South Shore News...letter: Special Elections and Rough Years Ahead
"This Is As Easy As It's Ever Going to Get"
Week of November 8-14, 2025
This week brought into sharp focus the fiscal pressures confronting South Shore communities as they navigate mounting infrastructure needs, staffing challenges, and the limits of Proposition 2½. Two special elections this Saturday will vibe check South Shore communities, while several towns moved forward with override study committees and tax classification decisions that underscore the difficult choices ahead.
CRITICAL REMINDER: Two special elections are scheduled for Saturday, November 15:
Abington Select Board - Polls open 8am-4pm at Beaver Brook Elementary (details)
East Bridgewater Central Elementary School debt exclusion - Polls open 11am-7pm at Gordon W Mitchell School, 435 Central Street (details)
Fiscal Pressures: The New Normal
Override Study Committees and Budget Planning
Halifax formalized what may be an inevitable regional trend by establishing an Override Study Committee, with board chair Jonathan Selig noting that early preparation improves override success rates. The committee may expand from five to seven members to broaden public representation on the politically charged issue, with applications due November 25. Read more
Hanover confronted sobering fiscal realities as actuaries revealed a $42 million OPEB liability alongside health insurance premium projections jumping to 10 percent for FY27—far exceeding the anticipated 7.1 percent. The higher costs will add $126,000 in FY27 expenses and nearly $1 million more by FY2032 due to compounding effects. Advisor Parker Elmore warned bluntly: “As hard as these budgets seem today, these are the glory years. This is as easy as it’s ever going to get.” Read more
Tax Classification Decisions
Multiple communities held annual tax classification hearings this week, with most maintaining single rates rather than shifting the burden to commercial properties. Duxbury’s property values surged 4.63% to $7.3 billion, yet the tax rate declined slightly from $10.13 to $10.00 per thousand as valuations grew faster than the levy. The average single-family home now carries a $1.305 million assessment. Read more
Hull similarly rejected tax shifting despite residential properties comprising 96.1% of the town’s assessed value, with officials citing concerns about driving out the small commercial base. The $10.81 rate means the average home valued at $721,100 will pay $7,798 annually. Read more
Marshfield’s classification hearing revealed the same pattern—94.12% residential tax base making any shift impractical—but also surfaced discussion about potentially studying a residential exemption for future years, though implementation would require 2-3 years of preparation. Read more
School Infrastructure Crisis
Major Capital Votes and Debt Exclusions
East Bridgewater voters cleared the first hurdle for a new $125.2 million Central Elementary School Monday, with 289 residents approving the bond at a special town meeting. The debt exclusion vote Saturday will determine whether the project moves forward with $52 million in MSBA reimbursement. Principal Kate Byrne detailed severe infrastructure failures including teachers rationing electricity between cooling and technology, heating systems that leave classrooms at 50 degrees or 90 degrees depending on location, and ADA violations forcing students in wheelchairs to exit the building and travel around it outdoors to reach different floors. The average homeowner would pay about $840 annually. Read more
Marshfield set a January 10 special election for a $3.4 million Martinson Elementary School roof debt exclusion, with officials warning of “dire consequences” if voters reject the measure. The MSBA approved 49.1% reimbursement, but the funding is contingent on local approval within 90 days. Failure would force the town off the reimbursement list and into a $3.4 million emergency repair without state support. The average homeowner would pay approximately $30.35 annually at peak. Read more
Marshfield Schools also approved a five-year, $12.9 million capital plan after receiving zero capital funding from the town in FY25—an unprecedented outcome. Immediate needs total $1.2 million, including emergency Daniel Webster Elementary roof repairs, Eames Way security door replacements, and aging special education van replacements. Read more
Hingham approved $80,000 for library HVAC chiller system design work, with the full replacement likely exceeding $580,000. The 2001 system has reached end-of-life with replacement parts no longer manufactured, and failure could force summer library closures and eliminate the town’s designated cooling center. Read more
Budget Transparency and Accountability
Whitman-Hanson Regional School District Financial Crisis
The reconstituted Budget Subcommittee’s first meeting revealed that WHRSD depleted its Circuit Breaker account and used $565,000 from FY26’s first reimbursement to cover a $218,000 FY25 deficit, leaving just $35,301 in reserve. Business Office Consultant Brian Hyde acknowledged uncertainty about whether the $1.7 million in budget cuts following failed May overrides were actually implemented at the line-item level. In recent years the district spent beyond annual Circuit Breaker reimbursements, creating severe vulnerability to mid-year emergencies and uncertainty in future budgets. Read more
State Mandates Without Funding
Marshfield Schools must implement new DESE policies by December 31 establishing competency determinations following MCAS graduation requirement elimination and comprehensive middle school career pathways exploration. The career pathways work requires the myCAP platform—a mandate announced just three weeks ago despite repeated assurances it would remain optional. School Committee member Richard Greer noted the unfunded mandates add “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in staffing, training, and IT support costs. Read more
Personnel and Governance
Rockland Board of Health Chair Banned from Town Hall
Rockland Select Board voted unanimously to indefinitely extend Board of Health Chairman Robert Stephens’ ban from Town Hall following an investigation documenting “rude, discriminatory, and hostile conduct” toward employees and board members. The investigation revealed inappropriate statements on Stephens’ personal podcast and behavior that prevented important Board of Health work from being completed. Stephens can continue serving remotely but faces potential personal liability if behavior continues, as town indemnification doesn’t extend to those violating civil rights or acting beyond authority. Read more
Rockland Superintendent Retiring
Superintendent Dr. Alan Cron announced retirement after 14 years in Marshfield and 31 years in public education, relocating to Indiana to marry. Assistant Superintendent Jane Hackett assumes the superintendency July 1, 2026. Cron highlighted steady academic gains, four consecutive years of clean audits, and strong town-school collaboration during his tenure. Read more
Kingston Four-Day Work Week Made Permanent
Kingston voted 4-1 to permanently extend the Town Hall four-day work week beyond the trial period. Town Treasurer Ken Moalli reported dramatically improved recruitment—five applicants for assistant treasurer including four from municipalities, three citing the four-day week as the reason they applied. The lone dissenting vote cited concerns about optics during potential budget crisis. Read more
Water Infrastructure Investments
Scituate secured a $5 million MassWorks grant for North Scituate water system construction—the second-highest state award this year. The water treatment plant project continues at 51% completion by payment, with Change Order #3 approved for $338,738 (0.58% of the $59 million contract). Engineer Rob Little from Woodard & Curran acknowledged a design error requiring a $77,000 piping reroute but committed to providing approximately $100,000 in free design services for the North Scituate sewer project pump station to offset the mistake. Read more
Hanover advanced $28 million in PFAS treatment installations at all three water plants, with pilot testing underway since July. The federal government will regulate only two PFAS compounds at four parts per trillion each rather than the broader six-compound mixture initially proposed. Pond Street remains highest priority due to higher contamination levels and 24/7 operation. The town has applied for zero-percent financing through the state Drinking Water Revolving Fund. Read more
Community Initiatives and Support
Food Security Response
Multiple communities mobilized responses to SNAP benefit disruptions affecting thousands of residents. Rockland board members noted approximately 2,300 residents (13% of population) receive SNAP benefits and praised community support for the Emergency Food Pantry through donations and events raising $35,000. Read more
Hingham’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors group formed to provide immediate cash assistance through St. John’s Church, with clinical social worker Allison Horton managing confidential client information. Hull officials reported approximately 1,000 residents receiving SNAP (10.5% of the community) and highlighted Wellspring’s Aunt Dot’s Kitchen and South Shore Taco’s donation board. Read more
Plympton’s Congregational Church held a free community spaghetti supper November 8, open to all residents in response to SNAP cuts affecting 182 Plympton residents, with plans for recurring Friday events if successful. Read more
Educational Innovation
Hull Schools expanded its garden-to-cafeteria initiative, unifying elementary, middle, and high school efforts with year-round greenhouse production. The program addresses the gap where previous efforts planted in spring but never allowed students to consume what they grew. Community gardeners have donated plants and expertise, and the program received a $1,100 scholarship to send middle school students to Holly Hill Farm. Read more
Weymouth elementary schools presented comprehensive improvement plans with Wessagusset School returning to pre-COVID MCAS performance levels. All three schools identified student emotional regulation as critical, with Panorama surveys showing 43-53% of students in grades 3-5 reporting difficulty regulating emotions. William Seach School earned nomination for the Safe and Supportive Trauma-Sensitive School Award and reported significant behavioral incident reductions through Collaborative Problem Solving. Read more
Development and Enforcement
Plymouth’s West Plymouth residents raised persistent concerns about enforcement failures on special permit conditions, specifically citing Cranberry Crescent’s missing landscaping buffers along Route 80 nearly a decade after approval. Town Manager Derek Brindisi acknowledged enforcement gaps and committed to spring 2026 completion. Select Board member Kevin Canty suggested examining whether special permit requirements are “rationally related” to goals and “reasonable for that business to do and for us to actually be able to meaningfully enforce.” Read more
Technology and Efficiency
Plympton is exploring Microsoft Office 365 with Copilot functionality as a potential alternative to $60,000 permitting software, following a Town Properties Committee member’s suggestion. Rehoboth currently pays $25 per user monthly ($300 annually), which would save substantial funds if the town has fewer than 200 users. The administrator is investigating whether board/committee members with town emails count as paid users and whether municipal discounts exist. Read more
Looking Ahead
Scituate Schools will vote November 17 on the final Director of Support, Engagement, and Advocacy job description combining social-emotional learning with diversity, equity, and inclusion work. The position replaces the standalone DEI role, with hiring targeted for February 1, 2026. Read more
Hanover’s special town meeting on December 8 will address MBTA Communities zoning compliance, a $275,000 contingency fund for potential state penalties, capital project closeouts, and a citizen petition for recall provisions. Read more
Again, don’t forget Saturday’s special elections in Abington and East Bridgewater!