SCITUATE - November 4 - Scituate has been awarded a $5 million MassWorks grant for the construction of a North Scituate water source system, Town Administrator Jim Boudreau announced at the Select Board meeting November 4. The award represents the second-highest amount distributed by the state this year and marks a major milestone for the town’s water infrastructure improvements.
The Full Story
Town Administrator Jim Boudreau congratulated the project team during his report to the board, specifically recognizing Corey Miles, Karen Joseph, Kevin Cafferty, John McCarthy, and Will Grant for their excellent work in securing the competitive grant. “This is the second highest amount awarded by the state this year,” Boudreau emphasized, noting the grant will go a long way toward helping fund the critical water infrastructure project.
The substantial state funding comes at a crucial time for Scituate’s water infrastructure development and represents a significant win for the town’s capital planning efforts. The MassWorks Infrastructure Program is highly competitive, with communities across Massachusetts vying for limited state dollars to support economic development and infrastructure projects.
In addition to the major grant announcement, the board received an update on the ongoing water treatment plant construction project. Woodard & Curran representatives presented Change Order #3, totaling $338,738.03, which represents 0.58% of the approximately $59 million contract value. When combined with previously approved Change Orders 1 and 2, the total change orders amount to $828,738, or 1.41% of the contract value—well within the 5% contingency required by the state Department of Environmental Protection.
The change order includes four components: retaining wall and duct bank work ($40,900), electrical and security system work ($117,000), sand drying bed liner modifications ($103,838), and sand drying bed piping reroute ($77,000). Rob Little, from Woodard & Curran, explained that the first item involved additional retaining wall work necessitated by National Grid’s duct bank requirements, which exceeded original design assumptions. “We negotiated with the contractor,” the representative Little said. “Started actually at $49,000. What we’re seeing here is $40,900.”
The electrical and security system work stemmed from the unavailability of the town’s final security system design during the bidding process. An original allowance of $40,000 proved insufficient once the actual security requirements were determined, necessitating an additional $117,000. The sand drying bed liner modification, costing $103,838, will bring the liner material all the way to the top of the structures, giving operators more flexibility in residuals management.
In a notable acknowledgment of responsibility, Little addressed the piping reroute item directly. “This last one, and certainly the most embarrassing for me, is a sand drying bed piping reroute,” he said. The design error would have resulted in residuals material returning to the plant without proper filtration. The contractor caught the error after installing 150 to 200 feet of pipe. “I look at this as a positive because they caught it when they did,” Little explained.
To offset the $77,000 error, Woodard & Curran committed to providing approximately $100,000 in design services at no cost to the town for the North Scituate sewer project pump station. “I ran this up the leadership chain in my company,” Little stated. “No resistance whatsoever from my leadership team. It’s the right thing to do. Let’s put our reputation before our wallet.” Select Board member Nico Afanasenko appreciated the gesture, noting, “It matters to me a lot that you’re willing to own up to it.”
The water treatment plant project continues to progress on schedule, with 51% completion by payment and 43% completion by time against final completion. The facility has 90% of its concrete work completed—5,600 of 6,000 cubic yards installed. The project remains on track for completion in December 2026, 416 days from the meeting date.
In other water-related business, the board approved installation of a low-cost tide gauge at the Driftway pier. Alex Mansfield, watershed ecologist for the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, and Sarah, a scientist from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, presented the proposal. The ultrasonic sensor will measure water levels in real-time, transmitting data to a publicly available website.
“One of the things we’re talking about a lot as we talk about the Coal Parkway project is that if we do certain things, and we lift the seawall in certain places and we protect the frontal onslaught of the tide, the tide goes around,” said Select Board Chair Andrew Goodrich. “So it would be interesting to me if these are inexpensive long term to look at. Okay, we’ve done a project or we’re starting a project. How does that shift the tide?”
Sarah explained that the devices have been deployed around the state and region for several years, with installations in Hingham, on Cape Cod, and soon in Connecticut. “The whole point is to be publicly available and in real time,” she said. The Driftway location was chosen because it needs a structure over water and represents the broader picture of the North River, unlike more restricted areas like the 3A Bridge.
The board heard extensive budget presentations from multiple department heads as part of the FY27 budget process. Town Treasurer and Collector Pam Avitabile presented an overall increase of $19,211 from the FY26 budget, primarily driven by $14,700 in salary increases due to contractual obligations. Postage costs increased by $6,000, while materials decreased by $1,500.
Avitabile reported strong tax collection performance, with the town maintaining at least a 90th percentile collection rate. She noted significant personnel transitions in her office, with the departure of a 25-year veteran assistant and the hiring of two new staff members. “It’s definitely been a huge learning curve for my two new people,” Avitabile acknowledged. “We’re not as timely as we were, and thanks to Nancy and her department for hanging in there with us and helping us figure everything out.”
The office sold a record 8,523 beach stickers and 6,643 transfer station stickers through September, generating $1,081,810 in revenue for the town. Avitabile noted that while online sales are available, approximately $681,810 of that revenue came through in-person transactions at Town Hall.
Regarding the town’s tax title process, Avitabile explained recent changes to state law that reduced the interest rate on tax liens from 16% to 8%. “It was a court decision,” she explained. “The town was able to get all the money from the sale of the property. Now, under new law, the money goes—the town is paid 100% on the back taxes and any fees that are incurred. And the old owner of the property gets the amount that’s left.”
The change has prompted a strategic shift in approach. “Outstanding taxes now, the town can get 14%,” Avitabile said. “So, you know, we’re not going to get in any trouble because when they go to sell their property or they move or something changes, we’re first on the list anyways.” She and Finance Director Nancy Holt are discussing whether to delay placing some delinquent taxes into tax title to capture the higher 14% interest rate rather than the reduced 8% rate.
Avitabile also addressed the county retirement assessment, which shows a 7.6% increase. By paying it in one lump sum rather than monthly, the town saves $67,000 annually. The unfunded liability remains on track to be fully funded by 2031. “That’s amazing,” commented Select Board member Jim Gilmore.
Group health insurance presents ongoing challenges, with an estimated 7.5% increase for active plans and 11% for Medigap plans in FY27. The town’s switch from MIIA to Mayflower Municipal Health Group has resulted in savings, with the current year’s increase at 6.5% compared to a projected 17.04% had the town remained with MIIA. “The GIC Medigap plan increased by 17%, and we’re estimating around 11%,” Avitabile noted. Retirees represent 52% of the town’s health insurance costs.
Library Director Jessi Finnie presented the library’s FY27 budget request, highlighting the facility’s continued strong performance. Circulation increased 30% since the building opened in 2017, while visits increased 45%. “Our computer use goes higher and higher every single year,” Finnie said, contrary to original expectations that laptop and mobile device ownership would reduce demand for public computers.
The library serves approximately 2,400 registered patrons annually—a number comparable to the town’s K-12 student enrollment. The five meeting rooms were used nearly 800 times last year, while three study rooms saw approximately 5,000 reservations. The library is open 64 hours per week, more than almost any other South Shore library, with no additional staff since 2007.
Finnie explained the state’s certification requirements, which mandate minimum spending on materials based on a formula: the average of the three previous fiscal years plus 2.5%. For FY27, that requirement totals just under $197,000, while the town’s appropriation is $170,000. The gap is typically covered by state aid, though that funding source remains uncertain. “That number, just like all the other state aid numbers, is very much in flux. It could be cut in half this year,” Finnie cautioned.
Afanasenko questioned the 2.5% minimum mandated increase. “The state’s asking you to start with a maximum possible legal increase just to maintain certification, which seems to me like a cop-out,” he observed. Finnie confirmed his understanding was correct, noting it’s calculated on the three-year average rather than the previous year’s budget, but represents a minimum threshold nonetheless.
The library completed a five-year strategic plan last year, a state requirement that helps align services with community needs. Strategic priorities include creating an ADA-compliant walkway in Thoreau’s Lane garden, reconfiguring the building’s aging audiovisual system, and enhancing collections based on usage data. “Pretty much everything in the library is going out,” Finnie said. “That means that we’re doing the right things that we need to do for the collection.”
The library received $40,000 to $100,000 annually from the Friends of the Library and the Library Foundation, funding that supports programs and initiatives beyond the operational budget. All library programs are funded by the Friends, not the town budget. “In order to have their continued support, we need to be regularly meeting with them. We need to be communicating everything that we’re doing in the library,” Finnie said.
Senior Center Director Linda Kelley reported serving approximately 2,400 individuals in FY25—a number equal to the library’s patron count and slightly exceeding the school system’s enrollment. This includes building visitors, transportation clients, outreach clients, and approximately 75 volunteers. The center averages 150 to over 230 daily visitors depending on the day, with Wednesdays being busiest at approximately 230 people. “Friday being our quietest is usually about 150 people,” Kelley said.
Transportation services provided about 5,000 rides to approximately 450 individuals during the year, using three vans—two loaned from MBTA and one grant-funded through MassDOT. The program employs six part-time drivers, with the busiest day seeing 48 rides and lighter days around 10.
The center’s social day program for clients with early-stage dementia or Alzheimer’s expanded from two days per week to include Friday mornings, allowing participants from the waiting list to begin services. A $20,000 grant secured by Assistant Director Kelly Walsh will fund additional memory-supportive opportunities, including memory cafes where caregivers can attend with clients with cognitive issues.
Kelley highlighted successful grief support groups, noting “upwards of 15 people” participating over 15-16 week periods. “I can’t tell you how many times I have just noted in these past years, in this past year, how fortunate we are to be able to provide this program to these people who are having that challenging time,” she said.
Thursday lunches remain popular at $5 per meal, with 48 as the target number, though Tuesday attendance runs lighter at 35-40. Beach and transfer station sticker sales generated $1,081,810 through September, with approximately 400,000 of that conducted online and the remainder through in-person transactions.
The Senior Center budget request remained largely level-funded, though repairs and maintenance for property remains a line item requiring attention. The center receives an annual formula grant from the state based on the 60-plus population from the 2020 census—5,903 older adults—at $16 per person, totaling $94,000 for FY27. “That’s a good amount of money that does allow us some freedom of being able to support things that aren’t in the budget,” Kelley explained.
Afanasenko noted the center operates with approximately 22 staff serving 2,400 people, comparable to the school system’s enrollment with significantly more staff. “I think it’s unbelievable what you’ve put on,” Afanasenko said. Kelley clarified the model differs: “There’s thankfully not 2,000 people coming to my little office every day.”
Afanasenko suggested exploring a volunteer service-exchange model, where patrons could offset certain costs by volunteering their time and expertise. “One organization I belong to, we pay a membership to belong to an organization, we have the ability to decrease and subsidize that by volunteering,” he explained. Kelley responded positively to exploring the concept, noting many speakers already provide services without compensation.
FACTS Coordinator Annmarie Galvin presented the substance abuse prevention program budget and accomplishments report. The program has achieved the lowest-ever rates of youth substance use since data collection began, with only 40% of high school students reporting alcohol consumption in the past month in 2024, compared to 56% in 2015. Past-month binge drinking dropped to 16%, now in line with state averages after being significantly higher for years.
“These are some things we use to sort of drive our programming,” Galvin explained. “We’re doing updates in the curriculum or support groups for parents or whatever it is, partnering with the Scituate Police beach patrols during the summer, all the things. There’s kind of a million strategies behind each of these things and this is how we kind of show you the evidence that collectively it’s making an impact.”
Particularly notable improvements include reductions in drinking and driving behaviors and riding with drivers who had been drinking. “These were some risk behaviors that were really off the charts here in Scituate,” Galvin said. Only 11% of high school students now report riding in a car with a driver who had been drinking in the past month.
Middle school substance use rates remain very low, at or below state averages—a pattern consistent since Galvin began 14 years ago. “We’re seeing substance use starts later in Scituate these days and it’s very, very low in middle school, consistently very low,” she noted.
The program’s annual Power of Prevention conference will be held Sunday, December 7 at Gates Middle School, featuring a researcher from Stanford University discussing teen brain and adolescent brain development, followed by four breakout workshops. The date was strategically chosen to coincide with the Patriots’ bye week, based on a suggestion from a coalition meeting attendee. “When I heard of a coalition in Cohasset offering a similar event years ago, I had to admit that I sort of flew the idea,” Galvin recalled. “I was like, oh, no one’s going to come to that.”
Galvin is working toward implementing a regional model of prevention work, potentially through a Department of Mental Health grant opportunity. “I think there’s a lot of scale to be had by doing that,” she explained. Several surrounding towns—Norwell, Hull, and parts of Marshfield and Hingham—lack organized prevention coalitions, while Cohasset has a structure similar to Scituate’s.
The town continues to subscribe to the Interface Mental Health Referral Service, a helpline available 9-5 Monday through Friday where residents can speak with master’s-level clinicians about mental health needs. The service matches callers with providers who accept their insurance and are accepting new patients, then follows up to ensure it’s a good fit. Originally used primarily by schools, the service now sees broader community use including seniors and middle-aged residents.
Select Board Chair Andrew Goodrich floated the idea of organizing an all-chairs meeting, modeled after a similar initiative in Hingham. “The agenda essentially was to help break down some of the internal communication gaps,” Goodrich explained. The concept would bring together chairs from Scituate’s approximately 52 standing committees to share information, identify collaboration opportunities, and address common challenges.
Select Board member Jim Gilmore suggested conducting such a meeting in person rather than via Zoom, possibly at a larger facility like the library with refreshments. “Just think about it,” Gilmore said. Afanasenko noted that with approximately 56 committee chairs, even giving each three minutes would result in a three-hour meeting, suggesting breakout sessions might be more effective.
Afanasenko also reported that Economic Development Committee Chair Berry Kurland has been working to create liaison reports from committees outside Town Hall, collecting brief bullet-pointed updates that EDC redistributes to encourage cross-pollination. Several committees including EDC, unification, sidewalks, bylaw review, and traffic rules and regulations have been coordinating on common issues like e-bikes and sidewalk safety.
In routine business, the board approved proceeding with execution of new leases with existing tenants of the Mann House and light keeper’s cottage, following clarification from the Scituate Historical Society about the current tenant’s status and responsibilities.
The contractor for the Peggotty Beach parking lot is scheduled to begin work on Monday, November 10. The parking lot will be closed to public use during construction.
Why It Matters
The $5 million MassWorks grant significantly reduces the financial burden on Scituate taxpayers for critical water infrastructure improvements in North Scituate. The award demonstrates the town’s successful grant-writing capabilities and positions Scituate favorably for future state funding opportunities. With this second-highest state award of the year, the North Scituate water system project moves forward with substantial state support, reducing the amount that must be bonded and ultimately repaid through water rates or property taxes. The water treatment plant’s progress, now past the halfway point in both payment and time, continues to meet schedule despite necessary change orders, all of which remain well within the state-mandated 5% contingency. The facility is on track for completion in December 2026, which will significantly improve the town’s water quality and treatment capacity.
Meeting Minutes
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: Accept the meeting agenda. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:00:56)
Motion: Proceed with execution of new leases with existing tenants of the Mann House and light keeper’s cottage. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous (Timestamp: 0:09:28)
Motion: Approve installation of tide gauge at Driftway pier by North and South Rivers Watershed Association and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Outcome: Approved by consensus (Timestamp: 0:18:49)
Motion: Award Change Order #3 for $338,738.03 for the water treatment plant project. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:49:43)
Motion: Adjourn the meeting. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 3:02:24)
Public Comment
No formal public comment period was held during this meeting. Several presentations were made by town department heads, consultants, and representatives from outside organizations, but these were scheduled agenda items rather than public comment.
What’s Next
The water treatment plant contractor will continue work with Change Order #3 approved, proceeding toward December 2026 completion. The North and South Rivers Watershed Association will install the tide gauge at the Driftway pier and provide QR code signage for public access to real-time data. The Peggotty Beach parking lot construction begins November 10. Department budget presentations will continue as the town works toward finalizing the FY27 budget by mid-January. The FACTS Power of Prevention conference will be held December 7 at Gates Middle School. The select board will consider organizing an all-chairs committee meeting and developing a formal inter-committee communication system. Veterans Day ceremonies and turkey luncheon will take place November 11 at the senior center and VFW Post 144.