Town Government &
  Services:

Departments Home Page

Board of Selectmen

Town Administrator

Town Meeting

Meeting Minutes

Meeting Schedule

Departments: Board of Selectmen

Announcements:

Please see the Board of Selectmen's response to the Proposed MBTA Service Cuts (1/11/2012)

In order to serve you more effectively, the Hingham Board of Selectmen invites you to complete a survey to share your thoughts about our town's government.

Board of Selectmen

John A. Riley
rileyj@hingham-ma.com

Laura M. Burns
burnsl@hingham-ma.com

Bruce Rabuffo
rabuffob@hingham-ma.com

DUTIES

The Board of Selectmen is composed of three members who are elected for three year terms. As the Chief Elected and Executive Officers of the Town, the Selectmen are vested with all the municipal authority not specifically retained by the Town's legislative body, Town Meeting, or other elected boards. The Selectmen appoint a Town Administrator who is responsible for the daily management of the Town.

The Selectmen issue the warrants for Town Meetings; initiate legislative policy by inserting articles in Town Meeting Warrants; and then implement the votes subsequently adopted. They adopt town administrative policies; review and set fiscal guidelines for the annual operating budget and the five-year capital improvement program and make recommendations to Town Meeting. The Selectmen appoint department heads and members of most official boards and commissions; hold public hearings on important town issues and periodic conferences with agencies under their jurisdiction and with community groups; represent the Town before the General Court; act as Police Commissioner; and enforce Town By-Laws and regulations.

The Selectmen also serve as the licensing board responsible for issuing and renewing over 70 licenses in more than 20 categories, including common victualler, limousine, liquor, inflammables, special events and entertainment.

Application for One Day Liquor License

The Board of Selectmen meets every Tuesday, unless otherwise posted, at 7:00 PM in the North Hearing Room at Town Hall. The meetings are broadcast on tape the following evening (Wednesday) at 7:00 PM on Comcaset Channel 10 and Verizon Channel 30.

2010 Annual Report

Like much of America, The Town of Hingham weathered its long journey on the road to restored prosperity. Unifying efforts of the many boards, departments and staff, the Town continued its tradition of bringing singular focus to many different constituencies.

Our Economic Climate: The nation struggled with unemployment rates around 9%, challenging job creation, falling home prices, foreclosures at unheard-of levels, and a never-ending search for revenues. Governments and businesses, like the homeowners that pay for both, addressed an array of matters they had thought were history. The pace of restoration nationally crawled.

Hingham, however, fared better than that national picture but it too suffered in its new world of economic malaise. Our unemployment moved down from a high of 7% and as the year closes remained in the 5+% range. This number compares to a rather enviable 2.5% in the pre-recession days. Home prices began to move upwards and "time-to-sell" numbers also improved. Neither indicator reached the 2006 peak Hingham had enjoyed. Yet as of this writing, realtors expect a better spring in 2011. Sadly, foreclosures happened here, even in the high-priced locales. This recession left no area untouched.

Slowly improving new growth, offset by managing many of our expenses, strained the resources of town agencies. State aid increased as a result of federal stimulus, but it is forecast to decline again in 2012 as the stimulus goes away and state revenues also decline. The Town worked with State Representative Bradley and State Senator Hedlund to preserve needed monies in education. Shifting costs from the state to the town pressured some departments. Rising pension and healthcare costs were no different here than in the rest of America. Cooperation from our 13 unions helped alleviate those increases. While town staff positions went vacant last year due to attrition, carefully controlling our salary and expenses permitted the Town not to layoff any employee when other towns were increasingly taking that approach.

The Moody's bond-rating agency placed a "Negative Outlook" on our Aaa rating. For the past three years, the Town had taken fiscal actions to address that warning, as a high bond rating is critical to our goals for funding the new schools and other objectives of the Town. While the Town was able to finance the construction of East School at a very low rate due to our high bond rating, the importance of our Aaa rating was driven home when other towns with lesser ratings were completely unable to borrow at any cost during the recession. By ceasing fund balance withdrawals, funding our long- term retirement healthcare obligations (OPEB), and looking at non-property-tax revenue sources, the Town changed direction. The Town also sought to expand the tax base with new growth opportunities such as the new Bone and Muscle Center of South Shore Hospital now under construction. The Town received recognition from the South Shore Chamber of Commerce for its efforts in this area. As a result of all these efforts, this past October Moody's removed that "Negative Outlook" warning, as we began to come out of the recession.

Personnel Changes: Hingham's previous Town Administrator left in the fall to accept another position in Foxboro, leaving a vacancy at the top of our staff. Happily, the Board of Selectmen appointed Ted Alexiades, our long time Finance Director, to be the new Town Administrator. His presence has already been felt.

Our Police Chief, Taylor "Tab" Mills, announced his retirement after 33 years of meritorious service. In March 2011, the Selectmen appointed Lt. Mike Peraino of the Hingham Police, to be the new Chief upon Chief Mills' departure. Nine new police officers joined the force, replacing a number of retired officers. Similarly, the Fire Department lost two captains and a lieutenant to retirement. While they were replaced at the leadership level, our Fire Chief Duff absorbed the staff losses through his leadership.

The Selectmen finalized the creation of a veterans' group to speak on behalf of our many citizens engaged in serving our country, under a new Veterans' Agent, Keith Jermyn. The Board undertook a study with the Sewer Commission to improve the management and efficiency of sewer operations. Finally, one of our long serving staff members in the Selectmen's Office, Marilyn Harrington, announced her retirement at the end of May. Her cheerful manner will truly be hard to replace.

Other Significant Events: The Middle School, long under consideration for physical improvements, suffered roof damage during the January snowstorms. This prompted considerable discussion with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) about proceeding with a Feasibility Study concerning future of the Middle School. Town Meeting will make that decision.

The Board adopted a number of Town policies, particularly a Town Financial Policy endorsed jointly by the Advisory and School Committees. After a lengthy analysis by a number of Town boards the Selectmen approved an application, based on a very generous donation, for improving the Margetts Fields on Ward Street. The Selectmen and Recreation Departments are in negotiation to improve the management of our many sports facilities.

The League of Women Voters offered some suggested changes to our Town meeting process, as did one of our citizens. Town meeting will consider those changes. The South Shore Country Club concluded its extensive rebuilding of dining facilities and has new managers for its food operations. They launched indoor winter golf, a very popular and attractive service. The Selectmen created a Shade Tree Commission to propose better ways to manage and preserve our long-standing designation as "Tree City USA". The Selectmen finalized the creation of a Cable TV Corporation, voted at last year's Town Meeting. The Selectmen with much support from a number of groups like our Community Preservation Committee and veterans' organizations enabled Father Bill's to create a facility on Fort Hill Street for serving veterans in need.

The Selectmen spent a number of meetings addressing concerns for the provision of natural gas services which resulted in the Board reaching an agreement with National Grid. With the leadership of our Town Projects Engineer Roger Fernandes, the Town started construction on the long-planned placement of wires underground Downtown. Our Community Planning Department continued its consolidation efforts begun last year aimed at improving service delivery to our citizens. While more remains to be done, it was responsible for the South Shore Chamber of Commerce Local Public Service Award mentioned earlier.

Under the able leadership of Director Dennis Corcoran our Library managed yet again to deliver services and transition to the library of tomorrow despite reduced state funding. Elder Services Director Barbara Farnsworth, recognized this year by the state for her leadership in this area, led Elder Services it the continued daily delivery of a multitude of services to this very deserving segment of our population. The Department of Public Works under Randy Sylvester began its well-planned consolidation and cross-training of staff, again aimed at improving service delivery to the Town. This year they had the added challenge of dealing with Mother Nature who gave us almost five feet of snow! That is well above the three and half feet the Town normally receives. The budget for snow removal this year is only exceeded by the years 2005 and 2009. Roger Fernandes undertook a detailed study of our town roads, highlighting the need to begin the process of a long-term solution to maintaining our road infrastructure and presented his findings at the annual Town Forum.

In September, the Town concluded the 375th celebration of its founding. The time capsule, buried on Library grounds, contains mementos of the Town's history and prepares us for the Quadricentennial. The Town thanks the many citizens who contributed to this celebration.

Finally, Hingham happens because each day so many of its staff and citizens make it happen. The Selectmen mentioned some of those in our comments earlier. The Board would be remiss in not complimenting Assistant Town Administrator Betty Foley, aided by Betty Tower and Marilyn Harrington who make the Selectmen's Office do its thing. Our accounting and finance department under the direction of Interim Town Accountant Sue Nickerson produces the numbers that make this report possible. Our second floor team led by Katy Lacy, joined by Mark Grylls, Sue Eddy, Andrea Young, and Cliff Prentiss, deliver the many diverse services permits and building approvals. The first floor Health Department staff led by Bruce Capman provides unique protection for the Town. The Treasurer's department, with Jean Montgomery at its helm, help fund our many activities. Eileen McCracken and her very capable support staff in the Town Clerk's office, delivered their many services despite budget reductions. This report contains other department reports explaining all that occurs in this Town. The board thanks those committees and staff members for working so hard to provide what the town citizens need. To the other elected officials of the town and the appointed committees who labor too many nights on behalf of us all, The Board of Selectmen extends its gratitude for bringing us together. Thank you for allowing us to serve.

L. Bruce Rabuffo
John A. Riley
Laura M. Burns