Whitman Select Board Member Howe Announces Resignation Effective April 5
Town Considers Middle School Borrowing Takeover
WHITMAN - December 1 - Select Board member Laura Howe announced she will resign her seat on April 5th, 2026, calling on residents to heal divisions in the community. The announcement came during a meeting where the board also heard an update on the town’s proposal to take over $60 million to $70 million in borrowing for the Whitman Middle School project amid concerns about the school district’s ability to secure a bond rating, and to secure better interest rates and lower costs for taxpayers.
The Full Story
Howe’s announcement during the chairman’s report marked a significant moment for the five member board. She chose April 5th deliberately—it falls on both her grandfather’s birthday and Easter Sunday in 2026.
“I have watched, as you all have, the disgrace that’s been all over the TV. I’ve been very saddened and every comment hit home,” Howe said. “I love this town very much and there is a reason for my announcement today on December 1st. It’s a new start and now you have all the holiday time to put this through your head and do some thinking.”
Howe discussed some personal health challenges and stated she held her seat “in respect for every department, every person.” She described herself not as a CPTSD victim but as a CPTSD survivor.
The outgoing board member issued a direct call to residents: “I expect you all to get up, offer your seats. I expect you to come to these meetings. I expect you to fill town hall and I expect you to make me darn proud of the next select person that I hold this seat for right now.”
Emphasizing her commitment to unity, Howe said, “It pains me to see anyone that says they love our town to divide it in any way, shape or form because there’s not a single person that sits on this or any board that doesn’t love children and police, fire, town and elderly. We are all in this together and we can rise together or we can fall together but I have faith.”
Town Explores Middle School Borrowing Takeover
Town Administrator Mary Beth Carter updated the board on potentially taking over borrowing for the Whitman Middle School building project from the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District—a move that could save taxpayers money through more favorable interest rates.
The district currently plans to borrow $60 million to $70 million when a bond anticipation note matures in March. The borrowing will pay off the current $30 million note and fund ongoing project costs. However, the district may not have its completed fiscal 2024 audit by mid-January, which financial advisors say is needed to borrow on schedule.
“The district and the auditors are working towards a goal of having the fiscal 24 audit completed by February 1st but they even thought that was a bit of a stretch,” Carter said. The fiscal 2023 audit was only recently sent to the district for review, and the 2024 audit cannot begin until the 2023 audit is finalized.
Carter detailed a comprehensive meeting held earlier that day involving Superintendent Szymaniak and Assistant Superintendent Ferro, the chair of the Building Committee, financial officers, bond counsel, fiscal advisors, and auditors. The district will reach out to the Massachusetts School Building Authority while the financial advisor schedules a meeting with the Department of Revenue. Bond counsel will draft an inter-municipal agreement for both the regional school committee and Select Board to consider, along with related articles for the upcoming special town meeting.
“If the town took over the borrowing, it is expected that the town would receive a more favorable interest rate than if the district needed to borrow the funds without a rating due to an incomplete audit,” Carter said. “The lower interest rate would translate to a lower cost to Whitman residents on their taxes for this project.”
The town has a completed fiscal 2024 audit, which is required to access competitive borrowing markets. Without one, the district might have to issue another short-term note rather than long-term bonds.
“We’re talking less than 45 days. I just think I don’t see it happening,” Carter said. “So we’re going to work and put an article forth for consideration. If it’s voted, we’ll have a placeholder. If it’s not needed, it’s not needed, but at least if we don’t do that, it could get to the point where they are going out again to borrow without a rating.”
When asked about property ownership, Carter confirmed the town owns the middle school and elementary schools, which are leased to the district, according to town counsel. Randy LaMattina, a former Chair of the Select Board and former Vice Chair of the building committee, rose to dispute this, stating the new lease agreement required by MSBA clearly shows “the district owns the building.”
Budget Tensions and Heated Exchange
The meeting featured sharp exchanges over the town’s budget process and current $675,000 deficit. Carter said Select Board member Shawn Kain, who was absent, hoped to schedule a joint Finance Committee meeting on December 15th. The board otherwise attempted to pass over the budget update.
LaMattina criticized having one selectman involved in budget preparations. “It’s actually fairly sad that the town administrator cannot give a budget update, and I don’t know why one selectman, and I actually asked you about this, Chair, a week ago, why one selectman with a clear agenda is doing the budget,” LaMattina said. “The budget was put together by the paid professionals that have the experience in this, and it wasn’t just one department being looked at under the guise of collaboration.”
Asked for a budget update, Carter emphasized she—not Kain—prepares the town budget. “I don’t have the documents with me today in front of me, but I’ve been working on the budget,” Carter said. “As of today, I believe the deficit is about $675,000.”
LaMattina suggested someone whose spouse works for the school district should not work on the town budget, referencing Kain’s wife’s employment with Whitman-Hanson. He also criticized the board for approving $500,000 in free cash for the school district when “this board got steamrolled by what really amounts to no more than a recommending body.”
Howe defended Carter’s work and challenged LaMattina’s selective criticism. “Although I completely understand your concern, I find it inappropriate, possibly, to call out Shawn when he’s not here. And you brought light to his wife working, but you didn’t bring any light to Mr. Evans’ wife,” Howe said, referencing Select Board member Justin Evans. “We have to be fair. And if you’re going to call on one, you need to call on both.”
LaMattina defended Evans, noting he “has remained silent” during the budget process and “has filed the proper disclosures.” He added, “If he does things properly, I don’t need to call him out. Just because you wanted to and you can’t do it here, you do it on social media.”
The back and forth escalated, and Howe alleged “You jog by my house and you spit on my property. But don’t tell me you don’t. My husband watches you all the time.”
Chair Carl Kowalski ended the exchange: “I’m going to end this discussion. It’s not going anywhere I want it to go.”
Public Comment on Trash Fees and Town Finances
Ken Lytle of Warren Avenue proposed converting trash collection to an enterprise fund in response to a recent vote of the Select Board to attempt to account for so called indirect costs associated with trash collection. “Doing this would provide at least a framework to determine the true cost of the trash service that we have so that it’s only funded by the user fees, by the residents that are using it, instead of having it lumped in with the general fund where all of the taxpayers are using it,” Lytle said.
He explained an enterprise fund would allow the town to identify total costs and create a retained earnings balance to cushion future rate increases. The Massachusetts Division of Local Services recommends such funds start on July 1st and require a three-year commitment once established.
John Galvin of High Street questioned the recently approved indirect cost component added to trash bills. “By my calculations, I’m guessing this is about $50,000 more revenue that’s going to come into the town. How are we going to spend that?” Galvin said. He noted the money would come in as a local receipt and questioned how it could be appropriated in the current fiscal year. “Indirect costs are offsets to budget. It’s not a revenue. It’s going to come back as free cash. I hope we have a plan for that.”
Dawn Byers of Russell Road delivered extensive remarks tracing Whitman’s financial decisions dating back to 2007, including the funding of the police station through free cash rather than a debt exclusion, a rejected 2018 regional agreement, and 2019 staff layoffs at the regional school district.
Byers questioned whether the town needs an override to maintain level services for fiscal 2027 and asked about working groups addressing the budget. “Are these small working groups that are private, or is this where we need to resurrect the budget override evaluation committee?” she asked, referencing consultant John Madden’s previous work in 2019.
She called for better communication between the Select Board and School Committee: “What I’ve been hearing and seeing is committee member Shawn Kain, who’s not here tonight, but he spoke at the school committee meeting in public comment, so that’s a one-way communication. What I’d like to see and hope to see more is in line with your strategic plan, which is communicating together, right, communicating with each other rather than at or about.”
Routine Business
The board approved all license renewals for calendar year 2026. Select Board member Justin Evans noted most license fees haven’t been updated since the 1980s and 1990s. In March 2024, the board requested a survey of license fees in surrounding communities but never acted on the results. Evans requested the board discuss revisiting fees at a future meeting.
The board scheduled a special town meeting for January 12th, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. The warrant opens immediately and closes December 15th. Carter suggested the 6:30 p.m. start time after feedback that 6:00 p.m. was too early for commuters but at 7:00 p.m. the meeting may end late for some citizens.
Carter announced John Noska resigned from the Board of Assessors. The vacancy has been posted, and the Board of Assessors plans to jointly appoint a candidate at the next meeting to fill the position until the May 2026 election.
During the chairman’s report, Kowalski recognized newly appointed Whitman-Hanson Regional School Committee Chair Ryan Tressel. “You did a good job the other night in a very tense and tough situation. It wasn’t an easy meeting to manage. You managed it well and I wish you all the luck in the world,” Kowalski said.
Why It Matters
Howe’s resignation creates a Select Board vacancy months before the May 2026 election, requiring the board to operate with four members during the run up to the Annual Town Meeting. The town faces a $675,000 deficit for FY27 at current projections.
The proposed middle school borrowing arrangement represents a significant open question. With $60 million to $70 million at stake, the difference between favorable and unfavorable interest rates could cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars over the life of the bonds. The inter-municipal agreement will likely require approval at the January special town meeting, giving residents a direct vote on whether the town should assume this financial responsibility or leave it in the hands of the Regional School District.
The resignations of both Howe and Noska represent changes coming to the all volunteer, unpaid, elected boards that run the town.
Meeting Minutes
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: Approve bill and payroll warrants. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:24)
Motion: Accept correspondence in the read file. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:00)
Motion: Approve Class 2 auto dealer’s license for Smartway Collision Center and Auto Sales Incorporated at 5 Franklin Street. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 13:02)
Motion: Approve all license renewals for calendar year 2026. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 21:20)
Motion: Extend closing time for club and common victualler liquor license holders to 2:00 a.m. on Monday, January 1st, 2026, for New Year’s Eve celebrations. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 21:37)
Motion: Schedule special town meeting for January 12th, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 22:51)
Motion: Adjourn meeting. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 36:22)
Public Comment
Ken Lytle advocated for converting trash collection to an enterprise fund for better cost transparency and financial management. John Galvin questioned how the recently approved indirect cost component on trash bills would be appropriated and spent. Dawn Byers presented a historical review of Whitman’s financial decisions and their impact on school funding, calling for open communication between the Select Board and School Committee and questioning whether an override will be needed for fiscal 2027. Former Selectman Randy LaMattina criticized having one selectman leading budget preparation and disputed town counsel’s opinion about property ownership of the middle school building.
What’s Next
The Select Board meets December 15th to close the warrant for the January 12th special town meeting. A joint Finance Committee meeting may be scheduled for December 15th to discuss the budget. Bond counsel will draft an inter-municipal agreement for the middle school borrowing proposal for both the Whitman-Hanson Regional School Committee and Select Board to consider before the special town meeting. The financial advisor will meet with the Department of Revenue, and the district will contact MSBA regarding the plan. The Board of Assessors will present a candidate to fill the chair vacancy at the next Select Board meeting. The position vacated by Howe’s resignation will remain vacant until the May 2026 election.
Disclosure: South Shore News founder Justin Evans is a current member of the Whitman Select Board. As indicated by Ms. Howe his wife does work for the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District as a Unit-A Teacher, and as Mr. LaMattina mentioned he has a public disclosure on file in the Town Clerk’s office in accordance with M.G.L. c. 268A, § 23(b)(3).