Safety fears and the ongoing tension surrounding Chapter 40B housing developments dominated a lengthy Select Board meeting on Tuesday, as residents of Old Oaken Bucket Road voiced visceral opposition to a massive fuel storage license. The board ultimately felt its legal hands were tied, granting permission for 8,500 gallons of propane storage at a new housing project despite pleas from neighbors who characterized the installation as a looming threat to their homes.

Resident John Moraglia did not mince words when describing the proposed underground tanks serving the multi-unit development at 279-281 Old Oak Bucket Road. 8,500 gallons of propane will have a blast radius of 700 meters, Moraglia told the board. This is a bomb and it's in our yard. His mother, 92-year-old Barbara Moraglia, expressed similar dread, stating, I don't want to go boom. Somebody comes along and wants to bury 8,500 gallons of propane. It's all wetlands back there. While the Fire Chief clarified that underground propane is statistically safer than above-ground tanks and presents risks similar to natural gas, the board acknowledged the frustration of residents who feel sidelined by state affordable housing laws. Motion Made by N. Afanasenko to approve the fuel storage license for 8,500 gallons of propane to EJP Olden Bucket LLC, subject to separate fire department permits for each tank installation. Motion Passed 5-0.

Member Nico Afanasenko noted that while the board sympathized with the impact of 40B projects on neighborhood character, the specific permit before them was narrow in scope. The issue tonight is whether or not we're putting propane on the property, Afanasenko said. I don't see a reason why we can't allow the propane. Member James Gilmore agreed, adding that propane does not have that same characteristic [as oil]. It's not going to explode when it's underground.

The board faced another sharp divide regarding the harbor’s summer landscape, specifically the seasonal outdoor dining setup for The Galley on Front Street. The request to occupy two parking spaces with five tables from May 25 to September 27 sparked a heated debate over the loss of public parking and noise levels. Business owner Spirit Smart, who developed a neighboring building, argued that the loss of parking and evening music has made it impossible to rent nearby units. Why we have to give out the parking that we need so much? Smart asked. Resident Margaret Laughlin noted that the COVID exception that birthed these outdoor spaces should be over, urging the restaurant to operate within its walls.

Vice Chair Susan Harrison defended the expansion, noting that COVID taught us... that people really like to eat outside. However, Chair Andrew Goodrich expressed reservations about the duration of the permit, stating, I think four months is too long... I have heard a lot from other businesses out there even more than last year. Motion Made by J. Gilmore to approve the seasonal outdoor extension of premise into two parking spaces in front of The Galley from May 25 to September 27, 2026, and to authorize the town administrator to sign a sidewalk license agreement. Motion Passed 3-2 (A. Goodrich and F. Schlegel opposed).

Financial pressures also loomed large as the Finance Director presented a sobering look at upcoming utility rates. The town is facing budget shortfalls of $223,000 for water and $182,000 for sewer services. To close the gap, the director recommended a 1.5% base rate increase and a 4.5% usage increase for water, while suggesting a more aggressive 3% base and 4.5% usage hike for sewer. The director pointed to a three-year trend of underperforming sewer connection fees as a primary driver of the deficit. A recommendation that we have for you is the 1.5% increase on the base rate and the 4.5% increase on the usage, the Finance Director told the board. Vice Chair Harrison pushed back against the base rate hike, stating, I'm always on the side of no base increase and increase the usage because there's an ability to control that. The board deferred a final vote on the rates to a future meeting to allow for further analysis.

In a win for voter accessibility, the board moved to extend polling hours for the upcoming town election on June 6. While Town Clerk Kathy Curran initially recommended an 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM window, board members pointed to data from 2023 showing that 114 people—a significant portion of the turnout—voted in the final hour. Member Afanasenko argued that those numbers suggest residents are rushing from work to reach the polls. Motion Made by J. Gilmore that the polls be open for the annual town election on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at the Scituate High School from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Motion Passed 5-0.

The board also received an update on the long-term transformation of the Old Gates School into 63 units of 100% affordable housing. Mike Kiara of the Grantham Group informed the board that they will seek $5 million from the Community Preservation Committee to help fund the project. While the units will serve residents at 30% to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI), Kiara warned that the complex funding process for affordable housing in Massachusetts means the project likely won't be completed until 2029 or 2031. The delivery mechanism for affordable housing in Massachusetts has calcified somewhere in 1987, Kiara remarked. Member Freya Schlegel sought clarification on the timeline, asking, Are we talking about this would be 2030 that you're building? Kiara confirmed that an optimistic completion date would be late 2029.

Concerns over public safety and municipal property damage led Member Afanasenko to call for a new town-wide summit on e-bike regulations. He cited a serious uptick in complaints regarding e-bikes intimidating pedestrians on sidewalks and riders damaging the grass at the high school. Nobody's banning e-bikes, Afanasenko clarified, But if we are going to have a logical discussion regarding education, usability, town response, and maybe concepts like enforcement policy, we have to start somewhere.

Finally, the board secured a significant long-term win for the town’s operating budget by approving a 10-year waste disposal contract with Reworld. The agreement locks in household trash disposal costs at $104.31 per ton with a guaranteed cap on annual increases. The Finance Director noted that keeping future hikes at or below 3% is huge for long-term fiscal stability. Motion Made by N. Afanasenko to approve the disposal agreement with Reworld CMASS for 10 years. Motion Passed 5-0.