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 grant assurances, not just standard committee work. This context makes the Select Board’s recent actions—replacing two long-serving commissioners, bringing in the Collins Center to advise on management, and adopting the Select Board’s code of conduct—vital steps toward aligning operations with standard governance.
This background makes supporting Article 25 for next month’s Fall Town Meeting crucial. Backed by over 200 resident signatures, this citizen petition ensures total transparency by properly segregating enterprise fund revenues and locking in structural accountability.
Viewed purely through a business lens, the airport is simply chasing volume to survive rising costs. Nobody objects to its essential public safety functions, such as MedFlight and State Police operations. However, commercial expansion toward larger private jets and an increased footprint impacts the peace and environment of residents across Plymouth and Carver.
This exposes the fundamental question consultants won’t solve: Aside from necessary emergency services, what do we want the airport to grow into over the next 20 to 30 years? That policy decision must be answered by our elected leaders and residents, or we will keep fighting these same battles.
– Al DiNardo
DiNardo is a Town Meeting member representing Precinct 17.