The Plymouth Select Board authorized $100,000 in free cash spending for upcoming 250th anniversary celebrations on Tuesday, moving forward with the appropriation despite internal concerns over the town’s precarious fiscal position. R. Quintal proposed two separate $50,000 articles for the Special Town Meeting warrant to fund July 4th and Thanksgiving events in 2026, marking the nation’s Sestercentennial. The move highlighted a tension between community celebration and the town's shrinking $270,000 revenue cushion. Motion Made by R. Quintal to fund $50,000 for July 4th Plymouth via free cash. Motion Passed (4-1-0) with K. Canty opposed.

Chair Kevin Canty stood as the lone dissenting voice on the funding, pointing to recent directives for departments to cut budgets by 1%. I do think adding to the budget now may not be wise in the totality that we have to consider, K. Canty said, suggesting the timing was inconsistent with other belt-tightening measures. R. Quintal argued the investment was necessary for the milestone year, stating, I'd like to put an article on for town meeting to appropriate $50,000 for the July 4th and $50,000 for the Thanksgiving celebration for the 250th year. Motion Made by R. Quintal to fund $50,000 for America's Hometown Thanksgiving via free cash. Motion Passed (4-1-0) with K. Canty opposed.

Public comment echoed these fiscal anxieties. Resident George McKay noted that the town could squeeze a little bit out of their budget by better utilizing volunteers, whom he valued at $42 per hour. McKay noted that volunteers at the Center for Active Living alone provided $1 million in value last year. This focus on long-term sustainability preceded a unanimous decision to propose shifting the Spring Town Meeting to June and Town Elections to May. K. Canty explained the change would allow Plymouth to receive firmer state aid figures from the legislature before final budget votes, noting, we are often operating on very incomplete information from Beacon Hill. Motion Made by K. Canty to submit four articles to amend the Charter and Bylaws to change Town Meeting and Election dates. Motion Passed (5-0-0).

The board also confronted a looming environmental and financial crisis regarding Beech Leaf Disease. Tree Warden Nick Fiella and arborist Chuck Bramhall warned that the disease, caused by microscopic worms, has no cure and is currently ravaging trees in Chiltonville Cemetery and Burial Hill. Treatment for a single tree can cost $1,300 every two years, while removal of large trees in sensitive historic areas could reach $10,000 per tree, potentially requiring helicopters. Unfortunately, there's no cure... there are treatments that can help save these trees or prolong the life, but there is no cure, N. Fiella warned. W. Keohan observed that the impact could be devastating for local landscapes, noting, Morton Park we could call a beach tree forest... unfortunately it's not looking good.

Infrastructure woes continued at Memorial Hall, where DPW Director Bill Coyle reported a $150,000 boiler replacement is underway following a failure during a recent blizzard. While a $500,000 masonry project is also planned to seal the building’s envelope, D. Iaquinto questioned the wisdom of continued spending before a formal business case study is completed in August. It does concern me that we keep investing in something that might not have a lot of long-term prospects, D. Iaquinto said, adding she hoped for a deeper discussion on the building's future utility. B. Coyle emphasized that protecting the structure remains the priority: The envelope of the building is the most important thing... That should be our number one priority.

In a unanimous decision, the board formally named the new Route 80 cemetery Freedom Memorial Cemetery. Cemetery Superintendent Diane Maguire explained the name honors the historical significance of the land, which was home to the Parting Way settlement of former slaves and Revolutionary War veterans. We felt that 'Freedom' fit... it would encompass the individuals who are buried across the street... and also that this was their homestead, D. Maguire said. R. Quintal praised the progress of the site, noting, we were very nervous about how we were going to bury people. Motion Made by R. Quintal to name the Route 80 cemetery Freedom Memorial Cemetery. Motion Passed (5-0-0).

A proposal to explore advanced nuclear technology at the Pilgrim site was halted after the board declined to insert a resolution from resident Al Donardo into the town warrant. While Donardo argued the town should be at the center of the state’s energy vision to address fiscal needs, the board felt the topic required a broader mandate. D. Golden suggested the issue was too significant for a Town Meeting resolution, stating, I actually think that this discussion doesn't necessarily belong at town meeting right now. I think it's actually something we should go to the ballot box with. Motion Made by D. Golden to insert the non-binding nuclear resolution into the warrant. Motion Failed (0-5-0).

Finally, the board approved an e-bike education plan presented by D. Iaquinto, which focuses on signage and responsible use on the Seaside Trail. This was all always all about promoting responsible use of ebikes on our shared roadways, trails, and paths, D. Iaquinto noted. Motion Made by K. Canty to approve Phases 1 and 2 of the e-bike education and communication plan. Motion Passed (5-0-0). Before adjourning, members addressed reports of disrespectful conduct at a recent Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) hearing. R. Quintal and K. Canty agreed to redistribute Guiding Principles for conduct to all committees, with K. Canty emphasizing that residents must be treated with dignity and respect during public hearings.