PLYMPTON — February 2, 2026 — The Plympton Board of Selectmen addressed a series of state-issued safety citations against the town’s fire station during their Monday afternoon meeting, coinciding with the rollout of a multi-phase public education campaign for a new facility. Town Properties Committee Chairman Pierre Boyer detailed five distinct violations from the Department of Labor Standards, ranging from electrical hazards to drainage issues, while outlining a strategy to regain public trust following the defeat of a previous fire station proposal last year.
The Full Story
The meeting opened with a comprehensive update from the Town Properties Committee (TPC) regarding the deteriorating condition of the Plympton Fire Station and the town’s response to recent regulatory scrutiny [00:31]. TPC Chair Pierre Boyer informed the Board that the State Department of Labor Standards issued several citations following an inspection of the facility [08:04].
The violations cited included electrical equipment installed contrary to instructions, insufficient working space around electrical boxes, and improper drainage where “wet processes” are used, leading to standing water [06:16]. Fire Chief Cheryl Duddy noted that short-term remedies—such as covering electrical boxes with plastic and implementing internal policies to prevent water buildup—have been accepted by the state for now [06:37, 07:23]. However, the town must provide progress updates every two weeks, and long-term solutions, including potentially moving water feeds and repairing the roof, will require significant planning and capital [08:31, 09:06].
In response to these challenges and the failure of a $14 million fire station project at a previous Town Meeting, the TPC is launching a four-phase “Education and Listening” initiative [10:26, 11:05]. Phase One begins this Saturday, February 7, with a public meeting aimed at presenting factual data on current operations, EMS response times, and facility needs [11:05, 11:27].
“We’re trying to listen to what the residents said at the meeting when the last proposal was turned down. Our focus is on transparency, tax impact, and providing multiple design options so residents can form their own informed conclusions.” — Pierre Boyer, Town Properties Committee Chair [10:49, 16:23]
Resident Joe Colanino expressed skepticism regarding the costs, suggesting that residents primarily care about the bottom line [15:34, 16:03]. “Bottom line is when people come to town meeting, they’re going to look at the numbers,” Colanino said, questioning if the previous $14 million project could be revisited with a better quote [16:03, 18:55]. Boyer responded that the committee is focusing on the overall tax impact and exploring three to four different options to meet operational needs [17:15, 18:41].
Beyond the fire station, the Board heard a report on significant building maintenance issues caused by recent winter weather. Briggette Martins reported that ice dams have caused water to leak through the walls of the Town House, the Council on Aging, and the Library [32:18, 32:34]. Maintenance crews have been working through the weekend to install “ice dam boxes” and use roof rakes to mitigate damage, though the situation remains “quite messy” [32:49, 33:50].
In lighter news, the Recreation Commission received approval to install a seasonal inflatable ice skating rink at Holt Field [27:09]. The 60-by-100-foot rink will be available for public use, with the commission planning signage to notify residents of hours and “skate at your own risk” policies [22:53, 28:16]. Selectmen suggested adjusting hours to allow for “unobstructed use” by seniors during off-peak morning hours [24:32].
Why It Matters
The state safety citations place Plympton under strict regulatory oversight, creating an urgent timeline for facility repairs that could impact the municipal budget. For residents, the new phased approach to the fire station project represents a critical attempt by town leadership to balance essential public safety infrastructure with taxpayer concerns after a failed debt exclusion vote. Additionally, the ongoing battle with ice dams highlights the vulnerabilities of the town’s aging municipal buildings, potentially leading to further capital requests in the upcoming fiscal year.
Official Minutes & Data
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: To approve the revised mission statement for the Town Properties Committee.
Outcome: Passed [03:52]
Motion: To approve a formal process for maintenance and repair requests on town-owned buildings or land.
Outcome: Passed [05:21]
Motion: To approve the request for use of town property for a seasonal ice skating rink at Holt Field.
Outcome: Passed [27:15]
Motion: To approve and post the annual town elections calendar and ballot positions.
Outcome: Passed [29:16]
Motion: To approve the use of town property for the annual Best Buddies Challenge bike race on May 30, 2026, pending departmental sign-offs.
Outcome: Passed [31:09]
Public Comment
Mark Wallis: Questioned the timeline and bidding process for the Town Hall front door project [13:52].
Joe Colanino: Raised concerns about the escalating costs of the fire station project and the likelihood of taxpayer approval at Town Meeting [15:34].
What’s Next
The Town Properties Committee will hold its first “Education and Listening” session on Saturday, February 7, at 10:00 a.m. in the Town House to discuss the fire station’s future [11:05, 35:22]. The next regular Board of Selectmen meeting is scheduled for February 23 at 2:00 p.m. [34:43].
Source Video: Area58_Plympton