Plympton Board of Health Votes 3-0 to Oppose Selectmen's Hiring Authority Proposal

PLYMPTON -- May 5, 2026, Plympton Board of Health unanimously rejects warrant article that would give selectmen power to hire its staff. The three-member board voted 3-0 on Tuesday, with Chair Brad Cronin participating by phone, to formally oppose Town Meeting Warrant Article 19, which would transfer the board's authority to appoint its administrative assistant to the Board of Selectmen. Members cited Massachusetts General Law Chapter 111, Section 27, which grants boards of health authority to hire their own staff, and called the article "an untested form of government" that would expose the town to ongoing legal costs and require a special act of the state legislature to take effect. Board members argued the article is narrowly targeted at a single position held by a single individual, noting that comparable staff of other elected boards, including the Board of Assessors and Planning Board, are excluded. The board voted to send a public statement of opposition to residents, the Board of Selectmen, and the interim town administrator before Town Meeting convenes May 13, where Chair Cronin said he will speak against the article on the floor.