SORRY BOYS: Interesting to note that once again our territorial borders were infringed upon when local developer Gary Darmon and his crew accidentally crossed over from the Plymouth side to dig up several acres of Kingston land and cart away the topsoil. Apparently about 8,000 yards got toted off for parts unknown, maybe it just crossed over into Plymouth. You may be aware of the spot, they’re building a new Wal-Mart up there. The hearing has been continued to have the Planning Board look at it and then it will be back before our Town Fathers. Here is a real chance to collect some bucks for our own town coffers. At fifty cents a yard, we get about $4,000. Then we can fine them, and then there is the additional material they will probably want to snag. Hit all that at the same fifty cents and we could reap a decent sum for our troubles. Of course that will leave Olly screaming about how sand and gravel should never be charged. The true sentiments of a guy in the concrete business. How much of a concrete structure involves sand? We’ll stay on this one for you.

USED SPOON: Jim Burgess has sent along a picture of an artifact found a few weeks week on Brewster Avenue adjacent to the L Knife warehouse. Our Ringsider Reporters thought it looked a little like a fossilized potato chip, but according to Jim, the item has been identified by Plimoth Plantation as being a pewter spoon from the mid to late 1600s. The Plantation is currently researching the maker’s mark which is a shield with the letters PF in it. We’ll be following this bit of historical sleuthing with interest and we’ll keep you posted if more develops.

DADDY OWES: Within a week or so the popular breakfast and lunch haunt will change hands. Hear a woman named Ruby has bought the business and will also change the name. Root for Ruby.

SEWER THING: Have you noticed all the homes for sale on Summer Street? If you look at the stretch from Kingston Center moving up the hill to Exxon, you will know that something is up. One would have to imagine that the Phase 2 Sewer Line has something to do with this real estate rush. If any wonder if the cost of the sewer has an effect on the American Family, look no further then the For Sale signs.

STELLAR DWELLER? To our Squ-awk Box caller who tells us that the School District is paying for Superintendent Gordon Noseworthy’s Plymouth apartment, we don’t know. We suggest you attend the September 2 meeting (see related story) and ask that question. We cannot imagine that we could be paying for the fellow’s digs, especially when it’s in a town out of the District. We guess it could be considered a perk of the job, but if it were true we would think it would be known. Let us know what you learn and we will do some questioning ourselves.

SPARE CHANGE: Little did we think when we broke that surplus cash story just several months ago, the fallout it would cause. Thankfully there appeared to be no striking issues of fraud found in the mess that masqueraded as Ed King’s Planning Board Journal. The good news is that the Planners have now joined the rest of the town so far as how money and ledgers are to be handled. That infamous journal should now be obsolete because the information was ordered to be placed on an Excel Spreadsheet. Town Planner has been given that task, as Mr. King is not computer literate. The PB should now be voting on every financial release of funds and sign off through the Treasurer’s and Accounting Office. In addition to developers getting back a portion of Inspectional Services funds, the town is able to also claim a substantial amount. May this be the end of a bad system and the beginning of board, rather then individual decisions. The less King has to do the more he can extend his vacation time. He attends about one out of two meetings.

MO MONEY: The auditors also found that reimbursable monies paid out over several years from borrowed free cash never got transferred back to the town accounts. How much are we talking here? Over $400,000. Wouldn’t we like to have known that before we increased the tax rate to cover our share of the Silver Lake budget? We happen to think John Tuffy is a standup guy, but why he never reported an almost $1 million surplus is troubling. At least he three himself on the sword and took the blame for his silence. Town Administrator Kevin Donovan said any portion of that surplus reimbursement should exclude Pembroke who has caused the financial crunch because of their withdrawal from the Region. He also acknowledges that Kingston, Halifax and Plympton will of course do what the law dictates.

FAREWELL KEVIN: We were shocked to learn of the death of Kevin O’Malley at age 34. For the past two years Kevin has run O’Malley’s Barber Shop in Kingston Center. His Arrowsmith wall mural was all that remained of his presence at the downtown storefront. The business community extends condolences to his family.

JERRY MEANDERS: Jerry Powell was the latest resignation from the Master Plan Implementation Committee. You may remember Jerry as a former member of the Audit Committee. He cites increased family obligations as his reason. Prior resignations included George Cravenho, Bob Kostka and Frank Basler. An interesting sidebar to the MPIC is the unresolved request by developer Mary O’Donnell to take a "leave of absence" from the Committee. That request came on November 21 2000. The Planning Board, who formed the MPIC voted to approve the request six days later on November 27, 2000. The Town Clerk’s Office notified the Planners that they could find no provision under law that "provides for a leave of absence." On December 7, 2000, a memo appears on the paperwork indicating "Bott memo will come." Tom Bott has never submitted such a memo and O’Donnell still appears as a member. Oh, her reason for the leave was the fact that the Committee was advancing proposals for a New Village District on her land.

CHIEF CONCERNS: No member of the Kingston Police Department has indicated any interest in the position of Chief of Police. Not a Lieutenant, not anyone. With Chief Gordan Fogg putting in his last months of service prior to retirement, it looks like we’re going to see an outside pick. Why, you wonder would we find no takers. That’s actually an easy one to assess. First, there could be a reduction in pay. The Chief doesn’t get any of that overtime and detail pay. Then there’s the little issue called Kingston Politics. Even though we are considered "strong chief" status under Civil Service, it is still the Selectmen who pretty much call the shots. Finally, it is a lot of responsibility and headaches. Sometimes the title is just not worth it. That appears to be the case here. By the way, we will miss Gordon…a standup guy!

STATION AIRY: We certainly agree with our letter writer who is concerned about abbreviated service at the Smith’s Lane Fire Station. Anything major in the South end of town could have severe consequences. If we need more money to provide a greater presence down there then let’s get it on a Town Meeting Warrant. (See Letters to the Editor)

PROBABLE HEARINGS: The Planning Board should set some hard and fast policy so far as how hearings are continued at the request of applicants. We had an interesting situation a few weeks ago when Attorney Rob Kraus’s office called the PB in the afternoon to request a continuance on the Copperwood project on Maple Street. That was at 4:00 p.m. Twenty minutes later, the legal assistant called back requesting to be put back on the agenda indicating that the client wanted to go forward. Some speculation is that it may have been reversed when it was learned that Planner Tom Bouchard would not be present. Tom has expressed numerous concerns about the project. Because the hearing actually did proceed, Bouchard was knocked out of the decision. Bouchard told the Ringside Staffers that he would be requesting that the Copperwood hearing process come to a halt and be re-advertised. He cited several reasons. First, because of the antics of canceling then reversing the decision. It is possible that people stayed home believing it was postponed. Second, the appointment was crossed off on the agenda the night of the hearing. Bouchard believes it is highly probable that citizens could have arrived at the meeting, saw the item crossed out, and gone home. Finally, he said that one of the abutters was not notified. Because of these confusions, Bouchard hopes to get the support his board to re-advertise. (Applause).

SUSPENSION MENTION: It was interesting to note that a recent report on school suspensions in Plymouth County showed that no Kingston student has been suspended for 10 or more days in the last three years. Of the 57 public, vocational and Charter schools, Kingston was one of 13 schools without a single such suspension in 2001,2002, or 2003. Are we really that successful, or are we tolerating more?

DIRT CHEAP: We told you several months ago that developer and sand and gravel nemesis Freeman Boynton wants to build an ice rink on his property behind United Rentals adjacent to Goodrich Lumber. We also told you that his $17,000 fine could probably negotiated downward. We also suggested that he has to get past this issue if he wants to move on the rink because you can’t submit a plan if you owe money to the town. Well, it all happened last week. The Town is getting $10,000, which means we should see some movement on a site plan any time now. In that regard, Freeman will have to assure the abutting mobile home park that it will not negatively impact them. That probably is not beyond happening.

WELCOME WAGON: The property shown here is under consideration for a Habitat for Humanity site donated by the Town of Kingston. We understand that an appeal has been filed to stop the land transfer. We hear that all the stuff you see sitting on the Habitat land parcel belongs to the very same person who filed the appeal. If this is true, is the issue a loss of storage space?