Hingham Town Meeting in a 'yes' mood

Last night's Town Meeting was in a 'yes' mood, approving all 37 warrant articles -- most of them unanimously -- in one night.

Congressman Stephen Lynch spoke at the beginning of the meeting after town moderator Michael Puzo recognized soon-to-retire assistant town administrator Betty Foley for her service to the town since 1991. She received a standing ovation.

Guests are allowed to speak with voter approval, which was the case when Puzo asked for the okay for Lynch to say a few words.

"I'm normally in Washington, DC on Monday nights," he said, providing an update on bills that recently passed and others that are in the works.

He expressed support for providing communities with funds to help with storm-related costs resulting from "the 104 inches of snow that fell within a 29-day period."

Lynch also praised Hingham resident Benjamin Maude for his acceptance into the United States Military Academy and Hingham Veterans Services Officer Keith Jermyn, currently on active duty in Somalia, for his efforts to help local veterans.

Lynch thanked the audience "for being involved with town meeting -- this is the essence of democracy," he said.

Voters supported:

• establishing a fire station building committee for the purpose of overseeing the renovation of North Fire Station, built in 1942, and appropriating $500,000 for design costs for the estimated $3.7 million project.
• transferring $250,000 from available funds into the newly established special education reserve fund for the purpose of defraying unanticipated or unbudgeted special education expenses, especially higher-than-expected tuition and transportation costs.
• a by-law that that confirms that the town administrator is the chief administrative officer of the town and that the selectmen continue as the chief executive officer. The position of town administrator is distinct from "town manager."
• spending up to $20,000 to build a monument to memorialize the more than 120 individuals who were buried at the former town almshouse off Beal Street adjacent to Bare Cove Park many years ago in marked or unmarked graves and also to install markers at the site of each of the three former town almshouses.
• three harbor-related articles including a long-term lease for Barnes Wharf; money to start the process for Rotary/Rte. 3A/Summer Street improvements; and funds toward a pedestrian walkway and harbor wharf improvements.

The meeting will be re-broadcast over Hingham's local cable television channels.

For full details see this Thursday's Hingham Journal.

You can follow Reporter Carol Britton Meyer on Twitter at CMeyerJournal.