Plympton Selectmen Vote to Let Residents Decide on "Select Board" Name Change

PLYMPTON — September 9, 2024 — Plympton selectmen voted 2-1 to let town meeting voters decide whether to rename the board the "Select Board." Chair John Traynor argued the change reflects a statewide trend, noting that neighboring Pembroke, Carver, Middleborough, Plymouth, and Duxbury have all made the switch and that more than half of Massachusetts's 292 towns now use the new name. Selectman Nancy Marlett cast the lone dissenting vote, saying she is "dead set against" abandoning a tradition dating to 1707. Town Administrator Liz Dennehy said bylaw codification costs could be estimated before town meeting. The board also unanimously approved the appointment of Steven Gerhardt as a full-time police officer and Brian Wick as temporary board of registrar through December 31 for a hand recount of a state senate primary decided by 50 votes. Dennehy announced a $135,007 Green Communities grant awarded for library heating and cooling improvements, bringing her multi-year grant total for the town to more than $1 million.