Bridgewater panel recommends parking fine hike and fire engine funding
Other Committee · Meeting of September 8, 2026
Bridgewater panel backs parking fine hike and $239,000 for an 1850 fire engine's restoration. The Budget and Finance Committee recommended Order F-26013, roughly doubling many parking fines to align with Bridgewater State University's rates, with revenue going to the general fund; staff said the fiscal 2027 budget does not assume the added revenue. Members separately backed a Community Preservation Committee transfer of $181,000 to restore the town's 1850 "Osamaquine" hand-pumped fire engine and $58,000 to restore and digitize historic fire department photographs, after receiving vendor quotes near $46,000 and $57,000.
The fire chief called the Pennsylvania restorer "one of the few, you know, anywhere in the country that actually does this type of work." Staff also previewed the fiscal 2028 budget calendar, citing a preliminary $3.5 million revenue surplus ahead of free cash certification expected by mid-September.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 2,873 words
Source: the Other Committee meeting of September 8, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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