Berkley voters say yes to B-P debt exclusion, oust longtime town official

BERKLEY — In a stunning victory for supporters, Saturday's Berkley town election approved the debt exclusion funding plan that will raise property tax bills to pay the town's share of the $305 million B-P construction project.

The unofficial results released Saturday night reveal that a total of 699 of the 1,305 voters who went to the polls said yes to the ballot question, and 567 said no, which means the move passed by a mere 132 votes.

By a wide margin, Saturday's election also installed a new selectman, local businesswoman Jennifer Vincent, over contractor Maurice Butler for an open seat on the board.

In a closer race, residents replaced veteran town Treasurer Wendy Cochrane with local banker Connie Dagwan.

How much will taxes go up due to debt exclusion?

Selectmen Chair and former Finance Committee member Tabitha McCrohan was elated by the approval of the debt exclusion.

"Although FY25 is still going to be a tough year," she said, "the town voted in their best interests and passed the debt exclusion, and we are grateful."

For the average Berkley single-family home, which is assessed at around $500,000, the debt exclusion's approval will mean a tax hike of about $400 a year for most of the life of the 30-year debt. But the alternative would be major cuts to town services, because the town would have to pay its annual share of the price tag of the project whether Berkley's debt exclusion had been approved or not, officials said.

Located in Taunton, Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School serves Berkley, Bridgewater, Dighton, Middleboro, Raynham, Rehoboth and Taunton, and each town pays according to its percentage of the student population.

What debt exclusion will mean for you Berkley debt exclusion vote means stark choice: $400 annual tax hike or slashing services

Longtime Treasurer Wendy Cochrane loses close race

For treasurer, Cochrane received 614 votes while Dagwan won with 656 votes. The margin of victory here was 42 votes.

What $800K buys in Berkley Impressive property on 4 acres of land in Berkley sells for over $800K: Weekly home sales

Resounding victory for new Selectman Jennifer Vincent

For the select board, Vincent won by a more than three-to-one margin, garnering 910 votes to Butler's 293 votes.

How does Vincent feel about being elected a new member of the select board?

"I'm shaking," she said. "But I am so happy to begin the work of doing what needs to be done for this town."

She said she was also happy to see the debt exclusion pass.

"I'm happy because it will get the town moving forward to fund our town for the future to come," she said.

Planning Board incumbent Paul Megma wins in landslide

For Planning Board, incumbent chair Paul Megna won re-election with 1,002 votes against 234 for Maurice Butler.

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Berkley election: Voters approve B-P debt exclusion. Who won and lost?