[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6077660,"mediaKeyId","2963288-a0c11fc541a313737750d8ad374bba6c","parentId",2963288,"title","Taunton council approves payrolls, multiple license renewals, a cannabis host-community waiver; union contract approved in executive session","audioSeconds",439,"startMs",916000,"endMs",1355000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2963288-a0c11fc541a313737750d8ad374bba6c&start=916&end=1355","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2963288-a0c11fc541a313737750d8ad374bba6c/thumbnail_916000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6077660/Taunton-City/Bristol-County/Massachusetts/Taunton-council-approves-payrolls-multiple-license-renewals-a-cannabis-host-community-waiver-union-contract-approved-in-executive-session","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6077660-d670e487a9c1591592b134867e51cd27/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196948&Signature=HQhAThEgEmm5pgkg74Ic~jzYk591ru05JWEQbg7LGWEPCyRiscsK0A028fzcWmKiGEXDxlRg9t8GqTP~gST98W4g2~tG1UOxHzPpbfXmzXcSjjIahSuzFq9-ekLrDUy5mqEMlMBNgx3oU8tupEiJAY8WSWn13gwZcspqR2fRYTWcA0kE-jXsyRKVC0iETgmrt3btA6trfFBOPcpBkpUd86-7uATRD9aM4rT2j0W7mYu4wE2pi-5PdbATO9QNJVuflmvdBRL-c9vOjqz8byCPLixvJkernBTakuxDeUywLDgZXWH53ACdLwNn15Q30ETqG5koEMi4HHqWQf0q9lfSng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Taunton City, MA","date","2025-04-01T00:00:00Z","article","Taunton’s municipal bodies approved routine finance warrants, several license renewals and other procedural items and took a mix of approvals, referrals and one denial at the Committee on Police & License and the Committee of the Whole.

Finance: The Committee on Finance and Salaries approved the weekly payroll warrant for city departments in the amount of $4,520,668.68 and an accounts payable warrant for $6,478,430.97. The committee noted the largest accounts payable items included $1,240,000 for the quarterly assessment for Bristol-Plymouth, $255,000 for school solar panels, $190,000 for student transportation, $282,000 for federal and Medicare tax payments, $3,900,000 for group health insurance payments and $151,000 for electricity payments. Both warrants were approved by voice vote.

Police & License renewals and decisions: The Committee on Police and License reviewed and approved multiple renewals and petitions, including billiard table license renewals for Bobby’s Place Inc., Eagles Soccer Club and Willoughby Inc. The committee approved a 24-hour hours renewal for Cumberland Farms (660 County Street), junk collector and livery renewals, secondhand and pawnbroker license renewals for City Pawn, and a transfer of a Class 2 license for Scott's Service Center, Inc. to a new owner at the same location. The detective’s office gave positive recommendations on most renewals. Separately, the committee recorded a negative recommendation and then voted to deny a petition from an applicant seeking an online-only retail permit after the applicant could not specify what would be sold online.

Cannabis: The Committee of the Whole approved a host-community agreement waiver for Commonwealth Alternative Care Inc. at 30 Bison Boulevard (retail) but referred the license change-of-ownership itself to Police & License so that committee can consider the retail-license transfer. Councilors also discussed odor mitigation tied to cultivation at the site and directed additional review; the retail purchaser stated he is acquiring only the retail operation (to be rebranded In Good Health) and not the cultivation operation.

Executive session and labor contract: The Committee of the Whole met in executive session under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 30A, Section 21, to discuss a successor collective bargaining agreement with Public Employees Local Union 1144b. The council reported one public roll-call vote taken in executive session: approval of the contract on a 7–0 vote.

Community items and scheduling: Mayor Shawna O’Connell presented an Earth Day proclamation and city volunteers outlined the 34th annual citywide cleanup scheduled for April 26. The council referred a request from BKA Architects asking for a moratorium waiver on Court Street to the DPW committee to allow the Boys & Girls Club to install gas service for a new commercial kitchen at 20 Kings Court. Finally, councilors voted to move council meeting dates that conflict with a May 13 primary and a June 10 special election.

Votes at a glance (selected):
- Payroll warrant: $4,520,668.68 — approved (voice vote)
- Accounts payable warrant: $6,478,430.97 — approved (voice vote)
- Cumberland Farms 24/7 hours renewal — approved (positive recommendation from detective)
- Transfer of Class 2 license (Scott’s Service Center) — approved (positive recommendation)
- Online-only retail petition — denied (negative recommendation from detective; motion to deny carried)
- Host-community agreement waiver (Commonwealth Alternative Care retail) — approved; change of ownership referred to Police & License — approved on voice vote
- Successor collective bargaining agreement with Public Employees Local Union 1144b — approved in executive session; recorded 7–0 vote

The council and its committees approved the items listed above during a meeting that included committee reports, communications from the mayor, and multiple routine referrals to committee for upcoming hearings and inspections.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Taunton City Council 2025 04 01","oneSentenceSummary","Taunton municipal committees approved weekly payroll and accounts-payable warrants, renewed multiple business licenses, approved a cannabis host-community agreement waiver and recorded a 7–0 executive-session vote to approve a successor contract with Public Employees Local Union 1144b.","taxTitle","Taunton City, Bristol County, Massachusetts","taxId",5535,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6077665,"Taunton leaders report construction on public safety facility at 58% complete; project under budget by ~$10 million",131,2191000,2322000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2963288-a0c11fc541a313737750d8ad374bba6c&start=2191&end=2322","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2963288-a0c11fc541a313737750d8ad374bba6c/thumbnail_2191000.jpg","/articles/6077665/Taunton-City/Bristol-County/Massachusetts/Taunton-leaders-report-construction-on-public-safety-facility-at-58-complete-project-under-budget-by-10-million","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6077665-ec2dbcbce401e7ff331109efc2b3deb5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196948&Signature=M5dffzuhlBY16K6mjD5akUF1AlceER5JPzH-oFvrQuQlk27HWjYVpYVDHwyUgumo1dziq2dabqgLCeY0MOOU9CQn9emrmFzJTTwqu6n1qxJej-ltJI9hSce9VqXDUsHSDfHOt5Ccpc2z62H5FyTfJL25bJG2wE3g3PR7OEvw7UXJtzAlLXcfmRq3N5WwFKy78etMh3~KXkUjFuqQppBpw2qhD~qMkhvbID-AiJiu-AJZ~zL9RiQL08I5zNtciEGMj9syvmDBD~IRtosnoXaUU3AI40RUPYVptuJuy4JcdW4eJ77hpPZL8L8FD8pEuteRyzXwAfn94zIzXresC7547Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City officials and the project team gave the Taunton Municipal Council a progress update on the new Public Safety Facility, reporting roughly 58% construction completion, continued interior systems work and tight budget control that officials say has generated approximately $10 million in savings compared with earlier estimates.

Curtis Edgen of Kalo and Mark Champagne of P3, the owner’s project manager, led the presentation and walked councilors through photos and milestones. The project team reported the structural steel and most exterior work are in place; interior rough HVAC, electrical and plumbing were near completion and interior partitions were about 85% done. The fire training facility was described as complete except for final electrical feed.

The presenters said 52 change orders have been accepted to date; the largest single approved change—about $300,000—was described as an intentional investment to increase the building’s electrical and internet capacity to serve future needs. Excluding that forward-looking investment, the team said change-order costs were roughly $200,000 on a project of about $67 million, which project staff characterized as an unusually low change-order rate.

Councilors praised the team’s oversight and the decision to build in extra electrical/IT capacity rather than risk higher retrofit costs later. Officials said the next visible milestone will be erection of a communications tower and platform at the rear of the site.

No new budget vote was taken during the update; the team said final furniture, fixtures, equipment (FF&E) and IT procurement decisions are underway in coordination with the police and fire departments.

The committee and council thanked the project team for frequent updates and said they will schedule future tours.","Project managers and city officials reported the Public Safety Facility is roughly 58% complete, on schedule, and materially under the original budget; team credited careful timing, low change-order costs and early investments in electrical/IT capacity.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6077670,"Taunton DPW-backed moratorium waiver approved for water-main tie-in at 0 Glebe Street",319,111000,430000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2963288-a0c11fc541a313737750d8ad374bba6c&start=111&end=430","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2963288-a0c11fc541a313737750d8ad374bba6c/thumbnail_111000.jpg","/articles/6077670/Taunton-City/Bristol-County/Massachusetts/Taunton-DPW-backed-moratorium-waiver-approved-for-water-main-tie-in-at-0-Glebe-Street","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6077670-d4db837e895f1acb6fc5277717b6cb76/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196948&Signature=oCEzpcQL0DnwGpn-LweYMBWQoShRr7pscGkd8EEvSGFqotTfoFkW23rsXKxIeHD66xnwkY0oeBd2s-FXSD6kXjmiYqdINXt2aTFQZpoQP5HS68Objdxblv~gZfh~A6i46xFhD-SUT6WiyMfgUezoYg5QfOwWgFzTWmCDQKWrGE5CY6pKvxR4m6BHv546mXcLE8oqiwJ39NXnrAANwHW6bGd2qzcsEy6ftqwDBBaIt6~Nj5MqSThS4tHrtMLs-OK4jRDX0kHNw2cirE8vH4QYOVrP9Z75KVosbV8tehY7CwHEq1S-GMIrV~yKqVes1zgKiWh0Pa0oPAGfItVenOrq5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee on Department of Public Works voted to approve a five-year moratorium waiver to allow a water-main tie-in and related road work at 0 Glebe Street (Lots A and B). Tony Alper of the Department of Public Works and an applicant from Nexus Homes described the work and the department's conditions.

The waiver covers a proposed service connection that the applicant, identified in the meeting as Jeremy America of Nexus Homes, said is needed to obtain a building permit for two new single-family homes. Tony Alper said the department prefers boring under the roadway where possible but will allow an open cut if the applicant follows DPW standards, uses a city-licensed contractor, posts required surety and follows flow-fill and restoration procedures. Alper said DPW will inspect the work.

Why it matters: The street is subject to an existing five-year moratorium on cutting for utilities; a waiver clears the way for development that could otherwise be delayed for up to another year. Council members pressed for assurances on bonding, timelines and restoration standards.

The committee recorded that the applicant intends to start within about 30 days of receiving a building permit; the applicant estimated active work could be completed in one day under police details and said trenches would not be left open. DPW staff said PermitEyes initially denied permits because of the moratorium and that, if the council approves the waiver, the department will reissue the permits with DPW stipulations.

The motion to approve the moratorium waiver carried on a voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the public transcript. Committee members said they expect DPW to enforce contractor licensing, inspection, flow-fill and a surety bond prior to work.

The committee adjourned after voting on the waiver.","The Committee on Department of Public Works approved a five-year moratorium waiver to allow a developer to tie into a water main at 0 Glebe Street, with DPW oversight and standard contractor and restoration conditions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Taunton council approves payrolls, multiple license renewals, a cannabis host-community waiver; union contract approved in executive session

Taunton leaders report construction on public safety facility at 58% complete; project under budget by ~$10 million

Taunton DPW-backed moratorium waiver approved for water-main tie-in at 0 Glebe Street