Plympton Town Meeting Approves Budget and Borrows Up to $978,000 for Fire Station Design

PLYMPTON -- May 15, 2024, Plympton's Annual Town Meeting approved a fiscal year 2025 operating budget and authorized borrowing up to $978,000 for fire station engineering and design on May 15. Town Properties Committee Chair John Wilhelmsen, 255 Main Street, told residents the existing station, built more than 50 years ago, no longer meets the space and safety needs of a modern fire and EMS operation, saying the borrowing will allow the town to "solicit actual bids" before committing to construction costs. The main FY2025 budget included $1,211,081 for police salaries, $819,075 for fire and EMS salaries, $3,975,000 for the local elementary school, and a Silver Lake Regional School assessment of $3,146,805. At a companion special town meeting, School Committee Chair Jason Fraser secured a two-part, $271,000 transfer to cover a special education deficit driven by a state-authorized 14.69 percent tuition increase at out-of-district placements and unanticipated student needs. A $70,000 Community Preservation Fund transfer for Recreation Commission ball field lighting, a wheelchair-accessible walking path, and a reconfigured small field also passed unanimously.