Cohasset Select Board Reorganizes, Welcomes New Member Julie Rollins
Board re-elects Maher as chair, appoints Rollins as clerk while moving forward on tennis courts and library project
COHASSET - May 20 - The Cohasset Select Board conducts its annual reorganization May 20, re-electing Ellen Maher as chair and Chris Plecs as vice chair. Newly elected member Julie Rollins joins the board and is appointed as clerk.
"I would be honored to serve as chair for one more cycle if everyone feels that's in the best interest of the board and the town," Maher says after being nominated by Paul Grady.
The board votes to keep Maher as chair, with Maher abstaining. Plecs is elected vice chair, also abstaining himself.
Rollins, who was elected in the recent town election, is appointed as clerk following board tradition that the newest member serves in that role.
"I had a feeling it was coming," Rollins says with good humor after being nominated.
David Farrag, who nominated Rollins, explains, "Usually it's traditional that the newest person on the board becomes the clerk so they can get a foothold on the meeting minutes and some of the goings on of the Select Board."
Maher assures Rollins the position is "not an extraordinarily heavy lift" and notes both she and Farrag served as clerk during their first years on the board.
The board receives an update on the tennis courts project, with all six courts currently playable despite some ongoing issues.
"All six tennis courts have been playable this season. The Boys and Girls Tennis Teams have played on all six courts," Assistant Town Administrator Michelle Leary reports. "We've had comments from other towns to say that even the unfinished courts that we have are better than the courts that they play on daily."
The town has hired an independent concrete expert to assess delamination issues on courts one, two, and three. Coring will take place this week to ensure structural integrity of all courts, with verbal results expected within two weeks and a formal report by early July.
If all goes well, the town plans to grind off the delaminated surface, finish the top layer, resurface, and stripe the courts for completion by August 1.
Rollins advocates for adding pickleball lines to the sixth court, noting her previous experience on the Recreation Commission.
"I know the public wants pickleball courts now," Rollins says. "I was formerly on the Recreation Commission where we voted to have the sixth court lined for pickleball, two courts on that sixth court. We voted on it, and it was our understanding that it was happening."
The board agrees to move forward with striping the sixth court for pickleball while also pursuing plans for permanent pickleball courts.
Grady confirms that all repair costs are covered by the contractor, not the town. "We can say that all out to the whole town, we are not paying a cent," he says.
After four rounds of bidding, the Library Resilience Project has secured a contractor with a bid price of $594,000.
"We did this now for the fourth time and we have a contractor on board," the Leary reports. "They signed their notice of award letter. We have all of their documents. We're negotiating the contract right now."
The project is scheduled to begin August 15, starting with earthwork followed by masonry. The contractor estimates a 90-day timeframe for completion, weather permitting.
"They're going to start with most of the earthwork first and then you'll see some of the masonry work start fairly quickly," Leary explains. "They predict it's going to be about a 90-day timeframe from start to finish."
The August 15 start date ensures the project won't interfere with summer recreation camp activities.
The project had to be scaled back after initial bids came in over budget, followed by a round with no bidders and another with bids exceeding available funds. This fourth attempt yielded three viable bids, with one coming in at an acceptable price.
The board also addresses several other matters during the meeting:
* A one-day entertainment license is approved for Inebri-Art for June 28, 2025, due to previous rainouts.
* Town Manager Chris Senior reports progress in the search for a town accountant/ finance director, with interviews underway.
* The board discusses the failed RTF Enterprise Fund proposal from town meeting, with plans to reintroduce it in the fall with better communication and a clear fee schedule.
* Senior announces a pilot program in the village to address parking challenges, including a designated shuttle pickup spot for restaurant employees and converting six unusable parking spaces into three legal golf cart spaces.
* The board reminds residents of upcoming Memorial Day events, including the healing field and veterans dedication ceremony on Saturday, May 24, and the Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 26.
Rollins expresses her enthusiasm about joining the board, saying, "I'm really pleased to be here and I'm excited to serve the town for the next three years in this position."
The next Select Board meeting is scheduled for June 17, when the board will address liaison assignments and hear from the Historical Commission regarding Cohasset Village and Captain's Walk signs.