January Whitman Updates

Another month of updates from the Town of Whitman. Here’s what you might have missed.

New faces in Town

The Police Department welcomed two new officers. Roger Kineavy and Alyssa Andrews graduated from the Plymouth Police Academy on January 16 and were subsequently sworn in at a Selectmen’s meeting on January 23. At the same meeting, Firefighters Justin Everson and Joseph Lasko were also sworn in by Town Clerk Dawn Varley. Welcome to Whitman Officer Kineavy, Officer Andrews, Firefighter Everson, and Firefighter Lasko!!

Whitman Police Facebook Post:https://www.facebook.com/100064693148598/posts/pfbid01QtLmb3Mkyqhx7edbKJS6fNXasiWPfPig87ub3wEHCuHBHa22dniQ6s2FuWtByyCl/? WHCA Recording: https://youtu.be/39JsHhMJr58?si=onWsZizv29Ed7oQH

Building collapse on South Ave

A part of the old mill building at 356 South Ave collapsed on January 10. I don’t have any updates, but if anyone was wondering, that’s what the helicopters were overhead for.

NBC Boston: https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/photo-shows-crumbled-wall-of-vacant-building-after-partial-collapse/3242466/

School borrowing costs drop

Latest projections for the cost to borrow for the Whitman Middle School project have been coming down. Prior to the ballot vote last year the Regional School District was projecting an interest rate of 5.5%, but that has since come down to a projected 4% interest rate. That results in an annual savings of hundreds of dollars per household, particularly in the early years of the bond. The biggest jump should be felt in FY26, with a slight increase in FY27 before declining annual payments, as the district borrows in phases to fund the project.

Express Article: https://whitmanhansonexpress.com/wms-interest-rate-lowered/ WHCA Recording: https://youtu.be/ovT6boq8vAg?si=DU53c35IYL_SipVb&t=830

MMA conference

I attended the Massachusetts Municipal Association Annual Meeting in Boston with Selectmen Laura Howe and Carl Kowalski, as well as Town Administrator Mary Beth Carter and Assistant Town Administrator Kathy Keefe. It’s a great opportunity to hear from Governor Healey, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, Senators Warren and Markey, and municipal leaders from around Massachusetts. We networked with our peers, shared ideas, and attended workshops on problems facing municipalities. I know I returned home with a list of action items and opportunities for Whitman.

Bluey at the Library

News that was probably most exciting for my daughter, Australian cartoon dog Bluey made an appearance at the Whitman Public Library on January 20. She was accompanied by our very own Whitman Police Comfort Dog Nola. This was one of the events sponsored by the Friends of the Library, and the turnout was fantastic!

Library Facebook Post:https://www.facebook.com/100064420614593/posts/pfbid02JiXEMmQ7VKACRBwnrEjJMs21uHts7iGqh5A8eSevcr5FUNeNAUzWhN1cDfrtTbSTl/?

Burn Permits now available

Online burn permits are now available! Open burn season began January 15, and residents can obtain burn permits online, for no fee, and must active said permit online the day of said burn.

Press Release: https://www.whitman-ma.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=1141&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

Good Energy - Municipal Aggregation

Whitman took one step forward along the process to Municipal Electricity Aggregation. If you remember Town Meeting last year, the Town voted to authorize the Selectmen to enter into a Municipal Energy Aggregation program. We have now selected a partner to oversee that process, and my guess is that within about a year residents will be getting mailers about their electricity supplier changing to one of a few options selected by Good Energy and the Town of Whitman, unless they took action to opt out. Although we cannot promise savings, the vast vast majority of residents in towns that have aggregated electricity have seen savings. The Town currently selects a third party supplier for our municipal electricity and our rate is lower than National Grid’s basic rate.

Express Article:https://whitmanhansonexpress.com/whitman-eyes-competitive-energy-costs/ WHCA Recording: https://youtu.be/39JsHhMJr58?si=flcgIeN2EBLFSczV&t=801

Hemp products article

This one is a little more about me than Whitman. I spent several weeks trying to get an answer on how Hemp derived THC products could show up on shelves in Whitman before our first Marijuana Dispensary even opened. Getting no answers, I took my research to a reporter. Turns out it’s just a loophole, and although several state agencies could conceivably intervene, none of them are yet. I’m hoping this is the beginning of this story and not the end.

Commonwealth Beacon article:https://commonwealthbeacon.org/marijuana/hemp-based-thc-products-are-showing-up-all-over/

Justin Evans