Light plant to study changes to ‘net billing’ policy after feedback from solar advocates

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By Carol Britton Meyer 

The Hull Municipal Light Board created a task force this week after a ratepayer expressed frustration with the utility’s recent switch from net metering to net billing for customers with solar panels on their homes.

On Monday, Denise Fisher told the board why she and other residents with solar arrays are frustrated about the recent switch from net metering to net billing and the negative impacts of this change for “residents and the local economy.”

The idea behind net metering is for customers with solar to earn “credits” on their Hull Light bill for the energy their solar panels produce, to reduce the amount they are charged monthly. A recently instituted fee structure based on a solar system’s capacity changes that premise.

Click here to download the complete presentation

Fisher provided an overview of Hull Municipal Light Plant’s net metering and net billing policies and the background to this policy change, which went into effect May 1.

The change increased the array charge from $2.00 per kW installed per month to $4.05 per installed kW per month and no longer allows customers to use banked credits.

Concerns include that this change penalizes solar users, making it impossible to recover the cost of installing their solar arrays, while at the same time discouraging others from investing in solar power.

Customer concerns

Fisher’s presentation outlined customer concerns and community feedback she has heard in response to the change related to fairness and transparency of ongoing policies, and that increased costs negatively impact solar owners financially, as well as potentially causing a setback to Hull’s clean energy goals.

“Instead of penalizing solar customers with extra fees, solar advocates propose policies like a ‘value of solar’ tariff, which would compensate solar owners for the total benefits they provide to the grid. This approach aims to provide a more accurate valuation that considers all the positive impacts, not just the financial effects on the utility’s bottom line,” Fisher said.

Supported by “concerned solar owners and citizens,” Fisher asked the board to roll back the May 1 policy change and to research what neighboring communities are doing.

Task force will report back

The task force, consisting of light board chair Tom Burns, who has a solar array, and light board member Dan Ciccariello, who doesn’t, will examine the solar rate structure and address the concerns aired by Fisher and other solar users on Monday, along with written comments and concerns shared with either Burns or light plant manager/town manager Jennifer Constable.

The task force will report its findings during a public meeting – after notifying the town’s solar users – within the next two to three months.

“We’re trying to deal with everyone’s concerns – including mine – and come up with a more transparent policy that better reflects our commitment [to solar energy],” Burns said. “We want to encourage the use of solar energy, and I [recognize] that this revised policy makes it very difficult for people who want solar to get onto the solar bandwagon, which is not my intention… You’ve got a good advocate right here [referring to himself].”

The task force will also research how other communities are dealing with this issue.

During the meeting, Fisher noted that there is no mention in the April light board minutes about approving the solar billing change.

In response, Constable explained that the motion adopted by the board that night concerned an Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company presentation that included the policy change.

‘Minutes can be extremely short’

Burns said that minutes can be “extremely short and just mention a motion and a vote. They’re not intended to reflect the entire meeting.” The task force will also reach out to MMWEC to put some numbers together.

Following more discussion about this issue, board member Patrick Cannon – noting, “We’ve made some good headway with [the establishment of a] task force” – said, “We’ve discussed this issue before, so let’s run with it.”

The next light board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 16.

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

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

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JUST DUCKY: About 100 boats hit the course during last Saturday’s beautiful weather for the Hull Yacht Club’s Great Chase Race. Bill Bradford, Race Committee, left, and Captain Peter Mahoney of the Windemere supervise the placement of the large inflatable duck in the bay as part of the race course. [Photos courtesy of Marianne Buckley Curran]

Compiled by Matt Haraden

• Boys 5/6 Soccer won their first away game of the season in Plymouth with a final score of 7-1. Jordan Dunn scored four goals, three of which with assists from Zachary Shea, Gibran Succar, and Harrison Jones. Andy Michaelides, Cody Calabria, and Zachary Shea also scored one goal each. Braedyn O’Hare and Silas Van Slyke were great at defensive positions, and Ryder Lankas came out strong in his first game as goalie. Now 1-1 on the season, the team’s next game is this Saturday, September 20 in Scituate at 1:10 p.m.

• Girls 5/6 Soccer had an impressive 3-1 win at home against Plymouth on Saturday, September 13, thanks to a timely goal by Magnolia Harbin with an assist from Scarlett Reilly. Defender Leah Dibley, and newcomer to the net Ada McMullen, provided shut-down defense to secure the win.

•  Hull Youth Soccer’s in-town fall programs are under way. Games are on Saturdays at the Dust Bowl field in Hull Village and teams have the same schedule each week for convenient planning – Guppies (coed): 9-10 a.m.; Kindergarten (coed) and Girls Grades 1 & 2: 10-11 a.m.; Boys Grades 1 & 2: 11 a.m. to noon.

To round out a great day of soccer, some of Hull’s travel teams will play at the high school in the afternoon: Boys 3/4 (Duran) vs. Kingston at 12:30 p.m.; Girls 3/4 vs. Sacred Heart at 2 p.m.; and Boys 7/8 vs. Cohasset at 3:30 p.m.

• The Hull High Pirates Varsity Football team was defeated by South Shore Technical High School last Friday on the road, 30-0. This Friday, the Pirates return home to play Monomoy on Friday, September 19 at 7 p.m. under the lights. This game is extra-special, as it will incorporate Alumni Night and recognition of National POW/MIA Recognition Day.

As part of Recognition Day, Hull veterans are invited to participate in honoring all POW/MIAs, especially Joseph Dunn and James Sullivan, both members of Hull High’s Class of 1960. Veterans interested in participated are asked to muster at Finlayson Field at 6:45 p.m.

Former students, athletes, and members of the Hull Marching Pirates are invited to Alumni Night as the football team takes on Monomoy. Following the game, alumni can head over to the Nantasket Beach Salt Water Club at Mariners Park to continue the celebration.

• Hull High’s girls varsity soccer squad’s next three games are on the road – at Pembroke on Friday, September 19 at 4 p.m., Middleborough on Monday at 4 p.m., and Norwell on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

• Boys varsity soccer lost at home to Abington, 4-1 on Wednesday, to bring the Pirates’ record to 1-3. Up next are three home games, vs. Holbrook on Friday at 4 p.m., Middleborough on Monday at 5:30 p.m., and Norwell on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

• 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.

Hull’s Lindsey Buck to release debut album ‘The Laundry & The Ecstasy’

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Hull’s Lindsey Buck, well known to local audiences as the powerhouse frontwoman of the high-octane rhythm and blues band The Pitfalls, steps into the spotlight with her debut album of original songs, “The Laundry & The Ecstasy,” out September 19 on Newvelle Records.

[Photo by Maura Wayman]

At 40, while raising her two children here in Hull, Buck lost a loved one and, in her grief, signed herself up for piano lessons with jazz pianist Elan Mehler. What started as a quiet hope for solace through music quickly grew into songwriting and, eventually, recording with a full 10-piece band. From her first open mic at the Hull Yacht Club’s coffee house to performing at Hull’s inaugural PorchFest to singing with local bands like Seawitch and The Alloys – including a longtime collaboration with Hull guitarist Danny Coyle (also of The Pitfalls) – Buck has been encouraged at every step by neighbors, friends, and local supporters. That support, from a successful Kickstarter campaign to a grant from the Levitate Foundation, helped bring to life “The Laundry & The Ecstasy.” The album blends original soul, blues, and jazz-infused music and stands as a heartfelt tribute to both personal resilience and the community that carried her forward.

“The Laundry & The Ecstasy” will be released September 19 by Newvelle Records. The album features Buck’s powerful vocals, heartfelt lyrics, and the vibrant energy of an all-star group of jazz musicians.

“This music was born right here in my kitchen in Hull,” Buck said. “I’m so grateful for the community support that helped me bring it to life, and I can’t wait to share it with the people who made it possible.”

The album will be available on vinyl, streaming on all major platforms, and at www.lindseybuckmusic.com.

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HRA charges parking vendor with violating contract; seeks bids for property-use survey

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By Carol Britton Meyer

During what Chair Bartley Kelly referred to as “the quickest meeting we’ve had in a long time” – 20 minutes – the Hull Redevelopment Authority on Monday heard a brief update on a townwide survey on uses of the HRA property and released minutes outlining the alleged default of its parking contractor.

The HRA voted to release minutes from executive sessions on July 28, August 4, and August 18 regarding the lease of the authority’s parking lots. During these closed-door meetings, the legality of which The Hull Times challenged through an Open Meeting Law complaint, the authority declared Dunn Rite Parking in default of its lease agreement. The authority charged that the vendor was “not abiding by the contract” by taking cash payments, not reporting sales data to the HRA, and failing to make the lease payment due on August 1.

The Times questioned the propriety of the executive sessions under the Open Meeting Law, which allows for private discussions of contracts and legal issues if “an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the public body.”

The Times contended that by allowing parking vendor Henry Dunn to attend at least one of the executive sessions, the HRA had disqualified itself from using this provision of the law, as public discussion of the contract could not have a “detrimental effect” because all parties to the agreement were in the same room. The Times’ complaint requested that the HRA immediately release the minutes of executive sessions about the parking issue.

Click each date for the minutes from July 28 | August 4 | August 18

According to the July 28 minutes, Dunn “admits to taking cash and will not commit to stop taking cash” and “has been purposefully not sending parking data (numbers).” On August 4, the HRA voted unanimously to send Dunn a letter informing him that he was in default under the contract.

HENRY DUNN OF DUNN RITE PARKING

On Monday, Kelly said the letter was sent to Dunn by FedEx on August 18 and apparently was delivered to a neighbor's house by mistake. Kelly said he hand-delivered the letter last Thursday afternoon to Dunn and “hopefully he complies with his contractual obligations and we won't have to go further legally” – but if that doesn't happen before the next meeting, “that would be the next step.”

Regarding the survey, the specifications for the questionnaire design and analysis is posted on the HRA website at hra02045.com. The goal is to encourage as many people as possible to respond.

The company hired to perform this service will also analyze public responses to the survey questions, which will help in the creation of the HRA’s Urban Renewal Plan.

Requested services include working with HRA members on the design of effective survey questions and the submission of a survey report that will integrate the survey results and findings.

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 this solicitation.

The board authorized HRA Technical Operations Manager Mark 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 HRA is expected to make a selection at its Monday, October 27 meeting.

In the meantime, Kelly said he will find an earlier HRA survey from 2001 and email it to the other board members to give them ideas for questions to ask on the new survey.

In other business at the meeting, Kelly reminded board members about a joint select board/HRA meeting scheduled for September 17 “to look at letters of interest and resumes” from candidates interested in filling the seat formerly occupied by Dennis Zaia, who unexpectedly resigned in July.

Kelly will forward the letters and resumes to board members to help them prepare for the meeting – but not to discuss before September 17 – and to have their questions ready for the candidates that night.

The next HRA meeting after the September 17 session with the select board is Wednesday, October 15.

Christopher Haraden contributed to this report.

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Article 37 proponents press their case prior to Wednesday’s meeting with select board

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By Christopher Haraden

With Wednesday’s joint light board/select board meeting slated to discuss the management structure of the utility, proponents of removing the town manager as light plant manager are pressing the issue on multiple fronts, including asking Town Manager Jennifer Constable to recuse herself from the discussion and gathering signatures to call a special town meeting this fall.

In May, voters approved annual town meeting Article 37 by a 116-83 vote. The article proposed returning to the independent management setup that was eliminated in 1993 when town meeting requested that a home-rule petition be filed on Beacon Hill. Although this year’s proposal was approved, Constable told the light board and select board that legal counsel had deemed Article 37 as “not actionable” because it did not include provisions about filing special legislation.

At Wednesday’s meeting, light commissioner Jacob Vaillancourt, who sponsored the town meeting article through a citizens’ petition, plans to ask the select board to request that Hull’s state legislators file the home-rule petition to enact the management change.

If the board declines to pursue the matter, other supporters are circulating petitions to call a special town meeting to vote on a new version of Article 37 that contains the required wording. The effort, led by Leslie Taylor, needs the signatures of at least 200 registered voters.

Vaillancourt also has asked the select board to direct Constable to recuse herself “from any participation in Article 37 matters,” a follow-up to a formal complaint he filed in July with the State Ethics Commission, alleging that Constable “has engaged in a pattern of conduct constituting multiple, serious violations of the Massachusetts Conflict of Interest Law.” Among other allegations, Vaillancourt charged that Constable has a “direct financial interest” in the outcome of Article 37 as the head of both departments. He also alleged that because of “the pattern of treatment I have experienced, which has included retaliatory actions from the town manager since filing Article 37, the Commission indicated that I likely fall under whistleblower protections.”

On Wednesday, Constable said an Ethics Commission attorney provided her with a guidance letter on August 5, advising that “nothing shows that your financial interests would be affected by your participation in discussions, meetings, etc., or matters associated with Article 37/special legislation” because her contract is not expressly linked to the light plant’s finances.

The letter, signed by Assistant General Counsel Christoper N. Popov, also said that state law regulating public officials’ participation in matters in which they may have a financial interest excludes “enactment of general legislation by the General Court and petitions of cities, towns, counties and districts for special laws related to their governmental organizations, powers, duties, finances, and property.”

In an email sent Wednesday to the select board, Vaillancourt requested that if a special town meeting is called, Constable recuse herself from involvement in “all STM preparation, warrant drafting, briefings, and meeting administration.” He termed the “stalled implementation of Article 37” as resulting from the select board’s “dereliction of duty.”

Select board Chair Irwin Nesoff disagreed.

“Mr. Vaillancourt, the proponent of Article 37, was informed before, during, and after annual town meeting that his citizens’ petition was legally defective because it does not comply with home-rule requirements, prescribed by law, to effectuate a charter amendment,” Nesoff said Wednesday. “If there is a special town meeting it will be due to the proponent’s unwillingness to allow the deliberative and legal processes to play out, and not due to any supposed ‘dereliction of duty’ on the part of the select board as charged by Mr. Vaillancourt. Spending $35,000 on a special town meeting, when there is no emergency, is a waste of hard-earned tax dollars.”

The agenda for Wednesday’s select board meeting has not yet been posted. The board also plans to hold joint meetings with the redevelopment authority and school committee to interview applicants for open positions on those boards.

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

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Compiled by Matt Haraden

• Boys 5/6 Soccer lost its first game of the season at home to Carver, 7-4. The boys came out strong in the first half, but Carver prevailed in the second half. Jordan Dunn had three goals, two of which connected with assists from Andy Michaelides. Liam Palermo also scored a goal. Zachary Shea and Enki Mundo did a great job at midfield. The next game is Saturday, September 13 in Plymouth at 2:30 p.m. 7/8 Boys started off the season very strong, beating Marshfield, 5-0, on the road. Amazing all-around performance by the full team. Special mention to the defense line with Tamas and Slava and the forward line Tristen, Henry and Eathan.

STANDING TALL: With the fall athletic season under way, Hull High’s cheerleading squad is hard at work, perfecting their routines during practice on Monday in the school’s gym.

• Girls 5/6 Soccer opened its season in impressive form on Saturday with a 4-1 win against Pembroke. The team welcomed strong debuts from newcomers Emma Medina and Evelyn Lombardo, while Olivia Veissid made a confident first start as goalkeeper. Willa Britton and Frankie Rockett each netted two goals for the Lady Pirates.

• Hull Youth Soccer’s in-town fall programs begin on Saturday, September 13. Games are on Saturdays at the Dust Bowl field in Hull Village and teams have the same schedule each week for convenient planning – Guppies (coed): 9-10 a.m.; Kindergarten (coed) and Girls Grades 1 & 2: 10-11 a.m.; Boys Grades 1 & 2: 11 a.m. to noon.

To round out a great day of soccer, some of Hull’s travel teams will play at the high school in the afternoon: Boys 3/4 (Duran) vs. Carver at 12:30 p.m.; Boys 3/4 (Bilodeau) vs. Kingston at 2 p.m.; Girls 5/6 vs. Plymouth at 3:30 p.m.; and Boys 7/8 vs. Hanover at 5 p.m.

• Hull Youth Football’s A Team Midgets hit the road this past Sunday. September 7, with 14 players to face the larger, higher-division Sandwich Bulldogs. The OCYFL has introduced cross-play, allowing lower-division teams to compete against higher-division teams throughout the season. The Pirates played in challenging weather conditions, with pouring rain and strong winds on the Cape. New Head Coach Jeff Lundrigan achieved his first victory, as all 14 players made significant contributions to the team’s 22-0 win. Hull will play at home next Sunday, September 14 against the higher-division Hanson team.

• Hull High’s girls varsity soccer squad’s next two games are on the road – at Abington on Wednesday, September 17 at 4 p.m. and at Pembroke on Friday, September 19 at 4 p.m.

• Boys varsity soccer fell to Cohasset at home on Monday, 5-0, to even up the Pirates’ record to 1-1. Up next are Randolph (on the road) on Monday, September 15 at 4 p.m. and then Abington back home on Wednesday, September 17 at 5:30 p.m. (JV at 4 p.m.)

• Hull High Pirates Varsity Football lost its first game under the home lights on Friday, September 5, as Wareham came out on top, 22-7. This Friday, the Pirates travel to Hanover to play the South Shore Vo-Tech Vikings at 7 p.m., then return home to play Monomoy on Friday, September 19 at 7 p.m.

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

© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Former owner of bike shop pleads guilty to theft, ordered to repay $12K to local customers

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By Carol Britton Meyer

The former owner of a local bicycle shop pleaded guilty to five counts of larceny in Hingham District Court last month after several customers say he took thousands of dollars from them and failed to deliver the merchandise and business opportunities he promised.

William J. Hennessey

William J. Hennessey, 56, who owned the now-defunct South Shore Cycles on Nantasket Avenue, pleaded guilty on August 26 and was sentenced to three years of probation and required to pay nearly $12,000 in restitution for taking deposits from numerous customers and then not delivering on what he promised, among other actions. Hennessey was also ordered to return a bike frame and parts to at least one of the victims.

According to court documents, Hennessey pleaded guilty to two counts of larceny over $1,200, and two counts of larceny under $1,200, and one count of larceny from a person older than 65.

Hennessey did not respond to attempts to reach him this week, but some of the victims shared their stories with The Hull Times.

Marianne Buckley Curran, a Hull resident and local artist, asked Hennessey in 2022 following her husband’s passing if he did resales and was told yes, and to bring his bike to the shop for that purpose.

However, she said she was never paid for the bike, and Curran asked that Hennessey be required to reimburse her in her victim statement.

“In a time in my life, after a major tragedy, trusting other individuals is paramount. The fact that this man took advantage of someone recently widowed is disheartening and sickening,” Curran said.

Cat Bryant brought her bike to Hennessey’s shop in response to an ad in October 2021 offering to tune and store bicycles over the winter for $129.

The following spring, when she asked Hennessey about her bike, he told her “it needed a lot of work and that I would need to spend at least $320 more to get it back in rideable condition. It didn’t seem unreasonable as it had sustained some rust and the tires had deteriorated,” Bryant told The Times.

‘Empty promises’

However, when Hennessey did get back to Bryant after she’d “tracked him down,” she “got empty promises. . . . He promised me he would get my bike back to me and refund my money even if he had to take out a loan. All hollow words.”

It took Bryant a couple of years before she filed a police report, at which time she learned “there were others he scammed for much more money than I paid him. I think there are more people than the five of us whose dockets were joined in court. This man should be in jail, but then obviously we wouldn’t be receiving any restitution. At least I finally received my bike back as one of the conditions for his release from custody,” she said.

After renting an electric trike from Hennessey in 2021, Patricia Lambert and her spouse, Kathy Mulvey, learned to ride it and pedaled together around Hull, Cohasset, and Hingham.

“When Bill offered a monthly subscription rate, I was delighted to sign up,” Lambert said.

‘I decided to invest’

The following January, Hennessey “pitched me for a $2,500 investment in his shop. As a committed supporter of local business, I decided to invest.”

However, Lambert was unable to “get something in writing” to formalize the deal, despite frequent attempts. “Nothing was ever forthcoming, and his excuses at the time seemed plausible,” she said.

As part of her investment, Lambert “was supposed to get unlimited access to my e-trike … and a share of the profits of South Shore Cycles. However, every time I tried to rent the trike that summer, Bill told me it was unavailable. When I saw him at community events such as Endless Summer, he promised me a check was coming as soon as he reconciled the accounts, but I never received a penny.”

Completely unsatisfied with the arrangement, Lambert asked Hennessey to convert her investment into a trike purchase in early 2023.

“Bill agreed, but he was squirrelly and evasive. At one point he even conned me into paying an additional $250 for shipment of an e-trike he claimed to be ordering on my behalf,” Lambert told The Times.

As the summer waned, Lambert realized she needed to take action and filed complaints with the Better Business Bureau and the state Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Protection.

Other reports filed

“When Bill still failed to make good on his promise, I went to the Hull Police and reported the theft. At the same time, I ordered my own electric tricycle so that I could enjoy it for a few weeks, including during the visit of my sister and brother-in-law from overseas,” Lambert recalled.

As a retired person, she needed her money back.

“But more importantly, as I read the police log in The Hull Times, I noticed reports of other people being scammed or not getting their bikes back after leaving them with Bill for repairs,” Lambert said. “Over the course of the past couple of years, I met some of these folks in our repeated visits to the Hingham District Court. And I got to know Graham and George at Atlantic Cycles, the successor to South Shore Cycles and a valuable institution in our community.

I wanted Bill to be brought to justice so that nobody else would suffer similar losses.

It has been a long road, but I’m pleased by the outcome of the criminal prosecution of Bill Hennessey,” Lambert said.

Atlantic Cycles, owned by Graham Mattison, is not affiliated with Hennessey’s business. Mattison said he and his son have worked to build goodwill in town, including with some of those who filed complaints against South Shore Cycles.

In early December 2022, Neil Wood visited Hennessey’s bicycle shop. Two days later, Hennessey told Wood that he was placing an order for a large crate of e-bikes and asked if he wanted to be a part of it.

“I ordered two electric bikes as a surprise birthday gift for my wife,” Wood recalled. “He promised they would arrive in 12 weeks, asked for a personal check for $1,650 each, and assured me everything was in order.”

However, the bikes never arrived. “In a 12-week span, I gathered eight pages of excuses, stories, lies and promises,” Wood said.

By June 2022, he realized he had been “conned and filed a police report. I later learned that at least eight other victims had similar experiences with Hennessey.”

Delays and cancellations in court

For more than two years, the case dragged through courts with delays and cancellations.

“Finally, on August 26, 2025, Hennessey appeared in court from Plymouth jail,” Wood said. “Judge Byrne called him a ‘conman,’ noting his long history in courthouses.”

According to Wood, the judge ordered Hennessey to repay his victims within 36 months. “If he fails to make the required monthly payments, he will return to jail for the maximum sentence. This will be a violation of his probation,” he said.

Wood said he is sharing his story “not only to warn others, but also to remind our community to be cautious. If a deal sounds too good to be true – or if payment requests raise red flags – trust your instincts. Unfortunately, my experience shows that not everyone doing business in our town has honest intentions.”

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Affordable Housing Committee elects new chair, to host session on trust fund, needs of residents

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The Hull Affordable Housing Committee has elected Kate Barclay as its new chair. A former at-large member of the committee, Barclay has displayed unwavering dedication to the advancement of affordable housing in Hull.

A lifelong Hull resident and passionate affordable housing advocate, she accepted the position at the committee’s August 12 meeting and is expected to bring her personal and practical understanding of housing issues within Hull to the leadership position. Particularly, Barclay has expressed interest in creating affordable housing solutions for seniors like her father who have been unable to age in place without assistance, and young couples looking to find affordable housing within the town they know and love.

The committee also re-elected Ed Parsons as co-chair and former chair Cynthia Koebert as clerk.

After voters at the May town meeting established Hull Community Housing Trust Fund, the Affordable Housing Committee appointed Bob Pahl as its representative to the trust fund.

Pahl, a local architect and former historical district committee member, plans to bring his wealth of affordable housing expertise to serving as one of its trustees. Pahl has a unique perspective and knowledge of the housing life cycle from design plans to construction and preservation. As a member of the Affordable Housing Committee, Pahl has played a pivotal role in community education, material generation, and political efficacy.

On Tuesday, September 16 at 7 p.m., the Affordable Housing Committee will hold a conversation about the future of affordable housing in Hull. During the session, committee members and other participants will discuss:
• The types of affordable housing that are needed and feasible for development and preservation;
• Funding the Community Housing Trust Fund;
• Opportunities for community engagement and resident advocacy;
• Resident stories regarding housing affordability;
Hull residents, landlords, and businesspeople can attend remotely at https://us06web.zoom.us/s/81224243632.

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To our readers...

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Thank you to all of the Times readers who responded during the past two weeks to our request for feedback about the length of letters to the editor. As we mentioned, we want to reflect 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’ overall enjoyment of the paper.

Some of the feedback was surprising. While we expected our readers to have a lot to say, we were pleasantly surprised at the depth and breadth of some of the comments. Some chose to add their thoughts to our social media posts, while others emailed directly, and a few sent texts or phoned in their opinions. Many readers used the opportunity to offer story ideas or suggestions about other parts of the paper, and we’re grateful for all of your feedback.

The majority of the responses favored a word limit of some kind. Here’s a sampling:

“I believe that a word limit encourages writers to think strategically about how they want to present their point without including too much superfluous information or repeating themselves…”

“As a reader, I completely lose interest when the letters are that long – make your point and land the plane…”

“It seems to me that your readers most likely enjoy reading what their neighbors thoughts are on Hull issues, but chances are that brevity scores more interest…”

“I confess to stopping reading when a letter continues to nearly a whole page, and the writer is a frequent contributor… No limitation at all does not encourage thoughtful, economical commentary…”

“I do feel that letters that exceed about half a column in length are excessive and limit the space for other topics. I also feel posting letters from the same writers repeatedly is unbalanced…”

“Open with main topic. Provide facts, statistics, history, and maybe personal opinion. Close repeating main topic. KISS = Keep It Short, Sweetie…”

A surprising number of correspondents favored a looser interpretation of our current guidelines, which encourage writers to express themselves in a couple hundred words. Those readers’ thoughts echoed these sentiments:

“Please continue to allow long letters to the editor. Every letter does not have to be a cheerleader for the town. I hope that you continue to allow free speech in every form, long or short…”
“Please, please, please allow for the length needed in the editorial section of the paper for the residents…”

“The length doesn’t trouble me as long as the letter stays on topic and is well written…”

“The letters to the editor is one of my favorite sections next to the police log. I very much appreciate hearing others’ thoughts on town issues and while some letters may be long, it is sometimes necessary to convey a point…”

“If they take the time to write a letter ... print it. I welcome others’ opinions and sometimes the letters to the editor are the only way we learn about an issue in town…”

“It truly depends on the subject …Some long ones are wholly necessary to get it all in. Others are not and get boring, but I like knowing other points of view…”

We’re encouraged by all of this feedback, which demonstrates that our readers are engaged and regard the Times – in print and online – as a place to learn about important issues. We always enjoy hearing from people who love Hull as much as we do.

In light of all of your feedback, we are revising the word limit of letters to the editor. Correspondents are asked to be economical in expressing themselves and respect the space limitations of the newspaper and the attention spans of readers. Letters of 300 words should provide ample opportunity for getting your point across; for more complex topics, we will, in special cases, extend this to 500 words. We trust that our correspondents will understand our thinking and respect our desire to include as many voices on as many topics as possible.

-- Christopher Haraden, Editor

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Open Studios this weekend to feature 32 local artists in their working environments

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This year’s Hull Artists Open Studios 2025 not only celebrates the organization’s 29th anniversary, but will feature 32 artists, plus the award-winning Gallery Nantasket at 121 Nantasket Ave., which showcases fine art and craft from 25 artists.

Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., immerse yourself in the beauty of Hull’s neighborhoods, enjoy the scenic views, and meet our incredible artists. Whether you are a first-time visitor or a seasoned traveler to Hull, we’re confident that you’ll be amazed by the exceptional quality and variety of creative work produced in our unique seaside area.

Visit https://hullartists.com/openstudios for in-depth information on all attending artists and their media; an interactive map of the event; the ability to print a listing of the artists and a map of each studio’s location. 

As you journey through, you’ll discover the work of welcoming artists using various media, including oils, acrylics, watercolors, photography, sculpture, basketry, fiber arts, paper, ceramics, glass, jewelry, and mixed media.

Open Studios weekend is open to the public and absolutely free and family-friendly. See you there!

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.