Cohasset Rejects Recycling Facility Enterprise Fund and Free Kindergarten Petition at Special Town Meeting
COHASSET - November 3 - Cohasset residents rejected two major financial proposals at Monday night’s Special Town Meeting, voting down both a plan to create an enterprise fund for the town’s Recycling Transfer Facility and a citizen’s petition to restore tuition-free full-day kindergarten. While the 12-article warrant saw most items pass, the defeats of Articles 6 and 12 marked significant rejections for town officials and parent advocates, respectively, and will require alternative solutions to address pressing budget needs.
The Full Story
The contentious vote on Article 6, which would have established an enterprise fund for the Recycling Transfer Facility (RTF), failed by a vote of 106 in favor to 133 opposed after a hand count was necessary due to the close voice vote. An enterprise fund is an accounting mechanism that allows a municipal service to operate as a self-sustaining business unit, where user fees cover operational costs rather than relying on general tax revenue. The proposal would have allowed the RTF to operate under this model, with facility sticker fees and disposal charges funding the facility’s operations and future capital improvements.
Director of Public Works Brian Joyce explained that the RTF’s projected annual budget is approximately $825,000, with the half-year budget set at $414,000. Under the proposed enterprise fund model, revenues would have come from facility stickers, projected at $450,000, along with construction and demolition fees and pay-as-you-throw bag revenues. Joyce noted that the facility has capacity for approximately 50 tons per day but currently operates at only 10-15% of that capacity.
Town Manager Chris Senior emphasized that the enterprise fund structure is commonly used across Massachusetts for specialized municipal services. He cited examples from Scituate, Hanover, Marshfield, Rockland, and East Bridgewater, all of which operate their transfer stations through enterprise funds. Senior explained that this model would allow the RTF to save money and potentially finance capital improvements without competing for funds from the town’s capital budget.
Select Board member Paul Grady spoke in favor of the enterprise fund, announcing that the board would establish a citizen advisory committee to oversee RTF operations if the measure passed. The committee would consist of three citizens, a Select Board liaison, and the RTF director, reporting quarterly on financials and operational issues. Grady also warned residents about recent strikes affecting private trash haulers, noting that Republic Services workers had been on strike for over three months during the summer, leading to concerns about rats and public health in affected communities.
Opposition to the enterprise fund centered on concerns about transparency and financial accountability. Leonora Jenkins of Jerusalem Road questioned whether monthly financial reports would be provided, noting that the town has not received regular financial reports from other departments for nearly two years. She proposed creating a revolving fund for one year instead to allow residents to review actual costs before committing to an enterprise fund, though Moderator Dan Evans ruled that suggestion outside the scope of the article.
Dan Tarpey of Base Lane challenged what he called a “false narrative” surrounding the RTF’s financial situation, arguing that the facility has historically been funded largely by general tax revenue rather than bag and sticker fees. He contended that tax money traditionally used to support the RTF was diverted to another department in fiscal year 2025 when that department exceeded its budget, creating the current funding shortfall.
Following the defeat of Article 6, voters immediately moved to Article 7, which included supplemental appropriations necessary to cover RTF expenses through the end of the fiscal year. This budget amendment, which also addressed other departmental needs, passed with the requisite majority. Project 2 allocated an estimated $100,000 from pay-per-throw bag fees to cover RTF expenses through December 31, 2025, while Project 9 provided $400,000 in permit fees as a contingency if the enterprise fund failed to pass.
In another significant defeat, voters overwhelmingly rejected Article 12, a citizen’s petition seeking $300,000 in free cash to provide tuition-free full-day kindergarten for the 2025-2026 academic year. The voice vote clearly indicated opposition, with the moderator declaring the motion defeated without requiring a hand count.
The petition had evolved through multiple iterations before reaching town meeting. Petitioners initially suggested funding the program through reductions to three town departments, then asked the town to add money to the school budget, and finally proposed using free cash. The proposal sought to reinstate free kindergarten after the School Committee reversed its 2023 decision to eliminate tuition due to budget constraints. Current kindergarten tuition stands at $3,000 per student, down from previous years.
School Committee Vice Chair Craig MacLellan, speaking on behalf of the committee, explained that the district made difficult decisions this year, including reducing staffing through attrition, increasing fees across the district, and strategic hiring to replace retiring teachers. He emphasized that the committee avoided cutting any classroom teacher positions and supports the concept of fully funded full-day kindergarten, but believes the goal should be achieved through careful, measured steps within the context of the district’s overall budget and operational priorities. The School Committee voted 4-0-1 against recommending the petition.
Select Board member Paul Grady explained that the board voted 5-0 not to approve the petition, clarifying that their opposition was not based on disagreement with free full-day kindergarten but rather concerns that the petition as written was not enforceable. Grady noted it would be poor policy to change funding sources mid-budget cycle and expressed the board’s willingness to work with the School Committee to implement free kindergarten starting in fiscal year 2027.
Advisory Committee Chair Jeanne Astino provided extensive explanation for the committee’s 8-1 vote against the petition. She emphasized that while full-day kindergarten is important and already available for a $3,000 fee, the petition presented serious fiscal concerns. Astino pointed out that the state has certified Cohasset’s free cash at $1.2 million, the lowest since the 2012 financial crisis, and that the town had already appropriated $600,000 earlier in the meeting with another $400,000 added to the current year’s budget, leaving reserves at dangerously low levels.
Former Select Board Chair Jean Healey-Dippold spoke against the petition, recalling that when she chaired the Select Board and Lance Dial chaired the School Committee, the original free kindergarten proposal in 2023 was contingent on receiving state Chapter 70 funding to fully support the program in perpetuity. She explained that the formula did not work primarily due to inflation, and it was never intended that the school budget itself could support full-day kindergarten without additional state funding.
School Committee member Lance Dial, who served as chair when free kindergarten was initially implemented, clarified that the 2023 allocation was made on the condition that the district would receive state Chapter 70 funding. He emphasized that the petition before voters would effectively allocate $300,000 from free cash to refund families who have already paid tuition, which “does nothing to help our schools.” Dial urged the community to find a thoughtful, deliberate way to provide services to students rather than approving what he characterized as a one-time cost meant to refund fees.
Supporters of the petition argued passionately for the educational and social benefits of full-day kindergarten. Cassandra Dragon-Archambault, a resident with extensive educational policy experience including a master’s degree in educational policy research and administration, provided comprehensive testimony about the importance of kindergarten as the foundation of a strong public school system. She noted that over 95% of Massachusetts towns now offer tuition-free full-day kindergarten, leaving Cohasset as an outlier. Archambault argued that full-day programs give teachers time to meet children where they are and that research shows children in full-day programs enter first grade more prepared and need less remediation later.
The meeting opened on a sentimental note, with Town Manager Chris Senior addressing residents for the last time before his departure after 12 years of service. Senior reflected on managing nearly two dozen town meetings covering more than 400 articles, from additional alcohol licenses for restaurants to zoning updates and 12 annual operating and capital budgets. He thanked Moderator Dan Evans for early advice emphasizing the importance of preparation and keeping presentations concise.
Resident Katie Dugan praised Senior’s tenure, crediting him with helping steer the town away from the fiscal crisis of 2011-2012 when Cohasset had little to no free cash, limited financial policies, and a lower bond rating. During Senior’s tenure, the town put in place financial infrastructure and long-range planning initiatives that elevated Cohasset’s finances to a position where it could renovate Town Hall, consider a new public safety building, and begin consistent investments in schools, roads, and sidewalks.
In addition to the two defeats, voters approved ten other articles covering a range of municipal business. Article 1 created a revolving fund for the Cohasset Community Market with a fiscal year 2026 spending limit of $5,000. Article 2 appropriated $14,406.54 to pay unpaid bills from previous fiscal years across multiple departments, including tree removal for the Department of Public Works, cleaning products for facilities, and medical expenses for human resources.
Article 3 transferred $448,500 from free cash to the town’s Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) Trust Fund, following the schedule established in the OPEB Funding Policy adopted by the Select Board and Advisory Board in 2020. This deposit represents continued commitment to funding future retiree benefits.
Article 4 approved capital improvements totaling $557,014. For enterprise funds, the article allocated $420,000 from water retained earnings to upgrade and expand the residuals management area at the Lily Pond Water Treatment Plant, and $72,000 from sewer retained earnings as the town’s grant match for a Phase 2 Asset Management Plan. For the general fund, voters approved $42,332 from capital stabilization for Department of Public Works trench drains and $22,682 for a diesel bus lease payment to replace an electric bus lease that was terminated due to reliability issues.
Article 5 received unanimous approval for the Joseph Osgood Elementary School roof replacement project. The article appropriates $5,858,522 for the roof replacement, with the Massachusetts School Building Authority providing a grant of approximately $1,902,262, or 32.47% of eligible costs. Superintendent Sarah Shannon explained that the Osgood roof has reached the end of its useful life and continues to develop new leaks despite ongoing maintenance efforts. The project will be funded from the voter-approved School Stabilization Fund over two fiscal years, with the current balance encumbered at this town meeting and the remaining costs encumbered in early fiscal year 2027. Once the MSBA project is complete in summer 2026, the town will vote to appropriate the full cost from the School Stabilization Fund at a fall 2026 town meeting. Shannon noted the roof project includes more than just roofing material, as HVAC equipment must be moved, connections sealed to prevent leaks, and windows within the roof structure replaced. The district expressed gratitude for the town’s foresight in creating the school stabilization fund specifically for purposes such as this major capital project.
Article 7 approved multiple budget amendments totaling over $1 million. These included $70,548 from sewer retained earnings to repay a fiscal year 2025 year-end transfer for hazardous waste collection and landfill gas monitoring, $32,953 from E-Rate application reimbursement for IT equipment, $162,340 transferring PEG Access Funds to Cohasset 143TV for cable-related operations, $71,800 from free cash for bond anticipation note costs, $4,125 from capital stabilization for interest related to Treats Pond flood relief, and $200,000 from water retained earnings split between legal and engineering costs and extraordinary maintenance. The article also included the RTF-related supplemental appropriations necessitated by the failure of Article 6.
Article 8 allocated $141,864.48 from free cash for one-time costs across four projects: $10,400 for an all-facilities permit end-user purchasing module and permit fulfillment solution for the Town Clerk’s office, $96,464.48 for repairs to the high school electrical room following flooding earlier in the year that revealed improperly connected drainage pipes from 25 years ago, $10,000 for a consultant to assist the Cohasset Village Historic District Study Committee in evaluating creation of a historic district in the business district, and $25,000 for state-mandated piping plover management at Sandy Beach, which has been listed as preferred habitat for the protected shorebirds.
Why It Matters
The rejection of the RTF enterprise fund means Cohasset residents will continue paying for recycling and transfer services largely through property taxes rather than user fees, a model that differs from most comparable communities in Massachusetts. With the enterprise fund defeated, the supplemental appropriations in Article 7 will cover RTF operations through the remainder of fiscal year 2026, but town officials will need to develop a sustainable long-term funding strategy. Residents can expect either increased facility fees, higher property taxes to support the RTF, or renewed discussion about establishing an enterprise fund at a future town meeting.
The defeat of the kindergarten petition means families with children enrolled in full-day kindergarten during the 2025-2026 academic year will not receive tuition refunds, and the $3,000 annual fee remains in place. The School Committee’s indication that they cannot guarantee $300,000 in additional appropriations would be directed toward kindergarten tuition elimination highlighted the complexity of mid-year budget adjustments. However, multiple officials expressed willingness to work toward implementing tuition-free full-day kindergarten beginning in fiscal year 2027 as part of the regular budget process, suggesting this issue will return during preparation of the fiscal year 2027 budget. Parents and residents concerned about kindergarten costs and equity should plan to engage actively in next spring’s Annual Town Meeting when the fiscal year 2027 budget will be developed.
The approval of the $5.8 million Osgood School roof replacement represents a major infrastructure investment that will serve students for decades while taking advantage of a rare opportunity to partner with the Massachusetts School Building Authority. The project’s approval using the School Stabilization Fund, created specifically for such purposes, demonstrates the value of long-term fiscal planning and reserve funds for addressing critical capital needs.
Meeting Minutes
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: Create revolving fund for Cohasset Community Market with FY26 spending limit of $5,000. Outcome: Approved unanimously. Vote: Unanimous voice vote. (Timestamp: 0:24:00)
Motion: Appropriate $14,406.54 for unpaid bills from previous fiscal years. Outcome: Approved unanimously. Vote: Unanimous voice vote (nine-tenths required). (Timestamp: 0:25:00)
Motion: Transfer $448,500 from free cash to OPEB Trust Fund. Outcome: Approved unanimously. Vote: Unanimous voice vote. (Timestamp: 0:26:30)
Motion: Appropriate $557,014 for capital improvements including water treatment plant upgrades ($420,000), sewer asset management grant match ($72,000), DPW trench drains ($42,332), and diesel bus lease ($22,682). Outcome: Approved unanimously. Vote: Unanimous voice vote. (Timestamp: 0:30:00)
Motion: Appropriate $5,858,522 for Joseph Osgood Elementary School roof replacement with MSBA grant of $1,902,262. Outcome: Approved unanimously. Vote: Unanimous voice vote (two-thirds required). (Timestamp: 0:40:23)
Motion: Create enterprise fund for Recycling Transfer Facility effective January 1, 2026. Outcome: Defeated. Vote: 106 Yes, 133 No (hand count after close voice vote). (Timestamp: 1:06:05)
Motion: Approve budget amendments totaling $1,041,441 including RTF supplemental appropriations, water and sewer transfers, PEG Access funds transfer, and debt service costs. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Voice vote majority. (Timestamp: 1:13:34)
Motion: Appropriate $141,864.48 from free cash for one-time costs including Town Clerk permit system ($10,400), high school electrical room repairs ($96,464.48), historic district study consultant ($10,000), and piping plover management ($25,000). Outcome: Approved. Vote: Voice vote majority. (Timestamp: 1:14:57)
Motion: Accept MGL c. 138, §12D allowing conversion of wine and malt licenses to all-alcoholic beverage licenses. Outcome: Presumed approved (no recorded opposition). Vote: Not specified in transcript.
Motion: Accept MGL c. 83, §16A-16F establishing sewer lien procedures. Outcome: Presumed approved (no recorded opposition). Vote: Not specified in transcript.
Motion: Authorize lease of school property for solar power generation facilities. Outcome: Presumed approved (no recorded opposition). Vote: Not specified in transcript.
Motion: Citizen’s Petition to appropriate $300,000 from free cash for tuition-free full-day kindergarten. Outcome: Defeated. Vote: Clear voice vote majority against (hand count not required). (Timestamp: 1:42:56)
Public Comment
The meeting featured extensive public comment, particularly on Articles 6 and 12. Multiple residents spoke passionately on both sides of the kindergarten issue, with supporters emphasizing the educational and social benefits of full-day programs and opponents raising concerns about fiscal responsibility and the timing of mid-year budget changes. Discussion of the RTF enterprise fund centered on questions about transparency, financial accountability, and whether the proposal represented the most responsible funding mechanism for the facility. Several speakers paid tribute to outgoing Town Manager Chris Senior, thanking him for his 12 years of service and crediting him with helping restore the town’s financial health following the 2011-2012 fiscal crisis.
What’s Next
Town officials must develop a sustainable long-term funding strategy for the RTF following the defeat of the enterprise fund proposal. The Select Board and School Committee will need to determine whether to bring a revised RTF funding proposal back to voters at a future town meeting. Discussions about implementing tuition-free full-day kindergarten are expected to continue as part of the fiscal year 2027 budget development process, with multiple officials expressing willingness to work toward that goal through the regular budget cycle. The Joseph Osgood Elementary School roof replacement project will proceed with design work, bidding in early 2026, and construction scheduled for summer 2026. The Alternative Energy Committee will work with the MSBA design firm to coordinate timing for potential solar panel installation on the new roof to capture expiring federal tax credits. The town will search for a new Town Manager to replace Chris Senior.