioner Bartley Kelly to further study this issue was approved, but it ultimately failed to gain voter support.

Replays of all the town meeting sessions will be available on demand at Hull Community Television’s website, www.hulltv.net.

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Affordable Housing Trust wins approval at ATM’s final night; zoning changes defeated

By Carol Britton Meyer

Voters at the third and final session of the 2025 annual town meeting addressed the remaining 16 warrant articles, ranging from transferring money to the stabilization and capital stabilization funds to increasing the property tax exemption for qualifying veterans, all of which were approved.

During the three nights of meetings, 42 warrant articles were addressed during more than 11 hours of discussion. At some points, voters became restless as multiple substitute motions and amendments were introduced from the floor, and technical issues with the electronic voting system caused delays.

Attorney and former school committee member James Canavan, who served as moderator Tuesday night during a discussion on an article proposed by Town Moderator George Boylen – and has filled in for Boylen in the past – asked to speak to attendees at the start of Wednesday’s meeting.

ATTORNEY AND SUBSTITUTE MODERATOR JIM CANAVAN ADDRESSED THE MEETING ON WEDNESDAY AFTER SENSING VOTER FRUSTRATION DURING THE PREVIOUS SESSIONS: ‘Let’s accept the fact that mistakes will be made, and let’s treat others with kindness. Make your point, try not to use names or to repeat information that has already been spoken. Be brief, be good, and be seated!’

“After I left last night, I felt a little bit off, so entering into tonight’s meeting, [I ask] that you don’t make your remarks personal against board members or the town moderator,” he said. “None of these roles is easy.

“It’s not easy to coordinate 42 warrant articles and to facilitate discussion about that number of articles, and it’s no small task to keep track of all the motions and substitute motions and tracking how long people are speaking for, and then the vote,” Canavan said. “Let’s accept the fact that mistakes will be made, and let’s treat others with kindness. Make your point, try not to use names or to repeat information that has already been spoken. Be brief, be good, and be seated!”

Click here for The Hull Times 2025 Town Meeting page

Click here for the votes taken on each article at the 2025 annual town meeting

Voters also supported:

⦁ Allocating $1.5 million for a new fire department ambulance and pumper truck;

⦁ The creation of a Hull Community Housing Trust Fund to help create and preserve below-market-rate housing for low- and moderate-income households and to fund community housing;

The trust will have access to the $500,000 in Community Preservation Act funds allocated to the affordable housing “bucket” and can act quickly to take advantage of affordable housing-related opportunities;

⦁ Amending the zoning bylaw to better regulate signage that has evolved into often-distracting flashing messages, blinking and changing colors, and video screens since the current bylaw went into effect;

⦁ Transferring $150,000 to the town’s stabilization (rainy day) fund for a balance of $2.46 million, thus achieving the town manager’s goal of holding and maintaining 3% to 5% of the annual budget in reserve;

⦁ Transferring $206,541 to the town’s capital stabilization fund created at the 2024 town meeting to allow more effective planning for future capital needs;

⦁ Increasing the local room occupancy excise tax from the current 4% to the state-allowed 6% maximum to raise additional revenue for the town;

⦁ Increasing the property tax exemption for qualifying veterans from $1,000 to $1,500 annually; and

⦁ Rescinding the general bylaw of the town adopted at the 2018 special town meeting that prohibited all types of marijuana establishments except for the sale, distribution, manufacture, or cultivation of marijuana for medical purposes.

“Town meeting approved the sale of retail marijuana last year, so this is a housekeeping article,” Town Manager Jennifer Constable explained.

Voters said “no” to the citizen’s petition submitted by Lisa French to amend the town’s inclusionary housing bylaw and require developers of new private multi-family developments, redevelopments, or conversions with four or more units to set aside 100% of the units for eligible low-income households.

Select Board Chair Irwin Nesoff opposed this change due to the “unintended consequences” that could result.

“If there are no market-rate units to offset the affordable ones, a project wouldn’t be economically feasible,” he said. “It’s questionable whether such a change would be approved by the Attorney General’s office, because you can’t force private developers to provide 100% affordable housing on private land.”

Voters also did not approve the repeal of the town’s Flexible Plan Development from the town’s zoning bylaw. Cindy Borges, who submitted this citizen’s petition, explained that doing so would in part eliminate the allowance of buildings of up to 70 feet high under the FPD.

Before the vote, Building Commissioner Bartley Kelly opposed the article, noting that there are other parts of the FPD that he considers to be beneficial to the town.

A substitute motion by a citizen to send the inclusionary housing article to a study group and would report back in a year did not pass, nor did a citizens’ petition submitted by Ann Marie Papasodero asking voters to approve increasing the annual town meeting and special town meeting quorum from zero to 150.

“The dates of our town meetings are well known around town, and it’s up to citizens to do their civic duty and show up,” said resident C. Anne Murray in opposing this proposal. The advisory board said it did not support the article because if a quorum weren’t met, the business of the town meeting would be delayed.

Just before the final article of the night – and the meeting – was addressed, Boylen quipped, “This is the moment I’ve been waiting for!”

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In the Sport-light: Roundup of news about Hull athletes

Compiled by Matt Haraden

• 3/4 Girls Soccer had a great long weekend, winning 7-4 against a tough Norwell team and 3-1 against Pembroke. The team was led by Willa Britton’s seven goals and three from Addie Chalifoux. The passing game was stellar, with assists from Ellie Caparrotta, Rae Rockett, Laila Dolan, Cate Mulvihill, and Mera Gilroy. The team benefitted from solid goalkeeping from Lydia Caparrotta and Thalita Nascimento, who delivered a shutout in the second half of the Pembroke win. The opponent’s scoring chances were few and far between thanks to the defense of Maisie Handrahan, Meara Gilroy, Cate Mulvihill, Viola Pearson, and Laila Dolan.

The Hull 3/4 girls soccer team had two reasons to celebrate last weekend, bringing home road wins against Norwell and Pembroke. [Courtesy photo]

• 5/6 Girls Soccer drew Norwell on Saturday, May 3, with a final score of 2-2. Norwell drew first blood, but Magnolia Harbin evened up the match. Frankie Rockett scored in the second half. Goalies were the usual suspects of Sidney O’Brien  and Ruby D’Errico. “Charlie” Ward, Leah Dibley, and Ada McMullen also performed well, showing hustle and determination.

• 7/8 Girls Soccer remained undefeated after beating Hanover, 1-0, on Saturday, May 3. The lone goal came from Aubrey Littlefield. Hull will travel to Plymouth on Saturday, May 10 for a 4:30 p.m. game.

• 3/4 Boys Soccer Team 2 tied Pembroke, 4-4, on Saturday, May 3, moving to 2-1-1 on the season. Andy Michaelides scored all four goals, one from an excellent Kai Funari assist. James Petruzzelli and Sam Chiba had a great game. Nolan Cichocki had a stellar save on a penalty kick. The team’s next game is Saturday, May 10 at 8:45 a.m. in Pembroke.

• The 5/6 Boys Soccer Team played in Hingham on Saturday, May 3 and won, 7-3. Jacob Greenberg, Cody Calabria, and Slava Rzhevskii had two goals each, and Zack Shea had one goal. Reefe Markowitz and Braedyn O’Hare played in goal. The team saw strong work on defense by Anthony Petruzzelli and Silas Van Slyke. They played again on Monday, May 5 against Plymouth, winning 8-1. Goals were scored by Jacob Greenberg, Slava Rzhevskii, Cody Calabria, and Tomas Bromberg-Issokson all had two goals each. Reefe Markowitz was amazing in goal. Great work by Josh Papasodero in both midfield and forward; same with Charlie Montgomery and Ethan Munzert. Finn Smith was strong in center midfield, helping to move the ball down the field. The team will play its next game on Saturday, May 10 at home against Pembroke.

• Girls 5/6 Lacrosse put on a gutsy performance against visiting Abington, ultimately falling 11-10 after conceding a final-minute goal. Molly McCarthy led the offensive charge for Hull with an impressive three-goal performance, showcasing speed and precision on attack. Deidra Flaherty added to the tally with a strong finish of her own, helping to keep the game within reach throughout. Between the pipes, Ruby D’Errico had a standout game in goal, making several key saves to keep Hull in contention during a fast-paced second half.

MAKING HER PITCH. Addison Mahan pitching three innings and battled through a relentless Quincy offense during a recent softball game; she also had two hits and scored one run. [Courtesy photo]

• 6-8 Girls Softball showed grit and hustle Monday, May 5, falling 16-8 to Quincy. Hull’s bats found some rhythm early, led by Addison Mahan, who delivered two solid hits and crossed the plate once. Mahan also took the mound to start the game, pitching three innings and battling through a relentless Quincy offense. Kelsea Dunlap came on in relief and made an immediate impact, shutting down Quincy in the fourth with three consecutive outs, one of the few clean innings the visitors would see. On the defensive side, Hull had several standout moments that kept the game within reach. Zandra Azer made a great play in right field, Charlotte Higgins made a running catch at third, and Tori Haggerty recorded a key out at second to halt a Quincy rally. Josie Tyrrell had another outstanding day behind the plate, making several blocks and saving runs. Despite the loss, Hull played with heart and showed strong development across the board.

• Hull High JV Softball won its seventh straight game on Wednesday, April 30, beating Brockton, 25-15. McKenzie Neal, Bella Walsh, and Khloe Gravina shared the pitching duties, with a combined three strikeouts and giving up only three hits in the game. The offensive leaders for Hull were McKenzie Neal, 3/3 with a walk, two singles and a triple and three RBIs; Rachel Timins, 1/1 with a walk and a three-run home run; Natalie Reilly, 1/1 with three walks and two RBIs; Khloe Gravina, 1/1 with a walk and a SAC; Sophia Hagerty, 2/3 with a walk and two singles; Riley Munn, 2/4 with two singles and two RBIs; Leigha McClory, 1/2 with a single and an RBI; and Bella Walsh, 1/3 with a walk and a two-RBI double.

Hull Track and Field represented well at the Sunset Invitational meet in New Bedford. Seven athletes qualified for this elite meet; at left are Finn Walsh, Iktan Guzman, Michael Cimetti, Lawrence Bodley, Christopher Resnick, Elsie Harper, Grace Kiley, and Coach Brian Lanner. [Courtesy photo]

• Hull High Track and Field represented well at the Sunset Invitational meet in New Bedford on May 3. Seven athletes qualified for this elite meet, with four medals won among three athletes. Lawrence Bodley came in fourth in the 200 and sixth and the high jump, Christopher Resnick came in fourth in the high jump, and Elsie Harper came in second in the 400-meter hurdles.

• Coaches and Super Fans – We need your help to report the scores and results of the latest events in Hull’s sports world! Please send local sports news and photos to sports@hulltimes.com. Deadline is Tuesday at midnight. When providing details of the games or races, please be sure to include the sport/team, the players’ full names, and the final scores. When sending photos, names of those pictured are greatly appreciated, as well as who should get credit for taking the photo.

Thank you for your help!

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17-year-old Alanna Lipsky to host fifth annual Nantasket Beach Cleanup Day May 18

On Sunday, May 18, 17-year-old Alanna Lipsky will be hosting her fifth annual Beach Cleanup Day on the resident section of Nantasket Beach.

JUST BEACHY. On Sunday, May 18, 17-year-old Alanna Lipsky will be hosting her fifth annual Beach Cleanup Day on the resident section of Nantasket Beach. This scene is from a past successful cleanup.  [Courtesy photo]

The cleanup is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and the rain date is Sunday, June 1.

This meaningful event brings together people from near and far all for the purpose of protecting Hull’s cherished coastline and its sea life.

Lipsky, who summers in Hull, started the Beach Cleanup Day in 2021, when she turned 13, as part of her bat mitzvah project. She has transformed a simple act of community service into a heartfelt, impactful initiative.

Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own trash bags (extras will be available on B Street beach). Once cleanup efforts are complete, participants are asked to leave filled bags on the soft sand near each of the resident beach openings.

Over the years, support has come from a strong turnout of local Hull residents and generous help from friends and family from all over.

“This year we will be adding to the effort,” Lipsky said, “as volunteers from Hull’s Temple Beth Sholom will be joining us for the cleanup for the first time”.

Rubin Marquez of Emerald Earth Works and Star Waste Systems are once again donating their time and resources to pick up and dispose of the collected trash.

All are invited to join the beach cleanup day on May 18.

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Voters & Candidates - Everything you need to know about the May 19 election

Now that the ballot has been set for the May 19 town election, candidates can get ready to hit the campaign trail, and citizens can still register to vote (until May 9), check their registration status, or request a mail-in ballot (by May 12).

Click here for the details on how to check your registration, find out which precinct you live in, or request a ballot to be mailed to you.

For candidates, The Hull Times’ deadline for free announcements of candidacy for the May 19 town election was our May 8 issue. You may get your message out to voters by purchasing advertising in print and online.

The Times will dedicate a special section of our website, www.hulltimes.com, for election-related news and information about candidates.

We will also accept press releases about campaign issues, but not fundraisers, which are the stuff of paid advertisements. Press releases may be published, online and if space is available in print, right up until the May 19 election. We reserve the right to edit or reject any submissions.

During the campaign, the Times may solicit candidates’ views on the issues. Priority will be given to those responses.

Letters to the editor will not be accepted from candidates, and letters for or against candidates for office will also be rejected. All material published in our May 15 issue – the week before the election – will be subject to closer scrutiny because of the lack of opponents’ response time.

Political ads, in print and online, should be factual and in good taste. We reserve the right to reject advertising that makes assertions that cannot be verified. All political advertising must be paid for in advance of publication. Contact our office as soon as possible to reserve space on a first-come, first-served basis.

For information about advertising, call 781-925-9266.

Press releases and announcements can be emailed to news@hulltimes.com.

Deadline is Tuesday at 5 p.m. each week.

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Restricted area parking permits now available online or by mail

Restricted area parking permits and visitors’ passes went on sale May 1. The town has changed the process this year; parking stickers and passes will no longer be sold or distributed in person at the police station.

This year, all parking permits will be mailed after payment is received, unlike in 2022, when this photo was taken outside the police station.

To purchase parking permits, visit www.hullpolice.org. They also may be bought by mail – residents should fill out the application available on www.hullpolice.org or at town hall and either mail it in or drop off in the tax collector’s box in front of town hall. Payment can be made by debit or credit card or by check with valid identification. No cash will be accepted.

All permits and passes will be mailed, regardless of the method of application and payment.  No passes or permits will be distributed in person. All orders should be expected to be received within three to five days of receipt of application and payment.

Restricted area permits cost $14; residents older than 65 pay $7; no charge for veterans and the disabled. Visitors’ passes are $14 (no discounts available).

The permits are effective for one year; from June 1, 2025 through May 31, 2026. Autos owned by Hull residents, property owners, and tenants are eligible; applicants must provide vehicle registration, property tax bill, or excise tax bill as proof of residency.

Applications and payments may also be submitted in-person only during these limited times:

Friday May 9:  Town Hall tax collector’s office: 9 a.m. to noon.

Saturday May 17: Wellness Fair at L St. field, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Friday May 23: Town Hall, tax collector’s office: 9 a.m. to noon.

Friday June 6: Town Hall tax collector’s office: 9 a.m. to noon.

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Access easement unresolved as Rockaway Annex condos inch closer to ZBA approval

By Carol Britton Meyer

The zoning board of appeals this week again discussed the 21-page draft decision with conditions for the proposed comprehensive permit development at 25 Ipswich Street in the Rockaway Annex neighborhood, crafted by Town Counsel Brian Winner and ZBA project consultant Joseph Peznola.

Rendering of the proposed RESIDENCES AT ROCKAWAY.

Winner went over the latest draft in great detail – including his own changes and those suggested by the development team since the earlier draft was shared.

While Tuesday’s meeting was open to the public, no public comments were accepted since the hearing was closed on April 15.

The proposed conditions relate resolution of an issue regarding an easement over the neighboring property at 20 Ipswich Street and recommendations from Hull Fire Chief Chris Russo.

The developer had planned to use the easement as an alternative access road to the proposed development and for the installation of utilities to service the project, but the property owner is opposed to this plan and has challenged the validity of easement. Lawyers for the abutter have submitted letters describing the easement as void because it was not properly filed at the Plymouth County Registry of Deeds.

If the easement issue is not resolved, the developer has the right to present an alternate layout plan later in the process.

Click here for the draft decision and other documents about this project

The Residences at Rockaway, proposed by developer Alan Mckenzie, includes six modular, townhouse-style buildings with two units each set on a .63-acre, single-family-zoned lot. Three units would be affordable. Parking would be in garages under the units and in the driveways.

The comprehensive permit process, more commonly known as Chapter 40B, allows developers to circumvent most local regulations in exchange for an affordable housing component if the town has less than 10% of its housing units designated affordable. Hull’s current percentage of affordable units is 1.6%, according to the state’s formula.

The draft decision also addresses:

• A blasting plan regarding the removal of ledge on the site

• Stormwater pollution prevention plan

• Traffic management plan

• Erosion control plan

• Construction mitigation plan requiring prior approval of the fire and police departments for traffic flow and emergency vehicle access along any partially constructed driveways within the project. Trucking routes must be approved by the police department, and there must be at least 18-foot-wide access to the site from both Salisbury and Truro streets

RENDERING OF THE PROPOSED RESIDENCES AT ROCKAWAY.

The draft decision also requires the applicant to follow the recommendations of the fire chief for emergency vehicle access, a sprinkler system, building layout, fire flow, a fire hydrant at the corner of the easement and North Truro Street, and proper turn radius for Hull Fire Department trucks.

Another requirement is that the overhead utility lines for the buildings be moved underground to limit further hindrance “to this congested area” during potential firefighting operations, and relocation of the utility pole in the Ipswich Street right-of-way.

Also, the affordable units cannot be substantially different in size or exterior appearance from the market-rate units. There will be a lottery for the affordable units, including a local preference component.

Winner also reviewed the waiver list for the board’s consideration, including frontage, front, rear, and side setbacks, minimum lot width, maximum buildings per lot, and maximum building height, among others.

The board has 40 days from the closing of the hearing on April 15 – until May 23 – to review the document and make a final decision with conditions.

The ZBA will meet again, tentatively on May 12, to discuss and likely vote on the final draft that will include the changes presented by Winner.

“We got a lot done tonight,” said ZBA Chair Patrick Finn.

A replay of the meeting will be available on demand at Hull Community Television’s website, www.hulltv.net.

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Town Meeting, Night 2: Voters approve light plant management change, sewer projects, adjust ADU bylaw

The crowd was smaller on Tuesday night, but about 200 voters took part in the second session of Hull’s town meeting. After considerable debate and several proposed amendments — none of which were approved — voters approved the citizens’ petition that sought to remove the town manager as the light plant manager. Voters also agreed to modifications to Hull’s accessory dwelling unit (ADU) bylaw to comply with state regulations, and agreed to spend $17M+ on sewer-related projects.

attorney JIM CANAVAN presided over discussion of ARTICLE 27, PROPOSED BY MODERATOR GEORGE BOYLEN, TO TIGHTEN THE TIME FRAMES FOR VOTERS SPEAKING ON ARTICLES.

Watch this week’s edition of The Hull Times for full coverage. The meeting will continue on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at Hull High School.

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Do you have an opinion to share? Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.