Scituate Approves $2.85 Million Capital Improvement Plan, Amends Bylaws
Town Meeting Votes Unanimously on Key Measures for Public Safety and Infrastructure
SCITUATE, MA - November 18 - Scituate residents unanimously approved a $2.85 million capital improvement plan and several bylaw amendments during a special town meeting Monday night.
The capital plan includes funding for a septic loan program, repairs to historic properties, a seawall project, and water meter replacements.
Town Moderator Jim Toomey presided over the meeting, which saw all 13 warrant articles pass without opposition.
The $2.85 million capital improvement plan allocates $200,000 for a septic loan program, $100,000 for repairs to the Mordecai Lincoln property, $2.2 million for the town's share of a Cedar Point seawall project, and $350,000 for water meter replacements.
Chris Carchia, chair of the Capital Planning Committee, reported that his group voted unanimously to recommend the septic loan program, seawall grant match, and water meter replacement.
"The committee voted unanimously to recommend the septic loan program, the seawall grant match, and the water meter replacement. Those were 5-0," Carchia said.
The Mordecai Lincoln property improvements passed with a 3-1 vote and one abstention.
Residents also approved changes to local bylaws, clarifying rules for alcohol consumption on public property and implementing fingerprint-based criminal background checks for certain license applicants.
The alcohol consumption bylaw amendment allows for exceptions to the public drinking ban when a liquor license is issued by the Select Board or its designee, or with prior written approval for events using a caterer's license.
The new fingerprinting bylaw requires applicants for certain licenses, including hackney and livery drivers, ice cream truck vendors, and dealers of secondhand articles, to submit to fingerprint-based criminal background checks.
Police Chief Mark Thompson explained the reasoning behind the fingerprinting measure: "This bylaw is to protect the public health, safety, and welfare of the inhabitants of Scituate in connection with the issuance of certain town licenses."
Applicants will pay a $100 fee for the background check, with a portion going to the state's Firearms Fingerprint Identity Verification Trust Fund and the remainder retained by the town for administrative costs.
In other business, the town approved an amendment to the South Shore Regional Vocational School Agreement, which recalculates how debt is shared among member towns.
Lynda Ferguson of the Advisory Committee explained, "Basically, it's going to recalculate how the debt share is done more equitably, more as sort of a pay-as-you-go. The current schools would be done on a four-year rolling average."
Voters also agreed to remove firefighters, fire lieutenants, fire captains, and the deputy fire chief from civil service. This change mirrors a similar move made for the police department last year.
Elise Russo, chair of the Advisory Committee, noted the success of the police department's transition: "You may recall that we did this with the police department last year, and my understanding is that that has been a success because it's enabled us to have access to more applicants and qualified applicants."
The meeting also saw the approval of several Community Preservation Committee recommendations, including $100,000 for phase two of the Cushing Trail restoration, $17,000 for beach bike racks, $55,000 for a bikeway feasibility study, and $75,000 for a Mordecai Lincoln property assessment.
Dan Fennelly, Chair of the Community Preservation Committee, highlighted the importance of the Cushing Trail project: "This is a trail between two neighborhoods near Cushing School and the Junior Senior High School. And the pavement is in dire need of repair."
The special town meeting, which lasted under an hour, concluded with all articles passing, reflecting a strong consensus among Scituate residents on the town's priorities for infrastructure improvements and public safety measures.