Students at all grade levels help local families in need

By Carol Britton Meyer

In the spirit of generosity and caring for one’s neighbors for which this town is known, Hull Public Schools students and staff are helping to make the lives of families in need a little brighter during the holidays through what Superintendent of Schools Judith Kuehn called many “acts of kindness.”

Project 351 Ambassador Emily Irby, a ninth-grader, is holding a food drive through Dec. 9. Each grade has an assigned English teacher to whom they can drop off cans of food and other non-perishable items.

Fellow Project 351 ambassador and eighth-grader Bruno Andrews-Mundo is conducting a food drive to support Wellspring Multi-Service Center during the holidays.

Jacobs Elementary School held a food drive for Wellspring as part of its Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, which was a huge success.

The Jacobs School is currently participating in the “Mittens Program,” with adjustment counselors reaching out to families who may need assistance with holiday gifts that are then purchased by staff members and donated anonymously from gift ideas written on “mittens.”

HPS also works with Hull’s “Stretch Your Food Budget” program to deliver meals to families in the community who could use a helping hand.

During the December holidays, Memorial Middle School staff “adopt” families who would benefit from some assistance, providing toys and gift cards anonymously, an effort that is coordinated by the school counselors

Hull High School counselors request donations from staff to purchase gift cards for students and families in need to use at Marshalls and/or T.J. Maxx.

In addition, counselors in each building work to connect families with the Hanover YMCA, which has a gift assistance program. Each year donors adopt local families who need assistance and provide holiday gifts for their children. Moms, Dads, and other caregivers can sign up using a link for personalized gifts for kids, including clothing sizes.

Hull Fire Department Toy Drive organizers coordinate with adjustment counselors for names of children in need in elementary and early middle school grades to provide them with holiday gifts, according to Kuehn. “Also, the Hull Police fill a cruiser with toys and coordinate with adjustment counselors for names of families in need,” she said.

Six proposals under review for Community Preservation funding at next town meeting

By Carol Britton Meyer

The Community Preservation Committee is considering six applications for the next round of Community Preservation Act funding, primarily for projects that the town would otherwise not be able to afford.

Requests this year include a partial payment toward the proposed next $1.5-million phase of the Village Fire Station project; $70,000 for supplementary funding for the Hampton Circle Playground, with a possible additional $29,000 request to install porous material that would make the play area, which is located in a flood zone, more flood-resistant; $55,000 for L Street playground and tennis courts repairs; $30,000 for an approximate 30-by-30-foot L Street playground shade structure, in large part to provide shade for summer campers; $70,000 for the restoration of the Paragon Carousel windows; and $28,000 for a waterfront access consultant.

Such a consultant, with the goal of helping to improve waterfront access and possibly overall public space access at the suggestion of CPC member Nathan Peyton, would study access points around town, provide an existing conditions analysis and recommendations for any new access points, and offer recommendations for rehabilitation of existing access. The consultant would take into consideration ADA compliance, environmental issues, building-code requirements, maintenance, and the approximate cost of each project.

The proponent of all but one of the current applications is Community Development and Planning Director Chris Dilorio on behalf of the town. The proponent for the carousel project is the Friends of the Paragon Carousel.

CPA funding comes from a 1.5% property-tax surcharge approved by town meeting in 2016 and may be used only for open space, affordable housing, historic preservation, and recreation projects. The state provides a partial match for these funds.

The current available CPA funding is $642,487, including $485,341 from FY22 CPA surcharge revenue and $148,359 as the FY22 state match.

The CPC makes its recommendations prior to each year's town meeting. The final decision rests with voters after recommendations from the select board and advisory board.

‘Kids can do stuff too’ – Young Hull skateboarder wins local, national support

By Victoria Dolan

FLYING HIGH. With no local skate park, Kairi Stanbrook practices in Quincy. [Photo courtesy of the Stanbrook family]

After practicing her tricks for the Skateboarding National Championships, Hull third-grader Kairi Stanbrook went out for some ramen. 

Stanbrook, who placed 14th in the 2022 Women’s Park National Championship semifinals, traveled to California to take part in the event – and, like always, after every skating session, she headed out for some ramen or sushi.

After Stanbrook qualified for the semifinals with a 50-second, unedited video of her skating, she was invited to California for the next round of the competition.

“I’m going to compete with Olympians, and my dream is to be an Olympian,” said Stanbrook, “so it’s one step forward to my dream.”

Those around her certainly support this dream, as Stanbrook’s parents and community have helped her every step of the way.

“We are not skaters, we don’t skate at all…  a lot of things she’s learned has been from community people at the skate park,” said her Dad, Chris Stanbrook. 

From her elementary school principal, Kyle Shaw, appearing at her birthday party at a skate park to the encouraging comments of her 600-odd followers on Instagram, Stanbrook “likes that a lot of people support me skating.”

In fact, Stanbrook has official support from S1 Helmets, her first sponsorship. Ryan Taylor of S1 saw her skating and approached her with the offer.

“He works for S1 helmets and ordered me stuff,” said Stanbrook. 

Kairi Stanbrook competed recently at the national championship in California. [Photo courtesy of the Stanbrook family]

Even in the competitive environment of the National Championship, Stanbrook’s family reports that everyone has still been supportive and welcoming.

“It’s nice to have that competition where it’s just everyone supporting everyone else,” said Chris Stanbrook. “Even here at the national championships, everyone wants to see each other push themselves to do better.”

This isn’t Stanbrook’s first time – she enjoys traveling and has competed in many other competitions around New England.

“I sometimes feel nervous at first,” she explained, so to combat anxiety she looks at pictures of the skate parks she’ll be competing in and plans “runs,” or what tricks and courses she will do once she arrives. 

Of course, her achievements have come from plenty of hard work. After months of practice, Stanbrook landed a kickflip – a trick where she jumps and her skateboard rotates 360 degrees before landing. To train herself, Stanbrook would hold on to a bar in her living room as she attempted the trick.

“Every single day I would do it… in six months I landed it,” she said. 

Stanbrook doesn’t mind being the youngest at a competition or the skate park, in fact, she likes it “because they see what I can do, and what a little girl can do.”

“Not just adults can do stuff,” Stanbrook said. “Kids can do stuff too.”

Unfortunately, Stanbrook isn’t able to practice her skills in Hull. She used to practice at the ramp behind Paragon Boardwalk, but since it was torn down, “we have to get out of Hull and skate somewhere else.” Instead, she goes to Bare Cove Park in Hingham or another skate park in Quincy. 

However, the Stanbrooks would love to see a skate park built in Hull. Kairi’s Mom, Yoshino, thinks having a skate park “right by the beach… would draw a lot of good crowds” to Hull. 

“The kids get outside, and it’s safe and supportive and healthy,” added Chris Stanbrook. “Everyone thinks of skateboarders as being standoffish or mean, but everyone has been wonderful and supportive of her.”

Pirates cap undefeated season with 27-6 Super Bowl victory

Congratulations to the Division 8 Super Bowl Champions! Hull Pirates defeat KIPP Academy, 27-6, to finish a 13-0 undefeated season. Watch this week’s edition for coverage!

HRA: Urban Renewal Plan is ‘99% complete;’ public review sessions to begin in January

By Carol Britton Meyer

Following the appointment of Max Walder to fill a vacant seat on the Hull Redevelopment Authority until the spring town election, Chair Bartley Kelley provided an update on the status of the HRA-owned 12.5-acre property that runs from Water Street to Phipps Street.

THe boundaries of the HRA property.

“We’ve been working diligently for the past two years on a draft Urban Renewal Plan, which is about 99% complete,” he told the select board this week in a joint meeting for the purpose of filling the vacancy and providing an update.

The HRA will complete the edits on the draft plan at its meeting next Monday and then forward the document to the select board and the planning board and “disseminate this information to the public,” according to Kelly. “We’re basing this document on what we think the community wants and needs. We want people to know what’s going on. A lot of work, studies, and grant money have gone into this process.”

Kelly noted that “people tend to want affordable housing, open space, and more tourism, and right now the HRA parcel doesn’t provide any of that. We have a moral obligation to move forward to [come up with something] that the community wants. We want to get this right, with input from the public.”

A series of meetings involving draft URP presentations will be held from January until mid-March, including at least two separate select board and planning board discussions and two additional public meetings. It was noted that all of these meetings will be open to the public, as are all HRA meetings.

“Everybody won’t be happy, but we want to do what’s good and right for the town,” Kelly said.

Once the opportunity for public input through the select board and planning board and other meetings on the draft wraps up, the HRA will seek the select board’s endorsement of the final draft before the final URP is submitted to the Department of Housing and Community Development.

In the meantime, the draft, once completed, will be sent to DHCD for feedback.

“We’re hoping to get the final draft to DHCD in April, and if the [approval] process moves quickly, the HRA can start interacting with developers,” Kelly said. “One of the benefits of an URP is that it allows us to negotiate directly with them.”

Town Manager Philip Lemnios asked the HRA to include a synopsis of how the different conclusions drawn in the draft URP relating to potential development of the property were reached and to provide supporting documentation “to demonstrate the viability of what the HRA is proposing.”

Kelly assured him that a synopsis will be included with the draft report when it is posted on the town website.

Select Board member Jennifer Constable said community input is key, “regardless of what a developer thinks would work on the parcel. We’ll have to figure out how to merge community input with the data you have in support of the information that’s included in the URP.”

HRA member Dennis Zaia reported that the Cecil Group, which has worked with the town on various projects, has been hired by the authority to facilitate the public discussions.

“Steve Cecil is an adept facilitator,” Zaia said. “He and his team will get the most from the meeting and ensure that everyone feels that they have been heard.”

Kelly noted that plans for the two-way road system, although not part of the URP, are moving forward, which he said “will alleviate a lot of the traffic backups” in the area.

In the meantime, Walder, who has a background in real estate, will take part in HRA and other public meeting discussions.

“I want to bring more energy to the town and would love to be a part of turning [the HRA property] into something,” he said during his interview before the two boards. “I have two years of experience working in a client-facing role (directly with real estate developers), and my professional expertise allows me to bring the perspective of the young professional,” he stated in his letter of interest. His appointment was unanimous.

Steven Greenberg and Adrienne Paquin also interviewed for the position, which became available when Robert DeCoste resigned. After a motion was made to appoint Walder, Select Board member Domenico Sestito made a substitute motion to appoint Paquin that was seconded but failed to move forward on a 5-4 vote. The subsequent vote was unanimous in Walder’s favor.

During the interviews, Constable told all three candidates that the HRA land is one of the last large developable parcels in town and that its location is “central in the community. Whatever ultimately happens, this will be one of the biggest decisions the town has made in a long time,” she said.

Select Board, planners jointly appoint lone applicant for open seat on the planning board

By Carol Britton Meyer

As part of addressing a full agenda Wednesday night, the select board filled a vacant seat on the planning board and appointed two representatives to the climate action and beach management committees.

JIM PITROLO WAS APPOINTED TO THE PLANNING BOARD THIS WEEK. HE WAS THE ONLY APPLICANT FOR THE OPEN SEAT.

As the only candidate interviewing for the vacancy, Jim Pitrolo said he considers the planning board to be “the gateway to development in Hull” and that he believed that his talents and experience would make him a good fit for the position, and would be a way for him to give back to the community.

Pitrolo has served on various town boards and committees, including currently sitting on the economic development committee, and is involved with the Hull-Nantasket Chamber of Commerce.

The select board and planning board, which met in joint session to fill this position, agreed unanimously to appoint Pitrolo. The vacancy resulted from Irwin Nesoff’s election to the select board.

In other business at the meeting, Donna Pursel was appointed to represent the select board on the Climate Action Committee, which will play a central role in defining the town’s policies and strategy in addressing the impacts of climate change in Hull. The first meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. It’s anticipated that the committee will meet quarterly.

Nesoff was appointed to represent the select board on the Beach Management Committee, which meets on a monthly basis. The BMC is preparing to review and update the current beach management plan.

The select board also continued its end-of-year license renewal process, approving the Sandbar’s all-alcohol, common victualler, and entertainment licenses; Paragon Arcade’s all-alcohol, common victualler, auto amusement, and entertainment licenses; Shoreline Kitchen and Bar’s all-alcohol, common victualler, and entertainment licenses; A Street Liquors’ all-alcohol as a package store license; The Village Market’s all-alcohol as a package store license; Toast’s wine and malt as restaurant and common victualler licenses; and common victualler licenses for Hull Jade Restaurant, L Street Pizza, Scoops Ice Cream Company, Weinberg’s Bakery (and also approved a change of hours to closing one hour earlier), and To Dine For. The board also renewed livery licenses/badges for Seaside Transport, a lodging house license for The Nantascot Lodging House, and a Class II Wholesale license for West Corner Autos, Inc.

Hull pledges support for joining AARP’s network of ‘age-friendly communities’

The select board this week authorized Chair Jennifer Constable to sign a letter to be sent to the American Association of Retired Persons pledging the Town of Hull's commitment to creating an age-friendly community and environment at the suggestion of the Council on Aging during a recent meeting.

The board also supported joining AARP’s Network of Age-Friendly Communities, an affiliate of the World Health Organization’s Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities.

This program supports the efforts of cities and towns to be “great places for people of all ages.”

Joining this program is one of the key recommendations from the recent needs assessment aimed at enhancing the lives of Hull’s growing senior population now and in the years to come.

This AARP network is based on the premise that communities should provide safe, walkable streets, age-friendly housing and transportation options, access to needed services, and opportunities for residents of all ages to participate in community life.

There are no membership costs.

-- Carol Britton Meyer

Upcoming workshop to explore climate change’s impact on Hampton Circle area

By Carol Britton Meyer

Residents living in the Hampton Circle neighborhood are encouraged to attend a Climate Adaptation Workshop on Dec. 7 for an overview of flood vulnerability in their neighborhood based on climate change projections.

The workshop will be hosted by the Hull Climate Adaptation and Conservation Department and the sewer department, both which are exploring options to address flooding in the Hampton Circle area. This includes the proposed reconstruction of the Lt. Joseph D. McLaughlin Playground, which is subject to frequent flooding. This event will provide an overview of flood vulnerability based on climate change projections, introduce adaptation options.

The workshop, which will run from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., will be held in the Hull High School Exhibition Room. It is funded by the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.

Residents who live on Marginal Road, Moreland Avenue, Hampton Circle, and Bay Street – as well as others interested in the topic – will have the opportunity to offer feedback.

The Hull Community Development and Planning Department is working with Hampton Circle residents to reconstruct the McLaughlin playground, subject to an environmental review conducted by the state and other considerations.

“The current proposal calls for a new play structure with an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant pour-in-place surface and walkway, parking, a new swing set, benches, plantings, and a rain garden-type feature to better manage stormwater and to attempt to improve ocean flooding drainage,” Director of Community Development and Planning Chris DiIorio explained earlier.

As part of the process, the CDP submitted an Environmental Notification Form to the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs on Oct. 31 to initiate review of this project.

This is due to the fact that the land where the playground existed is located in an Area of Critical Environmental Concern.

In addition, because the town plans to use some federal funding for this project, a Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act review was triggered, resulting in the ENF. MEPA will make the determination as to whether an Environmental Impact Report is required for the project.

For additional information about the effects of climate change on Hull, visit the Climate Adaptation and Conservation Department website at www.town.hull.ma.us/climate-adaptation-and-conservation.

Endangered sea turtle dies after stranding on beach, despite Hull family’s rescue effort

By Carol Britton Meyer

RESCUE ATTEMPT. The McFadden family found a Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle, the rarest – and the world’s most endangered – species of sea turtles stranded on the beach last week. Despite their best efforts, and those of the New England Aquarium, the turtle did not survive. [Photo courtesy of Joel McFadden]

While a Hull family’s efforts to save a sea turtle recently found on the bayside beach that runs along Strawberry Hill had a sad ending, they are glad they had the opportunity to help the rare creature.

While walking along that part of the beach last week, Corvid Martinez and his father, Joel, came across the 1.5-foot-long sea turtle, an endangered species, which was not moving and appeared to be lifeless.

“We made the mistake of bringing it home so it would not be destroyed,” Joel told The Hull Times. “When we arrived, our [partner/mother], Melany McFadden, who teaches oceanography [at a local college], knew to call the New England Aquarium Sea Turtle Rescue Hotline.”

Corvid, Joel, and Melany were aware of the fact that sea turtles “are very endangered from humans hunting them, ocean pollution, and entanglements in fishing and shrimp trawling gear,” she said.

The NEA Marine Animal Rescue Team vehicle arrived within 45 minutes and picked up what turned out to be a Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle, the rarest – and the world’s most endangered – species of sea turtles.

“They are also the most common to have cold-shock in the Cape Cod Bay area,” according to McFadden.

As it turned out, the sea turtle had a very weak heartbeat, but passed away overnight.

“This was both a sad experience and an amazing one to see a sea turtle up close,” McFadden said.

According to the rescue staff at the aquarium, any wild animals found on the beach should never be removed.

“In the case of turtles, they should be moved above the high tide line so they don’t get washed back out into the ocean, and then a call should be made to the hotline at 617-973-5247,” McFadden explained.

Nearly all species of sea turtle are now classified as endangered, with three of the seven existing species being critically endangered, research shows.

The Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Rescue Hotline responds to calls about distressed sea turtles from Boston and surrounding communities to the New Hampshire-Maine border.

Sea turtles in this area do not typically come ashore unless they are seriously debilitated from extreme hypothermia or dehydration, pneumonia, shell or bone fractures, or other issues, according to the New England Aquarium website.

“Other people have seen turtles washed up on the bayside of Hull as well over the past several years,” McFadden said. “Sea turtles are common in our area in the summer and fall, feeding on crabs and other animals in the warm water currents. But when the winds and weather patterns switch, the turtles can end up in water below 50 degrees, which causes their systems to shut down, and the current patterns in Cape Cod Bay and the Gulf of Maine trap them in the region.”

As their body temperatures drop, the sea turtles can’t swim and get blown by the wind into shore.

Joel said he is saddened “to see the loss of another sea turtle, whose populations are so endangered due to human activities such as fish and shrimp trawling, pollution, and the increase of strandings due to cold-shock events in our area related to turtles traveling further north into Cape Cod Bay and the Gulf of Maine, due to the warming of our oceans as a result of human activities.”

Part of the aquarium’s mission is to rehabilitate endangered sea turtles, with an average of 300 turtles treated each year. Treatment can last between two and eight months, sometimes longer. Most of the sea turtles that arrive alive at the aquarium recover and are released back into the ocean.

“For more than 100 million years, sea turtles have covered vast distances across the world’s oceans, filling a vital role in the balance of marine habitats,” according to the World Wildlife Fund website.

WWF is committed to stopping the decline of sea turtles, works for the recovery of the species, and has a symbolic Adopt a Sea Turtle program.

According to Massachusetts Audubon, it’s very important to recover stranded turtles as quickly as possible. “Do not assume a turtle is dead —turtles that appear lifeless are often still alive,” according to its website, which further notes that it’s illegal under both state and federal law to harass sea turtles or transport them without a permit.

For anyone who comes across a stranded sea turtle on the beach, the following simple steps are recommended, in addition to moving it above the high tide line:

* Never grab or hold the turtle by the head or flippers.

* Cover it with dry seaweed or wrack.

* Mark it with an obvious piece of debris, such as a buoy, driftwood, or branches.

* Call the hotline: 617-973-5247.

Off the Wall at Hull Town Hall - Your Government's Meeting Schedule

Are you interested in learning more about how your local government works? Find out when Hull’s boards and commissions are holding public meetings by visiting www.town.hull.ma.us and clicking on the “calendar” icon, or scanning this QR code with your smartphone. 

Under the state’s Open Meeting Law, each public meeting and agenda must be posted at least 48 hours prior to the meeting, so be sure to check the site often for new postings, time adjustments, and supplements to the main agenda. 

Some meetings are in person and some are held remotely; if the meeting is to be held online, the access link and other information will be included on the meeting posting.