Former county administrator urges regionalized services as Hanover town meeting petition advances

Dr. Troy Clarkson, identified by Chair Wright as a former Plymouth County administrator and the current chief financial officer for the City of Brockton, gave a presentation April 23 arguing that regionalizing services can help communities cope with rising costs and cited county infrastructure projects in Brockton and other municipalities as examples.

Commissioners discussed public education strategies about county services and whether the board could present at Hanover’s Town Meeting in response to a citizen’s petition that would put a non-binding question about elimination of county government before voters. Rhonda Nyman, identified in the meeting as the Hanover Select Board chair and a member of the Plymouth County Advisory Board, told the board she is running for a seat on the Plymouth County Commissioners and said she is not involved with the citizen’s petition; she also emphasized that the petition is non-binding and should be decided by Town Meeting voters.

The board requested Administrator Frank Basler coordinate with the Hanover Town Moderator to determine whether the commissioners can provide a presentation or update at the town meeting; no formal action to intervene in the petition process was taken at the April 23 meeting.