The Plymouth Select Board received a sobering look at the town’s future during a joint presentation by public safety officials, who highlighted a widening gap between community needs and available resources. Crime Analyst Aaron Kierney reported that Plymouth’s land area is nearly double the size of Boston, noting, Based on that calculation, the projection has us having 75,125 residents by 2030. Police Chief Dana Flynn emphasized the current strain on his department, stating, Right now I'm down 16 officers... putting us at 26% lower than the national average. Fire Chief Neil Foley echoed these concerns regarding response times and the complexity of modern calls like lithium-ion battery fires. We're at a tipping point. I think this year with us exceeding 14,000 calls for service, we're over the tipping point, Foley warned. Chairman Kevin B. Canty expressed his gratitude for their resilience, remarking, I think that you've always done the best that you could with the resources that you had available. Motion Made by Kevin B. Canty to approve administrative note six. Motion Passed 5-0.

The board also reviewed major infrastructure updates, including the Downtown Resiliency Project and the restoration of Jenny Pond. Sustainability Planner Mike Cahill explained the importance of reducing urban heat islands, noting that heat is the largest cause of mortality related to weather events in the country. Director of Energy and Environment David Gould provided a timeline for the Jenny Pond dam repairs and the new nature-like fishway, which Gould said allows us to move water around the dam in the case of a large scale rainfall or snow melt event. William Keohan showed keen interest in the data, stating, I hope that you can submit it to the board so we can get a copy of it. It'd be nice to be able to spend some more time looking at that information. During public comment, resident Kate Sakaric voiced frustration over budget transparency, saying, What I cannot accept is the last minute information that came forth on the health-care situation. Advocate Heather Philibron also criticized local development strategies, claiming, I found the Plymouth Foundation is gaslighting, saying that Plymouth is business-friendly.

Financial discussions dominated the latter half of the meeting as Finance Director Lynn Barrett presented the $21.4 million capital improvement plan. Barrett cautioned against using one-time funds for recurring costs, explaining, Using one-time revenues on those items is not a good idea because you're basically just having a one-time influx of revenue to help pay for it. Motion Made by Kevin B. Canty to add article 18 to the spring town meeting warrant and recommend approval by town meeting. Motion Passed 5-0. Parks and Forestry Superintendent Nick Fow defended a controversial request for training green irrigation, arguing, I think safety is the number one benefit from adding lighting other than its aesthetic historic feel. The board also moved forward with solar power purchase agreements (PPAs) that Mike Cahill promised would save the town $4 million over 20 years. Motion Made by Kevin B. Canty that we recommend town meeting approve and include in the warrant for town meeting articles 30, 31, 32, 33, and 34. Motion Passed 5-0.

The meeting concluded with a contentious debate over Select Board stipends. Vice Chair David M. Golden Jr. proposed zeroing out the salaries as a symbolic gesture during tight budget times, stating, My ask would be that this board for a one-year period sacrifice until we can rein in our budgetary constraints. Deborah Iaquinto initially supported the idea but pivoted after hearing colleagues' concerns about future accessibility for less wealthy candidates, noting, I think that there's enough information here and enough questions about this that it warrants being pulled and dealt with in a separate setting. Richard J. Quintal Jr. emphasized the reality of the town's finances, saying, The dollars here, expenses here, and that's it. And you can only go so far. Resident Mr. Cook called in to support the stipends, noting, Plymouth is the second lowest. It's 6 cents per resident that we pay our select board members. Motion Made by David M. Golden Jr. to reconsider article 4, salaries of elected officials for the purposes of zeroing out the $4,500 stipend for the chairman of the select board and $4,000 for each of the select board members. Motion Failed 1-4. The meeting was adjourned at 8:22 PM.