April 28, 2026 Live updates (continued) by Hilary Jenison
Hingham’s 2026 Town Meeting has officially been called to begin by Town Moderator Michael Puzo.
The warrant articles will be covered live by the Hingham Anchor throughout the meeting with live updates as votes are cast:
At the beginning of the meeting a resident addressed the meeting and asked for article 12-15 (which are all Hingham Center for Active Living related) to be moved to after Article 20. The motion was seconded. Discussion continued about the motion to move the articles back.
The motion was lost and the articles will be followed in the order in which they were originally set forth.
1.) Hannah Lincoln Whiting Fund
PASS
2.) Assume Liability for DCR on Rivers, Harbors, Etc.
PASS
3.) Reports of Various Town Committees
PASS
4.) Report of the Personnel Board
PASS
5.) Salaries of Town Officers
PASS
6.) Budgets
The Budget was passed unanimously with the exception of the following held items:
GAR Hall Expenses –
Keith Jerymn raised concerns about the GAR Hall building. In the interest of history, he requested that the expenses match 2025 spending of $25,132 (increase from $20,332).
Christine Smith raised concern about the legality of the ability to vote a budget up on a balanced budget.
The Advisory Committee and the Town Legal counsel agreed that the person recommending the motion be increased must also recommend the source in which the increased funding would come from.
Keith Jermyn then recommended the source should come from unassigned fund balance. Carol Tully confirmed that unassigned fund balance cannot be used for reoccurring expenses and advised against setting the precedent of using unassigned fund balance in this manner.
The motion to amend the GAR Hall Expense budget was lost.
School Dept Payroll –
Kevin Chunkady cited a Boston Globe article that referenced the non-action taken by the School Department to take disciplinary action in regards to a fake AI nude circulating to the School Dept. The resident questioned how we can allocate over $61M to a school district that is not meeting their committments to keep our students safe and to create policies that protect our young people.
Supt. Katie Roberts addressed the concern as both the Supt of Schools and as a parent. Supt. Roberts stressed that curriculum of digital safety begins in Kindergarten and also has programming for families, professional development for leadership and educators as well as partnership with community partners such as law enforcement to keep our children safe. While she could not discuss specific incidents, she confirmed that the priority of the district is to have policies, procedures and curriculum that centers on the safety and well being of all students.
A resident raised a motion to increase the school budget by 4% to support the important work of our teachers salaries and increase that payroll line item to $62,677,620 (would be 4% increase).
Sky Wiseman asked for budget allocation to be increased expense funding in order for litigation budget to protect our students in this time of cyber bullying.
The motion to change the School Dept payroll budet was lost. The original School Dept Payroll line item remains.
DPW Payroll –
A resident on Irving Street praised the DPW for their work of the DPW and asked for $1 raise for their support.
The motion to increase the DPW payroll by $1 was passed.
DPW Expenses –
A resident asked for their to be an increase in sidewalk plowing equipment. The Supt of the DPW recognized that typically they rent equipment and this was an unprecedented year for snow removal (and equipment challenges). The DPW has also worked with the MBTA to establish clear ownership lines to address these issues.
The motion was passed to keep the original DPW expense budget.
Library Payroll –
A resident questioned the payroll for the library of nearly $2M which is nearly 2x the South Shore Country Club and in line with the Police payroll who work 365 days per year in comparison to the library which has only 12 employees and is only open 57 hours per week, and requested that it be reduced to $1,967,559. He is requesting an audit the Libary payroll to determine why the Library payroll is so high
Linda Harper Stone, a Hanover resident and Director of the Hingham Public Library, offered to walk any resident through the budget line by line. She recognized that the library is not about the building but about the people in it and her staff is top notch. The increase was only 2.4% this year (below average) and they need every person to operate the library budget.
The motion to change the library payroll was lost. The original budget proposal remains.
7.) Transfer from the Stabilization Fund
PASS
8.) Disbursement of Electric Lighting Department Receipts
PASS
9.) Building Department Revolving Fund
PASS
10.) Transfer Funds to the Reserve Fund
PASS
11.) Waterways Fund Transfer
PASS
12.) Construction of Center for Active Living
The Advisory Committee majority spoke in support of the article.
The Advisory Committee minority spoke in opposition of the article.
Select board Chair, Bill Ramsey, spoke in support of the article.
Geri Duff, resident, spoke in support of the article.
Beth Rouleau, Chair of the HCAL Building Committee and former Chair of the Council on Aging, spoke in support of the article.
Anita Ryan, Hingham resident, spoke in opposition of the article.
Hilary Hosmer, Hingham resident, spoke in opposition of the article.
Mary Stack, Hingham resident, spoke in opposition of the article.
Glenn Mangurian, Hingham resident, spoke in support of the article.
Dianne DiNapoli, Hingham resident, spoke in opposition of the article.
Marsha Stevens, Hingham resident, spoke in opposition of the article.
Francis Barsh, Hingham resident, spoke in opposition of the article.
Steven Young, Hingham resident and member of the HCAL Building Committee, spoke in support of the article.
Joe Nevins, Hingham resident and Chair of the Council on Aging, spoke in support of the article.
A resident moved the previous question, the moderator did not accept the move for the previous question.
Laura Marwill, Hingham resident, spoke in opposition of the article.
Dick Ponte, Hingham resident, spoke in support of the article.
Richard Freir (sp?), Hingham resident, spoke in opposition of the article.
John Barry, Hingham resident, motioned to move the vote. The motion was seconded. The moderator was in doubt and took the voice vote again. The motion passed and Town Meeting moved to vote.
The voice voice was in doubt in the gymnasium and the no vote passed in the auditorium. Since the vote requires a 2/3 majority and it was in doubt by the moderator, Carol Tully of the Advisory Committee recommended that we move to a ballot vote.
Town Meeting is now moving to a ballot vote.
980 total votes were cast – 510 yes, 470 no. The motion did not achieve a 2/3 majority vote required and therefore, the motion was lost.
There was a motion to reconsider, the motion did not achieve a 2/3 majority and therefore the vote cannot be reconsidered.
At 11:29 the first night of Town Meeting was adjourned and will reconvene beginning at Article 13 tomorrow evening at 7:00 pm on April 28th.
The second night of Town Meeting has been called to order at 7:01 pm.
13.) Center for Active Living Revolving Fund
PASS
14.) Transfer from the Capital Project Cost and Debt Service Stabilization Fund
PASS
15.) Community Preservation Committee Recommendations
PASS
16.) Replacement of Cooling/Chiller System at Hingham Public Library
PASS
17.) Recreation Department Revolving Fund
PASS
18.) School Department Extraordinary Capital Needs
PASS
19.) High School Life Safety System and East School Energy Recovery Units Replacement
PASS
20.) Climate Action Commission
A motion was added by a resident to add a member of the Weir River Water System to the Climate Action Committee (now 14 members). The motion initially did not pass via voice vote. However, it was challenged by 7 voters and moved to a standing vote.
The standing vote for the motion to add a member to the Climate Action Committee to represent the Weir River Water System The person would be a voting member of the committee) is now moving to a standing vote.
The motion t0 add the committee member to represent Weir River Water System passed.
The overall article also passed.
21.) Sale of 230 North Street
A resident spoke about the importance of keeping 230 North Street as a piece of Hingham history and perhaps move the fire museum there (from Bare Cove).
Ben Burnham, a member of the Ad Comm, addressed the comment and noted that the building at 230 North Street is protected and must go before the historic commission to preserve it.
A resident spoke about the importance of not selling property just because it is available and holding onto them for their intrinsic, historic value.
A resident spoke about other historic properties that have been sold in the past and restored beautifully (for example The Hersey House) and noted that selling of these properties can be very beneficial to the overall Town Budget.
A resident spoke on behalf of the Hersey Family (from what she saw at Town Hall) that they were very unhappy about the sale of the Hersey House for profit. She reminded the meeting that we are stewards of this land and that we should not be holding fire sales of available historic properties.
Discussion continued from numerous residents about the benefit/trust of the Select Board and the Historic Commission and past examples (the former Police Station on 3A and Hersey House) of how the Town has followed a collaborative community process to determine what is in the best interest of the overall community.
The voice vote was in question and has now moved to a standing vote.
The motion passed by 2/3 majority in a standing vote.
22.) Sale of 8 Short Street
A resident discussed the furniture and cabinet maker that has leased the building for the past twelve years. The building takes care of itself and it is an asset to the community that should be kept in the ownership of the Town of Hingham.
An Adcom member discussed the decision making process to sell the property based on the location, size and limited use of the property and determined it is in the best interest of the Town to explore the sale of the building.
A resident talked about the importance of restoring, reviving and renewing our existing property/assets and reminded that we are in a dangerous pattern of liquidating assets and the community is spending a lot of money. Generations cannot afford to live here – we are building new, massive properties and selling historic properties forcing people out and accruing a lot of debt that we cannot continue.
A resident spoke about the fact that the history of this building will remain and protected by the Historic Commission regardless of who owns it and encouraged people to vote in favor of the article.
Dick Orr, the renter of the property for the past 12 years, discussed a proposal for the future use of the property. A group of local craftsman are interested in creating a “Makers Barn” (including Bill Hersey, of Hersey Buckets) among others, to partner with the Town of Hingham to open the operation of the building to have classes and apprenticeships to learn different crafts in a school of instruction and encouraged voters to vote no on the sale of the building.
Bill Edmundson wanted clarification on the preservation restrictions of the building and Town Counsel confirmed that there are strict restrictions in place and overseen by the Hingham Historical Commission and the State of MA Historical Commission that would prevent demolition and any changes to the building in the future.
Discussion continued on the pros and cons of the sale of the building.
The motion moved to vote and the voice vote was in question. Town Meeting is now moving to a standing vote.
The motion did not achieve 2/3 majority with 226 yes votes and 210 no votes. The motion was lost.
23.) Sale, Lease or Conveyance of 86 Central Street
Adcom presented on the benefits of supporting the article.
Multiple residents spoke in support of the article.
Multiple residents spoke in opposition of the article.
At 10:13, after an hour of discussion on both sides the moderator accepted the motion for the previous question to end debate and move to vote. The motion was accepted and it is now moved to vote.
The motion was adopted by 2/3rd voice vote according to the moderator. However, seven people rose to question the voice vote and Town Meeting is now moving to a standing vote.
264 votes in favor and 147 votes opposed – which falls short of 2/3 majority vote and therefore the motion was lost.
24.) Fire Civil Service
PASS
25.) Police Civil Service
PASS
26.) Weir River Water System – PFAS Funds
PASS
27.) Weir River Water System – Capital Projects
PASS
28.) Hingham Municipal Light Plant (HMLP) Capital Improvements
This article was withdrawn by the Select Board for further review.
29.) Transfer of Funds for Employee Health Care Cost Subsidy
The Adcom presented on their opposition to this article and approval on the study only and no action on any stipends.
Brenda Black of Adcom spoke in support of the article because there is a pressing need for our town employees and a temporary solution to help with rising healthcare costs is necessary in this time amidst rising costs of food, fuel etc.
A resident, Elizabeth O’Connor proposed an amended motion – (summarized) that the town transfer $1.3M from unassigned fund balance to help with town employees health insurance from 50% to 60% for year 2027 only and assign $100,000 to support a task force and study to recommend a healthcare package for Town Employees and how/when to implement it.
The motion passed to adopt the amended motion.
The amended motion was then adopted.
The process was questioned by a resident and was revoted and the motion as amended was adopted again.
30.) Route 3A Project
PASS
31.) Citizen’s Petition: Establishment of a Youth Commission
Proposal for no action accepted.
32.) Citizen’s Petition: Transfer a Parcel of Land
Proposal for no action accepted.
33.) Citizen’s Petition: Amend the Noise By-law
Hilary Tutko made a motion to accept the citizens petition to amend the noise by-law to address noise caused by pickleball and discussed the impacts of pickleball noise in surrounding communities.
A representative from Adcom discussed they are concerned about noise. However, a number of issues that are present within the current proposed amendment and recommended no action as it would be very difficult to measure noise standards as they are not outlined and recommended it needs more study before any action is taken.
The amended motion was lost. The original motion was also voted on and lost.
34.) Electronic Voting Devices
PASS
35.) Amend Zoning By-law: “Height, Building” Definition Reference Correction
PASS
36.) Amend Zoning By-law: Site Plan Review Updates
PASS
37.) Amend Zoning By-law: Fire Station Zoning District
PASS
38.) Acceptance and Granting of Easements
PASS
At 11:40PM – Bill Ramsey made a motion to dissolve the 2026 Annual Town Meeting. It was seconded and unanimously approved. The 2026 Annual Town Meeting has officially concluded.