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

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Compiled by Matt Haraden

• Hull High School’s boys varsity baseball team began this spring’s play with a home victory against Millis in a scrimmage on Saturday, March 22, with a score of 8-4. All members of both teams got to play in the scrimmage. The first game of the regular season is at West Bridgewater on Tuesday, April 1 at 4 p.m., followed by a home matchup against Westport on Friday, April 4 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.

Boys varsity lacrosse next plays at Taunton on Friday, March 28 at 4 p.m., followed by another away game at Middleboro on Thursday, April 3 at 4 p.m. The girls lacrosse team’s season begins at home on Monday, March 31 at 4 p.m. against Stoughton. The Pirates then travel to Plymouth South on Tuesday, April 1 at 4 p.m. (JV at 5:30 p.m.) and return home to face Middleborough on Thursday, April 3 at 5 p.m. (JV at 6:30 p.m.).

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.

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

• Hull Youth Lacrosse opens its season this Sunday, March 30, with games played on Sundays through June 1, except for Easter Sunday (April 20) and Memorial Day weekend (May 25). For times and locations of games, visit www.hulllax.com.

• 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 open through April 4, 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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Do you have an opinion to share? Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

The piping plovers are coming! Endangered birds will soon be nesting on Nantasket Beach

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The Town of Hull, Mass Audubon’s Coastal Waterbird Program, and Hull’s Piping Plover Ambassadors are committed to monitoring and protecting piping plovers. Mass Audubon will make weekly visits to the beach and set up the necessary signage. If plovers are present, they will provide additional monitoring and support.

Hull’s Plover Ambassadors educate beachgoers to what is happening with Plovers on the beach in real time and enlist beachgoers help when needed. There has been significant success in the restoration of these endangered and threatened populations in Massachusetts. While it may seem that piping plovers are in abundance, there are only about 8,000 piping plovers in the world. Massachusetts is home to almost 4,000 of the birds, and Nantasket Beach has been a nesting ground for piping plovers since about 2016.

A key reason piping plovers are vulnerable is that the chicks begin foraging for food 24 hours a day as soon as they hatch. But, for their first 30 days or so, they cannot fly. They are vulnerable to being crushed by people or vehicles, or killed by dogs, cats, and other predators. In addition, plover nests blend in with the beach, making it easy to mistakenly step on a nest. Fortunately, once the chicks have fledged (learned to fly further), they do not need protection.

As the plovers make their nests and begin the incubation period, warning signs and roped protection areas will begin to appear on the beach. These roped off area may seem large, but as the chicks start to mature, Mass Audubon can reduce the area of protection.

If a plover nest is damaged, destroyed, or chicks are not able to fledge, they will try to produce another clutch (nest). When this happens, protective fencing will be reinstalled.

Though piping plovers are small, their contribution to our region’s biodiversity is immeasurable. They keep ecosystems in balance by controlling insect and small crustacean populations, and, as an indicator species, they also provide a glimpse into the overall health of Nantasket Beach.

Interested in learning more about piping plovers or want to help? Attend our plover kickoff party at the Parrot on Thursday, April 3 at 6 p.m. Cash bar, complimentary appetizers, contests, merchandise for sale, Liz Varga slide show featuring piping plovers on Nantasket Beach, and much more. If you have questions, susanmann.mann23@gmail.com.

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Temple’s Kabbalat Shabbat to feature well-known cantor, composer Robbie Solomon

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Please join Temple Beth Sholom on Friday, March 28 at 7 p.m. for a special evening as Cantor Robbie Solomon will lead our Kabbalat Shabbat service. You will not want to miss this event! Solomon, an esteemed and internationally recognized composer, has made significant contributions to Jewish choral works, synagogue repertoire, and compositions that articulate the Jewish-American experience.

His stirring anthem, “Leaving Mother Russia,” written in 1978, became a powerful rallying cry for the Soviet Jewry movement, firmly establishing him as a musical interpreter of Jewish social conscience. Since then, he has composed numerous influential pieces, including “World of Our Fathers,” “Falasha Nevermore,” “Peace by Piece,” and “Grandfather’s Train,” performed with the renowned Jewish music group SAFAM for which he sings, composes, arranges, and plays multiple instruments. In addition to more than 10 original CDs, Solomon’s works have been performed and recorded by numerous cantors and choirs throughout the world.

Born in Baltimore, he was raised in a family deeply rooted in Judaism. From ages 10-13, he served as the boy soloist for the High Holidays at the Denmore Avenue schul, Petach Tikvah, immersing himself in the liturgy and melodies of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, many of which he still uses in leading services today. 

In addition to his Orthodox upbringing, and after receiving a bachelor of science from Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania and a bachelor of Hebrew letters from the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati and Jerusalem, Solomon received conservatory training at the Rubin Academy in Jerusalem, Berklee College of Music, and New England Conservatory in Boston. He holds certification from both the Reform and Conservative movements, American Conference of Cantors and Cantors Assembly.

Solomon served the Jewish community as a cantor for more than 40 years, predominantly in Greater Boston, where he was the cantor of Temple Sinai in Sharon, Temple Ohabei Shalom, in Brookline, and Temple Isaiah in Lexington. Solomon was president of the New England Jewish Ministers Cantors from 1998-2002 and served on the board of the American Conference of Cantors from 2010 to 2012.

Now retired as cantor emeritus from Baltimore Hebrew Congregation, he lives in Massachusetts with his wife, Helen. They are members of Temple Beth Sholom.

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Meschino encourages local students to apply for State House internships

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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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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

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

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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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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Legislature should preserve open government by extending remote meeting authorization

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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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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

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

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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!

Like what you’re reading? Stay informed and support our work with a Hull Times subscription by clicking here.

Do you have an opinion to share? Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

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

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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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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

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

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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

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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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