HRA to conduct townwide opinion survey as it maps future for 13-acre property

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By Carol Britton Meyer

The Hull Redevelopment Authority is planning to conduct a townwide survey as it prepares plans for future use of its 13-acre property.

The HRA is requesting the submission of applications to provide services for the design of a survey with the goal of encouraging as many people as possible to respond.

Whatever company is hired to perform this service will also analyze public responses to the survey questions, “which will help in the creation of the HRA’s future draft Urban Renewal Plan,” HRA Technical Operations Manager Mark Hamin told the board at its most recent meeting on August 18.

Requested services include working with HRA members on the design of effective survey questions and creating a format that will optimize response rates, survey platform features, response data analysis, and submission of a survey report that integrates the survey results and findings.

The HRA will be responsible for the time, labor, and costs of printing and sending out and collecting survey mailings.

Applicants are required to document that they have completed at least three survey projects in the past five years similar to what is being requested in the HRA solicitation.

The board authorized Hamin to reach out to potential bidders and to post the solicitation of services on various listservs and other outreach.

Applications are due Tuesday, October 14, at 5 p.m. Bids for services must be less than $50,000 to qualify.

The solicitation of services is posted on the HRA website, www.hra02045.com. The HRA is expected to make a selection by Monday, October 27, with a meeting scheduled for that evening.

A more detailed description of the project scope provided in the full solicitation document is available by contacting Hamin at mark.hamin@hra02045.com.

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Interested in local government? Deadline approaching to apply for vacant seats on town boards

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Residents looking to get involved in Hull’s town government have a unique opportunity to apply for appointment to three town boards – there are open seats on the elected school committee and redevelopment authority and the appointed Design Review Board.

The deadline to apply for appointment is September 8 for all three vacancies. Residents should send letters of interest and resumes to Town Clerk Lori West at town hall, 253 Atlantic Avenue, or lwest@town.hull.ma.us.

Appointments for the elected seats will be made by a joint vote of the select board and the remaining members of the relevant board. Successful candidates will need to run for the office in next spring’s annual town election to keep the seat.

The DRB is appointed by representatives of the select board, beautification committee, conservation commission, historical commission, and the planning board.

More information, including the specific responsibilities of each of the boards and committees, can be found at www.town.hull.ma.us/home/pages/volunteer-opportunities.

The Times will publish statements of candidates seeking appointment to these positions through our September 11 edition. Weekly deadline for a submitting statement of goals and qualifications, as well as a photo, is Tuesday at 5 p.m. Send your information to news@hulltimes.com or drop at our office, 412 Nantasket Ave.

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Shorelines: Good news about your friends and neighbors

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RECENT DOCENTS: The Hull Lifesaving Museum extends its warmest congratulations to Kadee and Mike, the inaugural graduates of its docent training program, and expresses sincere gratitude to ARC of South Shore for their invaluable collaboration in making this program a reality. Mike and Kadee and their friends and families celebrated their remarkable achievements at the museum last week. [Photos courtesy of the Hull Lifesaving Museum]

• Four Hull students were among the 5,000 students who earned bachelor’s degrees at the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s undergraduate commencement on May 16. Congratulations to Katie Lynn Clifford, Katie Marie Fortnam, Melissa Jada Rymaszewski, and Ellie Miriam Zieper, who received their degrees during the ceremony.

• Residents interested in filling a vacant seat on the Hull School Committee are encouraged to apply for appointment before September 8 – see story in this edition for full details. There also are open seats on the Hull Redevelopment Authority and on the Design Review Board, and the deadline for letters of interest is the same. The Times will publish statements of candidates seeking appointment to any of these positions through our September 11 edition. Weekly deadline for a submitting statement of goals and qualifications, as well as a photo, is Tuesday at 5 p.m. Send info to news@hulltimes.com.

• Happiest of birthdays to Frances Finn of Hull Village, who celebrated her 90th birthday on August 16.

• Earlier this month, we let you know about Vincent Curran’s participation in the Pan-Mass Challenge bike ride in memory of his father, Stew Curran, who died in November 2021. The annual event raises funds for cancer research. At last check, he had raised almost $10,000 this year. He has a team of about 100 riders in his group, Crush 11, who keep the wheels turning to support glioblastoma research.

• Johnny Cupcakes, the iconic T-shirt brand founded by Hull’s John Earle, is having a blowout sale at its Weymouth warehouse on Sunday, August 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. More details can be found in the ad in this week’s edition. Earle will be there selling his personal collection of art, arcade machines, furniture, books, toys, and other collectibles, and T-shirts will be on sale for as low as $5. Visit 36 Finnell Drive to see what’s for sale.

GOOD HEALTH: Manet Community Health hosted patient and community appreciation tables at each of its eight practice sites, including the Hull Medical Center on George Washington Boulevard, during National Health Center Week.

• Manet Community Health joined community health centers nationwide, which together serve 32.4 million patients, in marking National Health Center Week from August 3-9. The celebration included a series of patient and community-focused events at Manet’s eight primary-care locations (including the Hull Medical Center on George Washington Boulevard), bringing together patients, staff, and supporters. The week also included staff appreciation surprises and treats and patient and community appreciation tables at each Manet site, staffed by a variety of staff offering information about the health center, blood pressure checks, healthy snacks, Manet keepsakes, and health and wellness tips. In keeping with the NHCW theme of “America’s Health Centers Celebrating 60 Years of Improving Our Nation’s Health,” Manet posted a series of historic milestones and photos on its social media channels throughout the week and debuted a video featuring 60 words and phrases that patients, community partners, and staff use to describe Manet. To see the video, visit www.manetchc.org.

• Jack Conway’s Hull office recently welcomed April Contrado to its talented team of Hull real estate agents. With a background in early childhood education and years of experience as a preschool teacher, Contrado brings patience, organization, and strong communication skills to her real estate career.

“I love helping people with one of the largest purchases of their lives,” Contrado said. “My goal is to go above and beyond to make sure my clients feel supported and satisfied every step of the way.”

Contrado is known for staying calm under pressure, getting along well with clients, and ensuring smooth, seamless transactions. She is motivated by her goal to become a top-producing agent with Jack Conway and to be a trusted resource in the community.

• Summer is still here, but the Anne M. Scully Senior Center is getting ready for its annual End of the Summer Soiree on Thursday, September 4. The event takes place at 4 p.m. at the Bernie King Pavilion and promises a fun evening of music, food, and friends, generously funded through a grant from Better Beaches-Save the Harbor, Save the Bay. Call the senior center at 781-925-1239 to register and for more information.

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!

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Report outlines ‘aqua necklace’ of 168 waterfront access sites throughout Hull

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By Carol Britton Meyer

The final report of a committee that inventoried Hull’s waterfront access points envisions the numerous locations that dot the Hull peninsula as individual “gemstones” of a public park – an “aqua necklace” in the style of Boston’s Emerald Necklace – and seeks to form a constituency for supporting the creation, maintenance, and marketing of these sites “as a unique resource of the community of Hull.”

The Waterfront Access Committee, which includes a working group formed following an independent study of known access points by the Woods Hole Group, presented its report to the select board during a well-attended meeting Wednesday night in the Hull High School Exhibition Room.

Click here to read the full Waterfront Access Committee report

Click here for the committee’s presentation to the select board

The working group’s role was to work with the consultants to identify and develop an assessment of town-owned waterfront property, with the ultimate goal of providing public waterfront access wherever possible.

168 waterfront access points identified

The WHG study – which identified 168 waterfront access points in Hull, including the top 25 sites that could be improved – includes an assessment and prioritization of existing waterfront access, information about whether public access has been established and what type, parking availability, including handicapped parking spaces, and any coastal or wetland resource areas and flood paths.

After reviewing the Woods Hole report, the working group created teams to look at the sites mentioned.

Of the 25 specific locations where access could be improved, five sites in particular stood out for improvement. These are in the area of Rockview Road that extends down to the Weir River; George Washington Boulevard where the Hull Community Garden is located; off North Truro Street in the Rockaway Annex neighborhood; Island View Road at the intersection of Bay Street; and a location off Atlantic Avenue.

HULL’S ‘AQUA NECKLACE:’ A new report by the Waterfront Access Committee analyzed how Hull residents get to the water in each neighborhood, and identified 12 sites for immediate improvement. The committee envisions the individual sites to be an ‘Aqua Necklace,’ similar to Boston’s Emerald Necklace string of public parks. Click the image to read the full report.

12 top-priority sites

Waterfront Access Committee Co-Chair David Kellem presented the 12 top-priority sites identified by the working group and the level of improvements that would be needed for each one.

The are Duck Lane near the Hull Village Cemetery, the Western Avenue stairs in Hull Village, James Avenue landing, Bradford Avenue on Allerton Hill, the A Street ramp and pier, Lewis Street Beach, Beech Avenue at Clifton Avenue on Sunset Point, Eighth Street at Edgewater Road, the Barnstable and North Truro ramp in the Rockaway Annex neighborhood, Weir River landing near the former town dump, the Malta Street Beach, and the North Truro/Barnstable/Dighton access point in the Annex and Priscilla Way/Eastman Road, bordering Straits Pond.

Both the select board and planning board, which met in joint session this week, accepted the report.

Next steps

Next steps include developing a unified physical and electronic map of all access points, funding immediate safety upgrades and accessibility improvements, ensuring equity and Americans with Disabilities Act access are central to project selection, conducting feasibility studies for large-scale projects, and prioritizing legal review of sites where public access is disputed.

Access points will be marked with stenciling rather than more intrusive signs. Community Preservation Act funding will likely be sought to help implement the overall waterfront access plan once it is finalized.

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

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Over residents’ objections, board votes to take beach parcels by eminent domain

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By Carol Britton Meyer

The select board Wednesday night approved on a 4-1 vote an order of taking and awarded related damages to the owners of 31 Beach Ave. and 33 Malta St. as part of a dune protection effort along Nantasket Beach.

Following an executive session with the select board to discuss litigation strategy involving these properties, former Town Counsel James Lampke – who has been involved with this case for some time – asked the board to approve the order and to award damages of $7,100 for each property.

BEACHED: The town is slated to take by eminent domain the beach parcels across from 33 Malta Street (top) and 31 Beach avenue (Bottom), as authorized by a vote at the spring town meeting.

Voters at this year’s annual town meeting supported the town acquiring both parcels by eminent domain as a step toward protecting residents and property on Beach Avenue and the surrounding area from flooding and expected higher tides, and to ensure the integrity of the protective dune system. Jerry Taverna – who opposed the town meeting article – voted against the order of taking Wednesday night.

“We’re not talking about taking anyone’s house, but patios that are on town property and in part of the street,” Lampke said.

The patios are impacting the town’s efforts “to build an effective dune system along the beach to protect properties west of Beach Avenue from any onslaught of storms,” he said.

In order to do this, “it’s necessary to acquire a clean title and remove any doubts,” Lampke said. “The dune will be built and reinforced in this area similar to other parts of Beach Avenue in accordance with the town meeting vote. Once an order of taking is recorded at the Registry of Deeds, any claims others have to these properties will be extinguished.”

A resident of 33 Malta St. noted that this case hasn’t gone through Land Court, questioned the $7,100 in damages, and urged the board not to vote in favor of the order of taking.

“We have tried every step of the way to work with you,” she said. “We closed out path to the beach and planted beach grass and are asking you to build the dune up … and stop fighting with us. The patio has been there for years. Work with us. You are not talking with us.”

The two property owners have the right to challenge the amount of the damages, which was determined by an appraiser, and the eminent domain process “saying it’s not for a public purpose,” Lampke said.

“The town says it’s necessary to have a good dune system to alleviate flooding and for the protection of private property and the town’s infrastructure, which is a public purpose,” he said.

The property owners will receive notice of the action and will be notified of their rights and the timeframe for filing any appeals.

The board also authorized Town Manager Jennifer Constable to sign documents related to the property takings on behalf of the town.

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Yakubian steps down from school committee to apply for Jacbos nursing position

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By Carol Britton Meyer

School committee member Regan Yakubian has resigned in order to apply for a nursing job within the school district. She is the second elected official to unexpectedly step down in the past two months.

The school committee would like to fill as soon as possible the vacancy resulting from the August 11 resignation, Superintendent of Schools Michael Jette said last Thursday, August 14, during a brief meeting of the remaining school committee members over the Google Meet platform

“I have decided to step down to pursue the opportunity to apply for the newly vacant position of school nurse at the Jacobs School,” Yakubian wrote in her letter of resignation. “This opportunity will allow me to continue to serve the district and its students, while also utilizing the skills and knowledge I have gained as a nurse over the past 15 years. I have great confidence in the members of our school committee and look forward to watching them continue to lead our district in a positive and meaningful direction.”

The board voted unanimously to send notice of the vacancy to the select board and to request a joint meeting as soon as possible to interview candidates to fill the vacancy until the May 2026 town election, when Yakubian’s term expires. She was first elected in 2023 as a write-in candidate.

In selecting the new school committee member, each of the five select board and four remaining school committee members has a vote.

The vacancy has been posted on the town’s website and is advertised in this week’s edition of the Times, including the three key roles of school committee members: “financial oversight, hire and collaborate with school superintendent, and set district policies.”

“We need to make formal notice to the select board to initiate the process,” Jette said, following the usual practice of holding joint meetings to fill openings on when an incumbent resigns before his or her term expires.

Jette set forth a timeline for appointing Yakubian’s replacement, leaving it to the committee to decide if it was “too aggressive.”

In response, Chair Kyle Conley, Brendan Kilroe – who participated from Albania, where his family was vacationing – Courtney Littlefield, and Liliana Hedrick agreed time is of the essence and accepted the proposed timeline.

Anyone interested in serving on the committee is asked to submit a resume and letter of interest to Town Clerk Lori West by Monday, September 8, the same deadline set for applications for the other current vacancy on a town board – a seat on the Hull Redevelopment Authority.

“I recognize this is a quick, aggressive timeline, but we’ve got a lot of things to take care of to get the school year [started],” Conley said. “If we need to, we can make an adjustment based on interest in the vacancy, or if no one steps forward … in which case we would have to promote the vacancy more … or if we hear [something different] from the public.”

Conley praised Yakubian's contributions to the school committee.

“Regan did a fantastic job and was a real asset to all of our initiatives and work,” she said. “It’s sad as a school committee to lose her as one of our own, but I’m thrilled she’s going to apply for a position with [the Hull Public Schools].”

On a nomination from Hedrick, the board elected Littlefield as secretary, a position formerly held by Yakubian.

“I hope you've been taking good notes!” Conley quipped.

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

In the Sport-light: Roundup of news from Hull's wide world of sports

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Compiled by Matt Haraden

• At the Hull Yacht Club, the Late Summer Series continued with 15 boats on the line on Thursday night, August 14 on a combined night with Hingham as RC. The start of the first race was uneventful, but area storms ultimately found their way to Hull Bay as boats were rounding the first weather mark. The race was abandoned and the fleet made its way back to the mooring field with winds topping out at just about 30 knots. All returned safely with no breakage. Sailors did get the full Fleet Wellness Program spa treatment though, which included a dry sauna session, salt spray therapy, a sea air blow-dry and a thorough fresh-water douse, in that order. All enjoyed the porch party and were particularly happy that the Hull Yacht Club approved the installation of the second hot tub during the off-season. There is no racing scheduled for this Thursday, August 21, as the R19 National Championship will be under way in Marblehead. Next race is Thursday evening, August 28.

• School starts next week – August 27, and Hull High’s fall athletic season is already under way, as fall sports teams already are gearing up with practices. The girls varsity soccer squad has a two-game home stand coming up to start off, facing Quincy at home on Thursday, August 21 at 10 a.m. and a yet-to-be-named opponent on August 23 at 11 a.m. The JV team’s season begins on Wednesday, September 3, with a 4 p.m. home game against Carver. The boys varsity soccer team also starts on Saturday, August 23 at home, with a 1 p.m. home game against an unnamed opponent, and then hits the road for Carver to play at 4 p.m. on September 3 (JV game at 5:30 p.m.)

• The Hull High Pirates Varsity Football team starts off with two games on the road – the first on Saturday, August 23 against Blue Hills Regional Technical High School in Canton at 11 a.m., and then on August 27 against Atlantis Charter School in Fall River at 5 p.m. The team then returns home for two games, the first against East Boston High School on Saturday, August 30 at 10 a.m., and then on the following Friday, September 5, against Wareham under the lights at 7 p.m.

• Registration is open for Hull Youth Soccer – boys and girls in grades Pre-K through second grade. Registration includes both the fall 2025 and spring 2026 seasons. Fall programs begin on Saturday, September 13; spring play will begin in April. Sessions are held on Saturdays at the Dust Bowl field in Hull Village and teams have the same schedule each week for convenient planning. It’s a great way for kids to learn soccer skills, build confidence, and play with friends in a fun and supportive environment. Registration closes on September 3. Visit www.hullyouthsoccer.com for more information.

• Hull Youth Football and Cheer will kick of its season with a pep rally on Friday, September 5 at L Street at 5:30 p.m. A fun night is planned with football introductions, cheerleading performances, and pizza. At 7 p.m., everyone is planning to head to Hull High to cheer on the varsity team in its game against Wareham.

For the full schedules of Hull High’s athletic teams – as well as a season-long scoreboard – visit www.hullpublicschools.org/athletics.

• Coaches, league organizers, and superfans – 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 Wednesday at noon. 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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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

A note from the Editor...

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We are looking for Times readers' opinions: We've gotten feedback about the length of letters to the editor that we have published over the past few months. In one sense, we want to be a reflection of community sentiment and let people know what our readers are thinking, but we also don't want long letters to crowd out other features or affect our readers' enjoyment of the paper. Our website encourages writers to keep it short, but we've relaxed that restriction in the interest of facilitating public debate. We'd like to know what our readers think - please comment by sending us an email at news@hulltimes.com.

Legitimate answers only, please: This is not an opportunity to insult correspondents or debate the merits of their arguments. We're interested in this from a policy perspective. Thank you!

Long-vacant convenience store site at A Street sold to local businessman for $1.2 million

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By Carol Britton Meyer

After sitting vacant for four years, the former convenience store at the corner of A Street and Nantasket Avenue has been sold to a local businessman.

Anthony Ghosn, owner of Mambo’s and Tipsy Tuna, purchased the former 7-Eleven for $1.2 million from 7-Eleven Corporation on July 15 under the corporate name 670 Nantasket Avenue LLC, according to the Plymouth County Registry of Deeds.

EXHIBIT A: The long-vacant building at the corner of A Street and Nantasket Avenue that previously housed a 7-Eleven convenience store and A Street Liquors has been sold to the owner of two local restaurants who also had proposed opening a retail marijuana shop in town. His plans for the site are not yet known.

The Registry of Deeds also has a separate agreement between the parties that allows 7-Eleven access to the property post-closing to finish the remediation of hazardous materials that had been delaying the sale of the building.

Ghosn’s plans for the property aren’t yet known and attempts by the Times to reach him were unsuccessful. Ghosn operates the two restaurants in the Surfside area and has submitted a proposal for a license to sell retail marijuana in Hull.

A grocery store or convenience mart had been at the site since the late 1960s until the 7-Eleven store closed in 2021. It previously housed a franchise of the Tedeschi Food Shops chain; A Street Liquors occupied the second unit before relocating across the street. 

In June 2022, surveyors discovered a gasoline storage tank near the Nantasket Avenue border of the half-acre site, which is believed to remain from its previous use as the Waveland Garage from about 1922 through 1966.

Ghosn was not the only interested purchaser of the site. Incorporation papers signed by Quick Pick and Atlantic Hill Market owner Bobby Patel on May 16, 2024, list Bhaveshkumar (Bobby) Patel as the president/treasurer/secretary/director of a corporation located at that address, with a convenience store use listed as the intended type of business.

Patel told The Hull Times in a telephone interview Monday that he had earlier signed a purchase and sale agreement with 7-Eleven for $1.2 million, subject to a report confirming the completion of cleanup work on the former gas station site.

Quick Pick and Atlantic Hill Market both serve local neighborhoods, and he envisioned opening a convenience store at 670 Nantasket Avenue to serve that part of town, he told the Times.

Because he was unable to obtain such confirmation – since the cleanup had not yet been completed – “the purchase-and-sale expired,” he said, declining to comment further.

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Interested in serving on the HRA? Apply for open seat by September 8

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Residents interested in filling a vacant seat on the Hull Redevelopment Authority are encouraged to apply for appointment before September 8.

The opening resulted from member Dennis Zaia’s resignation on July 23. A new member is scheduled to be selected during a joint meeting of the HRA and the select board on September 17.

The new member will serve until the annual town election in May, when the seat will appear on the ballot. Zaia’s term runs through 2029.

Interested applicants should send a letter of interest by September 8 to Town Clerk Lori West at Hull Town Hall, 253 Atlantic Avenue, or email lwest@town.hull.ma.us.

The Times will publish statements of candidates seeking appointment to this position through our September 11 edition. Weekly deadline for a submitting statement of goals and qualifications, as well as a photo, is Tuesday at 5 p.m.

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.