The Select Board has scheduled a meeting to interview an unnamed candidate for head of the Public Works Department. The agenda is for an in-person only meeting on Monday afternoon. Read the full article → from Select Board to interview potential DPW Superintendent Monday (Updated)
Government
Letter: Select Board shouldn’t wait to withdraw from Dispatch IMA (Updated)
This letter to the editor from residents Bonnie Phaneuf and John Butler to publicly urges the Select Board “not delay in honoring the nearly unanimous request of Town Meeting that the Town withdraw from the current IMA agreement” for the regional dispatch center in Westborough. Read the full article → from Letter: Select Board shouldn’t wait to withdraw from Dispatch IMA (Updated)
42nd Annual Senior Conference (Updated)
Free services, workshops, food, and door prizes are offered at the annual regional conference for seniors.
Every year, area senior citizens are welcomed to a special conference hosted by state officials. This spring, the conference will be back in-person for the first time since 2019. Read the full article → from 42nd Annual Senior Conference (Updated)
The week in government
Planning Board and more
Here is a selection of the committee and board meetings for the week along with my selected highlights from the agendas. Read the full article → from The week in government
New Building Commissioner hired
This morning, the Select Board voted to approve hiring a Building Commissioner to fill the position vacant since March 3rd. Casey Burlingame is expected to start work on April 24th. Read the full article → from New Building Commissioner hired
Volunteer opportunities on Town Committee
Several Town committees/boards have vacant seats.
Two discussions at Annual Town Meeting raised awareness of Town Committees that have vacancies (the Advisory Committee and the Southborough Public Accessibility Committee). So, I took a look at the current status and discovered over two dozen other vacancies. Read the full article → from Volunteer opportunities on Town Committee
Town Meeting’s vote to lower the voting age is just the first step (Updated)
A Citizen's Petition was supported by Town Meeting, but efforts by other towns haven't made it through the state legislature. Here's my recap of the TM discussion and the road ahead.
I’m writing up some highlights from the Annual Town Meeting discussion and potential implications of the Citizen’s Petition to lower the voting age in Town elections to 17 years old. I also followed up our Town’s representatives in the state legislature about their positions. Read the full article → from Town Meeting’s vote to lower the voting age is just the first step (Updated)
ATM Voters disfavor Regionalization of Public Safety Dispatch
On Saturday, voters who stuck around long enough to hear the last few Citizen Petition Articles informed Select Board members that they weren’t happy with plans for regionalizing emergency communications. Read the full article → from ATM Voters disfavor Regionalization of Public Safety Dispatch
Candidate’s Letter: Johanna Sheyner for School Committee
[This spring, Southborough voters will be able to choose among three candidates for two seats on the Southborough School Committee. To help you make that decision, each candidate is invited to submit one letter to readers promoting their campaign.] Read the full article → from Candidate’s Letter: Johanna Sheyner for School Committee
Other Town Meeting Highlights
I’m recapping highlights from the Town sponsored articles during the lesser attended evening session of Annual Town Meeting. (Stay tuned for coverage of the Citizen Petition Articles.) Read the full article → from Other Town Meeting Highlights
Packed hall overwhelmingly approves GonkPlex project
On Saturday, proponents of athletic facilities improvements at Algonquin got over the first of the two big hurdles for funding the close to $8M project. Southborough Town Meeting voters approved authorizing the school to incur the necessary debt. Read the full article → from Packed hall overwhelmingly approves GonkPlex project
ATM debates and approves completing St. Mark’s Street and Park
Highlights and local coverage of the discussions about the St. Mark’s Street Read the full article → from ATM debates and approves completing St. Mark’s Street and Park
The week in government
Conservation Hearings and more
Here is a selection of the committee and board meetings for the week along with my selected highlights from the agendas. Read the full article → from The week in government
Town Meeting vote results
Voters approve St. Mark's Park and Gonkplex Articles, but were less welcoming to Tree & Scenic Roads bylaws and regionalizing Dispatch Services
Voters approved a lot of important town business over the course of nine hours on Saturday. Read the full article → from Town Meeting vote results