The anemic 13 percent turnout for last Saturday’s town election was no outlier. While this year’s annual election largely lacked drama – there was just one candidate for Select Board, arguably the town’s most powerful committee – it’s probably not the prime reason why people didn’t bother to vote. Most years since 2013 – […]
Author Archives: Fred Thys - Independent Staff
Posted inGovernment
As Harry Helm prepares to leave Plymouth, he worries about the town’s future
Harry Helm’s long connection to the Plymouth area is about to become a long-distance relationship. After 30 years of living in town and 11 serving in local government, Helm is moving to Maryland with his husband, Tom. But leaving isn’t easy. Had he decided to stay in Plymouth, Helm says, he would have run […]
Posted inGovernment
Nearly 90 percent of Plymouth’s registered voters fail to cast ballots in town election
A dreary day and few competitive races combined to produce a dismal turnout in Saturday’s annual town election, with just over 13 percent of registered voters casting ballots. In what was the only real semblance of drama heading into the in-person part of the voting, David Golden – the sole candidate on the ballot for […]
Posted inPolice & Fire
Farmhouse founder Paul Krasinski sues two former girlfriends, alleging they conspired with others to ruin his reputation
Paul Krasinski, founder of the Farmhouse, is suing two former girlfriends, Danielle Cyr-DeFrias and Jackie Bruno, as well as six other unnamed women, accusing them of conspiring to defame him and to destroy the reputation of his South Plymouth nonprofit. The lawsuit says they made false claims to the Internal Revenue Service and the Massachusetts […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
You can help counter people who trash Plymouth
The town’s regularly scheduled trash cleanups can lead to some dismaying discoveries. “I found an electric fireplace that someone had dumped in the woods,” said Andrea Dickinson, one of the coordinators of the twice-yearly volunteer event. Others have found vacuum cleaners, mattresses, and tires – all tossed along roadsides or wooded areas. The Department […]
Posted inGovernment
Here’s who’s running for office in the town election
It’s easy to predict who will win a place on Plymouth’s Select Board in the May 18 town election – David Golden. That’s because there’s no contest. Shockingly, Golden is the only candidate for the open seat on the five-member board being vacated by Harry Helm, who didn’t seek re-election because he is moving to […]
Posted inGovernment
Helm says Community Preservation chair made ‘egregious’ mistake in detailing affordable housing project
A vote approving funding for affordable housing on Court Street is in question after it came to light that two officials misspoke when they described the scope of the project at Town Meeting earlier this month. Meeting representatives overwhelmingly approved an article to spend $960,000 in Community Preservation funds to subsidize the construction of six […]
Posted inGovernment
Town says the nonprofit Farmhouse violates rules, lacks permits
The town has ordered the owner of a nonprofit known as The Farmhouse to stop using buildings on his 10-acre property to run educational programs, saying he lacks proper permits and violates the state’s fire code. In recent weeks, Plymouth South High School, MAP Academy, and EdTV, the Plymouth Public Schools’ video education production program, […]
Posted inGovernment
Hokanson officially announces candidacy for state rep
Democrat Scott Hokanson has made it official – he is running to succeed Republican Mathew Muratore as state representative for the 1st Plymouth District. “I can be a good person at getting resources for the town of Plymouth,” said Hokanson, who chairs the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce. “I get stuff done.” Hokanson will […]
Posted inGovernment
Town meeting OK’s spending on shelter, affordable housing
After a 90-minute debate, Town Meeting members Monday night overwhelmingly approved partially funding a homeless shelter that’s planned for Plymouth Industrial Park. The measure – which passed by a 98 to 36 margin, with three abstentions – culminated months of discussion over whether Plymouth should use $3 million in Community Preservation money toward the $7 […]