Read the resumes of the three town manager finalists being interviewed June 15

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By Carol Britton Meyer

UPDATE: Interviews for the three town manager finalists will begin on Thursday, June 15 at 5 p.m. at town hall now that the new select board has been seated. Click the link below to read their resumes.

During a brief meeting last Tuesday, June 6, the board scheduled interviews for Thursday, June 15 instead of Wednesday, June 7. This will allow the newly elected members to be part of the decision-making process, following the June 13 limited-hours voting to finalize the results of the annual town election.

TOWN MANAGER CANDIDATES, FROM LEFT, PETER CARUSO, JENNIFER CONSTABLE, AND THOMAS GUERINO.

Polls will be open from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Hull High School for those who did not cast ballots on May 15, when a three-alarm fire on Q Street caused detours and blocked roads for about two hours on Election Day. Voting was extended for two hours to accommodate voters, and a Plymouth Superior Court judge ordered the town to conduct additional voting hours to ensure that all votes can be cast.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Town Clerk Lori West said that after consulting with Town Counsel James Lampke and the Secretary of State’s Elections Division, she expects that the three winners in the select board race could be sworn in by June 14 in time for them to participate in the interviews the following day. While the election results have been in limbo, the select board has been operating with members “held over” from before May 15, including Domenico Sestito, who did not run for re-election, and Donna Pursel, who finished fourth in the race, as of the May 15 vote count.

At the same time, West is taking a cautious approach about the seating of new officials.

“I want to make it clear that as elections go, sometimes an unprecedented situation occurs, as we know, so we can’t guarantee with 100 percent certainty,” she said.

If all goes as expected on June 13, West would be able to administer the oath of office to the new members by that date.

“They would take office immediately [after that],” she said.

A seven-member town manager search committee worked with the consulting firm Community Paradigm Associates to interview semifinalists for the position, leading up to last week’s recommendations as the search process enters the final stage.

The finalists were chosen from a pool of 21 candidates that first was narrowed down to six before the three finalists were chosen. On June 15, the interviews will be conducted in alphabetical order – Peter Caruso, Jennifer Constable, and Thomas Guerino.

Caruso earlier served as town administrator in Millville, former Hull Select Board Chair Constable is the current assistant town administrator in Rockland, and Guerino is a former town administrator in Bourne.

Following a lengthy discussion during last week’s meeting about whether to move forward or wait until the election results are certified, members decided to interview the finalists to avoid delays.

However, with this latest news that the new board members can be sworn in before the new date of the interviews, the board unanimously decided to wait.

“We see the end is in sight,” Pursel said. “That’s good.”

Sestito wished the new board members and incumbents well “in this journey to select our next town manager. I know you will all do what’s in the best interests of the citizens of Hull.”

Pursel encouraged voters who did not cast ballots on May 15 to “get out and vote” on Tuesday and thanked the town for its patience and support throughout the challenging past few weeks. She also expressed appreciation for Lampke’s, West’s, and Lemnios’s efforts in “helping to get us to the finish line.”

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Paragon Boardwalk height variance hearing continued until July 18

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By Dolores Sauca Lorusso

The developer seeking a height variance for a new building at the Paragon Boardwalk property at 183-197 Nantasket Ave. requested a continuance of the zoning board of appeals’ public hearing scheduled for Tuesday. The issue, which attracted a crowd at this week’s ZBA meeting, now will be heard on July 18.

BUILDING INTEREST. Neighbor Kelsey Lebeau of S Street reviews the plans for a new building at 808 Nantasket Ave. with David Ray of Nantasket Survey Engineering, and builder David Connolly at this week’s board of appeals hearing. [Dolores Lorusso photo]

ZBA members discussed another new multi-family building project, a building proposed for 808 Nantasket Ave. at the corner of S Street, which also drew interest from neighbors.

The Paragon Dunes development, proposed by the Procopio Companies, would be 75 feet tall, higher than the maximum of 40 feet allowed in the Nantasket Beach Overlay District. A continuance of the public was requested by attorney Adam J. Brodsky of Drohan, Tocchio and Morgan P.C., in a letter dated May 30.

The news of the continuance was met with disappointment from a few dozen residents, packing the meeting room and hallway, who now have to wait six weeks to voice their opinions about the proposed variance. Residents complained that the meeting keeps getting “put off” and that no “widespread” alert was sent out about the continuance.

ZBA Chair Patrick Finn said that he was planning to have the meeting televised, and he still plans to do so on July 18; in addition, no other agenda items will be scheduled that evening.

Liz Kay, of Hampton Circle, requested that there also be a Zoom option to better demonstrate the “sense of interest in the project…It is too big scale of a change to not have dialogue about it.”

Some, like Karen Musmeci of 205 Atlantic Ave., were concerned the July 18 date is “too far away” and would like to see the public hearing scheduled sooner because of concerns the “issues might get diluted by then.”

However, others in attendance expressed the desire to push the date off until September, at the end of the summer, so more resident “voices could be heard.”

After giving those in attendance a few minutes to express their frustration with the continuance, Finn said people could officially express their opinions prior to July 18 by submitting a notarized commentary letter.

Under the zoning bylaw, to obtain a variance, applicants must demonstrate “substantial hardship related to the property, not to their individual circumstances.” The town’s variance questionnaire states the applicant must “describe exactly how the shape of your lot, the topography of your lot, the soil conditions of your lot, or the structure/layout of your building are unique or substantially different from neighboring properties, and how these unique circumstances prevent you from using your property for its intended use as a single-family home, as a business… the mere fact that your property will be worth more if a variance is granted does not constitute a substantial hardship.” The Paragon Dunes developer will address these issues when the hearing gets under way.

The next public hearing was on the request by the owner of 808 Nantasket Ave., Jim Wojciechowski, to tear down and rebuild an existing four-family structure. Building Commissioner Bartley Kelly determined the request requires a special permit because “the existing and proposed right and left side setback is less than required, the existing lot coverage is 51%, and the proposed lot coverage of 52.9% is more than what is allowed. The use is a pre-existing non-conforming, multi-family structure in a single-family zone.”

Wojciechowski noted in his application that “in designing the new proposed building it became evident that the existing structure is not perfectly square. The architect’s deviations are minor. The changes provide improvement…replaces a condemned building with a new one.”

Neighbors of 808 Nantasket have said they favor the building being “knocked down and the area cleaned up.” The entrance to the new building would be on the S Street side of the property.

“I am in favor of it…it has been an eyesore since my family purchased there,” said Tom O’Brien of 8 S St.

However, Kelsey Lebeau of 31 S St., who said she is “delighted the current structure is coming down,” said her neighbors at 28 S St. are concerned about the way the new decks “overlook” their house.

Upon further review of the updated plans, it was determined the back deck is approximately five feet into the rear setback, and the corner of the building also falls slightly into the rear setback.

“With a discretionary special permit, the ZBA determines if the request is more detrimental to the community, but this is a setback issue, so it needs a variance,” said ZBA member Timothy Pranaitis.

Finn said that the owner will “need to shave four inches off the corner of the building and do away with the deck…unless they can prove it is a hardship not to have the deck and can’t use the property for its full purpose.”

“They won’t get a variance because it is not a hardship… will need to build on the same footprint,” said David Ray of Nantasket Survey Engineering.

Finn said the new building also must comply with parking for the four units and with eight spaces.

“There will be eight parking spots with two additional spots on the east side, where the yard is, if necessary, but I prefer to keep the yard…I don’t think S Street is so busy,” said Wojciechowski.

Some neighboring residents expressed concerns about parking and traffic issue along S Street. “The client said S Street is not so busy. I don’t believe that to be true…I was parked and the rotation of cars in and around Wellspring was, conservatively, 15 cars. The is also one car illegally parked each day…very busy and congested area,” said neighbor John Meschino.

Janet Souza said of 29 S St. said, “S Street is unique, there is parking on Nantasket Avenue on the right and left…it is trepidous for residents to come and go.”

Design Review Board Chair Thomas Burns said another issue is that the plan shows “only 2.5 feet between nearby house and the property line.” He said the “code does not permit it to be open on the south side if less than three feet… need a straight, flat wall and not 10 windows as shown on the plans, because that proximity can provide a close look directly into another dwelling.”

The ZBA continued the hearing on this proposal to Tuesday, June 20.

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Congratulations Hull High Graduates - Click here for photos!

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Hull High’s senior class had a busy couple of weeks to end their final year of school, with the traditional photo session at Mariners Park prior to the prom at Granite Links, a visit to where it all began at the Jacobs Elementary School, and graduation ceremonies on June 3.

Click here for information on Hull High’s 66th Annual Commencement

Click here for photos from the Graduation Ceremony

Click here for photos from the Senior Promenade

Summer’s here – and so is The Hull Times Summer Guide!

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Summer is here, and so is The Hull Times Summer Guide!

The annual publication hit the streets on Thursday, June 8, and provides residents and visitors with all they need to know about spending the summer in Hull and along Nantasket Beach. The centerpiece is the Community Calendar of Events, which begins in June and includes events and activities throughout the summer and into fall, topping off with the Endless Summer festival.

This publication is our most anticipated issue of the year. The Guide is free, mailed to all Hull households, and thousands of extra copies are printed and distributed all over town from June through the fall, for easy pick-up. We also feature the Guide here on our website.

The Guide is full of detailed information about upcoming events, special offers from the business community, great stories about Hull from our talented reporters, and of course, it’s all supported by our loyal advertisers.

Click here to read all about it!

Paragon Boardwalk developer seeking height variance for new 75-foot building

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By Christopher Haraden

Nearly five months after presenting plans to redevelop the Paragon Boardwalk property to the select board, the developer will formally ask the zoning board of appeals for a height variance on June 6.

The Procopio Companies of Middleton submitted plans for a 75-foot-tall building with 142 residential units, as well as a three-story commercial structure and an attached one-story deck. The maximum allowable height in the Nantasket Beach Overlay District is 40 feet.

In January, Procopio presented a $75-million Paragon Dunes development plan to the select board that calls for a six-story, 142-unit residential building and two levels of commercial space – 26 units larger and one story higher than the previous proposal for the property by current owners Chris and Diana Reale of Hingham.

The commercial building would be on the site currently occupied by Dalat restaurant and contain 25,762 square feet in three stories. The six-story residential structure is proposed for the area now containing the arcade building and miniature golf course and would contain 141,145 square feet. The submission accompanying the variance application to the zoning board of appeals references 142 units, but the breakdown of their sizes in the paperwork shows only 140 – 103 one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom, and 18 studio units.

According to the application, filed on Procopio’s behalf by Hingham attorney Adam J. Brodsky, “anything below 142 residential units makes the project financially unviable as currently designed.”

In January, Bryan Vitale of Procopio and Boston architect Monte French informally presented the proposal to the select board for member feedback. They detailed the vision for the middle section, which is now an outdoor beer garden, as a raised platform with commercial units on the first floor and an open roof deck. Part of the area would be designated a park with public access. The ArtWalk, which runs behind the property across land owned by the neighboring Horizons condominiums, would not be affected by the development.

In 2021, Reale withdrew his application for a smaller Dunes project at 189-197 Nantasket Ave. that was to include 116 residential units in a five-story building adjacent to the Boardwalk, along with limited commercial space.

During the January meeting, board members asked the developer about including affordable housing or a boutique hotel in the plans. The current proposal does not contain either of those elements.

Vitale said it would be difficult “to get the economics to work” for affordable units, he said at the time.

The developers said the buildings will comply with flood insurance regulations, and the required 159 parking spaces will be provided on site, both under the taller structure and in the section of the former railroad bed owned by the developer that used to contain Paragon Park’s Turnpike Cars ride. The site is within the Nantasket Beach Overlay District, established by town meeting in 2013 to encourage mixed-use developments along the beachfront.

The board of appeals hearing is scheduled to begin at 7:15 p.m. at town hall on Tuesday, June 6, during which the public may comment on the proposal.

Do you have an opinion on this issue? Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

Town will reopen polls for two hours on June 13 to finalize election results

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By Carol Britton Meyer

After a Plymouth Superior Court judge ruled last week that all votes cast in the May 15 town election will count – including the 80 or so cast between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. – and granted approval for a limited reopening of the polls, Town Clerk Lori West announced on Tuesday that the polls will reopen for two hours on June 13 to accommodate voters who could not get to them due to a blocked road on Election Day. Any voter who did not cast a ballot on that date can also vote on June 13.

Voting will occur between 5:30 p.m.  and 7:30 p.m., the approximate time of the detour around the May 15 fire on Q Street that prevented some voters from getting to the high school polls.

“I have established the polling hours to be relatively consistent with the timeframe in which the fire appeared to have impacted access to the polls,” West said in a May 30 statement. “All three precincts will vote at the Hull High School polling location. We will operate the re-opened polling hours the way we regularly run all town elections and in compliance with state election laws.”

West also noted that the reopening of the polls requires coordination between various town departments.

“Since this series of events has been so public, and we are all looking to finalize this election, I have prioritized the need to set a date to reopen the polls as quickly as possible,” West said. “…This will allow the town to finalize the election while providing appropriate notice to voters who may wish to cast a ballot at the re-opened polls.”

Absentee ballots may be requested by those voters who meet the eligibility requirements and who have not already cast a vote in the annual town election, according to West.

“We are still using the voters’ list from the annual town election,” she said. “We have clear records of voters who have already cast their vote and those who are eligible to vote during the reopened polling hours.”

In a letter to candidates, West said that access to the list of registered voters who had not yet cast a vote would not be granted to candidates looking to campaign between now and June 13.

“After consultation with town and special counsel, and with the state Elections Division, this is to inform you that this document is not subject to disclosure at this time,” West wrote. “Where we are ‘mid-election,’ the list is not a public record at this time. Of course, the voting list will be available upon the conclusion of the election upon request.”

The results of absentee and early ballots that arrived at the polling location before 8 p.m. as well as the approximately 80 votes that were cast during the extended voting hours on May 15 are not yet available.

These results, along with the outcome of the June 13 limited-hours election, could affect the earlier outcome, especially the close Hull Redevelopment Authority race between Patrick Finn and Daniel Kernan, with 1,075 and 1,060 votes respectively.

In the three-way race for two school committee seats, Fay Ferency had 911 votes, with 940 write-ins, although it’s unclear how many of those votes went to Regan Yakubian, who ran a sticker campaign, or whether she earned enough of those votes to win the seat. Incumbent Ernest Minelli was the top vote-getter, winning 1,032 votes to Colby Mahoney’s 589 votes.

Until the election results have been certified following the June 13 limited-hours election,  incumbent officials have been “held over” in office until new members can be legally seated.

On May 24, the select board met to continue the search for a new town manager with two members present who were on the board prior to the May 15 election but who would no longer be serving if the results were certified – Domenico Sestito and Donna Pursel.  It’s not yet known whether the election will mean that the town manager finalists interviews set for June 7 will be rescheduled.

“Once all the details are known about how quickly the board can reorganize, a decision will be made,” select board Chair Donna Pursel told The Hull Times.

West and town attorneys appeared before Judge Brian S. Glenny on Friday, May 26 to seek clarification of an earlier decision that denied the extended voting hours on Election Day. Glenny also had said that the court believed the results were “not valid” and that the “only just remedy” would be an entirely new election, but he did not order the town to start from scratch.

“We reiterated our position that the town, through the town clerk, and following consultation with and approval of the state Elections Division director, had offered voters extra time to come to the polls to enfranchise as many voters as possible,” West explained in an email to candidates.

“We emphasized further that those who voted during the town-sanctioned extended voting hours, like all of the people who voted during regular voting hours, cast their ballots in good faith and reliance on the town, and me as the town clerk, to run an election consistent with the laws of the Commonwealth,” West said.

West said she and other town officials were pleased that Glenny decided that all ballots cast on Election Day should be counted.

“Despite the time and effort it has taken to get to this point, we are proud that we reacted quickly to protect the interests of all the voters of our good town,” West said. “This effort is not, and was never, about a particular candidate, or about winning or losing an election. Instead, it was about ensuring the rights of all of the town’s voters to participate in our democratic process.”

In addition to allowing all the votes cast on May 15 to count, Glenny also ordered the town to re-open the polls for a two-hour period so that any voters who were unable to get to the polls because of the fire will now be able to vote.

West expressed appreciation to candidates, citizens, and others for their patience as town officials work toward finalizing the results of the annual town election.

“In closing, we are pleased that Judge Glenny has affirmed our election night decision to enfranchise voters,” West said at that time. “Although challenged by circumstances beyond our control, we feel confident that the town’s efforts to protect the rights of all town voters to participate in the 2023 annual town election were successful.”

Christopher Haraden contributed to this report.

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Forum to solicit residents’ ideas for future Community Preservation Act projects

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By Carol Britton Meyer

The Community Preservation Committee public forum on Monday, June 5, at 7 p.m. is an opportunity for citizens to suggest projects for the town to consider ahead of the next round of funding. 

CPA funding comes from a 1.5% property tax surcharge approved by town meeting in 2016 and may only be used for open space/recreation, community housing, and historic preservation purposes.

The state provides a partial match for these funds, which pave the way for the realization of numerous projects that improve the quality of life for Hull residents that the town would otherwise not be able to afford.

Projects already funded with CPA money include efforts by the Hull Lifesaving Museum, Paragon Carousel, and Kenberma, L Street, and Hampton Circle playground improvements; L Street Field shade structures; North Nantasket beach signage; a Straits Pond walking path survey plan; Village Fire Station preservation; an emergency generator for McTighe Manor at 6 Atlantic House Court; restoration of historic town records; Fort Revere storyboards and signage; and a consultant to study waterfront access points around town, among others.

All are welcome to attend. The meeting will be held over the Zoom platform and details are posted on www.town.hull.ma.us/calendar.

Proclamation celebrates Hull Pride Day’s 10 years of ‘strength and diversity’

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By Carol Britton Meyer

 

June 3 is Hull Pride Day, a time to celebrate the town’s continuing tradition of being “a welcoming community to all,” according to a proclamation adopted by the select board.

The document declares that this Saturday is Hull Pride Day and commends the Hull Pride organization as an LGBTQIA+ community group “promoting Hull’s strength and diversity, which is crucial to securing human rights for all Americans.”

As a No Place for Hate community, Hull “values human rights above all, respects the dignity and worth of each individual, and is committed to equal rights for all, opposing discrimination in any form,” the proclamation states.

Hull Pride awards “Acceptance and Inclusion” scholarships to graduating Hull High School seniors who embody Hull Pride’s mission of strengthening local community connections and promoting diversity, acceptance, and inclusion.

The 10th Annual Hull Pride Party is planned for June 3 from 3 to 9 p.m. at Hull Yacht Club, featuring celebratory remarks from local community leaders; a free live performance at 4 p.m. from Boston’s greatest disco funk cover band, Booty Vortex; Boston drag queen Missy Steak, who will host the event; dance tunes spun by Hull Pride Co-President and legendary DJ Scott Helms; food and drink; tarot card readings; a silent auction to benefit the scholarship fund and announcement of the 2023 recipient, and more. For further details, visit  www.hullpride.net/events.

Candidates: Be a part of next week’s edition and reach every home in Hull

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Hull’s extended election gives candidates for office one more week to introduce themselves to voters through advertising and position statements.

With two hours of voting now scheduled for Tuesday, June 13, candidates are invited to place advertisements in our June 8 edition, which will contain The Hull Times Summer Guide and will be mailed to every household in town – great exposure that you can’t get anywhere else!

We also will accept position statements of no more than 500 words that will be published, free of charge, on a space-available basis. Clear photographs will also be accepted. Final copy deadline is Tuesday, June 6, at 5 p.m. Please note that no late statements will be printed.

Political ads should be factual and in good taste. We reserve the right to reject advertising that makes assertions that cannot be verified. All political advertising must be paid for in advance of publication. Contact our office as soon as possible to reserve space on a first-come, first-served basis.

For information about advertising, call 781-925-9266. Position statements may be emailed to news@hulltimes.com.

Hull’s polls will be open for a limited time, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., on Tuesday, June 13 to finalize the results of the May 15 annual town election.

Former Select Board Chair Constable among three town manager finalists

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By Carol Britton Meyer 

Former Select Board Chair Jennifer Constable is among the three finalists for the town manager position soon to be vacated by Philip Lemnios, who is retiring at the end of June.

A seven-member search committee worked with Community Paradigm Associates to interview the semifinalists for the position, leading up to this week’s recommendations as the search process enters the final stage.

FORMER SELECT BOARD CHAIR JENNIFER CONSTABLE

The other finalists – chosen from a pool of 21 candidates that was narrowed down to six semifinalists – are Peter Caruso of Scituate and Thomas Guerino of Vermont.

Following a lengthy discussion among current select board members about whether they should make the important decision on hiring a new town manager or wait until election results are certified to include the three new members – Brian McCarthy, Jason McCann, and Jerry Taverna, based on the current vote tally – the decision was made to move forward with interviewing the final candidates to avoid a delay that could jeopardize the process.

The current board includes Domenico Sestito, who did not run for re-election, and Chair Donna Pursel, who ran for another term but lost her seat in the May 15 town election. Both are “held over” in their former positions until the election results are certified (See related story).

Peter Caruso

Select board member Irwin Nesoff, chair of the search committee, urged fellow board members to move forward with the interviews – currently scheduled for Wednesday, June 7, beginning at 5 p.m.

“If we were to delay the process, we stand the chance of losing all three candidates and setting the search process back about six months,” he said. “We do need a [new] town manager.”

While Sestito felt it might be wise to wait until the three new board members are seated, the general consensus of the other three board members is that the best decision will be made for the town regardless of which board makes it.

Thomas Guerino

Paradigm consultant Bernard Lynch gave a brief outline of each of the finalists. Caruso served as town administrator in Millville, where he stabilized the town’s finances “during dire circumstances” and is a former member of the Sherborn select board. He holds a master’s degree in finance and accounting from the Northeastern School of Business and a master’s degree from Bucknell University.

Guerino, a resident of Vernon, Vt., currently serves as executive director of the Greenfield, Mass., Housing Authority and is a former town administrator in Bourne, where he faced issues similar to those Hull faces as a coastal community dealing with climate change. He also has extensive experience with economic development projects and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Maine.

Constable, who has served Rockland as assistant town administrator for more than four years, formerly worked for the state in a variety of positions, largely related to community development but also in housing in addition to performing paralegal work.

She holds a master’s in public administration from Suffolk University and a bachelor of arts in anthropology from SUNY Plattsburgh.

“All three are excellent candidates – qualified and well-versed in municipal government issues,” Lynch said. “They all have a passion for municipal government.”

Prior to naming the final candidates, Lynch explained the thorough process leading up to the selection, including considering input from the earlier community survey.

“This has been a well-thought-out process, with a lot of time spent developing the candidate pool and conducting interviews,” Nesoff said. “I believe that any of these three people are qualified for the position.”

The board’s vote was 3-1 in favor of moving forward with the finalist interviews, with Nesoff, Pursel, and Greg Grey voting in favor, and Sestito the sole “nay.”

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