Author Archives: Al DiNardo

At a time when debates over constitutional rights dominate national headlines, Plymouth faces a fundamental democratic challenge right here at home: protecting local legislative authority. ​Under Section 3-2-1 of the Plymouth Town Charter, explicit authority over the town’s legislative process is vested directly in Town Meeting. The Charter makes it unequivocally clear that Town Meeting […]

As rumblings grow about altering our form of government, a critical test is brewing at our upcoming Town Meeting: defending our legislative authority against a trend of citizen petitions being ruled out of order. ​Town Meeting is the supreme legislative authority. Under our charter and New England governance, we retain the ultimate right to determine […]

May, Superior Court Judge Gregg Pasquale criticized the town manager during the Plymouth Municipal Airport dispute, accusing him of trying to be “cute.” But attending recent airport and neighborhood meetings reveals that the legal ruling missed the complex operational tightrope the town actually walks under state and federal mandates. ​Running a municipal airport involves strict […]

The sun may be setting on the “Vatican”—that peculiar, autonomous state-within-a-state that has been burning through municipal patience over at the Plymouth Municipal Airport (PYM). ​With a major move Tuesday night, the Select Board finally signaled that the party is over. By appointing two new members to the Airport Commission, the Board has effectively started […]

​I have read a lot of court orders in my time, but I have to admit, this recent one is a classic. It isn’t every day you see a judge officially state that we have a “cute” Town Manager. While Judge Pasquale was using the term to describe the Manager’s attempt to cut off municipal […]

Having moved to Plymouth in September 2020 from the North Shore, I may be a relative newcomer here, but I am a lifelong resident of the Commonwealth and well-acquainted with our unique form of government. I’ve noticed that while Plymouth is growing rapidly, many of our neighbors—especially those from out of state—may not fully grasp […]

Having spent over 35 years involved in local matters on the North Shore before coming to Plymouth, I have always operated under a simple, fundamental belief: local government is a non-partisan workshop. In those decades, it didn’t matter if you were a Republican, a Democrat, or an Independent; once you stepped into a meeting, you […]

Fletcher Blanchard’s recent piece, “Abandon thoughts of Pilgrim resurrection,” overlooks a major shift in both state and federal policy. More importantly, it ignores a proven path to permanent tax relief for our residents. ​​Mr. Blanchard suggests that those of us supporting nuclear energy lack “adequate knowledge.” On the contrary, it is time we stop following […]

I submitted a resolution regarding Small Modular Reactors to ensure our town is positioned to lead, not follow. Timing is everything. Just three weeks ago, the Governor’s own tweet signaled a major shift toward new nuclear energy, and just the other day, she stood at the Lynch School in Winchester to sign an executive order […]

A few weeks ago, Governor Healey shared a monumental sentiment that signaled a major shift for the Commonwealth’s energy future. By grouping “wind, solar, and nuclear” together in her vision for a reliable grid, she effectively opened a door that has been closed in Massachusetts for over forty years. For those of us in Plymouth, […]