Hingham Wrestles with School Building Committee Expansion

Hingham Select Board Interviews Three Candidates for DPW Superintendent Position

HINGHAM - March 18 and 19 - Meeting consecutive nights, the Hingham Select Board considers the future of the School Building Committee and interviews three candidates for DPW Superintendent.

During their March 18 meeting, the board reviewed updated warrant articles for roof replacements at Hingham High School, Plymouth River School, and South Elementary School, while debating the appropriate oversight mechanism for these projects.

The high school roof project, designated as the top priority, includes both roof replacement and HVAC replacements. Plymouth River School ranks second in priority, with South Elementary School listed as third.

"Plymouth River would be number two in terms of priority. The high school being number one, particularly the area of the Plymouth river roof that is flat," explains Aisha Oppong, the schools’ Executive Director of Business & Support Services. "Some of the parts of the roof are also original to the building in that it probably was created, was done last in the sixties, maybe."

The projects are being submitted to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) for potential funding assistance. School officials confirm that MSBA's legal team has reviewed the warrant articles and provided feedback on the language.

Ray Estes, vice chair of the 2017 School Building Committee, raises concerns about expanding his committee's role without proper discussion.

"Our committee has not discussed this at all. The formal request was made to Linda Hill, the chair, and myself after the school committee meeting a week ago, Monday, after they had already voted to presumably add our oversight to those articles," Estes says.

The 2017 committee is currently finishing work on the Foster School project and wrapping up the Plymouth River School column and windows project. Estes questions whether the current committee structure is appropriate for the roof projects.

"I don't know whether the current makeup of the committee would be interested in staying on to take on these projects," Estes says. "I've been doing this a while. My kids are older now."

Select Board Chair Joe Fisher suggests modifying the language to provide flexibility.

"I'm suggesting for article VV which is the one currently before us that it be the town and we've got to figure out how to word this that it would it's our intention with article VV that the recommended motion allow the expansion of the role of the 2017 school building committee or such other committee as may be approved by a town meeting," Fisher says.

The board faces a timing challenge, as the 2017 School Building Committee is scheduled to meet the following evening to discuss the proposal, while the warrant articles already approved by the board specifically name that committee as the oversight body.

Superintendent Katie Roberts explains the school committee's reasoning for proposing to continue with the existing building committee.

"Our reason for pursuing the potential of continuing the committee is because the Plymouth River repair project was part of the same accelerated repair program and so we were just making an assumption that it would be a helpful task," Roberts says.

Board member Bill Ramsey suggests delaying a vote to ensure the language is correct.

"I think we should get it right. And, you know, I think we need to go back and figure out the language in the previous articles and this one before we move it forward," Ramsey says.

The board ultimately decides to wait for input from the 2017 School Building Committee before finalizing their recommendation on the committee structure.

The board also addresses several other items during the meeting:

* Approves a special one-day all-alcoholic beverages license for Hingham Sports Partnership Comedy Night 2025 at the Loring Theater on April 6, 2025.

* Approves an agreement with Wastequip Manufacturing for two stationary commercial trash compactors for the Town of Hingham Transfer Station at a cost of nearly $144,000.

* Reviews zoning bylaw updates related to accessory dwelling units, which must be modified to comply with state regulations that now require ADUs to be permitted by right.

* Considers zoning amendments to create exemptions for structures affected by governmental takings, allowing property owners to maintain buildings without seeking variances when setback issues are created by government actions.

* Reviews cleanup articles for the zoning bylaw to correct reference errors in the signage regulations.

The Select Board plans to revisit the school building committee structure after receiving feedback from the 2017 committee at their next meeting.

March 19 - The Hingham Select Board conducts interviews with three candidates for the Department of Public Works superintendent position, with plans to deliberate and make a decision next week. The board interviewed Mark Lundin, Jim Arsenault, and Ashley Sanford during a special meeting.

"We have three excellent candidates. And it's really a delight to see the interest and the commitment to the town from each of those candidates," Fisher says at the conclusion of the interviews.

The board plans to consider their notes and any public feedback before making a final decision. Community members can submit comments to the Town Administrator at townadministrator@hingham-ma.gov.

Mark Lundin, a lifelong Hingham resident, emphasizes his deep connection to the town during his interview.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't have the utmost respect and love for this town," Lundin says. "My father was a Hingham fireman, retired. I grew up in the house that my father was raised in. I have a lot of Hingham pride."

Lundin, who currently serves on the Hingham Board of Health, highlights his experience in the construction industry and his management philosophy centered on building relationships.

"The key thing I preach to everybody that I work with or for, it's all about relationships," Lundin explains. "You're managing your relationships with your staff, your relationships with your clients, your relationships with your subcontractor team."

When asked about infrastructure challenges, Lundin identifies roadways as the most pressing issue.

"It's hands down, it has to be roadways. We've had a tough winter as it is right now," Lundin says. "People complain when they drive around the town of potholes."

Jim Arsenault brings experience as a former public works director in Braintree and current assistant public works director in Hudson. He highlights his background managing utilities, roadways, and municipal facilities.

"In Braintree, basically everything was my responsibility, so no matter what happened, I was responsible for it," Arsenault says. "We not only managed DPW, we managed the school system, all the custodians, we managed all of the maintenance people for the schools."

Arsenault discusses his experience with solid waste management, noting that recycling costs can vary dramatically.

"Recycling costs can go to actually making money to severely losing money, depending on how recycling is going," Arsenault explains. He describes implementing inspection programs that helped Braintree turn recycling from a financial loss to a profit.

Ashley Sanford, currently serving as assistant superintendent and acting superintendent for Hingham DPW, emphasizes her eight years of experience with the town and her passion for the job.

"I love working for this town," Sanford says. "I just want to continue to work for this town."

Sanford describes her management style as fair and positive, with an emphasis on communication.

"I communicate with my guys. I talk to them every day. I go out and shop. I go out on the road with them," she says. "I just always make sure that their needs are being met as well."

She highlights recent improvements in customer service, particularly through the MyHingham app.

"The Hingham app has been huge where people are able to submit things that way. So we're able to get on top of tasks in a more efficient time," Sanford says. "Typically, a work order service request is only open about three, four days before we're able to get the task complete."

All three candidates address questions about budget management, labor relations, and strategies for maintaining service levels with limited resources.

The board's questions focus on several key areas of DPW operations, including roadway maintenance, transfer station management, recycling initiatives, and customer service.

Each candidate identifies roadways as a major infrastructure challenge, with pothole repair being a particular concern following the winter season.

"Right now, we call it pothole season, where the guys are just out there every day. They're just filling potholes, trying to clean up all the tough spots around," Sanford explains.

The candidates also discuss the transfer station operations, with Sanford highlighting recent improvements.

"We have another compactor in place, we have it up and running with our guys have just been all trained on it so that we can start getting separating certain plastics from others, ones that we can actually make money for with the town," she says.

Fisher indicates the board will take approximately a week to consider the candidates before reconvening to deliberate and make a selection.

"We intend to deliberate next week and make a decision," Fisher says.

The DPW superintendent oversees critical town infrastructure and services, including road maintenance, snow removal, waste management, and public grounds maintenance.

Full meetings available via Harbor Media. March 18 and March 19.