Cohasset Select Board Charges Public Safety Committee, Approves Ticket-Stacking Policy

COHASSET -- January 20, 2026, Cohasset Select Board formalized its Public Safety Facilities Committee and flagged a projected $2.4 million combined budget shortfall for FY27. The board voted unanimously Tuesday to issue a formal charge to the committee, which is tasked with bringing revised plans and cost estimates for the police and fire facilities at 135 King Street and 62 Elm Street to voters at Annual Town Meeting on May 5, 2026. Town Finance Director Michelle Buckley reported that maintaining level services for both the town ($16.5 million) and schools ($24.9 million) would require roughly 6 percent more than a balanced budget allows, leaving gaps of approximately $1.1 million on the town side and $1.3 million on the schools side, driven by a 14 percent jump in healthcare costs and a $100,000 increase in regional dispatch fees. The board also unanimously approved a parking ticket-stacking policy proposed by Police Chief William Quigley, allowing up to three citations per vehicle per day on any violation, effective within two weeks. A separate vote on converting Cohasset's sole MBTA flag stop to a fixed stop was deferred after resident objections; the board will invite MBTA officials to present at its January 27 meeting.