Hubbardston administrators summarize June 2 town-meeting warrant, highlighting $11.6 million budget, school assessments and zoning changes

Town Administrator Nathan Boudreaux said residents should review full warrant documents before the meeting and noted, "What you'll be seeing today is a series of reels on the town meeting warrant articles." Town meeting is scheduled for June 2 at 7 p.m. at Hubbardston Center School, and Town Clerk Melody Green said she "will also be there at town meeting on June 2 at 7PM."

Boudreaux delivered a line-by-line summary of warrant articles the town will consider at its annual meeting, front-loading major financial and land-use items that could affect town operations and taxes. The presentation included the town operating budget, school assessments, capital projects, Community Preservation Act (CPA) requests, an offer to transfer ownership of the First Meeting House, and zoning bylaw proposals. Many articles presented are scheduled for a floor vote at town meeting; several debt-exclusion questions would appear later on the June 17 town election ballot if approved at town meeting.

The nut graf: Voters will face the annual operating budget — the largest single warrant item at about $11,600,000 — plus school assessments that make up roughly 60% of the town’s total budget, a $5 million grant-backed bridge project that requires temporary easements, and proposed zoning changes including rules for large battery energy storage systems, accessory dwelling units and an updated Floodplain District required by FEMA. Those items have direct implications for property taxes, town services and development rules.

Boudreaux described the consent agenda (Article 1–6) as six routine items voted as one, including confirmation of prior elections and acceptance of the annual town report. Article 3 preserves the town’s participation in Chapter 90 so Hubbardston remains eligible for state roadway funds. Article 7 authorizes payment of $453.30 in prior-year bills; Boudreaux said those are routine charges that require a 9/10 majority to approve at town meeting.

On the operating budget, Boudreaux said, "The entirety of the budget is $11,600,000 separated into all of the different subsections of the budget," and noted most departments are level-funded or higher, including police, library and the town clerk. He said the town will use $66,000 of previously approved project funds to supplement parts of the budget that received grant revenue.

School assessments were highlighted: Article 9 is a $396,826 assessment for students attending Monty Tech (vocational-technical high school), an increase driven by three additional students compared with last year. Articles 10 and 11 cover the Quabbin Regional School District assessment, which Boudreaux estimated at about $6,700,000 — roughly 55–60% of the town’s total budget — and is reduced slightly this year because of five fewer students.

Article 12 requests $6,130 to the Board of Health for testing and mowing associated with the town's capped landfill; Boudreaux said $5,865 would pay for required testing and the remainder for mowing.

Financial-management and funding articles include a local acceptance of a Prudent Investment Act (Article 13) to broaden the treasurer/collector’s permitted investments (the presentation used the name "Prudent Investment Act"), and Article 14, a $10,000 request from free cash to hire grant-writing assistance intended to broaden the town’s ability to obtain outside funding for projects such as 48 Gardner Road and environmental or economic-development work.

Cable-access (PEG) funds are the source for two articles: Article 15 requests $30,000 for cable operations, salaries and stipends (funded from cable-user fees, not general taxation), and Article 16 proposes moving the town’s cable operation to an ADA-accessible meeting room at the recently relocated town offices at 48 Gardner Road for $45,000 in PEG funds to outfit and equip the space. Boudreaux said the move would free space in the Slade Building for senior-center use.

The capital-improvement plan (Article 17) is $185,000 for three items: a $100,000 annual road and bridge investment, $20,000 for technology/infrastructure, and an operational pickup truck for the fire department (used for plowing and emergency response). Boudreaux described the capital plan as an annual, evolving list.

Community Preservation Act (CPA) articles (18–20) include a final $30,630 payment for the Rainbows and Playground remodel (completed 2020), $40,710 for renovation of the library basement to improve ADA access and office space, and an article that sets CPA procedures and application limits for the year. Boudreaux noted CPA funds require town meeting approval for use.

Article 21 concerns the First Meeting House (First Parish Unitarian Church). Boudreaux said the church has offered to donate the building to the town or sell it for $1; the town currently owns the steeple and adjacent land. The church is offering roughly $25,000 to cover operating costs for the first year. Boudreaux estimated annual running costs at $20,000–$30,000 and said full repairs could run into the hundreds of thousands given the building’s age (more than 250 years). He identified possible future uses including community events, meetings and performances and said the building is eligible for historic-preservation grants and CPA funding. An open house is scheduled for May 27 at 6 p.m. at the First Meeting House.

Article 22 authorizes the town to acquire partial easements by eminent domain on several properties to allow a $5,000,000 Williamsville Road Bridge project funded by a grant; Boudreaux said without the easements the town could not secure the grant. Boudreaux corrected the grant's purpose as a bridge project requiring temporary property interests for construction.

Articles 23–25 would place three debt-exclusion questions on the ballot if approved by two-thirds of town meeting: funding for a fire truck, a plow truck and a brush mower. If town meeting approves each question, the measures will appear on the June 17 town election ballot (7 a.m.–8 p.m.). Town Clerk Melody Green explained the election process and confirmed the dates.

Zoning bylaw proposals (Articles 26–29) include a bylaw setting rules for large-scale battery energy storage systems; an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) by-right provision intended to expand housing options; updates to the Floodplain District required by FEMA (Boudreaux noted that not adopting those changes could increase homeowners' flood insurance premiums by about 25%); and a site-plan-approval provision that gives the planning board an administrative review path between by-right uses and special permits. Boudreaux said the planning board will hold public hearings to develop administrative rules for site-plan approval.

Boudreaux closed by urging residents to review full warrant documents online at the town website and the interactive budget portal and to attend town meeting on June 2. He said, "If anyone wants to read the full budget article down to the penny, you can go and read the budget on the town website or go to our interactive budget website."