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Hewins Violates Campaign Finance Laws

The Committee to elect Sarah Hewins has been found in violation of the campaign finance law M.G.L. c.55§14 for soliciting funds at the Wareham Public Library on July 26, 2016.

The Hewins campaign pleaded incompetence by suggesting, in their defense, that that no one donated to the campaign as a result of the solicitation. This defense is both laughable and insulting to her would be constituents.

Sarah Hewins website boasts a 17 year record of success. As an elected public official Hewins is responsible to know and obey the campaign finance laws. One of the main pillars of campaign finance law in the Commonwealth is the prohibition against raising political contributions in any building occupied for state, county or municipal purposes. No one involved in public service for 17 years should be allowed to plead ignorance of the main purpose of campaign finance law.

The OCPF reported that “an individual associated with the Committee addressed the audience by saying, that “obviously, this is not all that interesting , but the main thing I wanted to point out is … donate” The same person while demonstrating how to navigate the candidate’s website, stated that the Committee “tried to make it easy for people” to get a sign, volunteer, or “to donate” .. “we take {contributions via} credit cards”.

The OCPF relied on an audio tape of the meeting to find Hewins in violation. FixCarver will contact the OCPF for a copy of the recording so the public can identify the voice on the audio tape. Fixcarver can only wonder what website expert may have played a role in explaining how to navigate an award winning website while violating the campaign finance laws.

Read Letter

Vote No Vote This Sat 12/12/15

Your resolve is being questioned. School supporters are at it again. School supporters blocked putting $700,000 in Nstar money into the school project. They put that money into raises for themselves increasing the burden on taxpayers of a new school. Then they spent town building fund savings on a new fire station that could have been used to lessen the cost of the school project. The school project is once again a top priority. They didn’t want to sacrifice when it was their turn but now they want you to give them a Christmas bonus at your expense. Hold the line tell them that your money is staying in your wallet. Shared sacrifice means they participate in the burden. Vote No this Saturday!
 

News and Recent Developments

Corrupt Conclusions

Bob Belbin has proven with photographic evidence and simple common sense that the solar project on route 44 violates town bylaws and that the Conservation Commission is failing to uniformly enforce standards of erosion protection.

Conservation Commission Chairman Jim Nauen stated there is no need to take action against the Route 44 solar project developer. Nauen and his commission have two sets of rules one for solar projects, which they enthusiastically support, and one for everyone else. When the water facilities on the Cole property were constructed, erosion protection in the form of black plastic and hay bales were everywhere. Today Nauen does not see a need for any erosion control in spite of the location of a stream within a stone’s throw of the project. Nauen defended his assessment by stating that the dirt piles came from construction of the fence more than ten years ago. Belbin's photos prove otherwise.

Fixcarver wonders where Nauen and his commission were when the fence was constructed. The simple fact is Belbin caught Nauen and his Commission with their collective pants down.

Unfortunately Town officials attacking critics is nothing new in Carver. Inventing new facts and attacking the critics are not unusual for officials like Nauen. Nauen's Conservation Commission wasted thousand in legal expenses in the failed Tailwater recovery pond enforcement action against Edaville a decade ago yet not one town official criticized them. Milanoski’s accusation against Belbin for wasting money is way out of proportion and represents pennies on the dollar when compared to the Tailwater fiasco.

Belbin missed other violations of local bylaws by the solar array. The multicolored banner affixed to the fence containing the array is in clear violation of two sections of local sign bylaws “g. no sign shall be painted on or affixed to any tree, fence, utility pole, painted or posted on any wall” as well as the prohibited sign section 3522. Prohibited Signs a. Billboards, streamers, pennants, ribbons, spinners, signs tacked, posted, painted or otherwise attached to utility poles, posts, trees, sidewalks, buildings or curbs, or to motor vehicles and trailers regularly located for fixed display or other similar devices shall not be constructed, posted or erected in any zone Chairman Jim Nauen has direct and personal experience with this bylaw and the proof has been on fixcarver for years. Gail Nauen's studio had directional signs affixed to a tree which had to be removed when fixcarver uncovered a previous instance of biased enforcement of Town Bylaws. Jim Nauen and others see and enforce only those rules they choose to see.

Nauen stated that the Cole Property and the Route 44 Solar Project are “conservation at work” In reality this project is hypocrisy at work. Cutting trees on conservation land for a solar industrial project and explaining away improper trash and stump disposal has nothing to do with conservation.

This case is not about erosion protection. There are miles of dug up land without erosion protection in Carver. Agricultural interests and sand mining operations are exempt from enforcement. The only folks held to the letter of the law are people who criticize. Carver zoning officials sought to hold Belbin to the letter of the law in his zoning case. Gone are the pious ponitifications and explanations about holding people accountable to the law. The real story here is that Bob Belbin continues to expose double standards, duplicity and bias by Carver officials.

Silt Fence / Solar Farce
 

The solar project located on Route 44 is being expanded without one square inch of hay bales and black plastic to protect this environmentally sensitive conservation area. Construction began in the last few weeks. Fixcarver noticed that brush and vegetation removal proceeded without any silt fences despite the fact that there is a drainage pond and stream adjacent to the work area.

Selectman Solar Hewins, who makes sport of harassing her political adversaries, has yet to weigh in on the carnage caused to her favorite conservation area. It is common knowledge that silt, trash and construction debris from agricultural and solar operations don't cause anywhere near the environmental harm cased by the same silt deposited by developers and builders. Our reporters won’t be at Superior Court waiting for the lawsuits to be filed. Call us and have smelling salts handy if you find out a suit has been filed against one of her array of solar silt generators.

On the bright side this work should yield a windfall to the taxpayers next February when the revenue from the expanded solar array jumps from $3.71/day to a whopping $7.41 per day.

To protest this write to
Selectman Sarah Hewins
108B Main Street
Carver, MA 02330
and be sure to request " a personal and timely response to the concerns I have outlined and how your office plans to remedy those concerns proactively"
 

School Committee Chairman Barry Struski Mutes Milanoski

School Committee Chairman Barry Struski imposed a 3 minute gag order on Town Administrator Mike Milanoski during the Feb 23, 2015 School Committee meeting. Stating that he “preferred not to have Mr. Milanoski address the committee but gave him 3 minutes to make his comments”. Neither Struski nor any previous school committee chairperson ever attempted to interrupt or put a time limit on previous Town Administrator Rick LaFonds famous filibusters. Neither did Struski have a problem allowing Selectmen Sarah Hewins to address the committee without time limits immediately prior to Mr. Milanoski.

Struski should read the town bylaw that facilitated numerous Rick LaFond filibusters apparently Struski thinks the rules no longer apply

3.4.5.8. To coordinate the activities of all Town agencies serving under the office of the Town Administrator and the office of the Board of Selectmen with those under the control of other officers and multiple member bodies elected directly by the voters. For this purpose the Town Administrator shall have authority to require the persons so elected, or their representatives to meet with the Town Administrator, at reasonable times, for the purpose of effecting coordination and cooperation among all agencies of the Town. The Town Administrator shall have the right to attend and speak at any regular meeting of any multiple member body.

Struski and the entire fool committee owe the Town Administrator and the public an apology

Route 44 Solar Panel Windfall $3.71 Per Day

Lowering The Bar Of Open Government
 

Kopelman and Paige P.C. is at it again explaining away violations of the Open Meeting Law and continuing a string of failed attempts to lower the standards of openness and transparency in local government.

The local Housing Partnership is the subject of two complaints by Bob Belbin regarding violation of the Open Meeting Law. Town Counsel, Kopelman and Paige P.C cannot resist the urge to squander taxpayer dollars defending the indefensible. In their response, authorized by the Local Housing Partnership, the town alleges that the meeting notice provided the public with sufficient information to understand the business to be transacted by the board, The LHP Agenda for the November 24, 2014 meeting in its entirety stated Meeting with Michael Draper regarding Silva Property – Plymouth Street. The vagueness of this posting is tantamount to the Board Of Selectmen posting a meeting notice stating the purpose of this meeting is to conduct business of the town. K&P defended the posting by stating that “The sufficiency of the notice is further supported by the fact that more than twenty citizens attended the meeting” This logic is ridiculous and an insult to our intelligence. Meeting agendas should inform the public of the subjects to be discussed with reasonable specificity. The agenda posted was simply insufficient given the intended scope of the meeting. The job of K&P is not to defend the indefensible but to assist town officials in understanding their responsibilities under the open meeting law.

The second issue raised by Belbin is the timeliness of approved minutes. The Attorney General recommends “that they be approved at the next meeting, whenever possible” K&P states that the minutes in question (9/9/14, 9/30/14 & 11/3/14) were approved at the December 18, 2014 meeting. Kopleman and Paige failed to tell the Attorney General that the only reason these meeting minutes were approved on Dec 18 is that Belbin submitted a complaint. Absent a complaint it would have been months before the minutes were approved. K&P felt compelled to include in their response that “LHP did not receive any requests for the minutes at issue” Apparently the requirements of timeliness of the minutes should only be enforced after a request has been submitted and the laws requirements violated. .

Bob Belbin told fixcarver that K&P response included factual inaccuracies. K&P stated that “the Silva Property (the only vacant parcel on Plymouth Street) when he contends that 199 Plymouth is also vacant.

It’s also important to note that K&P violated the ten day complaint response requirements of the law (this is not the first time),. Belbin filed his complaint on 11/24 and K&P responded on 12/20. Their response also failed to copy the complainant ( again not the first time)

K&P contended that the LHP has limited resources “no dedicated staff members” yet Town Planner Jack Hunter regularly participates in this committees’ deliberations. He is a full time employee with resources available. Compliance with any law is not dependent upon resource availability and it’s use to excuse violations is preposterous. The dog ate my homework defense is often used but seldom in elementary school
 

Sarah Hewins Resigns as Conservation Agent
 

Conservation Agent Sarah Hewins resigned her position effective April 29, 2014. Hewins whose tenure has been marred with controversy said it was "time for me to move on". Hewins stated she was most proud of the acquisition of the Cole property. The Cole property is a fine example of her role in town politics. The financial state of her signature accomplishment is deficits and taxpayer subsidies as far as the eye can see. Hewins role in this fiasco will haunt taxpayers for the next two decades. Hewins also lead an unsuccessful effort to create an adversarial relationship with a Carver business Icon. Her leadership role in the harassment of Edaville Railroad in the tailwater pond was a well documented, disastrous failure that lead to vindication for Edaville.

Hewins mudslinging newsletters and bizarre letters to Attorney General Coakley are the stuff of local legends. Pretty birds and mean spirited, nasty, advocacy are an odd combination.

We could not agree more except to say it was long past time for her to go. Carver would be well served if she left the Board of Selectmen as well.
 

Ron Clarke the Bobble Head Candidate

Clark's Tax Record

Ron Clark Tax Impact.pdf

Town of Carver Employee's Gross Earnings

Town of Carver Employee's Gross Earnings

Town of Carver School Employee's Gross Earnings

Town of Carver School Employee's Gross Earnings

Hanson Fires Town Law Firm

Whitman-Hanson Express article by Tracy F. Seelye, Express editor

Read Article

Board Of Selectmen Announce Blogging Code of Conduct

On Feb 11, 2014 the Board of Selectmen approved a recommended code of conduct for blogging. Restoring civility to political debate is commendable and all bloggers have a responsibility to keep their comments within the bounds of civility. The Fixcarver website is  political and dedicating to informing the public and protecting the public interest. The articles on the site are factual and informative.

The blogs are different. They represent the opinions of our readers, not the opinions of the site. The site moderator does not edit posts nor does the moderator publish all posts. Any post that is considered libelous or contains information that is clearly or deliberately false or out of bounds  is not published and many past posts have been deleted for these reasons.. In a perfect world anonymous blogs would be unnecessary. In the real world citizens opposing things like building projects often find themselves on the wrong side of discriminatory or retaliatory actions, real or perceived. Fear can have a chilling effect on  public discourse in small towns.  Fixcarver will continue to provide an anonymous forum so our citizens may express their true opinions without concern for consequences real or perceived. Civility begins with respecting the opinions and motivations of others in all forms of communication not just blogs.

We applaud the efforts of Town Administrator Milanoski and ask our bloggers to read the guidelines and keep your posts reasonable. Civility would be a welcome change in political discourse in Carver.

Paul Johnson

Carver BoS code of conduct.pdf

New Tools Affect Ability of Cities and Towns to Address Unfunded Liabilities.

Locally Carvers unfunded Pension and Healthcare liabilities top $50 million dollars. Statewide pension liabilities top $83 billion dollars. Last week Federal Judge Steven Rhodes ruled that Detroit employee pensions are not protected in the cities chapter 9 bankruptcy filing. This means that the city may reduce pensions of more than 20,000 retirees to reduce the cities $3.5 billion dollar liability.

Unions representing public employees are expected to challenge the ruling in order to protect their ability to pick the pockets of taxpayers everywhere.

Locally the Carver Board of Ostriches has done virtually nothing to fund its pension obligations and statewide cities and towns fund less than half of the states $83 million dollar obligation. These unfunded obligations will impede the ability of local spenders to continue their credit card spending spree at the expense of local taxpayers. Local building projects like fire, police, and school building projects will be forced to compete with unfunded pension giveaways for money.

The new ruling will give cities and towns leverage to negotiate on behalf of taxpayers to reduce liabilities by increasing retirement age (just like the feds did with social security for you and me), reducing or eliminating COLA’s  (ask any social security recipient about these) and increasing employee contributions. Unfortunately Federal Judge Rhodes does not have the power to provide Selectmen the nerve or the decency to act on behalf of Carver’s taxpayers.

Detroit Emergency City manager Kevyn Orr has a warning for our Board of Ostriches that is timely and more than appropriate “There’s  not enough money to address the situation no matter what we do.”  

Ward Blames Quebec for Declining Berry Prices

Dick Ward and his wife Judy attempt to scapegoat Canadians in an article on lancasterfarming.com for declining cranberry prices in the US. Without offering any data Ward made the following statement “Quebec is having another terrific year. They’re shipping their berries to us and the prices keep falling.” His wife Judy keeps on their drumbeat that “If this trend continues...many of these bogs will be sold to developers.” Blaming others for market conditions in the US Cranberry market is outrageous but does not exactly represent a new low point for Dick Ward who earlier this year smeared Bryan Lauzon, Jim Grimes and Jack Franey during the appointment process for an audit committee. The simple truth is market conditions rather than Canadian conspiracies drive the price of cranberries. Growers as a group are not selling their bogs to developers or anyone else in the worst economic conditions since the great depression. Dick Ward and his wife Judy have their Obama lawn sign to thank and not the Canadians for the economic debacle in which they find themselves.

 

Editor Smith Is Not Woodward or Bernstein
 

After years of shunning investigatory reporting of any kind David Smith, Editor of The Carver Reporter woke up on Thursday night Nov 7 at 2:14 am and suddenly morphed into Woodward and Bernstein. Smith, whose reporters couldn’t find town hall with a GPS have been absent from meetings and town events for months. Suddenly David Smith has taken an unusual and personal interest in the dismissal of the website committee. Smith’s interest appears to be a tad one sided. As always fixcarver has obtained a copy of an email Smith sent to the Town requesting “Emails Selectman Helen Marone has sent to her fellow board members as well as private residents” Smith extended the request three minutes later to include Selectmen O’Donnell and Franey, as well as Water Commissioner Paul Johnson” Conspicuously absent from Smith’s request is communication involving Sarah Hewins or Dick Ward both fellow selectmen.

Fixcarver does not wonder why David Smith has trouble sleeping at night. Jim Grimes is correct his paper is not fit to wrap fish in. Fortunately for Smith a sure cure for insomnia is reading any of those communications
 

Breaking News!!! Town Website Committee Deactivated, Dewhurst Ousted!!

Spend It All Reject It All

Ward Smears Grimes, Lauzon and Franey

In the final hours of a reelection campaign in which he pushed the twin issues of respect and pride in our town Selectman Dick Ward approached Selectmen Mike ODonnell and Helen Maroney and threatened to release embarrassing information in an effort to derail the appointment of Jim Grimes and Bryan Lauzon to the Audit Committee.

Ward behaved as a deer caught in the headlights when confronted by former Selectmen Jim Grimes, the subject of much of the information, at a Selectmens meeting on Monday night. Grimes challenged Ward repeatedly on the quality of the information and it’s relevance to the committees work. Marone chastised Ward and revealed that she withheld the information so as not to influence the election. Marone was clearly not happy with Ward tactics and made a motion to approve Grimes for a spot on the Committee over Wards objections. Marone challenged Wards misuse of the information for political purposes. When pushed by Ward that he was merely showing the information she asked Ward why he didn’t simply throw it in the garbage. Jack Franey in a rare display of public ire indicated he would forward the information to the closing attorneys involved in the cases.

“We Need to be Proud of Carver” appears as prominently on Wards re-election website. In other areas he touts “Issue #1: Respect. My opponent, Paul Johnson, is fixcarver.com. Do you want him running your town? Responsible criticism is one thing, but ridicule, hate, and abuse is another. Instead of my opponent's hate website, that shows nothing but disrespect, ridicule, and abuse, we need to have some respect for our town hall workers, some respect for our town officials, and some respect for our town.”

Respect applies to Jim Grimes, Bryan Lauzon, Jack Franey and his colleagues on the board of selectmen. Dick Ward crossed a serious line when he threatened releasing this information in order to further a crass political objective. The line he crossed was a line of common decency. Dick Ward gave us nothing to be proud of Monday night. We now ask the same question he asked in the campaign. Do you want Dick Ward running our town without a moral compass to guide him?
 

Food Pantry Shelves Empty. Please Help
 

Fixcarver.com has always advocated on the side of the citizens of Carver. We continue to advocate for our citizens by appealing to everyone to help us fill the empty shelves of our food pantry. Bring your non perishable or canned food items to Town Hall on Friday between 6 AM and 10AM or any normal work day 8-4. Unfortunately the need in our town exceeds the supply of food. We must not let others go without. We appeal to all of our supporters and opponents alike this is non political. Our friends neighbors and even our opponents deserve three squares meals a day.
 

Carver Selectman Sarah Hewins, Ph. D. Wacky Letter to AGO

Are you for real Sarah??????? Are you above our State Laws?

http://www.fixcarver.com/Sarah Hewins Carver Selectman Far Out Letter to AGO .pdf

Is there a Doctor in the House?

Fixcarver obtained the following data from http://www.princeton.edu/sociology/graduate-program/graduate-students/graduate-alumni/
Pertaining to the qualifications of Conservation Agent Sarah Hewins. Hewins and her supporters refer to Sarah Hewins by the Title of Doctor, a title which she earned at Princeton University in 1991 which we do not dispute nor minimize. We dispute the relevance of this title as well as her education background to her work as Conservation Agent for the Town of Carver.
As usual Fixcarver presents the facts relevant to Dr. Hewins background and education.. According to the above website there is a Sarah G Hewins class of 1991 who did her Doctoral dissertation (quotation from the above website) “Sarah G. Hewins *91 S*82 Ph.D. Dissertation: The Backstretch: Social Structure and Community in the Stable Area of the Thoroughbred Racing Industry”
If you wish expertise in the field of sociology pertaining to Thoroughbred Racing contact Ms. Hewins. If you wish expertise in the field of Conservation contact someone with a PHD in that field. The main stretch here is the adoption of a title designed to mislead people into thinking the PHD somehow applies to her present work.
 

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Last Updated March 12, 2017 09:17 AM