Supporters have a field day at Special Town Meeting

Putting the question before town meeting voters for a third time proved the charm tonight for supporters of a synthetic field at Hull High School.

At about 10:20 p.m., Moderator John Silva announced the results of a ballot vote on Question 1 of tonight's Special Town Meeting, which was the motion to authorize the bond needed to install a $2.1 million artificial playing surface.

Silva said that 1,204 ballots were cast; a two-thirds majority – 802 – was needed to approve.

Robust applause broke out as he announced 868 votes in favor, 336 opposed.

The meeting was then dissolved.

Voters packed the high school gym and auditorium. Three officials – Town Manager Philip Lemnios, schools Superintendent Michael Devine, and School Committee Chairman Stephanie Peters – spoke in favor of the proposal.

Resident Randall Gould rose to speak in opposition, then abruptly said he would vote in favor of the field before he yielded the floor.

A successful call for the question terminated discussion.

Town meeting did not begin work on the annual town meeting warrant tonight. The meeting resumes at the high school tomorrow night.

Hull police arrest three men on heroin trafficking charges

Chief John Dunn reports that the Hull Police Department arrested and charged three men with trafficking heroin following a traffic stop on Sunday, April 21.

Giovanni Cruz, 19, of Belmont, Tomas Martinez, 24, of Dorchester, and Raphy Veras, 19, of Quincy, were each charged with:

• Trafficking in heroin over 36 grams

• Possession to distribute a Class A drug (heroin)

• Possession of a Class A drug (heroin)

• Possession with intent to distribute a Class D drug (marijuana)

• Possession of a Class D drug (marijuana)

• Possession of a burglarious instrument

In addition, Cruz was charged with operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license, marked lanes violation, and malicious destruction of property under $1,200.

At approximately 10:45 p.m. Sunday, Hull police received a report of an erratic driver in the area of 50 George Washington Blvd.

Hull Police Officer Stephen Glavin located and allegedly observed the driver drift between lanes and almost cross into the opposite lane of traffic twice.

Glavin pulled over the driver near 45 Hull Shore Dr., the Nantasket Beach Resort. As Glavin approached the vehicle and spoke to the driver, later identified as Cruz, the officer noticed a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle.

During the course of the traffic stop, Glavin determined that Cruz was driving with a suspended license. The two passengers, Martinez and Veras, did not have valid driver's licenses and, as a result, the vehicle needed to be towed because it was blocking the driveway of a business.

While performing a routine inventory of the vehicle prior to the tow, officers located and seized approximately 41.8 grams of heroin mixed with fentanyl, 224 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, and an item used to open locked car doors known as a "slim jim."

Cruz was also found to have 47.8 grams of marijuana in his pockets, police said in a statement. 

The three men were placed under arrest and taken to the Hull Police Department to be booked.

While inside of his holding cell, Cruz allegedly purposefully clogged the toilet with a roll of toilet paper, causing the cell to flood with water, resulting in the malicious destruction of property charge.

The three men were expected to be arraigned Monday in Hingham District Court.

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April 2 forum will focus on Hull business development

A joint meeting of the Hull Nantasket Chamber of Commerce and Hull’s Economic Development Committee (EDC) will take place on Tuesday, April 2, at 7:30 a.m., at the Surf Lounge, Nantasket Beach Resort. The meeting is free and open to Chamber members, business owners, and all members of the public who are interested in participating. This will be the second collaborative meeting between the Chamber of Commerce and the EDC, and will serve to continue the discussion of topics pertaining to business development in Hull.  

Agenda items include the creation of a Hull Cultural District, updates on the ArtWalk project ,and other ongoing and new business development initiatives, vacant building bylaws update, and seasonal trolley service. Participation is encouraged from those in the business community who would like to be a part of this ongoing series of open forum discussions.  

A light breakfast will be provided.

Beachgrass planting will be Sunday

Hull Beachgrass Planting Day has been postponed until Sunday due to anticipated wind and cold on Saturday.
Volunteers will plant beachgrass along the Nantasket Beach dune from Phipps Street northward. from 9 a.,m. to noon. The Beach Management Committee hopes you will join your neighbors in this important annual event.

Volunteers should report to the registration area, located at the intersection of Beach Avenue and A Street, between 9 and 11 a.m.

If possible, please bring tools suitable for planting beachgrass culms, and containers (e.g., cloth bags, 5 gal buckets) to carry your bundle(s) of seedlings.

Thank you for your support. Sunday promises to be a great day for planting beachgrass!

Selectmen to host Hingham board about possible Aquarion acquisition

The Hull Board of Selectmen will meet with their counterparts from Hingham to learn the details of that town's proposed buyout of Aquarion Water Co. operations that service customers in Hull, Hingham, and Cohasset.

This public forum, which begins at 8:15 p.m. Thursday (March 21) at Hull High School, represents the only Hull meeting for local residents to learn about the plan from Hingham officials’ viewpoint.

For reasons that are unclear, Hull selectmen chose not to hold a separate meeting on this topic, but included the agenda item within the board's regular Thursday night meeting. Selectmen did, however, move the meeting to the high school's Exhibition Room on the second floor to accommodate more residents who want to attend.

Here is the selectmen's agenda for tomorrow night:

7:30 Selectmen referral to Planning Board for a Public Hearing regarding proposed zoning change regarding parking requirements for Home Businesses

7:45 Dave Carlon-re-Presentation on impacts from Logan Airport

8:15 Joint Discussion with Hingham Board of Selectmen, re- Aquarion Water Update

9:00 RESCHEDULED: Red Parrot, Inc., dba Inspire Eat and Drink, 1 Hull Shore Drive-re-Public Hearing for transfer of all licenses to Houlihans Seaside, Inc., dba The Parrot

Many town boards have openings for interested volunteers

The Hull Board of Selectmen is accepting applications from interested residents who want to serve on one of the following boards:

Beach Management Committee; Conservation Commission; Council on Aging; Economic Development Committee; Historic District Commission; Logan Airport Committee; or the Zoning Board of Appeals.

The selectmen are collecting letters of interest and will call in applicants to meet with the board at one of its Thursday night meetings.

A letter of interest may be directed to Town Clerk Lori West, Hull Municipal Building, 253 Atlantic Ave., Hull, MA 02045 or email it to lwest@town.hull.ma.us.

Application deadline is March 28.