Link back to Veterans' Council Meeting Minutes
The following represents the meeting of The Hingham Veterans Council held, Thursday, November 3, 2011 at the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall and was called to order at 1935 hours.
Following the Pledge of Allegiance, the meeting was called to order by Keith Jermyn, The Town of Hingham's Veterans Agent, with the following committee members present: B. Beal, A. McCawley, J. McHugh, H. Messmer, S. McMillan, L. St. Laurent, E. Sofis The chairman effected excused absences for the following committee members: J. Claypoole, A. Smith and W. Ramsey. M. Demenna was absent. There is a two vacancy status on the Council. This is a 15 member Board by statute.
The minutes, as sent by email, were read from the last meeting and a motion was made to approve, seconded, and the minutes were then accepted as submitted.
Treasurer M. Demenna was an absentee as noted above. There was a $400.00 oil bill approved and 2-$50.00 bills.
With the President of Father Bill's & MainSpring, John Yazwinski and his assistant John O'Brien present, the Council Chairman chose to call on them first for their progress report on the new building. The old structure was demolished and the new building will be set back about 10 feet. A brief time line: the home will be framed and then 6 weeks to close in and completed by March 2012 with occupancy by May 2012. Bob Beal the Hingham Veterans Council Housing Liaison met both men for future project coordination. It was further determined that John O'Brien is a Vietnam Veteran as is Bob Beal.
The Blue Star Report is a continuing successful program and they continue to be listed in The Hingham Journal including Jay Malouf and Connor Leary.
The Veterans Day event will be Friday, 11/11/11 at 11am and the Speaker is Carolyn Mason Wholley. The program will be similar to past events with the usual participants: Police, High school students and the Veteran Posts. The plan is to have the ceremony first inside the Town Hall Auditorium and then recess to a brief outside segment as successfully done last year. A breakfast will be served in the Senior Center for all Veterans beginning at 8:30am till 10am.
The Presidents Fitness Test on Sunday, October 9, 2011 was a great event with twenty-three (23) girls and boys participating and a crew of support, including: E. Fairbanks, S. Sullivan, E. Kachel, B. Kachel, S. McMillan, K.Jermyn, K. Birkhauser among others. It is clear, the event had support and will be held again next year.
A motion was made and seconded to adopt By-law changes. It passed unanimously.
The Warrant Articles must be in the Warrant for May 2012 and the changes are pending reviews.
The POW Excise Tax Exemption, MGL Ch.60A, s.1 is pending.
The Property Tax Exemption, Local Option, Clause 56, 2010 Municipal relief Act is pending.
There continues a 2 person vacancy of The Veterans Council Membership and is a work in progress.
There is an Ethics on-line Training with J. McHugh, B Beal, H. Messmer, M. Demenna.
There will be a Veterans of the Armed Forces HHS graduate half time recognition of that service. All who participated in Hingham Harbormen Team sports will be acknowledged and it will be held on 11/11/11 at the Hingham vs Duxbury football game.
The DAV Day was announced for Sunday, December 4, 2011 and is a work in progress.
The Sweeney Award will be held Thursday, December 15, 2011 on the University of Massachusetts Campus.
The Veterans Council Chairman announced that there was a Veterans Outreach Center with zero benefit to Hingham Veterans. This received no support.
Linden Ponds will celebrate a Veterans Day celebration on Tuesday, November 8th, 2011 at 2pm. Blazer, hats & ties are the dress attire.
The Hingham Lions Club has launched its annual giving campaign to benefit Veterans and Troops with Christmas packages and dinners. They state they have given over $2,000.00 to Veterans.
The Norwell Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice held a meeting November 1st, 2011 honoring South Shore Veteran Service Officers.
Several Holiday gifts follow:
UMass Amherst offers discount Tickets for Veterans and Service Members on November 5th, 2011.
2011 Veterans Day Free Restaurant Meals and other Discounts.
Care packages from Weymouth Elks.
A. McCawley spoke about the naming of the Veterans Home on Fort Hill and the need to reach an appropriate and proper acknowledgement for Hingham Veterans.
There will be the Annual VFW Poppy Drives on Thursday at the Boat and Saturday for 10 AM to 6 PM at the Hingham Stop & Shop. Assignments have been made and the usual success is anticipated.
Also, the VFW Patriots Pen and Voice of Democracy event will be held. On Saturday, December 3, the Awards Ceremony will be held at the G.A.R. Memorial Hall as occurred last year. Again a BIG crowd is expected.
An invitee by Jim Claypoole, from the Scituate American Legion, Conley Ford, was welcomed by the Veterans Council Chair, K. Jermyn. Conley then proceeded to explain the history of the Veterans organization in Scituate and describe our neighboring town as having approximately 2000 Veterans but managed by a part time Veterans Agent with less than 20 hours of weekly time, which Conley asserts is not enough time to do the job completely and adequately. There followed a long discussion about the Veterans organizations and their desire for a FULL TIME Veterans agent as required by law.
A preliminary plan is to have K. Jermyn, Hingham's Agent spend a portion of his time in Scituate overseeing and training Scituate's staff reaching the goal of an effective full time functioning department. The Hingham Board of Selectmen recognizes a regionalized support and management and will discuss this issue at a November 16th, 2011 scheduled meeting in Hingham Town Hall offices.
The meeting was adjourned, at 2133 hours.
Respectfully Submitted,
Ernest C. Sofis, Secretary
November 21, 2011