PEMBROKE - September 24 - The Pembroke Select Board voted unanimously to recommend all articles for the upcoming special town meeting, including $452,000 for the school district following increased state Chapter 70 funding and $300,000 to advance the library expansion project using trust funds donated by the Peterson family.
The Full Story
Town Manager Bill Chenard presented the board with revised warrant articles totaling significant expenditures from various funding sources. The largest appropriation is $452,000 for Pembroke Public Schools, which became possible after the state increased Chapter 70 aid beyond original projections made in May.
“The state on state aid, Chapter 70, they gave us more money than we had estimated in May,” Chenard explained to the board.
The capital spending plan includes several major infrastructure projects. The town will appropriate $25,000 from free cash to partner with Duxbury on treatment of the lower Chandler Mill Pond, continuing a shared responsibility for the waterway that straddles both communities. The Park Street culvert, located just off Mattakeesett Street, requires design and modeling work due to ongoing problems with the structure.
A significant technology upgrade received attention as the town moves forward with a fiber connectivity project. Having secured a $250,000 grant, the town is requesting $160,000 in supplemental funding from free cash to complete the project at 100%. The fiber network will connect the new police and fire stations, school buildings, water infrastructure, and town buildings throughout the municipality.
The library roof project faced cost overruns, with bids coming in consistently higher than anticipated. The board approved requesting an additional $110,000 from free cash to complete the work. “The bids are all very consistent and they are $20,000 apart,” Chenard noted.
The school district also received approval for two additional capital requests: $30,000 for water line issues at North Pembroke Elementary School and $12,000 for a new gymnasium scoreboard at Pembroke Community Middle School.
The board unanimously approved joining the South Shore Vocational Technical School district, with Town Manager Chenard emphasizing this action only authorizes negotiations. “This doesn’t fund anything. It just allows the town to negotiate the contract and move forward with joining,” he explained. Any final commitment would require both debt exclusion and operating overrides to be approved at spring town meeting and subsequent ballot questions.
Community Preservation Committee projects received blanket approval, totaling $67,000 for historic preservation work. The First Church will receive $11,000 for Sewing Circle building roof repairs, while the Quaker Meeting House needs an additional $20,000 beyond original projections due to higher-than-expected bid prices. The Historical Society secured $6,000 for building repairs, and the town-owned Bethel Chapel will receive $30,000 for painting work to complete ongoing restoration efforts.
The board also approved three collective bargaining agreements for AFSCME union units covering clerical, water, and Department of Public Works employees. These contracts were settled recently and require town meeting funding approval.
Board member Dan Trabucco questioned the process of school capital requests coming through town funding rather than the school operating budget. Chenard explained the town’s capital budgeting strategy: “We want to structure our capital projects all under our capital budgeting and capital financing process. I have been encouraging the schools to not put capital within their operating budget but to participate in the town’s capital process.”
A significant portion of the meeting addressed a controversial $20,000 stipend previously awarded to the town manager in executive session but never voted publicly. The board rectified this procedural error, though Board Chair Tracy Marino cast the sole dissenting vote. The stipend was based on salary comparisons with 19 comparable communities, where Pembroke’s town manager salary ranked in the bottom quartile.
Public comment raised concerns about the timing and process of the town manager stipend, with residents questioning how the amount was calculated and why it differed from standard merit increases. The town manager explained that comparable communities averaged $206,000 in total compensation, with Pembroke at $168,000 prior to recent adjustments.
The meeting concluded with approval of a purchase and sale agreement for 660 Washington Street, voted in executive session due to ongoing negotiations.
During announcements, the Memorial Committee invited the Select Board to participate in Pembroke’s first Veterans Day Parade on November 11th, stepping off at 9:30 AM from a location still being finalized. The parade will conclude with a ceremony at the usual Memorial Day location.
The Pembroke Library Foundation made a special presentation recognizing the Peterson family’s historic $1 million donation for the library children’s room expansion. Foundation President Bob DeMarzo announced that 82% of needed funding has been raised through private donations, eliminating the need for borrowing or override votes to complete the project.
Why It Matters
The special town meeting articles represent major investments in education, infrastructure, and historic preservation using a combination of state aid increases, grant funds, and local appropriations. The school funding increase directly benefits students through additional Chapter 70 resources, while the fiber connectivity project will improve municipal operations and school technology capabilities for years to come. The library expansion, funded primarily through private donations, will significantly enhance children’s programming and create dedicated spaces for local history preservation.
Meeting Minutes
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: Approve farm stand permit for Nathan Popolosky at 296 Elm Street for vegetable and firewood sales. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 13:45)
Motion: Approve Boys and Girls Club 5K road race permit for November 23, 2025. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 15:33)
Motion: Approve meeting minutes for August 20, September 10, and September 17, 2025. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 16:22)
Motion: Favorable action on Town Meeting Article 1 ($452,000 for schools, $15,000 for police chief assessment). Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 19:15)
Motion: Favorable action on Town Meeting Article 2 (Capital projects totaling $625,000). Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 24:40)
Motion: Favorable action on Town Meeting Article 6 (Join South Shore Vocational Technical School). Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 26:36)
Motion: Favorable action on Town Meeting Article 8 (CPC projects A, B, C, and D totaling $67,000). Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 33:00)
Motion: Favorable action on Town Meeting Article 9 (Fund collective bargaining contracts). Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 34:35)
Motion: Issue $20,000 stipend to town manager. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 3-1 (Marino dissenting). (Timestamp: 41:09)
Motion: Accept purchase and sale agreement for 660 Washington Street. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:22:25)
Public Comment
Residents raised detailed questions about the town manager stipend calculation, comparison methodologies, and procedural concerns about executive session voting. Additional questions addressed waste management cost increases and the availability of recycling audit results.
What’s Next
Special town meeting will vote on all recommended articles. The Memorial Committee will finalize Veterans Day Parade staging location. Groundbreaking ceremonies for fire substations scheduled for Monday afternoon at 4:30 PM (Monroe and School Street) and 6 PM (Washington and Barker Street). Public Safety Day scheduled for Sunday from 10 AM to 1 PM at the Community Center.