Retaining hybrid meetings will protect the public’s voice in local government

Op/Ed by Justin Silverman

During the early months of COVID19, governors in New England states issued executive orders allowing municipalities to meet online, as long as the public could attend remotely. The democratic benefits of this arrangement quickly became evident.

According to a public official quoted in a 2020 study, the changes “made it a lot easier for residents who have other things to do, to be heard. People with family obligations, elder care, or child-care issues.”

The executive orders that prompted these changes, however, have long since expired. New England states have resorted to a patchwork of live streams, short-term remote meeting requirements, and in some cases, reverted back to pre-COVID policies and in-person meetings only.

There’s a better way forward.

Permanent changes need to be made to state laws to require both in-person and remote access to government meetings. People with young children, health issues, disabilities, work commitments, or other circumstances that prevent in-person attendance at these meetings are at risk of again being shut out of the democratic process. At the same time, there are benefits to in-person meetings that must continue along with this expanded access.

Now is an ideal time to contact your state representatives and make this need known. Sunshine Week is March 12-18 and is a celebration of open government and freedom of information. The sunshine reference is attributed to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis, who famously wrote that “sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.” In other words, an informed citizenry is the best check against government corruption. We should use the occasion to demand the permanent changes necessary for all members of the public to effectively engage with the government and stay informed.

The 2020 study – published in the Journal of Civic Information and authored by Jodie Gil and Jonathan L. Wharton – involved nearly 100 municipalities in Connecticut following the state’s COVID19 emergency orders. It found that the majority of these municipalities experienced the same or increased participation during their public budget deliberations as they had previously. While these towns also experienced learning curves and other unexpected challenges, the authors’ findings reinforce what many of us have come to believe during the last three years: the public is more likely to participate in meetings when given multiple ways to do so.

Massachusetts lawmakers recently recognized this reality with legislation (HD3261/SD2017) that could serve as a model for other states. The bill would apply to all executive branch agencies and municipal bodies subject to the state’s Open Meeting Law. It phases in over seven years a requirement that they meet in person and also provide remote access and participation, but demands swift compliance by state agencies and elected municipal bodies. Non-elected municipal bodies with logistical or budgetary concerns can apply for hardship waivers. The legislation even creates a trust fund that will financially support those needing assistance. The waivers, however, are available only until 2030. There must be universal compliance by that time.

Remote meeting technology is becoming more prevalent, less expensive, and greatly needed by citizens unable to attend in person. At the very least, open meeting laws should be changed to incorporate the following:

Hybrid Access. The public needs in-person access to government meetings along with the ability to attend and participate remotely. Both forms of access are critical. While remote meetings will make government accessible to those who cannot otherwise attend, citizens still need face-to-face time with their representatives without their commentary being muted or disconnected from a Zoom line.

Hard Deadline. The ultimate goal is to have all public bodies meeting in a hybrid form. The ease of reaching this goal will vary from one government agency to the next. States should set a clear and hard deadline for all government bodies to comply, taking into consideration challenges such as staffing, funding, and logistics.

Funding. A common argument against hybrid meetings is the cost of the required equipment and technology. While these costs have decreased significantly, they can still impose a burden on small towns with limited funding and staffing. States should earmark funding specifically for the purpose of hybrid meetings and help those municipalities that genuinely need the assistance. Consider it an investment in democracy.

There have been few silver linings to emerge from COVID19. Remote access to government meetings is one of them. It provides equity and engagement in our democracy that many members of our communities would not otherwise enjoy. We need to change our open meeting laws now to make sure this access is available long after the pandemic has run its course.

Justin Silverman is the executive director of the New England First Amendment Coalition. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization is the region’s leading advocate for First Amendment freedoms and the public’s right to know about government. Learn more at nefac.org.

Schools planning for grade reconfiguration, hiring of Jacobs assistant principal

By Carol Britton Meyer

The school committee this week discussed the process for the hiring of an assistant principal at the Jacobs Elementary School, which will include a recommendation from a search committee.

Jacobs Elementary school

Last summer, Assistant Principal Kyle Shaw was named principal, replacing Christine Cappadona when she moved out of that role to become director of curriculum and assessment districtwide. He will remain in that position during both phases. Jacobs’ Interim Assistant Principal Elaine Menice will stay until the end of the school year, and the new assistant principal will start July 1, and will be in place as the school district begins consolidating the structure of grades from three buildings into two.

The school committee previously voted 4 to 1 to take 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.

This means that for that school year, fifth-graders who would normally move on to the middle school will remain at the Jacobs. The final reconfiguration will have the Jacobs School housing grades preK to 7 and the high school grades 8 to 12, starting with the 2024-25 school year.

“During phase one, the 2023-24 school year, there will be one assistant principal,” Superintendent of Schools Judith Kuehn explained. “During phase two, from the 2024-25 school year and the years going forward, there will be two assistant principals, one upper school assistant principal and one lower school assistant principal.”

The new Jacobs assistant principal is expected to be appointed by April 14.

Also this week, committee members Liliana Hedrick and Kyle Conley suggested this week the formation of a subcommittee of the school committee to be involved with how the middle school will be repurposed, as outlined in the MARS Best Educational Use of School Facilities report.

However, committee member David Twombly recalled Town Manager Philip Lemnios mentioning earlier that a subcommittee or an ad hoc committee would be formed to include school committee, advisory board, and select board members and others. Kuehn also recalled that conversation.

“It’s important to maintain a connection between the school committee and the final decisions that will be made across the town regarding how the space will be used,” Conley said. “I don’t anticipate this being a heavy lift, but there needs to be somebody keeping an eye on the use of that space.”

If it’s decided to move some town services to the middle school, a memorandum of understanding would be crafted between the Hull Public Schools and the town, which is a key component of the final outcome.

Kuehn recently spoke with Lemnios about creating a draft agreement, but there are no details yet to share, she told the school committee Monday night.

While understanding of Conley and Hedrick’s intent, Chair Stephanie Peters expressed concern about creating such a subcommittee with the planned retirement of Lemnios at the end of June and a number of seats to be decided on both the school committee and select board in the May town election.

“This is kind of a weird time,” she said.

It was decided after some back and forth that the school committee would ask the advisory board for its thoughts when the two committees meet to discuss the proposed FY24 school budget on March 27.

“That will be the first step,” Peters said.

School committee member Ernest Minelli said that while the “dynamics are unique,” this is an opportunity “to continue the progress we have made as a committee in taking the lead and making this an affirmative process for student learning. If we can keep that momentum going throughout all the different decisions that will be made, we will be in great shape.”

Mitigation efforts result in 15% discount on federal flood insurance

There’s good news for most Hull residents who have flood insurance.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently determined that Hull property owners will qualify for a 15% discount for most National Flood Insurance Program policies issued or renewed on or after Oct. 1, 2023.

A recent letter from William Lesser of the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration said the results of the NFIP Community Rating System field verification allow Hull to retain its current CRS rating.

“This savings is a tangible result of the flood mitigation activities your community implements to protect lives and reduce property damage,” Lesser wrote.

Hull’s CRS rating will be renewed automatically on an annual basis as long as there are no NFIP non-compliance actions.

Lesser commended the town for its “determination to lead your community to be more disaster resistant,” noting that this commitment “enhances public safety and property protection, protects the natural functions of floodplains, and reduces flood insurance premiums.”

-- Carol Britton Meyer

Musicians to honor memory of late performer with shows benefiting HHS music program

Two nights of music will celebrate the life and legacy of Michael Weddle, a well-known and well-loved icon of the local music scene who died October 17, with proceeds benefitting the Hull High School music department.

On Friday, April 7, an all-ages night at the C-Note will feature six performers, and the 21+ show on Saturday, April 8 has a lineup that includes at least eight bands.

“Michael Weddle was a legend around here. I don’t think there was a person who stepped into the C-Note who hadn’t heard his name,” said club manager Barbara Rhind. “He was a quiet, soulful, kind, and generous human being who relentlessly and enthusiastically supported countless charities over the years – all through his love of music and his enormous support of the youth movement of music.”

The all-ages show, an event that Weddle began on the first Friday of each month with a different charitable beneficiary, is organized by Lily Andrey, who is continuing the tradition.

“Michael shaped me not only as a musician I am today, but he also shaped me as a person. He had a wonderful superpower of always seeing potential in young people when others had yet to discover it,” Andrey said. “This quality is what created and drove the all-ages shows. He made the C-Note a home to explore a passion for music and a wonderful venue to find like-minded musicians. He taught me how loving a musical community can be, and I will forever miss his kind spirit and generosity.”

Performers on April 7 include Eye Socket, Jess Caso, AV Club, Jack Holland, Round Trip, and Learn To Speak (Andrey’s own band). Doors will open at 7 p.m. with a donation of $10 at the door that will go to the Hull High music program.

On April 8, the show organized by Rhind and Joe Viglione includes the bands Blacking Out, Mad Painters, Tokyo Tramps, Tsunami of Sound, Kenne Highland’s Airforce, Count Joe Viglione, Climate Change (Michael Weddle’s bandmates) and 1.4.5, among others. Saturday night will wrap up with a Johnny Thunders Jam tribute. Doors open at 2 p.m., with the music starting at 3 p.m. and a suggested donation of $20. As with the all-ages show, donations from Saturday’s admission, as well as 50/50 raffles on both days, will be donated to the Hull High School Music Department in Weddle’s name.

Weddle considered himself a “child of the American Dream.” He was an A+ student of counterculture who believed he would have played professional baseball. He was a former state Representative in New Hampshire, and was a U.S. Army veteran who taught himself guitar and thought himself a “back-bench folk singer.” For many years, he organized numerous charitable concerts for local causes, such as fire victims, veterans, opiate awareness, animal shelters, and school music department. He was a fixture at the Rathskeller in Kenmore Square and organized the annual C-Note Rat Beach Party every Labor Day weekend with four nights of more than 50 bands.

“Michael Weddle was the last of the age of Aquarius/smile on your brother/good vibrations. He was always smiling, doing good for others, turning the annual Rat Beach Party at the C-Note into a Woodstockian gathering of tribes,” said Highland, of Airforce & Mad Painter. “Even his own music was late ’60s San Francisco. He will be missed by us all; but now he is Saint Michael.”

Viglione said Weddle was “a kind, gentle soul who cared about people.

“He loved the Boston music scene and had a vast musical vocabulary which will be missed by all,” Viglione said. “We all lost a very dear friend.”

Two members of the Tokyo Tramps remembered Weddle as passionate about music and about promoting local talent.

“Michael was a grassroots movement leader. We were moved by his passion and selfless dedication to bringing the community together and offering the platform for the youth to learn and perform music,” said Satoru Nakagawa. “He was a man of determination and action. He got my respect. We were honored to be a part of his project.”

“Michael Weddle was a man with a big heart,” Yukiko Fujii added. “He invited us to play for several charity events, and although Tokyo Tramps was not an official ‘Rathskeller veteran,’ he always fit us in to his Rat Beach Party as an ‘international host performer.’ He brought in the youth bands and has kept the Rat’s legacy alive and helped the community to thrive – so creative, so generous and so supportive.”

In Weddle’s own words, “There will come a time when I no longer cast a shadow upon Earth; when my smile becomes unseen and when the goodness in my heart has quivered. My hope is to fade into a memory which will sometimes awaken among those who have known me and also in those I have touched but have never known.”

The musicians whose lives and careers he touched will be keeping his memory alive with the shows on April 7 and 8, and will be sure that his legacy is secured with the support of youth music education in the Hull Public Schools.

As they prepare for the upcoming shows, the performers added as a postscript: “This time the shows are for you, Michael. We will do all the work and you just rest easy, put your feet up and listen. Godspeed.”

Temple’s March programs include sharing meaningful experiences in song, film, and the printed word

By Carol Britton Meyer

Temple Beth Sholom’s efforts to expand its programming and invite the community to participate in a variety of experiences include a performance by a Jewish singer-songwriter, a discussion with the author of a new novel (and former Hingham rabbi) about embracing the supernatural, and the showing of a film on His Majesty’s Jewish Brigade.

On Saturday, March 18 at 9:30 a.m., during Shabbat HaChodesh, Jewish singer-songwriter Sue Horowitz will add another level to the service with her guitar skills and vocal interpretations, followed by a luncheon.

Horowitz has a successful career as a spiritual artist and has appeared at numerous congregations, conferences, music venues, and homes throughout North America. Her music has been published in many compilations, including the Ruach Series, CCAR Haggadah, Kol Isha, and Jewish Songs of Protest and Hope. Horowitz is also the founder and creator of the Jewish Songwriting Cooperative retreat and enjoys leading songwriting workshops.

“Sue is an international recording star in her genre of modern liturgical music and a wonderful interpreter of the prayers,” Rabbi David Grossman, who serves Temple Beth Sholom as joint rabbi with his son, Joshua, told The Hull Times.

The following day, Sunday, March 19 at 2 p.m., there will be a showing of the documentary “In Our Own Hands: The Hidden Story of the Jewish Brigade in WWII,” followed by a discussion.

The film tells the story of His Majesty’s Jewish Brigade, the only all-Jewish fighting unit in World War II. Amidst the chaos of post-war Europe, the young Jewish soldiers mastermind one clandestine operation after the next. “In our Own Hands” unravels the thrilling tale of young Jewish soldiers who carried the weight of a people on their shoulders.

Guest speakers from Friends of the March of the Living will introduce this program. The mission of the Friends is to ensure the perpetuation of this effort through an endowment fund that supports the March of the Living’s goals of educating Jewish teenagers about the dangers of assimilation, hatred and intolerance, instilling in them the necessity to “never forget” and the importance of continuing to share the stories of Holocaust survivors for generations to come.

During the event, candles will be distributed to the congregation in remembrance of those whose lives were lost as they learn about The Shoah Yellow Candle Holocaust Remembrance Program.

Rabbi Stephen Karol, who served Congregation Sha’aray Shalom in Hingham for a number of years, will talk about his new book, “Embracing the Supernatural in Judaism: Signs from Our Deceased Loved Ones and Stories About The World-to-Come” during the Friday, March 24, evening service at 6:30 p.m., followed by a community dinner. A social hour with appetizers will be held an hour before the service. Those planning to attend are asked to sign up through the Temple Beth Sholom office or website.

This book is about the afterlife and is presented in three ways: first, what the Hebrew Bible and later Jewish writings have to say about what happens after death; second, the beliefs and customs that recognize God’s “supernatural” power to connect in people’s daily lives; and, third, what experiences some people have had with communication from the deceased through what are called “signs,” and which Karol refers to as “blessings.”

The book includes numerous quotations from religious sources, as well as contemporary views on the undying love that is felt by the living for those who have died.

In Judaism, God is recognized as having unlimited powers that can be defined as “supernatural” and that are called “signs” – not just in Judaism, but in general, according to Karol. “There are about 70 personal accounts in the book that attest to a variety of ways in which the living have felt the presence of loved ones who have died and regard it as comforting and joyful.”

Through Karol’s talks in public and on Zoom, he has found that there is “considerable and enthusiastic interest” in this topic. “There is a ‘domino effect’ – the more that people hear about ‘signs,’ the more likely they are to share their experiences and to buy books on the subject. And they are fascinated to learn about beliefs regarding the afterlife.”

Grossman said Karol seemed like a good choice because he continues to have a following from his time at Congregation Sha’aray Shalom.

“He still has a connection with this area, and people appreciate his wisdom,” he said. “He did an event on Zoom for us a couple of years ago that was interesting, and people want to hear him speak about his new book.”

Outpouring of support cheers Hull man seriously injured in Utah ski accident

By Carol Britton Meyer

Northeast Surfing founder Ronnie Lees, who was seriously injured in an accident while skiing the back-country in the Utah mountains on Feb. 20, is the embodiment of the well-known saying “You can’t keep a good man down.”

RONNIE LEES OF NORTHEAST SURFING FACES A LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY AFTER BREAKING BOTH HIS LEGS IN A SKIING ACCIDENT IN UTAH. [COURTESY PHOTO]

While skiing at 10,200 feet with his daughter Emma and other experienced skiers, high winds and fog rolled in suddenly, obscuring their view.

After the group tried unsuccessfully to head back down and get underneath the fog and winds, Emma managed to ski to safety, but Lees suffered a bout of vertigo as he was trying to slow down and was blown off the trail, sustaining severe injuries to his lower body, including two broken legs and a broken kneecap.

The decision was made to take Lees down the mountain by sled because it was too foggy for a helicopter rescue.

Lees was rushed to a Salt Lake City hospital, where he underwent two successful operations. Now he and his family are trying to find a way to install a ramp, bring him home to Hull, and get him into the house while also tracking expenses and paying insurance deductibles.

“We’re working on the transportation part now,” he told The Hull Times.

“I’m grateful to be alive,” said Lees, who has been skiing roughly 60 days per season for 40 years. “It was a close call.”

His cousin, Chris Lees, with whom he has shared many adventures and is like a brother to him, remained by his side during the first several days, which were the toughest.

“When I thought I was losing hope, he would be sitting on the couch in my room, silhouetted against the beautiful sunny view of a mountain range through the window, and just knowing he was there got me through another day,” Lees said. “He is a big skier, too, and worked on YouTube skiing videos of New Hampshire and Maine in 1998, which started off the film production part of Northeast Surfing.”

In addition to the physical injuries, which portend a long road to recovery, the accident is also causing emotional strain on Lees and his family.

Lees, who is known as a lover of extreme sports, has received “thousands of messages from the surf and ski communities” wishing him well in his recovery, his son, Matt, told The Hull Times.

HULL’S RONNIE LEES IS KNOWN AS A SURF INSTRUCTOR AROUND HERE, BUT IS ALSO WELL-KNOWN AS AN ACCOMPLISHED SKIIER. [Courtesy photo]

An avid surfer and skier who is well-known in both the ski and surf sports industries worldwide, Lees has been in the news over the years.

Off-season, once summer activities wrap up, Lees usually travels far and wide, skiing different resorts in Utah and other locations. Another facet of the business is filming ski resorts all over the country for TikTok.

“It’s a big profit-maker, because we get millions of views,” he said. “Emma is an expert skier who is well-known on TikTok.”

The business has operated in Hull since 2001 and has given back to the community in many ways, from sponsoring sports teams to donating to various causes in the community. Lees even operated an ice cream shop at one point.

“In 2013, my father filmed a television show episode for the Lifetime network promoting our beautiful town,” Matt said.

“I’ve given my life savings and my heart to the Town of Hull, and now the community is giving back to me through a show of support following my accident,” Lees said. “While I battle my injuries, I’m feeling the love I’ve given to the town returned.”

One Hull resident, who has never met Lees but has seen him around town and, along with her kids, follows his adventures online and enjoys the Northeast Surfing production company’s videos even though they don’t surf or ski, sent him an email message when she heard of his injuries, saying she was thinking of him and all the things he has down for the town and that he is loved.

“It was pretty amazing,” Lees said.

Lees has been advised by his medical team not to walk for the next three months, and will undergo physical therapy.

Despite recent challenges, Northeast Surfing’s popular surf camps at Nantasket Beach will be offered as usual this summer. The available spots, mainly filled by Hingham and Cohasset residents and a few Hull kids, are already nearly 80 percent sold out.

Lees’ daughter Hannah will run the camp as usual, while Lees – who expects to be fully walking again by that time following two months on crutches – will be on the beach every day as camp director.

“I will be forgoing my salary this summer to allow us to create more instructor jobs,” he said. “It’s important to have enough staff on the beach so our customers get the very best we have to offer, even though I will still be on the mend.”

Matt will also be involved three days a week as a lifeguard.

“We hire surf instructors from Hull, Cohasset, and Hingham,” he explained.

In addition to offering the surf camp, Northeast Surfing rents bikes, paddleboards, and surfboards and offers online surf education, surf sports information, 24/7 surf cams so people all over the world can see conditions at Nantasket Beach in real time.

“This helps promote our local businesses by giving viewers a glimpse of our beautiful beaches to people all over the world,” Matt said.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Lees with his medical bills. For information and to make a donation, visit https://tinyurl.com/2p895kvp.

HRA to address changes to proposed renewal plan

By Dolores Sauca Lorusso

The public review of the Hull Redevelopment Authority’s draft Urban Renewal Plan continues next week, with two more sessions to present options for developing the 13-acre parcel. The in-person and remote meetings will review changes made in response to earlier public comments, and will feature breakout sessions to discuss concepts in more depth.

At an authority meeting Monday night, Chair Bartley Kelly said a big part of the focus of next week’s presentations will be “prioritization of uses and scope of development.”

“The basic agenda is to have a presentation that everyone gets to see, so that we have shared information,” said consultant Steve Cecil. “The meeting will not spend a lot of time introducing basic planning context because many people have been there [the first meetings], but will make sure to touch base enough so people who haven’t been involved will get what is going on.”

The presentation will review public input received and the reasoning behind taking Option 1 – which would have placed housing on the northernmost section of the property – “off the table.” Cecil explained the presentation will “describe the thinking that went behind moving forward with the base direction of Option 2 which does not develop Parcel 1.”

According to Cecil, the discussion also will focus on the topics that may be considered for refinement in the plan, including open space, traffic, and parking allocation. At the first meetings one of the major concerns was about open space; therefore, a portion of the presentation will focus on “open space, the nature of what open space might be, views, and other considerations,” Cecil added.

Breakout sessions, monitored by four to six facilitators, will be a component of the upcoming meetings.

“We will break into groups to optimize the amount of time for making comments, answering questions, and recording feedback … maximizing the listening opportunity,” said Cecil.

Michael Wang of the Form + Place architectural firm, said his presentation will show variations of Option 2 and address some community thoughts “on open space, and in particular, view corridors from the bayside park to the ocean side.”

The goal of the presentations is to help people to “visualize and understand; have the ability to see through these things and make visual connections, said John Ruffo, of Form + Place.

Through diagramming, the presenters are trying to show different concepts that can be reviewed for feedback and discussion. Ruffo said “everyone in town has lots of ideas of what can happen here.”  Cecil added “public open space is not just a thing; it has many different dimensions.”

Discussions will include benefits and drawbacks of topics such as increasing open space, decreasing housing, as well as decreasing hospitality and retail uses.

“There are benefits and drawbacks. The HRA board has been working to find the right balance,” Cecil said. “What does the public think about the right balance and benefits and drawbacks, so we can learn from that as we shape the final plans?”

HRA clerk Dennis Zaia said the presentations will help citizens understand that the “level of funding for development is key…we can do a lot of things, but we can’t afford to do a lot of things unless someone is willing to make money by doing something on the property.”

The chat comments made during the HRA meeting on March 6 will be addressed at the public presentation next week. Cecil confirmed “the chat comments will be recorded; they will not get lost and will be used as part of the process.” 

The PowerPoint slides and videos of both the in-person and Zoom presentations of the first meetings on Feb. 13 and 16 are available on www.hra02045.com.

Next week, there will be both an in-person session held at Hull High School on Tuesday, March 14, and a Zoom session covering the same presentation and topics on Thursday, March 16. Both meetings begin at 7 p.m.

After contentious debate, select board elects Pursel to serve as chair until May

By Carol Britton Meyer

What was expected to be a quick and easy select board meeting Tuesday night on the Zoom platform turned out to be anything but, with a lengthy and sometimes edgy discussion of who should be the chair until the May 15 town election and 15-year member Domenico Sestito announcing that he will not run for reelection in the middle of the back-and-forth. Ultimately, Vice Chair Donna Pursel was elected chair.

DONNA PURSEL

“There will be another reorganization after the election,” said Pursel, who has been acting chair since Jennifer Constable’s recent announcement of her resignation. She went on to accept nominations for chair and vice chair during what turned out to be a somewhat tense process.

Board member Greg Grey nominated Pursel as acting chair, which he felt was a “natural progression” since Pursel is already the vice chair.

Pursel seconded the motion, noting that she has willingly filled in as chair as needed and has always presented her views “with balance and logic” and would continue to do that as chair.

With this being a time of “a lot of important items and hard decisions” – with Town Manager Philip Lemnios retiring at the end of June, three select board members with terms expiring this year, and town meeting just around the corner – Pursel said she believed she was the right person to serve as chair.

Before a vote could be taken, Sestito made a substitute motion, which he said might be “unprecedented,” to appoint himself as chair based on what he called a “pivotal time in our town’s 350-year history” and his experience with the process of hiring a new police chief after Chief Richard Billings’s retirement several years ago.

“I’ve been thinking we have kind of entered into this phase of things we haven’t seen in decades,” Sestito said, referring to Lemnios’ 25 years in his current role and the challenge of finding a replacement.

“When Chief Billings retired, the police department was in a kind of disarray, with a lot of negative press, and we had to be sure that as a board we picked the right chief,” Sestito continued. “I think in the next two-and-a-half months, we need someone who has been through a similar process to navigate us through this.”

Board member Irwin Nesoff seconded Sestito’s motion, asking for further discussion among Pursel and Sestito.

While saying she appreciated and respected Sestito’s remarks, Pursel said the reason she was elected three years ago was because citizens “were looking for change and no longer wanted the status quo.

“I’ve showed up at this table in a professional and prepared manner, and while I can appreciate your history on the board, and the town is better for that, you haven’t sat in the secretary, vice chair, or chair seat during that time, and now we’re at a pivotal point,” she said. “I believe I am the right person to be chair.”

Sestito was not convinced, and in continuing to advocate for himself as being the right choice for the role, he said his management style was to put the board first and his own priorities second.

From a qualifications perspective, Sestito said, he has served as chair and vice chair during his years on the board, although he has not been in a leadership position for a number of years.

“But you can’t always be front and center,” he said. “Sometimes it’s time to take a step back or a step forward, and what’s important here is to have a chair or a management style that will support and create a [path] to success in appointing a new town manager.”

Sestito took this as an opportunity to announce his decision, made after much consideration, that he feels it’s time for him to move on for both personal reasons and for the sake of the town.

“There does come a time in our roles as elected officials when it’s important to step aside,” he said.

At the same time, Sestito asked fellow board members to support naming him chair “to help get us through this pivotal point in time. It would only be until May 15.”

Calling the situation “perplexing,” Nesoff talked about the need to fill the chair role and the fact that there are two select board seats with the incumbents having terms expiring this year, plus Constable’s vacant seat, the results of which could constitute a “significant” change in the board’s makeup.

“This will be a very important, interesting, and hopefully not tumultuous four months,” Nesoff said. “We haven’t been [in this situation] for 25 years.”

Nesoff also said making Sestito chair “would be a nice way to honor his 15 years on the board.”

Pursel continued the discussion by stating that all would likely agree that hiring a new town manager “is probably the most important decision that this board has faced.

“While we hired a consulting firm to guide us through that process and the chair will be part of that team, he or she would not be guiding the process,” she said. “I think any of our management skills would qualify any of us to sit in the chair position, and I can think of other ways to honor Dom and others who have left or are leaving positions. When we hired a consultant, we placed our faith and trust in them.”

Pursel added that anything that has come to the board’s attention has been handled working together, and that she doesn’t believe one member’s leadership style is better than another’s.

On the other hand, Sestito said that the advantage to him filling the chair seat is that he has “no political skin in the game, no reelection campaign to run. I come as a neutral party. The appointment of our new town manager will be very controversial, with a group of people 100% on board and another group of people who will not be. There would be no political risk to me.”

Sestito went on to ask the board to name him as chair for the “sheer” fact that he is not running for reelection.

“I am asking all of you to take that into consideration and cast your vote for me as chair for the next two-and-a-half months,” he said.

Nesoff turned to Grey for his thoughts at this point in the discussion, “not to put you on the spot, Greg.”

Grey’s opinion was that while he believes that both Pursel and Sestito are “more than capable” to serve as chair, he noted that 99% of the time in a situation like this, the vice chair would be appointed as chair.

“Donna has assumed that position and is ready to go,” he said. “She deserves that. I have nothing to add at this point and think we should take a vote and see what happens.”

Sestito’s motion to appoint himself chair was seconded by Nesoff. Both men voted in favor, but a majority was not reached.

The main motion to appoint Pursel was made by Grey, seconded by Pursel, with Grey and Nesoff in favor of the motion and Sestito opposed.

Sestito then switched gears. “Under these circumstances, with a 3-1 vote, I will do what I think is proper for the board and the town and make a motion to appoint you [Pursel] as chair, and I will vote in favor of that,” he said. “This is something other board members haven’t given me or others the courtesy of, but I believe it’s more important to put the body of the select board ahead of one’s personal needs.”

Sestito then made a motion to appoint Pursel as chair, with her responding with appreciation. Grey seconded the motion, and the vote was unanimous.

Pursel then made a motion to make Sestito vice chair, seconded by Nesoff and “thirded” by Grey.

At that point, Sestito declined because it would be only for a short time.

“Based on what I heard earlier, we need continuity with the town election coming,” he said. “Irwin and Greg will be here on May 16 [because their terms aren’t up].”

Pursel then withdrew the motion and made a motion for Grey to be vice chair, which was seconded by Nesoff. The vote was unanimous.

“Congratulations to you both,” said Nesoff, who will continue in his role as secretary of the board. “I’m looking forward to working with both of you.”

Before adjourning the meeting, Pursel thanked her colleagues for electing her.

After 15 years, Sestito not running for another term

Select board member Domenico Sestito issued the following statement this week about his decision to not run for another term:

After five terms as a member of the board of selectmen and select board and careful consideration, I have decided to not seek re-election.

I am grateful to serve the community of Hull and hope my contributions made our town a little better. Public service is truly an honor and the engine that keeps Hull running. I have so many great memories and have met so many amazing people, volunteers, and public servants in my tenure. I do believe serving the public’s best interest in any capacity is an honorable job, and I commend all of those who have, and who continue to, serve.

There comes a time in public service for new ideas and new ways of working, and this is the right time for me to move on. I encourage anyone who has an interest in serving our great community to step up and help. Giving back is rewarding and a key ingredient to our success.

I thank the voters of Hull for putting their faith in me and allowing me to serve you for five consecutive terms. I always put the best interest of the people of Hull first in my decision making, and I hope I made you proud.

I thank those I have served with – past and present, town employees, those appointed to committees or commissions, volunteers, town meeting voters, and anyone who has put the well-being of our town and people as their priority.

Finally, I thank my family, which has supported and been patient with me during my 15 years of service, I know at times it was not easy on them, especially in this age of social media.

Thank you and may God bless the great town of Hull.

St. Mary’s parish sets goal to ‘Take Out Hunger’ here and abroad in Lenten fundraiser

By Dolores Sauca Lorusso

The Christ by the Sea Collaborative is challenging its parishes, St. Mary’s in Hull and St. Anthony’s in Cohasset, to donate their time and their resources in an “almsgiving” campaign to Take Out Hunger.

MEASURING UP. Christ by the Sea Collaborative Volunteers Maureen Louzan, left, and Lillian Litchfield check the progress of the church’s Take Out Hunger campaign during the Lenten season. [Courtesy photo]

Funds raised will be used for a collaborative food packaging event to provide meals to those in need locally and abroad.

“Almsgiving is a traditional Catholic practice of the Lenten season,” said Jeanne Cregan, pastoral associate at Christ by the Sea Collaborative. “During Lent, Catholics are asked to intentionally focus more on ‘almsgiving,’ which means donating money or goods to those in need and performing other acts of charity like giving of their time to certain causes. Often Catholics give up, or fast from something, for the season of Lent; then any money that would have been spent on the item is often donated to those in need.”

The church collaborative is sponsoring the campaign in partnership with End Hunger New England of Pembroke. The goal of the collaborative is to raise at least $6,000 to feed a minimum of 15,000 people to contribute to End Hunger New England’s mission of “providing meals to 5,000,000 hungry New Englanders this year.”

End Hunger New England, led by Regional Manager Matthew Martin, is an outreach program that organizes food packaging events around the country. With more than 675 million meals packages to date, the organization’s mission is to provide safe water, food, medical care, and education to those in need, at home and abroad.

Martin, who refers to himself as the “meal packaging guy,” says End Hunger New England has “partnered with 87 different kind of groups throughout the region, feeding those who hunger in their neighborhoods … Lutherans, businesses, the United Way, schools, non-profits, United Methodists, Rotarians, food banks, Episcopalians, and Congregationalists have each fed over a million.”

One in 10 people on the planet are food insecure, meaning they are without access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. American food insecurity was at its lowest in 20 years, then the pandemic hit, and food insecurity rose 163% in Massachusetts, bringing it from 570,000 people to 930,000. Today, that number has dropped to 624,000 food insecure people in Massachusetts.

“One in five people in Massachusetts is considered food insecure and do not know where their next meal is coming from…we have the ability to make a difference in the lives of those that actually are our neighbors!” Cregan said. “There is significant hunger in our state … For me personally, I love this project because it gives volunteers of all ages the opportunity to live out the Gospel by donating both time and funds to help end hunger in our community. I have seen the impact being a part of End Hunger has had on my family, giving us a way to contribute to those in need in a way that is accessible for our family.”

End Hunger New England is a “lifesaver” for many people in our area; bringing hundreds of thousands of nutritious meals to the New England area. Forty-eight percent of meals are packaged for Greater Boston food pantries, meaning meals end up in the same area where the funding comes from, meaning that a difference can be felt right here in Hull.

The collaborative invites residents to join its efforts to end hunger. Volunteer sign-ups will be available soon at www.christbythesea.net. The number of volunteer spots depends on how much money is raised to feed those in need. Donations can be made online through March 26 using the QR code or you can text the word “hunger” to 781-630-5889.

The Take Out Hunger meal packaging event will take place on Sunday, April 2, from 2-6 p.m. in the St. Anthony Parish Center in Cohasset.

If you have questions, or want to learn more, contact jeannecregan@christbythesea.net.