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
public-safety-dispatch
Annual Town Meeting recap
Investments in Emergency Communications, a potential Library expansion, the golf course, accessible trails, and more.
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
Dispatcher Staffing & Budget up for debate at Town Meeting on Saturday
A Citizen Petitioner will urge voters to increase the budget for public safety emergency communications. The Select Board and Advisory will pitch a plan to study staffing and bring recommendations to Fall Town Meeting.
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
Advisory’s report for Town Meeting and the FY25 Budget
This year's tax forecast is below inflation, but that's partially based on one-time funding sources like federal ARPA funds. Advisory warns that the Town could be forced to deal with a ballot override or big service cuts in two years.
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
Complete the 2024 Town survey by March 8th
Info collected from residents will help inform officials and voters for the upcoming Annual Town Meeting
The Town is requesting that residents participate in the annual survey.* Topics cover quality of life, departments and resources, and priorities for what you would like to see officials focus on.
This year, the survey also includes feedback on two issues that Town officials anticipate being topics at the Annual Town Meeting on March 23rd — MBTA Communities Zoning** and Dispatch staffing models. To help them prepare, and to inform other budget discussions, residents are asked to take part in time for them to compile results. Read the full article → from Complete the 2024 Town survey by March 8th
Letter: Westborough Abandons Superfund Site as 911 Dispatch Center
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 John Butler. Read the full article → from Letter: Westborough Abandons Superfund Site as 911 Dispatch Center
Residents may be looking at a big tax increase.
Unique drivers this year (including Schools & Public Safety)
It looks like the Town is facing a bigger than usual challenge this year in trying to rein budget increases in. Big drivers for tax increases this year aren’t the same one we have seen in the past couple of years. Read the full article → from Residents may be looking at a big tax increase.
Select Board FY24 Goals (& Public Safety Dispatch next steps)
The board's goals for this year include next steps for regionalizing Dispatch. Chiefs announce they will recommend internal investments.
This summer, the Select Board came up with the list of issues/tasks they are looking to tackle or make headway on this year.
I’m combining them in a series of posts by goal categories. This one includes next steps to deal with Fire and Police Dispatch issues, plus six other items. Read the full article → from Select Board FY24 Goals (& Public Safety Dispatch next steps)
Select Board withdraws from Dispatch IMA
Southborough will not be part of a MetroWest RECC on the superfund site in Westborough.
Following up on guidance by Town Meeting, the Select Board took a new vote on whether to remain in or withdraw from an agreement with Westborough and Grafton to form a regional public safety dispatch center. Read the full article → from Select Board withdraws from Dispatch IMA
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)
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
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
Annual Town Meeting: Advisory Report & Budget Articles (Updated)
The Advisory Committee asked me to make its annual report to Town Meeting voters available to readers. Read the full article → from Annual Town Meeting: Advisory Report & Budget Articles (Updated)
Letter: Vote for Citizen Petition Article to keep Emergency Dispatch Services under Southborough control
This letter the the editor from the President of Southborough Communications Officers’ union and the Vice President of Southborough Police Officers’ union explains their Citizen Petition Article to keep Emergency Dispatch Services in Southborough and asks voters to support it. Read the full article → from Letter: Vote for Citizen Petition Article to keep Emergency Dispatch Services under Southborough control