South Shore News...letter: Budget Deficits and Volunteer Exodus Test South Shore Towns
From Rockland's fire station victory to Whitman-Hanson's budget crisis: Here's what happened.
Last week delivered a mix of victories and challenges across our South Shore communities that underscore the complex balancing act we all face in local governance. From Rockland voters finally breaking their deadlock on critical fire safety infrastructure to Plympton losing four veteran committee members in a single night, the week highlighted both the resilience and fragility of municipal operations. Budget pressures continue mounting—whether it's Whitman-Hanson's stunning $1.14 million deficit revelation or Hanover's Council on Aging struggling to serve meals twice monthly to food-insecure seniors who will comprise nearly a third of their population by 2030.
Yet amid these pressures, we're seeing innovation and strategic thinking. Plymouth County communities are exploring shared services for veterans and mental health support. Schools are restructuring everything from bell schedules to reading curricula. And voters are stepping up when it counts, as Rockland demonstrated with their decisive special election approval of long-delayed public safety projects. The message is clear: our residents understand the need for investment in essential services, but they expect transparency, efficiency, and careful stewardship of every tax dollar.
PUBLIC SAFETY & INFRASTRUCTURE
Rockland Breaks the Tie on Fire Station Projects Rockland voters decisively approved both a $2 million ladder truck and $26.1 million fire station project in Saturday's special election, ending months of conflicting signals after the measures failed at April's election but passed at Town Meeting. The new station will replace facilities dating to 1939 that expose firefighters to diesel exhaust and cancer-causing contaminants.
Read full story
Plymouth Approves $4.5M in Capital Projects Despite Airport Concerns The Plymouth Select Board approved approximately $4.5 million in capital improvements, including a controversial $9.2 million airport runway resurfacing project (90% federally funded) and a scaled-back visitor center expansion reduced from $378,518 to $178,518 pending grant approval.
Read full story
Hanson Police Complete Major Reorganization Hanson promoted four officers including two new lieutenants in what Chief Casey called the department's first major rank restructuring in 30-plus years, addressing succession planning needs following recent retirements.
Read full story
Plymouth County Jail Immigration Detention Under Scrutiny A League of Women Voters forum revealed Plymouth County Correctional Facility expanded from 150 to 500 immigration detention beds this year, with legal experts warning that ICE is increasingly arresting Massachusetts residents during traffic stops and court appearances rather than border transfers.
Read full story
EDUCATION & SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION
Whitman-Hanson Faces $1.14 Million Budget Crisis The regional district voted 6-1 to transfer $1.14 million from Circuit Breaker funds to cover a special education personnel deficit, leaving only $268,000 in reserves.
Read full story
Rockland Middle School Unveils Comprehensive Schedule Overhaul Rogers Middle School implemented a synchronized six-day rotating schedule that restores daily recess for younger students, enables 77 students to participate in music programs, and creates extended blocks for science labs and project-based learning.
Read full story
Plympton Secures $133K State Reading Grant The Dennett Elementary School won a prestigious PRISM grant to overhaul its K-6 English language arts curriculum based on the science of reading, representing over 3.5% of the district's annual budget.
Read full story
Plymouth Schools Raise Adult Meal Prices 50% Following discovery of a three-year-old state compliance finding that was never addressed, Plymouth increased adult lunch prices from $4 to $6 and breakfast from $2 to $4 to avoid potential financial penalties.
Read full story
Hull's Jacobs School Shows Strong Student Satisfaction Principal Shaw reported student climate scores second only to Hingham among South Shore districts, reversing statewide declining trends in student satisfaction since COVID-19.
Read full story
Hanover Approves $207K Budget Transfers for Teaching Positions The district reallocated operational savings to hire reading coaches and special education staff without increasing the overall budget, while celebrating AP exam scores at their highest level since 2013.
Read full story
Scituate Approves Emergency Substitute Nurse Pay Increase The district raised substitute nurse rates from $140/day to $35/hour to address severe staffing shortages that threatened field trip cancellations and health service coverage.
Read full story
MUNICIPAL FINANCE & BUDGET ISSUES
Cohasset Doubles RTF Bag Fees, Considers Non-Resident Pilot The Select Board approved increasing trash bags from $2 to $4 and RTF stickers from $75 to $150 (pending enterprise fund approval), while deferring a controversial pilot to sell 300 stickers to non-residents at $300 each amid traffic concerns.
Read full story
Halifax Maintains Single Tax Rate at $14.09 The Board of Selectmen unanimously rejected a split tax rate that would have charged commercial properties as much as $21.13 per thousand versus $13.41 for residential, with Chairman Selig citing concerns about losing mom-and-pop businesses.
Read full story
Scituate CPC Seeks $1M for Conservation, Historic Projects The Community Preservation Committee will ask November Town Meeting for $750,000 to acquire 16.4 acres off Clapp Road, plus funding for GAR Hall lighting, Cudworth House roof replacement, and Mordecai Lincoln House repairs.
Read full story
SENIOR SERVICES & COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
Hanover COA Faces Staffing Crisis as Senior Population Surges With 31% of residents expected to be over 60 by 2030 and 13% reporting food insecurity, Hanover's Senior Center can only serve meals twice monthly due to having just two full-time staff members compared to neighboring towns with 5-12 employees.
Read full story
Hingham Debates 26,000 Square Foot Active Living Center The proposed facility would serve 8,000+ residents over 60 (32% of population), with design specialists warning against under-building after Marshfield's 10,000 square foot center proved inadequate within a decade.
Read full story
Whitman Veterans Officer Proposes Ending Tri-Town Parade After Abington withdrew from the 70-year tradition, Veterans Officer Ware recommended replacing the Veterans Day parade with a Saturday ceremony and luncheon.
Read full story
REGIONAL GOVERNANCE & PERSONNEL CHANGES
Plympton Loses Four Key Committee Members in One Night Longtime Conservation Commission member Linda Leddy and three Town Properties Committee members resigned simultaneously, with one citing "constant negative feedback" despite volunteer efforts, prompting Selectman Russo to acknowledge "a crisis in town government."
Read full story
Kingston Transfers Conservation Land Rights to Wildlands Trust The Selectmen voted 4-1 to assign first refusal rights on a half-acre Elm Street property to Wildlands Trust over owners' objections, while appointing George Samia as interim town administrator replacing Keith Hickey.
Read full story
ELECTIONS & DEMOCRACY
Brockton Narrows Field for November Municipal Elections Moises Rodrigues (3,090 votes) and Jean Bradley Derenoncourt (2,532 votes) advanced to the mayoral general election, with key disagreements over purchasing the Aquaria water plant and approaches to homelessness shaping the race to replace three-term Mayor Sullivan.
Read full story
Compiled from South Shore News coverage, September 8-16, 2025. For daily updates and full meeting coverage, visit www.southshore.news
I read about issues in many surrounding towns and wonder why there are no reports on happenings in Bridgewater. Explanation, please.