Government

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Town Meeting wrapup: Overview

May 9, 2026
Acton residents enjoyed a smooth two-night Town Meeting this year. After months of committee and forum discussion of issues such as the Department of Public Works building, school budget, Taylor Rd. land purchase, and electrification of Town Hall heating, it seems the voters were talked out. For most of the articles, there weren’t the usual long lines behind the microphone or sighs of relief when someone called to cut off debate. Night 1: Introductions and a tribute At the start of Monday’s meeting, Finance Committee (FinCom) member Jason Cole gave a tribute to longtime FinCom member Steve Noone whose unexpected…

The Bulletin Board: May 9, 2026

May 9, 2026
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.…

Articles 4 and 5: Town operating and capital budgets

May 9, 2026
The deliberative mood continued with consideration of Article 4: Appropriations for the Municipal Operating Budget presented by Select Board member Alissa Nicol who moved that the Town appropriate $42,322,565 to be expended by the Town Manager to fund the fiscal year 2027 municipal budget. Speaking to her motion,…

Articles 6 and 7: Borrowing for major capital projects

May 9, 2026
Article 6: Authorize Borrowing for Town Hall HVAC and Emergency Power Replacement Project (two-thirds majority vote). Replacement of the Town Hall heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) had provided one of the more dramatic discussions — and multiple votes — at last year’s (2025) Town Meeting, where it…

Article 10: Appropriate Community Preservation Funds

May 9, 2026
The second night of Town Meeting (Meeting) opened with arguably everyone’s favorite article: The Appropriation of Community Preservation Funds. Select Board Chair Dean Charter moved the article as printed in the warrant and CPC chair Jim Colman marched through his presentation, explaining first how the funding accumulates from…

Article 11: Establish an Opioid Settlement Stabilization Fund

May 9, 2026
As previously reported by the Acton Exchange, overuse, misuse/abuse and overdose deaths due to opioid use have led to significant medical, social, psychological, demographic and economic consequences across Massachusetts and the nation. According to data from the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics, the Town of Acton…
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Article 12: Appropriations to Stabilization and Trust Funds

May 9, 2026
This Article transfers funds into several defined purpose accounts, each briefly described in the Town Meeting Warrant. Those defined purpose accounts are as follows. The Finance Committee recommended Article 12. Residents’ questions were answered by Select Board clerk David Martin. One resident asked about the Town’s free cash…

Articles 17-20: Zoning Bylaw changes

May 9, 2026
Changes to Acton’s Zoning By-Laws require a 2/3rds majority by Town Meeting voters. The moderator called for votes by clicker and the following Zoning By-Law changes were approved: Article 17: Establish Nagog Park Innovation Overlay District Acton adopted a Strategic Economic Development Action Plan in 2025 to encourage…

The Bulletin Board: May 2, 2026

May 2, 2026
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: April 27, 2026

May 2, 2026
Opening remarks: Select Board (Board) Chair Dean Charter opened the April 27, 2026 Board meeting by introducing Interim Police Chief Douglas Sturniolo, who honored Officer Stephen McCarthy for his swift, life-saving response to a choking emergency earlier this month. With many uniformed officers in attendance, Chief Sturniolo praised…

Preliminary Town Election results

April 29, 2026
On Tuesday, April 28, slightly over 12% of registered Acton voters went to the polls (or mailed in their ballots ahead of time, or dropped ballots by the end of voting day) to elect several new Town officers, as well as re-electing some incumbents. Note that these are…
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