NEMASKET WEEK: ‘Alarming’ discrepancy of $1.2 million found in town financial records

                              

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‘Alarming’ discrepancy of $1.2 million found in town financial records

Christian Uva

reporter@nemasketweek.com

Nov 03, 2026

Interim Town Manager Robert Nunes, left, told the Middleboro Select Board about the discrepancy during one of his regular financial updates. Photo by Christian Uva

MIDDLEBORO — The town missed out on being able to use money it had because of poor bookkeeping, Interim Town Manager Robert Nunes told the Middleboro Select Board at its Nov. 2 meeting

Nunes said that he found a $1.215 million discrepancy over a three-year period between the amount of money Middleboro had and the amount it recorded in its books.

Nunes said that this prevented the town from accessing free cash it would have had if that money had been properly reported in the accounting ledger. Free cash is the balance that remains from the previous fiscal year that is available for appropriation after being officially certified by the state

“This is significant and concerning,” Nunes said in his report. He said the money is not missing. 

Discrepancies were found between the start of fiscal year 2023 in July 2022 and the end of fiscal year 2025 in June 2025. In the 2024 fiscal year alone, the discrepancy was $870,481.

Nunes said that there would also be a discrepancy for the 2026 fiscal year, which ended in June. While he did not give a total, he said it will be a “big number.”

The books had not been balanced monthly over those three years, Nunes said. He blamed the discrepancy on a lack of town government oversight and little communication between the Finance Department and the Treasurer/Collector’s Office. 


NEMASKET WEEK: TOWN FINANCES

NEMASKET WEEK: Accident between tractor-trailer and two sedans on I-495 sends one to hospital

                             

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Accident between tractor-trailer and two sedans on I-495 sends one to hospital

Christian Uva 

reporter@nemasketweek.com

Nov 07, 2026

An overhead view of Interstate 495 following the accident, showing the truck lying on its side on the northbound lane facing the opposite direction. Photo by David Curran

MIDDLEBORO — An accident involving a tractor-trailer and two sedans on Interstate 495 sent one person to the hospital on the morning of Saturday, Nov. 7.

There are no reported fatalities at this time, according to a Massachusetts State Police officer from the Middleboro barracks.

The accident occurred near Exit 14 at 8:30 a.m. The tractor-trailer, which was carrying asphalt, rolled over onto its side on the northbound lane of Interstate 495 facing the opposite direction.

The officer did not provide a reason for the tractor-trailer rolling over into the northbound lane.

One sedan was seen in the median with significant damage to its front right side.

The northbound section of Interstate 495 was closed while accident reconstruction and hazmat cleanup attended the scene. It reopened at 2:30 p.m.

No further information is available at this time.

NEMASKET WEEK

NEMASKET WEEK: Middleboro and Lakeville buck the trend in statewide elections

                                                                                                                                                                               

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Middleboro and Lakeville buck the trend in statewide elections

Christian Uva

reporter@nemasketweek.com

Nov 04, 2026

Voting signs placed outside of the Middleboro High School polling location on Election Day. Photo by Christian Uva

Middleboro and Lakeville voters went against the grain on many major statewide elections.

The towns mostly sided with the Republican candidate in elections for governor, U.S. senator and U.S. representative. All of those Republican candidates lost, however.

Voters also went against the prevailing notions on many of the nine ballot questions, voting for looser gun laws and against same-day voter registration. 

Middleboro and Lakeville had voter turnout rates of roughly 51% and 34.6%, respectively.

Democratic Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov Kim Driscoll defeated Republican challenger Mike Minogue. Middleboro voted for Minogue 5,517 to 4,430, and so did Lakeville, with a split of 2,332 to 1,179 in favor of the Republican.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Ed Markey fended off Republican opponent John Deaton. Middleboro sided with Deaton, giving him 5,411 votes compared to 4,682 to Markey. He also won Lakeville 1,877 to 1,303.

Middleboro’s U.S. Rep. Bill Keating, a longtime incumbent Democrat, was reelected, holding off Republican hopeful and former Mattapoisett Select Board member Tyler Macallister. Macallister won Middleboro by only two votes: 5,135 to Keating’s 5,133.

Incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss, who represents Lakeville, defeated Republican challenger Thomas Stalcup. Lakeville picked Stalcup, giving him 2,088 votes to 1,412 for Auchincloss.

Two of Middleboro’s state representatives — Democrat Kathy LaNatra and Republican Norman Orrall — won their races, while Republican John Gaskey’s race has not been called by press time. LaNatra defeated Republican candidate Eric Meschino, while Gaskey is facing off with Democratic opponent Sarah Hewins. 

LaNatra won Middleboro slightly, gaining 1,210 votes to Meschino’s 1,128.

Middleboro voters sided with Gaskey as well, voting for him over Hewins 1,840 to 1,417.

Orrall, who also represents Lakeville in the state Legislature, ran unopposed.

The race between longtime Democratic state Senator Michael Rodrigues, who represents Lakeville, and Republican challenger Gabriel Boomer Amaral has not been called by press time. Lakeville voted heavily for Amaral, with 2,012 voters casting ballots for him compared to 1,473 for Rodrigues.

Republican State Sen. Kelly Dooner, who represents Middleboro, ran unopposed.

On most of the nine ballot questions, Middleboro and Lakeville voters once again went against what the rest of Massachusetts voted for. Nemasket Week has provided a chart showing how the towns voted on all nine ballot questions.

Voters across the state voted yes on Question 9, upholding Massachusetts’ current strict gun laws. Middleboro and Lakeville joined the minority who opposed it, each voting against the measure. Lawn signs could be seen across the town ahead of the Nov. 3 election imploring people to vote “No on 9.”

The state denied Question 3, which would have abolished party primaries and created a single, all-party primary for elected offices. Middleboro and Lakeville did the same, each heavily casting no votes.

On Question 4, Massachusetts voters chose to legalize same-day voter registration. Middleboro and Lakeville did not. Both strongly opposed the measure.

Voters decided to keep recreational marijuana legal, voting down Question 8. Middleboro and Lakeville voters sided with the rest of the state. Roughly three-quarters of voters cast “no” ballots in each town.

Question 7, which would allow for single-family homes to be constructed on lots of at least 5,000 square feet, has not been called by press time. Middleboro and Lakeville voters each strongly opposed the measure.

Of 21,200 registered voters in Middleboro, 10,824 submitted ballots. In Lakeville, roughly 3,650 voted out of 10,540 registered voters.

NEMASKET WEEK

NEMASKET WEEK: Middleboro man charged with cocaine distribution

                                                                                                                                                                      

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Middleboro man charged with cocaine distribution

Sandy Quadros Bowles

editor@nemasketweek.com

Nov 03, 2026

MIDDLEBORO -- A Middleboro resident is one of two men indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly conspiring to distribute cocaine, according to information provided by the Justice Department.

Isaac Marrero, 33, of Middleboro, and Eduardo Gomez-Santana, 50, of Providence, R.I were indicted on one count each of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine.

Both defendants were arrested and charged in September 2026. Marrero was released on conditions and Gomez-Santana is currently detained pending trial.

According to the charging documents, in August 2026, a cooperating witness allegedly met with Gomez-Santana outside a restaurant in Pawtucket, R.I. and purchased approximately 250 grams of cocaine.

Ahead of that sale, it is alleged that Gomez-Santana was seen meeting with a black Mercedes registered to Marrero.

 A few weeks later, the cooperating witness allegedly arranged to meet with Gomez-Santana again, this time to buy approximately 1.5 kilograms of cocaine. On Sept. 29, 2026, Gomez-Santana allegedly met the witness in the parking lot of a shopping plaza in Taunton, before directing the individual to a gas station in Berkley.

There, Gomez-Santana allegedly met with Marrero, who handed Gomez-Santana a bag containing approximately 1.5 kilograms of cocaine. It is alleged that Gomez-Santana then provided the cocaine to the cooperating witness in exchange for cash.

 The charges of conspiracy to distribute and distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine each provide for a sentence of no less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million.

Due to a prior conviction for conspiracy to distribute drugs (for which he was sentenced to 90 months), Gomez-Santana faces an enhanced maximum penalty of life, with a mandatory sentence of at least 10 years in prison, at least eight years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $8 million. 

Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives made the announcement. Assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Pawtucket, R.I. and Bridgewater Police Departments.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the cases.

NEMASKET WEEK

NEMASKET WEEK: Middleboro Town Meeting to vote on proposed Flock camera ban

                                                                   

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Middleboro Town Meeting to vote on proposed Flock camera ban  

Christian Uva

reporter@nemasketweek.com

Oct 26, 2026

MIDDLEBORO — Voters will have a say in whether Middleboro Police keep or get rid of a controversial piece of technology during Fall Town Meeting.

Former School Committee member Richard Oakley submitted a citizen’s petition to ban Flock cameras and other automatic license plate readers in town. If voted into effect, the new bylaw would prevent the town from using automatic license plate reader cameras and require it to cut off existing contracts.

The petition read that its purpose was “to protect the privacy and civil liberties of residents and visitors” of Middleboro.

The bylaw would also prevent the town from sharing any of its data collected through the cameras with other law enforcement agencies or federal agencies.

The Middleboro Police Department currently operates four Flock cameras, although one of them is out of operation after being vandalized.

Police Chief Robert Ferreira Jr. said that the department has operated these cameras for about three years. He said that the cameras are a “valuable tool” for criminal investigations.

Towns across the country have taken efforts to ban Flock cameras and other automatic license plate readers over the past year. Many of these towns cited privacy concerns and potential misuse of the cameras by law enforcement officials.

Several cases of alleged Flock camera misuse have surfaced recently. The New Bedford Police Department recommended terminating two officers in early September after the department accused them of using the Flock database to track their ex-romantic partners.

Federal law enforcement agencies have also been able to access police departments’ data without them knowing, according to a study by the University of Washington.

The American Civil Liberties Union accused companies like Flock of trying to build a “nationwide mass surveillance system.”

The Middleboro Police Department shares the data that its Flock cameras collect nationwide, Ferreira said. But he said that federal agencies like ICE do not have access to the department’s data.

Ferreira also said that the town does not operate enough cameras to be able to track people’s whereabouts easily.

“I think there’s a misconception about how much information’s out there,” Ferreira said.

Only about “25%” of the department’s officers have access to the Flock database, according to Ferreira. Most of these are detectives.

Officers in nearby towns like Wareham have been found to give vague reasons for search terms. ACLU Policy Counsel Gideon Epstein told Wareham Week that this practice could “leave the door wide open for potential abuse of this technology.

Ferreira said that when officers search the database, they have to input an offense type and a case number, or else the search will be flagged to a supervisor.

He said that while he understands people’s concerns about privacy, he thinks the cameras should remain. He will give a presentation at the Fall Town Meeting asking voters to vote against this law.

Oakley did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

NEMASKET NEWS: FLOCK CAMERAS

NEMASKET WEEK

                                                                                                                                                                                     

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NEMASKET WEEK

Developer plans to turn School Street church into apartment complex

Christian Uva

reporter@nemasketweek.com

 Oct 20, 2026

Patrick Brady wants to turn the Central Union Methodist Church, which closed in 2025, into a 41-unit apartment building. Photo by Christian Uva

MIDDLEBORO — A former house of God may become a home for 41 people.

A Middleboro developer is hoping to convert a Methodist church building into an apartment complex with exclusively studio apartments.

The planned project would include installing 41 studio apartment units into the former Central United Methodist Church at 10 School St. and razing the single-family home at the neighboring 16 School St. The three-family home at 22 School St. would remain.

Patrick Brady of Nemasket Capital Partners said he wanted to renovate the church instead of replacing it to keep the feel of School Street.

“Some buildings make a downtown what it is,” Brady said. “Tearing it down and building new would be a lot easier, but this church is part of what School Street looks like.”

Three floors of studio apartments, most of which would be 339 square feet, would be installed.

Brady said the building would be targeted at people working in and around Middleboro Center. He said there was a high demand for studio apartments that “can rent at a price that a working person can afford.”

He also said he did “not want to put a tax on the school system” by bringing apartments targeted at families to town.

The church building’s steeple would be removed during renovation of the facade. Brady described it as a liability for insurance. He said that the steeple would possibly be placed on the lawn to “pay homage” to it. 

He noted that the church did not have the steeple before 1860, and that he was trying to recreate the facade’s pre-1860 appearance.

Brady is asking the Zoning Board of Appeals for a zoning variance, since the property sits in a business district and is not zoned for residential buildings. He also said he is working with the Historical Commission and needs a site plan review before he can get approval from the town.

He hopes to begin construction after finalizing the land purchase in June 2027 and beginning construction soon after. He’s hoping to open the new apartment building in January 2029.

The Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a hearing for this project at a future meeting.

SCHOOL STREET CHURCH

Middleboro early voting numbers higher than normal, Lakeville’s about the same

Christian Uva

reporter@nemasketweek.com

Oct 22, 2026

Middleboro has seen more early in-person voting than in years past, according to Election Officer Tayla Bennett. File photo

More Middleboro voters have headed to the polls early for the 2026 election than for previous midterms.

Through the first four days of early voting, 594 voters had cast their ballots in person and 1,493 mail ballots had already been returned to the Clerk’s Office, according to Middleboro Election Director Tayla Bennett.

Bennett said that the town clerks have been “busy” during this midterm election compared to previous ones.

In 2022, the most recent midterm election, 856 people voted in person. The town also mailed out 2,856 ballots, compared to 3,547 for the 2026 midterm elections.

Lakeville has seen around “the same” numbers as previous midterms, according to Town Clerk and Chief Elections Officer Lillian Drane. She said that 340 people had voted in person as of the time polls closed on Wednesday, Oct. 21. Out of the 1,845 people who requested mail-in ballots, 821 have returned them so far.

In the 2022 midterms, 671 Lakeville residents voted early and 1,945 submitted their ballots early.

Early voting will continue through Friday, Oct. 30 in Middleboro and Lakeville.

As of Thursday, Oct. 22, there are 21,175 registered voters in Middleboro and 10,529 registered voters in Lakeville, although this number will change. Residents can still register to vote in both towns until Saturday, Oct. 24 at 5 p.m. You can register online atsec.state.ma.us/OVR/. To check your voter registration status, go tosec.state.ma.us/VoterRegistrationSearch/MyVoterRegStatus.aspx. 

To learn more about the 2026 midterm elections, visit nemasket.theweektoday.com/article/voters-hit-polls-election-day-approaches/160030. 

Middleboro rally promotes early voting

Sandy Quadros Bowles

editor@nemasketweek.com

Oct 19, 2026

Protestors made their feelings known. Photos by Sandy Quadros Bowles

MIDDLEBORO -- Members of Indivisible Middleboro made some noise Saturday, Oct. 17 at routes 28 and 105 in Middleboro.

The group cheered and carried signs with a range of political messages, including “Hands Off Our Vote,’’ “Release the Epstein Files’’ and “Vote for Kindness.’’

Their messages were met in many cases by car horns honking in support.

“It’s been for the most part positive,’’ said Christina Hughes, co-founder of Indivisible Middleboro, said of the response to the hour-long morning rally.

The rally was one of many “No Kings’’ protests held that day throughout the country

Many signs at the Middleboro event urged residents to vote early. That was a major message behind the rally, Hughes said.

By voting early, there is less chance of “shenanigans going on,’’ Hughes said.

She said Indivisible Middleboro consists of a community that supports each other and the importance of democracy.

“Democracy works best when every voice is heard,’’ she said of her group’s message. “Democracy works best when every person is treated with dignity.’’

She said the 100 or so people in attendance were there “protecting our neighbors and supporting our community.’’

NO KINGS RALLY: VOTE EARLY