Plymouth Shakes Up Community Preservation Committee, Secures Major Grant

New Leadership for CPC as Town Receives $10M for Jenny Pond Project

PLYMOUTH, MA - June 11 - Plymouth's Select Board made significant changes to the Community Preservation Committee Tuesday night, appointing two new members and declining to reappoint longtime chair Bill Cohan.

Edward Bradley and Len Levin were appointed to the CPC, replacing Cohan and Alan Hemberger after lengthy discussions with several candidates.

Select Board member Kevin Canty expressed mixed feelings about the change, praising Cohan's dedication but citing concerns about collaboration with town officials.

"I think Bill values his independence, and I think he . . . I don't think the CPC is as independent as some believe it is," Canty said.

The CPC recommends how to spend funds collected through a local tax surcharge for open space, affordable housing, and historic preservation projects.

In other business, Town Manager Derek Brindisi announced Plymouth has been awarded a $10 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for Jenny Pond improvements.

The grant will fund dredging, a new pedestrian bridge, and a fish passage. An additional $5 million capital request is planned for dam repairs, bringing the total project cost to approximately $15 million.

"I want to thank Mr. Gould who's the director of Department of Energy and Management for his work on bringing ten million dollars to the town of Plymouth," Brindisi said.

Brindisi also reported on the distribution of $200,000 in opioid settlement funds to five local organizations. The ARISE (Addiction Response and Improvement Strategies) program awarded approximately $50,000 each to BAMSI, High Point Treatment Center, Plymouth Public Schools, and To the Moon and Back.

"I would honestly say that I think that the town of Plymouth when it comes to the distribution of opioid grants is probably is definitely leading the Commonwealth in this respect," Brindisi said.

Select Board member John Mahoney announced the Plymouth North varsity baseball team advanced to the state title game, defeating Westfield 4-2. The championship game will be held Friday night at Polar Park in Worcester.

The meeting included appointments to various town boards and committees, with some debate over residency requirements for certain positions.

Select Board member Charlie Bletzer reported his election to the county budget advisory board.

The next Select Board meeting is scheduled for June 18.