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Town staff seeks court permission to expand Abby Dean scholarship eligibility
Summary
Town staff asked the Select Board for approval to petition the court to broaden eligibility for the Abby Dean scholarship, originally a ~ $3,000 gift from the 1920s now worth over $3 million, to allow the town to award more scholarships while retaining a preference for female graduates and certain schools.
Town staff told the Select Board on Nov. 19 they intend to seek the board's approval to file a petition with the Attorney General and the Supreme Judicial Court to modify the Abby Dean scholarship trust so the town can award more scholarships.
The presenter said the original gift (about $3,000 in the 1920s) has grown to over $3 million and is currently limited by eligibility language tied to graduates attending a small set of schools referenced in the historical instrument (transcript references to Simmons and Harvard). Staff proposed preserving the donor's intent to benefit female graduates while expanding eligible schools to allow more awards and to avoid waste of the fund.
Questions from board members addressed the legal timeline and potential opposition from named schools; staff said the Attorney General's assent is required and that similar petitions have been acted on within a few months after filing, but that the exact timeline depends on preparation of the complaint and the AG's review.
The board elected to postpone the formal vote until the next meeting (Thursday) to ensure agenda language contains specific motion wording. Staff said they would draft the complaint and seek the AG's assent before proceeding.
