Plymouth Select Board Welcomes New Members, Elects Leadership
Newly elected members join board as Canty takes chair position; town manager announces quality of life task force
PLYMOUTH - May 20 - The Plymouth Select Board welcomed newly elected members Bill Keohan and Deborah Iaquinto at its May 20 meeting, swearing them in before electing Kevin Canty as chair and David Golden as vice chair.
The reorganization marks a new chapter for the board following the recent town election, which saw approximately 8,055 votes cast, representing a 15% turnout according to Town Manager Derek Brindisi.
"I have had so many amazing experiences in my life, but being elected to the Select Board for the Town of Plymouth is definitely at the top of the list," Iaquinto said after taking her oath of office. "I do feel like I had the longest job interview in the history of the world."
Keohan expressed gratitude to his family and supporters while acknowledging the transition from volunteer service to executive leadership.
"I understand where you go from a volunteer capacity, serving on committees and boards, and then serving in the executive capacity of the town of Plymouth," Keohan said. "I know that doing something like this is going to require the help of all my family and friends and the residents of Plymouth."
Following the swearing-in ceremony, the board received a comprehensive presentation on the Pilgrim 1600-acre area plan from consultants with Sasaki, a planning and urban design group based in Boston.
The presentation outlined potential development scenarios for the 1,600-acre site that formerly housed the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, with consultants noting that approximately 80% of the site is challenging or less suitable for development.
Martin Zogran, principal at Sasaki, explained that the study has been funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration and aims to address fiscal resilience, balance of jobs and housing, growth management, and open space conservation.
Board members expressed strong opposition to housing development on the site, with multiple members citing infrastructure limitations and community preferences for conservation.
"I don't think we have the infrastructure to support more housing there," Golden said. "Most of that land needs to stay in some kind of conservation, open space type existence."
Canty echoed this sentiment, stating, "I'd like to see as much of this land disturbed in as little way as possible and as little or ideally no housing on the parcel."
The board also received updates on several town initiatives and events from Town Manager Brindisi, who announced plans to appoint a quality of life task force.
"This task force will be made up of fire, police, code enforcement, public health, social services, the Department of Energy and the Environment, and our DPW staff," Brindisi said. "The intention of this group is to really look at quality of life issues."
The task force, to be led by Commissioner of Health and Human Services Michelle Bratti, will focus on blighted properties and strategies to provide wraparound services and permanent housing for unhoused individuals.
Matt Tavares from the July 4th committee provided an update on fundraising efforts for the annual parade and festivities, noting that the committee has reached about 61% of its $130,000 goal.
"My plea to the community is, if you can spare $1, $2, $5, it is going to go an enormous length," Tavares said, emphasizing that the parade is a community event that relies on community donations.
The board also approved a host community agreement for M3 Ventures Incorporated, doing business as Triple M, in a 4-1 vote, with Quintal voting against the measure.
Other notable updates from the town manager included:
- The Claremont project, originally approved as a 350-unit residential complex near Colony Place, is moving forward as a 300-unit 40B project with a hearing expected before the Zoning Board of Appeals on June 19.
- The town will receive approximately $500,000 over six years from a class action lawsuit settlement against manufacturers who used PFAS additives in their products.
- The demolition of the Full Sail property on Taylor Avenue is expected to take place the week of June 2.
- A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new dog park is scheduled for June 5.
- The 130 acres at Hedges Pond Road that town meeting approved for conservation in 2018 are now officially under the care and custody of the Conservation Commission.
In his closing remarks as the newly elected chair, Canty thanked the board for their support and acknowledged the service of outgoing members Charlie Bletzer and John Mahoney.
"They put in a lot of years on this board and serving this community, not just on this board, but in other roles as well," Canty said. "Their contributions will be remembered and a lot of the work that they started will be continued by this board."