Dear Hingham Residents,
This is a monthly update from my office that I hope will prove helpful for residents to stay informed. To receive this update and other important Town news via email, please subscribe to *Hingham General News and Announcements*. As always, please reach out with questions and feedback.
March is Women’s History Month. Let us celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women and call for action to advance gender equality. Thinking of the many great women before me and the ones I have the honor to serve with!
Save the Date: Annual Town Meeting is Wednesday, April 24th at 7 PM, Hingham High School.
FY25 Budgets
We are moving through the budget process. The Select Board is scheduled to deliberate and vote on the municipal budget on March 21st. Even with a level services budget, we are faced with making hard decisions to keep within our committed growth rate of 3.5%. Budget presentations can be found on the Select Board's page of the website. Please reach out with questions or feedback. For background information, the Sustainable Budget Task Force Report is a helpful resource. Also, municipal finance is unique, check out Inside Town Finances for a crash course.
MBTA Communities
The Planning Board held a public hearing on March 18th. This is an important topic with ramifications if adopted or not. The financial implications through the loss of state funding are significant. Please get engaged and informed. Ultimately, Town Meeting will decide.
Cell Service
Cell service is major issue in town. There is a proposed zoning article affecting the Town’s ability to work with carriers and improve service (page 32 of Preliminary 2024 Town Meeting Articles), it would allow, by special permit:
- Small cell facilities in any zoning district
- Cell towers in the Official & Open Space District – generally, town-owned property hosting buildings, parks, etc.
Opioid Plan
The Select Board reviewed the Opioid Plan in further detail on March 12th. Please reach out to our new social worker, Liz Miller, (781-783-2617), with questions or if you need assistance.
Sustainability/Climate Action Commission Update
The Climate Action Planning Committee, the predecessor committee to the Hingham Climate Action Commission (HCAC), fulfilled its mission by finalizing and adopting the Climate Action Plan on July 19, 2023. With the Plan finalized, the HCAC was constituted in November 2023 after each Town committee represented on the HCAC selected its representative and both the Select Board and Moderator selected their appointees. The HCAC officially got underway and held its first meeting on January 10, 2024.
The HCAC is charged with supporting, overseeing, and reporting on the Town’s implementation of the Plan and any updates and amendments thereto. There is much to be done as we march toward net zero carbon emissions by 2040!
While the Sustainability Coordinator role is vacant as the Town transitions to hiring a full-time role, the HCAC has decided to target three principal areas of the Climate Action Plan, with a focus on policy matters and education:
- Buildings: The Town’s buildings constitute the single largest contributor to carbon emissions. The HCAC will educate citizens on how to reduce their use of carbon-intensive energy for heating and cooling, modeling ways of doing so depending on the type of structure. The HCAC will also investigate alternative funding programs to assist Hingham citizens in making such transitions.
- Transportation: The HCAC will explore opportunities for transitioning municipal and residential transportation to less carbon-intensive or carbon-free alternatives, such as electric school buses and adding more electric vehicle charging stations, including through Town-wide policies and funding opportunities.
- Community & Regional Engagement: Public education, regional cooperation, and “getting the word out” are key components of a successful implementation of the Plan. The HCAC is continually focused on how to raise awareness and engage the public in its work. It is also engaging with other communities that have developed or made progress on their own climate action plans and/or who are working towards a Massachusetts Climate Leaders program designation.
You can follow the HCAC’s progress on its Town webpage. Thanks to Brad Moyer for his leadership and update.
2024 Town Meeting: Annual Town Meeting is Wednesday, April 24th at 7 PM, Hingham High School. Please note the date change due to the Passover holiday observance. And please make every effort to attend. Hingham’s form of government works best when everyone participates.
The proposed warrant articles have been posted on the Town Meeting website.
Please email me at kleinl@hingham-ma.gov with any comments or questions.
Best Regards,
Liz Klein
Select Board, Chair