The Town of Southborough Select Board on Jan. 7 voted to approve several procedural items and personnel adjustments, including an on‑premises beer and wine license for a new restaurant applicant and a set of personnel and governance appointments.

NANS Market liquor license

The board opened a public hearing for NANS Market South LLC — doing business as NANS Market at 359 Turnpike Road — for an annual on‑premises Section 12 (restaurant) wine and malt beverages license. The applicant, Jordan Mackie (identified in the meeting as manager), explained the change: NANS has sold beer and wine to go and now seeks permission to allow consumption inside after adding roughly 38 seats in about 3,500 square feet of restaurant space.

After brief questions about the applicant entity and the legal form (discussion noted the applicant entity listed as "NANS Market South LLC" and a referenced entity called "Mostly Vegetables PBC"), the board voted to approve the license application. The board noted final issuance is contingent on the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) review and state procedures; the ABCC has a four‑ to six‑week review timeline before final local issuance.

Personnel and staffing votes

The board approved multiple staffing adjustments in the Department of Public Works (DPW): reclassifying the existing transfer‑station position to a new assistant transfer station operator grade and adding an additional truck‑driver role to the DPW roster, with the expectation that hiring at low steps would keep near‑term costs modest. The board recorded the department head’s estimate that hiring all four affected positions at step 1 would produce a net salary saving compared with higher step hires, although benefits costs for any new position were estimated separately and could add roughly $20,000–$30,000 annually per new hire.

Tree warden stipend

Select Board members voted to increase the annual stipend for the tree warden position from $4,000 to $8,000, effective July 1, 2025. DPW Superintendent Bill Cundiff told the board the workload for the tree warden has grown and historically the position has included part‑time assistance; the higher stipend is intended to reflect increased administrative and field demands.

Affordable Housing Trust appointments

The board appointed three non‑Select Board trustees to the newly reconstituted Affordable Housing Trust (the former SHOPC structure was reorganized by a special town meeting amendment and later approved by the Attorney General). Appointments made Jan. 7:

- Jesse Stein, trustee (term to June 30, 2025)
- Doug Mantz, trustee (term to June 30, 2026)
- Paul Desmond, trustee (term to June 30, 2026)

The Select Board also appointed Select Board member Al Hamilton as the board’s representative to the Affordable Housing Trust for a term to June 30, 2025.

Consent agenda and minutes

The board approved the consent agenda items and made technical corrections to meeting minutes from Dec. 17, 2024 before approving them.

What the board recorded

- Motions to approve the liquor license and personnel changes were made and seconded on the record; the board voted "all in favor" on those items. The license remains subject to ABCC approval before final local issuance.
- The tree warden stipend change will require incorporation into the FY26 budget and related personnel approvals before it takes effect.

Ending: The board took no final votes on capital articles; most major capital questions remain pending as the Capital Improvement Planning Committee returns with prioritized recommendations.