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Select Board previews town meeting warrant, highlights key budget and capital items
Summary
Town staff presented a first draft of the town meeting warrant (closing target Feb. 25) covering operating and capital budgets, reserves, library construction, HVAC and pool equipment proposals, potential enterprise fund for waste management, ADU zoning updates to comply with state law, and other articles; board requested clarifications and follow-up presentations at the budget summit.
Town Manager Christy walked the Select Board through an initial draft of the town meeting warrant, explaining that the warrant is expected to close in late February and that more detailed articles and cost numbers will be finalized and presented at the upcoming budget summit.
Key items included the FY26 operating budget, a special education reserve account under Massachusetts law, a proposed enterprise fund for waste-management receipts and cable-TV support, library building and temporary relocation funding, HVAC rooftop replacement for the community center (with $989,500 quoted by the architect), and an updated accessory dwelling unit (ADU) zoning bylaw to align with recent state requirements. The town also identified recurring capital items, a small-business grant program replenishment and potential borrowing authorizations for sewer enterprise-fund projects.
Board members flagged specific clarifications they want before a warrant close: clearer article language for the special education reserve, consistency in vehicle replacement language across departments with regard to hybrid/electric goals, additional detail on hazardous tree removal use of funds, and whether separate appraisal/survey costs should be requested for the current senior center property in anticipation of the community center project.
Next steps: staff will refine language, gather cost figures, bring department heads to the budget summit to explain capital requests and provide additional updates at future meetings.
