Advisory committee reviews warrant, FY27 budget concerns and facility projects ahead of Town Meeting

At its March 4 virtual meeting the Cohasset Advisory Committee reviewed the draft warrant and discussed the town’s FY27 budget and several facility projects ahead of Town Meeting.

Interim Town Manager Michelle Leary told the committee the draft warrant contains 28 articles, including two citizen petitions: one seeking a Noise Control bylaw to prohibit gas-powered leaf blowers and line trimmers/weed whackers, and a second petition asking to repeal the 2023 vote authorizing the Wheelwright Park cell tower. The committee did not act on those petitions at this meeting; they were noted as items on the warrant.

On the FY27 budget, committee members were told the draft was presented to the Select Board the night before and remains contingent on pending health insurance figures. The town’s Free Cash balance is significantly lower than last year, and New Growth is projected at about $350,000 compared with roughly $1 million in FY26, driven by a drop in construction activity. The committee noted projected growth of about 4% for school and town budgets. Members discussed possible reductions, including eliminating or reducing several positions and cutting Paul Pratt Library hours so the library would be closed on Sundays.

Liaison updates covered capital projects: the Town Hall Working Group reported that a fire suppression system has been installed in the historic portion of Town Hall, that demolition work is mostly complete pending interior space planning, and that the group secured the Cohasset Common Historic District Commission’s approval for replacement windows, with installation planned in spring/summer. The Public Safety Facility Committee described two King Street options under review: both would include planned police renovations; one option would leave an empty addition for future fire programming, the other would not include space for the fire department now. The committee said Elm Street planning/design will be addressed separately after King Street work.

Chair Jeanne Astino announced she will be termed out at the end of her term and will not be able to attend Town Meeting; she asked the committee to ensure someone is in place to act in her absence. Members also discussed recent emails about the school budget and clarified that the advisory committee recommends the school budget to Town Meeting but does not control it. One member suggested grassroots lobbying to seek a legislative increase in the levy cap to roughly 3–3.5 percent.

Next steps: several items will move forward on the Town Meeting warrant; the committee deferred approval of minutes to a later meeting and planned internal reorganization in light of the chair’s term limit.