Rockland Faces Budget Challenges, Appoints Interim Sewer Commissioners

Town warns of potential health insurance and retirement cost increases

ROCKLAND, MA - November 5 - Rockland officials are bracing for potential budget challenges in the coming fiscal year, with significant increases expected in health insurance and retirement costs.

Town Administrator Doug Lapp warned the Select Board on Tuesday that health insurance costs could rise by up to 10% and Plymouth County retirement funding by up to 9% in the next budget cycle.

"We're looking at potentially could be up to a 10% increase," Lapp said regarding health insurance costs. "So that's going to hurt."

Lapp noted that Rockland has enjoyed relatively low health insurance increases in recent years, including a zero increase one year. However, he indicated that trend is likely to change.

"Not just Rockland. Everyone else is going to face a much more significant increase," Lapp said.

The potential 9% increase in Plymouth County retirement funding is due to an accelerated timeline for fully funding the system, according to Lapp.

"Plymouth County is really accelerating their funding of Plymouth County retirement, and it's been accelerated a lot so that it can be fully funded within a short period of time, which is good, except it's a difficult thing to fund," Lapp explained.

Select Board member John Ellard confirmed that nearby communities are facing similar challenges, stating that Mansfield is "probably looking at a 10% to 12% health insurance update cost increase this upcoming year."

Lapp emphasized that these two cost centers are largely outside the town's control, potentially making the upcoming budget year difficult.

In other business, the Select Board appointed three interim sewer commissioners to address recent vacancies in the sewer department leadership. Michael Mullen Jr., Matthew Ryan, and Walter Simmons will serve as temporary commissioners until April 12, 2025.

The appointments come after the resignation of the entire sewer board earlier this year. The new commissioners will be tasked with overseeing the department and hiring a permanent superintendent.

Mullen, a former Select Board member with municipal management experience, emphasized the need for collaboration and professionalism in the sewer department.

"We need to really help in the interim to bring back the type of collaboration, the type of professionalism in the cohesion between sewer and the town," Mullen said. "I think it's very much needed."

Ryan highlighted his familiarity with regulations and team-building.

"I have 25 years of nurse management experience with the practice of hiring and putting together teams to run health care facilities, which deals a lot with regulations," Ryan said.

Simmons, who previously served on the sewer commission, expressed his desire to help hire a new superintendent.

"I just wanted to come back to see if I could be on the board to hire a new superintendent. That's my main purpose, actually," Simmons said.

The board also voted to hold a special election on Jan. 25 to coincide with the regional vote on the proposed South Shore Regional Vocational Technical School building project. A separate ballot question will ask Rockland voters to approve a debt exclusion to fund the town's estimated $35 million share of the project if it passes regionally.

Select Board members debated whether to include the debt exclusion question, with some arguing for transparency and others concerned about potential voter confusion.

"I think in fairness to everyone, you have to give them all the puzzle pieces at the time," Select Board member Donna Shortall said, supporting the inclusion of the debt exclusion question.

The board ultimately voted 3-2 to include the debt exclusion question on the Jan. 25 ballot.

In other news, Lapp announced that Rockland received a $500,000 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation for the Complete Streets program, which will fund curbing and sidewalks on North Avenue.

Lapp also praised the town clerk's office for their work on Tuesday's election, calling it "incredibly important" and noting the increasing challenges of election administration.