Duxbury Announces New Operating Hours for Town Hall and Public Facilities
Changes effective July 1 include extended Monday hours for Town Hall, Friday closures, and Sunday library closures, while three key municipal positions receive new hires.
DUXBURY - July 14 - Duxbury has implemented new operating hours for several municipal facilities effective July 1, 2025, with Town Hall extending Monday hours while closing to the public on Fridays.
Town Hall and Old Town Hall now operate Monday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and remain closed to the public on Fridays. The Duxbury Free Library has eliminated Sunday hours, while the Transfer Station maintains its Wednesday through Sunday schedule from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Town Manager René Read announced the successful filling of three critical municipal positions during Monday's Selectboard meeting. Matthew Heins started as the new Planning Director on July 9, while Lauren Haché began her role as Health Agent following Tracy Mayo's retirement on July 7. Scott Timulty, formerly the Assistant Assessor, was promoted to Assessor and started in his new position Monday.
"Goal met," said Selectboard member Michael McGee when Read introduced Heins to the board and public.
The new Planning Director received applause from the board and audience members present at the meeting.
"Thanks for the applause. I look forward to working for the town, and great planning and so forth," Heins said. "I'm definitely very happy to be here, and I look forward to it."
Read emphasized the importance of filling these long-vacant positions, particularly noting the challenges the town faced operating without a permanent Planning Director.
The staffing updates came during a busy meeting that included Plymouth County officials presenting a final $405,858 check to the town as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) program. County Treasurer Tom O'Brien noted this marked the end of a four-year program that helped communities navigate federal funding requirements.
"It has really been a remarkable period of time doing CARES and ARPA," O'Brien said. "We were able to do the administrative cost at less than the national average."
The county administered the ARPA program at under 1% cost, significantly below the national average of 7% to 8% and the New England average of 5%, resulting in more funding available for local communities.
Duxbury used ARPA funds for various infrastructure projects including repairing the school's PA system, completing a classification study, fixing sewer lift pumps, replacing water meter inventory, and purchasing electronic message boards.
The Selectboard also approved a Class 2 used car dealer license for Shawn Boyd to operate at 260-266 St. George Street. The application, which went through planning board review, allows for up to 20 vehicles on the shared property that also houses an auto repair shop and gas station.
Resident concerns about increased traffic on the busy St. George Street intersection prompted questions about vehicle display locations and customer parking arrangements.
"It's becoming such a busy intersection, lots going on there," said resident who lives on Onion Hill Road. "I have a concern since Cox Corner now has a used car dealership and I don't know where we need another used car dealership."
Boyd explained that vehicles would be displayed along the fence line and behind the building, with marked spaces to separate used car inventory from auto repair customer parking.
The board accepted a donation from the Council on Aging for an ADA-compliant picnic table at Shipyard Beach. The project, spearheaded by the Livable Duxbury Task Force, will create a 12-foot by 14-foot level area accessible to wheelchair users with harbor views.
"Our vision is we are going to create a level 12-foot by 14-foot area that will support a picnic table, a comfortable area for somebody in a wheelchair to be able to sit and have views of our whole harbor," said Penny Herlihy, representing the project.
The initiative involves multiple community partners including Duxbury Construction, Bent and Sons Cement, the Duxbury Garden Club, and the Friends of the Council on Aging, with costs estimated at approximately $4,000.
Read provided an update on Duxbury Beach operations, noting ongoing compliance issues with state regulators regarding speed limits and safety protocols. The beach currently hosts four piping plover incubating nests, 17 broods, and 13 fledged broods.
"The speed limit on all sections of the back road remains five miles per hour," Read emphasized. "If we're not compliant, they can close us down."
State regulators conducted two compliance visits in early July, expressing concerns about speeding and enforcement along the back road, as well as dogs in restricted areas and unauthorized driving in off-limits zones.
The board also approved fiscal year 2025 end-of-year budget transfers totaling $485,432, representing approximately half a percent of the town's total budget. Finance Director Mary MacKinnon explained the transfers address routine year-end adjustments, including $70,000 for police overtime and $90,000 for fire overtime.
The next Selectboard meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 28, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.