Scituate Special Town Meeting - 10-19-2026

Scituate’s Special Town Meeting, held October 19, 2026, approved a consent agenda unanimously and took up several capital and Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding items. A police firearms training facility proposal was indefinitely postponed. The town approved a replacement F-350 truck using free cash and insurance proceeds (the transcript’s amount is garbled). It also approved, by a two-thirds vote, transferring $500,000 from free cash and $1.9 million from stabilization to pay down a $2.4 million bond anticipation note for FEMA-rejected storm-repair costs. The CPA approved funding for several smaller projects, including athletic-field debt service, Appleton Field improvements, G Hall restoration, and a climate-controlled town-records vault.

The major capital discussion concerned the proposed Pier 44 waterfront park at 44 Jericho Road: $3,835,165 in CPA funding, including $835,165 from an unreserved fund balance and borrowing expected to cover about $3 million. Supporters described an accessible waterfront park; critics raised concerns about borrowing costs and project scope. The motion proceeded after debate was closed, though the transcript does not capture a vote count. Town Meeting also approved a $5 million CPA contribution toward a roughly $33 million senior-housing project at the former Gates site, including $4 million in borrowing; the motion passed. Other actions included accepting a donation of cemetery land unanimously and amending waterways-related bylaws to clarify and update provisions. No vendor selections, contract awards, or bid approvals were identified.