Select Board’s goals for this year (FY27)

I’m overdue in sharing the goals that the Select Board has posted for the year. These are the tasks that members are prioritizing to accomplish (or at least make progress on) before the end of next June.

They include continued efforts for better “Financial Planning”, and “Community Engagement, Transparency & Communications”.

The board will continue to work on hot button issues, like “Government Efficiency” (including reorganizing and consolidating departments and committees), investing in aging public school buildings, and studying potential “disposition” of 21 Highland Street and the Atwood Water Tower parcel.

Almost all of the goals have a financial implication (direct or indirect).

Many of them are ones they likely hope can positively impact a tough budget season as they look towards the next Annual Town Meeting in April. (Some may even make their way onto the Warrant for the Special Town Meeting in October in some form.)

But most of the goals appear to be ones that the board expects to have longer term impacts on the Town’s financial picture years down the road.

1. Financial Planning:

• • • Reform budget development process with improved transparency, accountability data-driven decision-making.
    • Develop long-range financial planning, including:
      • 20+ year capital planning
      • Debt management
      • School facility planning
      • OPEB and pension liability management
    • Review and reduce health insurance costs for employees and retirees.
      • Grants management
      • Stormwater enterprise fund

2. Government Efficiency & Accountability:

• • • Create and maintain a comprehensive town organizational chart.
    • Review boards, committees, and commissions for consolidation or restructuring.
    • Conduct broader governance and charter reviews; Evaluate government structure and implementation plan, roles
    • Modernize meeting management, scheduling, document handling, and administrative workflows, Al
    • Implement recommendations from State issued financial reviews.

3. Technology, Cybersecurity & Innovation: Expand responsible use of Al and automation across town operations, including employee training for all staff.

4. Community Engagement, Transparency & Communications:

• • • Modernize Town Meeting and improve participation; Expand family-friendly accommodations and accessibility.
    • Improve social media strategy and update website
    • Naming of Public Safety Building hearing room.
    • Rededication of Lundblad Field.
    • Increase transparency through OpenCheckbook

5. Human Services & Senior Services: Explore all versions of means tested relief, including STWO (Senior Tax Work Off program) expansion, etc

6. Economic Development & Tax Base Growth:

• • • Evaluate revival or restructuring of economic development committee.
    • Advance redevelopment opportunities, including:
      • 21 Highland
      • Dell property opportunities
      • Downtown zoning adjustments

7. Educational Facilities:

• • • Secure approval and implementation of the Neary School project.
    • Develop a long-term plan for Neary and all elementary school facilities.

8. Infrastructure & Public Assets:

• • • Implement long range plan for Route 9 wastewater infrastructure.
    • Fund and complete Atwood Water Tower remediation, options for future use including disposition
    • Advance [funded] sidewalk construction projects.
    • Evaluate golf course contract renewal; Complete golf course irrigation improvement.
    • Address scenic roads policy, historic town signs and maintenance considerations.
    • Address how Sobo manages trash management, Wheelabrator contract

9. Strategic Projects & Intergovernmental Initiatives:

• • • Execute the Hopkinton IMA.
    • Monitor and implement RECC initiatives with regular status reports.
    • Evaluate disposition and redevelopment opportunities for key Town assets.

Most of the goals have a Select Board member assigned as the “point person”. Some also identify partners on other boards or Town employees to assist. You can read those details here.

Many of the goals continue work from the board’s FY26 goals, or dating even further back. But a couple of last year’s incomplete goals appear to have fallen off the Select Board’s priority list:

• Consider/reassess current level of CPA surcharge
• Investigate/support CPA article for Old Burial Ground improvements