An Act relative to a cemetery in the town of Norton

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Paul Feeney and 1 co-sponsor

Allows Norton to pay a $34,001 unpaid invoice to Ryan Asphalt Paving for Timothy Plains Cemetery driveway work, waiving procurement/bidding rules for this contract.

Overview

Bill Number: HD 4955 (House Docket No. 4955)

Title: An Act relative to a cemetery in the town of Norton

Status: Proposed bill (introduced for the 2025-2026 session; local approval indicated in materials)

Introduced: November 29, 2025

Filed: July 24, 2025

Sponsors: Representatives Steven S. Howitt and Michael S. Chaisson

Local approval: The text indicates local approval was received

Purpose and intent

The bill authorizes the Town of Norton to pay an unpaid bill to a contractor for work done at the Timothy Plains Cemetery. Specifically, it allows the town treasurer to pay $34,001 to Ryan Asphalt Paving, LLC for driveway pavement work, even though the town did not follow procurement and competitive bidding laws in awarding the contract.

Key provisions

Section 1: The Norton treasurer may pay from sums appropriated an unpaid bill of $34,001 to Ryan Asphalt Paving, LLC for driveway pavement work at Timothy Plains Cemetery. This payment may be made notwithstanding the town’s failure to comply with procurement and competitive bidding laws for awarding those contracts.

Section 2: The act takes effect upon passage.

who is affected

Town of Norton: Affected party as the payer and beneficiary of the authorization.

Norton treasurer: Authorized to disburse funds to settle the specified bill.

Ryan Asphalt Paving, LLC: Creditor receiving payment for the cemetery work.

Timothy Plains Cemetery: Property impacted by the contracted work.

Local residents and taxpayers: Indirectly affected due to the use of town funds and potential implications for procurement practices.

Procedural and timeline aspects

The bill is a local/municipal act addressing a specific unpaid bill related to a cemetery project.

It explicitly waives procurement and competitive bidding requirements for this particular contract, for the purpose of making the payment.

Take effect: Upon passage of the act (retroactive or immediate upon enactment, as commonly interpreted for such local acts).

The bill appears to be targeted to resolve an outstanding debt tied to municipal cemetery infrastructure.

Fiscal and legal considerations

Fiscal impact: One-time payment of $34,001 to the contractor.

Procurement implications: The bill permits payment notwithstanding noncompliance with procurement and bidding laws, which raises considerations about compliance, accountability, and precedent for future contracts.

Legal risk: Local act provides a narrow exception; potential scrutiny may focus on the justification for waiving procurement rules and whether this aligns with state procurement policy.

Notes

The bill’s scope is intentionally narrow and focused on a single unpaid invoice related to cemetery infrastructure.

As a local act, it affects only Norton and does not establish statewide policy.

If you’d like, I can compare this bill to other local waivers of procurement requirements or provide a concise one-page briefing for Norton town meeting members.

Bill