Norwell News

Live Updates from the Norwell Town Meeting

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Norwell 2025 Annual Town MeetingSouth Shore Times
gymnasium is filled with folding chairs and people for a town meeting
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. 

Article 21 Community Housing Trust passes.

Article 22 Cole School Soccer Goals passes. 

Article 23 Jacobs Pond Aquatic Weed Treatment passes. 

Article 24 First Parish Cemetery Stone Restoration, Phase 4 passes. 

Article 25 Main Street Stone Walls, Phase 2 passes.

Article 26 Recreation Signage passes. 

Article 27 Cushing Hall, Heating and Cooling passes.

Article 28 Cushing Hall Fire Alarm passes. 

Article 29 Woodworth Field Infrastructure Improvements passes.

Article 31 Community Preservation Act: Vote to Rescind; Advisory board did not recommend this with 0-6 vote. Article 31 did not pass. 

Article 30 Community Preservation Act Reconsideration: Percentage Reduction passes.

Article 32 Stetson Shrine Lane Town Land passes. 

Resident requests reconsideration of the passage of Article 3 Capital Budget. Town moderator conferred with town counsel and the request was denied. 

Article 33 Acceptance of Bay Path Lane (Extension) as a Public Way is indefinitely postponed. 

Article 34 Demolition Delay Bylaw passes. 

Article 35 Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Zoning Bylaw Change passes.

Article 36 New Provision for Accessory Dwelling Units Larger than 900sf passes.

Article 37 Housekeeping Article passes. 

Article 38 North River Tidal Marsh Protection passes.

Article 39 Protection of Priority Wetland Habitats passes. 

Article 40 Stormwater Management and Disturbance of Land Bylaw passes. 

Article 43 Citizens Petition Farmer's Porch Zoning Setback Amendment passes. 

Resident requests motion to reconsider Article 3 Capital Budget. Moderator conferred with town counsel and motion was denied. 

Town meeting was adjourned at 11:26 pm. 

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