February 13, 2025

Strawberry Hill water tank expected by 2027; residents’ bills to increase $65 annually

February 13, 2025/ Christopher Haraden

By Carol Britton Meyer

A new one-million-gallon water tank on Strawberry Hill is expected to be online by fall 2027, according to the Weir River Water System.

**REMEMBER THIS VIEW?** For decades, the water company maintained a storage tank atop Strawberry Hill, but took it out of service in 2008. The Weir River Water System is planning to build an even larger tank on the site. [John Galluzzo file photo]

The final design and permitting for the project is expected to be completed this spring, with minor site and preparation work planned for next fall and winter following the bidding process and awarding of the contract.

Construction will take place from spring 2026 to the summer of 2027, with the system expected to be up and running that fall, the water company’s Citizens Advisory Board was told last week.

During the first year that the Town of Hingham owned the water system, officials immediately began developing a master plan to identify water system needs.

Priority one in the final plan presented in October 2022 was a new water storage tank within the WRWS distribution system – hence the Strawberry Hill project. A full hydraulic analysis, tank siting study, and a master plan for the work were submitted in early 2024.

Double capacity of old tank

The new tank will be about double the capacity of the old Strawberry Hill tank, which was taken down after a 2008 study by the water company determined the 75-year-old structure was no longer needed.

The new tank and pumping station are expected to improve the reliability of service and water quality while ensuring adequate water pressure and flow for Hull customers.

In a recent update to the Weir River Water System Citizens Advisory Board, WRWS Managing Director/Superintendent Russell Tierney discussed the tank project, recent water main breaks, and other news. The water system serves residents of Hingham, Hull, and part of Cohasset.

The CAB consists of Cohasset representative Stephen Girardi; Hingham members Sam Mullen, Chair Steven Weiss, and Charles Culpin; and Hull representatives select board member Brian McCarthy and Director of Wastewater Operations/Assistant Director of Public Works John Struzziery.

About $13 million worth of improvements have been made to the water system and the water treatment facility over the past four years, with changes to the billing system in the works that will provide monthly, rather than quarterly, bills to customers.

While no rate increases are planned for fiscal 2026, an annual capital investment charge of about $65 a year per single-family dwelling will be added to customers’ bills starting July 1 to pay for the final design and construction of the water tank.

In other news…

Tierney said the biggest contributors to the recent water main breaks in Hingham and Hull were a 2.5- to 3-foot depth of frost, four days in a row in December and two stretches in January of four days with temperatures lower than 20 degrees – colder than average temperatures in the past several years.

Tierney provided a chart showing that there were 21 water main breaks in the system in 2020; 28 in 2021; seven in 2022; 20 in 2023; 16 in 2024; and 10 so far this year.

“The frost line and cold weather 100% contributed to the recent water main breaks,” Tierney said, noting that other communities are facing similar challenges.

While the number of main breaks seems higher than usual, Weiss and Tierney noted that this perception may be due to WRWS’s enhanced communications system, which posts water system issues and updates on Facebook, which are immediately accessible to residents in all three towns, whereas that wasn’t the case in the past.

“A lot of people in Hull have received robocalls, so they are working,” McCarthy said.

In response to a question posed by McCarthy, Tierney said he plans to go before the Hull select board this month to provide an update about the water tank and other WRWS business, and that the Town of Hingham has requested a public meeting.

‘Good communication and transparency’

“We want to be sure we provide [our residents] with as much information as possible in the interest of good communication and transparency,” McCarthy said.

FY26 will mark the beginning of the second five years of the contractual agreement with Veolia to operate and maintain the water system.

“Veolia was notified … that as part of the agreement, the town will exercise its right to remove billing and customer service from the contract and move the services to Hingham Municipal Lighting Plant,” Tierney explained. “We have been working with HMLP and will be meeting with their billing vendor to develop and implement a transition plan.”

The goal is to have all customer service operations moved to HMLP by July 2, and WRWS will be working with HMLP and Veolia to achieve this goal.

“In the event there is any delay in the billing transition, we will consider a month-to-month agreement with Veolia to continue producing our bills through their system,” Tierney said.

Reduction in unaccounted for water

He also noted a reduction in unaccounted for water – from 23.9 to 18 percent – and that there are now 84 additional hydrants in the system, with six additional flushing hydrants installed on dead-end mains and 102 inoperable hydrants replaced.

Tierney also reported that PFAS levels in the water system are well under Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection guidelines, that PFAS study proposals are being reviewed and considered, and that the lead and copper levels are well within compliance.

Tierney encouraged customers from all three towns to email WaterQuality@weirriverwater.com to report water-related issues or concerns, and to include their address in the correspondence.

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February 13, 2025

Board addresses Tipsy Tuna noise complaints, endorses affordable housing trust

February 13, 2025/ Christopher Haraden

By Carol Britton Meyer

The select board addressed a lengthy agenda this week, from a sound mitigation plan for a local restaurant to warrant articles to create a community housing trust for affordable housing and to limit “visual clutter” from certain types of signage.

Tipsy Tuna restaurant owner Anthony Ghosn presented the mitigation plan with a focus on a particular Porrazzo Road resident who has repeatedly voiced concerns about noise coming from music on the patio.

Select board member Greg Grey, who has heard complaints from a number of neighbors, said he doesn’t see “a decent solution” to the noise issue unless Ghosn builds a “roof and walls” over or around the patio.

Concern was voiced from some members of the board that the mitigation plan is geared toward the one neighbor and not the surrounding area as well.

“The restaurant is often over capacity, which adds to the noise, and you are relying not on running a restaurant, but a nightclub out of the back end, which you are not licensed to do,” Grey said. “The true problem is how you run your business. The noise issue isn’t going to go away [unless] you are more flexible by limiting the hours of entertainment.”

Ghosn said he focused on the one neighbor because he wasn’t aware that others had gone to Grey with complaints.

Entertainment policy/noise ordinance proposed

Board member Jerry Taverna noted that there’s no town regulation by which to measure the mitigation plan and suggested the board consider crafting an entertainment policy/noise ordinance to address noise issues townwide “that stipulates that at a certain time of night, the volume goes down.”

The board will discuss Taverna’s recommendation at a future meeting.

“This is a quality of life issue, and we need to come up with a common-sense policy that covers everyone across the board,” he said.

Town Manager Jennifer Constable asked board members to be mindful of looking at the issue from both perspectives.

Ghosn promised to have the sound mitigation alterations completed before the start of the new season, contingent on building commissioner approval, which he expects soon.

Chair Irwin Nesoff thanked Ghosn for working with the board to resolve the noise issue.

“We want you to be successful and remain in town, but we need to address these complaints,” he said.

Ghosn will return to the board later this year to request a seasonal license. In the meantime, Taverna suggested Ghosn purchase and install a decibel meter to gauge noise levels at Tipsy Tuna “so you can turn the music down” when it reaches a certain level.

In other business…

• The board supported a warrant article to create a community housing trust, as explained by affordable housing committee chair Cynthia Koebert, which in part would have the authority to purchase property for affordable housing without town meeting approval to take advantage of unexpected opportunities.

Such a trust would provide for the creation and preservation of affordable housing for the benefit of low- and moderate-income households and for the funding of community housing.

Affordable housing committee member Bob Pahl described the benefits of such a trust, noting that there’s $500,000 in unspent Community Preservation Act funds dedicated to community housing.

Board members expressed appreciation for the AHC’s efforts and the progress made so far in support of creating affordable housing beyond the current 1.6% of the total number of housing units in town.

The state’s desired threshold is 10%, which leaves Hull vulnerable to proposed Chapter 40B comprehensive permits that allow developers to circumvent most local regulations in exchange for an affordable housing component.

“A trust would be a building block in moving forward with creating more affordable housing units,” Constable noted.

The board voted unanimously to place the housing trust article on the spring town meeting warrant, pending review by staff and legal counsel.

“The effort to create more affordable housing has been going on for decades, and it’s exciting that something is going to come out of this finally,” select board member Brian McCarthy said.

• The Hull Beautification Committee and the Design Review Board are leading an effort to tighten guidelines and prohibit certain types of signage within Hull’s existing sign bylaw through a town meeting article this spring.

The proposed changes would limit highly illuminated, moving, and excessive commercial signage, electronic community message boards, and billboards.

The board supported this article, as explained by beautification committee member Michael Parks and design review board member Marie Rockett, while referring it to the planning board, because the change involves the town’s zoning bylaw.

• The select board accepted advisory board member Dan Sullivan’s letter of resignation, acknowledging his long service to the town.

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February 13, 2025

Shorelines - News about your neighbors

February 13, 2025/ Christopher Haraden

• The long Presidents Day weekend gives all of us an extended period to celebrate Valentine’s Day – no need to rush out with that special someone on Friday night after a long day at work! Whether you are heading out on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday, plan to shop locally for that special gift for your Valentine, and remember that Hull has many fantastic places to buy sweet treats, gift certificates, flowers, and other unique presents to present to your beloved. Your support of our local businesses helps them during the difficult winter season, and will keep Hull’s economy thriving. And if you see their ad here in the Times, please mention it, and thank them for supporting Hull’s independently owned news source. We are grateful to all of you!

**FLIPPING AWESOME**! The girls varsity gymnastics team [co-op with Hingham] finished the season undefeated and Patriot League champions after a program-high score of 138.3 at Friday’s meet. The team posted an incredible 9-0 record for the season. [Courtesy photo]

• Congratulations to Hull’s Jaden Stilphen, who has been named to the Dean’s List for the fall semester at Western New England University in Springfield. Stilphen is one of more than 750 students to achieve this mark of academic excellence. Students are named to the Dean’s List for earning a semester grade-point average of 3.30 or higher. Stilphen is working toward a bachelor of science in criminal justice.

• Sophia Tremblay has been named to the Plymouth State University Dean’s List for the fall semester. To be named to the Dean’s List, a student must achieve a grade-point average between 3.50 and 3.69 and must have completed at least 12 credit hours. Tremblay is a psychology major.

• Hull’s Paula Moszenberg Nesoff’s first novel, “Among Us,” is now available at Buttonwood Books and Toys in Cohasset. Nesoff’s deep commitment to advocating for social justice issues motivated her to write this book dedicated to her parents, Minia and Leon Moszenberg, both survivors of the Holocaust who immigrated to the United States in the early 1950s. Nesoff learned from an early age about the importance of being involved in efforts to overcome discriminatory systemic barriers. She retired from a career in social work and human services education in 2008, was designated as a professor emeritus at LaGuardia Community College/CUNY, and continued teaching as an adjunct in social work. Throughout her professional career, Nesoff enjoyed creating meaningful experiences for her students to use writing as a tool for expressing their deepest feelings.

Her passion for reading and writing led her to explore creative writing with the support of family, friends, and colleagues. Paula and her spouse, Irwin, moved to Hull in 2008 after living in New York City for many years. After this move, she began an encore career in massage therapy, working at Boston Medical Center establishing a massage therapy program for underserved populations. She also pursued her interest in weaving, letting her creative spirit create tapestries, table runners, and scarves for her dear ones. Currently, Nesoff is a volunteer with Norwell Visiting Nurse and Hospice, co-leading bereavement support groups, is on the advisory board of the Mindfulness Plus community organization, and an advocate for Medical Aid In Dying.

“Among Us” takes readers on the self-discovery journey of the protagonist, Marion Reilly. Marion is a middle-aged woman whose personal growth came through facing truths about herself, her brother Kevin, her parents, and confronting Kevin’s arrest for the murder of his next-door neighbor. Marion finds her strength to forge a new life through an old friend from high school. She learns how to trust and depend on others, while uncovering her creative spirit, and eventually finding love. Events unfold in New York City’s Upper West side neighborhood in the 1980s and ’90s, a time of increased homelessness, the AIDS crisis, and rising racial tensions. The realities of living in a city where powerful real estate market interests, along with changing demographics, challenge community groups servicing residents living on the fringes economically and psychologically. The story describes the struggles of ordinary people confronting circumstances often beyond their control, learning about themselves and others, as they connect beyond differences to survive.

• The public is invited to meet Hull Public Schools Superintendent Michael Jette as part of the Nantasket-Hull Rotary Club’s regular meeting on Wednesday, February 19. Rotary meetings are open to the public, with a dinner ($25 per person) prior to the 7 p.m. presentation by the guest of honor. Jette has been superintendent since July, and previously was a superintendent in New Hampshire, as well as a high school science teacher. For information on attending, visit www.nantaskethullrotary.org.

• Grace Holden, a Lasell University student from Hull, was named to the Dean’s List for academic performance in the fall semester. To be named to the Dean’s List, Lasell students must complete at least 12 credits and achieve a semester grade-point average of 3.5 or higher.

• Leah Tessler has been named to the MassBay Community College Dean’s List for the fall semester. To be eligible, students must complete at least six credits of college-level courses, be in good standing with the college, and earn a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher.

• Caitlin Hogan has been named to the fall Dean’s List at Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I. Full-time students who complete 12 or more credits per semester and earn a grade-point average of 3.4 or higher earn a place on the Dean’s List.

• State Senator Patrick O’Connor has been named Legislator of the Year by the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. O’Connor received the award during a biannual breakfast hosted by NAIFA for incoming legislators to recognize his efforts to raise awareness of financial literacy among young people.

O’Connor is currently co-sponsoring, with state Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, a bill that would require financial education in Massachusetts schools. This effort has the potential to make a lasting impact on the future financial wellness of students by offering them knowledge for their long-term success, helping them understand how to apply for loans, make large-scale purchases, and how to save and invest.

“This award means a lot to me, and with my acceptance of it I am honored to accredit my receipt in part to everyone who paved the path to where we are now in understanding that a continued lack of formal financial literacy curriculum does a disservice to Massachusetts residents,” O’Connor said. “The empowerment that financial literacy offers will be an important navigation tool to have in the achievement of overall financial health. I look forward to continuing to work hard on the legislative front and with NAIFA to champion policies that will set students within the Commonwealth up with the tools needed for financial success and proper money management.”

BOOKIES. Amanda Davis and Stephen B. Martin were among the dozen local authors who discussed and signed their books at an author and Barnes & Noble Booksellers at Hingham’s Derby Street Shops on January 25. [Skip Tull photos]

• Summer Hill has been named to Plymouth State University President’s List for the fall semester. To be named to the President’s List, a student must achieve a grade-point average of 3.70 or better and complete at least 12 credit hours. Hill is a criminology major.

• Hailey Gould has been named to the Dean’s List for the fall semester at the University of New England. Dean’s List students have attained a grade-point average of 3.3 or better out of a possible 4.0 at the end of the semester.

• Siobhan Burke was named to the University of Alabama President’s List for the fall semester. A total of 14,631 students were named to the Dean’s List with an academic record of 3.5 (or above) or the President’s List with an academic record of 4.0 (all A’s). These driven students are making waves across UA’s more than 70 undergraduate programs and 12 colleges and schools.

• Springfield College has named Faye Lofgren to the Dean’s List for academic excellence for the fall semester. Lofgren has a primary major of health science/pre-PT.

• Carly Donovan has earned Dean’s List Honors for the fall semester at Fairfield University. In order to be placed on the Dean’s List, students must have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours in a semester, have no outstanding or incomplete grades, and have attained a grade-point average of 3.50 or better.

• It’s always beach season around here, as even the chilly water temperatures don’t stop the polar plungers from jumping into the ocean in the middle of winter. That connection isn’t lost on Bruce Berman, a familiar face to many through his years of involvement with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and the Metropolitan Beaches Commission. Even though he retired to Florida in 2023, Berman is bringing some of that community spirit to Biscayne Bay, as the organizer of the Miami Beach Cupid Splash to raise money for the restoration of the bay and to support environmental education programs. The event is set for Sunday, February 16.

“For years I splashed in Boston Harbor for Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, where the water temperature in February was a frigid 38 degrees,” said Berman, who served as Boston’s bay watcher for more than 30 years. “Now that I am older, wiser and spending the winter in South Beach, I am looking forward to continuing that tradition here in 305, where the water will be a chilly 68 degrees. Sure, we will be cold for a few minutes on the beach, but the warm feeling we will get from raising funds for a great cause will last a long time.”

For more details on the event, visit www.cupidsplash.com.

• Mark your calendars for the 44th Annual Snow Row, which is coming up on Saturday, March 15 (weather date is March 16). The race starts at noon and the entry fee is $45 per racer. The Hull Lifesaving Museum’s signature rowing event features a unique LeMans-style start and covers a 3.75-mile triangular course, starting and finishing off the beach at the Windmill Point Boathouse. The Snow Row celebrates traditional boats and rowers, with participants including experienced youth and adult crews from New England, New York, and along the East Coast. Spectators can enjoy the action from the Windmill Point Boathouse or aboard the spectator boat. This thrilling event offers an exciting experience for both participants and onlookers alike. To register or for more information, call 781-925-5433 or visit www.hulllifesavingmuseum.org.

If you have news about Hull residents to share – birthdays, anniversaries, career and education achievements, weddings, births, and other milestones – send your information to us at news@hulltimes.com. If you include a photo, please be sure that everyone in the image is identified. Thank you!

February 06, 2025

Improperly filed easement could complicate Rockaway Annex condo development

February 06, 2025/ Christopher Haraden

By Carol Britton Meyer

An issue relating to the developer’s right to install a water line along an access easement on adjacent private property could delay the comprehensive permit process for the proposed 12-unit condominium development at 25 Ipswich Street in the Rockaway Annex neighborhood.

**ILL AT EASEMENT.** At Tuesday night’s meeting, Hull Town Counsel Brian Winner told the zoning board of appeals that unanswered questions about the developer’s ability to use an easement for utility access ‘touches the fundamental feasibility’ of the Rockaway Annex condominium plan. [IMAGE FROM HULL COMMUNITY TELEVISION]

In a recent letter to town officials involved in reviewing the project, 20 Ipswich Street owner Derek M. Paris objected to the developer’s plan to install utilities on his property and any other improvements or alterations.

Paris’ property, which was originally part of a larger lot of land surrounding the former Veterans of Foreign Wars post, was sold to him and his wife with an easement for public access.

In his letter, Paris said he’s aware that “the small road is open to public access,” but his deed states that he has to allow access to abutting parcels only and that he is opposed to the utilities, “as there is no mention of this in my deed.”

This issue came up during the fifth lengthy zoning board of appeals hearing Tuesday night on the proposed four-story, 12-unit project in the Rockaway Annex neighborhood. Three of the units would be affordable.

Chair Patrick Finn read the letter submitted by Paris, who attended the hearing. The letter is posted on the ZBA’s page on the town’s website, along with other documents and plans.

The ZBA supported Town Counsel Brian Winner’s suggestion that he and his legal team meet with developer Alan Mckenzie’s attorney, Walter Sullivan, to try to resolve this complicated issue.

Click here for plans, correspondence and other details on this project

Winner noted that the attorneys’ role isn’t to determine “who has rights to what property – we’re not the land court,” or to address abutter concerns.

Housing consultant Dean Harrison, representing Mckenzie, a Hull resident, and engineer Tim Powers provided an update on the project this week. This included a revised building design, landscaping, sewer system details, a rain garden to collect surface runoff, and a blasting plan update.

Powers said that the blasting of 2,700 cubic yards of ledge would take about two weeks and involve about 100 trucks to remove those materials. Outstanding issues include stormwater management, waivers to be requested by the developer, and the easement issue.

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.

According to Harrison, the Weir River Water System requested that the developer loop the water service for the development through the easement, which connects with North Truro Street.

“With this outstanding issue, it would be difficult to get financing,” he said. “We will work it out to the benefit of all.”

Winner read a preliminary legal opinion into the record of the meeting, noting that the easement appears to be improperly filed at the Plymouth County Registry of Deeds. He said that while legally there is a potential solution, this doesn’t mean it could be executed, or completed within a particular timeline.

“In the abstract, there is a pathway to potentially go forward, but it’s up to the applicant, if interested. I imagine this will be a topic of discussion among the attorneys,” he said.

Winner added that time is of the essence “because I think it gets to a very fundamental component of this project. If they don’t have the rights to proceed along this easement the way they are suggesting they do, that touches the fundamental feasibility of that proposal. We need an answer to this sooner rather than later.”

Also, Paris wrote in his letter, “I have seen the plans for the project and am very disappointed that anyone would consider allowing someone to build a road on my property which would come within inches of my home and disrupt my family’s life for the foreseeable future. … I will fight this to the end.”

At the hearing, Paris said he’s a “good neighbor,” taking no issue with allowing access to abutters or emergency vehicles.

“I heard from my neighbors that they were going to rip up my property,” he said. “There has been no communication from the developer.”

Finn responded that Paris has “a right to protect” his property and that after the attorneys consult with each other, perhaps there will be an adjustment to the current plan.

Harrison noted that “if it gets to the point where we can’t get this issue resolved within the timeframe for the project, MassHousing [which is involved with approving plans under Chapter 40B] will look at this as a title and not a ZBA issue.”

This means that if the project is approved by the ZBA, the board could set a condition requiring that the developer have a clean title to the easement.

“I’m not suggesting we go that route yet,” Harrison said. “Let’s get the minimum number of attorneys in the room [together to talk about this issue].”

In response, Finn asked, “But [what] if [the] number 20 Ipswich St. owner isn’t in the room? How will this get resolved?”

Harrison said that while he can’t answer for the homeowner, “if he has an attorney, he’s more than welcome I assume to join or to represent himself.”

North Truro Street resident Dan Sullivan read a letter submitted to the ZBA that day and signed by a number of abutters asking that the zoning board deny the comprehensive permit, citing concerns about the “overwhelming scale” of the project and blasting, among others.

Finn expressed appreciation for the developer’s willingness to appear before the design review and planning boards, although not required under the comprehensive permit process, and for completing four sets of drawings, including revisions.

“Time is money,” he said.

The next hearing is scheduled for February 18.

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

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February 06, 2025

HRA approves events for summer season, continues review of parking lot lease

February 06, 2025/ Christopher Haraden

By Carol Britton Meyer

Looking toward the busy summer season, the Hull Redevelopment Authority last week approved two events on its property following lengthy discussions to iron out all the details.

The family-friendly South Shore Revival event, which will celebrate sobriety and recovery from addiction, is scheduled for June 2-8, featuring participation by a number of South Shore churches, The Anchor of Hull recovery and wellness center, a Cohasset recovery group, as well as speakers, live music, and more.

“This will be a celebration of the victory over addiction,” said event organizer Patrick Lenhart, who lives in Hingham and has family in Hull.

Mass Bears and Cubs is a non-profit organization that promotes an inclusive LGBT+ community through fundraising and other community events, and builds upon earlier Bears at the Beach Hull activities in order to carry on and eventually expand upon that tradition.

The Bears and Cubs event, planned for August 2, will be an opportunity to spend a day at the beach in a safe environment while enjoying time spent with others, president Marko Zaric said. The goal is also to support local restaurants by ordering food for delivery and enjoying a meal and drinks after spending time at the beach.

Both free events are contingent on having proper insurance and the required approvals from various town boards.

In other business…

• Chair Dennis Zaia Dennis started off what turned out to be a nearly four-hour meeting with a reminder that the topic of the two-way road plan “will not be discussed at our meetings until we are asked to resume input by request of the town of Hull via the town manager,” who recently submitted a related statement to the authority.

• HRA members continued to review and fine-tune, with HRA technical operations manager Mark Hamin, the draft parking lot lease request for proposals for a maximum of 900 permitted parking spaces, contingent on select board review and approval, to submit to the Central Register (where state, county, and municipal solicitations are posted), working around already approved events.

At its April 7 meeting, the HRA will select the lessee/tenant, with May 1 the start of the parking season. The RFP for vendors will be discussed at the next HRA meeting.

• The board also approved – at Zaia’s request – a process whereby Hamin will not only check his own HRA email regularly, but also the authority’s administrative email account three times a week. He will inform HRA members of any pressing matters to ensure they don’t miss important details related to managing the HRA property, with deliberation at a public HRA meeting in accordance with the Open Meeting Law.

• There was also a lengthy discussion at the end of the meeting about whether the HRA should invite the Wildlands Trust, which recently contacted the authority about a possible connection of some kind between the two, to a meeting.

Members Adrienne Paquin and Dan Kernan favored that approach, while Zaia, who has already met with a Trust representative and noted that “we all want some open space [on the property],” suggested they also talk individually with someone from the Trust and then compare notes with him, and for the board to focus on discussing “Option 3” of the draft Urban Renewal Plan.

On the other hand, Kernan – who has already talked with someone from the Trust – thinks the board should invite them to talk at an HRA meeting sooner rather than later.

“An outfit like the Wildlands Trust demonstrates that there are different paths,” he said, noting that such a conversation could be “a potential door” and would “put a foundation under [past] citizens’ presentations, ideas, and resources” related to the use of the property, including open space preservation.

The next HRA meetings are scheduled for Mondays, February 10 and 24; March 10 and 31; and April 7, 14, and 28.

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

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February 06, 2025

Board adopts Dignity Pledge, reaffirms Hull’s commitment to ‘No Place for Hate’ ideals

February 06, 2025/ Christopher Haraden

By Carol Britton Meyer

The select board addressed a full agenda this week, from hearing a shade tree decision appeal and moving forward with the earlier created 250th Anniversary Committee to reaffirming the No Place for Hate pledge and adopting a Dignity Pledge.

Greg and Judy Cunningham of 49 Prospect Avenue appeared before the board to appeal the earlier decision of Tree Warden Chris Gardner, who leads the Department of Public Works, to not take down three maple trees on town property by their house that they say obscure their view entering and leaving the driveway. Numerous residents wrote letters expressing opposition to their removal. An unhealthy birch tree was removed following the September hearing.

Following some discussion, Gardner felt comfortable with removing the three maples (which are saplings) but not a remaining healthy birch tree (a request withdrawn by the Cunninghams) – a resolution supported by the board with the understanding that the Cunninghams will plant three trees from between eight and 18 feet tall in approximately the same area, but outside of the sight line and out of reach of the power lines, by the end of 2025.

In other business…

• On a reminder by former select board member John Reilly, the board supported establishing a 10-member 250th Anniversary Committee that was prematurely approved at a meeting in 2021.

The committee is charged with planning townwide activities commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence; focusing on remembrances concentrated throughout 2025-26; coordinating events related to the founding of the country; and aligning Hull events with other local, state, regional, and federal commemorations.

Along those lines, the select board is seeking three citizens at large volunteers to serve on the USA Semiquincentennial (250th) Anniversary Committee. Those with an interest in serving are asked to submit a letter of interest to the select board by email to Lori West, lwest@town.hull.ma.us.

Three members with community connections will also be appointed, along with three others. Reilly has agreed to spearhead the effort.

There will be numerous community events offering volunteer engagement for interested residents with a passion for local history.

• The select board also reaffirmed the No Place for Hate pledge that the board adopted in November 2022. It reads: “The Hull Select Board believes in the strength and vitality of an inclusive, equitable, and diverse community. We will work to support and promote these qualities in Hull through the town’s policies and operations.”

Hull “can be proud it’s an active NPFH community, which speaks volumes about what we are as a town,” Chair Irwin Nesoff said.

• In addition, the board adopted the Dignity Pledge, feeling that now is a good time heading toward annual town meeting season, which Town Manager Jennifer Constable noted can be “contentious.”

The Dignity Index Project involves measuring how people talk to each other when they disagree and is based on the core beliefs that contempt causes division, while dignity eases division; that if a spotlight is put on dignity and contempt, people will use more dignity and less contempt; and that if Americans are shown how they can help ease divisions among themselves, they will “jump on it.”

The pledge reads: “As an American who knows and loves my country, I am convinced there is no America without democracy, no democracy without healthy debate, and no healthy debate without dignity; therefore, I pledge to do more to treat others with dignity, not contempt.”

Now is the “right time to reenforce this,” Constable said. “Let’s approach town meeting as a community event and recognize past progress. This is a leadership opportunity for the board.”

Resident Patrick Finn said it’s important not to discourage free speech, noting that the annual town meeting provides a once-a-year opportunity for citizens to “express genuine concern without censorship.”

In Nesoff’s opinion, though, if someone comes to town meeting angry, the pledge could help them “constructively express that.”

He emphasized that the pledge “is not right or left, conservative or liberal, Republican or Democrat. It’s about how we treat each other and about taking a breath and listening to what people are saying – which gives us time to formulate a cogent response. It opens up dialogue.”

• Wellspring Multi-Service Center President and CEO Vinny Harte was reappointed to the affordable housing committee.

• Economic development committee members Kim Roy and William Smyth submitted letters of resignation.

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February 06, 2025

Getting to know the benefits of Veterans Administration health care, state annuity, and property tax abatement

February 06, 2025/ Christopher Haraden

By Paul Sordillo

Hull Veterans Service Officer

This month, I want to discuss VA health care, Death Indemnity Compensation (DIC), the state annuity and tax abatement.

Why VA health care? I’ve had several elderly veterans come into my office seeking benefits from the VA, primarily from VA hospitals, such as hearing aids. For hearing aids and numerous other services through the VA, you must have VA health care. If you have a disability rating of 50% you are automatically enrolled and already have access. If not, you must apply. You can still see your current doctor and keep your current health care insurance and have VA health care.

If you’re the surviving spouse, child, or parent of a service member who died in the line of duty, or the survivor of a veteran who died from a service-related injury or illness, you may be able to get a tax-free monetary benefit called VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (VA DIC). Detailed information in regard to eligibility can be found here.

Veteran annuity benefit is a Commonwealth of Massachusetts benefit for disabled veterans. It is a financial benefit given to 100% disabled veterans, parents of deceased veterans, and unmarried spouses of deceased veterans living in Massachusetts. For more information, click here to view eligibility criteria and application guidelines. You also can email vetsannuity@mass.gov or call 617-210-5480 if you have any questions or concerns about your benefits.

Abatement! For the surviving spouses, after application to the VA for DIC (as talked about above) and approved, and the documentation from the Veterans Affairs stating the veteran passed due to a service connection, and you currently own a home, you could be eligible for 100% abatement for your real estate taxes. See the veterans service office and the town assessors office for more details.

In the Sport-light: News about Hull athletes

February 06, 2025/ Christopher Haraden

Compiled by Matt Haraden

• The Girls Hockey Co-Op Team (3-14-1) dropped two games earlier this week – losing to Boston Latin Academy, 3-2, on Saturday, February 1, and Hopkinton High, 5-0, on Monday, February 3 – before posting a 5-4 victory on Wednesday over North Quincy. The squad’s final two games of the season are on Saturday, February 15 against Hanover High School (8 p.m. at Bridgewater Ice Arena) and on Wednesday, February 19 against Whitman-Hanson (3 p.m. at Hobomock Ice Arena).

• Cohasset/Hull Boys Hockey tied Abington, 5-5, on Saturday and dropped Wednesday’s game to Norwell, 3-1, for a record so far this season of 5-8-1.The team’s next two games are on Saturday, February 8 at 4 p.m. on Connell Rink in Weymouth and Wednesday, February 12 against Middleboro at 8 p.m. Bridgewater Ice Arena.

**GOOD AS GOLD.** Congratulations to Bree Simpson-Sliney for placing first in the high jump at the South Shore League Meet Championship at the Reggie Lewis Center on February 3. She also broke the school record by jumping five feet, two inches! She will be participating in the Division 5 state championship meet, along with Christopher Resnick and Elsie Harper, on February 16 at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston. [Courtesy photo]

• Members of both the girls and boys high school track teams participated in the South Shore League Championships on February 3, and on February 16, Bree Simpson-Sliney, Elsie Harper, and Christoper Resnick will take part in the Division 5 state meet at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston.

• The Girls Varsity Gymnastics Team (co-op with Hingham) remains undefeated after coming out on top over Scituate, 136.65-119.15, on February 2. The team’s final matchup takes place on Friday, February 7 against Hanover at Starland Sportsplex.

• The Girls Varsity Basketball team posted two more wins this past week, improving its record to 9-5 on the season. The Pirates defeated Calvary Chapel Academy, 58-24, on January 27 and Avon, 62-30, on Tuesday. The team’s next two games are on the road – against West Bridgewater on Monday, February 10 at 5:30 p.m. and Abington on Wednesday, February 12 at 6:30 p.m.

• The Boys Basketball team is now 6-10 after posting one win and two losses this past week – a 69-46 victory over Calvary Chapel Academy on Friday, and losses to Avon, 74-58, on Tuesday and to Blue Hills Regional, 90-48, on Wednesday. The Pirates’ final two games of the season are against Cohasset at home on Friday, February 7 at 6:30 p.m. (JV at 5 p.m.), and on the road against Carver on Friday, February 14 at 6:30 p.m. (JV at 5 p.m.).

For more information, visit www.hullpublicschools.org/athletics.

• 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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February 06, 2025

Committee to hold workshops on creating affordable housing units, municipal trust fund

February 06, 2025/ Christopher Haraden

The Affordable Housing Committee will hold two informational meetings this spring in conjunction with the Citizens Housing and Planning Association. The topics will be:

• Thursday, March 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m.: Affordable Housing 101 - What is affordable housing? Why is it important and what can be done to create and preserve affordable housing in Hull?

• Thursday, April 10, 6:30-8:30 p.m.: What is a municipal housing trust fund? How would a community housing trust fund help create, preserve and support affordable housing in Hull?

Both sessions will be held at the Memorial Middle School, 81 Central Avenue, and will be recorded by Hull Community TV.

All are welcome to attend these informational sessions and learn about how to create more affordable housing in town.

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January 30, 2025

School department’s $18.4M budget proposal includes 3% increase for fiscal year 2026

January 30, 2025/ Christopher Haraden

By Carol Britton Meyer

The proposed $18.4-million fiscal year 2026 Hull Public Schools budget represents a 3% – or $535,643 – increase over the fiscal 2025 budget figure.

SOURCE: HULL PUBLIC SCHOOLS | CLICK HERE OR THE IMAGE ABOVE FOR THE FULL BUDGET PRESENTATION

Seventy-seven percent of the budget is dedicated to salaries. In the proposed FY26 budget, salaries total $14.17 million and expenses $4.2 million, including $1.5 million for special education-related (non-salary) costs and transportation (not including special ed), technology, athletic-related expenses, plant maintenance, and utilities.

School Business Administrator Diane Saniuk presented the preliminary budget to the school committee this week, explaining that the collaborative process starts in September and involves staff and school leadership “assessing the needs, where we are, and where we want to go.” She noted that grant funding is not as available at the same level as in past years.

“Grants are basically drying up, and we’re relying more on town funding,” Chair David Twombly responded. “If that goes down, we’ll be in trouble.”

Click here for the full budget presentation

According to the presentation, the percentage of budget funds from grants has decreased over the years, from 6.37% in FY24 to 3.04% this year, and only 2.6% expected in FY26.

“It’s not necessarily anything the school district is doing wrong,” he said. “There aren’t a lot of grants out there, and it’s a competitive process.”

The budget proposal includes about $36,000 in maintenance costs and $55,000 in utilities at the Memorial Middle School, which are to be shared with the town, as the building is slated to house municipal offices. The district also expects to spend $83,715 in tuition for Hull students who attend vocational schools.

In a letter to the school committee and citizens of Hull about the proposed budget, Superintendent Michael Jette said the development of the budget was a team effort guided by one principle: “to meet the academic and emotional needs of every student enrolled in the Hull Public Schools. … This budget prioritizes academic excellence for all by closing educational gaps while supporting the social and emotional wellness of all students through particular attention to equity, diversity, and inclusion.”

Jette also noted that while school officials “are constantly examining our needs and using data to make future projections, there are still many uncertainties in developing a budget that must carry us through the payment of every educational bill received prior to June 30, 2026 [the end of the fiscal year]. This means this budget predicts and plans for spending that is 18 months into the future.”

The mission of HPS is to provide “a challenging and supportive learning environment to encourage all students to reach their greatest potential and to foster the growth of creative, curious, critical thinkers who are equipped to succeed as responsible, compassionate, and productive members of a diverse society.”

District priorities include:

• Enhancing student success and well-being

• Prioritizing professional development

• Expanding and diversifying educational offerings

• Utilizing data-driven decision making and targeted instruction

• Evaluating and strengthening the preK-12 math curriculum and instruction

• Investing in special education and inclusive programs

• Leveraging community and environmental opportunities by exploring new pathways and partnerships – in particular, utilizing Hull’s coastal location to enrich student learning experiences and expand career development opportunities.

The advisory board will review the proposed budget, and a public hearing will be held in April. The budget will also be a recurring item on upcoming school committee agendas.

Committee member Kyle Conley called this “a very sound budget proposal. The school committee takes this part of our work very seriously. I recognize that this is a difficult landscape to be trying to navigate given the number of uncertainties out there.”

She added that this “is an important opportunity to make sure we’re hearing from all our constituents on any priorities” and encouraged continued engagement by the community. “This is a very public process,” she said.

In other business at the meeting

Jacobs School Principal Kyle Shaw provided a mid-year update on middle school student integration – a component of the recently implemented school reconfiguration plan that places grades PreK to 7 at Jacobs School and grades 8 to 12 at the high school.

“The reconfiguration has been a tremendous undertaking as we hit the half-year point of the second year of phase two,” he said. “The biggest pitfall is the loss of experiencing that transition of moving from one building to another – from Jacobs to the middle school – and we’re trying to replicate that experience in the same building.”

The middle school wing at Jacobs provides a “new vibe” for students, including a mural; advisory groups to ensure every student has at least one person in the building serving as his or her “champion;” starting new traditions while building on previous ones; a door decorating contest, a read-a-thon, and field day; more after-school activities, and more.

Students at both levels are getting along well together, and the increase of staff at Jacobs has been beneficial, he said.

“Students and staff have embraced the change,” Shaw said. “There’s been great progress in making the new Jacobs model the best it can be, and the seventh-graders have pioneered and helped shape this new model. It hasn’t been easy.”

Shaw praised the middle school staff for “flexibility, collaboration, and insightfulness in helping us get to where we are today. We’re moving in the right direction.”

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