Plymouth needs to simplify its process for renewing routine annual permits. Years ago, I approached [then-Select Board member] Patrick Flaherty about the inconvenience of renewing annual passes. He informed me that the town was reviewing processes and there would be a better system. That was three years ago; it’s not much better. It seemed like we were on track when they changed beach sticker renewal to an annual year basis rather than the fiscal year. (It was so tough when everyone was trying to get their beach pass at the end of June.) But there is a lot more to it. I needed to renew three annual passes: the transfer station, beach access, and boat ramp. It seems like I should be able to do that in one simple online transaction with one contractor (City Hall Systems). But no. The beach permit renewal worked. The boat ramp renewal could not be processed by City Hall systems because the town decided to change contractors for that permit. The transfer station renewal could not be processed because the FY2025 rates have not been set (they are still on a fiscal year basis).
What should be a simple one-stop process will now require two more logins, credit card actions, and time. Can’t the town do better?
Dennis R. Smith