ZBA extends review of 12-unit Rockaway Annex condo plan; access dispute could go to court

By Carol Britton Meyer

Following the zoning board of appeals’ sixth lengthy hearing on the proposal to build a four-story, 12-unit condominium development under the comprehensive permit process at 25 Ipswich St. in the Rockaway Annex neighborhood, a number of issues remain unresolved, including public safety concerns and a dispute over an access easement that may end up in Land Court.

THE ROCKAWAY PROJECT WOULD SPREAD 12 UNITS OVER BUILDINGS ON THE LEDGE BEHIND THE FORMER VFW POST.

“I have no new information about the easement to present tonight,” Dean Harrison, housing consultant to the developer, told the ZBA at the start of the hearing.

Hull Fire Department concerns – some of which might be included in conditions set by the ZBA if the board approves the project – relate to ensuring adequate water pressure to fight a fire, adequate turning radius specific to the town’s fire trucks, ensuring that the proposed landscaping and planted trees don’t impede access for emergency vehicles, and installation of a sprinkler system, among others.

“I’d like to condition all of these [issues],” ZBA Chair Patrick Finn said. “If there’s [kickback], at least we tried.”

Harrison said the developer might agree to install an additional fire hydrant or two, among other considerations. He noted that while issues related to “health, safety, and welfare” could be “a way to deny or approve an application, it goes to the factor of how low or close to the 10% [state affordable housing threshold]” a community is.

Click here for more details and plans on this project

The comprehensive permit process, more commonly known as Chapter 40B, allows developers to circumvent most local regulations in exchange for an affordable housing component if the town has less than 10% of its housing units designated affordable. Hull’s current percentage of affordable units is 1.6%, according to the state’s formula. Three of units in the development, proposed for the Rockaway Annex neighborhood, would be affordable.

If the ZBA were to deny approval of the project, the developer would likely appeal that decision to the state housing appeals committee, which Harrison said would weigh those factors.

“[These issues] don’t put a nail in the coffin. It doesn’t work that way,” he said. “Do these concerns outweigh the need for affordable housing?”

Extension granted

Although developer Alan Mckenzie, a Hull resident, was not at the hearing, he granted permission – in response to a text from Harrison during the meeting – for him to sign a 30-day extension from the March 24 deadline on his behalf.

This was at the ZBA’s request to allow time to resolve outstanding issues, including whether the developer has the right to install a water line along an access easement on adjacent private property.

In a recent letter to town officials involved in reviewing the project, 20 Ipswich Street owner Derek M. Paris objected to the developer’s plan to install utilities on his property and any other improvements or alterations through any such easement, although he said he had no issue with allowing access to abutters or emergency vehicles.

‘This easement clearly doesn’t exist’

Attorney Adam Levin, representing abutters, explained in great detail why “this easement clearly doesn’t exist and was never properly registered,” suggesting that it might be necessary to resolve this issue through Land Court.

Harrison told the ZBA that the developer has retained two attorneys to help resolve this conflict. “The only way to get this straightened out [may be to] go to land court, which could take six months to resolve,” he said, echoing Levin.

Town Counsel Brian Winner, however, said the process could take longer than that.

“I’m not sure what the result of land court proceedings or the answers to these questions will be,” he said. “It’s a long process.”

Following the closing of the hearing, the ZBA will have 40 days to render a decision. Once that occurs, no new information will be considered.

In the meantime, the hearing was continued to April 1, at which time the board of appeals will address these and other issues and decide whether the board has enough information to deliberate and ultimately craft a decision.

A replay of the meeting will be available on demand on Hull Community Television’s website, www.hulltv.net.

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Want to run for office? One week left to draw nomination papers for the May 19 ballot

By Christopher Haraden

Each of the 16 offices appearing on the May 19 annual town election ballot has at least one candidate who has taken out nomination papers, but only two positions – select board and housing authority – could have a contested race if all prospective candidates return their papers by this month’s deadline.

Christopher P. Niland has taken out nomination papers to run for one of the three-year terms on the select board; incumbents Irwin Nesoff and Brian McCarthy are running for re-election. In addition to Nesoff and McCarthy being challenged by Niland, incumbent housing authority member Kathleen Bogdan could face Lisa Boretti, who drew nomination papers for both Bogdan’s five-year term and a vacant three-year seat on the authority. Nichole Londergan is seeking signatures to run for the three-year term on the board, which manages the McTighe Manor housing complex on Atlantic House Court and the apartments on C & D Streets at Central Avenue. Boretti will need to choose which term to run for prior to March 31.

In the last two weeks, Edwin Richard Parsons drew nomination papers to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Harry Hibbard, who will serve until Election Day to maintain continuity on the board, and Courtney Littlefield – who was appointed to the school committee in June to serve out an unexpired term – will stand for election to the committee. Both are the only prospective candidates for those seats.

Seven incumbents are unopposed so far – Moderator George Boylen, Town Clerk Lori West, Assessor Richard Morris, light commissioners Daniel Ciccariello and Thomas Burns, school committee member Liliana Hedrick, and library trustee Alice Sloan.

Former school committee member Ernest Minelli IV is seeking to make a comeback, running for the three-year term now held by David Twombly, who is retiring from the committee.

Chandelle Schulte has taken out nomination papers and is the only candidate running for the three-year planning board seat now held by Jim Pitrolo. DJ Simon is the running for the three-year seat on the board of library trustees now held by Rebecca Garr.

Nomination papers can be picked up at the town clerk’s office at town hall. Candidates must obtain papers by Thursday, March 27 at 5 p.m. and return them with the signatures of at least 50 Hull registered voters by Monday, March 31 at 5 p.m.

If you are not registered to vote, you have until Friday, May 9 to register at the town clerk’s office in order to vote in the May 19 election. To participate in the May 5 town meeting, residents must be registered by Friday, April 26.

West, the town clerk, recommended that potential candidates schedule an appointment to pick up the nomination papers and request checklist of upcoming deadlines and milestones in the process of running for office by emailing lwest@town.hull.ma.us or calling 781-773-3803.

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Legislature should preserve open government by extending remote meeting authorization

Op/Ed by Christopher Haraden

Sunshine Week – an annual recognition of the benefits of open government – is celebrated each March, along with St. Patrick’s Day, the return of Daylight Saving Time, and the coming of spring. But this year, with confidence in government dropping and the number of local news outlets continuing to shrink, recognizing the importance of public accountability is more important than ever.

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

In Massachusetts, the concept of open government is being tested by two current debates – whether the upper levels of state government should be subject to the Public Records Law and how to handle the expiring authorization for remote meetings of public boards and commissions.

The first question – whether public records disclosure should apply to the governor, state legislators, and the courts – seems so obvious that there is little reason for debate. Only eight other states exempt their lawmakers from the public records laws, and the arguments being offered to justify it here are nonsense. Forty-two other states have designed their regulations to protect constituents’ privacy and balance the deliberative process of policy-making with the public’s right to know. Massachusetts can do the same.

The Legislature is addressing the second question – whether to allow municipalities to continue holding remote or hybrid meetings after March 31. Earlier this week, the House of Representatives approved a bill to extend the deadline and sent it to the Senate, which may have taken action by the time you are reading this. It is widely expected to be approved.

Like anything in state government, however, it’s not so simple.

Governor Maura Healey has proposed her own municipal reform package that includes permission – but not a requirement – for cities and towns to allow remote participation in public meetings. Her bill contains more controversial proposals that could sidetrack the overall debate, such as whether municipalities can increase auto excise, meals, and hotel taxes, as well as topics ranging from procurement-law changes to tax breaks for senior citizens to tightening restrictions on utility companies keeping “double poles” on public streets. It’s hard to imagine that this mishmash of a proposal will be suitable for a vote by the end of the month.

Nevertheless, the governor’s avoidance of a mandate for remote meeting access isn’t universally supported. While the Massachusetts Municipal Association agrees with Healey, saying that each city or town should decide on its own, others, like the New England Newspaper and Press Association and the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, say that giving governments the discretion to decide whether to offer access through Zoom or another remote platform has the potential to go wrong, and would create an uneven playing field from town to town.

We can joke about remote access to meetings – many have heard stories about participants being caught saying something embarrassing while unmuted or revealing something unusual when turning on their camera – but they have provided an essential public service. More people have been able to participate, or at least listen in, to their government because of the remote option.

With any setup, the danger exists for abuse. Remote platforms like Zoom aren’t always perfect, and the human users of technology aren’t always experts. Some members of the public have complained that boards have refused to recognize digital hands being raised, cut off debate by cutting off microphones, or have blamed technology for limitations on public input. It’s a lot harder to ignore a constituent when they’re sitting directly in front of you in a meeting room, but not everyone has the ability to attend in person.

Zoom and the other remote platforms not only increase public participation in governmental meetings, they allow meetings to be organized quickly, as members (and invited guests) can log in from literally anywhere. Public business can be conducted more efficiently when vacation schedules and travel time to and from town hall are no longer obstacles.

The Legislature’s bill would extend remote meetings through June 2027. The concept has proven its worth and should be made a permanent part of state and local government.

Times Editor Christopher Haraden holds a degree in journalism and public administration from New York University. He’s been writing about his hometown in these pages regularly since 1987.

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In the Sport-light: Roundup of news about Hull athletes

Compiled by Matt Haraden

• Hull High School’s spring teams –baseball, lacrosse, outdoor track, and softball – are set to begin their seasons this coming week.

COURTING SUCCESS. Hull’s seventh-grade boys basketball team finished off an impressive season last weekend, with a win over Rockland to advance to the South Shore Youth Basketball League championship against Milton on Sunday. Despite a hard-fought effort in the title game, the team fell short of the big prize. Congratulations on an unforgettable season! [Courtesy photo]

The boys varsity baseball team opens with a home game against Millis on Saturday, March 22 at 10 a.m., followed by an away game against West Bridgewater on Tuesday, April 1 at 4 p.m.

JV softball will play at Hingham on Thursday, April 3 at 4 p.m., and will return home to host Scituate on Thursday, April 10 at 4 p.m.

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN. Hull High’s Elsie Harper and Sam Tuchmann were recognized on March 18 at the 15th annual South Shore League Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet. Each member school identifies two students for the award each year, based on academics, athletic participation, sportsmanship, leadership, and citizenship. Hull High’s new athletic director, Ben Kistner, and Hull High Principal Rob Shaw attended with the students and their parents. [Courtesy photo]

Boys varsity lacrosse will start off with a home game against Silver Lake Regional High School on Saturday, March 22 at 10 a.m., followed by an away game against Taunton on Friday, March 28 at 4 p.m. The girls lacrosse team also begins the season at home, with three in a row – Monday, March 24 at 4 p.m. against North Quincy, Tuesday, March 25 at 4 p.m. vs. Plymouth South (JV at 5:15 p.m.), and Monday, March 31 at 4 p.m. against Stoughton.

The outdoor track and field teams will travel to Abington on Wednesday, April 9 at 4 p.m. and Mashpee on Monday, April 14 at 4:30 p.m. JV Softball starts off with an away game against Hingham on Thursday, April 3 at 4 p.m.

Watch the Times for details, or for more information, visit www.hullpublicschools.org/athletics.

• Hull Youth Soccer’s in-town spring soccer season kicks off on Saturday, April 5. The season will run for six Saturdays – April 5, April 12, April 26, May 3, May 10, May 17. (No games on April 19.) at James P. Sullivan Field (the Dust Bowl) in Hull Village.

Guppies (co-ed, must be 3 years old by September 1): 9 – 10 a.m.

Kindergarten (co-ed) & girls (grades 1 & 2) – 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Boys (grades 1 & 2) – 11 a.m. to noon.

Players should arrive on time and be dressed appropriately for the weather. Shin guards are mandatory, and don’t forget to bring a water bottle. Hull Youth Soccer is designed for players who are interested in learning how to play the game as well as developing their skills. Newly registered players should check in at the soccer shed on April 5 upon arrival.

In-town registration is still open, so there are still opportunities to participate. Visit www.hullyouthsoccer.com for more details

• Coaches and Super Fans – We need your help to report the scores and results of the latest events in Hull’s sports world! Please send local sports news and photos to sports@hulltimes.com. Deadline is Tuesday at midnight. When providing details of the games or races, please be sure to include the sport/team, the players’ full names, and the final scores. When sending photos, names of those pictured are greatly appreciated, as well as who should get credit for taking the photo.

Thank you for your help!

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Meschino encourages local students to apply for State House internships

State Rep. Joan Meschino will host high school and college interns in her State House office this summer. The internships are intended for students who wish to gain valuable experience of the day-to-day happenings in a legislative office.

“I encourage all interested students to apply,” Meschino said. “The work of our previous interns has guided substantial legislative work, and we always look forward to helping young people pursue their interests in public service and state government.”

College internships will begin at the beginning of June and conclude by the end of July. High school internships will be organized into two three-week “sessions” in June and July. All interns will be encouraged to commute to the State House two to three days a week.

Applicants interested in applying should email a current resume, cover letter, and brief writing sample to Meschino legislative aide Harrison Bushnell at harrison.bushnell@mahouse.gov. Applications are due by Friday, March 28. Contact Bushnell for more information or to answer questions about the application process.

Click here for more infromation about the application process.

Meschino’s website, www.JoanMeschino.com, and Facebook page are updated regularly with information and resources available for more information on the work of her legislative office.

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Board hears town manager’s $52.6M budget plan; sets HRA parking capacity at 900 cars

By Carol Britton Meyer

The select board addressed a full agenda this week – from an update on the new 125-foot Strawberry Hill water tank and appointing members to the town’s USA Semiquincentennial (250th) Anniversary Committee to the proposed fiscal 2026 municipal budget and a follow-up discussion with the Hull Redevelopment Authority.

Town Manager Jennifer Constable presented a proposed $52.6 million fiscal 2026 municipal budget, representing a 4.84%, or $2.4 million, increase over the fiscal 2025 figure.

Major expenditures include health insurance, pension liability, and collective bargaining agreements, debt, seawall repairs, and restoration of Fort Revere, among others.

Included in the operating budget are the addition of two full-time fire department paramedic/EMT positions; a patrol and desk clerk position for the police department; and union and non-union salary adjustments.

Capital recommendations include IT system upgrades, town website upgrades and redesign, public safety replacement vehicles, a columbarium for the cemetery, repairs to the Draper Avenue pump station, DPW barn and salt shed, and fences, funds for the 250th celebration, and townwide line painting and seawall program.

Constable noted that there is no proposed operational override of Proposition 2-1/2, which is not the case in a number of surrounding towns.

The May 5 annual town meeting has the final say on all warrant articles, including the proposed school, municipal, and capital budgets.

Click here for the town manager’s budget presentation to the board.

Strawberry Hill water tank update

On a separate agenda item, Weir River Water System Managing Director/Superintendent Russell Tierney told the board that the new one-million-gallon Strawberry Hill water tank is expected to be online by fall 2027. A new pump station will be located in Hingham.

The tank, which will improve water quality and stabilize the pressure in the system, will display the name of the water company and also “Welcome to Hull.”

Tierney said he intends to talk to the neighbors living in the area to update them on the project. The new tank will be about double the capacity of the former 100-foot Strawberry Hill tank, which was taken down after a 2008 study by the water company determined the 75-year-old structure was no longer needed.

“We’ll do a balloon test [to show how high the water tank will be],” Tierney said.

While no rate increases are planned for fiscal 2026, an annual capital investment charge of about $65 a year per single-family dwelling will be added to customers’ bills starting July 1 to pay for the final design and construction of the water tank.

In other WRWS news, Tierney reported that $16 million in infrastructure repairs were made without the need to raise the rates.

In other business…

• Constable presented the annual $11.5 million annual light plant budget, which goes by the calendar year instead of the fiscal year.

A rate increase is under consideration. “There hasn’t been one for some time,” she said.

The issue of the generators that have been rented for the past several years in the case of a National Grid power outage was raised during the meeting.

To date, $3.5 million has been spent, while the generators have kicked in only for a few hours during that time period.

“The light board has been debating this issue,” light board member Tom Burns said. “Some members want to keep them, while others want to get rid of them.”

Select board member Jerry Taverna noted that some residents have purchased their own generators but don’t receive a credit on their bills.

Select board member Brian McCarthy noted that there have been “unprecedented high winds in the last few months, and there have been no power outages.”

Chair Irwin Nesoff suggested inserting a questionnaire in a light bill to gauge ratepayers’ interest in continuing with the generators in subsequent years.

• At his request, former select board member John Reilly was appointed as chair of the town’s 250th anniversary committee. He also chaired a similar committee to celebrate Hull’s 375th anniversary.

Board member Greg Grey, who also served on the 375th committee, was appointed to the 250th committee as the select board’s liaison.

Overall, the committee is charged with planning townwide activities commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence; focusing on remembrances concentrated throughout 2025-26; coordinating events related to the founding of the country; and aligning Hull events with other local, state, regional, and federal commemorations.

“We’re thinking about a yearlong celebration, including fireworks, music, art, the town’s and country’s history, a field day, gala, and maybe dances, and the committee will update the board monthly,” Reilly said. “It will be an inclusive event, with a theme that could be ‘The promise of America.’ We’re ready to go.”

There will be numerous community events offering volunteer engagement for interested residents with a passion for local history.

Peter Preble, pastor of St. Nicholas United Methodist Church, Hull Lifesaving Museum Director of Development Maureen Gillis, and former town counsel James Lampke already have been appointed to the committee.

• In a follow-up to a select board discussion with the Hull Redevelopment Authority a couple of weeks ago, the main subject this week was whether the board would support the HRA’s inclusion of 900 parking spaces in the request for proposals for a parking lot operator this summer. The paid parking season begins May 1. Board member Dan Kernan was unable to attend.

Following a brief discussion, the board voted 4-1 in favor of allowing 900 cars to be parked in lots A, B, and C.

Grey was the nay vote. “This was never the intent for the property,” he said.

Zaia noted that there have been three responses to the parking operator RFP already.

The affirmative vote was contingent on the HRA working with the town’s piping plover ambassadors again this year to educate beachgoers about the plovers’ presence.

Select board member Brian McCarthy said he might not be inclined to vote in the affirmative again next year if there’s no plan for use of the HRA property by then – noting, half jokingly – that he would like to that happen in his lifetime.

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Redevelopment authority members seeking a ‘truly integrated vision’ for property, adjacent DCR land

By Carol Britton Meyer

A Hull Redevelopment Authority board member prefaced this week’s continuing discussion of “Option 3” of the draft Urban Renewal Plan by reading a lengthy statement centering on the oft-repeated word “compromise” with regard to the board’s varying opinions on the best uses for the property and also on the importance of engaging all stakeholders in the process.

SOURCE: HRA VICE CHAIR DAN KERNAN

“Before we even talk about buildings or parks, this board needs to step way back,” member Dan Kernan said. “For 60 years we have been trying to make something without talking to all the stakeholders, without talking to all the neighbors, and without talking to all the citizens. Before we make something, let’s gather all the requirements and the constraints from all of these parties.”

Kernan, whose remarks are published as a letter to the editor in this edition of the Times, said his goal is to arrive at an “overarching vision” for the land.

“We often talk about compromise, but that raises some critical questions: With whom are we compromising and just as importantly – who is being asked to compromise?” he asked.

Other questions he asked were who the real benefactors of this development are; who the stakeholders are; and who the HRA is accountable to?

The redevelopment authority was formed in the 1960s under a federal program to revitalize urban and suburban neighborhoods. The HRA’s original footprint – designated Town Center No. 1 – encompasses the land between the beach and bay from Water Street to Phipps Street; at one time, the authority planned to expand its territory into three additional districts that stretched south toward Atlantic Hill.

Much of the HRA land has been vacant since the 1970s, when homes and businesses were taken by eminent domain by the authority and bulldozed, burned, or relocated in anticipation of development proposals that never materialized. The HRA has been working for the past several years to create a set of guidelines for future development.

A 2023 version of the URP envisioned several uses for the property, including a boutique hotel and buildings with ground-floor retail and residential units on the upper floors. For the property north of the DCR parking lot near Monument Square, options included affordable housing or beach parking and event space. The HRA stepped back from that plan and has embarked on the current process to rework the URP, which the authority is calling “Option 3.”

Creating ‘a truly integrated vision’

One of Kernan’s main points is the importance of collaborating with the Department of Conservation & Recreation, which controls Nantasket Beach and the adjacent Reservation land and roads, “to create a truly integrated vision for this land.”

He also expressed concern about the fact that “hundreds of beach parking spots are at stake,” depending on the final use of the property.

Kernan encouraged listening to the thoughts and ideas of abutters, local businesses, and the families of those who were displaced from the HRA property more than 50 years ago.

Another suggestion is to collaborate with other nonprofits or funders to help bring about a vision for the HRA property.

“We should not be compromising among the five of us,” Kernan said. “This land is the crown jewel of Hull – and we are at a crossroads. We have a choice whether to rush into a decision that does not fully reflect community needs or to take the time to build something truly special, shaped by the voices of the people who live, work, and visit here. Let’s choose wisely.”

HRA member Adrienne Paquin again brought up the idea of the HRA doing a survey, and the thought of a nonbinding referendum ballot question was also floated.

Member Bartley Kelly noted that there has already been a “ton” of public input and a “ton” of public process so far.

The conversation circled around to a brief discussion about the select board’s role in the URP process, the need to keep the lines of communication open, and that the select board’s approval of the HRA’s final plan is required before submitting it to the state.

HRA members also provided feedback to Kernan’s comments.

“That was a great summary,” member Joan Senatore told Kernan. “You’ve given everyone a lot to think about.”

She suggested that the HRA make arrangements with representatives of the DCR and the Wildlands Trust – which showed an interest in the property – to share their ideas at an upcoming meeting, and agreed to explore that possibility.

She said she would like to see “a little affordable housing, which the town really needs, but not high-rise condos – very small ones that are well done and fit into the neighborhood,” she said.

Resident Susan Mann said that “the only way a vision is going to work is through a private/public/municipal partnership. You have all the pieces; you just need to put them together. Even if you suggest a beachfront park on a portion of the land and see how that idea develops, that would be a big plus. It’s a huge job you have to come up with a vision for the whole town.”

After listening to thoughts about his proposal expressed by fellow HRA members – in part embracing the idea of reaching out to stakeholders – Kernan said he was grateful “for all the feedback” and that he believes “we kind of know what the majority of the town is looking for in a general sense,” including an interest in maintaining all or at least part of the property as open space.

In other business…

• HRA Technical Operations Manager Mark Hamin provided members with guidelines, but not legal advice, for when a member should recuse himself or herself from an agenda item. Chair Dennis Zaia had asked Hamin for the information, which included links to guidance on the state’s website, mass.gov.

“Recusal is the best way to avoid potential or apparent conflict of interest; disclosure is another way,” the information says in part, citing examples of such conflicts.

“Redevelopment authorities are distinctive public entities and not the same as state and municipal employees,” Hamin said. “The umbrella is very broad regarding conflicts of interest.”

• Zaia reported that a scope of services has been developed for a property management company “to help care for the HRA property,” with more discussion to come.

Upcoming meetings include: March 31, in-person at Memorial School, seventh-grade large meeting room, to review vendor concessions bids; April 7, in-person at Memorial School, seventh-grade large meeting room, to review parking lot bids; as well as April 14, April 28, and May 12.

A replay of the meeting is available at Hull Community Television’s website, www.hulltv.net.

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Schools seeking more details on community center proposed for redevelopment authority land

By Carol Britton Meyer 

In response to a Cohasset family’s proposal for a public/private partnership to build a community center on the Hull Redevelopment Authority land, the school department is seeking to be part of the discussion about whether the center will be built.

At its meeting this week, the school committee said it has requested of Hull Redevelopment Authority Chair Dennis Zaia a meeting with the HRA to talk about the proposed wellness and community center for all ages recently proposed by Cohasset’s Lisa and Paul Rogers.

SUPERINTENDENT MICHAEL JETTE

“We reached out to Dennis because this potential project could have implications for our students, and we’re trying to open up the lines of communication,” school committee member Kyle Conley said.

This presentation was not part of a formal request for proposals for the HRA property, but was another in a series of meetings where development options are being informally discussed.

On February 24, Lisa and Paul Rogers presented to the HRA a preliminary vision for a non-profit, multi-generational Dylan’s Tide Child Wellness and Community Center in honor of their late son.

Their goal is for this all-season, roughly two-acre project to be included in the HRA Urban Renewal Plan that is currently in the “Option 3” stage, or a complete rethinking of property’s development strategy.

Informal meeting proposed

Following a brief discussion at this week’s school committee meeting, it was decided that with Conley serving as the committee’s liaison, she or Superintendent of Schools Michael Jette would try to arrange an informal meeting with Zaia – and perhaps another authority member – sooner rather than later to talk about the proposal. Another committee member could be added later if needed. In her presentation to the HRA, Lisa Rogers requested a decision about the project from the HRA within six months.

“I know things are happening with the HRA, and I don’t want [for the school committee] to come in late to the conversation,” Conley said.

Zaia mentioned the committee’s request to meet with the HRA at this week’s authority meeting, but noted that the HRA and school committee meet regularly on the same dates.

If agreeable with Zaia and other HRA members, the school committee would like for the initial meeting to include Jette, Conley, Zaia, and another HRA member at a mutually convenient date, time, and location.

Following a subsequent update to the school committee following that meeting, Chair David Twombly said, “If we need to flesh out [further details], perhaps we could arrange for a meeting of both boards” on a night when they are not meeting at the same time.

While interested in participating in a discussion with the HRA, Jette noted that school department has a number of resources already, including an after-school program.

“I want to be sure that we don’t put ourselves in a competing-against-ourselves situation, leaving our buildings empty,” he said. “Let’s work together as a community with what the [HRA] vision ends up being.”

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No Place for Hate Committee seeking to build community at Feast of Conversations March 23

It’s that time of year again! Hull No Place for Hate is honored to once again host a Feast of Conversations. This special event will take place on March 23, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Nantasket Beach Resort’s Surf Ballroom. This year’s theme is “Peace on the Peninsula: Building Bridges of Understanding.”

This event is free, with light refreshments provided, and a game of bingo like you’ve never played before. Bring friends and family or just yourself – we’ll have plenty to discover and talk about.

We all know Hull is a special town, in terms of its geography and its people. Hullonians share a deep sense of place and are genuinely proud of their community. That’s why many of us choose to live and stay here.  

Our town is also like many other communities across our country in which people struggle to get to know and understand each other, or to communicate with each other, especially when we don’t agree or when we don’t think we have much in common.

Some of us express ourselves in ways that hurt others. Some of us are afraid to engage with people we don’t know or hardly know at all, leaving us feeling isolated, fearful and misunderstood. When we let our emotions get the better of us and we lash out, neither side feels good about it afterward, and nothing positive comes from it. 

But something important is often lost in those heated moments: the discovery that we have more in common than we would have ever thought, which we strongly believe is the critical tool needed to building a bridge to greater understanding and to strengthening our community.

Indeed, NPFH believes that healthy communication is vital to keeping our community strong and vibrant, and keeping Hull a fantastic place in which to live. We understand, however, that effective communication is like a muscle that needs to be exercised and developed. It also requires a genuine desire to truly listen to, and show respect for, one other. That’s what the Feast of Conversations creates a space for.

The Feast provides a time to connect with the people we may drive and walk past each day, and never get to know.

This year’s program’s focuses on exploring our own sense of identity, as well as shared characteristics and includes two parts: a light-hearted bingo game, followed up with deeper discussion on several topics that will allow us to explore and share our own personal experiences. How varied, or not so different are we, after all?
At this year’s event, we will proudly be presenting The Dignity Index, which was first introduced to us by Town Manager Jennifer Constable at a recent select board meeting, and which the board boldly adopted. The Dignity Index was developed by a nonprofit organization, UNITE, in 2018. Co-creator and Chairman of the Special Olympics Tim Shriver identified the need this way:
“Our disagreements aren’t causing the divisions in our country; it’s what we do when we disagree. Do we treat the other side with dignity, or do we treat them with contempt? The first brings us together; the second drives us apart.”

That select board meeting was doubly special, because just before members of the committee were treated to a short educational video introducing The Dignity Index, the select board reaffirmed the No Place for Hate Pledge.

As Chair Irwin Nesoff stated, Hull “can be proud it’s an active NPFH community, which speaks volumes about what we are as a town.”  We could not agree more and we are extremely thankful for the select board’s and town manager’s commitment to keeping Hull a No Place for Hate community, and for leadership in adopting The Dignity Index, which offers, we believe, a more effective way for us to communicate with each other, especially in these challenging and unsettled times.

We are proud to live in a community such as ours that deeply cares about how we treat and care for each other. 

We hope that you are as excited as we are about this year’s Feast of Conversations and that you will join us on March 23 for what promises to be an extraordinary event.

As we are a town committee, all our meetings are open to the public, with notice including the agenda posted at least 48 hours in advance. Agendas for our meetings, as well as all other town boards and committees, are in the calendar section of www.town.hull.ma.us.

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Depending on your situation, you have several ID options to obtain veterans’ services

By Paul Sordillo

Hull Veterans Service Officer

When it comes to identification cards, there are a few options you have to show that you’re a veteran.

If you’re retired from military service, you get a Uniformed Services ID Card, for this type, however, you need a sponsor.

For those that have enrolled in VA Health Care, you get a Veterans Health Identification Card (VHIC). With this card, you check into appointments at VA Medical Centers and can also use it for discounts. This card comes with your photo. If you have a VHIC, you do not need to request another form of ID to be identified as a veteran.

There is the option to apply for the Veterans ID Card (VIC). A Veteran ID Card (VIC) is a digital photo ID you can use to get discounts for veterans at many stores, businesses, and restaurants. When you have this card, you won’t need to carry around your military discharge papers or share sensitive personal information to get discounts. You may be eligible if you meet both of the requirements listed below.

Both of these must be true:

• You served on active duty, in the reserves, or in the National Guard (including the Coast Guard), and
• You received an honorable or general discharge (under honorable conditions).

If you received an other than honorable, bad conduct, or dishonorable character discharge, you’re not eligible for a Veteran ID Card. If you have an uncharacterized or unknown discharge status, we’ll have to verify your eligibility before we approve your application.

You can get veterans designation of your state-issued license or ID. For the state of Massachusetts, to get the veteran’s indicator, you must apply in person at the RMV service center with a completed license and ID application, along with one of the following:

• A DD-214 that indicates honorable discharge (only the long form [full page] is acceptable).

• A DD-215 that indicates honorable discharge.

• An honorable discharge form.

There are other military and veteran exemptions and benefits offered through the state’s RMV; visit mass.gov and search military and veteran information.

Military lifetime passes are available for free to all national parks and federal recreation sites.

If you are a veteran, you will need to bring one of four valid forms of identification:

• Department of Defense Identification Card (DD Form 2, DD Form 2765, or Next Generation USID replacement).

• Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC).

• Veteran ID Card (the Department of Veterans Affairs [VA] only provides a digital version).

• Veteran designation on a state-issued US driver’s license or identification card.

If you are a member of a Gold Star family, you will need to bring a Gold Star voucher to present to park staff.

Visit the link below to find nearest park and to apply for Gold Star family voucher. You can also apply online for your pass: www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/veterans-and-gold-star-families-free-access.htm

Call or visit the veterans office (appointments recommended, but not necessary) for more details of the subject matter in this article, or any benefit question. Paul Sordillo, Hull’s Veterans Service Officer, can be reached at 781-925-0305 or psordillo@town.hull.ma.us.

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