Government

Java with John: Town manager lays out a balancing act

March 7, 2026

by Greg Jarboe

At the Acton Senior Center, Town Manager John S. Mangiaratti poured the coffee and got to the point on Friday morning, Feb. 27, 2026. His monthly “Java with John” session — one of his regular informal conversations with residents — covered a lot of ground: a tightly constrained FY27 (Fiscal Year 2027) municipal budget, a rethought plan for the Public Works facility on Forest Road, upgrades to Town Hall, and a piece of open land near the Acton Arboretum. The throughline, Mangiaratti told the seniors gathered around him, is sequencing — doing things in the right order so that Acton…

Complete streets plan: Parker St. area residents focus on biker, student safety

March 7, 2026

by James Conboy

Feb. 25, Francis Faulkner Meeting Room, Town Hall: Thirty-four residents from the Parker Street neighborhood in South Acton weighed in with their priorities on Acton’s plan to implement safety measures on the street from High Street to the railroad tracks. The town plans to complete Phase I this…

LWV introduces the Margaret Kennedy Social Justice Initiative with discussion of immigration policy

March 7, 2026

by Alissa Nicol

The League of Women Voters Acton Area (LWVAA) hosted a forum on Saturday, Feb. 28 at Acton Town Hall entitled, “Restoring the Promise: Immigration Policy and the Path Forward.” The event was the first one made possible by the Margaret Kennedy Social Justice Initiative Fund, established with a…

The Bulletin Board: March 6, 2026

March 7, 2026

by The Acton Exchange Team

For volunteer opportunities and other announcements not tied to a single specific time and date, you are in the right place here at the Bulletin Board. Please email your Bulletin Board announcements to bulletinboard@actonexchange.org. (For what’s happening today or tomorrow or on any specific day, see the Calendar.…

Water District posts warrant for Mar. 18 Annual District Meeting

March 7, 2026

Kim KastensandGreg Jarboe

The Acton Water District (AWD, District) has posted the warrant for the upcoming Annual District Meeting, which was finalized by the AWD Commissioners (Commissioners) at their meeting on Feb. 23. Most warrant articles are similar to those that voters have seen at previous District annual meetings. Four new…

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Select Board Notes: Mar. 2, 2026

March 7, 2026

by Tom Beals

Opening remarks License plate readers and surveillance technology At the Dec. 1, 2025 Select Board (Board) meeting a resident had asked about use of automated license plate readers in Acton. At the present meeting, Ms. Nicol related residents’ requests for the Board to provide guidance for the use…

Funding supports school bus modernization in Acton-Boxborough and other towns

March 7, 2026

by The Acton Exchange Team

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center today announced $11.7 million in funding for six school districts and private transportation providers as part of the fourth round of the School Bus Deployment program. This initiative supports communities putting dependable, modern electric school buses on the road, making transportation…

A bald smiling man wearing a police uniform.

Police Chief James Cogan to retire after 42 years

February 28, 2026

by The Acton Exchange Team

Police Chief James Cogan announced his intention to retire from a more than 42-year career with the Acton Police Department on March 27, leaving a department that has grown by leaps and bounds since he first pinned on a badge. Chief Cogan took an oath and joined the…

Acton gets a foot, lends a hand

February 28, 2026

by The Acton Exchange Team

Mother nature has assisted in the digging out from Monday’s blizzard, by raising the temperature a bit. But for a while there, the winds were whipping up and so were the communications about closures from Town government and local entities such as Acton TV, trash pick-up services, and…

The Bulletin Board: Feb. 28, 2026

February 28, 2026

by The Acton Exchange Team

For volunteer opportunities and other announcements not tied to a single specific time and date, you are in the right place here at the Bulletin Board. Please email your Bulletin Board announcements to bulletinboard@actonexchange.org. (For what’s happening today or tomorrow or on any specific day, see the Calendar.…

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Select Board Notes: February 23, 2026

February 28, 2026

by Tom Beals

Opening remarks Revised Fiscal Year 2027 Recommended Budget Mr. Mangiaratti, noting the requirement for the Town Manager to transmit a budget to the Finance Committee before Annual Town Meeting, presented a revised Fiscal Year 2027 Recommended Budget and Capital Plan. In a Memo, and in remarks to the…

Special Select Board public hearing for purchasing 46 Taylor Road

February 21, 2026

by Tom Wolf

On Wednesday, Feb. 11, the Select Board held a special meeting to hear from citizens on the option of the Town purchasing 46 Taylor Road. On February 3, the owner of the 5.8 acre parcel notified the town boards of their intent to sell to a local developer…

The Bulletin Board: Feb. 21, 2026

February 21, 2026

by The Acton Exchange Team

The Bulletin Board: Feb. 21, 2026 Reminder to readers: Our front page can’t hold all the news. To see all of this week’s new articles, go to the All News page. What’s the Bulletin Board? For volunteer opportunities and other announcements not tied to a single specific time…

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Select Board Notes: February 2, 2026

February 7, 2026

by Tom Beals

Opening remarks Fireworks over fireworks At the December 15, 2025 Select Board meeting the Board voted not to expend the $40,000 that was authorized for July 4, 2026 fireworks at the May 2025 Town Meeting. Board members spoke of strong public reactions to the decision, including an allegation…

It’s election season in Acton. What you need to know.

January 31, 2026

by Miriam Lezak

While the snow covers the ground, daffodils and democracy are both doing the work they need in order to bloom this spring. Acton voters elect several people every spring to help run the town, the schools, and the Water District. The following offices are open this year. As…

Acton’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission announces co-chairs

January 24, 2026

by The Acton Exchange Team

The Town of Acton Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission (DEIC, the Commission) is pleased to announce that Melissa Kaplan Morse and Suravi Bhatia will serve as co-chairs of the Commission. Both are dedicated volunteers who bring valuable and thoughtful experience, passion, and leadership to advancing diversity, equity, and…

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AB Forward Update: School Committee heads into a final vote on school reorganization

January 18, 2026

by Diane Baum

On January 8, the School Committee hosted their final informational session on school reorganization. The four-hour meeting included a 75-minute public listening session that drew a record crowd as community members continued to weigh in on the two reorganization options under consideration and the proposed options for school…

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Select Board Notes: January 12, 2026

January 18, 2026

by Tom Beals

Opening remarks: Glenn Cote, School Committee liaison to the Select Board, called attention to the School Committee’s January 8 meeting and its discussion of district restructuring. The final vote on elementary school reorganization is scheduled for January 22, and public comments will continue to be reviewed until that…

Navigating the fiscal storm: What new MMA recommendations mean for Acton and Boxborough

January 10, 2026

by Greg Jarboe

Acton and Boxborough residents rely on essential services every day, from our top-tier schools and public safety teams to the Department of Public Works crews maintaining our roads. However, a new report from the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA) titled, “Navigating the Storm: Charting a Course Toward Fiscal Stability”…

Legislature approves Acton’s home rule petitions concerning public safety officers’ residency and library trustees

January 10, 2026

by The Acton Exchange Team

In late December, two home rule petitions from the town of Acton were signed into law by Governor Maura Healey. Changes to residency requirements home rule petition Rep. Danillo Sena, Rep. Simon Cataldo, and Senator Jamie Eldridge announced that H4168, An Act authorizing the town of Acton to…

Java with John: Budgets, buildings, and the everyday work of running Acton

December 20, 2025

by Greg Jarboe

On a cold December morning at the Senior Center, Acton Town Manager John Mangiaratti did what he has been doing since 2018: shared coffee, invited questions, and offered residents a candid look at how their town is being run. The December 12 edition of Java with John featured…

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