COHASSET - October 28 - Town Manager Chris Senior announced Tuesday evening that he will not seek a contract renewal when his current agreement expires, ending a 12-year tenure with the town. The announcement came at the opening of a Select Board meeting that featured extended public criticism of both Senior’s leadership and the board’s governance, with multiple residents calling for immediate resignations.
The Full Story
“I want to thank the board for 12 amazing years of service to the town of Cohasset and officially announce that I will not be seeking a contract renewal,” Senior told the board. He said he would work with the board on whatever transition is necessary and expressed gratitude for his time serving the community.
Select Board Chair Ellen Maher said the board would develop a transition plan and issue a formal statement “in the very near future.”
Following Senior’s announcement, the meeting’s public comment period extended well beyond the typical 15 minutes as multiple residents voiced sharp criticism of town leadership and governance practices.
Emma Kagel of Bayview Drive said she had repeatedly attempted to work with town officials on meeting accessibility issues for people with disabilities, only to be “ignored over and over.” Kagel, who is deaf, said her communications regarding captioning and accessibility compliance were “insulting and gaslighting.” She called for Senior’s termination and asked Select Board member Paul Grady to “step down immediately.”
Nick Francona of Red Gate Lane presented the board with a formal open meeting law complaint. He alleged that minutes from a September 30 meeting “materially misrepresented” his comments by removing criticism of the board and Town Manager. Francona said the discrepancy between the official minutes and the meeting recording was so significant that “the document should be considered fraudulent.”
“Filing official minutes of meetings that don’t comport with reality is antithetical to the most foundational principles of good government,” Francona said, adding that a previous board member had raised similar concerns earlier this year.
Jennifer Chu of Virginia Lane expressed relief at Senior’s decision not to continue. “It’s hard to see how any of that is possible with Chris Senior in place, so we are very grateful that he is not,” Chu said, referencing various town projects and initiatives.
The public safety building project was a recurring theme throughout both the public comment period and the board’s regular business. Glenn Pratt provided an update on the reconstituted Public Safety Building Committee, which has added four new citizen members with relevant professional backgrounds: Will Ashton, Doug McGregor, Melissa Browne, and Nate Spada.
“We’ve taken down from the website all the information that used to be up about the previous building, and we’re starting fresh with a whole new approach to communicating,” Pratt said. Rather than presenting a specific proposal, the committee plans to hold public listening sessions in November. “We’re going to say, what do you think? What do you know? What do you hear?” Pratt explained.
The committee aims to present a proposal at a 2026 town meeting, though whether that will occur at the regularly scheduled April or May meeting remains uncertain.
Board member David Farrag emphasized the need for any future proposal to include space for a second ambulance. Pratt agreed, saying the committee now views the project as “a comprehensive public safety overlook” including police, fire, and both ambulances.
In preparation for the November 12 Special Town Meeting, the board discussed several warrant articles. The board voted unanimously to recommend Article 11, which would authorize leasing school property for a solar power generation facility. Both the Advisory Committee (8-1) and School Committee had previously voted to recommend the article.
Farrag noted that school buildings represent the town’s largest facilities by square footage and that utility costs continue to rise. “We have to have a plan with the schools on what to do about that,” he said, expressing support for solar installations at Osgood School and eventually at Deer Hill and the high school.
A citizen’s petition for tuition-free full-day kindergarten received negative recommendations from the Advisory Committee (8-1), Select Board (5-0) and School Committee (4-0-1).
Extended discussion addressed a proposed enterprise fund for the Recycling Transfer Facility. Resident Dan Tarpey suggested the board consider establishing an elected board of commissioners to govern the fund, similar to the water and sewer commissions, rather than proceeding with the current proposal.
“We have one time to get this right,” Tarpey said, arguing that an elected commission would provide better long-term governance than an appointed citizens advisory board.
Board members responded with mixed views. Farrag noted that water and sewer commissions are established by state statute and operate much larger budgets, questioning whether creating five new elected positions would be practical for a smaller operation. Board member Chris Plecs expressed concern about who would present the proposal and answer questions at town meeting following Senior’s resignation announcement.
Assistant Town Manager Michelle Leary provided an update on the Town Hall renovation project, reporting favorable news on several budget lines. Fire suppression work came in $62,000 under its $400,000 allocation. Hazardous material abatement received quotes as low as $7,000 against a $50,000 budget. Designer services for the project are due for selection by November 12.
Farrag noted that updated building codes now require hurricane-resistant windows due to Town Hall’s proximity to the water, which will increase costs but ensure the building’s long-term durability.
The board engaged in lengthy discussion about holiday lighting on the Town Common. Leary reported that facilities staff would need five full working days to install the decorations if all four staff members worked exclusively on the project, though disruptions from emergencies, weather, and scheduled time off could extend the timeline to two weeks.
An outside contractor quoted $18,000 to complete the installation in two days. Farrag questioned the in-house time estimate, suggesting it appeared inflated. Plecs responded that he didn’t “appreciate you characterizing it as a screw you price from town employees” and defended the facilities team’s work ethic.
The board ultimately decided to have staff begin work immediately and complete the project incrementally over several weeks, prioritizing the main tree and high-visibility areas while understanding that decorations may be less extensive than in previous years.
In other business, the board unanimously approved a $25,000 deposit for July 4th fireworks, to be reimbursed once the organizing committee completes establishment of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Grady noted that 2026 will mark the 250th anniversary of American independence.
The board also approved routine matters including a fee waiver for the Veterans Day celebration and a one-day liquor license for a Cohasset Youth Lacrosse fundraising event with Untold Brewery on November 15.
The meeting, which began at 7 p.m. following an executive session, concluded after 10 p.m.
Why It Matters
A town manager’s departure after more than a decade represents a significant transition in municipal leadership. Town managers oversee day-to-day operations, coordinate between departments, implement Select Board policies, and prepare annual budgets. The search for Senior’s successor and the management of the transition will be critical for maintaining continuity in town services. The heated public criticism expressed Tuesday signals deep frustration among some residents about governance practices, transparency, and the handling of major capital projects. How the Select Board addresses these concerns—particularly regarding meeting accessibility, record-keeping accuracy, and public engagement on major projects—will likely influence residents’ confidence in local government and their willingness to support initiatives requiring voter approval at town meetings.
Meeting Minutes
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: Enter executive session pursuant to M.G.L. c. 30A, §21A(2) to conduct strategy sessions for negotiations with non-union personnel (Town Manager) and pursuant to §21A(1) to discuss complaints or charges against a public officer, employee, staff member or individual. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:01:59)
Motion: Approve waiver of application fee and surcharge fee for Veterans Day event base detail. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:39:41)
Motion: Approve one-day liquor license for Cohasset Youth Lacrosse/Untold Brewery event on November 15, 2025, at Cohasset Sports Complex, 1-4 p.m. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:40:28)
Motion: Recommend Article 11 (lease of school property for siting of solar power electric generation facility) to Special Town Meeting. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:53:15)
Motion: Recommend Article 12 (tuition free full-day kindergarten) to Special Town Meeting. Outcome: Rejected. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:10:00)
Motion: Authorize $25,000 deposit to fireworks vendor for July 2, 2026 event, with reimbursement to town from fundraising efforts. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:43:45)
Motion: Approve minutes of October 7, 2025 Select Board meeting. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 4-0-1 (Plecs abstained due to absence from that meeting). (Timestamp: 1:45:16)
Motion: Adjourn at 10:07 p.m. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:45:50)
Public Comment
An extended public comment period featured critical remarks about town governance from multiple residents. Speakers raised concerns about meeting accessibility for people with disabilities, the accuracy of official meeting minutes, transparency in capital project planning, and the responsiveness of town officials to constituent input. Emma Kagel detailed her experiences attempting to address accessibility compliance issues. Nick Francona filed a formal open meeting law complaint alleging significant discrepancies between meeting minutes and actual proceedings. Jennifer Chu criticized the handling of various town projects. Several speakers called for the termination of the Town Manager’s contract and the resignation of at least one Select Board member. The comments reflected frustration with current leadership and a stated loss of confidence in town governance.
What’s Next
The Select Board will develop a formal transition plan for the Town Manager position and issue a public statement about Senior’s departure timeline. The Public Safety Building Committee will hold public listening sessions in November to gather community input on a revised approach to the project. The committee aims to present a new proposal at a 2026 town meeting. Special Town Meeting convenes November 12 to consider warrant articles including the solar facility lease for school property, the citizen’s petition for full-day kindergarten, creation of an enterprise fund for the Recycling Transfer Facility, and other capital and financial matters. The Town Hall renovation project continues with designer services selection scheduled for November 12. Holiday lights will be installed on the Town Common by facilities staff working incrementally over the coming weeks. The July 4th Fireworks Committee will continue establishing its 501(c)(3) organization to facilitate fundraising for the 2026 celebration marking the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Corrected the select board vote count for full day kindergarten