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Uxbridge committees back most warrant recommendations, approve budget adjustments and easements including Verizon conduit to new tower
Summary
At a joint meeting Sept. 23, the finance committee and select board recommended favorable action on most warrant articles including FY26 budget adjustments to cover retroactive town manager pay and planning staff hours, several easements for roadway and water projects, and an easement to allow Verizon underground conduit to a new cell tower at 59 Hazel Street; Article 8 and 11 were withdrawn and Article 12 received unfavorable recommendation.
The Town of Uxbridge’s finance committee and select board on Sept. 23 voted recommendations on warrant articles ahead of the fall town meeting, endorsing budget adjustments, infrastructure easements and procedural changes while withdrawing a small number of items.
Budget adjustments and staffing: The committees recommended favorable action on Article 3, a set of FY26 budget adjustments that included a $13,500 increase to the town manager salary line to make the contract pay retroactive to July 1, a $2,000 appropriation for Clerk Minutes (an AI‑assisted minutes service) to help clear a backlog of committee minutes, and additional funds to increase hours for the town planner (Jack) while recruitment proceeds. Presenters said Clerk Minutes is already in use by several town committees and is expected to reduce time spent preparing minutes. Staff also noted they received a $50,000 Community Compact grant to work with the Collins Center to create financial policies and procedures to prevent loss of institutional knowledge due to turnover.
Easements and infrastructure: The boards recommended favorable action on several property‑related articles to allow permanent and temporary easements for culvert and roadwork (Elm Street and Blackstone Street; Route 16 rehabilitation) and for infrastructure related to the new water treatment plant (105 Blackstone Street). Article 7 — authorization to grant an easement for 59 Hazel Street to allow Verizon to run underground conduit to the new cell tower — received a favorable recommendation after a brief presentation by Dawn Bonner, a Verizon subcontractor, who confirmed the work would use an underground conduit from an existing utility pole to the leased tower area.
Contracts, notices and withdrawals: Article 9, which allows the town to enter contracts with terms in excess of three years but not to exceed six, received a favorable recommendation with members advising caution for long‑term technology or curriculum contracts so that flexibility does not lock the town into outdated technology. Article 10, special legislation allowing alternative posting options for legal notices, was recommended favorably with several members suggesting the town require at least one mandatory posting on the town website. Article 8 (sale of surplus property on Melville Road) and Article 11 (bylaw to establish or amend fee authority) were withdrawn.
Votes at a glance (finance committee / select board recommendations): - Article 2 (rescind prior capital improvement authorizations): favorable recommendation. - Article 3 (FY26 budget adjustments: town manager pay, Clerk Minutes, planner hours): favorable recommendation. - Articles 4–6 (easements for culverts, Route 16, 105 Blackstone for water plant): favorable recommendations. - Article 7 (59 Hazel Street Verizon easement): favorable recommendation. - Article 8: withdrawn. - Article 9 (contracts up to 6 years): favorable recommendation with caution. - Article 10 (special legislation for public notices): favorable recommendation; members asked that town website posting be mandatory. - Article 11: withdrawn. - Article 12 (non‑criminal disposition): unfavorable recommendation (see separate article). - Articles 13–14 (street acceptances, Tabor Road and Duellane/Due Lane): favorable recommendations.
Next steps: The committees will include their recommendations in the warrant commentary for the fall or possibly special town meeting; staff warned that if DOR free‑cash certification continues to be delayed, the town might need a special town meeting to adopt appropriations needed to finalize the tax recap and send tax bills.
