South Shore News...letter: Week of Upheaval

Whitman-Hanson Halts Layoffs, Cohasset Manager Exits, Multiple Towns Face Financial Pressure

Nov 01, 2025

October 21-30, 2025

This past week brought critical decisions on school building projects, sobering budget forecasts, and governance challenges across the South Shore. From major infrastructure votes to personnel controversies, communities grappled with balancing fiscal constraints against expectations for quality services. Here’s what municipal leaders and engaged residents need to know from the week that was.

The common thread? Money. Whether approving multimillion-dollar school projects, confronting unexpected deficits, or navigating state mandates that drive up costs, nearly every community faced difficult financial choices. Meanwhile, academic results showed both encouraging progress and concerning gaps, providing data points that will inform next year’s budget battles.

SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECTS & MAJOR CAPITAL DECISIONS

East Bridgewater moves forward with $125M Central School project – South Shore News published a comprehensive voter’s guide ahead of the critical November 10 Special Town Meeting and November 15 debt exclusion vote. The project would replace the aging 1951 Central Elementary School with a new PK-2 facility, with MSBA covering 58% of costs. Tax impact: approximately $840 annually for the average home on a 30-year bond. The MSBA meets October 29 to provide final approval. Read more | Meeting coverage

East Bridgewater voters approve $1.2M fire engine – At an October 27 Special Town Meeting, voters authorized purchasing a new fire engine to replace a nearly 30-year-old pumper. The chief warned that costs have doubled since 2023 estimates, and the 2-3 year build time means immediate action was critical. Read more

Kingston advances $1.6M elementary school roof replacement – Voters approved borrowing for partial roof work at Kingston Elementary, though MSBA requirements added $300,000 for “solar readiness” despite no plans for panels. Only 11% of the roof qualifies for state funding due to age thresholds, leaving 89% for future replacement. The project requires both MSBA approval and a spring 2026 debt exclusion vote. Read more

Hingham clears major hurdle for Active Living Center – The Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs determined that replacement parkland near Plymouth River School meets all Article 97 requirements, marking a critical milestone. The project now awaits two-thirds legislative approval in both chambers. Town officials provided detailed analysis explaining why alternative sites like Union Street and the Hitchcock building aren’t viable. Read more

Duxbury’s Powder Point Bridge faces $700K annual repair costs – Engineers warned that temporary repairs may be necessary to keep the 110-span wooden structure open while the town decides between state replacement ($32M+) and restoration alternatives. The 1986 bridge is deteriorating faster than expected, with 175 piles in moderate damage condition and growing. A “Save Our Bridge” group collected 5,800 signatures requesting a pause on the state project. MassDOT held a public meeting October 21. Read more

BUDGET CRISES & FINANCIAL PRESSURES

Hanover faces $6.9M cumulative deficit through 2032 – Town officials presented a sobering five-year forecast showing annual deficits ranging from $1M to $3.6M, with FY2030’s $2.6M gap the most challenging. The town also unveiled a $45M ten-year capital plan, with $25M for PFAS water treatment alone. School officials requested $600,000 for urgent health and safety repairs at Cedar School and the middle school. Read more

Whitman-Hanson halts 30 planned layoffs amid transparency crisis – In a dramatic emergency meeting, the school committee unanimously suspended RIF notices for 30 school days, demanding full accounting of a $1.4M FY26 deficit. Committee members expressed anger that they learned of the situation just 45 minutes before staff, despite administrators knowing about deficits since March. The superintendent took “full responsibility” but noted every two-week delay adds $30K-$35K to the deficit. Read more

Duxbury quantifies impact of 18.9 lost positions – School leaders detailed how $2.6M in budget cuts eliminated courses, increased class sizes, and restricted student schedules. Only 68% of high school students received first-choice electives (down from 75%), study halls nearly doubled at the middle school, and technology support tickets now take 3-5 days instead of one. Elementary libraries purchased no new books this year. Read more

Norwell schools navigate complex enrollment shifts after 22+ position cuts – October enrollment data revealed both expected demographic changes and unexpected pressures. The middle school added two sixth-grade sections but eliminated the Academic Enrichment program, with study halls nearly doubling to serve 922 students (up from 443). High school open blocks jumped from 1,139 to 1,406, meaning more than half of students now have at least one study period. Read more

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE & CURRICULUM

Hull achieves historic academic gains – The Jacobs School reached its highest accountability percentile ever (69th), and the district was named one of only nine statewide to surpass pre-pandemic ELA performance. Fifth grade science showed a dramatic 20-point improvement to 72% meeting expectations. Chronic absenteeism dropped from 37% to 5.9%. However, math remains an area of focus, with average scores declining slightly. Read more

Scituate eliminates Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion position – The committee faced nearly an hour of impassioned public comment opposing elimination of the position held by jamele adams, with students, staff and community members challenging the decision to replace it with a broader SEL role. High school senior Eleanor Abel asked students and staff positively impacted by adams to stand—a significant portion rose. The meeting also featured comprehensive MCAS presentations showing mixed results. Read more

Weymouth adopts new graduation competency requirements – The committee unanimously approved new standards replacing MCAS as the primary graduation benchmark, while maintaining that local requirements remain more rigorous than state minimums. The district also approved mandatory annual residency verification. Elementary principals reported concerning decreases in students’ sense of belonging across all schools despite strong academic performance exceeding state averages. Read more

MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS & GOVERNANCE

Cohasset Town Manager Chris Senior will not seek renewal – After 12 years, Senior announced he won’t seek contract renewal, followed by extended public criticism calling for his termination and a Select Board member’s resignation. A formal open meeting law complaint alleged minutes “materially misrepresented” a resident’s comments. The reconstituted Public Safety Building Committee plans listening sessions rather than presenting a specific proposal. Read more

Hingham convenes first all-committee chairs meeting – More than two dozen committee chairs gathered for an unprecedented coordination session addressing everything from the $113M Foster School completion (under budget, net-zero carbon) to Route 3A improvements ($32M, breaking ground July 2027) to 65-68 units of senior housing off Beale Street. The CPC faces $2.4M in requests against $1.8M available. Read more

Rockland adopts first AI policy – The Select Board unanimously approved comprehensive guidelines governing municipal AI use, establishing ethical standards, data protection for sensitive information, and maintaining human oversight. IT Director Geno led development of the policy, which positions Rockland favorably as AI technology becomes ubiquitous in government operations. Read more

Plympton fire station faces state safety violations – A November 17 deadline looms for remediation plans addressing water drainage issues, electrical hazards, and inadequate space. Water seeps up through floor vents and drains, heating ductwork in the floor fills with water, and the electrical panel sits directly against water piping. The Board referred all issues to the newly reformed Town Properties Committee. Read more

PUBLIC SAFETY & MUNICIPAL SERVICES

Kingston creates Family Services Unit with new sergeant – The Board of Selectmen voted 3-1-1 to authorize promoting an additional sergeant to oversee a new unit serving Kingston, Plympton, and Halifax. A licensed clinician will work alongside officers on mental health and social service calls. The position is funded through June 2026 by foregoing one patrol vacancy, though one Selectman warned he may not support restoring that position next year. Read more

That’s the week that was on the South Shore. As budget season approaches, expect these themes—competing priorities, deferred maintenance coming due, and the challenge of maintaining service expectations with constrained resources—to intensify. The decisions made in the coming months will shape these communities for years to come.