Fire Station Faces State Safety Violations, Must Address Building Deficiencies by November

PLYMPTON - October 22 - The Plympton Board of Selectmen confronted a state safety citation against the town’s fire station on October 22, requiring immediate corrective action on multiple building violations including water drainage issues, electrical hazards, and inadequate space—with a November 17 deadline looming for remediation plans.

The Full Story

Town Administrator Liz Dennehy presented the Board of Selectmen with a citation from the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards’ Workplace Safety and Health Program following a May 27, 2025 inspection of the fire station. The violations paint a picture of a facility struggling with fundamental infrastructure problems that threaten both the building’s integrity and the safety of firefighters working there.

The most significant issue involves the building’s drainage system, which has created cascading problems throughout the facility. A floor vent in the kitchen area regularly allows water to seep upward, and water comes up from all floor drains throughout the building. Making matters worse, the heating duct work is located in the floor and has filled with water “from time to time,” according to Dennehy’s report. While the town has taken measures to mitigate runoff from the adjacent field, those efforts have proven inadequate.

The drainage problems have led to additional violations, including leaks in the ceiling that are currently being contained with disposable aluminum drip pans. Dennehy acknowledged that addressing the floor drain issue “is a more complicated fix because it involves all of their floor drains and they have the duct work for the heating system is in the floor.”

Beyond the water issues, state inspectors identified a serious electrical hazard: the building’s electrical panel is located directly against water piping, creating a dangerous situation whenever condensation or leaks occur. Dennehy noted that previous discussions with the former Town Properties Committee chair had envisioned addressing this problem as part of the municipal buildings public water supply project, potentially absorbing the cost when new water service is brought in. Board member Nathaniel Sides raised concerns about substandard work involving the electrical panel, and Dennehy mentioned a generator that may also require attention from a licensed electrician.

The citation also documented space deficiencies that illustrate how inadequate the facility has become for modern firefighting operations. The town previously had to cut a box into the back wall just to accommodate the ladder truck inside the building, and inspectors noted insufficient space between vehicles.

The state has set a November 17 corrective action deadline for all violations to be mitigated. Dennehy recommended that Fire Chief request an extension but emphasized the need to first obtain pricing on moving duct work to the ceiling and develop a comprehensive game plan to demonstrate to the state what immediate measures are being taken.

The Board voted unanimously to refer the fire station issues, along with several other property matters, to the newly reformed Town Properties Committee for review and action. Dennehy indicated she would provide the committee with background information and emphasized the need for collaborative work to address all citation items.

The fire station problems were part of a broader discussion about municipal building maintenance. The meeting also addressed recently completed air sampling results from the townhouse basement, which found no problematic levels requiring remediation, though moisture issues persist. The Board of Health has lifted its order preventing access to the basement space.

Dennehy proposed having ServPro conduct a one-time deep cleaning of the townhouse basement once the Treasurer’s Office completes disposal of old records. “Those are old files in a moisture-filled basement, it’s not the best scenario,” she explained. The goal would be to give departments “a fresh slate down there” before implementing permanent dehumidification solutions. The town currently has one dehumidifier running in the basement after resolving issues with a hose and emptying procedures.

In discussing future use of the townhouse basement, board members acknowledged the need to revisit which departments are utilizing which rooms. Currently, the planning board uses it for office space, the fire department stores medical supplies there, and the police department has expressed potential interest in using the space as well.

The Board also formally referred the municipal buildings public water supply project to the Town Properties Committee, with instructions to update the Board of Health and submit monthly progress reports on all active projects. Dennehy reported that approximately $118,495 in ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds remain available for the water supply project, split between site work/construction and pavement/overlay work. However, those federal funds carry a December 31, 2026 spending deadline.

Dennehy said she would ask the Town Properties Committee to work with the project manager to quickly determine actual construction costs so the town can calculate what additional funding may be needed beyond ARPA dollars. The goal is to put the project out to bid during the winter months and begin construction in spring 2025.

In other business, the Board approved a response to an open meeting law complaint filed by Patrick Higgins on October 6, 2025. Town Counsel had prepared a draft response for the Board’s consideration, which members voted unanimously to approve and authorize for submission.

The Board appointed Mike Slawson as the Area 58 Board Member and Plympton Representative for a term running through June 30, 2026. The appointment was approved unanimously.

Town Clerk’s Office submitted a policy clarification regarding a discrepancy in dog licensing late fees. A 2020 bylaw change published in e-code lists the late fee as “$25” in writing but “$50” in parenthetical numeric value. The Town Clerk will charge the lesser $25 amount until the discrepancy can be corrected at an upcoming town meeting.

Dennehy provided an update on ARPA fund reconciliation with the county, reporting successful closeout of several project numbers. Still on the books are three projects for HVAC work at Silver Lake Regional schools (middle and high school), with costs split among the three member towns based on their typical assessment percentages. The district bills Plympton periodically, and those funds remain set aside in the county ARPA account.

The town administrator also announced submission of a grant application to the Green Communities program seeking $99,351 for weatherization work at the townhouse, including insulation and improvements to the attic area. Dennehy thanked Ross MacPherson for attending a site visit and providing “useful feedback as far as what types of projects would make sense and how we could get the most bang for our buck as far as energy savings.”

During public comment, resident discussion turned to the Board’s decision to hold meetings during daytime hours rather than evenings. One resident, Mark Wallis, questioned how the practice could be changed, arguing that “there’s a number of people that I’ve talked to that have a problem with daytime. They work, the majority of the people in the town work daytime.” Dennehy responded that the Board had held evening meetings “for like almost eight years plus, probably going back longer than I’ve been here, so like ten years, twelve years” with no public attendance, while daytime meetings have drawn more participants and resulted in cost savings by avoiding overtime for hourly employees and evening rates for consultants.

Board Chair Dana Smith noted that all meetings are now recorded and available on YouTube for viewing at any time, unlike the previous cable access system that required watching at specific broadcast times. He added that residents with concerns about agenda items can request to be added to a future meeting agenda through proper channels. The Board’s Administrative Assistant, Briggette Martins, noted that when the daytime meeting schedule was initially adopted, the Board had agreed it would hold evening meetings when specific issues drew significant public interest.

Why It Matters

The state safety violations at the fire station represent more than bureaucratic citations—they highlight infrastructure deficiencies that could compromise emergency response capabilities and firefighter safety. Water infiltration damaging electrical systems and heating equipment creates both immediate safety hazards and long-term operational risks. With ARPA funding deadlines approaching and construction timelines stretching into 2026, Plympton residents should understand that addressing these problems will require both financial resources and coordinated planning across multiple town committees. The November 17 deadline puts pressure on town officials to develop a credible remediation plan quickly, even as the town juggles multiple other building maintenance projects including the water supply upgrade and townhouse basement issues.

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Meeting Minutes

Key Motions & Votes

• Motion: To refer municipal buildings public water supply project, townhouse basement moisture issues, and fire station plans to Town Properties Committee, with requirement for monthly updates to Board of Selectmen and coordination with Board of Health on water supply project. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 12:44)

• Motion: To approve response to open meeting law complaint filed by Patrick Higgins dated October 6, 2025, and authorize Town Counsel to submit response on behalf of the Board. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 15:03)

• Motion: To appoint Mike Slawson as Area 58 Board Member and Plympton Representative from October 22, 2025 to June 30, 2026. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 15:04)

• Motion: To approve meeting minutes from September 8 and October 6, 2025 as submitted. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 20:53)

• Motion: To adjourn open session and enter Executive Session pursuant to MGL Chapter 30A, Section 21A, Purpose 2, to conduct strategy sessions for negotiations with non-union personnel (Executive Information Coordinator, Town Accountant, Police Sergeant), not to return to open session. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous via roll call (Mr. Sides: Aye, Mr. Smith: Aye). (Timestamp: 31:49)

Public Comment

Two residents participated in public comment. Patrick Higgins inquired whether documents read during the meeting, specifically the fire station evaluation, would be posted with meeting minutes; the Town Administrator confirmed they are public records. Mark Wallis, raised concerns about daytime meeting scheduling preventing working residents from attending and requested the issue be reconsidered, proposing alternating between day and evening meetings. Board members explained the history of low evening attendance, cost savings from daytime meetings, and availability of recorded meetings online, though they acknowledged the tension between accessibility and fiscal responsibility.

What’s Next

The Town Properties Committee will begin work on the fire station violations, municipal water supply project, and townhouse basement moisture remediation, submitting monthly email updates to the Board of Selectmen. The Fire Chief will request an extension on the November 17 state citation deadline after obtaining pricing for moving heating duct work to the ceiling and developing a comprehensive remediation plan. The Town Administrator will provide the Town Properties Committee with background information and work collaboratively on response to state violations. Pricing will be obtained for ServPro cleaning of townhouse basement once the Treasurer’s Office completes records disposal. The Tree warden will provide additional quotes for stump removal at old townhouse. The Town Accountant will follow up on departments whose spending is not aligned with fiscal year percentage for next meeting’s financial report. The discrepancy in dog licensing late fees will be corrected at an upcoming town meeting. Next Board of Selectmen meetings scheduled for November 5 and November 17, with times to be determined.

Full meeting available via Area 58.