Kingston meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Kingston boards meet on hotel conversion, police staffing, and sewer projects

Kingston's boards and committees met over the past two weeks to review a range of items, from a hotel-to-residential conversion to police clinician hires and sewer bills. Minutes from these meetings have not yet been published, so no decisions are confirmed. The most significant item on the agenda was a public hearing before the Planning Board on converting a hotel at 149 Main Street into residential use.

Planning and Zoning

The Planning Board met Aug. 10 and its agenda included a public hearing and continued site plan review for the hotel-to-residential conversion at 149 Main Street (Map 57, Lots 26 and 26-1), with special permits for inclusionary housing and reduced parking. The board also held a public hearing on a subdivision at 29 Nelson Street to create one additional lot, and reviewed a minor site plan modification at 363 Bishops Highway for a fence change and elevator extension.

The Zoning Board of Appeals met Aug. 19 and held a public hearing on a special permit request from New Orchard Realty to raze and rebuild a pre-existing non-conforming dwelling at 17 Old Orchard Lane (Map 59 Lot 52), including a deck, on the same footprint. The proposal does not meet compliance with Kingston Bylaws section 4.2.A.4.A. The board also discussed reorganization of the Zoning Board.

Selectmen and Administration

The Board of Selectmen met Aug. 12 via Zoom. The agenda included a request to approve and post the warrant for the State Primary, a road closure on West Avenue for a wedding on Sept. 19, 2026, a request from the Police Chief to advertise and appoint a full-time clinician to backfill a vacancy, authorization to appoint per-diem clinicians temporarily, and approval of a one-day liquor license for Forty Second Brew Co.

The Wage and Personnel Board met Aug. 17 and reviewed a proposed change to Bereavement Leave, Section 12 (a), for the fall town meeting, along with a human resources update from Tina Betti.

The Board of Assessors met twice on Aug. 11. The first meeting covered July abatements, the 2026 motor vehicle commitment 4, bills for payment, and office updates from Maureen Clarke. The second meeting included review and decision on real estate exemption applications, updates from the Appellate Tax Board, and an executive session.

Public Works and Utilities

The Sewer Commission met Aug. 18 and discussed the 8 Maple Street project, a sewer fee abatement application for 17 Schofield Road Unit J17, staffing, and the sludge contract. The agenda included two final water/sewer bill commitments for real estate transactions: $210.30 for 35 Maple St & 13 Center Hill Rd, and $1,164.31 for 23 Chilton Ave & 13 Atwood St, totaling $1,374.61.

The Board of Water Commissioners met Aug. 19 and received updates on a new well project and well cleaning, a meter replacement RFP sent to Town Counsel, a main break repair on Ocean Hill Drive, and lead and copper sampling letters. The board also considered an invitation to a Plymouth County Regional Leadership Summit on Sept. 16, 2026.

The Conservation Commission met Aug. 12 and acted on certificates of compliance for the Sampson Brook Restoration Project off Winthrop Street and for a dual-use agriculture/solar array at 126, 131, 137 Ring Road. It also held public hearings for a single-family house at 18 Smith's Lane and a raze/rebuild at 17 Old Orchard Lane.

Health and Community

The Board of Health met Aug. 18 and discussed non-compliance fines, staffing in the Health Department, and reviewed information on nitrous oxide and battery energy storage systems (BESS).

The Council on Aging met Aug. 11 and heard from Veterans Service Officer Sara Lansing and Lucy Coletta of the Needlers Group. The board discussed volunteer opportunities for Meals on Wheels drivers and Café help, and a representative for Old Colony Elder Services.

Coming up

The Sewer Commission will meet Aug. 25 to vote on design options for the first phase of the Environmental Plan and on a design services contract with CDM Smith. The agenda also includes a response to a Water Department memo about PFAS and an appointment of Kara Rozycki from CDM Smith.

Kingston boards address water superintendent vacancy, zoning permits

In the past two weeks, Kingston boards met to discuss the upcoming departure of the water superintendent, consider special permits for non-conforming properties, and handle routine administrative items. As of this writing, minutes from these meetings have not been published, so no formal decisions are confirmed.

Water superintendent transition

The Board of Water Commissioners met on July 28 and again on August 4 to address the resignation of Superintendent Chris Veracka, effective July 31, 2026. The board discussed appointing an interim superintendent and the process for searching for a permanent replacement. On August 4, members reviewed the job description for the superintendent position and received an update on the interim role. The board also discussed an RFP process for a new meter program and received engineering updates on the new well project and South Street Well cleaning.

Zoning and property matters

The Zoning Board of Appeals held two public hearings on August 5 for special permits at non-conforming residential properties. New Orchard Realty sought a permit to raze and rebuild a dwelling with a deck at 17 Old Orchard Lane (Map 59, Lot 52). Diversified Funding Acquisition LLC requested a permit to convert a former hotel into multi-family housing at 149 Main St (Map 57, Lot 26-1). No decisions were reported.

The Planning Board will take up the same 149 Main St property on August 10, with a continued site plan review for the hotel-to-residential conversion, including special permits for inclusionary housing and reduced parking. The board will also hold a public hearing on a subdivision at 29 Nelson Street (Map 84, Lot 2) to create one additional lot, and review a minor site plan modification at 363 Bishops Highway (Map 104, Lot 2) for a fence change and elevator extension.

Other board business

The Board of Selectmen met in executive session on July 30 to discuss litigation strategy regarding Kingston v O'Donnell Family Trust and collective bargaining with Police Unions. The meeting did not return to open session.

The Conservation Commission’s Open Space Committee met on August 4 to review ongoing projects, including the Henrich parking area, Tree Farm Landing cleanup, trail mapping, and scheduling future workdays. The agenda was procedural with no formal decisions.

The Sewer Commission on August 4 reviewed a $406.60 final water bill, the Miramar Project Contract, sludge and pump contract updates, the CDM Contract, and a leaching field update.

The Board of Health on August 4 considered variance requests for 52 Higgins Road and 24 Forest Street, discussed fines for housing and septic violations, posting food inspection reports via public records requests, and Council on Aging senior check-ins.

Coming up

• **Planning Board** – August 10, 7:00 PM (public hearings on 149 Main St, 29 Nelson St, and 363 Bishops Highway)
• **Board of Assessors** – August 11, two meetings: one to review real estate exemption applications and ATB updates, another to authorize July abatements and the 2026 motor vehicle commitment 4
• **Council on Aging** – August 11, regular meeting with guest speakers from the Veterans Service Office and the Needlers Group

Kingston boards weigh water superintendent resignation, bylaw changes, and wetland permits

Kingston's town boards held a packed schedule over the past two weeks, with the Board of Water Commissioners scheduled to accept the resignation of Water Superintendent Chris Veracka effective July 31, 2026, and discuss an interim replacement. All recent meetings listed below are agenda-only — minutes have not yet been published, so outcomes and vote tallies are not yet confirmed in the public record.

Water Superintendent resignation

The Board of Water Commissioners met July 22 in executive session to discuss a personnel matter regarding Chris Veracka, covering reputation, character, or discipline. The board did not return to open session. On July 28, the board was scheduled to vote on minutes from July 7, 2026, accept Veracka's resignation effective July 31, 2026, and discuss an interim superintendent plus a search process for a permanent replacement. Engineering updates on the new well project and South Street Well cleaning were also on the agenda, along with discussion of an RFP process for a new meter program.

Wage & Personnel Board

On July 20, the Wage and Personnel Board was set to discuss a stipend for the Energy Manager position for FY2027, with Melissa Russal, Scott Lambiase, and Carol McCoy named on the item. The board also planned to review bylaw amendments for fall town meeting, including a change to the Local Inspector position, the status of the Flag Attendant, and deletion of the Finance Director–Town Accountant position. A cost-of-living adjustment request from the Recreation Department for FY2027, board reorganization, and approval of minutes from June 15 and June 22, 2026, were also listed.

Board of Health

The Board of Health met July 21 to consider a new wind turbine shadow flicker regulation, fines for operating without a permit (set at 2x the permit fee or $500 for septage/rubbish), fees for insufficient funds, and risers added at time of pumping. A Battery Energy Storage (BSS) discussion was also scheduled.

Conservation Commission

On July 22, the Conservation Commission had several wetland buffer matters on its agenda: a Certificate of Compliance for a dual-use agriculture and solar array in cranberry bogs at 126 Ring Road; a Determination of Applicability to demolish and rebuild a fire-damaged home with a master bath addition at 5 Reed Street; a Certificate of Compliance for a single-family dwelling within the 100-foot wetland buffer at 63 Christmas Tree Lane; a Notice of Intent for a septic system upgrade within the 100-foot wetland buffer at 74 Ring Road; and a Notice of Intent for stormwater improvements in coastal wetland buffer zones at Drew and Seaver Avenues.

Board of Selectmen

The Board of Selectmen met July 30 in executive session only, scheduled to discuss litigation strategy in Kingston v. O'Donnell Family Trust, collective bargaining negotiations involving Police Unions, and approval or release of executive session minutes. The board did not return to open session.

Coming up

• **Aug. 4 — Board of Water Commissioners:** Review of the Water Superintendent job description and an update on the interim superintendent role. Public may attend in person or via Zoom.
• **Aug. 4 — Wastewater/Sewer Commission:** Discussion of the Miramar Project Contract, sludge and pump contract updates, the CDM Contract, a $406.60 final water bill, and a leaching field update.
• **Aug. 4 — Board of Health:** Variance requests for 52 Higgins Road and 24 Forest Street, plus discussion of fines for housing and septic violations and Council on Aging senior check-ins.
• **Aug. 4 — Open Space Committee:** Updates on the Henrich parking area, Tree Farm Landing cleanup, trail mapping, and workday scheduling. Town House Room 203 and Zoom, 5:45 PM.
• **Aug. 5 — Zoning Board of Appeals:** Public hearings on special permits for 17 Old Orchard Lane (New Orchard Realty, to raze and rebuild a non-conforming dwelling with a deck, Map 59 Lot 52) and 149 Main St. (Diversified Funding Acquisition LLC, to convert a former hotel into multi-family housing, Map 57 Lot 26-1).

Because all recent meetings are agenda-only with minutes not yet published, residents should consult the official minutes once posted to confirm what was actually voted on or decided.