Somerset, Massachusetts held its annual Town Meeting on May 30, 2025, at the Somerset Berkley Regional High School performing arts center, where voters approved a $32.97 million Fiscal Year 2027 budget, school security upgrades, capital equipment purchases, and a ban on cryptocurrency ATM machines. The meeting drew 220 voters and addressed 23 articles covering municipal spending, infrastructure, and public safety.
The FY2027 budget, approved by majority voice vote under Article 4, increases resident taxes by 2.43% compared to FY2026. Article 2, setting departmental spending limits, passed by near-unanimous voice vote. Three-minute time limits were imposed on public input to maintain order, according to Somerset’s new town moderator.
Voters approved $1,559,375 in capital projects under Article 13. The fire department will receive $875,000 for PFAS-free gear, a pickup truck, and a down payment on a ladder truck. Police will get a new pickup and cruiser totaling $150,000, and the Highway Department secured approximately $400,000 for snow-related equipment. Article 18 allocated $240,000 for security system upgrades at Chace, North, and South Elementary Schools.
Article 20 established a ban on cryptocurrency ATM machines, citing fraud and money laundering risks identified by the Somerset Police Department. Selectman Todd Costa said police records show $142,000 has been scammed from residents—mostly those over age 50—through two such machines in town. Violations of the ban carry a $300 daily fine per ATM.
Wastewater infrastructure dominated debate. Article 15 approved $3.5 million to assess repairs at the treatment plant, and Article 16 funded clarifier replacements. Citizens’ petitions by Elizabeth Paskowski sought a one-year EPA permit extension and a mandatory informational meeting on whether to partner with Fall River or renovate Somerset’s plant. Paskowski said $3.5 million and $2.5 million had already been authorized but that total costs remain unclear. “They have not been honest,” she said of Water and Sewer commissioners. A motion to indefinitely postpone her Article 22 passed 134–55.
Water & Sewer board Chairman Steven Cadorette defended the board’s transparency, noting informational meetings held in 2024. He said the board was “transparent” and that engineers Wright & Pierce set a $75 million cost ceiling for renovations, which were deemed less expensive than a regional partnership with Fall River.