MeetingWatch
Your area Not set — showing everywhere
Meeting report · Select Board
Creating this report cost real money. Help fund coverage →

Select Board — March 10, 2026

The meeting was largely procedural, but tension was evident during the discussion of the special town meeting mandate and the reporting of a significant multi-million dollar budget deficit.

Date Tuesday, March 10, 2026 Duration 1.9h Speakers 18 Decisions 7 Mildly contentious

Public ⁠impact

Issues from this meeting with documented community impact.
01

Snow and Ice Budget Deficit

$3 million deficit requiring future financial coverage options. Affected: All Plymouth taxpayers
other high impact
02

Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan

A 20-year roadmap for town wastewater collection and treatment. Affected: All residents and property owners
other high impact

Decisions ⁠logged

Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
Motion to move items 3 through 8 as a group.
The board voted to group agenda items 3 through 8.
Unanimous
25:51
Approval of Administrative Note 1 (Call a Special Town Meeting).
The board voted to approve the call for a special town meeting due to the receipt of 219 signatures.
Approved (4 Yes, 1 No, 1 Abstain)
30:40
Approval of Administrative Note 2 (Opening the warrant).
The board voted to open the warrant for the special town meeting.
Approved
30:50
Approval of updated Town of Plymouth Sewer Regulations.
The board voted to make the streamlined sewer regulations official.
Approved
1:04:41
Establishment of the Plymouth 250 Commemoration Committee with amended membership.
The committee was approved with the inclusion of the VSB and the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Unanimous
1:12:14
Policy change for advertising committee vacancies.
The board moved to reduce the vacancy advertisement period from 30 days to 15 days to expedite the 250 Committee appointments.
Approved
1:13:00
Adjournment of the Select Board meeting.
Motion made by Mr. Canty and seconded by Mr. Iacquinto.
Passed
1:52:54

Topics ⁠discussed

Click a topic to expand quotes and full context.
12:54 Plymouth Police Department Swearing-in Ceremony

Chief Dana Flynn introduced and oversaw the swearing-in of four department members: Lieutenant Craig Provo, Sergeant Kyle Kreitzer, Sergeant Patrick Hicks, and Sergeant Teresa Best, as well as the introduction of new Officer Michael Hagloff.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
26:34 Administrative Note 1: Special Town Meeting Warrant

The Board discussed the legal obligation to call a special town meeting following the receipt of 219 signatures regarding a warrant item.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
32:03 Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan (CWMP) Update

Wastewater Manager Doug Pinard and Committee Chair Mike Hamlin provided an update on the 20-year roadmap for the town's wastewater collection, pump stations, and treatment plant, including public outreach plans.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:02:46 Town of Plymouth Sewer Regulations Update

The Wastewater Manager presented streamlined sewer regulations to replace the outdated 1983 version, reducing the document from 160+ pages to approximately 47 pages.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:05:10 Plymouth 250 Commemoration Committee Establishment

The Board discussed the formation of a committee to organize events for the town's 250th anniversary, including representatives from various local organizations and at-large citizens.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:16:22 Town Mayor's Report

Mayor Brindisi reported on the Children's Small Business Fair, Water Street construction, the Route 80 cemetery project, blizzard recovery efforts, and a snow/ice budget deficit.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:19:58 Route 80 Cemetery Project

Update on the cemetery project following Mass Historic Commission challenges; the project aims for an April groundbreaking once the ground thaws.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:20:31 DPW Blizzard Recovery and Maintenance

Discussion regarding DPW efforts to repair gravel roads with limited equipment (one grader) and plans for a yard waste drop-off day.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:23:16 Snow and Ice Deficit and Reimbursement

The town is facing a $3 million snow and ice deficit. MEMA reimbursement of approximately $2.5 million has been submitted.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:25:15 Assistant Town Manager Vacancy

Inquiry regarding the replacement strategy for the Assistant Town Manager position following Silvio's departure.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:27:47 Storm Preparedness and Training

Discussion regarding a formal site visit to the DPW and EOC for board training and a debrief of the recent storm response.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:28:58 Municipal Policy and Administration Proposals

Board members requested future agenda items including a facilities task force, affordable housing division, and conservation commission staffing.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:36:07 Immigration Enforcement Policy Summary

Presentation of a one-page summary of the Chief's federal immigration enforcement policy for community distribution.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:50:44 Solid Waste Disposal

Brief discussion on continuing to explore creative options for solid waste disposal despite past challenges.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker

Controversy & ⁠dissent

Where the board, the community, or the agenda diverged.

Potentially controversial issues

01

Special Town Meeting via Signature Submission

A group of citizens collected 219 signatures to force a special town meeting on a specific warrant item. This bypasses the Board's traditional control over the legislative calendar and was viewed by some members as a breakdown in standard municipal bargaining processes.
Board position: The board ultimately complied with the legal obligation to call the meeting, though it was not a unanimous sentiment.
Internal dissent
a speaker expressed significant frustration, stating 'This is not the way to do business... It needs to be bargained.'
medium concern
02

Snow and Ice Budget Deficit

The town is facing a $3 million deficit due to recent blizzard recovery efforts, which will likely necessitate future budget adjustments or tax implications.
Board position: The Board is requesting staff to develop options to cover the deficit for the fall meeting.
medium concern

Split votes

Approval of Administrative Note 1 (Call a Special Town Meeting)
4-1-1

Community vs. board tension

Action ⁠items

Who owes what, by when.
Add the Plymouth 250 Commemoration Committee to the July 4th meeting agenda to discuss coordination.
Assigned: Ann Marie Winchester (July 4th Plymouth) · Due: Next Wednesday
Follow up with organizations that have not yet responded to the committee invitation.
Assigned: Ann Marie Winchester
Prepare options to cover the $3 million snow and ice deficit for the fall meeting.
Assigned: Wastewater Manager / Staff · Due: Fall 2026
Attend rescheduled Open Meeting Law training.
Assigned: Board and Committee Members · Due: 2026-03-26
Develop options to cover the $3 million snow and ice deficit to present to the board.
Assigned: Finance Director and team · Due: Fall meeting
Rescheduled Open Meeting Law training.
Assigned: Town Staff/Jade · Due: March 26th at 6 PM
Send written notes/proposals for requested agenda items (facilities task force, housing division, etc.) to Jade.
Assigned: a speaker
Provide follow-up information resulting from the budget oversight workshop.
Assigned: Staff · Due: April 7th

Notable ⁠statements

This is not the way to do business... It needs to be bargained. And this is not the way to do this. — Unidentified speaker · Opposing the administrative note to call a special town meeting via signature submission rather than bargaining. 27:21
This could, it'll probably go through, I was thinking, 2026. Because we don't want to rush it at this point. — Unidentified speaker · Discussing the timeline for the Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan. 46:39
We are looking at about a $3 million deficit [in snow and ice]. — Unidentified speaker · Reporting on the financial impact of the recent blizzard on the town. 1:21:57
We have 80 miles of gravel roads in this community with one grader. — Unidentified speaker · Explaining the delay in road repairs following the blizzard. 1:20:44
I would like to formally request... the creation of a facilities task force for the town of Plymouth to look into how the town is caring for its buildings, its parks, its equipment. — Unidentified speaker · Proposing new administrative oversight for municipal assets. 1:31:18
We can do what the articles are seeking to do, which is to move town meeting and to move the date of the election if we want to. — Unidentified speaker · Update regarding special town meeting articles and legal clarification from the Assistant Attorney General. 1:47:44

Public ⁠comment

What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
No public comments were identified in this meeting.
Support coverage

Creating this report cost ⁠real money.

MeetingWatch attended, transcribed, and analyzed this meeting on its own dime. If this work is valuable to you, chip in to keep covering Plymouth.

Report composed by gemma-4-26b, claude-opus-4-7 · analyzed 2026-05-25.