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The Whitman-Hanson Regional School Committee convened for an emergency mid-month session to finalize critical administrative appointments and review opening plans for the school year. Superintendent Dr. John Marcus formally presented Loretta Braverman as the district’s nominee for Director of Special Education and Student Services following a competitive interview process that narrowed down a field of candidates to three finalists.

The hiring process included input from district staff, administration, and representation from the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC). Dr. Marcus commended Braverman’s deep administrative experience across multiple school districts and her warm, student-centered approach.

Addressing the committee, Braverman expressed enthusiasm for joining Whitman-Hanson, citing positive interactions with staff and students during the district’s Extended School Year (ESY) summer programs.

“I feel as though there’s a lot to do, all of which are in my wheelhouse... the professionals that I have met so far are professional, warm, welcoming, and very student-centered.” — Loretta Braverman, Director of Special Education and Student Services

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During a special meeting on Tuesday evening, the Whitman Select Board conducted public interviews with two final candidates for the position of Town Administrator: Sabrina Chilcott, Assistant Town Manager of Pembroke, and Stephanie Hirsch, former City Manager of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. A third scheduled finalist withdrew prior to the meeting.

Chilcott, who has served as Assistant Town Manager in Pembroke since 2017, emphasized her extensive background in municipal operations, labor relations, public communications, and staff mentoring. During her interview, Chilcott highlighted her collaborative approach to governance and her familiarity with local government structures in Massachusetts.

“A town administrator form of government was designed so that you could have a physical presence in the building while the direct person elected by the voters got to go do a daytime job... I’m looking for a collaborative experience.” — Sabrina Chilcott

The second candidate, Stephanie Hirsch, detailed her background in municipal management, including her time as City Manager in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and prior public service roles in Somerville, Massachusetts. Hirsch discussed performance management systems, strategic financial modeling, and public engagement strategies.

Following the completion of both interviews, board members deliberated on the strengths of each candidate. Members praised Hirsch’s high-level analytical and systems experience, while noting that Chilcott brought direct, hands-on administrative and human resources experience well-aligned with Whitman’s immediate operational structure. Select Board members highlighted Chilcott’s personnel background, municipal experience in neighboring Pembroke, and potential to mentor internal staff as key factors in their decision.

"I think a town administrator has a unique skill set that is different than a town manager. And she does seem to have that skill set as far as relationship building and mentoring and working with Matt—I can see them working really well together." — Shawn Kain, Select Board (01:35:45)

The motion to appoint Chilcott subject to negotiations was passed unanimously by the board.

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During Tuesday evening’s meeting, the Select Board grappled with the severe budgetary impacts of funding Whitman’s portion of the South Shore Tech building project. Although district voters previously approved the construction of the school, Whitman residents turned down a debt exclusion question on a prior ballot.

Town Administrator Mary Beth Carter outlined the impending financial reality, noting that because the overall project is moving forward across the regional district, Whitman will be billed regardless. Depending on whether the regional school district structures the bonding through level debt service or level principal, Whitman’s annual assessment is projected to range from approximately $1.09 million to over $2.2 million starting in Fiscal Year 2028 or 2029. Level debt service would cost the average single-family homeowner (assessed at $516,263) roughly $267 per year.

Carter warned that if a debt exclusion is not passed by voters, the town will be forced to absorb the debt payment directly within its general operating budget under the Proposition 2½ levy limit. To free up over $1 million inside the general fund, the town would have to implement deep cuts across municipal and educational departments. Board members discussed potential emergency scenarios, including the impact of across-the-board 10% operational cuts to essential services, public safety, the public library, and the senior center.

“It’s going to severely impact our budget, our general fund, if we have to absorb the debt payment within the levy.” — Mary Beth Carter, Town Administrator

Following input from Town Clerk Dawn Varley, the board zeroed in on potential dates for a special election and special town meeting, pointing toward Saturday, January 30, 2027, as a tentative target to allow sufficient community outreach and budgeting preparation.

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Superintendent Dave Lemay presented a detailed analysis of Whitman’s 20-year sewer contract with Brockton, which runs until 2035. Under the agreement, Whitman is permitted to transmit 365 million gallons of sewage annually. While the town has averaged a relatively safe 320 million gallons over the past four years, Lemay warned that capacity is being rapidly eaten away. Daily overages beyond the contract threshold carry hefty penalties starting at $5,000 to $10,000 per day.

A running tally of standard in-progress construction—including senior housing on Harvard Street, duplexes on Auburn Street, and standard connections—totals roughly 19 million gallons of upcoming demand. When added to the 320-million-gallon baseline, Whitman is left with a narrow safety buffer. This leaves little room for massive overlay projects currently eyeing the town, such as a proposed 254-unit complex at 66 Pond Street and a 52-unit townhouse development at 185 Franklin Street, which combined represent nearly 17 million gallons of potential demand.

Past inquiries to expand the contract have been flatly rejected by Brockton, which faces its own strict Department of Environmental Protection limits. Select Board members floated potential alternatives, such as implementing localized “greywater” systems for complex developments, optimizing Title V septic compliance, or establishing residential rebate programs to incentivize lower-flow fixtures.

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During committee updates, Select Board member Dawn Byers brought back infrastructure data from an Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) economic commission meeting. Byers noted that surrounding municipalities like East Bridgewater, Avon, Easton, and Stoughton are scrambling to build out sewer capacity, explicitly quoting East Bridgewater officials who named sewer infrastructure as “the biggest driver of growth”. Whitman, conversely, has maintained its centralized sewer layout since the 1980s but has struggled to leverage it effectively to retain or attract stable commercial tenants.

“[Other towns] are all working towards getting what we have so... I think we need to still go back to what we originated with the sewer... businesses should want to come here because it should be easy.” — Dawn Byers

The revelation sparked an open policy discussion with board member Daniel Salvucci, who warned that the Department of Public Works (DPW) indicates the town may be approaching its legal limits under the agreement with the City of Brockton, which processes Whitman’s wastewater. Salvucci noted that water supply limitations from Silver Lake further complicate large-scale commercial tie-ins. The board collectively resolved to add wastewater metrics to a future agenda, summoning DPW representatives to clarify exact capacity limits.

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The meeting opened with a priority vote on student transportation following a highly competitive bidding process. Interim Business Manager Matt Wells reported that the district received two qualifying bids from NRT and current provider First Student. The total financial variance between the two providers over the full five-year duration of the contract was remarkably slim, coming in at just under $1,900.

NRT secured the contract with a first-year operational cost of $1,928,652.80. Because some athletic and extracurricular transportation costs are paid through separate non-general funds, Wells highlighted that the baseline general fund impact for the upcoming fiscal year sits roughly $152,000 below original budgetary projections. Committee members welcomed the variance, noting it provides a helpful financial buffer as the district transitions to a new vendor.

The shift in vendors prompted safety and continuity questions from the committee. Member Christopher Marks noted that NRT recently won the transit contract for neighboring Abington and raised concerns regarding community social media chatter about the company’s standards. Wells reassured the body that the Invitation for Bids (IFP) was exceptionally strict. The document builds in clear oversight mechanisms, granting district administrators the authority to conduct unannounced bus inspections at any time and demand immediate remedies for any safety infractions.

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The draft policy, which passed its first reading on Wednesday night, was fast-tracked by the Policy Subcommittee to curb what members characterized as an over-reliance on virtual instruction to mask schedule deficiencies. Policy Subcommittee Chair Stephanie Blackman revealed that 44 students had been placed directly into Edgenuity virtual classes simply because Whitman-Hanson High School lacked physical elective classroom space.

The systemic tracking sparked concern among board members and parents alike after it was revealed that neither the affected students nor their families were consulted prior to the automated placements. Committee member Warren MacCallum noted that his own child had been placed into an online class without his knowledge, describing it as a poor fit that became the student’s “largest struggle” of the school year.

Under the proposed rules, virtual learning will be heavily restricted, requiring explicit parental authorization, documented student buy-in, and independent readiness assessments before enrollment. The policy asserts a foundational district commitment that the best education happens in person with qualified professional educators. Exceptions will remain intact for specialized coursework not offered locally—such as Mandarin Chinese—or for circumstances like credit recovery and medical home tutoring.

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The decision to bypass commercial recruiting firms came after Town Administrator Mary Beth Carter presented quotes from Community Paradigm and Bridgewater State University, both coming in at $15,000. Board members expressed concern that an outside firm would inadvertently slow down the transition period.

The board voted to establish an internal search committee consisting of Select Board Chair Justin Evans, Select Board member Christina Gorman, outgoing Town Administrator Mary Beth Carter, and Health Agent Dan Kelly. While reviewing the job description, board member Dawn Byers advocated for strengthening the minimum qualifications, leading to the inclusion of requirements for strong analytical, organizational, communication, and leadership skills. The board settled on a recruitment salary range of $167,000 to $177,000.

“I think we should only go, the top should be at what we have budgeted right now. You know, I think it would be good just to get a pool so we can kind of see what we’re attracting.” — Shawn Kain

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Interim School Business Manager Matt Wells presented the bids for the $6 million Revenue Anticipation Note, which was opened on Monday, June 1, 2026. The short-term borrowing acts as a critical 60-day bridge for the district. “We are receiving money to help us close the gap mainly in July of the next fiscal year,” Wells explained. “We are not going to have the funds to operate in July... so we have a $6 million RAN revenue anticipation note to bridge that gap between operations and funding.”

“We are not going to have the funds to operate in July... we have a $6 million RAN revenue anticipation note to bridge that gap between operations and funding.” [44:28] — Matt Wells, School Business Manager

The district received two competitive bids from Jefferies LLC and Oppenheimer & Co., with Jefferies securing the contract as the lowest bidder. While the initial coupon rate was set at 6.05%, Jefferies provided a bond premium of $16,800. Wells explained that this premium effectively functioned as a “rate buy-down,” dropping the district’s actual net interest cost rate to 4.312069%. The total interest and borrowing cost to the district will be $43,066.50. The funds are scheduled to hit the district’s accounts on June 15, 2026, and must be paid back in full by August 13, 2026.

Committee member Stephanie Blackman questioned why the administration shifted to a 60-day note after previously discussing a 90-day timeline. Wells noted that after consultations with bond counsel, the 60-day note was chosen because it was more cost-effective for the district. He assured the committee that state Chapter 70 education aid—which arrives at the end of July—and quarterly town assessments from Whitman and Hanson hitting on August 1 will easily cover the repayment.

In a secondary financial measure, the committee unanimously authorized Interim Superintendent Dr. John Marcus to utilize an unexpected $258,675 in late-stage FY26 Chapter 70 state funding. Wells noted that when building the initial budget, the district must anchor its figures to the Governor’s preliminary January budget blueprint. When the final legislative numbers yielded an additional quarter-million dollars, it required formal committee approval to be deployed to balance and close out the current fiscal year’s books. Line-item transfer tracking will be brought back to the committee in September.

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Mary Waldron, Executive Director of the Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC), presented the final draft of the downtown revitalization study. The document represents the culmination of a multi-year project initiated by a 2022 state economic development bond bill earmark secured by Senator Michael Brady and Representative Alyson Sullivan-Almeida. OCPC representatives noted that Whitman sits in a unique geographic “hot spot,” contradicting historical narratives that the town is isolated from major regional transit corridors.

“You’re in a great spot, you have a lot of great momentum, your demographics look great... project management is so critical. You can take these actions that are in this plan, divvy them up, put them in a spreadsheet, assign them to people, assign dates—you could make a lot of things happen here.” — Paul DiGiuseppe, OCPC Comprehensive Planning Director [47:48]

The study scrutinized a 108-acre commercial target area encompassing several downtown parcels. Key data trends from the report show a notable downtown population surge alongside a shift in demographics. The fastest-growing groups are young professionals seeking transit-linked housing options near the commuter rail station, which sits less than a mile from the core business district. Additionally, the town has experienced a diversification trend, with the white share of the population shifting from 94% to 86% alongside growth in Black, Asian, and multi-racial populations.

The OCPC outlined specific recommendations to mobilize these trends into economic stability:

• Infrastructure Priorities: Advancing the Route 27/South Avenue corridor improvement projects, currently slated for the regional Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for 2030.

• Regulatory Updates: Conducting a comprehensive zoning overhaul to build out the 40R Smart Growth Overlay district, reinforcing a vibrant mixed-use core.

• Commercial Activations: Forging a formal downtown business association or a self-assessed Business Improvement District (BID) to allow property owners to pool resources for maintenance and beautification.

• Targeted Redevelopment: Focusing planning resources directly on underutilized focal sites, such as the vacant Regal Shoe facility and the former Park Avenue school building.

Select Board members praised the plan’s depth but emphasized the need to preserve Whitman’s character while expanding the commercial tax base to absorb escalating healthcare and operational costs. Town Administrator Mary Beth Carter added that the town applied for a comprehensive Master Plan update grant in May, which represents the first structural master planning effort since 2004.

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The May 20 meeting began as the committee’s annual reorganization session following recent town elections, with the re-election of several members and the selection of Ryan Tressel as Committee Chair and TJ Roffey as Vice-Chair. However, the routine nature of the administrative restructuring quickly dissolved during a sobering year-to-date budget update presented by Interim Business Manager Matt Wells.

Wells informed the committee that while the general fund currently reflects an influx of $1.4 million in revenue, it is entirely offset by an immediate $1.9 million expenditure. The sharp financial spike represents the close-out interest payment for the Whitman Middle School bond, which totaled $1,230,000. Stripping away the bond transaction, the district is actively projecting a $528,000 overspend for the end of the current fiscal year. Wells attributed the deficit to insufficient structural encumbrances across major operational accounts. Out-of-district specialized student transportation, unexpected McKinney-Vento homeless transportation mandates, under-encumbered electricity and gas utility lines, and higher-than-expected unemployment claims all drove the structural deficit. While district leaders anticipate recovering roughly $200,000 from cleared purchase orders and higher regional transportation reimbursements to mitigate the gap, the underlying structural instability has created a critical cash deficit.

“We didn't get here because the towns put pressure on us to overspend circuit breaker. We overspent circuit breaker... Over the last few years we have overspent circuit breaker and other things to get us to the place where we... [were] minus $565,000 in circuit breaker. Sure, there's a part of it that the towns were not funding us properly... but there's also a big part of, unfortunately, not doing what needed to be done and getting us to a not-a-great place.” [01:03:52] — Dr. John Marcus, Interim Superintendent

The structural deficit has left the district completely “cash poor” heading into the transition to the next fiscal year. Wells explained that the district faces a massive funding mismatch every July. While full-year union payrolls cost approximately $600,000 per cycle—amounting to $1.2 million in July alone—the district must also cover multi-million dollar statutory payments to the Plymouth County retirement system, health insurance premiums, and ongoing utility obligations. Conversely, the district receives zero revenue in July; state aid assessments do not arrive until the final day of July, and town assessments from Whitman and Hanson are not paid until August 1st.

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The Select Board opened its meeting by welcoming newly elected members Dawn Byers and Christine Gorman to the bench. Following the departure of members Laura Howe and Carl Kowalski—the latter capping off over 30 years of volunteer service to Whitman—the board underwent a swift structural reorganization. By a 3-2 vote, Justin Evans was appointed Chair, while Dan Salvucci was unanimously voted Vice-Chair and Shawn Kain was selected as Clerk.

The focus quickly shifted to looming financial hurdles during the Town Administrator’s report. Mary Beth Carter revealed that the South Shore Vo-Tech building debt exclusion ballot question failed by a narrow margin of 93 votes during the annual town election, drawing only an 11% voter turnout. While the failure does not impact the immediate fiscal year 2027 cycle, Carter explicitly warned that an estimated $1,093,000 debt payment is due in fiscal year 2028. If a future special election is not called to approve a debt exclusion outside the Proposition 2½ levy, the town will be forced to absorb this million-dollar sum directly out of its general operating funds.

“It is unreasonable to assume that a debt payment for a large building project can be absorbed within the town’s operating budget and paid for with general funds inside the levy... Whitman can be anything you want us to be, but there’s always a cost with it.” [53:06] — Mary Beth Carter, Town Administrator

Carter emphasized that such an absorption would trigger severe, adverse impacts across the town’s primary operational infrastructure, explicitly citing the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District assessment, alongside the operating budgets for the Fire, Police, and Public Works departments. To mitigate this, board members debated the logistical feasibility of scheduling a swift single-question special election ballot over the coming months to address the funding mechanism before the fiscal year 2028 budget planning cycle hardens.

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Inclusive Excellence: Hanson Middle School Unified Sports

The meeting began with a presentation from Hanson Middle School students and staff regarding the new Unified Sports Program.

• Program Growth: Started this winter with a historic Unified basketball team that held scrimmages at pep rallies and high school halftimes.

• New Horizons: The school has expanded into Unified Cornhole, with a tournament scheduled for May 21st in West Bridgewater.

• Impact: Students described the program as a way to break down barriers through “playing together, friendship, and understanding”.

The Athletics “Crisis”: 30 Years of Fundraising

Athletic Director Bob Rodgers delivered a stark report on the state of the district’s 27 sports programs.

• Funding Gaps: Following a $250,000 budget cut, the department is attempting to run all sports on a $100,000 annual budget, which Rodgers called “not sustainable”.

• Equipment & Uniforms: Rodgers revealed that the school district has not purchased a single athletic uniform in nearly 30 years; all gear is paid for through student fundraising.

• Participation Trends: Student-athlete numbers have dipped to 503 this year, down from 531 two years ago. High user fees ($375 for the first sport) are cited as a significant barrier for families.

• Privatization Concerns: Committee member Rosemary Hill expressed alarm that sports have essentially been “privatized,” placing an undue tax on parents.

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The 2026 Whitman Annual Town Meeting opened with a somber list of deceased town employees and a celebration of long-serving officials, but the atmosphere quickly shifted to the “financial black hole” described by Finance Committee Vice Chair Kathleen Ottina [00:48:38].

The central conflict of the night revolved around Article 2, Line 21: the assessment for non-mandated school busing. The Finance Committee and Select Board had initially recommended a $0 appropriation for this line, arguing that Whitman was paying more than its fair share of transportation costs under the regional agreement with Hanson. FinCom members suggested that by voting it down, the School Committee should be forced to absorb the cost into their operating budget or renegotiate with Hanson [48:37].

However, Whitman-Hanson Regional School Committee Chair Ryan Tressel and Interim Superintendent Dr. John Marcus warned that a $0 vote was a “dangerous game of chicken” [01:36:23]. Tressel noted that Hanson had already passed its budget, and any change now would require Hanson to reopen its town meeting—a move they were unlikely to make. Dr. Marcus warned that if the school budget failed, he would have no choice but to begin laying off an additional 30 to 40 staff members as early as the following morning [01:09:25].

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The meeting opened with a public comment from resident Dawn Byers, who urged the committee to look beyond a simple one-time paving deal with a solar developer seeking access through district land [00:57]. Byers suggested the district leverage its access to negotiate a long-term revenue-sharing agreement or a STEM partnership for students. “This could be a philosophy... a partnership within the community and long-term revenue sharing,” Byers said, suggesting any annual revenue could be funneled directly into robotics or science programs [04:20].

“If this is in fact something that is going to be discussed... what is exactly being built? It sounds appealing on the surface, but I ask you to pause and ask questions... it’s not a small favor of the district giving this solar company access; it’s called leverage.” [01:38] — Dawn Byers, Resident

This set the stage for the night’s main event: the fate of the Fiscal Year 2027 capital request for parking lot paving. Interim Superintendent Dr. John Marcus recommended passing over the article for both the upcoming Whitman and Hanson town meetings [16:01]. Marcus cited a “mismatch” in timing between the two towns—noting that Hanson had not placed the item on its spring warrant—and the potential for the solar company to eventually foot the bill for at least a portion of the work [34:02].

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The focus of Thursday’s meeting was the public interviews and final selection of a new Assistant Town Administrator (ATA). The position is critical to Whitman’s operations, as the town lacks dedicated directors for HR, finance, or planning, meaning these responsibilities flow directly through the Select Board and the Town Administrator’s office [48:50].

The board interviewed three finalists: Sabrina Chilcott, an experienced municipal official from Pembroke; Matthew Dyer, a regional planner and former selectman in neighboring Hanson; and Daniel Kelly, Whitman’s current Health Agent.

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The meeting opened on a somber yet celebratory note, as the board recognized the immense public service legacy of Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski [09:34]. Kowalski’s tenure in Whitman public service began on the Whitman School Committee in 1984 and transitioned to the Whitman-Hanson School Committee following regionalization. He has served continuously on the Select Board since his election in 2002. State Representative Alyson Sullivan-Almeida (delivered by Katherine Mullen), State Senator Michael Brady, and Congressman Stephen Lynch (delivered by resident Richard Rosen) were among those who provided citations, marking his 40-year career of “unwavering devotion” and “fierce advocacy” for the town [10:53, 12:52].

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The meeting opened with a somber tone as the committee held moments of silence for Elaine Newcomb, a paraprofessional at Duval, and John Noone, a former Whitman School Committee member and Whitman Finance Committee member. However, the atmosphere quickly shifted to the pressing financial realities of the FY27 budget.

Whitman Select Board member Shawn Kain addressed the committee during public comment, emphasizing the town’s goal to avoid a tax override. Kain noted that Whitman had “bumped up” the budget for the school assessment to the number certified by the School Committee, 4.85%, while cutting $500,000 from other town departments to share the burden. He specifically mentioned “non-mandated busing” as a critical area for potential cost savings, calling transportation a “hot button issue” for the town’s financial leadership. [06:42]

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The path to the $500,000 figure was anything but linear. During a marathon joint session with the Finance Committee on Tuesday night, Town Administrator Mary Beth Carter presented what she termed a “creative approach” to fiscal year 2027. The objective was clear: keep the Whitman Public Library open without a dedicated override, a response to public comment at a Finance Committee meeting and a weekend deluge of over 50 emails from residents pleading for the facility’s survival.

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