Plymouth town officials on Oct. 9 previewed motions and advisory committee recommendations that will come before the fall annual town meeting on Oct. 18, including rules for hybrid participation, a proposed $2,056,358 increase to the FY2026 general fund operating budget, capital projects at Plymouth Municipal Airport and a procedural dispute over a citizens’ petition the moderator ruled largely outside town meeting authority.

The preview meeting in the Great Hall at Town Hall laid out procedural deadlines and participation rules for the hybrid meeting. “This meeting will replay with show times to be announced on Comcast 15, Verizon 47,” said Nicole Manfredi, assistant town moderator, and she said the Oct. 18 session will be televised and streamed. Manfredi said town meeting members who wish to register for remote participation must notify the assistant moderator and town clerk by noon the day after the preview; she added that once a member registers as remote they are “locked into that format” for the adjourned session as well. She also warned that iPhones and iPads are not supported for remote voting.

Why this matters: the preview packaged motions, committee positions and funding sources so town meeting members can prepare for what will be voted on Oct. 18 at Plymouth North High School at 8 a.m.

Major budget and capital recommendations

The advisory and finance committee (FinCom) recommended Article 1, a FY2026 supplemental budget request, by a vote of 9 in favor, 0 opposed, and 3 abstentions. Approval would increase the town’s FY2026 general fund operating budget by $2,056,358 as detailed in the motions book. FinCom chair Joseph Lally said the committee discussed ongoing efforts to lower postage costs and noted the town will continue to hire outside counsel for specialized legal matters even as some legal work has been insourced.

FinCom also reported multiple capital recommendations under Article 4. The committee voted unanimously to recommend several capital items (listed in the motions book as A1, A3, A4, A5 and A6). Lally explained the water department persuaded the committee to approve purchase of a hydro‑vac truck (Article 4, item A1) because department estimates show the truck will reduce excavation costs compared with contracting the work. Lally said contracting rates run “$2,800 to $3,000 a day, or about $460,000 a year for 160 days of work,” and the truck would lower cost and risk for mandated infrastructure work.

Plymouth Municipal Airport projects were described in detail. The runway reconstruction (Article 4, item A5) is estimated at $9,200,000; 90 percent ($8,280,000) would be funded by the Federal Aviation Administration, 5 percent ($460,000) by MassDOT Aeronautics, and the airport commission is requesting the remaining 5 percent ($460,000) from the airport enterprise account. The Gate 3 taxi lane reconstruction (Article 4, item A6) was estimated at $870,000, with $752,000 (86.6 percent) from the FAA, $59,000 (6.7 percent) from MassDOT Aeronautics, and a requested local share of $59,000 from the airport enterprise account. The airport presenters described deteriorated pavement, loose debris that risks aircraft damage, and the work as necessary maintenance rather than a runway extension.

Two capital items were noted as changed or under amendment: FinCom said it learned the department did not receive an expected grant for one item (Article A4) and planned to ask FinCom to rescind that item ahead of town meeting. Separately, FinCom recommended an amended appropriation of $378,518 for the visitor center project (Article A9) but noted a motion from town meeting member Robert Zuperoli to reduce that appropriation by $200,000; if offered on the floor that amendment would be a majority vote.

Community preservation and open‑space articles

FinCom recommended a package of Community Preservation Committee (CPC) articles (Articles 16–23) that include funding requests for: a universally accessible nature trail at Dark Orchard (Article 16), the Gilmore land acquisition (Article 17), an affordable‑housing grant to Habitat for Humanity for a single‑family home (Article 18), a Little Red Schoolhouse existing conditions study (Article 19), a Memorial Hall historic structure report (Article 20), Training Green rehabilitation (Article 21), rescinding a prior borrowing authorization for a completed project (Article 22), and transcribing and digitizing town records (Article 23). FinCom noted several CPC approvals were contingent upon state grant awards or reimbursements; for example, the Gilmore acquisition is contingent on an anticipated $448,000 in grant reimbursements and the Dark Orchard trail motion includes an appropriation of $300,000 from the town’s environmental affairs fund. At the preview, Lynn Barrett, the director of finance, confirmed the environmental affairs fund money would be appropriated by town meeting if the article passes.

Article 21 (Training Green) was flagged for a likely motion to amend: a town meeting member supports the $644,000 appropriation overall but is expected to move that no more than $530,000 be provided from CPC funds, with the sponsor seeking alternative sources for the balance.

Land‑acquisition account and land bank distinction

FinCom recommended Article 6 by unanimous vote; approval would authorize the select board to petition the legislature to establish a land‑acquisition special revenue account to receive monies the town already collects when property exits Chapter 61 classification. David Golden, chair of the select board, explained the account differs from the separate land bank authorized at fall town meeting 2024. “The land bank would establish … a transfer fee on all real estate sold,” Golden said; by contrast the proposed special revenue account would collect money already due the town when Chapter 61 properties change status and would be used to mitigate impacts arising if such properties are developed.

Bylaws recodification, zoning and staff compensation items

Article 10 would renumber and adopt a code recodification of the town’s general bylaws; FinCom recommended it unanimously. Donna Curtin, town meeting member (Precinct 3), said she has been working with the moderator and the town clerk on a possible motion to amend because some proposed language changes are substantive rather than editorial and members “find it so helpful … to see what people call the red line version.” Town clerk Kelly McElrath confirmed amendments may be proposed on the floor.

FinCom recommended Article 14, a zoning bylaw amendment to satisfy the MBTA Communities Law requirement that 50 percent of the overlay district be contiguous, by a vote of 11 in favor and 2 opposed. FinCom recommended Article 9 (an assessor/assistant assessor certification stipend under MGL chapter 59, §21A) unanimously; that provision would allow up to 10 percent additional pay for certified assessors, capped at $1,000 annually, to support staff development and retention. Article 13 would permit the town to borrow $400,000 through the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust to fund a Title 5 betterment loan program for septic repair and replacement; FinCom recommended Article 13 unanimously.

Procedural rulings and a contested citizen petition (Article 26)

Moderator Steve Trippletti said he ruled certain citizen petitions out of order when they seek to make resolutions or actions beyond town meeting’s statutory authority. He cited Article 24 (a proposed change to Community Preservation Act fund distribution percentages) as outside town meeting authority because it would conflict with state law. Trippletti said, “I have ruled that I would not accept a motion that is tantamount to making a resolution because … outside the scope of authority for town meeting.”

Article 26 — a citizen petition that would “urge the select board to take certain action” — prompted similar procedural rulings. Trippletti said he would not accept a main motion in its original form but described the procedural path petitioners could follow at town meeting: a precinct member (William Abbott) may move to appeal the moderator’s ruling (a two‑thirds vote to overrule), and if that succeeds a motion is available to waive the charter requirement that FinCom hear the petition (also by two‑thirds), after which the substantive motion from the petitioners could be considered by majority vote. The preview meeting therefore outlined both the moderator’s rationale and the parliamentary steps petitioners may take on the floor.

Votes at a glance (advisory/committee recommendations cited at the Oct. 9 preview)

- Article 1 (FY26 supplemental budget): FinCom recommends approval, 9–0–3.
- Article 4 (capital recommendations): FinCom recommended several capital items (A1, A3, A4, A5, A6) unanimously; presenters later reported item A4 will be reconsidered because a grant was not awarded; Article A9 visitor center recommended as amended ($378,518) with a pending motion by Robert Zuperoli to reduce by $200,000.
- Article 5 (change 2026 spring town meeting date): FinCom recommends approval (unanimous); proposed new date 04/11/2026.
- Article 6 (land acquisition special revenue account): FinCom recommends approval (unanimous).
- Article 9 (assessor certification stipend): FinCom recommends approval (unanimous); accepts MGL ch.59 §21A provisions.
- Article 10 (bylaw recodification): FinCom recommends approval (unanimous); town meeting member indicated intent to pursue narrow amendments on the floor.
- Article 11 (historical commission under MGL ch.40 §8D): FinCom recommends approval 11–2; requires two‑thirds vote.
- Article 13 (Title 5 Betterment Loan borrowing from Massachusetts Clean Water Trust): FinCom recommends approval (unanimous).
- Article 14 (multifamily overlay zoning): FinCom recommends approval 11–2 to meet MBTA Communities compliance.
- Articles 16–23 (Community Preservation Committee package, including Dark Orchard trail, Gilmore acquisition, Habitat for Humanity grant, Little Red Schoolhouse, Memorial Hall, Training Green, rescind borrowing, records digitization): FinCom recommended approval of the CPC articles, many contingent on anticipated grants or reimbursements; Training Green (Article 21) may see an amendment limiting CPC contribution to $530,000.
- Article 24 (CPA fund distribution change): Moderator ruled out of order; no motion will be acted upon at town meeting because it conflicts with state law.

What’s next

The full motions book and presentations are on the town website and a draft motions book is available at the Great Hall. Town meeting members were urged to contact staff or the moderator in advance to clarify motions and supporting materials so floor drafting is limited. The fall annual town meeting will be held Oct. 18 at 8 a.m. at Plymouth North High School; the moderator reminded members that debate and votes will follow the warrant and any procedural votes (such as appeals of rulings) will use the charter’s required thresholds.

Attribution of select direct remarks in this report is limited to persons who spoke at the preview: Nicole Manfredi (assistant town moderator); Joseph Lally (chair, advisory and finance committee); David Golden (chair, select board); Donna Curtin (town meeting member, Precinct 3); Lynn Barrett (director of finance); Kelly McElrath (town clerk); and Steve Trippletti (town moderator).