PLYMOUTH - December 2 - The Plymouth Select Board voted unanimously to support Father Bill’s & MainSpring’s application for state funding to build a $14 million housing resource center that would provide 30 emergency shelter beds and 16 permanent supportive housing units at the First Baptist Church property on Court Street, transforming the town’s seasonal, overnight-only homeless shelter into a year-round, 24-hour facility with wraparound services.
The Full Story
John Yazwinski, CEO of Father Bill’s & MainSpring, presented the ambitious project to the Select Board, explaining that the organization has been working with Plymouth’s Task Force to End Homelessness since 2005 and currently operates the seasonal “overnights of hospitality” winter shelter program that rotates among local churches from Thanksgiving weekend through early April. The current system serves approximately 25 to 30 people nightly during its limited winter operation, but Yazwinski noted that an additional 15 to 20 individuals experience homelessness in Plymouth outside those hours and months, bringing the total to approximately 40 to 50 people at any given time.
“What happens now across the Commonwealth and what happens in Plymouth when the overnights is open is the state really looks at funding shelters at night and then people have to leave during the daytime and they kind of fend for themselves,” Yazwinski explained. The proposed housing resource center would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing not just emergency shelter but also daytime programming, healthcare clinics, job fairs, and other supportive services.
The facility would be built on the back portion of the First Baptist Church property under a purchase and sale agreement where Father Bill’s & MainSpring would buy the entire property but lease the church building back to the congregation in perpetuity. The church would use the acquisition funds for capital improvements and life safety upgrades to their building.
Jon Lanham, Chief Operating Officer of Father Bill’s & MainSpring, described the design philosophy behind the shelter dormitory space, which would feature 30 individual beds with privacy cubicle walls, personal lockers, charging stations, and 16 secure holding rooms specifically for behavioral health needs. “We really are trying to make it a peaceful, restful space for the guests who are coming in,” Lanham said, noting this represents a significant improvement over traditional shelter designs with large auditorium-style rooms and bunk beds.
The 16 permanent supportive housing units would be efficiency apartments of just over 300 square feet each, complete with full bathrooms and kitchenettes, targeting the chronically homeless population—individuals who have experienced homelessness for multiple years and often struggle with mental health issues or other disabilities. Residents would pay 30 percent of their income toward rent under yearly leases funded by project-based vouchers and mass rental vouchers, building housing history that could help them eventually transition to other housing options.
“We don’t want to set somebody up to fail,” Yazwinski said when asked about length of stay. “If they’re doing well there, we don’t want them to be the next night at the doorway of the shelter.” He explained that some residents might stay for six months to a year, while others dealing with more complex challenges might remain for three to four years, with the goal always being to help people move toward independence.
The project received preliminary approval from the state just before Thanksgiving, allowing Father Bill’s & MainSpring to submit a full application due December 18. The total project cost is estimated at over $14 million, requiring the organization to raise significant private funds to supplement state capital assistance. Yazwinski noted that Father Bill’s & MainSpring has successfully completed similar projects in Quincy (a $23 million, 30-unit housing resource center with 130 shelter beds) and Brockton (a $20 million facility) over the past three years.
Select Board member Kevin Canty emphasized the importance of the project in the context of Plymouth’s growing population and housing challenges. “There’s a lot of people that are a lot closer to needing the services that your organization provides than they’d like to admit,” Canty said, noting that homelessness is not a moral failing and that many Americans are one unexpected $400 expense away from financial crisis. He also pointed out that for many years Plymouth had a homeless population but no shelters, effectively “burdening the social safety net without really contributing to it” by relying on other communities to shelter Plymouth residents.
Select Board member Bill Keohan praised the long history of the Plymouth Task Force to End Homelessness, which formed 20 years ago after a tragic incident where a homeless person was killed while seeking shelter during a storm. “Obviously, your connection to federal and state resources to leverage what we have here locally in terms of sweat equity and passion and volunteerism can be turned into a project of this magnitude,” Keohan said.
The 16 supportive housing units would count toward Plymouth’s affordable housing inventory under state Chapter 40B requirements, providing an additional benefit to the town. Yazwinski also mentioned plans to provide shuttle service to key locations in town and to bring various support services—including healthcare providers, job fairs, and adult basic education programs—directly to the facility.
Father Bill’s & MainSpring has reported a 30 percent increase in homelessness across its service area over the past two years, consistent with trends in urban, suburban, and rural communities throughout Massachusetts and across the country. The organization currently shelters over 120 families nightly, maintains over 800 units of supportive housing, and shelters over 300 individuals across the South Shore region.
Earlier in the evening, the Select Board also heard a comprehensive update from Beth Israel Deaconess Plymouth Hospital about its ongoing $50 million emergency department expansion and other capital projects. Kevin Coughlin, retiring president of the hospital, and Erin Yale, chief operating officer, detailed plans to double the emergency department’s square footage, add 37 private treatment rooms (up from just five currently), and create 16 secure behavioral health holding rooms to address increasing mental health needs.
The hospital project is currently in Phase 1A, with 12 new private rooms expected to open in spring 2026 and full completion anticipated by October 31, 2028. The hospital is also building a new $14 million cancer center at 10 Cordage Park Circle, tripling the size of the current facility with 17 exam rooms (up from 12) and 36 infusion bays (up from 22), with an expected opening in spring 2027.
Coughlin emphasized the hospital’s workforce challenges, noting that while healthcare worker salaries are relatively consistent nationwide, Massachusetts’ high cost of living makes it difficult to recruit and retain staff. “Almost every hospital in Massachusetts is losing money,” Coughlin told the board, explaining the difficult financial environment facing healthcare providers while also committing to expanding services to meet the community’s growing needs.
The hospital has also purchased and reopened the former Compass Medical facility in Middleborough as a 30,000-square-foot medical office with urgent care, 16 primary care providers, and specialists in orthopedics, cardiology, and endocrinology. Hospital officials are exploring strategic partnerships with the town on workforce housing, having already worked with a local developer on a focus group with healthcare workers to understand their housing needs and preferences.
In other business, the Select Board postponed a vote on an underground storage license for High Rock Cranberry Crescent LLC for a new gas station at 2 Commerce Way after board members indicated they needed more detailed engineering plans and documentation about the 35,000 gallons of flammable liquids and 6,000 gallons of combustible liquids storage before making a decision. The petitioner will return to a future meeting with additional materials.
The board approved extension of alcohol service hours until 2 a.m. on January 1, 2026, for approximately 160 liquor license holders in town for New Year’s Eve celebrations. The board also accepted a $9,600 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Recycling Dividends Program to support recycling equipment purchases and waste reduction program promotion.
Town Moderator Steve Triffletti addressed the board about the Massachusetts Moderators Association’s initiative for the upcoming 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. “We covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic for our better ordering and preservation,” Triffletti read from the 1620 Mayflower Compact, emphasizing Plymouth’s unique role as the birthplace of town meeting government and the importance of civil discourse in local democracy. The moderator is working to promote civic discourse principles throughout town meeting proceedings during the semi-quincentennial celebration.
The Select Board conducted an extensive appointment process for multiple committees. James Latimer Buckley was appointed to the Plymouth Airport Community Advisory Committee after receiving three of five votes over competitors Matthew James Quinn and Robert Michael Rudman. Buckley, a Plymouth resident for over 40 years with a background in STEM and data analysis, emphasized his interest in balancing Plymouth’s history and culture with necessary progress at the airport.
For the Board of Health alternate position, Kathryn Ann Morini received unanimous support from the board. Morini, a registered nurse who has worked in Plymouth since 2004 and currently serves as Director of Nursing at Newfield House, impressed board members with her extensive healthcare background, her work with the Plymouth Recovery Center, and her advocacy on substance use issues including the current effort to ban kratom products in Plymouth. She has attended multiple Board of Health meetings and was actively involved with the Plymouth Youth Development Coalition.
The board appointed three members to the Memorial Advisory Committee, which had been on hiatus for approximately a year. Jennifer Maciver Edwards was appointed to a one-year term, Jeanette Kelly to a two-year term, and Alice Baker to a three-year term. All three demonstrated understanding of the committee’s unique responsibility to apply policies they do not set, often delivering difficult news to grieving families when memorial applications do not meet established criteria.
Baker, chair of the Manomet Village Steering Committee and a community activist with 25 years of banking experience, described personally guiding a family through the memorial application process for Plymouth firefighter Paul Asiaf, calling the existing policy “perfect” while acknowledging policies can and should change as needed. Kelly has served as a town meeting member since 2014, currently chairs Precinct 14, and serves on the Manomet Steering Committee. Edwards, who runs the Community Art Collaborative, emphasized opportunities to tell important stories through the memorial process and involve younger residents in civic education.
Lauren Davis was appointed to the Cultural Council, where she plans to explore partnerships between arts initiatives and the Plymouth Family Network while potentially incorporating expressive arts therapy approaches for various populations including the homeless community. Christopher Correa, a civil engineer with 18 years of road construction experience including projects in Plymouth, was appointed to the Roads Advisory Committee. Select Board member Bill Keohan agreed to serve as the board’s designee to that committee.
Town Manager Derek Brindisi took time during his report to recognize Planning Director Lee Hartmann, who is retiring Friday, December 5, after 37 years of service to Plymouth. Hartmann started as town planner in 1988 and rose to director of planning, while also serving as town manager on at least two occasions during times of leadership transition. “Lee has had a dedication and commitment to this community” that will be deeply missed, Brindisi said, noting that Hartmann has been his personal advisor on town management matters.
Select Board member Kevin Canty added his own tribute, noting that much of his positive childhood experience growing up in Plymouth was due to dedicated employees like Hartmann and Finance Director Lynne Barrett. “They are true assets and pillars of what makes our town function, and I think that their absence will be felt in ways that we can speculate about but will not fully appreciate until they are gone,” Canty said.
Assistant Town Manager Silvio Genao provided project updates including completion of water main work at the Jenney Gristmill by week’s end, installation of traffic signal mast arms at the Long Pond and Halfway Pond Road intersection, and progress on the Route 80 sidewalk project. The DPW recently installed a curtain drain at Memorial Hall to address water issues.
Genao also announced community events including a donation of 1,000 prepared meals to veterans and military families on December 23 from 3 to 6 p.m. by the Medic Now Foundation and Plymouth Area Veterans Center, a VFW toy drive for children in need, and special holiday reopening of the Swap-N-Shop on Saturdays, December 13 and 20, from 9 a.m. to noon at 33 Hedges Pond Road. The master plan is in final stages with public engagement scheduled for January before presentation to the planning board and select board for review and approval. Nomination papers for the May 2026 election will be available at the town clerk’s office starting January 5.
Keohan raised concerns during old business about a recent court proceeding regarding Plymouth’s 1998 agreement with the native population, saying he was unaware discussions were taking place to potentially alter that agreement until after court filings. “I think that hopefully in the future, that those discussions will come back to the board before they reach a level where we’re not all well-informed of the requests that we’re making,” Keohan said, emphasizing that agreements negotiated and signed by past boards should not be altered without current board input and awareness.
Keohan also responded to a resident letter about beach barrel removal, thanking staff for keeping trash receptacles at Whitehorse Beach and requesting the town consider keeping barrels at beaches and parks like Whitehorse Beach, Plymouth Beach, and Morton Park longer into the season and bringing them out earlier, as people continue visiting these locations for hiking and recreation beyond traditional summer months.
Why It Matters
The proposed year-round homeless shelter and supportive housing facility represents a major shift in how Plymouth addresses homelessness, moving from a seasonal, overnight-only approach that forces people onto the streets during daytime hours and warmer months to a comprehensive housing resource center that can provide emergency shelter, healthcare, job assistance, and permanent housing for the chronically homeless. For Plymouth residents, this means fewer homeless individuals on the streets, in public spaces, and in the emergency room, while providing pathways toward housing stability and self-sufficiency. The 16 supportive housing units will also count toward the town’s affordable housing requirements under state law, helping Plymouth work toward the 10 percent threshold that provides protection from certain types of development under Chapter 40B. The project requires community support through a state grant application due December 18, making the Select Board’s unanimous backing particularly significant as Father Bill’s & MainSpring competes for limited state capital funding. If approved and built, the facility would serve not just Plymouth residents but the broader South Shore region, reflecting the reality that homelessness does not respect municipal boundaries and requires coordinated regional responses rather than each town addressing the issue in isolation.
Meeting Minutes
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: Approve liquor licenses and 2026 renewals as a group. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous 5-0. (Timestamp: 0:11:07)
Motion: Accept administrative notes 1 through 3 and 5 through 6. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous 5-0. (Timestamp: 0:11:51)
Motion: Accept $9,600 MassDEP Recycling Dividends Program grant (administrative note 4). Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous 5-0. (Timestamp: 0:15:07)
Motion: Extend alcohol service hours to 2 a.m. on January 1, 2026. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous 5-0. (Timestamp: 0:24:07)
Motion: Draft letter of support for Father Bill’s & MainSpring housing resource center application to Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous 5-0. (Timestamp: 1:34:06)
Motion: Appoint James Latimer Buckley to Plymouth Airport Community Advisory Committee three-year term. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 3-2 (Buckley received votes from Keohan, Quinatl, Canty; Rudman received votes from Iaquinto, Golden). (Timestamp: 1:50:56)
Motion: Appoint Kathryn Ann Morini as Board of Health alternate for one-year unexpired term. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous 5-0. (Timestamp: 2:03:11)
Motion: Appoint Lauren Davis to Cultural Council one-year term. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous 5-0. (Timestamp: 2:06:08)
Motion: Appoint Jennifer Maciver Edwards to Memorial Advisory Committee one-year term. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 3-2 (Edwards received votes from Keohan, Quintal, Golden; Baker received votes from Canty, Iaquinto). (Timestamp: 2:32:00)
Motion: Appoint Jeanette Kelly to Memorial Advisory Committee two-year term. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 3-2 (Kelly received votes from Keohan, Quintal, Golden; Baker received votes from Canty, Iaquinto). (Timestamp: 2:33:18)
Motion: Appoint Alice Baker to Memorial Advisory Committee three-year term. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 3-2 (Baker received votes from Keohan, Quintal, Golden; Adarkwah received votes from Canty, Iaquinto). (Timestamp: 2:34:13)
Motion: Appoint Christopher Correa to Roads Advisory Committee two-year resident term. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous 5-0. (Timestamp: 2:38:48)
Motion: Adjourn meeting. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous 5-0. (Timestamp: 2:51:08)
Public Comment
No formal public comment period was held during the meeting, though the Select Board heard presentations from multiple organizations and applicants for committee positions throughout the evening. Town Moderator Steve Triffletti addressed the board about the Massachusetts Moderators Association’s civic discourse initiative for the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, emphasizing Plymouth’s unique role as birthplace of town meeting government through the 1620 Mayflower Compact.
What’s Next
High Rock Cranberry Crescent LLC will return to a future Select Board meeting with additional engineering documentation for their underground storage license application for the gas station at 2 Commerce Way. Father Bill’s & MainSpring will submit their full application for state funding to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities by December 18, supported by the Select Board’s letter. The town’s master plan consultant will conduct public engagement in January before presenting the final plan to the planning board and select board for review and approval. The next Select Board meeting will be held December 9 as an on-the-road meeting at Cold Spring Elementary School. Town Clerk Kelly will schedule the first meeting of the newly reconstituted Memorial Advisory Committee after swearing in the three new members. Nomination papers for the May 2026 election will be available starting January 5 at the town clerk’s office.
Full meeting available via Local Scene cable access channels Comcast 9 or Verizon 47.