Week of Nov. 2, 2026
FY28 budget season is now a contest over who can find the most one-time money. Scituate is putting $1,024,218 of free cash toward its Plymouth County retirement assessment and still faces a roughly $1.5 million school shortfall. Hanover voters moved $2 million out of the General Stabilization Fund to prepay pension costs, over a split Advisory Committee. Hingham is weighing a $3.7 million federal tax credit against Foster School debt, plus a one-year “bridge” to replace the 3.5% growth caps that expired with FY27. Whitman-Hanson’s very early 5.89% draft could mean assessment increases of about 10% for each town, and officials at the table made clear the towns have no room to absorb that. Marshfield, meanwhile, is raising athletic fees in the wake of its failed override. Few of these fixes address the structural drivers: pensions, health insurance, special education and state aid.
The other story this week is Plymouth County government, where a 2–1 vote to pay a new administrator $61,000 above the advertised range ran into the Treasurer, the Advisory Board and Superior Court. A judge capped the salary at $124,000 but left the contract standing. Both sides have reserved their rights, and settlement talks are under way.
Plymouth County: a salary, a Treasurer and a Superior Court order
The dispute is a straightforward collision between appropriation limits and wage-payment law. The Nov. 3 order resolved the immediate payroll standoff, but it did not settle the underlying contract. Treat the $124,000 figure as an interim line, not an outcome.
Plymouth County — Plymouth County Governance Crisis The Aug. 12 2–1 vote set Troy Clarkson’s pay at $185,000 against an advertised $100,000–$124,000 range. Treasurer Thomas O’Brien refused to disburse, the Advisory Board moved $211,500 into a legal reserve, and Justice Brian Glenny capped the salary at $124,000 on Nov. 3 without vacating the MOU. Clarkson’s 10-count Wage Act suit remains pending, with treble damages on the table.
Plymouth County — Plymouth County Commissioners Vote on Administrator’s Pay Form Under Court Order On Nov. 5 the commissioners voted 2–1, with Jared Valanzola opposed, to update Clarkson’s pay form to comply with the court order. The motion expressly reserved both sides’ rights to enforce the $185,000 salary later. Valanzola then pressed Clarkson on a federal Byrne Grant, which Clarkson said he is handling directly with the U.S. Department of Justice.
School budgets under pressure
The range runs from Duxbury’s 3.04% to Whitman-Hanson’s early 5.89%. In every district, special education, salaries and transportation set the floor.
Whitman / Hanson — Whitman-Hanson Schools Float Early 5.89% FY28 Increase; Towns Warn of Steep Assessments Interim Business Manager Matt Wells called the number “super preliminary” but estimated that roughly 6% growth means about 10% for each town, after the district corrected a health insurance line that was off by about $1.5 million. Hanson’s Frank Milisi said a 10% assessment would leave the towns no choice but to cut, and Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said residents want specific purposes before supporting any override.
Scituate — Scituate Schools Face About $1.5 Million FY28 Gap Even After One-Time Pension Help Even after $675,984 of one-time free cash, the schools’ added funding is $1,072,581 (2.1%) against costs near 6% ($3 million). That leaves a gap of roughly $1.5 million after about $400,000 in expense restraint. Superintendent Tom Raab: “But I will be perfectly honest that any personnel cut is going to be felt.”
Plymouth — Plymouth Schools Spell Out Special Education and Busing Costs Ahead of Tight FY28 Budget Out-of-district placements, current and pending, total just under $22 million ($21,898,244). One private school has petitioned for a 28% day-tuition increase and nearly 31% for residential, and Circuit Breaker only reimburses above a $54,906 threshold, at 75%, a year after the spending.
Duxbury — Duxbury Schools Propose 3.04% FY28 Budget Increase The proposed $47,885,914 net budget is held near 3% through lower special education placement and transportation costs, $62,500 in added athletic fees and $52,000 more in Circuit Breaker. Staffing is nearly flat (net +0.25 FTE), the School Committee votes Dec. 2, and the district also wants to draw up to $250,000 from its SPED stabilization fund to stay under the state’s 2% cap on that reserve.
Cohasset — Cohasset Bus Breakdowns Strain Families Two buses are out with brake problems and an 11th is awaiting registration and inspection. The committee recommended FY28 capital requests including a three-year bus lease (not five, because repairs in years four and five would outweigh the savings) that is not yet a final lease or Town Meeting appropriation.
One-time money, pension math and the override shadow
Hanover — Hanover Town Meeting Backs Cedar School Cell Tower Site (second half of the article) Voters rejected the Advisory Committee’s no-action motion (five members opposed the article over the use of emergency reserves, three supported it) and passed the $2 million prepayment to the Plymouth County Retirement Association by two-thirds. That takes nearly three-quarters of a $2,754,917 General Stabilization Fund. Select Board member James Hoyes, speaking personally, warned that without pension relief the town could face an operating override.
Hingham — Hingham Weighs Using $3.7 Million Foster Geothermal Credit to Pay Down School Debt The board discussed adding the credit to the stabilization fund that offsets Foster and public safety facility debt, which would need a spring Town Meeting article (articles are due Jan. 20). The task force is also eyeing a one-year FY28 bridge with a special education reserve funded by Medicaid reimbursements. This item reflects the Oct. 27 meeting.
Marshfield — Marshfield Raises Sports Fees for Winter and Spring After Override Loss The School Committee approved $300 for a second sport, no charge for a third and a $900 family cap, worth an estimated $94,800 (likely somewhat less because of the cap) on fees unchanged since 2018. The athletics subcommittee’s larger plan had been held pending the override vote, which then failed.
Land use, housing and siting fights
Duxbury — Duxbury Selectboard Authorizes Letter Urging MassHousing to Reject Miramar 40B Eligibility The letter against the 100-unit 40B states that the board supports, and Town Meeting may approve, an eminent domain taking, and an appraisal is under way. Town leaders also argue an intermunicipal agreement with Kingston is required for sewer.
Hanover — Hanover Town Meeting Backs Cedar School Cell Tower Site (first half of the article) Article 5 passed by two-thirds after a referral failed and a 500-foot setback amendment was defeated, though voters had chosen 500 feet over 1,200 by 89–30 on the amendment’s number. Police Chief Timothy Kane said “poor coverage could slow us down when responding to a critical incident,” while School Committee Vice Chair Chris Tracy urged: “We have to keep the kids in that building safe.”
Hanover — Hanover Approves Temporary Propane Storage for South Shore Tech Construction, With Conditions The Select Board licensed up to 13,000 gallons across 13 tanks, conditioned on an emergency and evacuation plan reviewed by the fire department, neighbor notification and termination of the license at the final certificate of occupancy.
Pembroke — Pembroke Accepts $945,000 for Library Expansion The Library Foundation has raised about $2.3 million toward a $2.6 million children’s wing. The board also heard neighbors object to using the Chapel Street lot for affordable homeownership, and the town manager said counsel advises the town cannot simply gift the property.
Process, transparency and surveillance skirmishes
Cohasset — Cohasset Leans Toward Surveillance Working Group as Flock Camera Contract Nears End After Special Town Meeting postponed the citizens’ petition, the Select Board is leaning toward a working group and a policy rather than a 12-page bylaw. Chair David Farrag, in remarks he described as his own view, said the police chief has committed to ending Flock use and the cameras are to come out at the end of the contract this month.
Weymouth — Weymouth Adopts Civil Law Enforcement Policy The School Committee adopted policy ACL 6–0 (the posted document carried both “Adopted” and “DRAFT” footers). It then split 4–2 on a first reading of a BHC amendment routing members’ information requests through the superintendent, and approved disputed minutes 4–2 over Kelly McClean’s requested corrections.
Accountability scorecards
Hull — Hull Schools Post Strong Accountability Ranks, but Grade 8 Results Lag Jacobs reached the 76th percentile and Hull High the 79th (up from 70), but grade 8 math sits at 29% against 42% statewide.
Kingston — Kingston Intermediate Tops State Comparisons on MCAS, but Most Students Fall Short in ELA KIS beat the state by 6 points in meeting or exceeding expectations, yet fewer than half of grade 3–6 students met them in ELA, and grade 5 science fell from 62% to 46%.
Public safety and public health
Hingham — Hingham Makes Conditional Offers to First Police Recruits Chosen Outside Civil Service The board unanimously extended offers to three recruits from a field of more than 80 who signed up for the department’s own exam. Each offer includes a five-year repayment agreement for equipment and field-training salary costs.
Rockland — Rockland Hears How Opioid Settlement Money Is Being Spent, With About $314,000 Left Town Meeting has authorized $185,000 across two years, about $314,000 remains and roughly $1.1 million more is expected over about 15 years. Rockland recorded two fatal overdoses in 2025, down from 15 in its worst year.
Looking Ahead
Dec. 5: Cohasset special election on the $20.9 million police station debt exclusion (flagged in last week’s newsletter).
Jan. 30, 2027: Whitman debt exclusion vote on its South Shore Tech share (flagged last week).