Somerset Finance Committee Recommends Most Town Meeting Articles, Splits on Wastewater Transfer

SOMERSET -- May 20, 2026, Somerset Finance Committee recommends most Annual Town Meeting articles but splits 4-2 on a $3.5 million wastewater transfer. The committee, chaired by Paul Cogley, worked through all 23 consolidated warrant articles on May 20, issuing favorable recommendations on the municipal operating budget, the $931,000 increase in the school department appropriation, a $11.3 million Somerset Berkley Regional School District assessment, and a new bylaw banning cryptocurrency ATMs. The panel voted no recommendation on both citizen petitions asking the Water and Sewer Commission to seek a one-year EPA permit extension and hold a public informational meeting on whether to pursue regionalization with Fall River. On the contested Article 15, Johnson argued the town lacks a "side-by-side comparison" of facility upgrade costs against regionalization before committing another $3.5 million, while Cogley and others said appropriation does not compel expenditure; the transfer passed 4-2. The committee deferred Articles 11 through 14 and 16 through 18, all potentially free-cash-funded, pending funding-source confirmation from Town Administrator Mark Lucci after the Board of Selectmen's May 21 meeting, and said a follow-up session will be required before the May 30 town meeting.