Town Meeting Results 2025
Key Documents
- 2025-05-05 Annual Town Meeting Warrant PDF (Final)
- 2025-05-05 Annual Town Meeting Warrant & Motions Document PDF (Final)
- 2025-05-05 Consent Agenda PDF
Video
Day 1 – Monday, May 5, 2025
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
Procedural Motion to take Article 37 after After 26. PASSED by Voice Vote
Reports
ARTICLE: 1 Acceptance of Town Reports; Sponsor: Select Board (Consent Agenda) PASSED by Voice Vote
FINANCIAL – FISCAL YEAR 2025
ARTICLE 2: FY 2025 Supplemental Appropriations and Transfers (Consent Agenda) NO ACTION Passed by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 3: Unpaid Bills from Prior Fiscal Years PASSED by Voice Vote
| Department | Vendor | Amount |
| Police | Quench USA, Inc. | $452.28 |
| Facilities/Engineering | Able Septic Services | $785.00 |
| Facilities/Engineering | Scott’s Landscaping, Inc. | $455.00 |
| Public Works | Susanne Odell Consulting | $448.80 |
| Town Clerk | Kofile Technologies, Inc. | $19,992.00 |
| Sewer | Bartlett & Brillon, LLC | $1,978.57 |
| Sewer | Town of Westborough, MA | $167,512.77 |
FINANCIAL – FISCAL YEAR 2026
ARTICLE 4: Set the Salary of Elected Officials – Town Clerk $88,887.00 – PASSED by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 5: FY 2026 Operating Budget PASSED by Voice Vote
- $126,479,272 to the General Fund; andÂ
- $373,071 to the Community Preservation Fund; andÂ
- $2,551,252 to the Sewer Enterprise Fund; andÂ
- $2,634,420 to the Water Enterprise FundÂ
for a total of $132,038,015Â
ARTICLE 6: FY 2026 Revolving Funds Spending Limits (Consent Agenda) PASSED by Voice Vote
| Revolving Fund | Spending Limit for the Fiscal Year 2026 |
| Building Department | $900,000 |
| Part-Time Wire Inspector | $200,000 |
| Part-Time Plumbing Inspector | $200,000 |
| Hazardous Materials | $20,000 |
| Conservation Commission | $200,000 |
| Library | $10,000 |
| Public Safety | $5,000 |
| Planning Board | $100,000 |
| Open Space Preservation Commission | $10,000 |
| Youth and Family Services Department | $4,000 |
| Zoning Board of Appeals | $50,000 |
| Department of Public Works (Expenses of operation of the Highway Division.) | $8,000 |
| Department of Public Works (Expenses of operation of Recycling Center) | $15,000 |
| Department of Public Works (To purchase Overflow Trash bags and to meet expenses of Waste Collection and Disposal) | $15,000 |
| Cemetery Commission | $3,500 |
| Cemetery Lot Fund | $10,000 |
| School Department 1:1 Laptop Initiative | $475,000 |
| Fingerprinting Fund | $500 |
| Senior Center Programs Fund | $75,000 |
| Police Department | $15,500 |
| Parks and Recreation | $170,000 |
| Shared Housing Services Office | $125,000 |
| Health Department | $200,000 |
ARTICLE 7: PEG Access and Cable Related Funding (Consent Agenda) $355,438 PASSED by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 8: Chapter 90 Highway Funds (Consent Agenda) $637,542.64 PASSED by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 9: Transfer to Other Post-Employment Benefits Liability Trust Fund (Consent Agenda) $875,012 PASSED by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 10: Transfer to the General Stabilization Fund (Consent Agenda) $700,000 PASSED by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 11: Transfer to the Capital Expense Stabilization Fund $5,000,000 PASSED by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 12: Transfer to the School Special Education Reserve Fund $1,046,276 PASSED by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 13: Home Rule Petition – Economic Development Special Revenue Account PASSED by Voice Vote
CAPITAL EXPENSES AND PROJECTS
ARTICLE 14: Pay-As-You-Go Capital Expenses PASSED by Voice Vote
| Item | Purchase or Product | To be spent under the direction of |
| 1 | Senior Center Kitchen Equipment | Town Manager |
| 2 | Multifunctional Printer | Town Manager |
| 3 | Police Department Vehicle Replacement â Three Cruisers | Town Manager |
| 4 | Public Safety Radio System Upgrade | Town Manager |
| 5 | Campus – Sewer Cover | School Superintendent |
| 6 | Store Front (Entry Doors, Middle School) | School Superintendent |
| 7 | Police Station Condensing Unit | Town Manager |
| 8 | Fire Station Bathrooms & Flooring Upgrade | Town Manager |
| 9 | Replace Dump Truck | Town Manager |
| 10 | Replace Trackless Tractor | Town Manager |
| 11 | Superduty Dump Truck (S-24) INT 7600 Replacement | Town Manager |
| 12 | Textbook Licenses | School Superintendent |
| 13 | Sandy Beach Parking Lot, Camera & Emergency Call Box Relocation | Town Manager |
| 14 | Drainage Improvement – Claflin Place | Town Manager |
| 15 | Systemwide Technology Upgrades | School Superintendent |
| 16 | End User Computer Hardware Renewal | Town Manager |
| 17 | HVAC, Large Air Handling Units | School Superintendent |
| 18 | Mechanical Ventilators | Town Manager |
ARTICLE 15: Rescind Authorized but Voided Capital Projects PASSED by Voice Vote
| Article Number | Project | Funding Source | Amount |
| 23 | Town-wide Water Main Flushing Program | Water Enterprise | $100,000 |
| 25 | Grove Street Tank Design | Water Enterprise | $250,000 |
| 27 | Water Department Vehicle Replacement (W1) | Water Enterprise | $70,000 |
| 29 | Water Department Vehicle Replacement (W3) | Water Enterprise | $95,000 |
ARTICLE 16: Water Department Vehicle Replacement (W3) $95,000 PASSED by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 17: Water Department Vehicle Replacement (W1) $61,296.87 from the Water Enterprise Fund Retained Earnings and $8,703.13 from previously approved but unexpended capital funds from the following projects for the replacement of one utility pickup truck. PASSED by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 18: Townwide Water Main Flushing Program $18,679.11 from the Water Enterprise Fund Retained Earnings and $81,320.89 from previously approved but unexpended capital funds from the following projects for a townwide water main flushing program. PASSED by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 19: Grove Street Water Tank Design $250,000.00 PASSED by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 20: Water Department Vehicle Replacement (W9) $160,412.30 from Certified Free Cash which is to be repaid by the Water Enterprise Fund to the General Fund within a period of two fiscal years and $29,587.70. PASSED by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 21: Supplemental Appropriation for MWRA Connection Design Work $375,000.00 PASSED (128 Yes, 21 No)
ARTICLE 22: Fruit Street Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) – Screen System Replacement $465,000 PASSED by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 23: Sewer Main Replacement Design $350,000 PASSED by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 24: Adaptive Playground at the Marathon Elementary School $943,000 PASSED (125 Yes, 41 No)
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION FUNDS
ARTICLE 25: Community Preservation Funds (Consent Agenda) PASSED by Voice Vote
- Recreation Reserve $193,580
- Historic Resources Reserve $193,580
- Community Housing Reserve $193,580
- Open Space Reserve $193,580
- Budgeted Reserve $1,064,690
ARTICLE 26: Community Preservation Recommendations
Motion #1 â Non-Land Purchase Articles PASSED by Voice Vote
- A. $300,000 (THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) from funds reserved for Recreation Reserve for the construction of an adaptive playground located at 129 Hayden Rowe, Marathon Elementary School, with the following conditions: 1. The School Committee receives approval for funding the remaining cost of the project from the FY26 Annual Town Meeting and any debt exclusion ballot if required. 2. That the grant expires on July 1, 2027 unless extended by the Community Preservation Committee. 3. That the Playground will be available to the community except for the hours that school is in session. 4. Grant to be spent under the direction of the School Committee and the Community Preservation Committee. 5. That a grant agreement is accepted by the applicant (School Committee) and a project budget is submitted to the Community Preservation Committee prior to expenditure of awarded funds. 6. The scope shall not include any artificial turf procurement or installation.Â
- B. $24,300 (TWENTY-FOUR THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS) from funds reserved for Recreation Reserve for the installation of three water refill stations located at: 0 Town Common (Town Common), 4 Lakeshore Drive (Sandy Beach) and 29 Pratt Way (Fruit Street Dog Park) with the following conditions. 1. That the grant expires on July 1, 2027 unless extended by the Community Preservation Committee. 2. Grant to be spent under the direction of the Parks and Recreation Commission and the Community Preservation Committee. 3. That a grant agreement is accepted by the applicant (Parks and Recreation) and a project budget is submitted to the Community Preservation Committee prior to the expenditure of awarded funds.
- C. $10,000 (TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS) from funds reserved for Recreation Reserve for a feasibility study for a splash pad, the location for which will be analyzed as part of said study, with the following conditions: 1. That the grant expires on July 1, 2027 unless extended by the Community Preservation Committee. 2. Grant to be spent under the direction of the Parks and Recreation Commission and the Community Preservation Committee. 3. That a grant agreement is accepted by the applicant (Parks and Recreation) and a project budget is submitted to the Community Preservation Committee prior to the expenditure of awarded funds.
- D. $132,960 (ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-TWO THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED SIXTY DOLLARS) from funds reserved for Historical Preservation Reserve for the restoration of the Mount Auburn Cemetery circa 1899 building, as the Historical Commission has deemed it to be Historically Significant, with the following conditions: 1. That the grant expires on July 1, 2027 unless extended by Community Preservation Committee. 2. A Historical Preservation Restriction be placed on the property following preservation. 3. The grant to be spent under the direction of the Department of Public Works and the Community Preservation Commission. 4. That a grant agreement is accepted by the applicant (Department of Public Works) and a project budget is submitted to the Community Preservation Committee prior to the expenditure of awarded funds.
- E. $100,000 (ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) from funds reserved for Historical Preservation Reserve for phase two of the restoration of the Historical Society Building, located at 168 Hayden Rowe, as the Historical Commission has deemed it to be Historically Significant, with the following conditions: 1. That the grant expires on July 1, 2027 unless extended by the Community Preservation Committee. 2. Grant to be spent under the direction of the Historical Society and the Community Preservation Committee. 3. That a grant agreement is accepted by the applicant (Historical Society) and a project budget is submitted to the Community Preservation Committee prior to the expenditure of awarded funds. 4. That a Historic Preservation Restriction be placed on the building.Â
- F. $7,612 (SEVEN THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED TWELVE DOLLARS) from funds reserved for Historical Preservation Reserve for the restoration of the floor in the Libraryâs Ellsworth Conference Room, as the Historical Commission has deemed it to be Historically Significant, with the following conditions: 1. That the grant expires on July 1, 2027 unless extended by the Community Preservation Committee. 2. Grant to be spent under the direction of Hopkinton Public Library and the Community Preservation Committee. 3. That a grant agreement is accepted by the applicant (Hopkinton Public Library) and a project budget is submitted to the Community Preservation Committee prior to the expenditure of awarded funds.
- G. $8,000 (EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS) from funds reserved for Open Space Reserve for a conservation restriction, stewardship and baseline documents for the Colella Farm Property (0 Hayden Rowe, Assessors Map U24-4-0) with the following conditions: 1. That the grant expires on July 1, 2027 unless extended by the Community Preservation Committee. 2. Grant be spent under the direction of Hopkinton Area Land Trust and the Community Preservation Committee. 3. That a grant agreement is accepted by the applicant (Hopkinton Area Land Trust) and a project budget is submitted to the Community Preservation Committee prior to the expenditure of awarded funds. 4. The Select Board is authorized to sign the Conservation Restriction.
Motion #2 â Land Purchase Articles PASSED by Voice Vote
- H. $35,500 (THIRTY-FIVE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS) from funds reimbursed from state grant account #2601222-579900-ELMFM to fund the land purchase, legal fees and surveying costs of a portion of 89 Saddle Hill Road, parcel R12-10-0, Casucci Property, with the following conditions: 1. That the grant expires on July 1, 2027 unless extended by the Community Preservation Committee. 2. Grant be spent under the direction of the Town Managerâs office and the Community Preservation Committee. 3. Grant includes all legal, administrative and survey cost for the purchase of the land. 4. That a Conservation Restriction be placed on the land within five years and that allows trails to be constructed. 5. Land will be held by the Open Space Preservation Commission.
Motion #3 â Preservation of Center School PASSED by Voice Vote
- I. $600,000 (SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) from funds reserved for Historical Preservation Reserve for engineering plans, construction bid documents and make any necessary building stabilization repairs for the Center School, located at 11 Ash Street, as the Historical Commission has deemed it to be Historically Significant, with the following conditions: 1. That the grant expires on July 1, 2027 unless extended by the Community Preservation Committee. 2. Grant to be spent under the direction of the Permanent Building Committee and the Community Preservation Committee. 3. That a grant agreement is accepted by the applicant (Permanent Building Committee) and a project budget is submitted to the Community Preservation Committee prior to the expenditure of awarded funds. 4. That a publicâprivate partnership is established by the end of this phase that brings non-town taxpayer funds for construction. 5. That the Permanent Building Committee is authorized to apply for grants and non-town taxpayer funding for the project.
ZONING BYLAW AMENDMENTS
ARTICLE 27: Amend Zoning Bylaw Definition of âVeterinary Clinicâ PASSED (119 Yes, 20 No)
ARTICLE 28: Amend Zoning Bylaw – Housekeeping – Amend Reference PASSED (132 Yes, 2 No)
ARTICLE 29: Amend Zoning Bylaw for âAccessory Dwelling Unitsâ PASSED (128 Yes, 12 No)
ARTICLE 30: Amend Zoning Bylaw for Floodplain District PASSED (132 Yes, 3 No)
GENERAL BYLAW AMENDMENTS
ARTICLE 31: Amend Council on Aging Bylaws PASSED by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 32: Amend Bylaw to Establish Revolving Fund for Finance Department PASSED by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 33: Change Day and Time of Annual Town Meeting
- Amendment to also change section 47-3 with the same date. PASSED by Voice Vote
- Main Motion. PASSED (97 Yes, 39 No)
ARTICLE 34: Prohibition on Use of Engine Compression Brakes. FAILED (35 Yes, 80 No)
LAND ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION
ARTICLE 35: Accept Gift of Land – 0 John Matthew Road (Consent Agenda) PASSED by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 36: Accept Gift of Land – 69 Frankland Road (Consent Agenda) PASSED by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 37: Lease of Center School PASSED by Voice Vote
ARTICLE 38: Temporary Easement at 32 Chestnut Street for Sidewalk Construction (Consent Agenda) PASSED by Voice Vote
ADMINISTRATIVE
ARTICLE 39: Amend Charter to Include Appointment Powers by the Board of Library Trustees PASSED (88 Yes, 27 No)
ARTICLE 40: Authorize Fee for Written Demands. PASSED
ARTICLE 41: Accept âPrudent Investment Ruleâ (Consent Agenda) PASSED by Voice Vote
Meeting adjourned at 10:43 PM until Annual Town Election on Monday, May 19, 2025.