Hull PorchFest donation to help high school music program pay travel costs

Members of the Hull PorchFest board delivered a check for $2,000 last month to the director and students of Hull High School’s choral and jazz bands.

More than half that money was raised at the Hull PorchFest Revival, a make-up event held in place of the rained-out PorchFest 2023 at the C-Note music club on a Sunday afternoon in November.

A HIGH NOTE. The Hull High music program recently received a $2,000 donation from Hull PorchFest. Some members of the event’s organizing team are shown at the PorchFest Revival in November; clockwise from top left, Kevin Hull, Robin Hull, Fred Meltzer, Pete Coffman, Sue Lynch, and Kathleen McKenna. [Courtesy photo]

Although the Revival was free and no merchandise was sold – instead hundreds of T-shirts and baseball caps from Porchfests past were handed out for free – attendees generously gave more than $1,000 in donations as they enjoyed hospitality served up by C-Note staff and danced to local bands Thirsty Boots, Redbeerd, The Pitfalls, and Assisted Living, all of whom donated their time and talent.

HHS music director Ian Barkon said he’s grateful to the PorchFest board, which designates different local causes each year, for choosing the music program as its recipient in 2023. He said the HHS program is small but consistently wins awards, and its biggest current challenge is covering travel costs to competitions in places like Springfield, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia.

“The generous check from Hull PorchFest will help us reduce the cost of transportation on upcoming band trips for students,” he said. “Believe it or not, the bus is the biggest expense for us. Chartering a bus for three days can run from $5,000 to $7,000. We do compete for national ratings and we’ve received two gold ratings and one silver already.”

Members of the PorchFest board are now busy getting ready for HPF 2024, which is scheduled for Saturday, September 14, with a rain date of Sunday, September 15.

Between now and then, a series of fundraisers and preview events will showcase some of the 30-plus bands and musicians who help make PorchFest such a beloved community event.

Next up is the Party At The Parrot fundraiser on Sunday, March 24, at 2 p.m., featuring complimentary appetizers, three high-energy bands, and a 50-50 raffle, plus auction and raffle items donated by Hull artists, business owners, and more. Net proceeds will go to the Hull Lifesaving Museum’s programs for local veterans, which include a coffee hour speaker series, boat-building sessions, and rowing expeditions.

“We’re excited to find the right veterans’ outreach initiative that will increase  awareness and participation in the outstanding programs the lifesaving museum is spearheading and running for local veterans,” said Sue Lynch, president of Hull PorchFest and a Desert Storm veteran who currently serves as an Army Judge Advocate General officer. “As a veteran myself, I truly believe in the importance of programs that bring veterans together because they foster the kind of camaraderie that represents the very best part of military service.”

PorchFest began in 2018 to celebrate and create a stage for the many local artists who live and play music in and around Hull. A free, all-ages event, it takes place on the porches and in the driveways of the neighborhood that spans Kenberma to Revere streets, and Massasoit to Beach avenues. For info and updates, follow Hull PorchFest on Facebook and Instagram, or visit www.hullporchfest.org.

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Shorelines - Good news about your neighbors

• Charlie Gould on the road to recovery… Many know native Hullonian Charlie Gould from his many community activities and his frequent contributions to our letters to the editor page. He is recuperating at home after a recent hospital stay, and some of his recent visitors shared their good wishes with us.

From Ken Walsh, Hingham-Hull VFW Post 6053 JVC Service Officer and American Legion Post 140 Senior Vice Commander…

I stopped by and visited Charlie today for 30 minutes. He has been recovering at home since his stroke and dehydration. Charlie was in a good mood, a little weak, but doing well, considering. We talked about his service in the Korean War and his time as an instructor at the West Point Military Academy, and his service to the Town of Hull. As always, when I told Charlie that he is in our prayers, he told me not to worry, that he is praying for us, also. A man who has served our country and community all his life, and still he will pray for us, even when recovering from a stroke. We could really use people like Charlie in our communities and country today.

God bless you, Charlie! 

From Charlie’s family…

Charles Gould would like to thank the town of Hull for thinking of him and praying for him. On behalf of his nieces and nephews, we thank you, too.

He is beating the odds just like we all thought he would.

We love you, Uncle Charlie – “stay golden.”

• Congratulations to Edward “Skippy” Parent and his wife, Linda M. (Barrett) Parent, who will celebrate their 55th wedding anniversary on March 28. Both were born and raised in Hull, and Ed was employed by the highway department for almost 40 years and rose to become superintendent of streets for 22 years. Linda was a well-liked server at a number of Hull restaurants over the years. After Ed retired in 2005, the couple moved to Port Charlotte, Florida. They have three children and five grandchildren.

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!

No Place For Hate’s annual Feast of Conversations to talk about ‘tough topics’

We are excited to announce that the Hull No Place for Hate Annual “Feast of Conversations” will take place on March 24 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the Hull High School cafeteria.

This year's subject, “Can We Talk? Tools For Talking About Tough Topics,” will provide speakers to help us better understand how to have productive conversations in a variety of settings, from public to private.

Darryck Dean, who is a lead conciliation specialist for the Community Relations Service of the U.S. Department of Justice, and Doug Thompson, mediator, recently retired from the Consensus Building Institute and continuing as adjunct professor in the graduate program on dispute resolution at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, will share guidance and perspectives from their experiences as professional peacemakers. They will offer insight that will help us avoid the pitfalls that can undermine our communication on tough subjects. They will also discuss tools we can use to have conversations with better outcomes, even if we continue to disagree.

The format for this year’s feast will work like those in the past; after the keynote speakers, we will all participate in a series of facilitated appetizer, main course, and dessert conversations at our tables. These discussions will help us think about ways to appreciate each other’s views in a meaningful way. Table facilitators will guide our understanding and practice of these skills. Finally, each table will share their comments and ideas so that we can learn from each other and work together to strengthen the fabric of our community.

It seems to many that as a country we have lost a sense of how to disagree without separating ourselves. We hope this year’s feast will instead bring our community even closer so we can continue to stand together.

Registration is not required, but is appreciated. Visit https://bit.ly/FOCRSVP2024, scan the QR code, or email hullnoplaceforhate@gmail.com to register.

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Expect detours, delays as crews resume Atlantic Avenue project

Drivers may encounter traffic detours on Atlantic Avenue during the next three weeks as work restarts on the reconstruction project after a winter hiatus.

Construction resumed on Monday, March 18, as crews from P.A. Landers began raising manhole covers along the entire stretch of the road. Work on new drainage at the intersection of Montana Avenue (across from the entrance to Gunrock Beach) also is planned during the next two to three weeks.

According to the Hull Department of Public Works, traffic may be detoured periodically between 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day between School Street and Jerusalem Road; however, pedestrians, bicyclists, school buses, and emergency vehicles still will be able to get through the work zone. Access to homes, businesses, and town hall also will be uninterrupted.

During the winter, utilities relocated utility poles. During the next several months, project work will include installation of granite curbs, paving of sidewalks and the final road surface, installation of new signs, and line painting.

The work is expected to be complete by July.

Updates are available on the town’s website, www.town.hull.ma.us, or by contacting Joe Stigliani at jstigliani@town.hull.ma.us or the DPW, 781-925-0900.

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Paragon Carousel to host egg hunt, photos with the Easter Bunny this weekend

The Paragon Carousel is gearing up for an enchanting start to its 96th season on Easter weekend.

Join us on Saturday, March 30, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., for a special opportunity to capture cherished memories with the Easter Bunny. Thanks to Such Fun Photo Booth, families can have their pictures taken with the Easter Bunny from 12-3 p.m. This delightful experience promises to be a highlight of the weekend for visitors of all ages.

The celebration continues Easter Sunday, March 31, with an exhilarating Easter egg hunt on the front lawn of carousel, starting at noon sharp. Thousands of colorful eggs will be hidden throughout the carousel’s picturesque grounds, offering an exciting adventure for children and families. This cherished tradition is free for all attendees, ensuring a joyous and inclusive experience for the whole community.

Following the Easter egg hunt, guests are invited to embark on a whirlwind of fun with rides on the carousel, which will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Revel in the nostalgia and magic of the carousel as you enjoy its timeless charm and enchanting atmosphere.

As Paragon Carousel prepares to kick off its 96th season, the team is dedicated to providing an unforgettable experience for visitors, fostering a sense of joy, wonder, and community spirit. Whether you’re capturing moments with the Easter Bunny or embarking on an Easter egg hunt adventure, the carousel promises a weekend filled with smiles, laughter, and cherished memories.

For more information, visit www.paragoncarousel.com.

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Town-owned parcels identified as potential affordable housing sites

By Carol Britton Meyer

Parcels on Gosnold Street, the land next to St. Nicholas Church on Spring Street, and the parking lot at XYZ Streets have been identified as vacant town-owned land potentially suitable for the development of affordable housing.

Consultants Jennifer Goldson and Noah Harper presented the results of a recent grant-funded town land feasibility study – which included only parcels larger than one-half acre – to the affordable housing committee last week.

THE SITE OF THE VILLAGE SCHOOL, shown at left next to the current St. Nicholas United Methodist Church on Spring Street, has been vacant since the building was taken down after the Memorial School was built. it is being considered as a lcoation to build affordable housing units. [Postcard courtesy of the Hull Historical SOciety]

“The consultants used information from the town’s housing production plan to identify the parcels, did a quick survey of all the properties to determine which ones could be appropriate for affordable housing, and came up with seven properties,” Irwin Nesoff, the select board’s liaison to the committee, told The Hull Times. “They did a deep dive on those parcels and highlighted three that could be used for this purpose.”

The Village and XYZ sites are considered more suitable, he said, because they are flat and already cleared, while the Gosnold parcel, consisting of several lots that could be combined into one, is wooded and would require removal of a large number of trees.

The Spring Street land has been empty since the former Village School was taken down after the Memorial School was built; the XYZ Streets site is the current municipal parking lot.

No conclusions reached as yet

“The meeting was for informational purposes only and no decisions have been made,” Nesoff said. “The purpose of the study was to inform the AHC so they can make a recommendation to the select board. There was no discussion about developers or whether such units would all be affordable or a mix of affordable and market-rate.”

Three members of the public attended the meeting.

“There were no concerns voiced,” Nesoff said. “There were mostly questions about the sites, and the difference between a [Chapter] 40B comprehensive permit and a friendly 40B, which is one possibility.”

With a so-called “friendly 40B,” the town works with the developer, whereas with a typical project proposed under Chapter 40B, developers are allowed to circumvent many local regulations in exchange for an affordable housing component, which means limited town oversight.

“There was some discussion about the possible use of town hall for affordable housing [once the town offices move into Memorial School], but that site is not included in the consultants’ research,” according to Nesoff. “We’re only looking at vacant town properties.”

Two smaller parcels also identified

Working with the AHC, South Shore Habitat for Humanity has identified two smaller town-owned parcels of less than one-half acre for a duplex and one-family house, one on N Street at the corner of Nantasket Avenue and the other on F Street near Cadish Avenue, according to Nesoff. The N Street land is the site of the former Bayside Theater and later the Lighthouse Assembly of God church, which the town purchased with the intention of building a new library.

The creation of affordable housing is considered a high priority since more than 37% of Hull residents pay more than 30% of their income on housing, according to the town’s 2022 housing production plan.

Another concern is that Hull’s current affordable housing comprises only 1.6% of the town’s overall housing stock, falling far short of the 10% affordable housing goal for Massachusetts.

The study is an important next step, Nesoff said, because with the large developments proposed, the town “is actually going backwards and not forward” when it comes to achieving the 10% state affordable housing threshold, referred to as “safe harbor” because doing so virtually protects the town from projects under Chapter 40B.

‘Affordable housing crisis’

“Hull is in an affordable housing crisis, and this study moves us in the right direction,” Nesoff said. “People who grew up here can often not afford to stay in Hull, and the creation of affordable housing could help them, as well as seniors who wish to downsize and people who have been priced out of the rental or home ownership market because the prices and interest rates are so high. More affordable housing could also attract more families who would enroll their children in the Hull Public Schools.”

The select board recently showed support for the AHC working with the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, at no cost to the town, to determine the best way to create affordable housing and for the committee to conduct outreach to residents about affordable housing.

The consultants’ final report will be presented to the Affordable Housing Committee on Tuesday, April 16.

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‘Personal reasons’ prompt Minelli to resign from school committee after four years

By Carol Britton Meyer

School Committee member Ernest Minelli resigned from his position at Monday night’s meeting, effective immediately.

He was reelected to the committee for a second term in 2023, which would have expired in 2026.

ERNEST MINELLI

“I’ve decided to step down for personal reasons,” he said. “I need to dedicate more time to health and wellness goals and to spending more time with my children. I feel this is the right time.”

Minelli, who grew up in Hull, said that during his years on the committee, he enjoyed serving the school district and working with Superintendent Judith Kuehn, the central office leadership team, school administration, educators, support staff, families, students, and the community.

“I fully support incoming superintendent Michael Jette as he begins his leadership of the school district this summer, and I believe wonderful things are happening in the Hull Public Schools,” Minelli said.

Minelli next needs to submit his written resignation to the town clerk, although it is unclear whether the vacancy will be placed on the spring town election ballot, as nomination papers for the May 20 election are only available until March 27. A three-year term on the school committee currently held by Kyle Conley already is on the ballot.

He expressed appreciation for the voters who elected him and gave him the opportunity to serve and wished “continued success and prosperity for the entire HPS community.”

While saying he was disappointed to hear the news, School Committee Chair David Twombly said Minelli has been “a great member of the committee. He was always well-prepared, thoughtful, and respectful, asked very good questions, and worked well with administrators and teachers.”

Twombly also pointed to his efforts with the school consolidation planning process.

“We’ll miss you, but you can always come back [run again] as time allows,” Twombly said.

In response, Minelli said he will continue to be involved as a parent.

Other members of the committee also wished him well.

In other business at the meeting, the committee concluded its public business and entered into executive session to discuss negotiation strategy with respect to collective bargaining with the teachers union.

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HRA chair’s ideas for land include housing units, portable stage, public safety building

By Dolores Sauca Lorusso 

As part of its ongoing exploration of development ideas for its property, the Hull Redevelopment Authority on Monday night heard Chair Dennis Zaia’s ideas to build some housing units, a new public safety building, a shuttle bus network, art installations, a mobile stage, and event space.

In July, the HRA began accepting citizens’ ideas for the land with the goal of assembling “more options and information for community consideration which may become part of the draft Urban Renewal Plan.” Presentations were heard from most of the 21 groups throughout the fall; now each HRA member is making his or her pitch.

Pieces from many of the citizen’s concepts captured Zaia’s interest and made their way into his vision, including QR codes on signs to provide a historical and nature narrative, artist installations and events, contour seating, a mobile stage, gardens, and honoring those from whom the land was originally taken.

Zaia did not include changing the traffic pattern to a two-way road in his plans because he wanted to “exhibit what can happen with the existing reality.”

In the long-term, he sees the HRA land having sustainable park land, but for the time being would like to explore having pollinator gardens and other indigenous plants that will grow well on the land. Julie Richberg of the Trustees of Reservations assisted in the development of a list of arborists and horticulturists in the area.

In addition to sustainable park land, Zaia suggested deed-restricted housing to create a “new neighborhood in Hull that looks like single-families, but are apartment buildings…six structures, each has eight units of varying sizes.”

“Based on data and general sense, Hull needs housing to allow many folks… to stay in town,” Zaia said. “I don’t know how 48 units translates to profits for developers, but the park must be driven by available resources.”

He cited “a cycle of movement classic in many locations…younger home buyers upgrade to a larger home, seniors downsize to something more affordable with less maintenance and upkeep, allowing seniors to stay in their beloved community of Hull.”

Zaia would like the authority to consider making land near the light plant available to the town for a public safety building providing a “unified place for fire and police.” He also expressed his desire to invest in a demonstration of small helix wind turbines as a “beautiful homage to the light plant.”

Transportation and parking around Hull, especially during the busy summer months, has repeatedly come up at the HRA meetings. In the short-term, Zaia would like the HRA to arrange for a free shuttle bus from the DCR parking areas to the HRA lot on Saturdays and Sundays beginning June 1, as well as shuttles from the MBTA commuter rail stations at Nantasket Junction and Cohasset.

“People will have a chance not to move their vehicle and go to another spot in town,” he said, adding that it “will expand the economic vitality of the whole region.”

A few areas to be addressed currently are the cost-effective improvement of the safety and security of the present HRA property, develop parking signage, and learning more about the Nantasket Beach Reservation Trust Fund.

Possibly in conjunction with the Weir River Watershed Association, Zaia would like to institute a program to enhance the eel grass on the bay side of the Weir River. He invited Alex Berkowitz, founder of Coastal Protection Solutions, and developer of wave breakers, to walk the property. According to Berkowitz, wave breakers are “an innovative solution designed to reduce the height and velocity of ocean waves to protect coastal property and lives.” The Harvard University graduate student is testing the concept in hopes of sparing coastal communities from the fate her hometown, of Rockaway Beach in Queens, New York, suffered after Hurricane Sandy.

As the board has said previously, the HRA is more than a parking lot, and with this in mind, Zaia would like to continue looking into events like Stars Above from the Hideaway Circus which will be coming to the HRA land the beginning of July, as well as opportunities for a mobile stage. Other events Zaia would like the HRA to begin investigating to promote “engagement, entertainment, and collaboration” are winter ice sculptures, a bonfire on a barge on the bay side, an event like Providence’s Water Fire to be held on the bay at high tide, winter surfing, and artist events.

Zaia would like to reach out to Blue Bikes, a public bike-share program sponsored by Blue Cross of Blue Shield of Massachusetts to improve the “health and wellness of the community.”

Zaia supports the use of the word “improvement” as members write the draft URP and move toward “collaboration and eventually compromise.” Some improvements for his long-term vision are contour seating that provides vistas from the ocean to the bay, slightly raised walking paths, and a transportation hub for buses. A simple improvement for the intermediate timeframe Zaia would like to research is the placement of stone tables to play checkers and chess.

Zaia requested members of the select board watch the recording of Monday’s meeting to offer feedback to bring everyone closer to consensus on the Urban Renewal Plan.

“I hope my ideas, both crazy and simple, might be heard by those who have similar thoughts…it is my dream and hope we can come to some compromise that will work for more of us than we think,” said Zaia.

The pubic is encouraged to submit questions and comments on the HRA website, www.hra02045.com, but the board will hold correspondence until all HRA members have made their presentations.

On March 18, Joan Senatore and Bartley Kelly will present their concepts for the land, followed by Dan Kernan and Adrienne Paquin on March 25.

A video recording of the meeting is available on Hull Community Television’s website, www.hulltv.net.

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School Committee proposes 20-year deal to relocate town offices to middle school in fall

 By Carol Britton Meyer

The school committee signed off on a 20-year memorandum of agreement with the town Monday night that would allow some town services to move into Memorial Middle School once its grade consolidation plan is complete and the building is available for other purposes, but no earlier than July 1 of this year.

CLICK HERE FOR THE ENTIRE DRAFT MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT.

The select board was scheduled to review the agreement Wednesday night. It is subject to obtaining funding for the town hall relocation and related costs of outfitting the building for town offices. [Click here for related story.]

The school committee would maintain control over the building for the duration of the agreement, which allows the town to occupy the first and second floors for town hall-associated “community purposes,” along with the use of certain shared space – including the auditorium, gymnasium, and cafeteria.

If there is an expansion of school programs in the future, the school committee would negotiate with the town for the expanded use of Memorial School for school purposes.

Also, the committee could at any time, with advance notice of not less than 24 months, terminate the agreement.

It would be effective for 20 years, provided that not later than 24 months prior to the expiration date, unless the agreement was terminated earlier, both parties shall attempt in good faith to negotiate a successor agreement.

The committee’s intent is to lease the ground floor to an educational institution such as the South Shore Educational Collaborative, which currently rents classrooms at the Jacobs Elementary School.

Should that tenant no longer need the space, nor the school department, the town would have the right of first refusal, subject to negotiations with the school committee.

Other portions of the agreement relate to making structural or appearance changes and the sharing of operating, bondable capital, and custodial costs and that “recommendations for allocations of the school budget shall not be affected as a result of this agreement.”

Last January, the school committee gave its vote of approval for the second and final phase of the Best Educational Use of School Facilities reconfiguration plan to change the Jacobs School configuration to PreK through grade 7 and the high school configuration to grades 8 to 12 beginning with the 2024-25 school year.

Phase 1, which has already been implemented, is housing Pre-K through grade 6 at Jacobs Elementary School, grades 7 and 8 at the Memorial School, and grades 9 through 12 at the high school for the current school year.

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Select Board rejects terms of Memorial School lease; assistant town manager hired

By Carol Britton Meyer

The select board reviewed this week the proposed memorandum of agreement between the town and school committee that would allow the town offices to move to Memorial School once the school consolidation plan is complete, but stopped short of approving it due in part to concerns about the 20-year length of the license.

Board members agreed that the agreement should be changed to anywhere from 25 to 40 to 50 to 99 years, a message Town Manager Jennifer Constable will take to Superintendent of Schools Judith Kuehn prior to a planned joint meeting between the committee and board to discuss the proposed agreement, the date not yet decided.

Concerns also were expressed that the school committee has the right to terminate the lease with no shorter than 24 months’ notice. The school committee would remain in control of the building.

“This would not give the town enough time to find alternative town office space, which doesn’t exist,” board member Irwin Nesoff said. “We need to protect the town, and a 20-year lease and 24-month lease cancellation period don’t do that. The substantial cost to relocate the town offices beckons a longer term.”

While noting that “we can’t not [ultimately] sign the agreement,” board member Brian McCarthy advocated for a longer cancellation timeframe. Otherwise, he said, the town “would only have 24 months to make a plan if the school committee needs the building back.”

Town Counsel James Lampke told the board members that if they aren’t satisfied with the license terms, “you shouldn’t enter into it, discuss it further at the joint meeting, or go back to the drawing board.”

The school committee accepted the agreement Tuesday night, which would allow the town offices, and perhaps the senior center, to occupy the second and third floor once the building is vacated under the school consolidation plan. [Click here for related story.]

While Select Board Chair Greg Grey called the agreement “less than perfect,” he referred to it as “a giant step forward. We’re in a better place right now.”

Constable emphasized that whatever the relocation costs would be, which voters will be asked to approve at the upcoming annual town meeting, they would be far less than restoring the deteriorating current town hall.

In other business at the meeting…

Constable announced that Stacy Callahan, who is currently serving as the human resources director for the Town of Rockland, was recently hired to fill the new position of Hull’s assistant town manager. Her first day on the job will be April 8. Before being hired as Hull’s town manager, Constable was the assistant town administrator in Rockland.

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