West Bridgewater Select Board Approves Seven Hires, Votes to Explore Water-DPW Merger

WEST BRIDGEWATER — August 13, 2025 — West Bridgewater Select Board approves seven personnel actions and launches a study of merging the Water Department into the DPW. The board unanimously ratified or appointed Lieutenant William Choate as Deputy Fire Chief after 24 years in the department, retired state trooper Earl J. Johnson as a special police officer for training and details, and Daniel Riola as a police officer selected from 109 candidates under the town's new outside-testing process. Additional ratifications covered Veterans Agent David Farrell, DPW laborer Mackenzie Lewis, COA Outreach and Shine Coordinator Francine Burns, and cable station manager Ben Smith, along with a reclassification for building department employee Jill Janoski retroactive to July 1. In a joint session with the Royce Lanton-West Bridgewater Water Commission, both bodies voted unanimously to seek a town counsel legal opinion on consolidating the Water Department under the DPW — prompted by the anticipated retirement of the water superintendent within roughly 15 months. The board also approved a $240,295 year-end budget transfer and heard that the town faces a net $97,000 loss to the state this year after state-compelled charges rose 30 percent while aid increased only 1.54 percent.