April 11, 2025 By Carol Britton Meyer
Voters at the upcoming 2025 Town Meeting will decide the outcome of 46 warrant articles, ranging from funding for pickleball courts by Cronin Fields on Bare Cove Park Drive and design and other services for the proposed new Center for Active Living to amending town election voting hours and appropriating funds toward the replacement of the Hingham High School turf field.
The meeting convenes on Monday, April 28, at 7 p.m. but will be continued to the following evening if business doesn’t wrap up in the first session.
See the 100-page town meeting warrant mailed to every Hingham household for full details.
Here’s a snapshot of key articles relating to:
- approval of a $165.8 million town budget, including $70.4 million for the schools;
- updating Hingham’s accessory dwelling units (ADU) zoning by-law to be consistent with the state’s recent as-of-right ADU legislation;
- adoption of the state’s “Specialized Code,” designed to help Hingham and the overall Commonwealth achieve net zero by 2050 through additional regulations related to new residential and commercial construction;
- approval of $2.25 million in funding for expenses associated with design, architectural, engineering, owner’s project manager, and other professional services for a proposed new $35 million Center for Active Living near Carlson Field. That amount is included in the $35 million and is expected to be covered by the town’s “rainy day” fund.
- approval to spend $2.04 million to construct pickleball courts by Cronin Fields on Bare Cove Park Drive at the former Traces program building (requested by the recreation department). This figure includes potential Community Preservation grant funding of $758,640, contingent on voter approval at Town Meeting.
- allocating $630,000 from unassigned fund balance to pay a portion of the cost for replacement of the high school turf field.
- approval to hold future Saturday town elections from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. starting with the 2026 town election rather than the current 8 p.m. closing time.
The driving factor behind this warrant article is that about 50% of Hingham voters use the Early Vote by Mail option for town elections. If approved, the new hours would apply to town elections only. - approval of funding to address roof and HVAC replacement at the high school and roof repairs/replacement at Plymouth River and South schools;
- approval of the Community Preservation Committee’s recommendations related to appropriating $700,000 for community housing purposes to the Hingham Affordable Housing Trust Opportunity Fund; $600,000 for an Old Ordinary Campus Improvements Project under the Hingham Historical Society; and $758,640 toward the pickleball courts project, among others, from the town’s Community Preservation Act funds.
Those planning to attend are encouraged to read the entire warrant before the meeting to become familiar with all the articles and to bring the warrant with them to town meeting.
Voters have the final say on the municipal, school, and capital budgets and on all the warrant articles.
Go to https://www.hingham-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/23051/2025-Town-Meeting-Warrant?bidId= for the online version of the town meeting warrant, including the advisory committee’s comments and recommendations.
