Westborough AFC to review FY2027 warrants line by line, plans targeted votes

The Westborough Advisory Finance Committee (AFC) met to review the FY2027 warrants and agreed to examine department budgets and warrant articles line by line before issuing committee opinions or votes.

Committee Chair (speaker 1) said the committee had received a new warrant version (version 4) and asked members to flag articles that need additional information so the AFC can decide which items to vote on and which to delay. The chair said members will indicate items that are ready to be voted as a block and items that require discussion or further data.

Town Manager Christy Williams made herself available for questions and said she had prepared slides and would meet individually with members who wanted deeper briefings. Williams also noted that a later draft (version 5) will add an Article 23 dealing with sidewalk easements related to the Otis Street project and that the warrant close date is February 24, after which no changes can be made.

Committee members asked for clarity on which body is the proponent for certain articles (planning board vs. select board) and discussed logistics for tracking changes. One member described an internal tracking spreadsheet intended to record votes and material changes so the committee can re‑vote if a warrant amount changes materially (for example, if a line item rises from $3,500 to $5,000).

The committee also agreed on a review approach: go through department budgets and warrants during AFC meetings, collect questions, and convene follow‑ups with department heads or the town manager where necessary. Members emphasized the difference between asking clarifying questions and weighing whether the committee should form an opinion for or against an article.

The AFC did not take formal votes on warrant articles during this meeting; members set a path to continue the line‑by‑line review and to reconvene with department presenters as needed.