Plymouth Launches Comprehensive Health Assessment Initiative
Town partners with experts to evaluate community needs and develop 5-year strategic plan
PLYMOUTH - July 22 - The Plymouth Select Board moved forward with a comprehensive community health assessment project and considered implementing townwide speed limit reductions during its July 22 meeting at Town Hall.
Health Resources in Action, a Boston-based nonprofit organization, presented details of Plymouth's Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan project. The $150,000 initiative, funded through ARPA money, represents a first for the town and positions Plymouth as the first municipality in the coastal southeast region to complete the comprehensive health planning process.
"Out of 351 Massachusetts municipalities, approximately only 20 individual municipalities and municipal coalitions across the commonwealth have completed the CHA-CHIP process in its entirety," said Michelle Bratti, Commissioner of Health and Human Services.
The assessment will examine health-related needs and strengths within Plymouth's community, focusing on social determinants of health including housing, mental health across the lifespan, economic development, and connection to community resources. The project includes community surveys, key informant interviews with local leaders, and focus groups with residents.
Heather Nelson, Managing Director of Research and Evaluation at Health Resources in Action, explained the assessment will build upon existing work rather than duplicating efforts. "This process will build off of and expand upon work that has been done here already, and everyone who has knowledge and expertise," Nelson said.
The 20-month project timeline includes multiple community engagement phases, with data collection beginning this fall and planning sessions scheduled for next year. The final Community Health Improvement Plan will establish three to four priority areas for coordinated community action.
Board members expressed particular interest in addressing Plymouth's unique demographics, including its large population of residents over 62 and the challenge of housing affordability for younger residents.
Chair Kevin Canty highlighted concerns about residents aged 25 to 35 being unable to purchase homes in Plymouth. "I don't think that story plays out very often in Plymouth anymore and that's of concern, to me at least," Canty said.
The board also considered implementing a townwide statutory speed limit reduction from 30 mph to 25 mph in thickly settled areas and business districts. Acting Town Engineer Richard Bosse presented the proposal, which would affect approximately 1,500 of the town's 2,200 roadways.
The speed reduction, authorized by 2016 state legislation and approved by Plymouth's 2022 fall town meeting, aims to improve safety by providing drivers more time to react and reducing stopping distances. Currently, 99 Massachusetts towns and cities have implemented the reduced speed limit, with 18 choosing a street-by-street approach.
"MassDOT also recommends implementation on a townwide basis to avoid confusion with drivers," Bosse said. "The Town of Plymouth DPW and Police Department also recommend implementation on a townwide basis."
However, the board decided to delay voting on the speed limit reduction to allow for public review of affected streets. The decision follows concerns about implementing such a broad change without additional community input.
"I think changing all of that at once is also a big ask for some people to swallow," Canty said, requesting that staff create detailed maps showing which roads would be affected before proceeding with a vote.
The board received updates on several ongoing issues, including Cedarville Landfill monitoring and Memorial Hall air quality concerns. David Gould, Director of Energy and Environment, provided an overview of the town's three landfills and their monitoring protocols.
Following concerns raised by residents at a recent community meeting, the board directed staff to explore increasing groundwater testing frequency at the Cedarville landfill from semi-annual to quarterly monitoring. The board also requested that test results be made publicly available to address community concerns about water quality.
"I think if we could look at testing it on a quarterly basis and see what that would entail. And number two, work on the dissemination of that information when it becomes available to ease people's concerns," Canty said.
Town Manager Derek Brindisi addressed Memorial Hall air quality issues following a July contractor incident where construction debris was improperly dispersed throughout the building using a leaf blower. The town hired Servpro for professional cleaning and conducted air quality testing through Indoor Air Doctor, which found contaminant levels below normal thresholds.
"We have made the determination that the building is safe and that there has been no hazardous exposure to an individual or any one of our employees," Brindisi said.
During public comment, residents raised concerns about various issues including the abandoned Burt's Restaurant building, Plymouth Housing Authority air conditioning units, and the upcoming sister city trip to Japan. Several speakers questioned the cost and selection process for the Japan delegation.
The board also addressed administrative matters including voter registration updates. Town Clerk staff reported mailing 21,000 postcards to voters who failed to respond to the 2025 annual street listing, explaining the process for maintaining active voter status.
The board scheduled future discussions on several topics including potential demolition procedures for abandoned buildings, e-bike regulations, and Memorial Hall renovation funding strategies.