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

HEARTBREAKER: The Third-Grade Boys Basketball team lost its semi-final game (in overtime!) at home on Saturday by a score of 20-19. [Courtesy photo] 

Compiled by Matt Haraden

• Hull Youth Basketball teams closed out their seasons this past weekend. The Third-Grade Boys Basketball team lost its semi-final game (in overtime!) at home on Saturday by a score of 20-19. In their first year of travel, players showed tremendous growth, built strong team chemistry, and brought sportsmanship and heart to every game. The Seventh-Grade Boys basketballers lost their semi-final game against Duxbury on Saturday March 21 at home, while the Eighth-Grade Boys defeated Duxbury in the semi-finals on Saturday but fell to Milton on Sunday in the finals.

• The Hull High Boys Lacrosse team starts off the regular season with back-to-back home games – Friday, March 27 against East Bridgewater at 4 p.m. and Tuesday, March 31 against Weymouth at 4 p.m. Then it’s on the road to North Quincy on Thursday, April 2 at 4 p.m.

The Girls Lacrosse team’s next games are at home on Monday, March 30 against Whitman-Hanson at 4 p.m. and on the road at East Bridgewater on Thursday, April 2 at 4 p.m.

• The HHS Girls Softball travels to Holbrook on Friday, March 27 at 3:30 p.m., and then will play in Carver on April 1 at 5 p.m. The Boys Varsity Baseball game originally scheduled for Saturday has been moved to Friday, March 27 at 4 p.m., at Quincy, and the Boys and Girls Track squads won’t start their seasons until Tuesday, April 7 at 4 p.m. on the road in Abington.

For details on all the high school teams, visit www.arbiterlive.com/Teams?entityId=10611

• The Hull High Athletic Department is planning a “college signing day” to acknowledge those high school seniors who have committed to playing athletics at the college level. The event will be held on Thursday, April 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the high school gymnasium. Among those being honored are Ayden Pike – Anna Maria College; Matt Thomas – Lasell University; Lawrence Bodley – Springfield College; Chris Resnick – Springfield College; Max Lofgren – Johnson & Wales University; and Erin Walsh – Roger Williams University. The public is invited to celebrate these student-athletes.

• Registration is now open for the Hull Youth Soccer In-Town spring program, which is for players in pre-K through second grade. This program provides a fun introduction to soccer, focusing on basic skills development, teamwork, and building a love for the game in a supportive environment. The six-week program starts on Saturday, April 11 at James P. Sullivan Field (the Dust Bowl) at Pemberton. Players who registered for the fall in-town program do not need to register again for the spring session. Registration and additional information are available at www.hullyouthsoccer.com.

• 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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© 2026 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

HRA agrees to donate $10K for summer fireworks during Hull’s USA 250th celebration

By Carol Britton Meyer

The Hull Redevelopment Authority is making a $10,000 donation toward fireworks on the HRA property on Saturday, July 18 as part of the town-sponsored celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Hull’s USA 250th (Semiquincentennial) Committee is planning special events to commemorate the July 4, 1776 signing as part of a nationwide effort.

The fireworks display will be coordinated with the Hull Youth Football and the Hull Boosters Club’s annual carnival at that location. Both organizations also are making donations toward the event.

At $1,000 per minute for a 30-minute display – which is the plan – and $7,500 for a barge – a discount price offered by Mike McDevitt who runs a tugboat business at Pemberton – the total cost will be $37,500.

The committee will be sending out letters to banks, insurance companies, and other businesses offering sponsorship opportunities to help cover the cost of the 250th activities.

“We have a full year of events planned out,” 250th committee Chair John Reilly told the board this week. “It will be quite a celebration, and we appreciate your donation.”

Hull’s celebration kicked off last weekend with the Snow Row on March 7, which was well attended.

Other events include a parade and field day at the L Street field in mid-August, a gala dance co-sponsored by the Hull Lifesaving Museum, and possibly a dinner dance cruise later in the year.

Reilly, a former select board member and chair of the committee that celebrated Hull’s 375th anniversary in 2019, participated in the meeting at the request of the board after recently asking for a $10,000 donation to answer any questions and explain for what purpose the donation might be used. The town’s contribution is $50,000.

The fundraising goal is $100,000 – although that much may not be needed – according to Reilly, with proceeds from events requiring tickets returned to the 250th fund to help defray expenses.

HRA member Dan Kernan made a strong case for using the donation toward fireworks, which the rest of the board agreed would be a good use.

The board approved the $10,000 donation unanimously, along with the committee’s request to hang a banner on the gazebo letting the community know about upcoming 250th events, contingent on members of the committee putting up and taking down the banner – which would be displayed from Memorial Day to Labor Day – and keeping an eye on it to ensure it remains in good condition.

The committee also is requesting that the lights on the gazebo on the HRA property from the holiday season remain in place and that they be switched to red, white, and blue during the 250th celebration.

A schedule of events will be published in the Times and online.

In other business

• Survey approved. The board talked at length about the upcoming survey that will provide residents with the opportunity to share their preferences for the use of the HRA property. Postcards will be arriving in the mail in the near future with the details.

• Mobile sauna business outlined. Karen LaFond, a Hingham resident who enjoys cold plunging at Nantasket Beach, plans to make a bid for an HRA vendor spot this summer for a mobile sauna for people of all ages.

She ran the idea for her “new, non-traditional” business before the board to get members’ initial feedback and to become familiar with the process.

Input from individuals she has talked with who indicate they would gladly “get into the heat on the beach but not into the cold” gave her the idea. She noted that mobile saunas have increased in popularity in Scandanavian countries.

In LaFond’s case, this involves a 6-by-12-foot trailer affixed with a sauna heated by fire that can seat six people at a time and a changing room.

Rather than health benefits, LaFond’s focus is on the social interaction and connections that would be made among people “sitting next to each other without cell phones in hand, with conversations going on around them.”

The vendor spaces are awarded to the highest bidders, followed by a permitting process.

LaFond’s plan is to apply for a vendor space this summer through the bidding process, with thought given later to a possible off-season arrangement.

“This sounds like a great thing in general – and a great spot for it,” Kernan said.

HRA member Adrienne Paquin said she’s “so jazzed about this. I would have been there all winter if you were there.”

The next HRA meetings are scheduled for March 30 and April 6. The board will review seasonal vendor bids on March 30 and the parking lot bids at the April meeting.

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Board grants $50K in opioid settlement funds to The Anchor’s wellness, recovery programs

By Carol Britton Meyer

The Town of Hull is awarding the Anchor of Hull – which supports individuals and families impacted by substance use disorder – a $50,000 grant from its opioid settlement funds at the recommendation of the opioid task force.

Anchor co-founder and Executive Director Kurt Gerold accepted the grant with thanks at Wednesday’s select board meeting. He described the Anchor, which is located on Hadassah Way next to the temple, as a “community wellness center open to all, although we specialize in recovery. We believe there are multiple pathways to recovery.”

The Anchor offers a varied calendar of events, from a drumming circle to arts nights, to yoga, along with many recovery resources.

Hull’s share of opioid Settlement funds. Click here for more data.

Voters at the 2024 annual town meeting approved an opioid special revenue fund using proceeds from part of a settlement awarded to the town to resolve opioid litigation brought by states against large pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors. The funds are to be used for substance misuse prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support and establishing a opioid task force to consider the best use of these funds.

The town has received $273,000 to date, according to Town Manager Jennifer Constable.

Click here for more information about the settlement funds in Massachusetts

Of the $50,000 grant, $5,000 is going toward the Anchor’s Kory and Kyle Fund, which provides financial assistance for individuals seeking treatment for substance use disorders in emergent situations – including rides to rehabilitation centers, a night in a hotel, medicine, sober housing, or urgent care as needed.

In addition, $25,000 will fund a community manager/recovery liaison, who will provide personalized support and guidance to individuals in recovery.

The Anchor of Hull is also receiving $20,000 to organize a series of wellness classes and programming “to fill the crucial gap” between detox, recovery, and life management – with a focus on financial, physical, relational, emotional, and mental wellness.

Task force’s charge

Hull’s opioid task force is charged with developing a planning process and strategy for spending the town’s opioid abatement settlement allocation, providing an annual report identifying the town’s guiding principles and strategies for implementation, and identifying populations served. 

The idea of placing recovery bags containing naloxone (better known by the name brand Narcan) – an over-the-counter nasal spray that rapidly reverses opioid overdoses – and information about resources for those struggling with substance use disorder and their families in the Hull Police Department lobby, the library, bathhouses during the summer months with the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s permission, and other public places – is under consideration.

Some of the settlement money, which is allocated to the town over a number of years, may also be used to fund a licensed social worker contract position dealing primarily with substance abuse issues.

“The fire and police departments, our public health department, and the Anchor of Hull all agree this would be an asset to the community,” Constable said.

She also noted that the task force is in communication with schools Superintendent Michael Jette and others about additional ways the fund could be used.

Select board member Greg Grey thanked Gerold and other Anchor staff for their efforts.

“The importance of what you do is incredible,” he said. “Are we winning the battle?”

“I think we are,” Gerold responded. “When we first started the Anchor nine years ago, the overdose rate was quite high. We may have played a small role in the numbers dropping. Overdoses are down in our area.”

Grey responded that the Anchor plays a “very large role” in helping individuals with their recovery.

Chair Irwin Nesoff said he visited the Anchor recently and was impressed.

“Thank you for the work you do,” he said.

The board voted unanimously to support awarding the $50,000 grant.

In other business

Constable reported that there was “some undermining of the James Avenue pier that we’re aware of, and the Department of Public Works is making emergency repairs for now. We will need to address this in a more comprehensive way in the future, but the pier is secure in the interim.”

She also noted that the DPW “has filled in the illegal [dune] openings at Malta Street and secured the area” of Nantasket Beach.

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© 2026 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

As state drags its feet, locals to consider mandating hybrid access to Hull’s public meetings

By Christopher Haraden

Last year in this space, we reminded readers about Sunshine Week, an annual recognition of the benefits of open government that is celebrated each March, along with St. Patrick’s Day, the return of Daylight Saving Time, and the coming of spring.

Add to those yearly March activities the lament that Massachusetts has a lousy track record when it comes to ensuring public access to its governmental records and public meetings.

As previously noted, Sunshine Week takes its name from a statement made in 1913 by Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis that “sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient policeman” when it comes to rooting out dishonesty and generally providing clarity on how the machinery of government operates. The weeklong observation brings together organizations in the fields of journalism, education, advocacy, and government to shine a light on the need for openness.

It’s fitting – and frustrating – that the two debates we wrote about at this time last year remain unresolved. The discussion about whether the upper levels of state government should be subject to the Public Records Law continues, with the Legislature, State Auditor, Attorney General, and governor’s office still at odds about transparency.

The same public records disclosure requirements that are placed on cities and towns should apply to the governor, state legislators, and the courts. Only eight other states exempt their lawmakers from the public records laws, and the arguments being offered to justify it – another year later – are still nonsense. Forty-two other states have designed their regulations to protect constituents’ privacy and balance the deliberative process of policy-making with the public’s right to know. Massachusetts can do the same.

The second question about allowing remote meetings of public boards and commissions has been resolved to a degree, but not on a permanent basis. There also are two proposals coming up at Hull’s annual town meeting this spring that will bring that debate down to the local level – a sign that residents are frustrated enough with how things stand that they are taking matters into their own hands.

Last year, the pandemic-era authorization for remote or hybrid meetings of public boards and committees was set to expire at the end of March, and progress toward a resolution was uncertain. In the end, the remote/hybrid provision was extended until March 2027, when it will need to be reauthorized by the Legislature.

Governor Maura Healey has refiled her own reform package (known as the Municipal Empowerment Act) that includes permission – but not a requirement – for cities and towns to allow remote participation in public meetings. As it did last year, the bill contains a mishmash of more controversial proposals that could sidetrack the overall debate, such as whether municipalities can increase auto excise, meals, and hotel taxes, as well as topics ranging from procurement-law changes to tax breaks for senior citizens to tightening restrictions on utility companies keeping “double poles” on public streets.

A competing bill, H.4381, is narrowly focused on updating the Open Meeting Law to require hybrid meetings statewide.

Here in Hull, we’re encouraged by two citizens’ petitions that will appear on the May 4 town meeting warrant. Article 42 proposes to mandate that “town boards, commissions, and committees shall provide remote access for the general public, by audio or audiovisual means, for in-person or hybrid meetings.” The article also seeks to appropriate funds to buy the “equipment, software, connectivity, technical services, and training necessary” as a counterweight to the argument that the town doesn’t have money in the budget to buy and install the needed equipment in Hull’s aging municipal buildings.

Similarly, Article 39 seeks funds to purchase the equipment needed to ensure that all public meetings of Hull’s boards and committees “shall be recorded in audio or audiovisual format and made publicly available through Hull Cable and/or an official town website within seven (7) days of the meeting.” Both articles give the town a deadline of two months after town offices have moved to the Memorial Middle School, a nod to the idea that retrofitting the middle school as the next town hall should accommodate the technology to accomplish this goal.

That might be too generous an allowance. Many other cities and towns hold hybrid meetings on a regular basis, in buildings older – and in a worse state of repair – than Hull’s current municipal building. The town of Plymouth has even figured out how to hold a hybrid annual town meeting. That Hull can’t seem to work out the details to make this happen immediately is, frankly, nonsense.

Remote access to meetings has provided an essential public service. More people have been able to participate, or at least listen in, to their government because of the remote or hybrid option.

Of course, the technology isn’t foolproof, but as the self-help gurus always say, we shouldn’t let the quest for perfection be the enemy of progress. The human users of technology aren’t always experts, and some members of the public have complained that boards have refused to recognize digital hands being raised, cut off debate by cutting off microphones, or have blamed technology for limitations on public input. It’s a lot harder to ignore a constituent when they’re sitting directly in front of you in a meeting room, but not everyone has the ability to attend in person.

The debate at the state level about mandating hybrid access to meetings has influential organizations on both sides – the Massachusetts Municipal Association favors Healey’s proposal to make hybrid meetings optional, while the American Civil Liberties Union and the New England First Amendment Coalition strongly favor the mandate contained in bill H.4831.

Were we the betting type, we’d wager that the matter remains unresolved at the state level by this time next year. At this spring’s town meeting, Hull voters will be given the chance to set aside the state’s uncertainty by approving these proposals to let the sun shine into local government.

Times Editor Christopher Haraden has been writing about his hometown in these pages regularly since 1987.

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

A RING TO RULE THEM ALL: Excitement over the Hull High Girls Soccer team’s history-making win in the state championship back in November – the first for the girls soccer program – can still be felt throughout town. Last Thursday, the community came out to celebrate the players as they received their championship rings in a ceremony in the high school auditorium. [Skip Tull photo]

Compiled by Matt Haraden

• The Seventh-Grade Boys basketballers continued their winning ways by defeating Hanover in the quarterfinals, 47-31, with a great team win, bringing their record to 15-1. Jayden Sheets led the Pirates with 13 points and great ball handling getting to the rim. Finn Smith had 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Reefe Markowitz had another strong performance with 6 points and 7 rebounds. Liam Chalifoux, Jack O’Mara, and Josh Papasodero led the defense. The Pirates host their semi-finals game against Duxbury on Saturday March 21 at 2:30 p.m. at Hull High School. 

THE NUMBER-ONE SEED Seventh-Grade Boys basketballers picked up a great win on March 15 over Hanover in their first-round playoff game and are host Duxbury on Saturday March 21 at 2:30 p.m. at Hull High School. [Courtesy photo]

• The Eighth-Grade Boys continued their amazing season with a win in the quarterfinal game against Hanover, 36-30. The Pirates got an MVP-level game from Joseph Elisii-Johnson, who had 16 points and 11 rebounds, as well as some amazing passing. Jack Ranger was a floor general who had the offense humming while chipping in 7 points. James Rand had another strong shooting performance and finished with 8 points. Evan Doyle and Brayan Telles led the defense, and each had a number of steals and blocks. The Pirates host their semi-final game on Saturday, March 21 at 12 p.m. against Duxbury at Hull High.

BIG WIN for the Eighth-Grade Boys basketball team last weekend, coming out on top over Hanover, 40-36. On Saturday, March 21 at 12 p.m. Duxbury will come to the gym at Hull High to face the home team in the semi-final round. [Courtesy photo]

• In addition to the two playoff games above, the Third-Grade Boys Basketball team plays its semi-final game in the Joseph Berman Gymnasium at Hull High at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. Come pack the gym and cheer them on!

• Eighth-Grade Girls Basketball lost a tough playoff battle to Braintree by only two points on Saturday, March 14.

SEASON-ENDER: The Fourth-Grade Boys wrapped up their first travel basketball season on Saturday, March 14 with a hard-fought playoff game against the #3 seed in their bracket, coming up just short in a 23–20 battle. This team showed great grit and determination, competing right up until the final buzzer. [Courtesy photo]

• The Hull High Boys Lacrosse team starts off the season this Sunday at 10 a.m. at home against an opponent that is to be announced; the Girls Lacrosse team’s first matchup of the season is Saturday, March 21 at Scituate at 2 p.m., followed by two more road games – Tuesday, March 24 at 4:45 p.m. against Hanover and Thursday, March 26 at 4 p.m. against Barnstable High School.

• The HHS Girls Softball team opens its season on Saturday, March 21 at Scituate at 2 p.m. Boys Varsity Baseball will begin a week later, on Saturday, March 28 at noon at Quincy, and the Boys and Girls Track squads won’t start their seasons until Tuesday, April 7 at 4 p.m. on the road in Abington.

For details on all the high school teams, visit www.arbiterlive.com/Teams?entityId=10611

• Registration is now open for the Hull Youth Soccer In-Town spring program, which is for players in pre-K through second grade. This program provides a fun introduction to soccer, focusing on basic skills development, teamwork, and building a love for the game in a supportive environment. The six-week program starts on Saturday, April 11 at James P. Sullivan Field (the Dust Bowl) at Pemberton. Players who registered for the fall in-town program do not need to register again for the spring session. Registration and additional information are available at www.hullyouthsoccer.com.

• 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.

© 2026 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Community invited to ‘Feast of Conversations’ to mark the 250th anniversary of the USA

Submitted by the Hull No Place for Hate Committee

You are invited to the 2026 Feast of Conversations – “We the People: A Community Conversation” – in honor of the 250th Anniversary of the United States. Please join us on Sunday March 22, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Nantasket Ballroom, on the second floor of the Nantasket Beach Hotel and Resort. We will be sitting together to talk and build our mutual understanding. This year’s program is one of a series of conversations sponsored by the Hull No Place for Hate Committee.

“We the People” is focused on exploring what makes Hull a community; what binds us and what might separate us. In what ways are we alike and how are we different? Participants will explore qualities that are part of their identities with the goal of broadening our mutual understanding and strengthening the bonds that bring us together. After all, we are all part of the Hull community.

The NPFH committee thinks that celebrating what connects us and respecting our differences is how we make this miracle of democracy work. Building bridges through conversation is an integral part of continuing our country’s legacy of self-governance. Democracy works when people come together and have open and honest conversations.

What a great way to remember that, 250 years ago, in spite of all the differences among the 13 struggling little colonies, they had one thing in common: they wanted freedom and they could only get it by coming together. In that spirit, we will come together to explore our identities and strengthen our individual ties to the community.

The mission of Hull No Place for Hate is to be a non-partisan town committee dedicated to building bridges of understanding within our community. We seek to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion among all people. It is our goal to unite people to promote a just and inclusive community, provide support and education on diversity, and celebrate our differences!  This Feast of Conversations, in recognition of the 250 years of our country, is a great way to make Hull more welcoming and to keep the conversation ongoing.

Please join us on Sunday, March 22, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Nantasket Ballroom, Nantasket Beach Hotel and Resort.

If you have any questions, email hullnoplaceforhate@gmail.com.

To register, visit https://hullnoplaceforhate.start.page or scan the QR code.

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© 2026 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

With one week remaining for nominations, several contested races possible in May 18 election

With one week left for potential candidates to take the first step toward running for office in the May 18 annual town election, the race for the select board has attracted the most attention, with five people considering running for the two available three-year terms.

Incumbents Jerry Taverna and Jason McCann could be challenged by Susan Short Green, Patricia Lynn Cormier, and Christopher Niland, who drew nomination papers on Wednesday. Green also took out papers to run against planning board member Jeanne Paquin for a five-year term.

The other potential candidate to launch a campaign this week was Mark L. Kohn, who will challenge incumbent light board members Patrick Cannon and Jacob Vaillancourt for one of the two three-year seats available on the light board.

The school committee also has two three-year terms available, with three candidates so far – current members Courtney Littlefield and Aleeza Hagerty and former member Ernest Minelli. Thu-Hang Tran is seeking one of the three-year terms on the library board, along with Amy Hyde and current member Celia Nolan.

The five-year seat on the redevelopment authority now held by Adrienne Paquin has attracted one candidate – C. Anne Murray, who had unsuccessfully sought appointment to an HRA vacancy last year. Charles Richardson, who was appointed to the seat then, is running to finish the three-year term, as is Valerio Romano, who, like Murray and Richardson, sought the appointment last fall. Murray drew nomination papers for both HRA seats and must decide which position to seek. Paquin has not yet indicated whether she will run for re-election.

Unopposed so far are housing authority member Anne-Margaret MacEachern and assessor Pamela Sinton-Coffman. Two other seats on the board of assessors – one for three years and the other for a one-year term – currently have no candidates. There are a total of 15 openings appearing on the ballot.

Drawing papers is the first step in the election process; prospective candidates now need to collect the signatures of at least 50 Hull registered voters. Some candidates may change their minds prior to the deadline for returning them (May 30), and two of those who are considering running for office have taken out papers for different offices; they must choose which office to seek.

The last day to take out nomination papers is Thursday, March 26 at 5 p.m.

Town Clerk Lori West recommends that potential candidates schedule an appointment to pick up the nomination papers and request checklist of upcoming deadlines and milestones in the process of running for office by emailing lwest@town.hull.ma.us or calling 781-773-3803. An online request form also is available at www.town.hull.ma.us/town-clerk.

The last day to register to vote in the May 18 annual town election is Friday, May 8.

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Appeals Court rules in favor of town in dispute over ownership of Beach Avenue

STREET FIGHT: The Appeals Court has decided that the Town of Hull owns an undeveloped section of Beach Avenue adjacent to 169 Beach Avenue, at the corner of Lewis Street. The court overruled a previous Land Court judgment in favor of the abutting property owner. The disputed plot of land is to the right of the new home being built on the property. [Skip Tull photo]

By Christopher Haraden

A yearslong dispute over ownership of an unpaved section of Beach Avenue near A Street has reversed course after the Massachusetts Appeals Court overturned a Land Court decision that had awarded ownership to an abutting property owner.

Instead, the court agreed with the Town of Hull’s contention that the land had been transferred to the town more than 100 years ago.

In the Appeals Court’s March 5 decision, a majority of a three-judge panel vacated the original order and sent it back to the Land Court “for proceedings consistent with this opinion.” It’s unclear what action the court may take to settle the matter or if it will be appealed to the state Supreme Judicial Court.

In 2022, the town sued John and Kathleen Ferrara, the owners of 169 Beach Avenue, seeking clarity on the title of a 60-foot-by-50-foot strip of land that runs between the Ferraras’ house lot at the corner of Beach Avenue and Lewis Street and a second plot of land they own abutting the Atlantic Ocean. The disputed land is part of the layout of Beach Avenue, but that section of the street was never paved.

The Ferraras are in the process of replacing the original home on the site with a new structure, which is currently under construction.

When contacted by the Times, Ferrara referred inquiries about the suit to his attorney, Adam Brodsky, who did not respond prior to our deadline. Town Manager Jennifer Constable also did not reply to questions submitted to her office this week.

Read the Appeals Court decision here and the Land Court decision here.

In response to the town’s 2022 suit to “quiet title” – a legal term for establishing clear ownership of real estate – the Ferraras countered that the disputed land belonged to them under a 1971 Massachusetts law designed to eliminate uncertainty in chains of title of property.

The two court decisions discuss the long history of the area’s real estate holdings over the decades, including ownership at various points by merchant Henry Norwell – who once owned the Rockland House hotel and for whom the town of Norwell is named – and Eben D. Jordan, namesake of the former Jordan Marsh department store.

In 1885, a subdivision plan of land owned by the Nantasket Company outlined house lots and the right-of-way that eventually became Beach Avenue. A year later, the company sold several lots to Norwell – including the two lots now owned by the Ferraras – in a deed that did not describe the parcel within the layout of Beach Avenue. In 1887, the Nantasket Company sold other property in the area to Jordan and specifically described its interest in land within the layout of streets. After Jordan’s death, his heirs sold some of the property to the Town of Hull, including a large section of Beach Avenue, which was described as “running northerly from Quincy Street extended easterly to A Street.”

The town relied on this description in the Jordan deed as proof of its ownership of the length of Beach Avenue. Land Court Judge Kevin T. Smith disagreed, citing the 1971 Derelict Fee Statute. That law was enacted by the Massachusetts Legislature in response to errors in deeds that inadvertently omitted ownership interests in abutting rights of way or adjacent bodies of water. Since real estate deeds are specific in the property they convey – and don’t convey – the lack of detailed language in a poorly crafted document often created “orphaned” strips of land whose ownership was not properly transferred.

The legislation was retroactive, and Smith reasoned that applying the 1971 law to the 1886 deed to Norwell meant that the disputed section of Beach Avenue would have been included then and carried through all subsequent deeds, including when the Ferraras bought the property from the Francine F. Townsend Living Trust in 2017.

Two of the three Appeals Court judges disagreed, arguing that the Nantasket Company understood that it was not transferring the Beach Avenue strip to Norwell since it described land “included in the locations of streets” in the later deed of its nearby properties to Jordan. Under this interpretation, the town has owned that section of Beach Avenue since 1913 when it was acquired from Jordan’s heirs.

Separately, while the town was appealing the Land Court’s 2024 decision in favor of the Ferraras, the select board included the section of land adjacent to 169 Beach Avenue in a 2025 annual town meeting article that sought to take the property by eminent domain as part of plans to maintain the Nantasket Beach dune system. Approval of the article would seemingly have negated the need for the appeal. The town meeting measure failed, 162-156, although voters did agree to take two other Beach Avenue properties for flood control purposes.

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Select board considers 11 candidates, appoints four members to public safety building committee

By Carol Britton Meyer

The select board this week considered 11 candidates for four residents-at-large positions on the public safety building committee – with Nick Russo, Donna Pursel, Patrick McCarthy, and Richard Scott Warmington appointed as permanent members, and David Twombly and Joe Berkeley as alternates.

Board member Brian McCarthy disclosed before the interviews that he is related to Patrick McCarthy, but after consulting with town counsel, it was deemed appropriate that he be able to participate in the interviews and the vote while giving assurances that he could remain impartial. Select board member Jerry Taverna was not present at Wednesday night’s meeting.

Russo is a former Hull fire chief and the brother of current Fire Chief Chris Russo; Pursel is a former member of the select board and economic development committee with a background in capital planning, contract negotiations, feasibility analysis, project oversight, and procurement; McCarthy is a consultant with owner’s project manager experience, including the new public safety complex in Quincy; and Warmington is a former Barnstable police officer who is currently an assistant district attorney and was involved with a public safety building project in another community.

Twombly, a former Hull School Committee and planning board member, has an extensive background in guiding public construction projects from the feasibility phase to completion and was involved with the Jacobs School building project.

Berkeley, who owns a marketing firm and is creator of the popular Humans of Nantasket Beach project, said he wishes to contribute his strong communication skills “and common sense” approach to “this important project.”

The other candidates were light board member and town electrical inspector Pat Cannon; Brian Elyo, who has been and is involved with public safety building projects; Cary Forman, with extensive commercial lending experience; Steven Greenberg, current Hull Nantasket Chamber of Commerce president with a “passion and understanding of Hull;” and John Andy Moroz, who was not present for the interviews. Julia Parker, co-chair of the Design Review Board, withdrew her application before the meeting.

Select Board Chair Irwin Nesoff said he was grateful there were so many applicants.

“It speaks to the kind of town that we are to have 11 citizens applying for four positions on the committee – especially for a project that will impact the town and the safety [of our residents] for many years to come.”

He encouraged the applicants who were not appointed to attend the committee’s public meetings as an opportunity to share their expertise throughout the process.

“The project will affect our town for decades to come, and the more people involved, the better it will be in the end,” Nesoff said.

McCarthy said he didn’t hear “one candidate speak tonight who shouldn’t be on the committee.”

The charge of the nine-member committee – which is comprised of representatives from the police and fire departments, town manager’s office, select board (Greg Grey was appointed at this week’s meeting) and advisory board, and the four residents-at large – is to support the evaluation of suitable locations for a combined public safety facility as identified in the Hull Public Safety Feasibility Study for recommendation to the town; obtain an owner’s project manager and architectural services; and to assist with supporting the design, construction, and commission of a facility suitable for the current and future public safety needs of the town. The committee will also work with town officials to carry out community engagement efforts associated with the project.

The top two sites identified for the new building are the redevelopment authority property and the current location of town hall.

In other business…

• Anthony May was appointed to the open permanent seat on the zoning board of appeals to replace Tim Pranaitis, who resigned recently, and Philip Bellone – who also interviewed for the permanent position at the meeting – will remain an alternate member. The vote was 3-1 in favor of May’s appointment, with McCarthy opposed, because he was of the opinion that Bellone is already an alternate and the natural progression would be for him to be appointed to the permanent seat.

Select board member Jason McCann noted that “someone coming onto the ZBA with a fresh perspective could be helpful.”

• The board adopted the 2026 Town of Hull North Nantasket Beach Management Plan, which was shared and discussed at an earlier meeting.

The plan was established to manage the natural resources of North Nantasket Beach – from Phipps Street to XYZ Streets – for recreation, habitat protection, storm damage protection, and flood control.

“This has been in the works for more than a year, and we really needed a plan,” Beach Management Advisory Committee Chair Susan Mann said.

Nesoff expressed appreciation for all the time the committee dedicated to this project, working with Climate Adaptation & Conservation Director Chris Krahforst.

The plan is posted on the conservation commission and climate adaptation and conservation department webpages and will also be posted on the Beach Management Advisory Committee’s webpage. Click here to read the full plan.

The SPRING TOWN MEETING WARRANT WILL CONTAIN 10 CITIZENS’ PETITIONS ON TOPICS RANGING FROM BEACH ACCESS to light plant governance to allowing hybrid public meetings.

• Town Manager Jennifer Constable walked the board through the 2026 annual town meeting warrant article index – without comments on the substance of the proposals – prior to the closing of the warrant on March 25.

Board members will have an opportunity to take a position on any or all of the articles at a later time. Town meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 4.

The articles range from community preservation committee-recommended projects and capital requests to others related to the potential relocation of the senior center, public safety building facility design, town hall closure and relocation, and 10 citizen’s petitions. Click here for details on the citizens’ petitions.

The community preservation committee’s recommendations relate to a George Washington Boulevard community garden beautification project; Hull Lifesaving Museum outdoor space improvements; the Village Park playground and basketball court; Hull Lifesaving Museum Boathouse restoration; the Paragon Carousel clock tower; preservation of Hull Village Fire Station historical town records; and the Hull Community Housing Trust Fund.

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As committee reviews ‘responsible’ FY27 school budget, chair opposes suggestion of joining with Cohasset

By Carol Britton Meyer

The Hull Public Schools’ proposed $18.9-million fiscal year 2027 operating budget –representing a 3%, or $551,713 – increase over FY26, will be discussed in joint session with the advisory board at the school committee’s March 23 meeting.

School Business Administrator Diane Saniuk provided an update to the committee this week, noting that “this budget request supplies the needs of the district at this time.”

IMAGE FROM THE HULL PUBLIC SCHOOLS FY27 BUDGET PRESENTATION. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL DOCUMENT.

This is “a fair and reasonable budget that provides the education that the students deserve,” she said. “The youth of today are tomorrow’s leaders, and it’s important to give them the tools they need to succeed.”

Saniuk noted that the Hull Public Schools budget request is 3%, while other communities are requesting a higher percentage or seeking operating overrides to help close budget gaps.

“We are not,” she said. “We’re looking to remain stable and keep things as they are. We’re in a good place, asking for what we need.”

Click here for the full presentation of the school department’s FY27 budget

About 80% of the budget goes toward salaries – roughly $14.8 million in the FY27 budget – as well as $815,909 for non-special education transportation; technology, $285,000; utilities, $718,098; and instructional supplies, professional development, and vocational tuition, $378,868.

School Committee Chair Kyle Conley agreed with Saniuk.

“We are arguably in a much more fiscally solvent place than a lot of neighboring towns,” she said, noting there’s sometimes a “disconnect” about what the schools need and what the town is able to provide.

The budget components include: Total salaries, 78.34%; non-special education transportation, 4.31%; technology, 1.51%; instructional supplies, professional development, vocational tuition, 2%; non-salary special education, 5.99%; maintenance (non-salary), 2.54%; utilities, 3.79%; and all other (non-salary), 1.52%.
The sources of funding for what Saniuk earlier called “a needs-based budget,” are Chapter 70 state Chapter 70 education funding, 19.7%; revolving funds, including school meals, 4.6%; state and federal grant funding, 2.8%; the special education circuit-breaker reimbursement program, 3.3%; and the town appropriation less Chapter 70 of 69.6%.

Saniuk noted that the school department’s share of the overall town budget is a smaller percentage than in other communities, and that the question is sometimes asked why the budget isn’t decreasing as enrollments continue to drop. It’s the schools’ responsibility to “educate our kids, and all of ours deserve the best,” she said. “Massachusetts is at the top in education across the country. There’s a reason for it, but it’s costly and our kids deserve nothing less.”

Conley noted that the HPS operating budget represents “very intentional fiscally responsible decisions on the part of the district over the years that’s an indicator of a shared commitment of good negotiations with and representatives from our Hull Teachers Association partners. We are all able to make sure our students are not in a position similar to some other towns” that are facing cuts in staff and programs, which she said is a sign of good leadership.

“This is the budget we’re taking to the advisory board. It’s something to be proud of. It’s very responsible and meets the needs of students in a way that is appropriate financially,” she added.

In explaining the “long view,” Saniuk said the leadership team is always looking to the “next year and the next to see what’s coming in the pipeline. We’re not doing everything now, but there’s a plan in place to work everything in – just not everything in one year.”

Next steps following the March 23 meeting include a public hearing in April and the eventual town meeting vote on the budget May 4.

In other business…

Conley referred to a conversation in a neighboring community – which she did not name during Monday night’s meeting – about regionalizing with Hull’s schools.

During the February 10 joint meeting of the Cohasset School Committee and that town’s advisory committee, an individual asked if there had been any consideration of regionalizing with Hull to help cut costs. At the time, Cohasset Superintendent Sarah Shannon said that no discussions had taken place.

This week, Conley spoke out strongly against the idea.

“We’re not in need of a life raft in any way,” she said. “We’ve worked really hard, and we are doing really well for ourselves and doing what is best for our students now. No discussions have taken place. It’s incredible that our name would be put out there... We’re always thinking creatively about different options, but we’re not looking to be saved or annexed or taken over, and I wanted to address this publicly.”

Superintendent of Schools Michael Jette said he reached out to the superintendent of that district, whom he talks with frequently about other topics, “but there was nothing with any official dialogue behind it. There would have to be some kind of formal outreach to clarify the ask.”

Regionalization involves “very deliberate steps and relationship-building for it to be successful,” he said, but added that he is in favor of collaborating with other districts for professional development and combined sports teams.

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