Cohasset News

04/06/2026

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29/05/2026

[🚨 COHASSET PUBLIC SAFETY: What’s Next After the Vote?

🚨]
The Public Safety Facilities Committee met last night for the first time since the recent election, and they didn’t hold back. If you’re wondering where things stand with our police and fire stations, here is the unfiltered breakdown of what was discussed, why the recent vote went the way it did, and how the town plans to fix the massive communication gap.

Here are the 4 biggest takeaways from last night’s meeting:

1. The "Trust & Transparency" Hurdle 🛑
Committee members openly acknowledged that while 735 residents voted in favor of the current proposal, over 900 voted against it [02:19]. The overarching consensus? It’s a trust issue, not a lack of support for our first responders [02:38]. Many residents feel "bamboozled" or burned by past town projects and the "original sin" of the initial $10.4 million estimate floated years ago [02:00, 30:08]. The committee knows they need to rebuild trust and justify real-time building costs, which are skyrocketing due to historic inflation [03:16, 13:21].

2. Is 44 Elm Street Back on the Table? 🏢
There’s a lot of chatter online about keeping the police at Elm Street or renovating it. The Committee noted that Elm Street is literally crumbling, lacks ADA compliance, and doesn't meet basic police accreditation standards [05:38, 15:34]. However, members agreed that simply saying "trust us, we looked at it" doesn't work anymore [50:00]. To prove it, they want to bring forward explicit, hard numbers showing exactly what an Elm Street renovation would cost (including design, relocation, and retrofitting) versus building a new facility at 135 King Street [57:20, 58:51]. Giving the town clear, honest options is now the priority [58:27].

3. "Facebook vs. The Facts" 🌐
One of the most candid parts of the meeting focused on where Cohasset residents actually get their news. Committee members noted that standard informational forums are only attended by the same few people [12:46]. Instead, a massive part of the population is making up their minds in local Facebook groups right before voting [37:10]. Because social media can easily become a breeding ground for rumors and misinformation, the committee is looking into alternative ways to get cold, hard facts directly into your hands—potentially via a no-frills, cost-effective mailer printed on newsprint, similar to the Town Warrant [31:24, 31:31].

4. A Holistic 10-Year Plan Is Needed 🗺️
Voters are putting their foot on the brake because they want to see the whole story. Cohasset has major capital needs coming down the pipeline: Town Hall, schools, water treatment, and the sewer department [10:43]. Residents don't want to feel like they are just being hit with one random tax increase after another [15:25]. The state is coming in late September to help Cohasset build a comprehensive 10-year financial forecast so the town can look at all of these infrastructure needs holistically [23:43, 24:13].

⚖️ The Next Steps:
Before any massive moves are made, the Committee is waiting on an official statement and guidance from the Select Board to acknowledge the election results, respect the voters' voice, and define the official parameters for exploring alternative options [45:33, 01:00:14]. The committee will reconvene in a few weeks to review communication strategies and build out a centralized, public Q&A to answer every single citizen question transparently [18:28, 01:12:12].

👇 What do you think? How much is Cohasset realistically willing to spend to ensure our police and fire departments are safe and accredited? What is the best way for the town to communicate the facts to you? Let’s keep the discussion constructive in the comments!
🎥 Watch the full 5/27 Committee meeting here:

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27/05/2026

COHASSET POLICE LOG HIGHLIGHTS
March 30 – April 5, 2026

Here are 18 notable public-safety entries from the Cohasset Police Department press log for the week.

Monday, March 30 — 9:28 AM
Location: Stop & Shop, Chief Justice Cushing Hwy
A motor vehicle crash with property damage only was logged.
Quoted log language: “M V CRASH PROPERTY DAMAGE ONLY” / “Services Rendered.”

Monday, March 30 — 9:54 AM
Location: Cohasset Police Headquarters, Elm St
Another motor vehicle crash with property damage only was reported and investigated.
Quoted log language: “M V CRASH PROPERTY DAMAGE ONLY” / “Investigated.”

Monday, March 30 — 3:08 PM
Location: Pond St
A well-being check resulted in transport.
Quoted log language: “WELL BEING CHECK” / “Transported.”

Tuesday, March 31 — 11:45 AM
Location: Cohasset Senior Center, Sohier St
Police responded to a 911 call at the Senior Center that was determined to be accidental.
Quoted log language: “911 CALL” / “911 Accidental.”

Tuesday, March 31 — 12:34 PM
Location: Oak St
A residential fire alarm was reported and determined to be false or accidental.
Quoted log language: “FIRE ALARM DAY RESIDENTIAL” / “False/ Accidental Alarm.”

Tuesday, March 31 — 2:47 PM
Location: Professional Building, Chief Justice Cushing Hwy
A motor vehicle crash with property damage only was reported.
Quoted log language: “M V CRASH PROPERTY DAMAGE ONLY” / “Services Rendered.”

Tuesday, March 31 — 5:27 PM
Location: Jerusalem Rd
A fire investigation was conducted.
Quoted log language: “FIRE INVESTIGATION” / “Services Rendered.”

Tuesday, March 31 — 8:03 PM
Location: Evoke Wellness Center, Chief Justice Cushing Hwy
A 911 medical emergency resulted in transport.
Quoted log language: “MEDICAL EMERGENCY” / “Transported.”

Wednesday, April 1 — 7:52 AM
Location: Sunrise Assisted Living, King St
A commercial fire alarm was investigated.
Quoted log language: “FIRE ALARM COMMERCIAL” / “Investigated.”

Wednesday, April 1 — 4:54 PM
Location: Housing Authority Group Home, Elm St
A 911 medical emergency resulted in transport.
Quoted log language: “MEDICAL EMERGENCY” / “Transported.”

Thursday, April 2 — 11:57 AM
Location: Cohasset Police Headquarters, Elm St
A fraud matter was reported by phone and services were rendered.
Quoted log language: “FRAUD” / “Services Rendered.”

Thursday, April 2 — 1:32 PM
Location: Vicinity of 147 South Main St
A larceny matter was reported.
Quoted log language: “LARCENY” / “Services Rendered.”

Thursday, April 2 — 4:11 PM
Location: Sunrise Assisted Living, King St
A medical emergency was reported by phone and resulted in transport.
Quoted log language: “MEDICAL EMERGENCY” / “Transported.”

Friday, April 3 — 8:17 AM
Location: Pond St
An animal-related call was handled.
Quoted log language: “ANIMAL CALL” / “Services Rendered.”

Friday, April 3 — 5:44 PM
Location: Rustic Dr
A motor vehicle crash with injuries was reported by 911 and resulted in transport.
Quoted log language: “M V CRASH WITH INJURIES” / “Transported.”

Saturday, April 4 — 9:12 AM
Location: Curtis Liquors, Chief Justice Cushing Hwy
An erratic operation call was reported and services were rendered.
Quoted log language: “ERRATIC OPERATION” / “Services Rendered.”

Saturday, April 4 — 10:27 PM
Location: Black Rock Beach, Forest Ave
A 911 disturbance call was logged.
Quoted log language: “DISTURBANCE” / “No Action Required.”

Sunday, April 5 — 4:48 PM
Location: Cohasset Jr/Sr High School, Pond St
Suspicious activity was logged at the school and services were rendered.
Quoted log language: “SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY” / “Services Rendered.”

Source: Cohasset Police Department Press Log, March 30 through April 5, 2026.

23/05/2026

Joining other local and regional standouts, Cohasset, Massachusetts activists announce they will be conducting standouts in Cohasset,Massachusetts every 4th Saturday in front of the Stop and Shop plaza on 3A. This is the first! 🇺🇸.

22/05/2026

📝 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & MEETING ROLL CALL for there May 19, 2026 Cohasset Selectboard meeting:

This session marked the first full official meeting of the restructured Select Board following the May 9, 2026 town elections. The primary objective was a comprehensive "lessons learned" debrief regarding the town's failed infrastructure vote, alongside reorganization, committee appointments, and routine seasonal business licensing.

Board Attendance:

David Farrag (Chair) — Present

Ellen Maher — Present

Paul Grady — Present

Gregory Watts (Newly Elected) — Present

Will Ashton (Newly Elected) — Present

Note: Interim Town Manager Michelle Leary and various department representatives were also present.

🚨 DEEP DIVE REPORT: PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING DISCUSSION
The focal point of the evening was a deep-dive evaluation of the May 9 town vote, where residents overwhelmingly rejected a $28 million debt exclusion meant to construct a combined police headquarters and fire substation at 135 King Street.

The Board confronted a difficult administrative paradox: while the electorate clearly rejected the funding mechanism, the critical physical hazards facing the town's emergency services remain unchanged.

The Current Infrastructure Crisis Summary

The Board reviewed documented, ongoing issues with the current Elm Street police station facility, which was built in 1962:

Inspection Failures: The facility has failed state-level cell and holding inspections for 10 consecutive years.

Safety Hazards: There are no active fire sprinkler systems protecting the infrastructure.

Accessibility Failures: The structure is heavily out of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), limiting public access and exposing the town to potential legal liabilities.

Key Discussion Points & Member Perspectives:

Ellen Maher: Maher took a analytical, pragmatic approach to the election data. She urged the Board and the public to separate the structural need from the voter resistance. Maher emphasized that the negative vote wasn't a rejection of our first responders, but a reflection of taxpayer fatigue and a desire for alternate fiscal pathways. She strongly pushed for transparency, stating that the town needs to re-examine the scope of the project, look for hidden cost efficiencies, and explicitly break down where every single tax dollar goes before asking the town to vote again.

Chair David Farrag: Warned the community that delaying the project will likely increase the ultimate cost to taxpayers. Farrag noted, “Even if it gets voted down, the need does not go away.” He explained that building code adjustments, inflation, and soaring energy/material costs mean that a delayed project five years from now could cost significantly more for a scaled-down version of the same building.

Gregory Watts: Strongly argued against abandoning the 135 King Street site entirely, noting that the property remains an ideal logistical location for public safety deployment. He suggested a complete review of how the design was packaged and presented to the public.

Paul Grady: Focused on public relations and outreach, suggesting that a heavy "marketing campaign" is required to successfully communicate the dire structural reality of the current police facility to the broader community.

Dan Tarpey (Clerk of the Public Safety Facilities Committee): Provided a stark counter-perspective from the floor. Tarpey pushed back against the idea that the issue was merely a lack of communication. He noted that the committee has spent years aggressively answering every public query imaginable, stating, “I can't tell you how many times we've done that. I can't think of a question that hasn't been asked or answered 10 times.” He suggested that a portion of the town is fundamentally opposed to the current financial model and requested that the Select Board issue a formal, rewritten "charge" directing the committee toward new structural options.

Will Ashton: Given his background on the Public Safety Facilities Committee, the Board discussed positioning Ashton as the official Select Board Liaison to the committee to streamline future communications and strategic adjustments.

❌ Action Taken: No official motions were made and no votes were cast during this meeting regarding a revamped committee charge, design rollbacks, or the liaison appointment. The Select Board formally took the matter under advisement to further analyze voter metrics.

🗳️ OFFICIAL MOTIONS & VOTING RECORD
Beyond the infrastructure workshop, the Select Board executed several unanimous procedural, commercial, and administrative votes:

1. Transient Vendor License: Del's Lemonade

Motion: To approve the Transient Vendor License application submitted by PAP Inc., doing business as Del’s Lemonade, for mobile/seasonal operations within town boundaries for the 2026 season.

Vote Tally: PASSED (5-0) [Unanimous]

2. Transient Vendor License: Zack's Ice Cream

Motion: To approve the seasonal Transient Vendor License application for Zack's Ice Cream to operate mobile routes within the Town of Cohasset.

Vote Tally: PASSED (5-0) [Unanimous]

3. Change of Corporate Manager: Olde Salt House

Motion: To formally approve the Change of Manager application for the Olde Salt House, contingent upon final administrative sign-offs and local police department background checks.

Vote Tally: PASSED (5-0) [Unanimous]

🗣️ COMMUNITY DISCUSSION
Neighbors, the Select Board is at a critical crossroads. The police station continues to fail inspections, but a $28 million price tag was a line in the sand for town voters.

Do you agree that we need to scale back and re-budget, or do you think the town needs to find a brand new site altogether? Let's discuss civilly in the comments below! 👇

14/05/2026

COHASSET POLICE LOG HIGHLIGHTS: MARCH 16–22

Here are 18 notable entries from the Cohasset Police Department log for the week of Monday, March 16 through Sunday, March 22.

As always, these are summaries of police log entries. Charges are allegations, and all persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

1. Suspicious item at Paul Pratt Library — Tuesday, March 17, 11:06 a.m. Police responded to Paul Pratt Library on Ripley Road for a reported suspicious item. The matter was investigated and resulted in a summons for *****, 63, of Marshfield. The listed charges were “wiretap, disclose contents of, attempt” and “photograph unsuspecting n**e person.”

2. Arrest on warrant connected to same individual — Thursday, March 19, 4:05 p.m. Cohasset Police later served a warrant at police headquarters on Elm Street. The log lists *****, 63, of Marshfield, as arrested on a WMS warrant.

3. Domestic disturbance arrest — Saturday, March 21, 12:40 p.m. Police responded to a domestic disturbance/situation on Forest Avenue. The matter was investigated and resulted in an arrest. The person’s name was redacted in the public log. The charges listed were assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery on a family/household member.

4. Criminal application after motor vehicle stop — Friday, March 20, 5:22 p.m. A motor vehicle stop in the area of Atlantic Avenue and Whitehead Road resulted in a criminal application. The summons listed *****, age 35, of Lynn, on a charge of unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

5. Motor vehicle crash with injuries — Tuesday, March 17, 12:19–12:21 p.m. Police received 911 calls for a motor vehicle crash with injuries on Chief Justice Cushing Highway. The call was merged with a related crash entry at the Turkey Hill Walking Trail parking lot. The log indicates transport occurred.

6. Property-damage crash at Cohasset Fire Department — Friday, March 20, 2:45 p.m. Police investigated a property-damage-only motor vehicle crash at the Cohasset Fire Department on Elm Street.

7. Property-damage crash at CVS — Friday, March 20, 3:12 p.m. A 911 call reported a motor vehicle crash with property damage only at CVS Pharmacy on Chief Justice Cushing Highway. Services were rendered.

8. Identity theft report — Wednesday, March 18, 1:42 p.m. Police received a phone report of identity theft from Elm Court. The matter was investigated and assigned an incident number.

9. Fraud report — Friday, March 20, 6:26 p.m. Police received a fraud report connected to Doane Street. The matter was logged and an incident number was assigned.

10. Disturbance at CVS — Wednesday, March 18, 5:07 p.m. A 911 call reported a disturbance at CVS Pharmacy on Chief Justice Cushing Highway. Police responded and services were rendered.

11. Disturbance at Shaw’s — Wednesday, March 18, 6:36 p.m. Police received a phone report of a disturbance in the vicinity of Shaw’s Supermarket on Chief Justice Cushing Highway. The log lists the call as unfounded.

12. Medical mental health call — Tuesday, March 17, 3:09 p.m. Police responded to a 911 medical mental health call at a redacted location. The log indicates the person was transported.

13. Medical mental health call at Evoke Wellness — Thursday, March 19, 3:39 p.m. Police responded to a 911 medical mental health call at Evoke Wellness Center on Chief Justice Cushing Highway. The log indicates transport occurred.

14. Medical mental health call — Friday, March 20, 5:35 p.m. Police responded to another 911 medical mental health call at a redacted location. The log indicates the person was transported.

15. Outside fire at MBTA Cohasset Station — Thursday, March 19, 6:45 p.m. Police received a phone report of an outside fire at the MBTA Cohasset Station on Chief Justice Cushing Highway. The matter was investigated.

16. Commercial fire alarms at St. Stephen’s Church — Thursday, March 19, 4:58 p.m. and 10:29 p.m. Two commercial fire alarm calls were logged at St. Stephen’s Church on Highland Avenue. Both were listed as false/accidental alarms.

17. Animal calls through the week Animal-related calls were reported in several areas, including Jerusalem Road/Ocean Ledge Drive, Hull Street, Chief Justice Cushing Highway/Red Fox Lane, Cedar Acres Lane, Border Street, Aaron River Reservoir, South Main Street, and Beechwood Street. Most were listed as services rendered, referred to another agency, no action required, or good intent.

18. Wires, trees, and road hazards after windy weather The week included multiple wires calls, tree-down calls, and road-hazard reports, including locations on Linden Drive, North Main Street, King Street, Nichols Road, Stanton Road, Doane Street, Old Coach Road/Forest Avenue, Schofield Road, Chief Justice Cushing Highway/Pond Street, and Atlantic Avenue. Several were referred to another agency.

Overall, the week included a mix of serious criminal matters, motor vehicle incidents, fire and alarm calls, animal calls, well-being checks, mental health/medical responses, parking enforcement, community policing, and storm-related utility issues.

13/05/2026

Editorial: Noting with appreciation that the Select Board is going to set up a process whereby citizens can send in their questions regarding a new or renovated Public Safety building - and where they will be assured of a timely response.

Great idea - now maybe let’s stretch this out further and get proactively creative and involved as a community. Here are some out-of-the-box thoughts:

1. Invite the public to not only ask questions but to actually submit their ideas on how we should deal with renovating or providing a new Public Safety facility. Encourage creative ideas with nothing sacrosanct. Citizens can present partial solutions and ideas or entire complete resolutions. That way the Board will truly be involving and inviting the entire community to participate. This is a community project not one to be placed on the shoulders of our first responders and a single committee alone.

2. Maybe hold a different kind of forum where citizens can bring in their ideas and present them to the Board, other citizens, interested parties and our first responders.

3. Hold a hackathon or 2 whereby all Cohasset citizens, first responders, government employees, volunteer committee members such as Capital and Advisory and of course the Board can work in smaller roundtable groups and systematically hash out and analyze ideas regarding the Public Safety project. This process works well with many high tech and other businesses and public organizations. Out of the box and 21st century- but that’s were we are in our rapidly evolving world. Don’t forget the pizza.

4. With modern technology the many ideas and suggestions we get can be fairly easily gathered , processed and evaluated.

5. The above is not a total solution to our approach but the idea is to truly take a fresh grassroots approach and sincerely and seriously invite citizen participation. Others suggestions or processes should be considered. But we need to do something different or we are going to keep getting the same results.

6. Another reason for the above is the proposition that we do not need another “blue ribbon” committee- nor do we need another committee working very hard but mostly listening only to itself or hired experts but ultimately being rejected by an uninvolved citizenry at the very end.

7. The Select Board should take the direct helm here and support and facilitate our community to a solution that the community (who pays for it) has created or actively participated in. Our leaders should facilitate a solution to this and other public issues - not direct it from above and ask for questions. It’s a different way of “governing” but Cohasset can do this.

The above is not offered as a firm solution but meant to stimulate truly creative different thinking about our community processes as we, and other larger communities, need to think differently as we evolve our community, country and democracy. Thank you for listening if you got this far 🙏😊.

KRM

13/05/2026

Tuesday night’s May 12, 2026 Select Board meeting covered several important town issues, including the future of the public safety project, the Town Hall renovation, building safety concerns, upcoming community events, and the organization of the newly elected Board.

Public Safety Project: “A Timeout,” But Not the End
The Board had a detailed discussion about where the public safety building project goes next after the recent vote. The message was clear: the need for improved public safety facilities has not gone away, but the town needs to regroup, answer remaining questions, and decide what direction to give the Public Safety Committee.

Several key points came up:
There was discussion about whether the town should revisit 135 King Street, 44 Elm Street, or some combination of both.
Board members and committee members acknowledged that many residents still have questions about cost, scope, timing, and alternatives.

One suggestion was to create a dedicated email address where residents can submit public safety questions in one place, so the town can organize the questions and provide clear written answers.

There was also support for a public forum where residents could ask questions and offer input before the Select Board gives the Public Safety Committee a more specific charge.

One speaker described the current moment as a “timeout” on the project — not a rejection of the need, but a pause to better explain the options and rebuild public understanding.

There was also discussion of 44 Elm Street and what upgrades might actually be required there. One point raised was that earlier estimates may have included more than what the firefighters’ union and the chief now believe is necessary. The Board seemed interested in dusting off prior plans and giving residents a clearer sense of what different options might cost.

Town Hall Renovation: A New Look for the Common

The Board also received an update on the Town Hall renovation project. The plan is moving forward in phases, with window replacement currently out to bid and interior planning underway.
The project includes:

New historically appropriate windows intended to make the annex look more consistent with Old Town Hall.
A new front porch and entrance area designed to improve accessibility and appearance.
Interior improvements including paint, flooring, ceilings, stair treads, and office reconfiguration.
A plan to better separate town administrative offices from public/community use areas for security and after-hours access.
Possible return of Select Board meetings to Town Hall once the interior layout is improved.

One of the more interesting parts of the discussion was the focus on making the Town Hall building something residents can once again feel proud of when passing by the Common. The current annex was described as visually disconnected from Old Town Hall, and the renovation is intended to make the whole building fit together better.

The town is also pursuing grant funding, including a possible $500,000 HVAC grant and a $200,000 ADA grant. Officials said they are planning conservatively, assuming the grants may not come through, but will use them if awarded.

Building Safety Updates

The Town Manager also gave updates on building safety issues.
Radon testing at Town Hall found elevated results concentrated in the annex side of the basement. A mitigation plan is being developed and funded.

At 62 Elm Street, after a request from the police union, mold and air quality testing was conducted. Concerns were found in several areas, and the town’s facilities team is working to address them immediately for employee safety.

Community Events and Fireworks

The town also noted several upcoming events:

The Memorial Day Parade on May 25.
Board members were reminded that Select Board members traditionally participate in the Memorial Day Parade.

Unfortunately, the town will not host fireworks this year. The explanation given was that a committee could not be formed to raise the necessary funds, and police staffing challenges also made it difficult to safely support the event. The town hopes to engage a citizens group going forward so fireworks and similar events can return in future years.

New Board, New Leadership, New Goals

The meeting also marked the beginning of work for the newly elected Select Board members. Board leadership was acknowledged, with David Farrag serving as Chair, Ellen as Vice Chair, and Will Ashton as Clerk.

There was discussion of scheduling a future goal-setting session so the newly organized Board can identify priorities for the coming year.

There was also a suggestion that the Board consider whether future meetings should start earlier than 7 PM — possibly 6:30 or 6 PM — to make long meetings more manageable.

Bottom Line
This was a meeting about transition and next steps.
The public safety project is not over, but the town appears to be stepping back to answer questions and decide on a clearer path.
The Town Hall renovation is moving forward and could significantly improve one of Cohasset’s most visible public buildings.
Several building safety issues are being addressed.
The new Select Board is organizing itself and preparing to set goals for the year ahead.
As always, these issues matter because they involve public safety, town buildings, taxes, community traditions, and how Cohasset plans for the future.

13/05/2026

Breaking News: Tonight the Cohasset Select Board reorganized, naming David Farrag as Chair, Ellen Maher as Vice-Chair and William Ashton as Clerk. All one year terms. Congratulations to the new leaders as well as board members Paul Grady and Greg Watts! Thank you all for your service and we look forward to a great next year! 👍🇺🇸