Board of Selectmen Meeting — September 29, 2026

The Swansea Board of Selectmen met on September 29, 2026, and addressed a variety of municipal matters, beginning with a public hearing on solid waste rate setting. Following a presentation by Bill Anderson outlining program expenses of approximately $2.36 million and ongoing contractual stability with Capital Waste, the board voted unanimously to maintain existing trash rates through October 12, 2027, preserving fees at $3.50 per large bag, $2.00 per small bag, and an annual disposal fee of $230. The board also approved meeting minutes from September 15, 2026, and confirmed the appointments of Wayne Custodio as a full-time police officer and Laura Wilson as a part-time clerical assistant for the Board of Assessors.

A significant portion of the meeting centered on the proposed junior high school building project ahead of the October 19 town meeting. Selectwoman Elena Slietra outlined the financial case for the project, contrasting the estimated $88 million municipal share for a new facility—supported by $61.5 million from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA)—against a $98 million cost to repair the existing aging facility without state assistance. Selectman Bob Medeiros discussed considerations regarding school trust funds, traffic mitigation, and building reuse before the board voted unanimously to formally endorse the project.

The board also evaluated the 2026 Swansea Town Beach season, noting that parking pass sales brought in roughly $34,000 and reduced overcrowding. After discussing resident gate access, parking fines, and potential jurisdictional overlap with the Parks and Recreation Commission, the selectmen voted unanimously to authorize Town Administrator Mitch Ruscitti to begin reconstituting the Swansea Beach Committee. In other business, the board voted to submit a legal response drafted by KP Law to an Open Meeting Law complaint from Patrick Higgins, briefly discussed capital stabilization and free cash certification, and received an update on a potential conservation deed restriction for a Stony Brook farm parcel.

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