Packed house at the 2025 Norwell Town Meeting George Jamieson
The special town meeting has been called to order. Norwell Middle School is packed and the overflow room is filling now. Matthew Greene, town moderator, is overseeing the meeting.
Click here for Town Warrant https://www.townofnorwell.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif1011/f/pages/2025_stm_atm_warrant_05-05-25.pdf
Article 1 Unpaid Bills from Prior Fiscal Years and 2 Supplemental Appropriations have been passes.
Article 3 Reacceptance of MGL Chapter 59, section5K: passes.
Voting is moving slowly as the town moderator waits to hear from the attendees in the overflow room.
Article 4 Snow and Ice Deficit: passes.
Article 5 Washington Street Cemetery Records Phase II: passes.
Article 6 Boardwalk Restoration is up. Advisory board does not recommend this due to lack of clarity regarding final cost. Glenn Ferguson amends this from $2.7 million to $1.9 million.
Article 6 Boardwalk Restoration: Glenn Ferguson, Norwell Highway Director, is giving a presentation on the issue.
Article 6 Boardwalk Restoration: First public comment comes up for asking for transparency about why this project only lasted for 12 years due to inferior products and poor engineering. Wondering why there has been no restitution for this.
Article 6 Boardwalk Restoration: Glenn Ferguson responds saying he cannot comment on the issues before him but assuring that as long as he is an elected official the project will be done properly.
Article 6 Boardwalk Restoration: Passes with a small contingent of audible "no" votes.
Special town meeting is closed. Annual town meeting will begin shortly. Moderator is going over the consent agenda.
Consent agenda passes. This agenda included Article 1 Acceptance of Town Reports; Article 6 Personnel By-Law, Union and Personal Contract Salary Obligations; Article 7 Stabilization Fund Transfer; Article 8 OPEB Transfer; Article 9 SPED Stabilization Transfer; Article 13 Town Drainage; Article 14 Accept Chapter 90 Funding; Article 15 MS4 Stormwater Compliance; Article 16 Highway Yard Remediation; Article 17 Traffic Calming Measures; Article 41 Appropriation for School Based Medicaid Services; Article 42 Set Revolving Fund Spending Limits. Budget process is next.
Jason Brown, Chair of the Select Board, is reviewing articles 2A and 2B. Article 2A is the Base Operating Budget. Article 2B is the Supplemental/Contigency Budget- otherwise known as the override budget. To pass the override budget, the vote must pass tonight at town meeting and at the May 17 Annual Election.
"We're not all in the same boat, but we are all in the same storm." Jason Brown
Darleen Sullivan, town administrator, giving budget presentation.
Article 2B Supplemental/Contingency Budget: passed. After~45 minutes of comment, the override vote passes at town meeting and moves on to the annual election on May 17.
Article 12 MSBA High School Feasibility Study is being discussed.
Article 4 New Water Treatment Facility: Design & Engineering Borrowing passed by secret ballot- 478 for yes, 55 for no. Article 5 New Water Treatment Facility: Construction Borrowing TBD.
Article 12 MSBA High School Feasibility Study vote happening by secret ballot. Article 12 passes.
Article 18 Emergency Tree Removal passes.
Article 19 Complete Streets passes.
Article 20 CPA Reserves for Open Space, Historical, Affordable Housing passes.
