Kingston Board of Selectmen tackles diverse agenda, approves key appointments
Police Chief Holmes provides comprehensive department update while board addresses public safety initiatives, bylaw changes, and municipal appointments at July 1 meeting.
KINGSTON - July 1 - The Kingston Board of Selectmen addressed a wide range of municipal issues at their July 1 meeting, with Police Chief Brian Holmes delivering a detailed update on department initiatives and the board approving several key appointments and policy changes.
Holmes presented his biannual report highlighting the department's progress on accreditation, grant applications, and professional development programs. The police department currently has 24 officers with one in the academy, bringing the total to 25 once training is complete.
"I'm very pleased at how the department is responding to the professional development and training choices that we had," Holmes said. "I'm happy to come to work every day, and I'm not shy to tell people that."
The Chief outlined several grant applications in progress, including a State Department of Mental Health Diversion Program that would provide a licensed mental health clinician to serve Kingston, Plympton, and Halifax through a co-response model. The program initially faced funding cuts but has since been restored to approximately $19 million statewide.
Holmes also discussed the department's pursuit of accreditation through the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission. The process involves meeting 178 standards and typically requires about a year for first certification.
"What it does is it hardens up your policies, procedures," Holmes explained. "It basically makes them based on a national standard, national best practices."
The board unanimously approved advanced authorization for the police department to accept a grant for a Comfort Dog through the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office. The program currently includes 16 towns with 20 dogs throughout the county.
"The engagement opportunities are very important right now, particularly with this generation coming up," Holmes said, noting the program's effectiveness in schools and community settings.
In other appointments, the board unanimously selected Bob Ketter to fill a vacancy on the Planning Board. Ketter, a Kingston resident since 1999, recently led efforts on the town's Veterans Memorial project.
"My interest is simply to help whatever I can to pick up the slack in the committee as it stands right now," Ketter said during his introduction to the board.
Planning Board Chair Tom Bouchard welcomed the appointment, explaining that with only four members, applicants for special permits needed unanimous approval, which "is not really fair for the applicants."
The board also approved the annual self-evaluation provided by Fire Chief Mark Douglass and reappointed numerous board and commission members to their positions.
Town Planner Valerie Massard presented an update on the ADA transition planning process, a $60,000 grant-funded project conducted through the Institute for Human Centered Design. The comprehensive assessment covers all town facilities and open spaces, providing recommendations for accessibility improvements.
"We lower our liability," Massard explained. "If someone were to come to the town and say, when was the last time you did an ADA update? We would have said 1994, which is like 40 years ago."
The board conditionally accepted the ADA transition plan, pending final edits after public comment.
Two public hearings addressed utility pole installations requested by Verizon New England and Eversource Energy. The board approved both requests after confirming proper placement and reviewing concerns about interference with existing infrastructure.
Selectman Donald Alcombright proposed developing a "do not knock" registry as part of the town's Hawker and Peddler bylaw. The registry would allow residents to voluntarily indicate they don't want door-to-door salespeople on their property.
"Having seven solar people come to your house the same day is just, it gets old," Alcombright said.
The board approved requesting the town administrator work with counsel to develop the language for potential inclusion at a future town meeting.
Town Administrator Keith Hickey reported completion of the Reed Tennis Courts project and the OPG well replacement project. He also announced that road paving, originally scheduled to begin this week, has been delayed due to asphalt plant issues but should commence within the next week or two.
Hickey confirmed that the state-operated shelter at the Baymont Inn officially closed June 30, with residents either relocated to different housing or finding more permanent accommodations.
The board scheduled another public hearing on establishing a Department of Public Works for July 29 at 5:30 p.m., following a previous hearing that drew significant public attendance.
The next regular Board of Selectmen meeting is scheduled for July 15.