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The Somerset Board of Selectmen held a meeting on July 16, 2026, primarily focused on a public hearing for a fuel storage application and an open meeting law complaint. The meeting began with a citizen, Sean from 94 Normal Street, speaking in favor of Somerset Marina's request to add fuel tanks, arguing it would keep money within the town's economy instead of going to Fall River businesses. The board then opened a public hearing for the application from Somerset Marine Inc. to store gasoline at 3828 Riverside Avenue. A representative for the marina, Stephanie, detailed the safety improvements made to the site, including clearing debris, adding a filtration system, and working with the fire department to ensure proper placement of equipment and fire extinguishers. The board members expressed their satisfaction with the marina's efforts and their support for the project. After closing the public hearing, the board unanimously voted to approve the application, which included a 2,000-gallon above-ground tank, a 5,500-gallon boat storage tank, and 30-gallon portable tanks. The approval was made subject to final inspections by the Somerset Fire Department and the State Fire Marshal. The second major item of business was the acknowledgement of an open meeting law complaint filed by Patrick Higgins of North Port, Alabama. The complaint alleged the board failed to provide sufficient detail on agendas for previous meetings. The Town Administrator, Mr. Iolucci, noted that he would respond to the complaint, a process now handled in-house to save taxpayer money, and that the Attorney General's office had previously found the town's level of detail to be reasonable in a similar case.
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Public Safety
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open session Somerset Public Library Cucinata Community Room 1464 County Street Somerset Massachusetts this meeting is being recorded next item is Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America into the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all next item is citizens input which is limited to anything under new business on the agenda
0:37okay next item is entertaining what come on uh sean probably 94 normal street i just want to give a few words on the first item it might be the only item, which is the request for Somerset Marina to add fuel tanks and fueling ability. And as a boater and a customer of Somerset Marina, I'm completely for it. I know that, you know, other people are boat owners and Mr.
1:07Smith you are as well. We watched over the past few years hundreds of thousands of dollars be shifted from Somerset over to Fall River businesses. And I for one would much rather see those money, those monies go to support somerset businesses um secondly i don't vote alone those monies go to support Somerset businesses. i don't recommend
1:24anybody vote alone so it's much easier to have that capability in your own marina so i hope that this passes i think it's a no -brainer but i've seen a lot of no -brainers take a left turn um and that's it thanks okay next i'll entertain a motion uh to open a public hearing upon the application of somerset marine inc to store gasoline at 3828 Riverside Avenue,
1:49Somerset, Massachusetts, as follows. One 2,000 gallons above ground tank, class 1B, 5,500 gallon boat storage gasoline, and 30 gallon maximum quantity portable tanks, class 1B. Hearing was originally scheduled for July 9th, 2026, and was postponed and rescheduled for July 16th, 2026.
2:18Second. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. and rescheduled for July 16th, 2026. Okay.
2:24Somebody from the Marina want to come up and speak?
2:30Come on up and we'll help you through it. Introduce yourself because I don't know who you are.
2:42just at the microphone over there, yep, so just give your name, and so basically this is an existing fuel storage tank that was on the property when your dad, you know, owned the marina, correct, and again, we weren't able to transfer that over even the fact Transfer that over, given the fact that, you know, couldn't find the paperwork on your end, the town couldn't find
3:14the paperwork on their end, so this was an application for a new license. Okay.
3:20And just talk a little bit about some of the improvements that you've made, you know, to that area where the tank is stored. I know personally, as Sean said, there used to be a lot of stuff around it, and you've done a lot of work getting everything cleared out. And we've done a lot of work getting everything cleared out. Oh, that was a pack rat. He had all kinds of stuff around
3:40there, so we added a better filtration system underneath it, got rid of all the foliage around it, got rid of all the wooden debris, clutter. We put a new connex box there, and we had the fire department come out and tell me how far it could be away from the tank, so that's appropriate. We're in the process of having Integrity Fire I'm in the process of having Integrity Fire come out on
4:03Monday to get me the rest of my extinguishers that I need, and that should be that, and getting those extinguishers out the fuel dock itself on their side so nobody's stuck. come out on Monday. Sure, and I did reach out to Deputy Chief Phillips of the Somerset Fire Department yesterday just to see where things stood. he mentioned about the extinguishers I forwarded that over to
4:34Stephanie so you know we could if the board so chooses make a motion tonight to approve this subject to final inspections which would be required by the Somerset Fire Department as well as the State Fire Marshal and then that
4:58you know, certificate from the official as well, but I'll open it up to the board if they have any questions. All of my questions I was able to answer. Nice to see you here. I wish you luck. I'm ready to approve this. My concern were the inspections and everything, making sure that everything was safe and, you know, I'm satisfied and wish you a lot of luck. I'm satisfied. I need it.
5:31Same here, I checked in with our licensing officials and they seem, everything's on board and you're moving forward, so I'm definitely in favor of this to get you back up and running. I appreciate it. So, I'll make a motion, Mr. Chairman. Sure. I'll make a motion that we approve the application of Somerset Marine, Inc. to store gasoline. at 3828 Riverside Avenue, Somerset, Mass., as follows.
5:57One 2,000 -gallon above -ground tank, Class B -1. One 5,500 -gallon boat storage, Class 1B. A 30 -gallon maximum quantity portable tanks, Class 1B.
6:15Subject to final approval by the state, final inspection by the Subject to final approval by the state final inspection. State Fire Marshal and Somerset Fire Department. Second. Okay, just before we vote on this, is there any other citizens input? Seeing none, I'll make a motion that we close the public hearing.
6:40Second. Okay, only because there's a motion on the floor, if someone could withdraw them. Only because there's a motion on the floor, if someone could withdraw the motion.
6:47I'll withdraw the motion. It was a little premature. Sorry. Okay. So I have a motion in a second to close the public hearing. All those in favor? Aye.
6:58Go ahead and make your motion again. I'd like to make a motion that we approve the application of Somerset Marine Inc. to store gasoline at 3828 Riverside Avenue, Somerset, Mass., as follows. one 2,000 -gallon above -ground tank, one 5,500 -gallon boat storage tank, 30 -gallon maximum -quantity portable tanks, subject to the final
7:26inspection of the State Fire Marshal's Office and the Somerset Fire Department. One 2,000 -gallon above ground.
7:31Second. All those in favor? You're all set, Stephan. We're all set, Stephanie.
7:37All right. So just once you get the fire extinguishers, you know, retested and the certificates on them, reach out to Deputy Phillips again so he can come down and do the final inspection. All right. Congratulations. He's been so easy to work with, so we'll be able to move it right along. And then you'll be able to pick up tomorrow at Town Hall a copy of the license. hall uh copy of the
8:04license oh sweet that's exciting half day tomorrow so get there early oh boy okay
8:18so mr iolucci this has uh just a signature for one person just myself uh it's fine if you want all three one sign yep
9:21All right, you are all set. All right, good luck.
9:25let's take care all right under new business we have discussed an Good luck. act in an open meeting law complaint filed by Patrick Higgins dated July 9th 2026 acknowledge receipt and review the complaint authorize response by the town administrator so we received an open meeting law complaint from Patrick Higgins, North Port, Alabama.
10:03In the complaint, he states, the Somerset Board of Selectmen violated the open meeting law as follows. Did not list the names of the present and proposed offices directors to be changed on the agenda for AMF holiday lanes as required by the open meeting law. is required by the open meeting law and did not list the year and transfers to And did not list. be acted on by the board
10:25selectmen after the fiscal year had ended and he lists the URLs for YouTube for those. Mr. Higgins, did you want to touch on this at all? This complaint did surprise me a little bit for two reasons. One, he doesn't cite what parts of the open meeting law were violated and Mr. Higgins usually does. I'm sure he's watching this at this moment and he reached
10:49out last year for the same thing at which time I told him I'd reach out to the AG's office which I did and they sent back a recent ruling that did not require the town to list that much detail and under the open meeting law it states a reasonable amount of information so that the people understand does. I'm sure he's watching this at this moment.
11:12information so that uh the people understand what it is that the board would be voting for what it is that the um so i i was i was just a little surprised usually he's he's a little more attentive than that uh and uh but we'll we'll see where it goes okay all right so there's no need to take a vote on this we just needed to acknowledge it um you know i
11:34guess we could uh vote on authorizing you to respond the board has voted in the past to authorize all responses from the board of selectmen through the town administration administrator so it's not not required yeah and this was a change that we made just for the public that uh most of these all used to go to kp law and we've now shifted to misty luci responding uh to most of these
11:58uh in an effort to save the taxpayers some money all right i have nothing under other updates i don't know if anybody else has anything this has anything okay uh topics not reasonably anticipated by the chair 48 hours in advance of the meeting i have nothing town administrator updates uh none at this time sir okay i have no reminders any citizens input seeing nobody here um i will entertain a motion to adjourn