KINGSTON - March 10, 2026 - The Kingston Board of Selectmen met Tuesday to confront a mounting financial hangover following “Blizzard Hernando,” which left the town with a $700,000 snow and ice deficit and approximately $440,000 in preliminary damage assessments. Despite the fiscal strain, the meeting highlighted a dramatic life-saving rescue during the storm and the formal introduction of a new regional mental health clinician team. To bridge budget gaps, the Board also approved a series of fee increases for the town’s transfer station and shellfish licenses, while narrowly voting to hold the line on beach sticker prices.
The Full Story
The meeting opened with a somber but grateful retrospective on the late February blizzard that paralyzed much of the South Shore. Emergency Management Director and Fire Chief Mark Douglass presented a “Winter Storm After-Action Report,” detailing a storm that at its peak dumped four inches of snow per hour [01:11:27]. Douglass reported that the town has submitted an initial damage assessment to the state totaling $440,000 [01:23:46].
The storm was marked by high-stakes emergencies, including a harrowing incident where a large tree limb impaled a town plow windshield, narrowly missing the driver [01:20:00]. Perhaps most significantly, Douglass recounted a life-saving event in which an elderly resident went into cardiac arrest while blowing snow; a bystander performed immediate CPR until emergency crews arrived [01:21:09]. “Saving that gentleman’s life made it all worth it,” Douglass told the Board, visibly moved [01:26:49].
However, the heroics come with a steep price tag. Town Administrator Scott Lambiase reported that the town’s total snow and ice deficit has reached roughly $700,000 [01:52:52]. While Lambiase noted the FY27 budget remains “balancable,” the town may need free cash or to tap into its healthy stabilization fund—which has grown over the last 13 years—to cover the “50-year storm” costs [01:55:23].
Public Safety and Land Use In a move toward modernizing emergency response, the Board formally introduced Kate Eldridge and Gabby Cohen as the town’s new co-response clinicians [56:10]. Working within the Family Services Unit, these professionals will respond alongside officers to mental health and substance use calls across Kingston and four neighboring communities. The program is funded via grants and inter-municipal agreements, aimed at de-escalating crises and diverting individuals from the criminal justice system [57:48].
The Board also granted the Police Department authorization to use a vacant town-owned lot at 6 Maple Avenue (Lot 45-62) for vehicle storage and parking [01:08:19]. Police Chief Brian Holmes noted the department is “completely out of space” and struggled to move vehicles for plowing during the recent blizzard [01:03:35]. The authorization allows the department to begin planning for paving the lot using existing budget funds or Chapter 90 money.
The Rising Cost of Service Fee increases dominated the second half of the meeting as department heads sought to make town services more self-sustaining. Superintendent of Streets, Trees, and Parks Shawn Turner proposed a $20 increase for transfer station stickers, bringing the regular rate to approximately $260 [01:29:17]. Turner explained that the transfer station currently faces a $200,000 deficit and the increase is part of a three-year plan to eliminate taxpayer subsidies for the facility [01:31:49].
Shellfish license fees were also overhauled. Shellfish Constable Daniel Cullivan presented a simplified fee structure: $50 for residents and $125 for non-residents [01:38:10]. After a brief deliberation, the Board voted to increase the discount for seniors (62+) and veterans to $20, resulting in a $30 resident senior license [01:40:48].
In contrast, the Board saw its only split vote regarding beach stickers. Despite recommendations to raise fees to match other departments, the Board voted 4-1 to maintain 2025 rates ($30 for residents) [01:45:22]. Selectman Kim Emberg, the lone dissent, argued that fees should be increased gradually to avoid large “jumps” in the future [01:44:04].
Why It Matters
For Kingston residents, the meeting signals a tightening of the belt. While the town is successfully leveraging regional grants for social services, the “users pay” philosophy is driving up the cost of everyday municipal services like trash disposal. Furthermore, the $700,000 snow deficit may force the town to use reserve funds that would otherwise be earmarked for long-term capital projects.
Official Minutes & Data
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: To approve the parade for Kingston’s 300th Anniversary on July 25, 2026.
Vote: Unanimous [55:00]
Motion: To authorize the Police Department to use Lot 45-62 at 6 Maple Avenue for parking.
Vote: Unanimous [01:08:19]
Motion: To accept a $50,000 donation to the Council on Aging from the estate of Virginia Barbara Potter.
Vote: Unanimous [01:29:12]
Motion: To approve the 2026-27 Transfer Station sticker fee increases (~$20 increase).
Vote: Unanimous [01:37:15]
Motion: To approve the Shellfish Fee schedule with an increased $20 discount for seniors/veterans.
Vote: Unanimous [01:41:15]
Motion: To maintain the 2026 Beach Sticker fees at 2025 levels.
Vote: 4-1 (Emberg dissenting) [01:45:22]
Public Comment
Holly Nighelli (Director of Elder Affairs): Announced the $50,000 unrestricted donation from the estate of Virginia Barbara Potter, a regular senior center visitor [52:09].
Will Cushman: Briefly questioned the reasoning behind the transfer station fee hikes but was asked to return for the next open forum for a full discussion [01:37:36].
What’s Next
Full Budget Presentation: Scheduled for the next meeting on March 24, 2026 [01:49:38].
Annual Town Meeting: Saturday, May 2, 2026, at Kingston Intermediate School [50:38].
Infrastructure Planning: The Board plans to schedule a joint meeting with the Water and Sewer Commissions to discuss long-term asset management [01:46:39].
Source Video: Kingston Meetings: Local Seen Streaming Channel
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