Choose Granite Countertops in Hull, MA for Elegance and Durability

HULL − Five years after the town banned recreational marijuana dispensaries, residents have turned a new leaf.

An overwhelming majority of more than 300 voters at a special town meeting Thursday supported allowing the sale of recreational marijuana. Such sales will require a special permit and approval by the planning board.

“We love Hull, feel we provide a good service, and want to continue to support our patient base, our employees, and continue to contribute to the town by adding recreational sales to our highly regulated and compliant business,” said Stephen Werther, president of the Hull medical marijuana dispensary Alternative Compassion Services, at the meeting at Hull High School.

More:Could Quincy support 5 pot shops? Pharmacist applies for permit

Werther has opened lines of communication with residents who had questions about his business. His 175 George Washington Blvd. store has been open since 2022.

Marijuana legalized in Massachusetts in 2016

When Massachusetts voters legalized marijuana in 2016, municipalities where voters supported it had to go through a process if they wanted to ban it. More than 1,000 voters in Hull voted in a 2018 special election to block the sale of recreational marijuana, but medical sales and personal use were still allowed.

But with the passing of time and as other municipalities took the leap with recreational marijuana, residents’ attitudes have changed. Even voters who weren’t fond of marijuana use accepted that some people use it for medical purposes and recognized the potential tax benefits. Hull would receive 3% from a sales tax on recreational marijuana.

“Five years ago, we didn’t know what the landscape for marijuana sales would be,” said select board Vice Chair Irwin Nesoff. “There was fear of too much traffic, people coming into town, people smoking all over town.”

Nesoff said Rockland collected $2.5 million in sales tax revenue from its three recreational marijuana stores. A fourth was approved earlier this year.

“It's time for us to face the reality," Nesoff said. "This is a legal business.”

Hannah Morse covers growth and development for The Patriot Ledger. Contact her at hmorse@patriotledger.com.

By Carol Britton Meyer

Following three hours of interviews with finalists, the school committee on Wednesday night hired Michael Jette, current leader of the Litchfield, N.H., school district, as Hull’s next superintendent.

Forty-eight citizens were on the Zoom call at one point, with 39 remaining until the school committee made the final decision on who will replace current Superintendent Judith Kuehn, who will retire at the end of this school year.

Each of the finalists – Jette, Michael Tempesta, and Sarah Shannon – were asked six questions, based in large part on community feedback throughout the search process.

Click here for the resumes of all three superintendent finalists

“We have three fantastic candidates,” said school committee member Kyle Conley, who chaired the screening committee.

Jette has 32 years of educational experience, including as former superintendent of the Bedford, N.H., school district. During his interview, Jette said he’s looking toward the next step in his career and is hoping it would be his “last stop,” with the intention of dedicating another 10 years to this work.

“Before I applied for this position, I didn’t know where Hull was,” he said. “I didn’t realize it’s like a unicorn community with its close proximity to Boston and the ocean.”

Jette also said he thinks “smaller is better” with regard to the size of Hull’s school system, allowing for more opportunity to have conversations with people face to face, rather than over the telephone.

In addition, he finds the implementation of a school consolidation plan, which is underway for the Hull Public Schools, of particular interest.

“This will cause a lot of stress, and I think the easiest way [to address these issues] is to recognize the people behind those emotions, engage with them as to where they are, and to do everything possible to set folks up for success in the new environment,” Jette said. “It’s all about relationships and making sure everyone is part of the team.”

When asked what he would aim to accomplish in his first 90 days on the job, Jette said he would in part focus on where the district has been and build upon that.

“I don’t think anyone is looking to make any drastic changes,” he said.

He also said he would work with the school committee to establish goals and objectives, setting priorities for “measurable outcomes.”

Shannon a close second

Cohasset resident Sarah Shannon, who came in a close second in a straw poll that was taken before the final vote and deliberations by the school committee following the interviews, currently serves as assistant superintendent of teaching and learning for the Canton Public Schools. She is the former assistant principal of the Duxbury Middle School and former principal of the Gates Intermediate School in Scituate.

The third candidate, Michael Tempesta, is the current superintendent of the Claremont and Unity school districts in New Hampshire and former superintendent of the Saugus Public Schools.

The committee made some favorable comments about Tempesta related to his broad experience in collaborative and public school positions, his experience in the role of superintendent, his effective work in restructuring schools, his willingness to start developing an entry plan on a per-diem basis before his contract began, his focus on school safety, and his sensitivity to meeting the needs of all students, with varying needs. However, the committee decided to focus on the top two candidates based on the informal poll.

Jette was praised for his more than 30 years of education experience, his role in a net-zero middle school project, and for his “look, learn, and listen” approach in his role of superintendent.

“He has a warm, friendly, personable manner and a nice tone,” school committee member Ernest Minelli said.

Positive feedback from students

Other strong points noted by the committee were that he seemed invested in getting to know the Hull community; that during Wednesday’s forums before the interviews, students made positive comments about him; his support for helping to create individual plans for success among students; his “people skills and calm, reassuring style;” his intention to build upon existing Hull Public Schools strengths while making improvements; and that he doesn’t consider the school system “to be in a state of crisis.”

Those providing feedback about the candidates “were impressed and unanimously positive about his potential to be the next leader of our district and offered across the board support for his candidacy,” Conley said.

Jette also has built “well-rounded relationships” throughout his career and has “worked through the ranks,” school committee member Liliana Hedrick said.

What stood out about Shannon to the committee are her leadership skills and ability to build relationships, her knowledge of the Massachusetts School Building Authority program, experience with contract negotiations, her “passion for Hull,” willingness to take risks, and focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Overall, the committee agreed that they could envision either Jette or Shannon being successful as the next superintendent, and that it was a hard choice.

When a motion to enter contract negotiations with Jette was made by Conley following the straw vote, the outcome was 4 to 1 in favor, with Chair David Twombly against the motion.

“It’s nothing personal,” he said.

When Conley called for a vote of reconsideration, with the goal of reaching a unanimous vote, Twombly changed his vote in favor of Jette.

Like what you’re reading? Stay informed with a Hull Times subscription by clicking here.

Do you have an opinion on this issue? Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

By Victoria Dolan

During the next two weeks, Hull High School Theatre Arts will continue preparing and begin performing its competition piece, “War Brides.”

Prepared for the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild festival, “War Brides” is a 40-minute, one-act show about the experiences of women during wartime. At the competition in March, the Hull actors will present their show alongside other schools from across the state.

Co-directors Emily and Erin O’Donnell are hoping the piece will elicit a powerful performance. Part of the goal in choosing “War Brides” was to “hone in on present-day issues” by showing “strong female leads fighting for their rights – not as women, but as people during a period of war,” explained Emily.

The show features a small cast of seven to focus on authentic performance. Erin emphasized that when getting into character, actors have focused on “toned-down imagery, toned-down body language, toned-down voice,” because “it’s not about being the biggest person in the room, it’s about being one group.”

The show is also advanced on the technical side. For the competition, the crew must set up and take down the entire set in five minutes, and “this is the most complicated set we’ve ever done for festival,” said Erin.

So far, the crew has been one of the greatest successes of the production. Almost 20 students joined, giving them “an opportunity to learn even more about theatre and design,” said Emily.

Other than the female empowerment, emotional appeal, and unique set, Emily thinks “everyone should come and just be there to celebrate the accomplishments the students have put in.”

“War Brides” will be performed at Hull High School on March 1 at 7 p.m., and Marshfield High School on March 2 at 4:30 p.m. Both performances are open to the public, but the material contains mature themes not suitable for all ages. Please email eodonnell2@town.hull.ma.us with any questions.

Victoria Dolan is The Hull Times school correspondent. This column reflects her student viewpoint.

Like what you’re reading? Stay informed with a Hull Times subscription by clicking here.

By Carol Britton Meyer

Town meeting voters will be asked to approve a allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in single-family homes under a proposal sponsored by the zoning board of appeals.

The article on the Aug. 31 special town meeting warrant is similar to the one that was voted “no action” in order to allow for further study at last spring’s annual town meeting. According to ZBA Chair Patrick Finn, the plan would help Hull homeowners age in place.

It would create housing units within an existing single-family structure for family members, seniors age 60 and over regardless of income, or other occupants who qualify according to income eligibility for affordable housing. Further details will be available at the planning board’s Aug. 23 meeting, at which the article will be discussed prior to town meeting.

“This is to help single-family homeowners in Hull remain in their homes and is basically the same article as the earlier one – with the three restrictions [listed above] spelled out and a special permit process if the proposed ADU is not in conformance with existing zoning regulations,” Finn told The Hull Times. “Some of Hull’s Coast Guard members are given housing vouchers but are having trouble finding rental housing in Hull, and allowing ADUs would be perfect.”

Town meeting will be asked to amend the zoning bylaws to allow a limited number of ADUs without adding to the number of buildings, reducing open space in town, or substantially altering the appearance of the principal dwelling.

There would be limits on the size of the ADU within the existing structure -- not larger than half of the floor area of the principal dwelling or 900 square feet, whichever is smaller, with four required parking spaces. The family member, senior, or income-qualifying Hull resident or non-resident occupying the other unit must have a minimum stay of six months.

Homeowners who gain approval as necessary to create an ADU would be required to provide a signed affidavit to the town each year confirming that they reside in the dwelling (either the original house or the ADU) for at least six months of the year. If the occupant is living in one of the units based on income eligibility, an affidavit confirming his or her income would also be required with the owner’s affidavit.

The goal is “to provide for a more efficient and economic use of existing housing stock by enabling owners of single-family dwellings larger than required for their present needs to share space and the burdens of homeownership, while also protecting the stability, property values, and residential character of the neighborhood,” according to Finn.

He noted that there has been some questioning of the intent of this ADU article as a zoning article versus a strictly affordable housing article.

“The ZBA, zoning bylaw committee, and affordable housing committee discussed this difference and unanimously agreed (one affordable housing committee member abstained from the vote) that ADUs in owner-occupied single-family homes are not the place where our town planners should suddenly put down the hammer and require strict compliance with [affordable housing requirements] for occupants,” Finn said.

“This would drop the weight of a long-ignored issue [referring to the need for affordable housing in Hull] on the backs of struggling seniors, family members, and other hardworking taxpayers of Hull when developers have constructed over 800 multi-family condominium units with a total of zero affordable housing deed-restricted units required – added to Hull’s tiny 1.7% total of the required state-certified subsidized housing inventory,” he explained.

The warrant article intends to increase the number of housing choices in Hull as recommended by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development and consistent with Hull’s Housing Production Plan, proponents say.

“Property owners should have a right to choose who they share living space with in their single-family home – ideally with family members and loved ones, not necessarily income-eligible tenants,” Finn said. “If these proposed 10 units per year ever make it onto the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Subsidized Housing Inventory is strictly an administrative function of the Town of Hull, based on the current Chapter 40B [comprehensive permit] Local Initiative Program and proposed changes in the Legislature.”

The current housing crisis requires action, according to Finn, who believes that passage of this article “will allow administrative procedures to be put in place to assist in accomplishing the goals of the Hull Housing Production Plan.”

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council assisted the town in developing a housing production plan that is intended to “provide housing options to residents, their adult children, and elderly grandparents for all life phases and unanticipated circumstances, such as the economy, personal mobility, or changing preferences;” guide market-rate and affordable housing preservation and creation; help the town maintain its state-mandated affordable housing target; influence the type, amount, and location of affordable housing; and increase affordable housing opportunities and options in Hull, among other considerations.