Celebrate Nantasket Beach’s Jewish history at temple’s panel discussion this weekend

The Jews of Nantasket Beach project and the Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center of Boston (jewishheritagecenter.org) are partnering on a free event celebrating summer and Jewish community, past and present, on September 8, from 3 to 5 p.m., at Hull’s Temple Israel, 9 Hadassah Way.

Please join us for a lively afternoon of stories, conversation, and history of the Jewish summer community in Nantasket Beach. The event will feature a panel discussion about the popular Nantasket Youth Center in the mid-20th century with some of those who grew up going to the youth center, like Rhoda Kanet and Mark Levenson, sharing memories of how good it was to be Jewish in this seaside community. There will be opportunities for participants to tell and share their own memories, and a kosher ice cream social.

Along with your stories, bring your original photos and documents of summers past in Jewish Nantasket, and the Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center’s archivist will digitize them for you, as well as offer advice on how to preserve these precious mementos.

Please register online at https://jewishheritagecenter.org/events

Looking forward to seeing you there.

For information, contact Steven Greenberg, 508-314-4777 or steven@resourceful.com.

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New faces in administration, classrooms to greet students when school starts September 3

By Carol Britton Meyer 

Hull Public Schools students, administrators, teachers, and staff are gearing up for the new school year, the first under the reconfiguration plan that places preK through grade 7 students at the Jacobs School and grades 8-12 at the high school. 

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN. The Hull Public Schools’ opening day is Tuesday, September 3. The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique offered shopping for school supplies for all of Hull students’ back-to-school needs last week. Displaying some of the donated items at The Anchor of Hull are Quincy Koloba, Lily Lynch, Addie Mahan, and school committee member Liliana Hedrick. [Skip Tull photo] 

The first day of school is Tuesday, September 3. The Jacobs School will host open houses for the sixth- and -seventh grades on Tuesday, September 17 and on Wednesday, September 18, for preK through grade 5. The high school open house is scheduled for Thursday, September 19. 

Thirteen new teachers will join the staff for the 2024-25 school year, along with new Hull Family Network Coordinator Kristen Chalifoux. 

The new teachers, who all are enthusiastic about joining the HPS staff, are Stephanie Bongarzone, Lisa Carter, Barbara DelGallo, Mark Ewell, Samantha Ferrari, Julie Galluzzo, Jennifer Gibbons, Dylan Hall, Anne Kearley, Rebecca Lewis, Faith Martin, Drew Menice, and Heather Swimm. 

New Superintendent of Schools Michael Jette, who started in Hull on July 1, told The Hull Times that he has “thoroughly enjoyed” meeting with staff, families and students throughout the summer as the school department prepares for the start of the new school year. 

“The buildings look great thanks to our custodial and grounds staff, and the positive energy in the room during new staff orientation was incredible,” Jette said. “It takes many hands to prepare for a school year, and I have seen dedicated staff members all doing their part. Everything will pay off once our students return after Labor Day to kick off another great school year.” 

‘Looking, listening, and learning’ 

As Jette mentioned during the hiring process last winter, he remains committed to “Looking, listening, and learning” throughout the fall. 

“I will be a frequent visitor to our schools and will [stop by] every classroom at both the Jacobs School and Hull High School before the end of September,” he said. “My goal is to be visible, available, and to become aware of what the school and broader community value while also identifying opportunities for growth and improvement.” 

Jette and his family have found Hull to be very welcoming. 

“I have learned that this is an extremely proud community that values physical and emotional safety,” he said. “Our daughters will be attending both schools this fall, and they have met some wonderful new friends over the summer. I will always approach the role of superintendent as a parent first and expect all students in Hull to feel a sense of belonging through strong relationships and a broad horizon of opportunities.” 

‘I couldn’t be more excited’ 

Jacobs School Principal Kyle Shaw told The Hull Times he “couldn’t be more excited” for the upcoming school year. 

“A tremendous amount of time and effort has been put into the reconfiguration process by all school stakeholders. Last year, during phase one, we operated in somewhat of a hybrid model, sharing staff with Memorial and piecing together a schedule to accommodate for this,” he said. “This year, we are fully staffed and eager to implement and house both our elementary and middle school programs under one roof, embracing the many opportunities that reconfiguration has provided.” 

As examples, fourth- and fifth-grade students now have the option to participate in chorus or band, a choice that wasn’t available to them in years past. In addition, Spanish will be offered to fifth- and sixth-grade students, a language option that previously wasn’t introduced until seventh grade. 

After-school offerings – including a new theater program and an intramural sports program – have been greatly expanded. 

“This year will certainly come with challenges as we embark on our first year with this new model,” Shaw said. “However, I am confident that there is no staff more prepared for the task, nor a community more gracious and forthcoming with solution-based recommendations to ensure our success. Together, I’m certain this reconfiguration process will be a success for the Hull community, and I feel honored to be a part of it.” 

‘Sense of excitement and anticipation’ 

For newly-hired Hull High School Principal Robert Shaw, the beginning of any school year “arrives with a sense of excitement and anticipation, and each year brings its own new opportunities and challenges.” 

He told The Hull Times that he is looking forward to engaging with students, families, and staff at the high school and getting to know them. Coming into his first year, Shaw has had the benefit of a head start by working through July and August. 

“This has given me some time to meet just about every member of the staff and many students and parents. From these conversations I have learned so much about the school and community and feel ready to get started on September 3,” he said. “We are very fortunate that Anthony Hrivnak began as the high school assistant principal on the same day I started as principal. As the former middle school principal, he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team, including familiarity with the two newest classes to Hull High School – the eighth and ninth grades. This will help in the transition to the new grade configuration and in ensuring that our eighth-grade students receive all of the support and resources they need.” 

Sustaining a positive environment 

Shaw’s top priority is to sustain “a positive, inclusive, and supportive environment in which everyone feels connected, everyone can engage, and everyone can be successful. And I mean everyone – students first, but also parents, families, and staff. It’s going to be a fantastic year.” 

Hrivnak also shared his thoughts about the new school year. 

“Integrating eighth-graders into Hull High School is an exciting challenge, and as their former principal, I feel a special commitment to ensuring that they feel welcomed, supported, and ready to thrive in this new environment,” he said. “I have been with our incoming grade eight and nine students throughout middle school, so I know where they are coming from and look forward to seeing how they will grow over the next several years.” 

This year is about building a stronger community “where every student feels like they belong,” Hrivnak said. “I am confident that with our dedicated staff we will make this a truly remarkable year for Hull High School.” 

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Hull schools welcome 13 teachers, new Family Network coordinator for coming year

The Hull Public Schools have hired 13 new teachers for the 2024-25 academic year, as well as a new coordinator for the Hull Family Network. Many of the new staff members were welcomed at a luncheon hosted by the O’Brien Family at Jake’s Seafood Restaurant. 

Stephanie Bongarzone is joining us as a preschool teacher at Jacobs School. Bongarzone comes to us from Marshfield Public Schools. She received her bachelor’s degree from Bridgewater State University, and her postgraduate certificate of study from Southern New Hampshire University. She lives in Kingston. 

SCHOOL’S IN. The Hull Public Schools are welcoming several new teachers to the district this year. In keeping with tradition, the incoming staff members celebrated with a lunch at Jake’s Seafood Restaurant. Shown at Jake’s are, in the back row, from left, Hull High Principal Rob Shaw, Drew Menice, Barbara DelGallo, Kristy Chalifoux, Heather Swimm, Jennifer Gibbons, Rebecca Lewis, and Samantha Ferrari. In the front row are Dylan Hall, Mark Ewell, Lisa Carter, Annie Kearley, Stephanie Bongarzone, and Superintendent Michael Jette. [Skip Tull photo] 

Lisa Carter comes to us as a special education teacher in the team-based learning program at Jacobs School. Ms. Carter received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and her master’s degree from Wheelock College. She lives in Hingham and previously worked in the Boston Public Schools. 

Barbara DelGallo was a paraprofessional at Jacobs School for the past few years and this year has been appointed as a (0.8) physical education/wellness teacher at Jacobs School. DelGallo received her bachelor’s degree from Niagara University in Lewiston, N.Y., and has started graduate school for elementary education at the University of Massachusetts at Boston. She lives in Hull. 

Mark Ewell will be joining the Jacobs School as a (0.8) music teacher. Ewell received his bachelor’s degree from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C. His most recent job was band director/music teacher in the Rockland Public Schools. He lives in Rockland. 

Samantha Ferrari is joining Hull High School this year as a guidance counselor. Ferrari lives in Somerville and has come to us from the Collegiate Charter School of Lowell. She received her bachelor’s degree from Central Connecticut State University and her master’s degree from New York University. 

Julie Galluzzo was a long-term substitute Spanish teacher at Hull High School a few years ago and has been working as the guidance secretary since then. This year, she will be returning to the classroom as a (0.8) Spanish teacher at Hull High School. She received her bachelor’s degree from Bridgewater State College and her master’s degree from Emerson College. She lives in Hull. 

Jennifer Gibbons comes to us as a grade two teacher at Jacobs School. Gibbons received her bachelor’s degree from Keene State College and her master’s degree from Southern New Hampshire University. She lives in Swampscott and comes to Hull from the Lawrence Public Schools. 

Dylan Hall is a familiar face around Hull as a contracted Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) for the past six years. Hall is now a regular part of the team. He received his bachelor’s degree from Emerson College, his master’s degree from Bridgewater State University, and his graduate certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis from UMass Lowell. He lives in Kingston. 

Anne Kearley was a long-term substitute grade four teacher at Jacobs School last year and this year, she has been appointed as a grade three teacher. Kearley received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and her master’s degree from Lesley College. She lives in Norwell. 

Rebecca Lewis comes to Hull as a science teacher, after teaching chemistry in the Hingham Public Schools for several years. Lewis received her bachelor’s degree from New York University, her doctor of medicine degree from the University of Massachusetts at Worcester and her master of education degree from Brandeis University. She lives in Hull. 

Faith Martin was a long-term substitute grade five teacher last year and this year she has been appointed as a grade four teacher at the Jacobs School. Martin received her bachelor’s degree from Stonehill College and her master’s degree from Bridgewater State University. She lives in Marshfield. 

Andrew (Drew) Menice has been a paraprofessional as well as long-term substitute special education teacher at the Jacobs School since 2021 and this year he has been appointed as a special education teacher in the team-based learning program. Menice received his bachelor’s degree from Bridgewater State University and his certificate of study from Fitchburg State University. He lives in Hull.  

Heather Swimm will be joining the Jacobs School as a reading/math intervention teacher. Swimm received her bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS) from Bridgewater State University. A Hull resident, she was a special education teacher in the Stoughton Public Schools since 2011.  

Kristen Chalifoux comes on board as Hull Family Network Coordinator as Joan MacDonald begins her well-deserved retirement after 23 years on the job. Chalifoux lives in Hull and has been part of the HFN community for the past 11 years. She received her bachelor’s degree from Babson College and her master’s degree from Tufts University. She is an experienced early childhood educator and has been a playgroup leader at Hull Family Network. 

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High atop Allerton Hill, a tower built to defend the coast in wartime has become a symbol of peace

Submitted by Joe McKendry 

On a raw day this past March, my wife and I were out for a walk on Beach Avenue when we started chatting with a woman who was also out braving the elements. When we asked where she lived, she pointed to the top of Allerton Hill and said, “See that tower? I live there.” 

[Images by Joe McKendry Illustration, www.joemckendry.com] 

Maureen Keiller owns the house at the base of the concrete tower and has lived there since 1998. She graciously offered to give us a tour of the tower when the weather got better, which we did this summer. With wine in hand, we carefully climbed the steep stairs to the roof and soaked in the view as she told us the story of how she came to own the property, what purpose the tower served, and about the light displays she and her friends mount at the top every year. 

The tower was built as part of the Boston Harbor defense system during World War II. Known as the Point Allerton Artillery Fire Control Tower, its purpose was to locate and plot the precise location of enemy ships and pass on that information to the gun operators at Fort Duvall on Hog Island (now known as Spinnaker Island). If the shots missed, the splash was visible from the tower and that information was passed along so adjustments could be made to the position of the gun barrel. Long horizontal windows on the top three floors allowed military personnel to get an open view of Boston Harbor and any approaching ships. Observational equipment mounted in front of each of the three windows was lined up with a geodetic disc on the roof that allowed for precise measurements. 

In the late ‘90s when Maureen and her fiancé, Patrick Miehe, were searching for a place to call home, the real estate agent drove them past the tower on the way to see another property. But once they learned the tower (and the house that came with it) were soon going on the market, they had already made their decision before setting foot in either. The pair graciously carried on the tradition of mounting an illuminated star atop the tower during the holiday season, which began in 1962 when neighbors Joseph Cannon and Charles Brennan wanted to brighten up the neighborhood with a star atop the tower during the holidays. The owner of the tower, William Jacobs (locals affectionately called it Jacobs Tower), loved the idea on the condition that it was a Star of David. Sometime in the ’80s the Star of David was in disrepair and a new version was built in the design of a five-pointed star and cared for by Steve Mahoney and a crew from the neighborhood. 

In 2018, when Maureen’s husband Patrick succumbed to esophageal cancer, she created a tradition of her own, mounting a laminated photo of Patrick to the star so he can continue to enjoy the view that he loved so dearly. Dave Wentling, a close friend of Maureen and Patrick who also lives on Allerton Hill, has helped maintain the star for close to 20 years, replacing bulbs when they burn out and rebuilding the structure when necessary. He also is responsible for the new peace sign which he and Maureen mounted on the tower because “a daily reminder of the concept of peace is definitely needed.” 

At 179 feet above sea level, the tower is one of the highest points on the South Shore. 

What better place to send a message of unity and peace? 

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HRA’s discussion of development goals in Urban Renewal Plan continues

The Hull Redevelopment Authority will hold another working session on Monday, August 26 to discuss what should be included in the draft Urban Renewal Plan that will guide the future use of its 13-acre property.

DEVELOPING THE FUTURE. A crowd of residents filled the Exhibition Room at Hull High School on August 12 to hear members of the Hull Redevelopment Authority discuss their ideas for the future of the 13-acre HRA property. The facilitated discussion will continue on Monday, August 26. [Skip Tull photo]

Like its most recent meeting on August 12, Monday’s meeting at Hull High School will be facilitated by University of Massachusetts-Boston professor Douglas Thompson and is not designed for public comments on the plan, according to the authority’s chair.

Click here for the draft Urban Renewal Plan and other HRA documents

“This meeting is a working meeting dedicated to affording the members of the HRA and opportunity to have a robust conversation, within the guidelines of the Open Meeting Law, open to the public’s observation and listening, but absent any feedback, comment, or responses from the public audience, either in person or via Zoom,” Chair Dennis Zaia explained.

Thompson also will be invited back in the fall for at least two additional meetings, Zaia said.

At the August 12 meeting, Thompson started the process of reviewing the existing Urban Renewal Plan and asked each of the five HRA members to consider whether the current goals should be retained, deleted, or modified. Although no formal decisions were made, three authority members said they favored removing housing from the list of development goals.

At Monday’s meeting, Thompson will help members “work through the differences” in their perspectives on the future uses of the property, which stretches from the beach to the bay between Water Street and Phipps Street.

Zaia said the public is invited to attend in person or over the Zoom platform to hear the discussion. The URP will be the only business item on the HRA’s meeting agenda.

The meeting will be recorded by Hull Community Television and available to view on the local cable channels, as well as on demand on hulltv.net.

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Planning board hearing to review changes to Paragon Dunes development plans

By Carol Britton Meyer 

The planning board will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, August 28 to discuss the developer’s proposed changes to the Paragon Dunes development.

Following the Procopio Companies’ submission of modified plans, the planning board’s August 14 agenda included a discussion about whether the modifications would be considered major or minor changes. The board members present – Chair Jeanne Paquin, Harry Hibbard, Nathan Peyton, and Cindy Borges – unanimously agreed that the changes explained by Adam Brodsky, attorney for the developer, constituted a major modification. A public hearing about the proposed changes is scheduled for Wednesday August 28 at 8 p.m. at the Memorial School.

Click here for all the plans and updates submitted by the developer

Brodsky said the modifications are “a direct result of comments we received during the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) process to improve the water passing through the site, and climate resiliency. They won’t materially change the density, unit count, parking, or the architecture.”

Covered boardwalk proposed

The new plans also propose “creating a covered, beachlike boardwalk along Nantasket Avenue with stairs and handicapped-accessible ramps; elevating all but one of the commercial spaces, and also the pool deck to create additional ways for water to pass beneath the building; proposed changes to the stormwater management system; and moving the building back a bit,”  Brodsky said.

One of the commercial spaces won’t be elevated because of its location near the beer garden; it would be disconnected from the public area if elevated.

“Procopio has taken all the comments that have been made to heart,” Brodsky said. “These are not half measures, but thoughtful design changes.”

Plans to improve the flood resiliency of the project were presented to the Design Review Board recently and to the conservation commission last week, according to Brodsky.

Original special permit stands

“While this is a new review process, it doesn’t open up the whole project [for further review],” Director of Community Development & Planning Chris DiIorio said. “The original special permit [for a four-story, 132-unit building at the site of the Paragon Boardwalk] is still approved.”

The approval of the Paragon Dunes plans granted by the planning board on March 20 was subject to conditions, including gaining approval from all the appropriate state agencies. The plans were reviewed by the board April 3 and approved April 10.

Procopio withdrew from the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) review process June 3, with plans to resubmit its Environmental Notification Form to address the state’s flood resiliency concerns.

The idea behind the modifications is to better comply with what MEPA wants while maintaining the street-front commercial space included in the initial planning board approval.

At the end of the discussion, Chair Jeanne Paquin asked Brodsky to submit a list of proposed changes to the board before the August 28 hearing.

She also requested that a landscape architect review the new plans, which she said was “critical,” to determine whether the plantings “are the most appropriate ones for that location.”

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Board sets town manager review process, issues new licenses to Shipwreck’d, appoints police sergeant

By Carol Britton Meyer

During a record-brief, 45-minute meeting Wednesday night, the select board set a date for the annual public evaluation of Town Manager Jennifer Constable, appointed a new police sergeant, and granted a common victualer license to the new owners of Shipwreck’d at Pemberton Point.

SETTING THE TONE. On Wednesday night, the select board appointed Hull Police Patrolman James ‘Garret’ Toner to the position of sergeant upon the recommendation of Chief John Dunn. Toner, center, is shown at town hall with Deputy Chief Neil Reilly (left) and Dunn. [Courtesy photo]

The board appointed patrolman James “Garret” Toner to the position of sergeant upon the recommendation of Police Chief John Dunn. Toner’s appointment fills the vacancy created by the recent retirement of Sgt. Scott Saunders, who had been on administrative leave since 2023 after being arrested in Pembroke for assaulting a 72-year-old neighbor.

Members of Toner’s family filled the last row of the meeting room in a show of support.

The top three ranked patrol officers were considered for this position, as required through civil service. Toner, who has been a member of the Hull Police Department for more than four years, ranked number one.

He holds bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice and sociology. While working for the Hull Police Department, he returned to college and earned his master’s degree in criminal justice.

Toner is currently a state certified tactical instructor for the department as well as an officer-in-charge, and has been awarded the department lifesaving medal.

Town manager public review set for October 16

In other business at the meeting, the board confirmed the annual town manager evaluation process, setting a deadline of September 16 for individual members to submit their evaluation forms, and October 16 for the public meeting at which Constable’s performance review will be presented.

The evaluation form board members will fill out includes individual characteristics; professional skills and status; relations with elected members of the governing body; policy execution; reporting to the governing body matters of importance to the local government using the town charter as a guide; citizen relations; staffing; supervision of department heads; fiscal management; community involvement in addressing difficult issues facing the town; and prior year accomplishments.

Constable will fill out a self-evaluation form as well.

Other steps include Chair Irwin Nesoff and fellow board members Jason McCann and Greg Grey conducting voluntary and confidential interviews with department heads Constable normally interacts with and supervises. Board members Brian McCarthy and Jerry Taverna, who were not present at this week’s meeting, declined to participate in this part of the process.

Board members will then submit their evaluation forms to Assistant Town Manager Stacy Callahan, who will forward them to outside labor counsel to summarize all the board’s assessments into a final evaluation document – representing the consensus of the board – that will be presented during the public meeting. The town’s labor counsel is on retainer, so preparing the final document will be at no additional cost to the town.

The consensus document will be distributed to the town manager and select board in advance of the open session.

Individual assessments will not be made public, but will be included in the town manager’s personnel file, Board members will not be able to review them until after the public performance review.

Public comment will not be allowed during the discussion “as this is an opportunity for the board to evaluate the town manager’s professional competence,” according to the Town Manager Performance Evaluation Process policy shared with board members by Callahan on August 20.

However, as stated in the policy, during the open meeting discussion, board members may generally state their comments regarding the town manager’s performance, but should not make reference to their individual performance assessment or rely on that document during the discussion.

During the meeting, the board will take a formal vote on whether to adopt the consensus document, which is a public record subject to disclosure upon request. “It is not unheard of for towns to put the consensus document on their town websites,” according to the policy.

As part of the process, the board is expected to work with the town manager to develop goals and objectives that would presumably form the basis for the next year’s performance review.

“This is the first time for the select board to be doing this, so once done, we’ll have a bird’s-eye view of the process and see if any changes need to be made,” Nesoff said.

He noted that the entire process has been solidified “in cooperation with the town manager.”

Shipwreck’d to serve breakfast to early risers

On Wednesday night, the board also approved the issuance of a new common victualer license for Shipwreck’d, contingent upon the surrender of the current license under My Starfish, Inc. and subject to obtaining the necessary insurances, including flood insurance.

Owner Lillian Parker, who also owns the SandBar, plans to open for business at 5:30 a.m. seven days a week to serve breakfast to commuter boat riders and other early risers. Closing hours are 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Sunday, and 12 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Shipwreck’d, which had closed recently for “unexpected circumstances,” according to a social media post, will be open year-round, with a focus on serving breakfast and lunch.

Indoor seating will be available, and once renovations are complete – some are already underway – “we’d like to expand that map,” Parker said.

She also plans to go before the board seeking an entertainment license at a future meeting to allow recorded music and televisions at the restaurant.

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Early voting for September 3 state primary under way

By Carol Britton Meyer

In-person, vote by mail, absentee, and early voting are four options available to Hull’s registered voters for the state primary, which is scheduled for Tuesday, September 3.

In-person voting for all precincts will take place at Hull High School, 180 Main St., from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. that day.

Early voting is scheduled at Hull Town Hall, 253 Atlantic Ave., coinciding with some of the town clerk’s regular office hours in the week leading up to the Labor Day weekend.

• Saturday, August 24: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Sunday, August 25: No early voting available

• Monday, August 26: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, August 27: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Wednesday, August 28: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Thursday, August 29: 8:30 a.m. -- 4:30 p.m.

• Friday, August 30: No early voting available

The select board reviewed, approved, and signed the state primary warrant last week.

For full election and voter information – including how to request a vote by mail application, online voter registration, a Hull voter precinct map, and absentee ballot application – visit www.town.hull.ma.us/town-clerk/pages/election-voter-information.

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West Nile virus detected in mosquitoes found in Hull

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced on August 16 that West Nile virus has been detected in mosquitoes collected in Hull. Insects with the virus also were found in other communities across the South Shore.

Mosquitoes bite during the day and night, and live both indoors and outdoors. To protect against insect bites, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and use insect repellent with any of these EPA-registered active ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, or 2-undecanone. Indoors, use an insect fogger and use window and door screens; outdoors, remove any standing water and use insect spray to treat areas were mosquitoes nest.

For additional information, visit www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-arbovirus-update.

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Majority of HRA favors removing housing from list of development goals

By Christopher Haraden 

The Hull Redevelopment Authority this week held the first of several facilitated discussions about the reuse of its 13-acre property. While no decisions were made during the nearly three-hour meeting, a majority of the members said they favored deleting housing from the list of development goals in the draft Urban Renewal Plan. 

SIGN LANGUAGE. The Hull Redevelopment Authority hired a facilitator to lead the first of at least two discussions about updates to the authority’s Urban Renewal Plan, which will guide the future development of its 13-acre property. The meeting was billed as a working session for HRA members without public comments, so open space advocates held up signs to express their opinions. [Skip Tull photo] 

Dozens of residents attended in person at Hull High School and over the Zoom platform on Monday night, although this session did not feature input from the public. The HRA’s next meeting on August 26 also will be only for member comments. 

HRA members discussed their visions for the property, and all agreed that some form of open space should be included in the final plan. Three of the five – Chair Dennis Zaia and members Dan Kernan and Adrienne Paquin – said they favored removing housing from the plan; Bartley Kelly thought it should remain, and Joan Senatore said she had not made a final decision. They also debated the definition of the term “development,” ultimately deciding that it did not automatically mean housing or large buildings but could include parks or other amenities not currently on the site. 

“If we are looking to remove the housing component, it could be a sea change,” Kelly said. “We [need to have] a give-and-take as a board to be sure that whatever we do is positive for the economic development for the town of Hull.” 

During the past year, the authority has solicited ideas from the public about the use of the property, and all five members have ideas for the Urban Renewal Plan, which is the guiding document for future development. An independent facilitator hired by the HRA led this week’s discussion and is scheduled to continue in that role later this month. 

Douglas Thompson, retired from the Consensus Building Institute and adjunct professor in the graduate program on dispute resolution at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, conducted the session. He previously was in Hull in March to participate as a mediator for the No Place for Hate Committee’s annual Feast of Conversations, and introduced himself by noting that as a youth, he had worked at both the Ocean Lunch and Joseph’s on Nantasket Beach, and remembered the long-gone Al’s Spaghetti House as a favorite place to eat. 

“This meeting tonight is designed to allow the five of us to interact with Mr. Douglas Thompson, who is a facilitator,” HRA Chair Dennis Zaia told the crowd. “People who are here are those who want to hear what we have to say … we will not be accepting or listening to comments from citizens [tonight] but we thank you for being here.” 

Zaia said that Thompson will be invited back in October for two additional meetings that may feature public discussion of the draft development plan. 

Thompson said the first meeting’s goals were to “confirm a reasonably accurate understanding of key points,” agree on the task ahead, and conduct a “diagnostic assessment” of where members stand in relation to each other’s opinions. He described the August 26 meeting as “more difficult” as members will “work through the differences.” 

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 southward to the site of the former Paragon Park. 

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. 

“One of the most important components in what we are trying to do … is to understand that his urban renewal plan is a tool that, in my opinion, will be instrumental in helping the Town of Hull, not necessarily the HRA, put together pieces that are in the notebooks [of past planning documents],” Zaia said Monday night, characterizing the URP as being “beyond zoning.”  

“It is a device that will help decide what will happen with this piece of land [and] encourage, or force, all the town’s boards and committees to work collaboratively so that we can decide how that property should be used,” he said. 

“Each member of the HRA has gotten a lot of feedback in the past year about what the HRA should do,” Kelly said. “And we can talk around the table and nibble around the edges, but I think … the reason we have set this up, is to get down to brass tacks and see what does each of us think about the direction we should go in? What do we agree on? 

“I’m not saying it has to be apartments. I’m not saying it has to be a hotel… or a convention center,” Kelly continued. “But it has to be something. Status quo is not an option.” 

“We all do want open space in some form. I don’t want to do status quo. I want to do more,” Senatore said. “Some type of improvement in the land. Open space that people can enjoy … but some type of economic development.” 

Thompson led the board members through the list of Project Goals and Objectives on page 10 of the current draft URP (posted here), and asked each for feedback on whether to keep, eliminate, or modify each item.  They also discussed the town’s plan to narrow the width of Nantasket Avenue as it passes through the HRA site and return Hull Shore Drive Extension to two-way travel. The proposal, which has received federal design funds, also would remove the two southbound lanes on Nantasket Avenue and open additional space for park land on the bay side.  

“I love all the small improvements that we have made,” Paquin said about the overall plan. “The HRA is older than me. We need to do something, and the draft URP is the best way to do something. The HRA was never supposed to be a landlord. It was never supposed to be a parking business. We were supposed to achieve a goal and then disband. If we can get there, I would love to vote this authority out of existence.” 

“I don’t think we need to sell any of the property. I don’t think we need to build any buildings,” Kernan said to cheers from some in the audience. “The economics of that area are already dependent on the lot being open.” 

At several points during the meeting, Zaia had to admonish the crowd – many of whom held signs with messages such as “Don’t sell public land” and “No homes in flood zones” – for outbursts or attempts to interject comments into the discussion. Occasionally, HRA members expressed frustration with each other during the discussion, but members generally characterized the facilitated discussion as a success. 

“I was personally pleased at how many things we actually agreed upon,” Zaia said. 

A video of Monday’s meeting is available on demand at hulltv.net. The next meeting on August 26 will be held at 7 p.m. in the second-floor exhibition room at Hull High School and over Zoom.

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