Southampton Select Board Approves Water Main Contract, Refers Battery Storage Rules to Planning Board

SOUTHAMPTON — March 31, 2026 — Southampton Select Board approves $1.866 million water main contract and refers battery storage regulations to Planning Board. The board voted unanimously Tuesday to authorize Contract 2026-1 with Comprehensive Environmental Inc. for the College Highway Phase 2 water main replacement, with Gileher Construction as the low bidder at $1.866 million out of seven bids and construction set to begin in early May. The board also heard Town Administrator Scott Fowles detail roughly $1.2 million in base municipal budget cuts — a 24 percent reduction in municipal operations — required if both override questions fail at the May 19 election, including elimination of police and fire administrative assistants and a drawdown of the stabilization fund. Resident Scott Danik cited Massachusetts Department of Revenue data showing Southampton has passed only four of 56 override votes since 1990, a 93 percent failure rate. The board unanimously referred a Board of Health submission on battery energy storage system regulations to the Planning Board, asking for a response within 60 days on a project proposed over a Zone 2 water protection area on Pleasant Street.