06-05-2025
Mashpee voters approve new police station and 12 new police vehicles
It was a big night for the Mashpee Police Department as voters approved funds for a new police station at the annual town meeting on Monday, May 5, at Mashpee Middle-High School.
Voters approved Article 5, for a total of $37,150,000 for the construction of a new police station at 19 Frank E. Hicks Drive. It will also require approval of a Proposition 2 ½ debt exclusion ballot question at theMay 10, town election.
"Everyone who I've spoken to who has taken a tour of our facility has wholeheartedly endorsed a new police station," said Mashpee Police Chief Scott Carline. He described the building's poor air quality, HVAC issues, sewage problems, flooding, and rodent infestations.
The station, according to town documents, was built in 1979 and an addition in 1991.
The Town of Mashpee held a special town meeting and annual town meeting on Monday evening, May 5. The meeting lasted approximately two and a half hours.
"I maintain my home, it's been standing there since 1698," said Gwen Greelish, asking who was responsible for the maintenance of the building and what led to its decay.
The Department of Public Works is responsible for maintaining town buildings, according to Rodney Collins, town manager. He clarified that the condition of the police station is not due to failures or neglect by the department, but due to a non-functioning floor plan.
"I think the police department deserves to have an appropriate place to live," said Greelish, before stating, "We deserve some kind of assurances that this is not going to be asked of us again in another 25 years."
Karen Faulkner spoke in favor of the station. "If we don't do it this year, it is going to come right back next year," she said.
Aside from the concerns, the town agreed a new station was needed and the vote passed with 229 voters in favor to 50 voters against.
New police vehicles
Mashpee police will receive 12 new vehicles after voters agreed to Article 3 on the town warrant, which asked to approve about $7.4 million for department capital accounts.
Mashpee voters approve Veteran War Monument
During the special town meeting, which lasted about 45 minutes, voters said yes to the construction and installation of a Veteran War Monument at Great Neck Road North and Route 130.
The monument will honor and pay tribute to 350 Mashpee veterans who were deployed to Operation Desert Shield, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Freedom's Sentinel, Operation Enduring Sentinel, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn.
A swift meeting
"Welcome to democracy, this is the real thing and we should all be very proud," said John Miller, town moderator, at the beginning of the meeting.
According to the clerk's office, 296 voters attended town meeting. The majority of special town meeting and town meeting articles were passed with no discussion. Miller also made note of how long voting would take without the electronic voting devices.
Before the meeting began, Carol Sherman, Select Board chair, Thomas O'Hara, Select board member, and Deborah Kaye, town clerk, received recognition for their dedicated service and commitment to the Town of Mashpee. State Reps. Dylan Fernandes and David Vieira, also recognized Sherman, O'Hara, and Kaye with House and Senate citations.
Deborah Kaye (right), Carol Sherman (center) and Thomas O'Hara (left) were recognized by State Rep. Dylan Fernandes and David Vieira with House and Senate citations for their dedication and service to the Town of Mashpee at the annual town meeting, May 5.
Wastewater management articles passed
Voters approved Article 11 on the special town meeting warrant, borrowing $2,500,000 for design and engineering of a Mashpee/Wakeby cluster wastewater treatment facility. Article 11 will also require approval of a corresponding Proposition 2 1/2 debt exclusion ballot question at the town election on May 10.
Article 6 on the town meeting warrant passed. The article requested $200,000 to pay for the cost of planning and design of wastewater collection, treatment and effluent recharge initiative as part of Wastewater Phase III Recharge Evaluation.
Voters also approved Article 7 authorizing $250,000 to pay the aluminum sulfate treatment for the Mashpee/Wakeby Pond. The Wakeby side of the pond has elevated nutrient levels and declining water quality, according to the warrant.
Articles 6 and 7 also require approval of a corresponding Proposition 2 1/2 debt exclusion ballot question at the town election.
Article 24, an amendment to the zoning bylaws for accessory apartments also passed. The meeting ended around 9:30 p.m.
Desiree Nikfardjam is a reporter covering breaking and trending news. She graduated from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. You can reach her at DNikfardjam@
This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Voters approve every recommended article at Mashpee town meeting
