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March 2002 

• Brian Donnelly • Dump Rates • Campaign Trail • Unhealthy Actions • Joe Freitas • Budget Cuts • Tom O’Brien • Corrow Gone • Alberghini Going • Sand Man • Historic Meeting • Tommy Tura

DUMP RATES were bound to increase. We think our transfer station operation is one of the best around. It operates orderly and efficiently. The on-site crew are consummate professionals who have never gotten the recognition they deserve. We’ve been getting a bargain for years while costs continued to grow... now it’s time to pay, goodness knows we’ve opted to fund everything else that has come down the pike. Some fear the white goods like washers, dryers and refrigerators will be left in the woods. Couple that concern with the fact that you don’t want cash changing hands at the transfer station. The Town could sell coupon books in $5, $10 and $25 denominations for the disposal of these items and conduct it as a punch card system. Any unused credits could be subtracted from your user fee the following year.

TOMMY TURA is a lucky man. You may have heard he was struck by a car at the end of last month while crossing the street in front of the family pharmacy. Tommy took a heavy blow to the head as he was thrown into the windshield and back into the roadway. We were at the scene and it was a heartwrenching sight to see him lying there. He is home now and we all pray for a speedy and full recovery. Tura’s Pharmacy is not the same place without Tommy.

CAMPAIGN TRAIL: What with all the attention on local races, the Observer suggests you take a look over at the County Commissioner’s race. Expect Olly DeMacedo to float some trial balloons as he tests the water for a primary challenge against Republican incumbant Bob Stone. Stone may decide to retire anyway after scratching a $4 million dollar payoff on a lottery ticket purchased in Whitman. The money can finance a great life or an expensive campaign...dealer’s choice.


UNHEALTHY ACTIONS: We noted with a great deal of interest that the Abington Board of Selectmen stripped their Board of Health of Indemnification. The root of the issue, which we see as purely punitive, and illegal to boot, is the differing opinions between the BOH and the Selectmen as to a transfer station matter. The issue is not the issue. An elected board cannot be left out to dry because their views differ from the Selectmen. Indemnification is the means by which a town protects its public officials from personal liability in lawsuits that may evolve from a board action. Nobody would serve if your every action or vote could place you in harms way. Years ago, Selectmen also served as the Health Board. That changed as towns voted to separate the functions. Selectmen should butt out and leave issues of health to the board entrusted with the interests of public health. Sounds like too much micromanagement and bullying by the Abington Sun Gods. Oh, why does this Abington matter interest us? Kingston Town Administrator Kevin Donovan is chairman of the Abington Board of Selectmen. The other common denominator is the law firm of Kopelman & Paige. They were representing the BOH and quit when that board sent e-mails and letters "criticizing their representation". Well isn’t that just too bad, and look at the cost the BOH faces for the criticism...K & P quits and the BOH is stripped of legal protection. Certainly a great promo for encouraging people to run for public office. Kopelman & Paige serve as counsel for Kingston. We have never been impressed with their courtroom prowess. Like many other firms, their greatest efforts are placed in settlement or capitulation. Best of luck to Chairman Susan Brennan and her Board...great to talk with you.


JOE FREITAS is trying to get back into Plympton politics. You gotta love it. We look at our Tri-Town school ally as almost a part of fair Kingston. Plympton now boasts a population of 2907 according to the last census with 1848 registered voters. Freitas, the Plympton version of Carver’s Frank Mazzilli, just can’t give up the reigns of the perceived power that being a Selectman affords him. Having served since Hector was a pup, Freitas was knocked from the ring by Christine Joy in the 2000 race. He popped back up after his 84 vote loss to run against Rick Springer in 2001...result? A 50 vote loss. But like Poltergeist, heeee’s baaaack, looking for a vacant seat which will be caused by Howard Randall’s decision to not run in 2002. So far Joe is the only candidate but Ringside Operatives in Plympton tell us they are desperately searching for somebody to run against him. Plympton politics is not much different from Kingston. Many times the politically defunct earn a spot simply by being there. Makes you wonder why it means so much to some.


BUDGET CUTS: The Selectmen and Finance Committee are going whoopy trying to make cuts in department budgets. Forget level funding, the game is to try and cut at least 10% from town departments even if they’ve been level funded for years. So, where do you think the prime areas for cuts come? From salaries. Whose salaries? From the clerical side. Who holds the clerical positions? Women. By eliminating overtime, cutting hours, and through other "creative" approaches, the net effect is about a 20% loss of income for every woman holding a clerical position in town. Since many of these women are union personnel, it will be real interesting to see how effective the union is in warding off these potentially devastating losses of income. Unfortunately, in the past, we have seen union strength to be minimal within the clerical side, often looking out for individuals instead of the collective body. Solidarity is going to have to be the new anthem. We can’t afford to have these women justifiably abandoning ship because they can’t afford to absorb such losses. The clerical employees keep things running; they are the unsung heroes of what keeps the town functioning, they are priceless. If cuts are necessary, find the fat, and cut that. Maybe we need to raise the money from taxes. Now that we have built and bought everything in sight, we can’t punish those needed to maintain the elephant. Expect to find quite a few floor fight at town meeting as people will literally fighting for their livelyhoods. People first!


TOM O’BRIEN, our popular State Representative, has opted to give up his eight days of pay up on Beacon Hill in a pledge of good faith for reducing the state deficit. It’s too bad that anyone has to voluntarily forfeit a paycheck, but Tom is certainly a political role model. With two children in his young family that eight days represents about $1200, money that will be missed in household expenses. Now, if all the judges and a few MassPort officials and cronies will do the same...


NEELEY LEAVING? Word is that ConsCom Enforcement Officer Marie Neeley will be submitting a resignation within days we’re told. Funny how we can never hold people in that position ...but when you don’t pay a decent rate for competitent people... you lose them. Neeley was a good one who will be missed.


CORROW GONE: 14 year Planning Board Veteran Ed Corrow has resigned effective immediately. Ed says it is time for someone younger to step in. This means the position will be filled by joint appointment between the selectmen and the four remaining Planners. Someone must then run for the seat this May. Corrow tells us that he will remain stay on as Alternate Health Agent. Corrow is loved by many and doesn’t have a hurtful bone in his body. He does say, however, that he has some hurting bones.


ALBERGHINI GOING: Fire Chief Jon Alberghini will be retiring as soon as August. He will be a tough guy to replace and it may have been a daunting task but for a core of polished personnel who have backed him up and will now move into the frontlines.


SAND MAN, sing me a tune. We thought it was a hoot. Here we have the Highway Department buying sand from a piece of town-owned land exactly one mile away. Materials deemed worthless are given away so we could buy it back. You can’t blame the Highway boys, they had no idea. They followed normal procedure, bought it from a vender at the best price and couldn’t possibly know it was brought in from almost directly behind the Highway Barn (as the crow flys), on the other side of the tracks adjacent to Blackwater Swamp. By the way, it’s good to see a local guy (Paul Basler) getting the opportunity to head up the Department. Paul came up the ranks and is doing a great job. He is a hard working young man and respected by his staff. Although we haven’t been put to the test much this year, the old adage is that when it snows, you always know when you crossed into Kingston... the roads are clear.

Pictured above are (L-R) Representing the town of Kingston: Mark Beaton, Olly DeMacido, Kevin Donovin, Parish Committee members, Tracy Wagner, and Fran Pickett.

HISTORIC MEETING: The Selectmen and representatives from the First Parish Church met several weeks ago in an attempt to work out centuries old issues. The question is, who actually owns the Town Hall and the Town Green now that the seat of Kingston government will be moving to new facilities on Evergreen Street. While it will never be taken seriously that the town will allow the church to keepits house of prayer and the land it sits on in exchange for the town hall and green, something has to give. We had an interesting discussion with a church member who indicated that the best church use of the Town Hall would be for religious classes. As a religious organization, the issues of handicapped access would not be invoked and every floor could be utilized. It is not generally known, but the church does not own the Beal House or the parsonage. They are controlled by an independent trust with the church being the beneficiary. Heirs of the trust remain involved to this day. If the church ever chose to abandon the property or fail to meet the terms of the will, the property would revert to the heirs of Pamela Beal, and would you believe, there are quite a few heirs living here in town today.

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