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Committees recommend accepting Bridgewater State University gifts for department support and street improvements
Summary
The committee recommended accepting two gifts from Bridgewater State University — $110,000 annually split among public safety and highway departments and a $50,000 check for street improvements — and urged better public communications about recurring university support.
The budget and finance committee recommended that the town accept two gifts from Bridgewater State University: an ongoing $110,000 payment to be split among fire, police and highway departments and a $50,000 gift designated for street improvements at Summer and Plymouth streets.
Laurie explained the $110,000 is being split so each of three departments would receive $20,000 in discretionary field spending and that $50,000 will go toward engineering and street work tied to a state grant in the Summer/Plymouth intersection. "So each of those 3 departments will will have $20,000 as a field tip spend," she said. Committee members asked whether gifts were negotiated by town staff and whether the town should highlight recurring support from BSU. One member said the university regularly helps the town and that communications should make that partnership clearer.
Paul Murphy, participating remotely, said the college gives multiple small gifts year-round and urged staff to acknowledge the broader pattern. Several members asked staff to ensure the designated street work aligns with the state grant and that museum pass and library portions (discussed earlier) remain separately managed. The committee moved and approved a recommendation to accept the gifts and forward the item to the town council for final action.
