A Week of Decisions — and a Call for Accountability
Two major meetings last week underscored Cohasset’s crossroads between fiscal responsibility and community investment.
Select Board
On Tuesday, the Select Board decided to remove the public safety building from the Special Town Meeting warrant and further refine the scope of 135 King Street and 62 Elm Street. We’re proud that a member of Invest in Cohasset has been invited to join the committee overseeing this refinement — a promising step toward greater transparency, collaboration, and citizen participation in shaping Cohasset’s future infrastructure.
School Committee
On Wednesday, the School Committee heard the presentation on tuition-free full-day kindergarten. While we appreciate the thoughtful discussion that followed, we are disappointed that the committee voted against supporting the citizen petition, with four members opposed and one abstaining for procedural reasons. We will continue advancing this effort with strong citizen support and look forward to working with the School Committee throughout the budget process to ensure that tuition-free full-day kindergarten becomes a permanent part of Cohasset’s commitment to educational excellence and equity.
Our Revised Proposal
After listening carefully to feedback from the Advisory Committee, Select Board, and School Committee, we have updated our motion for tuition-free kindergarten. Recognizing that shifting budgets mid-year can be challenging, we now propose funding kindergarten this year through free cash.
Free cash functions as the town’s annual contingency fund for unexpected costs — taxes and fees already collected but not yet allocated. Using free cash means this year’s kindergarten costs would be covered without increasing taxes or affecting any other town departments.
This approach directly responds to concerns raised by town boards and staff. The only remaining question is whether the School Committee will honor the will of the citizens and direct these funds toward kindergarten. While Town Meeting cannot legally dictate that allocation, we trust that the School Committee will act in good faith and listen to the clear voice of the community.
Looking Ahead
Because Town Meeting can only appropriate funds for the current year, we plan to work with the School Committee to incorporate kindergarten into future budgets. Together, we can ensure that every child in Cohasset begins their educational journey on equal footing — not based on what their family can afford, but on what our community values most.
