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Westborough committee recommends defeating Article 15 over eminent-domain language
Summary
Advisory Finance Committee moved to recommend the town vote against Article 15 (authorizing select board to acquire 50 Otis Street) as written because the article included eminent‑domain authority; committee said it would support an easement that excludes eminent domain.
The Town of Westborough Advisory Finance Committee on Oct. 7 voted to recommend that the town defeat Article 15 as written, which would authorize the select board to acquire 50 Otis Street and included language preserving an eminent‑domain option.
McMahon moved that the committee recommend the town vote against authorizing the select board to acquire 50 Otis Street as written in Article 15. Committee members expressed concern that the article’s inclusion of eminent domain was unnecessary for a trail easement and that the town would likely not have funds to execute eminent domain even if the authority remained in the article. Several members said they would be willing to support the gift or easement if the motion on the floor at town meeting did not include eminent‑domain authority.
The committee’s recommendation to defeat the article as written will be included in its advisory comments; members noted the option to revise or revoke their recommendation if the motion on the floor excludes eminent domain.
