Select Board adopts surplus‑property policy, advances lodging tax warrant article and joins opioid settlement list

At its Sept. 8 meeting the Select Board adopted a written surplus‑property disposition policy to align town practice with state procurement law, agreed to place a 6% local lodging excise tax warrant article on the fall town warrant, and voted to join a state settlement with secondary opioid manufacturers. Staff explained that Massachusetts procurement law (M.G.L. c. 30B) requires municipalities to have a written policy for disposing of surplus property valued under $10,000 and described the adopted policy as boilerplate intended to ensure an open, transparent process. Staff said departments will submit surplus lists to the town administrator, who will seek Select Board authorization prior to disposition. The board voted to adopt the policy and directed staff to bring a list of surplus items to the next meeting. On the lodging tax, staff proposed placing a 6% local excise tax on lodging on the fall warrant for town‑meeting consideration; the Department of Revenue supplied a preliminary list of six local lodging providers that currently remit lodging taxes to the state. The board agreed to include the article for town meeting. On opioid settlements, staff described a new settlement with secondary opioid manufacturers that subdivisions of the state may join; the board voted to be added to the state list of participating municipalities. Staff said prior opioid settlement payments have produced modest quarterly payments to the town and that the town has considered directing funds to local prevention or coalition efforts in the past.