South Shore News...letter: Weekly Government Roundup
Week of August 18-20, 2025
A weekly digest of municipal government activity across the South Shore region, compiled from SouthShore.news coverage.
Budget & Financial Matters
Whitman-Hanson Athletic Fees Soar as District Faces Crisis - The regional school committee voted to add a $400 pool fee for swimmers, on top of dramatically increased base athletic fees that now range from $375 to $100 per sport. Athletic Director Bob Rogers noted that Whitman-Hanson was already "the lowest funded athletic program in our league" before recent budget cuts forced by failed override votes in both towns. Read full story
Pembroke Schools Freeze Teaching Positions - The school committee approved freezing several teaching positions due to ongoing collective bargaining negotiations, potentially affecting class sizes as budget constraints continue to impact staffing levels. Read full story
Whitman Explores Pension Restructuring - Select board members discussed restructuring their Plymouth County retirement liability from five to ten years, which could reduce annual assessments from $3.8 million to $2.5 million but would increase total interest costs. Read full story
Plymouth County Commissioners Approve $1.87M Assessment - County commissioners approved their annual tax assessment and vehicle procurement for 2026, with Chair Jared Valanzola emphasizing the limited scope of county taxation. Read full story
Cohasset Proposes Recycling Enterprise Fund - Select board held a public forum on creating an enterprise fund for the Recycling Transfer Facility, including proposed fee increases to make the operation self-sustaining rather than relying on general fund subsidies. Read full story
Personnel & Appointments
Halifax Names New Town Administrator - The board of selectmen unanimously appointed Blair Crane as town administrator, citing his financial management experience as critical for navigating upcoming union contract negotiations and budget challenges. Read full story
Norwell Appoints Alternate Building Commissioner - Mike Clancy was unanimously appointed to the newly-created alternate building commissioner position, providing backup for issuing occupancy permits without additional budget impact. Read full story
Cohasset Recreation Commission Gains New Member - Dan Martin, with over 40 years of athletics and recreation experience, was appointed to fill a vacancy on the recreation commission. Read full story
Plymouth Moderator Gains Special Employee Status - In a 4-1 vote, select board approved designating Town Moderator Steven Triffletti as a Special Municipal Employee, allowing him to represent private clients before municipal boards despite conflict of interest concerns. Read full story
Housing & Development
Norwell Advances Affordable Housing Via Foreclosure - Select board authorized foreclosure proceedings on the Atlantic Towing property at 271 Washington Street, with the Community Housing Trust exploring it as a potential affordable housing site. Read full story
Public Safety & Infrastructure
Hull Unveils "Aqua Necklace" Waterfront Vision - Officials accepted a comprehensive study identifying 168 public beach access points and proposing an "Aqua Necklace Public Park" concept to better connect residents to the seven-mile coastline. The study prioritized 36 sites for improvement, including the Western Avenue stairs in "grave disrepair." Read full story
Hanson Secures $237,000 Environmental Cleanup Grant - Select board approved accepting federal funding to remediate contamination at the town-owned former Lite Control property on Hawks Avenue, following environmental assessment findings. Read full story
Scituate Addresses Employee Safety After Incident - Select board condemned residents who allegedly yelled at DPW employees painting lines on Glades Road, with one resident reportedly mentioning firearms. Chair Andrew Goodrich called the behavior unacceptable and pledged to protect municipal workers. Read full story
Education
Hingham Secures $133K in Federal Education Grants - School committee received Title I, II, and IV funding totaling $133,785 to hire a math interventionist and support professional development programs aimed at closing achievement gaps. Read full story
East Bridgewater Advances $125M School Project - School committee approved schematic design for Central School replacement, with MSBA funding covering a significant portion of costs. The new ADA-compliant facility could open by September 2028, replacing a building that would cost $60 million just to minimally repair. Read full story
Cohasset Updates Technology Policies - School committee approved revised acceptable use policies clarifying that all data on district networks and devices will be regularly monitored, while also introducing service dog policies and new teacher mentoring programs. Read full story
Community Issues & Public Engagement
Pembroke Addresses Tavern Noise Complaints - Select board heard emotional testimony from residents affected by loud outdoor entertainment at Somewhere Else Tavern. The board accepted the establishment's proposed mitigation measures including sound-absorbing blankets and speaker redirection as a temporary solution. Read full story
Scituate Residents Challenge Road Markings - Glades Road resident Kyle O'Connor presented photographic evidence that new lane markings have increased vehicle speeds and reduced pedestrian safety, requesting a September board meeting to address community concerns. Read full story
Criminal Justice
Suspicious Death Investigation in Scituate - Authorities identified Declan Perry, 27, of Portland, Maine, as the victim found deceased in a vehicle at South Shore Hospital. State and local police are investigating the death as suspicious, with a person of interest identified who was known to the victim. Read full story
Upcoming Meetings & Events
Pembroke: Special town meeting warrant articles approved, including anti-noise bylaw and town clerk position changes (meetings Sept. 10 & 24)
Cohasset: Special town meeting scheduled for November 3, 2025
Scituate: Touch-a-Truck event Friday, Aug. 22, 9am-noon; disaster response forum Sept. 2 at library
Whitman: Committee roles and open meeting law workshop scheduled for Sept. 24
Hull: Strawberry Hill Chalk Fest on Halvorsen Avenue, Aug. 30
This roundup covers municipal government meetings from August 18-20, 2025. For complete meeting coverage and documentation, visit SouthShore.news.