The meeting commenced with a discussion led by Superintendent William Rooney, who addressed the board regarding the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) process for a potential project at Dighton Elementary School. Rooney requested permission to expand the school building committee by adding four educators to its current 13 members. He argued that including representatives from special education, fine arts, and academic curriculum coordination would enrich the committee with valuable insights from staff working at the school.

However, one board member expressed reservations about enlarging the committee, citing concerns about potential inefficiencies and a lack of resident representation. They suggested the educators could serve in an advisory role rather than as voting members. Rooney acknowledged this suggestion and agreed to consider it in further discussions with the MSBA. The board reached a consensus to table the proposal, opting to explore the advisory option before making a final decision.

The board then turned its attention to the retirement of Patrolman Stephen Ferrera, who had submitted his resignation letter and would officially retire on February 1, 2025. Ferrera’s last scheduled workday was January 29th. A letter from Ferrera was read during the meeting, in which he expressed gratitude for the opportunities and support he received during his 18 years of service in Dighton. He highlighted the importance of community support for the police department and the evolving challenges in policing. The board accepted his retirement and acknowledged the difficulty in finding a suitable replacement.

The subject of impact fees for developers was also brought to the board’s attention by Robert Perry, who proposed implementing such fees to offset the costs incurred by the town due to new developments. Perry emphasized that the burden of these initial costs should not fall on current residents and offered to collect information from other municipalities on how they manage impact fees. The board supported Perry’s initiative and appointed him as a fact-finder for this purpose.

Another topic of interest was the Solid Waste Committee’s proposal to change its name to the Waste Reduction Committee. The change aimed to better reflect the committee’s focus on reducing waste rather than solely managing solid waste. A motion to approve the name change was passed without opposition.

Further, the board addressed the hiring of Kendra Madas as a new clerical worker/minute taker to alleviate a backlog of meeting minutes. Madas, already working for the town in a non-union role, was noted for her qualifications and ability to work remotely, which was expected to help manage both current and past minutes.

In discussions surrounding the town’s budget, the board debated setting a guideline for cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for employees, ultimately setting a 2.5% increase for non-union full-time employees. There was some debate about the need for clear direction to avoid disparate budget requests from different departments. The same 2.5% COLA was also approved for part-time non-union employees after some initial confusion.

The board also acknowledged resignations from town committees, including John Meager from the cable committee and Jeff Cavalo from the D and Trails Committee. Members expressed gratitude for their contributions and lamented their departures.

Additionally, the board addressed concerns about the town’s Pay As You Throw program, where increased disposal costs led to a 40% rise in trash bag prices. Despite the price hike, the program was still operating at a deficit, prompting discussions on further cost reductions and grant opportunities.

Public input included updates on a stormwater grant and concerns about the town’s budget following a failed debt exclusion vote. A selectman emphasized the importance of long-term planning and creative solutions amid potential budget constraints.

The meeting concluded with the approval of warrants and a request from a local school for a town flag for a Hall of Flags project. The board also highlighted the upcoming expiration of the trash pickup contract and the exemplary response of the fire department to a recent home fire.