PLYMOUTH - Dec. 30, 2025 - Facing an unexpected $1.1 million budget shortfall driven by surging health insurance premiums, Town Manager Derek Brindisi announced an immediate hiring freeze for administrative positions and a plan to spent the town’s excess levy capacity to dangerously low levels. The financial shock, revealed just two weeks after an initial budget presentation, has left the town with only $300,000 in levy reserves, prompting Board members to warn that Plymouth is now “one unforeseen expense away from an override.”
The Full Story
Town Manager Derek Brindisi delivered a stark financial update to the Select Board on Tuesday night, revising the Fiscal Year 2027 budget outlook he presented just weeks ago. While initial projections were tight, new data reveals that health insurance premiums are rising by over 14%, creating a $1.1 million gap that the town must immediately fill.
To balance the budget without cutting existing staff, Brindisi proposed a three-pronged approach:
Hiring Freeze: Effective January 1st, all vacant administrative and clerical positions will remain unfilled. This freeze aims to save money through attrition over the next 6 to 12 months.
Draining Reserves: The town will use an additional $700,000 from its excess levy capacity. Combined with previous allocations, this leaves the town with a razor-thin $300,000 cushion.
Road Budget Cut: The roads budget will be slashed by $400,000, reducing it from $2.6 million to $2.2 million.
“I am proposing to institute a hiring freeze effective January 1st... we’re just going to have to live within those means until we can figure out a long-term solution around health insurance.” — Derek Brindisi [02:20:07]
The news sparked intense concern among Board members. Select Board Chair David Golden warned that depleting the levy capacity puts the town in a precarious position where a single emergency could force a Proposition 2 ½ override request—a measure voters have historically rejected.
“We’re now one unforeseen expense away from an override discussion, and I don’t think that there’s any appetite for that in the community,” Golden said [02:33:39].
Vice Chair Richard Quintal emphasized the burden on taxpayers, noting that residents are already struggling with the cost of living. “The first question out of their mouth: ‘Tell me my taxes aren’t going up,’” Quintal said. “Do you honestly think that $1.9 million in new tax levy is going to get us through the next couple years?” [02:33:17]
Why It Matters
This budget crunch directly impacts the town’s ability to maintain services and infrastructure. By slashing the road maintenance budget and freezing hiring, residents may see reduced public services and deferred road repairs. More critically, using the financial reserves removes the town’s opportunities for growth within the levy limit, significantly increasing the likelihood of a tax override vote if any other costs spike in 2026.
Private Roads & Planning for the Future
A Path for Private Roads
DPW Director William Coyle presented a new draft policy to allow the town to accept some of Plymouth’s 133 miles of private roads. The proposed “Street Acceptance Policy” would require 80% of abutters on a private way to petition the town. Residents would likely have to pay 100% of the cost to bring the road up to a passable standard (though not necessarily full subdivision standards) through a betterment tax assessed over 10 or 20 years.
Once upgraded and accepted, the town would take over maintenance and plowing, and the road would become eligible for state Chapter 90 funding.
“We’re not looking to blow that out to 24 or 26 feet with sidewalk on both sides... we just want to make the road passable and in good condition.” — William Coyle [50:40]
New Planning Era
New Director of Planning and Development Lauren Lind laid out her vision for the department, emphasizing the need to streamline permitting and complete the town’s “Comprehensive Plan” (formerly the Master Plan). Lind highlighted the need to modernize zoning bylaws and improve economic development to shift the tax burden away from residents.
Select Board Member Kevin Canty voiced strong support for this direction, arguing that economic growth is the only viable solution to the town’s fiscal woes.
“The way out is not by layoffs... the way out is through economic development... We can’t cut services... all we would be doing is buying more runway out ahead of us.” — Kevin Canty [02:43:42]
Official Minutes & Data
Key Motions & Votes
Proclamation for Roberta “Bobbi” Clark: The Board honored long-time WATD reporter Bobbi Clark upon her retirement.
Vote: Unanimous (5-0) [25:14]
Select Board Policies & Procedures: The Board adopted updated policies. A debate ensued regarding agenda setting; with a motion, Board voted 4-1 (Canty opposed) to require a majority vote to extend the timeline for hearing a member’s agenda item, rather than requiring the member’s consent.
Vote: Unanimous (5-0) [02:16:16]
Adjournment:
Vote: Unanimous (5-0) [03:10:36]
Public Comment
Michael Herz (Precinct 14): Questioned the fairness of requiring residents on private roads to pay for full upgrades before acceptance, arguing they already pay full tax rates without receiving full services [06:30].
Al DiNardo (Precinct 17): Called into the meeting to express alarm at the depleting “reserve levy” and urged the Board to pressure the state delegation for relief from unfunded mandates [02:56:17].
What’s Next
Budget Vote: The Select Board will vote on the final budget recommendation next week.
Comprehensive Plan Workshop: A virtual workshop is scheduled for Thursday, January 8th at 6:00 PM [01:31:19].
New Year’s Bell: The town bell in Town Square will ring 76 times at midnight on New Year’s Eve to welcome 2026, the 250th anniversary year of the United States [02:52:11].
Source Video: Plymouth Meetings: Local Seen Streaming Channel
Really sharp reporting on this crisis. The bit about Al DiNardo urging pressure on state delegation for unfunded mandate relief is huge. Most coverage woulda glossed over that call-in, but it gets at the structural problem here. I've seen similar dynamics in other MA towns where mandated costs like health plans become thecrisis point, and suddenly everyone remembers state requirements arent free. Economic development sounds nice but takes years.