Local Hero Honored: Sergeant John Simon Receives Bronze Star
Plympton Police Sergeant recognized for exceptional military service while town officials discuss future of fire station project
PLYMPTON - June 9 - The Plympton Board of Selectmen presents a certificate to Police Sergeant John Simon in recognition of his Bronze Star Medal during their June 9 meeting. The honor acknowledges Simon's exceptional service during Operation Inherent Resolve.
"On behalf of the citizens of the town of Plympton, we present this certificate to Sergeant John Simon of the Plympton Police Department, in recognition of his dedicated service to our country as a recipient of the United States Army Bronze Star," Chair Dana Smith reads from the Board of Selectmen's certificate.
The citation from the U.S. Army praises Simon for "exceptionally meritorious service in support of combined joint task force operation inherent resolve." It notes that his "outstanding performance during operations in support of the coalition contributed to the overwhelming success of the command's mission."
State Representative Kathleen LaNatra also presents Simon with a citation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives, recognizing his achievement.
Simon, who has served with the U.S. Army since 2009 and is currently a heavy weapons commander for the T4-800 Massachusetts National Guard, expresses gratitude during the ceremony.
"This is a true honor. It's my first Bronze Star," Simon says. "Awards mean nothing to me, but it's the soldiers, right? Soldiers always come first. On the police side, I'm a patrol supervisor, so my policemen underneath me come first as well."
Simon acknowledges the challenges his family faced during his deployment, particularly praising his wife for managing the household in his absence. He also thanks Plympton Police Chief Matthew Ahl for supporting his military service.
"When it comes to deployments, it's not only tough on the soldiers, but it's tough on the families as well," Simon says.
Following the ceremony, the Board turns its attention to ongoing town business, including the future of the fire station project. Town Properties Committee representatives provide updates on several critical issues facing the current fire station.
John Wilhelmsen from the Town Properties Committee reports that a recent safety inspection identified three violations that need to be addressed: an electrical panel located too close to a water line, problems with the heating system, and floor drains in the apparatus bay that connect to the septic system.
"Those three items are violations that we will be cited for," Ross MacPherson explains. The town expects to receive an official letter detailing the violations by the end of June, with a requirement to address them within 30 to 90 days.
The committee estimates that fixing these issues could cost between $15,000 and $100,000, potentially requiring a special town meeting to appropriate funds.
The discussion highlights the ongoing challenges following the town's rejection of a new $14 million fire station project. While the proposal passed at town meeting, it failed at the ballot box.
"The existing station is 4,500 square feet. And the apparatus for the design station to adequately accommodate the vehicles for the next 50 years is 8,000. Or a little more. So you're double the building before you have room for anyone to stay," Wilhelmsen explains.
Committee members express frustration at suggestions to renovate the existing building, noting that any significant renovation would require bringing the entire structure up to current building codes.
"To do a renovation over there even if we just bolt something on we've got to bring the whole building up to code," MacPherson states. "Any contractor is going to look at that and go, 'Well, the most expensive thing in construction is the unknown.'"
The Board discusses several options moving forward, including another attempt at the ballot box, scaling back the project, starting over with a new design, or simply addressing the immediate violations while taking a break from the larger project.
Vice Chair Mark Russo suggests that the town might need to improve its communication strategies to better educate residents about the project.
"I think the biggest thing is that you need to educate people more about what this project is," Russo says. "I think that's the biggest failing with it."
Several officials suggest using more modern communication methods, including social media and video recordings of meetings, to reach more residents.
"I think if things were actually put out there a little bit more accessible to people utilizing technology," Russo adds. "I feel it's our duty to do so in the most ways possible."
The Board also authorizes Russo to execute the next electrical aggregation contract, which is expected to provide rates 10 to 17 percent better than current rates.
"The beauty of this program is people kind of automatically opted in, but at any point they can opt out," Russo explains. "So it really is a win-win, nothing but savings along the way."
The Board concludes by scheduling its next regular meeting for July 7 at 2 p.m.