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

Compiled by Matt Haraden

KICKING IT. Girls soccer player Elly Thomas is the first athlete in program history to nets her 100th and 101st career goal for the Hull Pirates. Congratulations!

• Hull High’s Boys Varsity Soccer team ended a successful season last week, falling to the defending state champions, Westport High. The Pirates never gave up, but after conceding an early penalty, it was always an uphill battle. Teddy Hipp in goal and Nate Tiani played well on defense and midfield. The team competed against far bigger schools all season and still qualified for the state tournament for the third year in a row. The boys battled hard but early injuries to two key midfielders made the challenges difficult to surmount. The team would like to salute seniors Max Day, Jonah Whelan, Oliver Szabo, Dillon Sliney Simpson, Sam Tuchmann, and Nick McDonald, and to thank ball boys Henry, Zach, Enki, Jack, Stellan, Harrison, Silas, Levi, Kai, Rhys, PK, and Dereck for their hard work throughout the season.

TEAM SPIRIT. The boys soccer finished its season last week, falling to the defending state champions at Westport on Wednesday. The Pirates played well as a team and compiled an 8-9-3 record this season while attracting a loyal fan base for both home and away games. [Photos by Jennifer Whelan]

• Hull High Football travels to Mashpee High School on Saturday, November 15 to take on the Nantucket Whalers in a non-league game. The 11:30 a.m. matchup will be the last game for the 4-5 Pirates before the next installment of the traditional Thanksgiving rivalry against Cohasset. Holiday kickoff is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Thursday, November 28 on the Skippers’ Alumni Field.

• Congratulations to all three Hull Youth Cheerleading squads for continuing their winning ways at the New England Cheer and Dance Competition in Boston on November 9. C Squad won first place and were Grand Champions; B Squad took second place, and A Squad also finished first. Up next is the Old Colony Youth Cheerleading Association League Championship on November 23 in Marshfield.

• Hull Youth Lacrosse registration is open until January 22 – in-town registration, kindergarten to second grade, boys and girls travel registration, third to eighth grade, boys and girls. Register at hulllax.com; if you have questions, email hullyouthlax@gmail.com.

• As the weather gets colder, it’s a timely reminder that Hull High’s winter sports season starts soon! The Boys Basketball team (varsity and JV) begins the 2024-25 year on the road against Falmouth Academy on Friday, December 13 at 6:30 p.m. (JV at 5 p.m.). The Girls Varsity team begins on Wednesday, December 11 at home against Plymouth South at 5 p.m., while the JV squad will be at Randolph on Friday, December 13 at 4 p.m.

FUTURE WARRIOR. Congratulations to Fallon Ryan on her commitment to play soccer for the Merrimack College Warriors next year.

• 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 8 p.m. 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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© 2024 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Hull High Theatre Arts to present ‘Carrie, the Musical’ this weekend

Hull High School Theatre Arts presents “Carrie, The Musical” on November 15, 16, and 17 at the Hull High auditorium. Tickets are $12 for general admission. Showtimes are 7 p.m. on Friday, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sunday. This show, based on the novel by Stephen King, includes the use of mature language and themes. Viewer discretion is advised.

Cast members include Julia Effinger as Carrie White; Stevie Ryan as Margaret White; Grace Kiley as Sue Snell; Ace Jeffries-Ranger as Tommy Ross; Alyssa Donato as Chris Hargensen; and Finch Tanner as Billy Nolan. Other cast members include Andi D’Agostino, aerial Flores, Meghan Chiba, Ella Montgomery, Shane Grier, Vesper Walsh, Skylar Munzert, and Ava Rivieccio; members of the Ensemble are London Minelli, Monica Minelli, Scarlett Arevalo, Patience Neilsen, Juliana Ingemi, Angelina Sharkey, Ben Manewal, Ana Donato, Delaney McAuliffe, and Zoe Azer.

Visit https://cur8.com/24453/project/125345 to purchase tickets.

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© 2024 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Construction staging area expansion to limit parking across from sewer plant

The town has announced parking restrictions near the Stony Beach seawall at the intersection of Nantasket Avenue and Spring Street in Hull Village. The land across from the sewer treatment plant and Hull Lifesaving Museum is being used as a staging area for the nearby seawall reconstruction project, as well as activities related to the sewer plant, and crews have determined that more staging space is needed.

Beginning November 11, parking is prohibited in front of the staging areas; cars belonging to area residents can park in small designated section near where the outlet of the access road meets Nantasket Avenue.  

According to the town’s notice announcing the increase in staging area, vehicles parked outside of the designated space may be towed.

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© 2024 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Hull’s first retail marijuana shop earns license; action on second applicant delayed

By Carol Britton Meyer 

The select board unanimously agreed to enter into a Host Community Agreement with Alternative Compassion Services, Inc. to sell retail marijuana in addition to the medical marijuana that has been sold at its 175 George Washington Blvd. location for the past 2-1/2 years.

Town meeting earlier authorized allowing up to two retail marijuana establishments in town.

FUTURE PLANS. This rendering of a building to be built at 271 Nantasket avenue, next door to Mambo’s, would house a retail marijuana operation. the select board delayed action on this application, but approved one by ACS, the town’s current medical marijuana facility on george washington boulevard.

The select board this week interviewed ACS President Stephen Werther and Anthony Ghosn of Skarr Inc. – who owns both Mambo’s restaurant at 269 Nantasket Avenue and Tipsy Tuna across the street – after each submitted a non-binding “Marijuana Retail Establishment Plan” in response to a request for information for those interested in entering into an HCA with the town.

A third application is in the works but is not yet complete. No further details were provided.

Because ACS has had no issues since it moved to Hull and the business has already been vetted by the Cannabis Control Commission, board members said they felt comfortable entering into an agreement, which will be negotiated by town counsel, that night. ACS’s application consisted of 124 pages.

Alternative compassion services is located at 175 george washington boulevard and received approval to sell retail marijuana in addition to its medical dispensary license.

“They’re shovel-ready and have more than done their homework,” board member Greg Grey said. “Let’s not delay it.”

Once the HCA is negotiated and signed by the select board, planning board site plan and special permit approval is required; or in this case, amendments to the existing ones relevant to the new license. Then the application is submitted to the state Cannabis Control Commission for approval.

Click here for the full application submitted by ACS

Click here for the full application submitted by Skarr

The question arose following the interviews as to whether entering into an HCA with ACS would allow for that retail license to be wrapped into ACS’s existing medical marijuana license, leaving one available license. If not, both licenses would be used up.

Until this issue is resolved, the select board didn’t feel comfortable issuing a second license.

Kate Feodoroff of Mead, Talerman & Costa, LLC – recently hired as town counsel – was present and will have an answer for the board by its November 20 meeting. She also will research the limitations regarding hours of operation.

Chair Irwin Nesoff told Ghosn that this issue “doesn’t close [the process] for you; we just need that answer.”

During his interview, Ghosn explained that he was a licensed medical marijuana cultivator and caregiver for a number of years in Rhode Island. In that role, he cultivated marijuana for four patients. In 2015, he got out of that program and moved to Massachusetts.

He is proposing to open a retail marijuana establishment in a new building to the right of Mambo’s.

Both Nesoff and board member Jerry Taverna expressed appreciation to Ghosn for wanting to continue doing business in Hull.

The town uses the RFI submittal to gauge interest and to determine the suitability of the respondents.

The information provided is then evaluated by the select board in consultation with the town manager and town counsel, with input from the police and fire chiefs and other town department heads, to conduct a preliminary review of the applications.

Upon completion of this review, the town manager presents her findings to the board and makes recommendations regarding which, if any, respondents should receive further consideration for interviews and a final review.

Following analysis of the RFI submittals, the town reserves the right to enter into Host Community Agreement negotiations with selected respondents after conducting public interviews, which was the case Wednesday night with ACS.

Applicants are also asked to provide their financials, including projected revenues and expenses, a business model, security and marketing plans, the scope of operations, and any noise, odor, or neighborhood impacts or any impacts to the town’s resources, site details, a community outreach plan including educating the public, parking details, and other information. Abutter notification is part of the process.

Under state law, the town is also required to adopt social equity policy by next May, which doesn’t apply now but will at that time. This relates to a requirement to give preference to certain applicants seeking HCAs, especially those “who were disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs [and its ongoing effects],” Mead, Talerman & Costa Attorney Liz Lydon explained.

Selected respondents to the RFI may be invited to negotiate a Host Community Agreement with the select board. If one is reached, the applicant is required to seek a special permit and site plan review by the planning board of the site, traffic circulation, and compliance with earlier town meeting votes, the town’s general and zoning bylaws, and review by the Cannabis Control Commission.

The select board is also expected to conduct its own review before entering into such an agreement to ensure that any proposed operation is “appropriately located for the needs of the town; will have appropriate staff, facilities, operational plans, business plans, and sufficient funding; and will operate with sufficient technical skill, business competence, and financial reserves.”

This is meant to ensure that the Town of Hull “will not be required to cope with underperformance or closure of an inappropriately sited marijuana treatment center, loss of jobs, inability to generate projected community impact fees, and cost to the town of dealing with a marijuana enterprise that faces loss of funding, bankruptcy, or other threats to its operation.”

A replay of the full meeting will be available on Hull Community Television’s broadcast channels and on demand at www.hulltv.net.

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© 2024 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Rising real estate values send taxes higher; bill for average home climbs to $7,548 in FY25

By Carol Britton Meyer

The select board voted to maintain a single tax rate for residential and commercial properties during this week’s tax classification hearing for fiscal year 2025. This decision is in keeping with the board’s traditional approach to property taxes and was made upon the recommendation of the board of assessors.

The FY25 tax rate is $11.21 per $1,000 of assessed value, compared with $11.65 for FY24, for a decrease of 4%. However, the average valuation of a single-family home increased from $619,800 in FY24 to $673,300 for FY25, with an average annual tax bill of $7,548 as compared with $7,221 in FY24.

Click here for the full presentation on Hull’s FY25 tax rate.

This means that the average residential property owner can expect a $327 increase in his or her FY25 taxes, or 5%, even with the lower tax rate, while the tax on commercial properties is expected to decrease by $99.

AN IMAGE FROM THE BOard of assessors’ presentation to the select board this week. click here for the full document.

That’s because at the new tax rate, the average tax bill for commercial properties will be $8,376 as compared with $8,475 for the last fiscal year. The average valuation on commercial properties for FY25 is $747,200, compared with $727,500 for FY24.

Hull ranks 12th among Plymouth County single-tax-rate communities based on the FY24 numbers, with an average single-family tax bill of $7,221, compared with Wareham on the low end at $3,912 and Hingham property owners paying $12,839, with property tax assessments varying greatly among these communities.

Because nearly 96% of the properties in town are residential, and Hull has a small commercial base of 3%, maintaining the single rate structure means that most of the tax burden falls on residential property owners.

A small portion of the property tax, or 1%, applies to personal property. This tax includes tangible property that is not real property, such as furniture in second homes or business equipment.

AN IMAGE FROM THE BOard of assessors’ presentation to the select board this week. click here for the full document.

However, if the tax rate were split, homeowners would see relatively little savings, while the average commercial property owner would see his or her property tax burden greatly increase, depending on the percentage of the split.

Based on a 10% shift, the average residential taxpayer would save $30 per year, while the average commercial taxpayer would bear an additional tax burden of $838.

Based on a 50% shift, the average residential taxpayer would save $151 a year, while the average commercial taxpayer would pay an additional $4,188.

The select board also voted not to adopt residential nor small business exemptions, also upon the recommendation of the board of assessors.

While the residential policy would save tax dollars for lower-valued owner-occupied residences, it would put an additional tax burden on higher-valued owner-occupied residences as well as on non-owner-occupied residences, apartments, and vacant land, according to the assessors.

Adopting the small-business exemption would increase the commercial tax rate and the taxes of non-qualifying commercial properties, including all commercial vacant land.

At the conclusion of the joint meeting between the select board and the board of assessors, the hearing was continued until the FY25 tax rate is certified “and in case any changes need to be made,” Town Manager Jennifer Constable said.

“This is really the start of the budget process, and an important part of it,” she said.

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© 2024 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

In the Sport-light - Roundup of news about Hull's athletes

Compiled by Matt Haraden

• Congratulations to Hull High Girls Varsity Soccer players Fallon Ryan, Elly Thomas, Elsie Harper, Montana Alibrandi, Libby Harper, and Brianna Ramos, who were named South Shore League All-Stars. Additional congratulations to Harper on earning SSL Player of the Year honors. The Pirates continue to make their way through the state tournament, defeating Springfield International in the first round at home on Wednesday by a score of 10-0. Scoring came from Fallon Ryan, Elly Thomas, Brianna Ramos, Libby Harper, Abby Jeffries-Ranger, Margot Harper, and Kaelyn Burke, while Montana Alibrandi and Scarlett Arevalo combined for the shutout. Next game in the tournament is on Saturday, November 9 at home at 1 p.m. against Ayer Shirley Regional.

CHEER LIKE HULL! Hull Youth Football Cheerleaders took the mat last weekend for the first competition of the 2024 season and all three teams scored first-place wins at The East Coast Showdown. The awards piled up quickly for Hull’s athletes – C Team (Mites): First place and a specialty award for best jumps and tumbling; B Team (Peewees): First place; A Team (Midgets): First place and specialty award for best dance. The cheerleaders will be competing again this weekend in the New England Cheer and Dance Competition.

• Congratulations to Hull High Varsity Boys Soccer players Nick McDonald, Max Day, Christian Truglia, and Finn Walsh for earning spots on the South Shore League All-Star team. The Pirates won their state tournament game against Innovation Academy Charter School by a score of 2-0 on Sunday, November 3. It took until the 70th minute for Hull to get on the board, as Thomas Brasil played a through ball to Truglia, putting the Pirates ahead. Day doubled the lead with a header goal from a Nick McDonald corner kick. The team fell short in the next round against Westport on Wednesday, losing the game by a score of 3-0.

• Boys 3/4 Soccer Team 2 played two games this past weekend, the first a 3-2 win over Carver on Saturday, November 2. Andy Michaelides and Jordan Dunn each scored one goal. The second game was a 12-5 loss to Halifax on Sunday, November 3. Andy Michaelides got a hat trick with three goals and Luke Panetta helped out the team with two scores. 7/8 Boys Soccer had a great first half with many near misses on goal against Scituate on Saturday. In the second half, the team came back with more passing, focus, and precision to score an additional three goals. Derek Delgallo, Tristan Misdea, Eathan Medina, and Macklin Concannon all netted goals, turning the tables and winning by a three goal margin. The team’s last game is Saturday, November 9 against Duxbury.

TEAM SPIRIT. The Boys 7/8 Soccer team, fresh from a victory over Scituate by a convincing three goals, faces Duxbury this Saturday in the last game of the season. [Photo courtesy of Brendan Kilroe]

• Girls 3/4 Soccer traveled to Middleboro on Saturday, November 2 and closed out the season putting on a goal scoring clinic, winning 6-4. Addie Chalifoux’s tenacity paid off, resulting in a beautiful goal in the first half, while Willa Britton refused to lose and scored five goals. Meara Gilroy tallied points with her first assist, contributing to the offense, while holding strong on defense with Mackenzie Deegan clearing balls out of the Pirate goal area. 6/7/8 Girls Soccer lost the final game of the fall season, 4-2, in a hard-fought matchup in Halifax. Aubrey Littlefield scored both Hull goals. Ava Palermo and Abby Baglione played well at forward. Nadia Schultz had a great game at midfield, and Michaela Collins and Ellie Kiley turned in solid performances on defense for the Pirates. Sophie Munn had an amazing season in the net, making heroic saves week in and week out. A special shout-out to the sixth-grade players who decided to play up this year despite the competition being intense: Natalie Tiani, Molly McCarthy, Reese Irby, Piper Yakubian, Payton Dunn, Stella Palermo, Ruby D’Errico, and Deirdre Flaherty.

• Hull High Football defeated Lowell Catholic, 21-20, after trailing 12-7 at halftime. Isiah Green had two touchdown receptions and one interception returned for a touchdown. Tegan Bellew also had a pick in the fourth quarter. Luke Dunham threw for two touchdowns, with 108 yards on the ground and four solo tackles. The 3-5 team heads to Cohasset on Thanksgiving morning for the next installment of the Pirates-Skippers traditional rivalry. Holiday kickoff is at 10 a.m.

• Hull Youth Lacrosse registration is open until January 22 – in-town registration, kindergarten to second grade, boys and girls travel registration, third to eighth grade, boys and girls. Register at hulllax.com; if you have questions, email hullyouthlax@gmail.com.

• Attention Hull Pirates Youth Basketball players: In-town recreational league for grades 3-8 is now open for registration! Don’t miss out – sign up by Wednesday, November 13 to secure your spot. Skills & Drills for grades 1-2 registration is open and is ready to help young players develop their game in a fun and supportive environment. Ready to join the action? Register today at www.hullbasketball.com.

• Hull High’s winter sports season starts soon! The Boys Basketball team (varsity and JV) begins the 2024-25 year on the road against Falmouth Academy on Friday, December 13 at 6:30 p.m. (JV at 5 p.m.). The Girls Varsity team begins on Wednesday, December 11 at home against Plymouth South at 5 p.m., while the JV squad will be at Randolph on Friday, December 13 at 4 p.m.

• 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 8 p.m. 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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© 2024 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

HRA attorney fields range of questions on road project, development plan, finances

By Carol Britton Meyer

The Hull Redevelopment Authority’s attorney this week answered legal questions that were provided ahead of time by HRA members, ranging from the specifications for approving an Urban Renewal Plan to one related to the proposed two-way road plan and another concerning required steps if the HRA were to be dissolved.

rendering of the proposed two-way road plan. click here for more information.

No public input was accepted during the authority’s meeting, although the meeting agenda indicated that citizens with an HRA-related legal question could communicate it “to the HRA membership, and if an HRA member wishes to have it answered, it will be presented by that member to our legal counsel.”

Chair Dennis Zaia reiterated that agenda note at the beginning of Monday’s Zoom meeting: “We want to be clear to our listeners that any citizen who looked at the agenda for this meeting knew that our legal counsel would be here to answer questions from our membership. Whenever [a citizen] sends a message, all five of us receive it and have the option to bring it to the table. So there will be no questions from citizens during this meeting, since theoretically we would have already received them.”

The meeting attracted 27 participants, including HRA members, at the outset and 19 by the end of the nearly four-hour discussion about the many agenda items. (See related story.)

Attorney Paula Devereaux responded to each question, with HRA members commenting or asking for further clarification for each one. The questions and answers discussed by the attorney and authority members related to:

⦁ The steps involved in approving an Urban Renewal Plan. The HRA drafts the plan and then presents it to the planning board to ensure it conforms to the “plan of the town” and current zoning regulations, and then to the select board for approval, with town manager input – all during public meetings. A town meeting vote is not required.

Once a URP is approved, it goes to the state Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities for approval. If commercial or industrial uses are included in the URP, the state Executive Office of Economic Development also has a role.

⦁ Whether the HRA can request that individuals, entities, and others with an interest in the property to speak at a meeting about potential uses for the site. “The HRA has already done this in the past,” Devereaux said. “This is permissible and gives the board some ideas about what might and might not be possible.”

⦁ Whether the HRA is permitted to accept grants for projects approved by the authority. Federal and state grants can be accepted. The only caveat, Devereaux said, is that the HRA “needs to be cognizant of any grant requirements, restrictions, or strings attached and whether the HRA can comply with those.”

HRA member Adrienne Paquin noted that some grants “must be applied by the town, and we’re not the town,” and that there is often an attached requirement that the town receiving the grant has a master plan in place, which Hull does not. “We need to be sure we have the appropriate details before applying for grants,” she said.

Attorney Paula Devereau

Devereaux provided clarification that the HRA “is not the town of Hull. It’s a separate entity within the town, but not of the town. Any monies the HRA has are controlled by the HRA – none flow into the town’s general fund.”

Within that separation come certain responsibilities. “Urban renewal authorities are established to help communities revitalize areas that are considered to be blighted or substandard,” she said, noting that these terms “don’t always sound good these days.”

Member Bartley Kelly noted that the HRA has partnered with the town on a number of projects in the past, including roads, which Devereaux said was acceptable.

⦁ What the town would be able to “force the HRA to do” if it wished. “Not much,” she said, unless the town were to take the property by eminent domain.

⦁ If the HRA no longer wished to participate in the proposed two-way road plan, could the select board force the sale of land or take it by eminent domain for that purpose. “They couldn’t force the sale of the property, but they could take [a portion of] the property, which sometimes happens with roadway improvement projects,” Devereaux explained. “The town could also force abutters across the board, including the HRA, to pay betterment assessments.”

Kelly noted that when the HRA participated in road projects in the area before, no betterment assessments were charged, which is the town’s decision to make.

Taking land by eminent domain requires a reason. “There has to be a rationale behind it and would require a town meeting vote,” according to Devereaux.

Zaia and Paquin met with Town Manager Jennifer Constable recently, asking her to provide “an official statement on the status of the two-way road plan, including the HRA’s role in this potential infrastructure project and what we might be held accountable for,” according to Zaia. “She said she would get that definitive statement to us … so everyone will know the answers that will clarify where the project is now and what the HRA would be, and has been in the past, responsible for.”

Kelly noted that the HRA voted a few years ago to provide $68,000 as its share of a MassWorks grant for the two-way road plan, which hasn’t yet been paid but that the town is still responsible for, he said.

⦁ Whether the HRA property could be improved “little by little” for beautification purposes. That is not likely, Devereaux said, because that would not fulfill the purposes of an urban renewal authority.

⦁ Steps involved were the HRA to dissolve, a question that came up a couple of times in the questions provided to Devereaux. “The town just can’t vote you out of existence,” Devereaux said. “The process would start with the select board deciding the HRA has done everything it was supposed to do and that there is no further need for the HRA’s existence, and that all the HRA’s outstanding obligations have been satisfied.”

The steps involved include an HRA vote to dissolve followed by an affirmative annual town meeting vote. Were the HRA to dissolve, it would have three years “to clean up business, and any remaining HRA assets would revert to the town,” she said.

HRA member Dan Kernan also asked whether the HRA could come up with an URP that doesn’t take into consideration the HRA’s long-term parking lease with the hotel, which expires in 2029 with two possible 10-year extensions.

While there is nothing from preventing the HRA from including the parcel used for hotel parking in the URP, it remains subject to that lease. The decision as to whether to extend the lease is at the discretion of the hotel as long as it is not in default, according to Devereaux.

Kernan also asked whether as the HRA “starts working on a new option of the URP, do we need to go through prior steps and go through the community input process again?”

Devereaux explained that the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities requires a synopsis of public input “received so far,” with further opportunities provided for community input “to ensure the HRA has buy-in from the community to go forward.”

At the end of this portion of the meeting, Zaia noted, “We’ve been dancing around these questions [for some time], so now we know.”

In response, Devereaux quipped, “I feel as though I just went through a bar exam!”

A replay of the full HRA meeting will be available on Hull Community Television’s broadcast channels and on demand at www.hulltv.net.

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© 2024 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

HRA to hear from architect, review work by consultants as it considers site’s future

By Carol Britton Meyer

The Hull Redevelopment Authority addressed a full agenda this week during an almost four-hour meeting, including a lengthy discussion surrounding member Dan Kernan’s request to allow an architect he knows who appreciates the beauty and uniqueness of the property to share his ideas during an upcoming meeting.

HRA member Bartley Kelly said he was not opposed to the idea, but expressed concern that the HRA is “spinning its wheels” and that he would like to see board members “get down to brass tacks” in moving forward with the goal of reaching a consensus on the best uses of the property.

The town has hired consultants in the past to help the HRA with its efforts, Kelly said, which led to a discussion as to the current status of those contracts.

“We’ve got multiple documents on the table. … If we’re not using the consultants now that we’ve used in the past, let’s bring on a new one,” he said. “We’ve got work to do.”

In response, Chair Dennis Zaia said he will reach out to those past consultants for an update and to find out “what information we do have in the body of work that’s already been done so that we’re not recreating the wheel,” for further discussion at the HRA’s November 18 meeting.

Following a lengthy back and forth during which Kernan pointed out that the purpose of the architect – James Dallman, who was on the Zoom meeting – going before the board was for informational purposes only.

“The main purpose is that he can give us ideas about the process and potential funding … and what is possible if we take a new direction,” Kernan said. “When we get to the next phase, I hope we’ll consider [using his services], but we’re not [there] yet. We’re at a crossroads, and hearing what’s possible from [Dallman] will give us the confidence to move forward. The sooner the better.”

For more information on the HRA’s draft urban renewal plan, click here.

Dallman indicated that “There’s no rush on my end. I would be happy to come at some point that makes sense for all of you,” he said after he was recognized. The date of December 2 was set for him to go before the board.

Having Zaia “review the work [done by consultants] to date would help me better understand what the HRA already has in place,” Dallman said.

While having “no problem” with Dallman presenting his ideas to the HRA that night, Kelly said the board needs to make decisions about the use of the property, enlist a consultant to pull them together into a plan, and then “put it before the public. We’ve been seeking input for the past one-and-a-half years. This board has to [make choices] and move in a direction based on the information available, including citizen input.”

In the meantime, between the December 2 presentation and Zaia’s plan “to do the homework” about past consultants – “which other members can do, too,” he added – “maybe that will advance all of us to a new level of awareness.”

In other business…

⦁ The HRA approved holding the annual Thanksgiving night bonfire on its property. According to Fire Chief Chris Russo, crews will begin building the wood pile this week; no public donations of material will be allowed. The traditional bonfire is scheduled to be lit at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 28.

• Discussion continued about the HRA hiring two different individuals to assist them in their work – one who would be responsible for the requests for proposals associated with the property and the other to provide various types of office assistance. More information will be available at the HRA’s November 18 meeting.

⦁ Zaia suggested that the HRA reserve one meeting a month starting in January for the board to work on the draft URP for the entire time “to make some progress on what we consider to be reasonable and appropriate, or we’ll never get to an end point,” he said.

⦁ Upcoming HRA meetings are planned for Mondays, November 18, December 2, and December 16.

A replay of the full HRA meeting will be available on Hull Community Television’s broadcast channels and on demand at www.hulltv.net.

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© 2024 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

School committee asked to support locating dog park behind high school field

By Carol Britton Meyer

Longtime Hull resident David Irwin – who formed a committee focused on finding an appropriate location for a dog park after this year’s failed town meeting vote – reached out to the school committee this week to suggest that the site of the former Hull Wind I turbine behind the high school would be “ideal” for the park.

PARK IT HERE? A proposal submitted to the school committee this week outlined the area where a dog park is envisioned. It is the section of land previously home to Hull Wind I, which has been dismantled.

The recommendation to hire a consultant for $10,000 to conduct a dog park feasibility study was the only Community Preservation Committee warrant article that didn’t pass during the third session of the 2024 town meeting.

The ad hoc committee consists of nine members, all dog owners except for Irwin.

The parcel where the turbine once sat is about 60 by 200 feet, “has plenty of parking at the Hull Gut parking area,” is lit until 10 p.m., and there are “no residential properties within 1,000 feet, thus making this an ideal location for a dog park,” Irwin wrote in a letter to the school committee.

He attended the school committee meeting this week to present the proposal in person.

“I thought the idea of hiring a consultant to find a feasible parcel was ridiculous, and [during the town meeting dog park discussion], I got up and said I would do it for $1,” he recalled. “I’ve been in the fence business for years and know the areas in town where it would be OK to install one, although there isn’t much space in this town for a dog park.”

In bringing his “case” to the school committee, Irwin said he doesn’t know the “legal or insurance implications” but would appreciate the committee’s consideration.

“Only a minimal amount of fencing would be needed, because there’s already some fencing and a seawall there. I would like the committee to think about this and the legal aspects and for the ad hoc committee to be able to put this location on our list as a possible dog park site,” he explained. “We’ve also identified another parcel, but we don’t want to let the cat out of the bag just yet.”

There are more than 900 licensed dogs in town, and many that are not, because some pet owners can’t afford to take their dogs to the vet so don’t get them licensed, according to Irwin.

After visiting the assessors office to learn the locations of town-owned properties, Irwin and fellow committee members discovered after visiting most of the sites that the majority are in residential neighborhoods and have no parking, several lots have conservation deed restrictions or are wetlands, and some are covered with ledge.

School Committee Chair David Twombly, who praised Irwin for his many volunteer contributions to the town, said a determination would need to be made about insurance and whether a memorandum of agreement would be needed should the idea move forward.

If school committee support is ultimately granted, the proposal would be presented to the CPC at the next annual town meeting for potential funding. “It’s too late for this year. We’re probably talking about a two-year timeframe,” Irwin said.

Superintendent of Schools Michael Jette agreed to look into the possibility – including determining whether the school department or light plant has custody of the land where the turbine once stood, any insurance or MOA requirements, and other considerations – and to talk with the school department’s attorney.

“We’ll get back to you by January,” Twombly told Irwin, with enough time to seek CPC funding and town meeting approval if the school committee ultimately supports the proposal.

School committee member Regan Yakubian was impressed with Irwin’s dedication to finding an appropriate site, even though he doesn’t have a dog himself.

“I would love to see a dog park in this town,” fellow school committee member Liliana Hedrick said. “Some people don’t want them on the beach, although they love it there.”

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How Hull Voted - Election Results from Tuesday, November 5

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