Category: Your View

Transparency, accountability, and the perceived absence of conflicts of interest are what build public trust in local government. The recent discussions about the land deal in Plymouth and the roles played by Select Board members Golden and Canty raise questions for many about whether the public interest was put before political and personal agendas. Did […]

Thank you very much for the informative article on the 61A votes taken by the Select Board. I was at the June 9th meeting and shared the frustration of fellow residents that the actions taken on the part of the Select Board were lacking at best. Your reporting regarding the extent of the well-publicized conflict […]

The scale of global ecological collapse can feel overwhelming to face, but the destruction of the planet is harder to ignore when it is happening in our own neighborhoods. There are at least 110 documented sand and gravel mines in the Plymouth-Carver Aquifer region, with at least 44 located in the colonial borders of Plymouth. […]

The Town of Plymouth has an important opportunity before it: exercising its Chapter 61 rights to conserve 138 acres in Cedarville currently owned by P.A. Landers. The Select Board should not let this opportunity pass. Protecting this land would preserve a significant portion of the Herring Pond Wampanoag people’s historic Great Lot, advance the Town’s […]

As a newly elected Town Meeting member and a longtime volunteer involved in conservation efforts, I support thoughtful growth in Plymouth.  However, I am increasingly concerned about the scale and character of some recent developments and what they may mean for our town’s future. One issue that troubles me is the widespread clear-cutting of trees […]

Matt Sheridan is a Plymouth real estate developer who has signed a P&S to purchase 138 acres in Cedarville that are classified under MGL Chapter 61. That statute provides that, in return for reduced real estate taxes, the Town has a right of first refusal to purchase the land.  As a result, the owner has […]

The Yes on Charter Change Committee was formed by a group of citizens looking towards the future of Plymouth. While the current form of Plymouth’s government has served the town well since its inception, with the projected increase in population and budget (currently close to $350 million), we feel it is the right time to […]

I want to express my deep appreciation for Dave Kindy’s wonderful piece describing how Russell Jacobson’s family learned about Russell’s bravery as a Marine medic in Vietnam, and what that knowledge meant to them. The timing of the piece is perfect, of course, as (some) Americans pause to reflect on the meaning of Memorial Day. […]

Thank you Plymouth Independent for the article on Russell Jacobson. Thanks David for sharing your father’s heroic life. He deserves that Navy Cross. – Richard Fry

The Simes House is assessed for $1,710,500. On May 16, the Independent reported that the Select Board have agreed to sell it to the Manomet Bird Observatory for $40,000 (2% of its assessed value)! The Uniform Procurement Act provides that any municipality that wishes to sell real estate must first:  (1) appraise its value using […]