Board of Selectmen Meeting — October 20, 2026

The Swansea Board of Selectmen met on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at the Swansea School Administration Building to address a variety of town business, licenses, appointments, and project proposals. Ty Anarumo presented his Eagle Scout service project to restore the junior high school World War II memorial plaque with a portable design prior to Veterans Day; the board voted unanimously to approve the project. In other formal business, the board approved multiple sets of meeting minutes, appointed Timothy Cabral to the Board of Health effective October 21, 2026, approved an LLA agreement for Swansea American Legion Post 303 regarding manager and officer changes, signed the first trash billing commitment, approved the warrant for the November 3, 2026 state election, and approved entertainment and amusement licenses for Entertainment Luxury Cinema at 207 Swansea Mall Drive.

The board held an extensive debrief regarding the previous evening's Special Town Meeting. Members commended the Department of Public Works and school staff for venue setup and discussed public feedback concerning municipal spending and the property tax burden on seniors on fixed incomes. Selectmen discussed options to expand outreach on senior tax abatements and praised a Council on Aging grant establishing a food pantry. The board emphasized the need to reactivate the town's capital projects committee to plan for long-term facilities, while the Town Administrator cautioned about systemic budget pressures including recurring 12% to 15% healthcare cost increases and Chapter 70 education funding.

Town Administrator Mitch gave an update on the fiscal calendar, reporting that the Schedule A had been submitted to the Department of Revenue, free cash was certified, and department heads were instructed to submit budget drafts ahead of Christmas. Under correspondence, the board acknowledged the resignation of Colby Melo from the Swansea Community Network and honored the retirement of longtime municipal employee Stacy Moniz, who served various town departments and committees since January 1997.

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