Government

Momentum builds to fix the Concord rotary and reimagine what comes next

May 16, 2026

by Greg Jarboe

If you’ve ever sat in a line of traffic crawling toward the Concord Rotary on Route 2, you’ve probably wondered: does anyone in state government actually know this is happening? On Monday morning, the answer was yes — and they showed up in force. State Representative Simon Cataldo of Concord convened a remarkable day of engagement on Monday. It began at the rotary itself, where Secretary Eng, Undersecretary Gulliver, Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Maintenance and Management (DCAMM) Commissioner Adam Baacke, Concord Town Manager Kerry Lafleur, Acton Town Manager John Mangiaratti, Rep. James Arciero, Rep. Michael Kushmerek, and Senator John…

The Bulletin Board: May 16, 2026

May 16, 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.…

Acton Power Choice “standard” price and renewable energy content to decrease

May 16, 2026

by Jim Snyder-Grant

On Friday, May 9, 2026, the Town of Acton announced changes in the default level of the Town’s group electricity buying program, known as the standard tier of Acton Power Choice. The price at this tier is dropping from 16.031¢/kWh to 15.372¢/kWh, and the tier is dropping the…

Badge icon representing Boards and Committees

Select Board Notes: May 11, 2026

May 16, 2026

by Tom Beals

Opening remarks: Select Board reorganization: Following the recent election, the Board voted unanimously to appoint Alissa Nicol as Chair; David Martin as Vice-chair; and Fran Arsenault as Clerk. Buy Recycled Policy update: Director of Public Works Cory York presented a proposed Environmentally Preferred Procurement Policy to replace the…

Badge icon representing Elections and Town Meeting

Town Meeting wrapup: Overview

May 9, 2026

by Franny Osman

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…

Final Election results are in; candidates speak out

May 9, 2026

Miriam LezakandThe Acton Exchange Team

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. Wednesday, May 6 update:…

The Bulletin Board: May 9, 2026

May 9, 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.…

Badge icon representing Elections and Town Meeting

Articles 1-3, 21-40: Routine business and Consent Calendar

May 9, 2026

by Pat Clifford

Article 1: Choose Town Officers, passed on a near unanimous voice vote. The nominators and newly elected officers are: The moderator then proceeded to the Consent Agenda for the Town Meeting, which included articles 2, 3 and 21-40. Consent Agenda articles are typically recurring and are not expected…

Articles 4 and 5: Town operating and capital budgets

May 9, 2026

by Pat Clifford

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

by Tom Beals

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…

Articles 8 and 9: Approve budgets for Acton-Boxborough Schools and Minuteman Technical Vocational High School

May 9, 2026

by Diane Baum

Article 8: Acton-Boxborough Regional School District Assessment By a vote of 364 to 41, Town Meeting attendees approved Acton’s portion of the $122.6 million Regional School District budget for the fiscal year 2026-27. Acton’s assessment of $82,830,682, a 3.75% increase over the fiscal year 2025-26, consists of an…

Article 10: Appropriate Community Preservation Funds

May 9, 2026

by Pat Clifford

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

by Kim Kastens

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…

Badge icon representing Elections and Town Meeting

Article 12: Appropriations to Stabilization and Trust Funds

May 9, 2026

by Tom Beals

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…

Article 13: Authorize Acquisition of Property Located at 46 Taylor Road

May 9, 2026

by Peter J. Berry

“They paved paradise and put up a parking lot” Quoting Joni Mitchell and Thoreau, Town Meeting voters overwhelming clicked “yes” to authorize the Select Board to acquire 5.8 acres of open space on Taylor Road, adjacent to the 65 acre Arboretum. The $1,445,000 cost of purchasing 46 Taylor…

Article 16: Approve Tax Increment Financing for Insulet Corporation

May 9, 2026

by Jeff Brown

A tax increment financing agreement (TIF) is used by the town to encourage economic development. By a temporary reduction in the real estate tax levy businesses are encouraged to invest in their property to promote growth. The town collects the full tax on the value of the original…

Articles 17-20: Zoning Bylaw changes

May 9, 2026

by Peter J. Berry

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…

Stephen “Steve” Noone, 78, devoted steward of Acton’s finances, dies

May 2, 2026

by Greg Jarboe

Stephen “Steve” Noone, who gave more than two decades of quiet, rigorous service to the town he called home, died Monday, April 27, 2026, after suffering a heart attack. He was 78. Noone was a longtime member and former chair of the Acton Finance Committee – the body…

UPDATE 2: May 6, 2026: Final Election results

May 2, 2026

Miriam LezakandThe Acton Exchange Team

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. Wednesday, May 6 update:…

UPDATE 2: May 6, 2026: Annual Town Meeting

May 2, 2026

Miriam LezakandKim Kastens

The May 9 edition of the Acton Exchange will carry detailed coverage of Town Meeting articles. The update below merely summarizes the outcome of each vote. Report from Day 2: May 5, Day 2 of 2026 Annual Town Meeting, opened with the presentation of the Joseph A. Lalli…

Acton Police Officer Stephen McCarthy presented with Acton Town Police Lifesaving Award

May 2, 2026

by The Acton Exchange Team

Officer Stephen McCarthy stood tall before the Select Board Monday night as Interim Police Chief Douglas Sturniolo presented him with a Acton Town Police Lifesaving Award (Lifesaving Award) for helping a choking resident. On Wednesday, April 8, Officer McCarthy was working his regular 3 to 11 p.m. shift,…

1 2 3 … 15 Next