Acton board finalizes budget draft, approves $2,000 for Balch Lake improvements

The Town of Acton Select Board reviewed and finalized a draft municipal budget on Jan. 14 and approved a $2,000 appropriation for Balch Lake improvements.

The Town Administrator distributed what she described as the draft final budget. Road-related amounts were updated to reflect the Road Commissioner’s input — Sam Page Road was listed at $62,000 and Hopper Road at $148,000 (the board later identified a duplicate Hopper Road entry that will be removed, reducing the draft by about $145,000). The board approved a $2,000 request for Balch Lake improvement after a motion by Select Board member Tom McGurty and a second by Ed Walsh; the motion carried.

Select Board member Tom McGurty told colleagues that municipal appropriations in the draft are down 9.3%, a reduction of $457,000 compared with the prior figure; the board expects the Warrant & Finance Committee to review the final draft at meetings scheduled Jan. 20 and 27, 2026. The Select Board noted the budget cannot be finalized until the school submits its warrant articles after the school’s meeting scheduled for the coming Saturday.

The Town Administrator also reported a $1.5 million wire transfer into a town investment account (Wisdom Tree) completed in recent days as part of the town’s financial work.

What happens next

Warrant articles will be drafted and submitted to the Warrant & Finance Committee for review at its Jan. 20 and 27 meetings. The Select Board will refine recommendations once the school’s articles are incorporated.