At Saturday’s Annual Town Meeting, voters and officials debated the merits of three proposed stabilization funds for public schools. Two overwhelmingly passed. One failed by a large margin. Read the full article → from Town Meeting rejects ARHS Capital Stabilization fund (Updated)
On Saturday, Town Meeting voters shot down one resident’s pitch to shave 1% off the overall budget. Soon after, they agreed with another resident’s push to improve public safety by increasing the budget to hire two more dispatchers. Read the full article → from Annual Town Meeting votes No on budget decrease, Yes on specific increase
My Southborough accepts signed letters to the editor submitted by Southborough residents. Letters may be emailed to mysouthborough@gmail.com.
The following letter is from Al Hamilton. Read the full article → from Letter: Town Meeting – We Need To Do Better
Yesterday, a small percentage of Southborough voters agreed to fund improving public safety, pursuing a Library expansion project, investing in Town recreational assets, stabilizing special education budget impacts, preserving the Town’s history and seed money for Tricentennial celebrations. They also enabled pursuit of a solar project at Trottier and agreed to clean up zoning language.
They even weighed in on the Patriot’s decision to fire Bill Belichick! Read the full article → from Annual Town Meeting recap
Southborough’s Annual Town Meeting, will convene tomorrow to approve spending, amend local bylaws, and “advise” officials. All registered voters are able (and encouraged) to participate.
Here is the list of Articles to be voted on with links to more information for those who want more details. Read the full article → from Annual Town Meeting 2024 at-a-glance
Among the many Articles headed to Annual Town Meeting are three seeking funding from Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds. Project proponents are seeking to restore and preserve historic Town records, complete the Peninsula Trail project (with better ADA accessibility), and improve the efficiency of watering the Town’s golf course. And one Citizen’s Petition Article will ask voters to support changing the Town’s bylaw related to CPA votes. Read the full article → from CPA Projects & Voting Threshold headed to Town Meeting (Updated)
Public schools that serve Southborough will have four special Articles on the Warrant at Annual Town Meeting (in addition to the usual budgets and administrative Articles). Town officials support two, are split on one, and oppose another. Read the full article → from School Articles at Annual Town Meeting (Updated)
At Annual Town Meeting, officials will ask voters to support two Articles with two shared goals. If successful in getting support from Town Meeting and the state, they would replace the Public Works Planning Board (PWPB) with a Public Works Advisory Committee (PWAC), and change how the Tree Warden position and responsibilities are handled. Read the full article → from Town seeking to replace Public Works Planning Board through ATM Articles 33 & 34
One of the more controversial items at last year’s Town Meeting is back on the Warrant again this year in a different form.
Citizen’s Petitions are asking voters to increase the Town’s recommended budget to bolster the public safety dispatcher staff. Read the full article → from Dispatcher Staffing & Budget up for debate at Town Meeting on Saturday
The Advisory Committee has issued it’s report to Annual Town Meeting, along with detailed information on this year’s budgets. It includes an explanation for their budget recommendations, plus the reasons behind some key Articles they voted to support or not support.
The report also comes with some financial forecasts and warnings. The most notable is a forecast that the Town seems to be headed towards needing a Proposition 2 ½ Override within a few years. Read the full article → from Advisory’s report for Town Meeting and the FY25 Budget
Next week, registered voters will have the opportunity to vote on Article 19, to match funding for building a dog park at Lundblad field on Parkerville Road. Read the full article → from Lundblad Field dog park proposal to be voted on at Town Meeting
At Town Meeting on March 23rd, Article 12 will ask voters to agree to commit up to $150K for planning and design work for a project for a new or renovated/expanded library building.*
In advance of that ask, library staff are trying to answer questions about the request. Read the full article → from Library Building Project request headed to Annual Town Meeting
The Town’s legislative branch, Town Meeting, will convene in two weeks from tomorrow to approve spending, amend local bylaws, and “advise” officials.
[Editor’s Note: There are not intro sessions promoted for this year. (That original notation in the Article excerpt was accidentally copied over from last year’s post.)] Read the full article → from Annual Town Meeting: Saturday, March 23 (Updated)
Last night, the Planning Board voted not to bring the MBTA Communities zoning Article to Annual Town Meeting this month. The board will instead pursue changes for a Special Town Meeting in the fall. Read the full article → from Planning Board hitting pause on MBTA Zoning due to non-compliant map