Residents asked to share opinions on qualifications of next town manager

By Carol Britton Meyer

The consulting firm leading the search for a new town manager has created an online survey to assist the select board in hiring a replacement for Philip Lemnios, who is retiring at the end of June.

Community Paradigm Associates has posted the survey, which asks residents to identify the desired experience and attributes of the next town manager, on the town’s website, www.town.hull.ma.us. Citizens are encouraged to participate through March 22.

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE TOWN MANAGER ONLINE SURVEY

“This is a five-minute, anonymous survey, with the results going directly back to [Paradigm],” Lemnios said. “They will be shared with the select board to give them a better picture of what citizens think are the important topics. I’m sure we will get a healthy response. I ask citizens to have the integrity to only fill out the survey once.”

The survey is online only, so no paper copies are available.

Paradigm is currently talking with each select board member individually.

“These interviews are to find out what we are looking for in a new town manager and will become part of the advertisement for the position when it goes out,” board member Irwin Nesoff said. “It’s a thoughtful process.” 

Lemnios explained that the process that’s being utilized “is fairly standard in this industry and works well to ensure any candidate applying has a fair picture of what they are applying for, and understands what the challenges are and what the position involves.” The process will “pick up speed dramatically once the front-end details are completed,” he said.

During interviews with Paradigm and another consultant Feb. 8, the entire process was estimated to take about 15 weeks.

Meanwhile, the select board (Domenico Sestito was not present) accepted with regret the written resignation, effective Feb. 19, of former Chair Jennifer Constable, who had already announced her plans to resign at an earlier meeting.

In the letter, Constable said she is “exceptionally thankful to the community, staff, and my board colleagues for seven years of support in this important leadership role.”

She went on to say that her choice to resign “is necessitated solely on career-related decisions.”

After accepting Constable’s resignation, Vice Chair Donna Pursel , who served as chair at Wednesday’s meeting, asked that a meeting be called “sooner rather than later” for a reorganization of the board’s leadership positions.

Schools’ FY24 budget proposes 3% increase over current spending

By Carol Britton Meyer

The Hull Public Schools’ proposed Fiscal 2024 budget represents a 3% increase over the current year’s figure, according to the presentation to the school committee Monday night by Superintendent Judith Kuehn and School Business Administrator Diane Saniuk.

The proposed spending plan totals $17.33 million, a $504,895 increase over the FY23 total of $16.8 million. Previous year budget increases from FY20 through FY23 were, respectively, 1.21%, 2.16%, 2.01%, and 3%.

“The lower increase in fiscal 2020 was COVID-related – when the schools were shut down,” Saniuk explained. “That year, the school department returned money to the town.”

Click here to read the school department’s FY24 budget proposal

The budget proposal sets forth district priorities, which include “celebrating the accomplishments of our students, educators, staff, and district; implementing Phase 1 of the district reconfiguration plan; and developing a blueprint for implementation of Phase 2,” Kuehn explained.

Other priorities include ensuring that all of Hull’s schools are “diverse, inclusive, accepting, welcoming, and a safe place for everyone,” and refining and streamlining the district’s multi-tiered systems of support for academic and social emotional development, among others.

Of the FY24 proposed budget, 76.64% is comprised of salaries; 7.14% is special education non-salary costs; 4.51% is for utilities; 2.82% for non-salary maintenance; 4.53% represents transportation; 1.37% for technology; and all other non-salary costs, 2.99%.

“Our teachers are the most valuable part of our district,” committee member Kyle Conley said.

Additional budget priorities include adding a second full day for the pre-kindergarten classroom for four-year-olds and expanding before- and after-school care for the same age group.

The proposed FY24 overall town budget is $47.5 million, including the schools. Of the proposed $30.1 million operating budget, $12.8 million, or 42.5%, is for general government, while the school department’s budget totals $17.3 million, representing 57.5% of the total operating budget, according to a recent presentation by Town Manager Philip Lemnios. All of the spending plans are subject to town meeting approval.

Saniuk and Kuehn outlined how the school department has spent, or plans to expend, its one-time, $1.5 million COVID19-related Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds.

“We’ve been very careful with our ESSER funds,” Kuehn said, “using them for one-time expenses only or for including something that we could absorb into the budget in the future.”

This emergency funding meant to address the consequences of COVID19 on learning that was granted to the school district supports academics, social-emotional needs, and operations.

Upcoming budget discussions are scheduled for Monday, March 13, during the regular school committee meeting; a Monday, March 27, joint meeting between the school committee and advisory board at town hall at 7 p.m.; the state-required public hearing on the FY 24 budget on Monday, April 10; the regular school committee meeting on Monday, April 24; and Monday, May 1, during town meeting at Hull High School.

“We will dig a little deeper into the budget during these meetings,” Saniuk said.

A future presentation to the school committee will link the proposed school budget to the current Hull Public Schools strategic plan, according to Kuehn.

Chair Stephanie Peters commented on the “transparent school budget process” outlined by the administrators and planned for the weeks leading up to town meeting.

In other business at the meeting, Hull High School Art teacher Candace Greland, along with a representative of Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth, presented an honorable mention to HHS student Elizabeth Flattich-Breidenthal (Jacob Smith also was awarded this honor but was not present) for the poster they submitted for a MPY contest around the theme “Environment – the Earth loves you, love it back.” These two students were among 200 entrants. The non-profit MPY has a mission of prevention and intervention regarding matters of health and safety related to youth.

Lemnios’s proposed $47.5M budget includes assistant TM, more spending for seniors

By Carol Britton Meyer

The proposed $47.5 million Fiscal 2024 budget, presented by Town Manager Philip Lemnios to the select board Wednesday night, includes $130,000 for a new assistant town manager position “to more effectively manage the community” and a continuing commitment to the Council on Aging by increasing staff hours to reflect the growing demand for services and programming.

The overall budget proposal, crafted by Lemnios and Town Accountant Michael Buckley, represents a $1,997,348 increase over FY23’s $45.5 million figure, or a 4.39% total increase. Lemnios discussed the budget during a joint meeting of the select board and the advisory board, which reviews the spending plan and other articles in preparation for the May town meeting, when voters will make final decisions.

The Council on Aging’s budget has increased by 112% in six years, from $157,414 in FY19 to a proposed $334,224 for FY24, Lemnios said.

Of the $30.1 million operating budget, $12.8 million – or 42.5% – is for general government expenses, while the school department operating budget totals $17.3 million, representing 57.5% of the operating budget. For FY24, the department budget proposed increase is $1.1 million, or 3.88%, while the school department’s budget would increase by $504,895, or 3%.

Click here for Town Manager Philip Lemnios’s FY24 presentation from 2/15/23

“We have to be conservative and tight with our budget because of the town’s size and its small commercial base,” Lemnios said. “We don’t have a big safety net.”

The proposed budget also funds recurring capital projects, such as school technology and police cruisers, at $540,000 and adds $1.5 million to the stabilization (“rainy day”) fund, bringing the total fund balance to $2.15 million.

Lemnios noted that the fire and police departments have achieved full staffing for two consecutive years – a goal that was set several years ago – so no new fire or police positions are included in the budget.

During the presentation, Lemnios explained that 73% of town revenue comes from property taxes, 14% from state aid, and 13% from local receipts such as excise taxes and revenue from building and other permits.

Expenditure components include the operational budget, insurance and pensions, debt, capital projects, snow removal costs, intergovernmental charges (including county and charter school and MBTA assessments) and the overlay, an account established annually to fund anticipated property tax abatements, exemptions, and uncollected taxes in that year.

Department budgets comprise 64% of the overall budget total; pensions, 9%; debt/capital, 9%; various insurances (mainly health), 17%; and townwide expenses, 1%.

At the end of the budget discussion, Advisory Board Chair David Clinton offered Lemnios “our deep appreciation for what you have been able to do to right Hull’s financial ship. That was no small feat.”

In turn, Lemnios noted that Hull’s Advisory Board has “always been a central player in the development of the town budget – contemplative, collegial, and always keeping their eye on the ball,” he said. “We’re all here to provide the best services we can to our citizens while working within [certain] constraints.”

The budget presentation will be posted on the town website, and the advisory board will hold meetings on all town meeting proposals in the weeks leading up to the May 1 annual town meeting.

HRA modifies plan to reduce housing units, increase open space

By Dolores Sauca Lorusso

The Hull Redevelopment Authority Tuesday night voted to modify its potential development in response to residents’ feedback on the draft Urban Renewal Plan. The authority decided to eliminate Option 1, which contained housing on the northern end of the property, and concentrate on Option 2, which contains more open space.

FIELD OF DREAMS. The Hull Redevelopment Authority this week voted to modify its draft Urban Renewal Plan to eliminate most development on the northern end of its property, shown here. This space, between Monument Square and the David A. Cook Comfort Station, would be used as a public park and for summer beach parking. [Richard Green photo]

“Based on feedback we agreed to focus on Option 2, redefining the plan to preserve as much open space as possible,” said HRA Chair Bartley Kelly.  “We will continue to gather public input on park improvements, what works and what doesn’t, and what is viable economically.”

In Option 2, the Phipps Street parcels remain a public open space park and seasonal beach parking. The north end, for approximately 1,000 feet in length and approximately 200 feet in width, from Phipps Street to Edgewater Road will remain undeveloped. While the HRA has no jurisdiction over the state parking lot adjacent to the Bergan home, the Phipps Street HRA parking remains seasonal beach parking and year-round resident parking for approximately 350 cars.

Architectural Designer John Ruffo described the plan as “an open space system complimented by a series of uses; bordered by potential development uses and traffic.” He said the plan provides an opportunity to “link a series of parks from the memorial to North Park to, what we are calling, the promenade; creating great open space, great buildings of different scales, and a public realm to knit it all together.”

“A lot of initiatives have not come to fruition over the years for one reason or another, whether it was economic conditions, political infighting in the town, or developers walking away, after they got their approvals, because they thought the market wasn’t the right time,” Kelly said.

For instance, in the 1990s, there was a proposal to build a Star Market on the Phipps Street lot, and approximately 60 townhouses on the southern end.

“That would have created a big wall effect in that area,” Kelly said. “Based on community input, the HRA did not go along with that development proposal.”

Even today, the wall effect concerns members of the community wishing to preserve the unique wide-open bay to ocean vista. Gisela Voss of Hampton Circle desires to “just leave that incredible open space on this planet open… a place where you can see the sunrise on one side and the sunset on the other.”

Kelly said the HRA’s goal is to develop a plan that benefits the town while meeting the objectives of multiple committees working on affordable housing, the housing production plan, and redeveloping the parcel.

“It is important to strike a balance to keep open space, view corridors, and passive recreation space that is usable for the town. In the long run we think it will add tax revenue, beautify the area, provide housing, and still provide parking,” said Kelly.

“It still seems like too much building, and the green space I do see on the plan is too small,” said Brooke Shoostine of Samoset Avenue, adding that she is “glad the Star Market was not put on this space; that would have been tragic, and if we look forward 20 years from now we may feel the same way about overbuilding the space.”

M.J. Walsh of Rockland House Road said she appreciates the HRA’s work to “bring forward the desires of the community.” She echoed many of her Hull neighbors in their hopes to “maximize the ability to maintain as much open space as possible.”

Patrick Finn, of Telegraph Avenue, said “I don’t think people appreciate the actual size of 13-15 acres, and to expect it to stay 100% open space is unrealistic.” He said only the main parcel should be developed to prevent “overbuilding” and “aggrieving” residents by destroying their views.

Paige McWhorter of Massasoit Avenue noted the importance of being “very proactive,” explaining the project provides a “huge opportunity to lead with sustainability.” She shared an example of taking part in “green infrastructure” by building a net-zero passive house boutique hotel.

“This type of building can bring so much attention and opportunities for grants and funding,” she said. A net-zero building produces enough renewable energy to meet its own energy consumption requirements; however, it does not necessarily mean the building is entirely energy efficient, which is the goal of a passive house. Opened in Connecticut in May 2022, Hotel Marcel is the only other passive house hotel in the U.S.

McWhorter was not the only resident wishing to include environmentally friendly elements in the redevelopment. Walsh said she would also love the open space to include “an outdoor amphitheater with a solar array above it, and parking with electric vehicle charging stations.” Judeth Van Hamm, a proponent for renewable energy, shared her vision of incorporating personal solar-powered rapid transit into the plan.

“It can cut 43% emissions in transportation and make a safer place to develop,” she said.

With community input, Kelly said he is “very optimistic” the HRA can come up with a plan the “town can get on board with.” He went on to describe the plan as “palatable and meeting the goals of the town without overwhelming the property,” while still providing avenues for economic development. The HRA is “trying to check all the boxes” and will continue incorporating input from community feedback.

Following the Zoom meeting, Steve Cecil, planning consultant and facilitator, said “from my perspective this had been a very effective forum. I am reading the chats as fast as I can and can’t keep up. The amount of input we have had is fantastic.”

The next set of public input meetings will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday March 14 in-person at the high school, and at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 16 over the Zoom platform.

St. Patrick’s Day events aim to bring luck of the Irish to local businesses

By Carol Britton Meyer 

Hull will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with even more spirit and merriment than usual this year, not only on March 17, but also during four days of special events leading up to the holiday.

Everything from Irish food and music to step dancing and a Pot O’ Gold raffle is designed to give a boost to local year-round businesses and to offer residents a fun time during the March doldrums.

The Hull Nantasket Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with local retail shops and restaurants, is hosting a fun-filled St. Patrick’s Day celebration from March 9-12, featuring special events for all ages to brighten the season and to spotlight year-round merchants during this quieter time before business picks up again in the spring and summer.

Event organizers say this will be the biggest St. Patrick’s Day celebration that Hull has ever had.

The planning started six weeks ago after the idea was floated at a Chamber meeting as a way to remind the community that many Hull shops and restaurants remain open during the winter months.

“A lot of surrounding communities celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in a big way, which sparked the idea to do the same in Hull,” Joanne Coletta-Levine, the Chamber’s administrator, told The Hull Times.

The Chamber put the word out to local businesses, which responded enthusiastically, and the idea kept growing and expanding. “It’s a win-win for all of us,” she said, explaining that it is an opportunity to show support for local businesses during the slow period, while at the same time providing residents with four days full of fun.

“Everybody, regardless of whether they are of Irish heritage or not, really appreciates St. Patrick’s Day as a time to celebrate and to have a good time during the winter,” she said. “We’ve incorporated a lot of events on the adult side and also family-friendly activities. We’re very excited about it, and the businesses are, too.”

The idea behind holding this St. Patrick’s Day celebration early is to allow room for the traditional celebration the following week.

“This way, the fun is spread out,” Coletta-Levine said.

Thursday, March 9, kicks off the festivities with a corned beef dinner for seniors at the Parrot, with live music by an Irish trio from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets for this event are $20, and seats are limited. A cash bar is available. To purchase a ticket, visit the Hull Senior Center by Monday, March 6. Entertainment is provided through a donation from the organizers of Porchfest.

The following day, March 10, Scoops will host a St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Scoop Celebration featuring make-your-own Sham O’Rock (green!) sundaes with all the toppings and face painting, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The same day, Daddy’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration will feature corned beef and cabbage pizza, a specialty cocktail, green beer, music, and dancing from 12:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Parrot will be the scene of a pre-St. Patrick’s Day celebration featuring whiskey tastings, Guinness beer glass engravings, Irish music, and step dancing on Saturday, March 11, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Also on Saturday, March 11, the Hull Public Library will offer a shamrock craft activity from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Paragon Boardwalk Celebration will feature kids’ activities, a costume contest, music, cornhole, and more throughout the day on Sunday, March 12.

Other events include a 20-50% off sale on Irish-imported products, including sweaters, scarves, handbags, hats, and more at Little Shop of Paula’s; special Irish-inspired confections, including St. Patrick’s Day dark chocolate and green mint bark at Nantasket Sweets by Swedes; and the Luck Be a Lady special, 10% off all facials and gift cards at Shore Skin Studio.

Pot of Gold contributors, with more come, include: Shipwreck’d, Breadbasket, Seaside Transport, Julie’s Pure Bliss, Manet Community Health, Scoops, South Shore Cycles, Hull Nantasket Chamber of Commerce, Gallery Nantasket, Little Shop of Paula’s, Saltwater Diner, Charisma Realty, Nantasket Sweets, Paragon Carousel, Shore Skin Studio, Nantasket Paint & Hardware, and Wellspring Multi-Service Center.

Tying the four days of celebration together will be a free Pot O’ Gold raffle at each participating location.

“We’re already getting many donations from businesses around town,” Coletta-Levine said. “It will be a great raffle, featuring three big prizes.”

The rest is a secret!

The celebration, featuring a combination of free and paid events, will be held rain or shine, because the events will be happening indoors.

“We’re really looking forward to this celebration and hope people come out and enjoy it,” Coletta-Levine said. “If it’s successful, we’d like to do even bigger and better things next year.”

As the Irish say, “beidh sé ina am spraíúil” – “It will be a fun time!

Businesses can still get involved in the festivities, and should contact the Chamber at info@hullchamber.com or 781-925-9980.

With three seats on ballot, election could reshape Select Board majority

Voters have the chance to make significant changes to Hull’s political landscape this election season, with a majority of the select board up for grabs, as well as significant numbers of seats on the planning board and the board of library trustees.

A total of 19 positions will be on the May 15 ballot. Nomination papers became available this week from the town clerk’s office, and must be returned with the signatures of at least 50 registered voters by March 27 in order for the candidate to qualify for inclusion on the ballot.

Typically, a maximum of two positions on the select board are available in a single election cycle, but last week’s resignation of Chair Jennifer Constable has added a third seat into the mix. Constable’s unexpired two-year term will be on the ballot, as well as the three-year seats currently held by Donna Pursel and Domenico Sestito.

Pursel told the Times she is planning to run again; former planning board member Jason McCann announced this week that he is in the race for one of the three-year terms.

School committee Chair Stephanie Peters announced Wednesday that she is stepping off the board after 17 years; her colleague Ernest Minelli IV will stand for re-election.

On the planning board, the five-year terms of Joseph Duffy and Harry Hibbard are available, as well as the two-year term of Jim Pitrolo, who was appointed to fill a vacancy.

Similarly, Max Walder, who was appointed to the Hull Redevelopment Authority this past year, will need to run again to retain his three-year term; incumbent Henry Dunn’s five-year term expires this spring.

Others on the May ballot are the three-year terms of library trustees Celia Nolan and Gail Saitow, plus a two-year term and a one-year term on that board; a five-year term on the Hull Housing Authority now held by Jim Richman; Pamela Sinton-Coffman and Mario Peter Grieco’s three-year terms on the board of assessors, and the three-year terms of light commissioners Patrick Cannon and Jake Vaillancourt.

Candidates may obtain nomination papers from Town Clerk Lori West at town hall between 7:45 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Anyone with questions may call the office at 781-925-2000.

-- Christopher Haraden

Peters won’t seek another term on school committee

On Wednesday, Hull School Committee Chair Stephanie Peters released a statement announcing that she will not be a candidate for re-election this May:

SCHOOL COMMITTEE CHAIR STEPHANIE PETERS WON’T SEEK ANOTHER TERM IN MAY.

After serving for 17 years, it is time for new energy on the school committee, and I will not be running in the annual town election. If you are interested, you need to visit town hall and obtain nomination papers before March 23 and return them with 50 signatures to get on the ballot. School Committee is one of the most important positions in our community, as it guides our future leaders and is the cornerstone of a strong community.

These past 17 years, we have accomplished so much, and I have enjoyed every minute of serving, which has had a lot of ups and downs. You need thick skin in this age of social media, but a guiding principle should be that if you are making decisions in the best interest of all children, you can ignore the noise created by the vocal few on social media. For as much negative energy that is out there, there is much more support from people in private regarding committee’s decisions.

Please get in touch with me if you are interested in running. It would be great if we could get a parent with younger children to serve, as there are a lot of decisions to be made with realigning the district that should have parent input. I am happy to sit down and talk with anyone about the process. Leaving the district well cared for, with people who value public education, is my top priority.

When I first decided to run, a friend at work who had served in another district said that being on a school committee is like pushing a big boulder up a mountain. You really can’t do that; you can only go a little bit, side-to-side. You can never really move it up. I will never forget that story, and how different my experience was – we moved that boulder up the mountain with all our improvements and decisions made for the children of Hull. We still have a way to go, but we are headed up, and not down!

I could not have made it through serving on the committee without the support of my family and friends, who always offered a supportive environment, even through the harshest of times. Being on a public board is not easy, but when you have a core group of supportive family and friends who offer words of support through the years, it makes it well worth it.

Please get involved, and Go Pirates!

McCann announces run for seat on Select Board

Jason McCann will be running for one of the open three-year terms on the Hull Select Board this May.

JASON MCCANN ANNOUNCED HIS CANDIDACY FOR THE SELECT BOARD THIS WEEK.

McCann is a former member of the planning board, zoning board of appeals and Community Preservation Committee. Additionally, he has been involved in a number of successful campaigns in Hull, including the successful adoption of the Community Preservation Act, the Save the Ferry campaign, and the initiative to restore the Fort Revere water tower.

“Now is the right time to run,” McCann said. “Hull is at a major crossroads, particularly given the appointment of a new town manager this year. Additionally, with a new governor of the Commonwealth and new sources of funding coming down from the federal government, we need select board members that are working hard to build state and federal relationships that will result in improvements for Hull.

“The list of work to be done is long, and will require a lot of leadership and individual effort – seawall and road repair; improvements to our electric, water and sewer infrastructure; supporting our housing needs; the restoration of the DCR’s Nantasket Beach Reservation and Fort Revere Park; the preservation of anchor public institutions like the Paragon Carousel and the Hull Lifesaving Museum; ensuring community resilience to climate change; and more,” he continued. “All of this work requires the dedication, time and effort of an active Hull Select Board. I am up for the task.”

McCann lives in Hull Village with his husband, Chad Wolfe. He has his own legal recruiting and career advising business, Gridline Search + Consulting. As a founding member of the Hull Pride and Friends of Nantasket Beach non-profit organizations, you can see him around town at one of the various social events that these groups put on throughout the year.

McCann has pulled his nomination papers from the town clerk and is working quickly to secure the necessary signatures to be placed on the ballot this May. For more information on his campaign, visit www.mccannforhull.com.

School department prepares for phase one of consolidation project

By Carol Britton Meyer

The Hull Public Schools leadership team is “digging into planning and implementing phase one of the reconfiguration plan,” according to Superintendent of Schools Judith Kuehn, who outlined next steps in the Best Educational Use of School Facilities process.

MEMORIAL MIDDLE SCHOOL…

Communication and collaboration among all those involved with this major change is key to the plan’s success, she told The Hull Times.

While the school committee has already approved the first step – housing pre-K through 6 at Jacobs Elementary School, grades 7 and 8 at Memorial Middle School, and grades 9 through 12 at the high school for the 2023-24 school year – the committee’s stamp of approval also is required before implementation of phase two. This plan envisions the Jacobs School housing grades preK to 7 and the high school grades 8 to 12 in the 2024-25 school year.

This means that for the next school year, fifth-graders who would normally move on to the middle school will remain at Jacobs.

The phase one leadership team is concentrating on logistics, from scheduling, transportation, cafeteria details, room assignments, new furniture for the sixth-graders, maintenance, and painting classrooms and hallways, among others.

“We’re taking a deep dive into those details to ensure we get everything right,” Kuehn said.

The leadership team is comprised of Kuehn, Memorial Principal Tony Hrivnak, Jacobs Principal Kyle Shaw, Director of Curriculum and Assessment Christine Cappadona, Director of Student Services Kristen Ryan, Business Manager Diane Saniuk, and former Assistant Superintendent David DeGennaro, who is working as a consultant.

“All decisions are made with the best interests of our students in mind,” Kuehn said. “We’ll be rolling out a comprehensive communication plan for families soon.”

The consolidation plan is outlined in the MARS Best Educational Use of School Facilities report, which evaluated the educational adequacy of the three school buildings. An ad hoc committee supported the consolidation recommendation. Declining enrollments also played a part in support of the consolidation plan.

The reconfiguration plan would leave the middle school open to municipal and other educational uses. Whatever the outcome, the school committee would maintain control of the building.

If it’s decided to move some town services to the Memorial building, a memorandum of understanding would be crafted between the school department and the town.

Kuehn has spoken with Town Manager Philip Lemnios to create a draft memo.

“There are no details yet. This is at the preliminary stage,” she said.

As plans for implementing phase one of the school reconfiguration move forward, “we acknowledge that change can be both difficult and exciting,” Kuehn wrote in a recent email to teachers and staff. “To support the transition, we will continue to provide updates and seek faculty input as we develop the implementation plan.”

To date, Kuehn and Hrivnak have met with the middle school staff on two occasions, and Hrivnak and Cappadona have met with the grade level teams there as well.

Shaw has met with fifth-graders regarding the reconfiguration and is planning to meet with the middle school grade level teams. The grade six team will have opportunities to visit the space at Jacobs School, according to Kuehn.

“We want to create a fun, exciting, and innovative space for our students,” she said.

Kuehn and Shaw will meet with the middle school staff on March 1 about the plan. On March 6, grade six teachers and a special education teacher plan to visit Jacobs School to view the space.

“This collaboration will continue throughout the process, and we are committed to updating and listening to staff,” Kuehn explained. “Consistent communication is important as we implement phase one and will remain a priority if implementation of phase two is approved for the 2024-25 school year.”

A series of informal meetings, “Brewing Conversations,” is under way for parents and guardians to share their thoughts and suggestions with Kuehn and Cappadona “to support the continuous improvement of the Hull Public Schools.”

A session is planned for Thursday, March 23, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Wheelhouse, located near the Jacobs main office.

Kuehn also is working with the South Shore Educational Collaborative to facilitate the moving of students from the Jacobs to the Memorial by June in preparation for its summer program. This move allows time for painting and updating of the six classrooms the collaborative is vacating to ensure they are ready for grades four and five.

“There are many details to our work, from obtaining boxes for packing and then the move to changing the location of some summer programs, ensuring technology is in place in appropriate classrooms, and other needs,” Kuehn said, invoking a familiar phrase she has used in the past: “Together we ‘gut’ this!”

Constable resigns; hints at ‘new opportunities’ as Hull seeks next town manager

By Carol Britton Meyer

Select Board Chair Jennifer Constable announced her resignation Wednesday night after serving for seven years, stating that her involvement with the Hull community will continue.

SELECT BOARD CHAIR JENNIFER CONSTABLE…

While Constable did not offer specifics, her stepping down follows Town Manager Philip Lemnios’ announcement that he plans to retire on June 30. Constable is currently the assistant town administrator in Rockland.

“I do look forward to the prospect of new potential leadership roles in the community, so my resignation at this point will make that potential opportunity possible,” said Constable, who will leave the board effective Feb. 19.

During an earlier select board discussion about next steps in the town manager search and interviews with two consulting firms, Constable either recused herself or was not present.

According to the State Ethics Commission, a select board member generally cannot be appointed to any position, paid or unpaid, that is both appointed by and under the supervision of the board. Rather, the incumbent must wait 30 days after he or she finishes serving on the board before becoming eligible to be appointed to such a position, or permission to be appointed must be granted by town meeting.

Constable thanked her constituents and expressed appreciation for the camaraderie the board has shared.

“We’ve accomplished a great number of things over the course of time, including hiring new police and fire chiefs and a director of community development and planning, and economic development [initiatives] with the support and involvement of the board, town staff, Phil Lemnios, and [Town Counsel] Jim Lampke,” she said. “We also have an agreement with the Department of Conservation & Recreation.” 

Fellow board members wished her well.

“It’s been a pleasure working with you,” Domenico Sestito said. “You and I haven’t always agreed, but we always agreed to disagree. I know this wasn’t an easy decision for you.”

Calling her “a leader, mentor and friend,” Donna Pursel said Constable guided her through the process when Pursel was elected to the board. “I started my term during COVID and had a million questions – half of them probably foolish – but you never made me feel that way. You always showed me where to go to get the answers.”

Pursel also praised Constable for her many contributions to the town as a select board member “in the eight short years that I have lived here. That’s why I got involved [in town government] – because I saw what you were accomplishing and that you are a true example of someone with the heart to serve.”

Advisory Board Chair David Clinton, who was in the audience after hearing Lemnios’ Fiscal 2024 budget presentation, commended Constable for the “collegiate” way she has conducted herself, and the board as a whole, during the advisory board’s “deliberations and due diligence” leading up to town meeting. He also acknowledged Constable’s “calm demeanor and grace,” wishing her well in her future endeavors.

His remarks were followed by applause from fellow board members and the audience.

“I love what I do, and I love this community, so I hope that in some form I will be able to continue this work,” Constable said.

The process for replacing Constable was not discussed this week, but will be a topic at a future meeting.