News

Sustainability Committee Evaluates Plans for Waste Reduction Projects

(11-July-25) On May 8 and June 12, the Boxborough Sustainability Committee (BSC) discussed swap shed planning, options for PAYT models, and the Specialized Stretch Code. With the swap shed article approved at the May 12 Annual Town Meeting, the committee began discussions on construction options, taking budget, materials, size, and timing into consideration.

Electrification would require additional cost and time. Committee member Jay Krishnasamy suggested providing a digital platform in addition to the physical swap shed to allow residents to better coordinate items to adopt.

Ian Gilson, the new Associate Town Planner, joined the meeting and conveyed active interest in supporting the committee’s waste reduction efforts, including participation in the waste reduction working group. The waste reduction working group has outlined two potential Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) models.

The first is a hybrid model that maintains use of the transfer station requiring a vehicle sticker and adds the option of purchasing special PAYT bags for excess waste at residential homes. The second is a full PAYT model wherein solid waste collection would take place only at residential homes on a per unit basis, and the transfer station would be reserved only for the swap shed, composting, and disposal of special materials.

Committee Chair Kate Davies noted that the full PAYT model would receive the majority of financial incentives provided by MassDEP compared to the hybrid model. The working group will continue to explore the financial framework for both models.

Member Krishnasamy shared the suggestion from Kelly Brown, Regional Coordinator from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, to delay the Specialized Stretch Code and first implement the Green Communities grant.

As a Green Community, Boxborough is eligible for $132,000 in funding, intended for conversion to LED lighting and weatherization for municipal buildings, beginning with Blanchard Elementary School. By first implementing these changes and demonstrating long-term cost savings, the town may be better positioned to adopt the Specialized Stretch Code.

The Energize Boxborough website now hosts the Climate Action Plan presentation prepared by the Tufts University students and presented to the BSC on May 8. In the next phase of developing the Climate Action Plan, a summer intern is gathering feedback throughout June and July and helping to draft a final plan in August. The next Sustainability Committee meeting is scheduled for July 10, 2025, at 7 p.m.

FSBC Debriefs After First “Listening Session”

(11-July-25) The Boxborough Fire Station Building Committee (FSBC) continues to discuss how to move forward after Town Meeting voted down design funding for a fire station at 72 Stow Road. At its meeting on July 10, FSBC Vice Chair Mac Reid debriefed committee members on the June 30 FSBC “listening session,” a two-hour informal discussion with eleven “very interested and active members of the community” who were invited to share their thoughts and ideas for the fire station. The group includes those who are opposed to a fire station at 72 Stow Road.

The three main discussion topics for the group are (1) the size, cost and program of the fire station, (2) the FSBC’s process going forward, and (3) the location of the fire station. One of the listening session participants offered a list of six fire stations of varying size and cost in “comparable communities.” Boxborough Fire Chief John Kivlan expressed concern that these communities may not in fact be comparable to Boxborough, noting that different town and fire department features can translate to different fire station needs. For example, Boxborough does not have municipal water and has “career” firefighters who live at the fire station, both of which impact space needs.

FSBC members discussed how to evaluate potential “comparable communities.” Chair Mary Brolin will work with Chief Kivlan to review and research the six communities. The listening session group is expected to meet again in late July. Town Administrator Mike Johns reported that he continues to pursue conversations with the owners of several properties that the FSBC is considering as alternative fire station sites. These include 700 and 832 Mass Ave, 1300 Mass Ave, 1414 Mass Ave, and 40 Cunningham Road.

The FSBC also briefly discussed the June 30 Planning Board meeting, which included a working session to discuss potential zoning changes that would allow for the building of a new fire station in Boxborough. FSBC member Maria Neyland, who attended the Planning Board meeting, reported that there seemed to be a difference of opinion among Planning Board members as to how to approach and solve the zoning challenges. On July 16, the Planning Board will hold a working session specific to the fire station zoning issue.

On June 30, the FSBC met with the Planning Board and the Select Board to regroup and move forward after Town Meeting in May, where the town failed to pass two articles related to the fire station project: (1) a zoning amendment that would allow municipal governmental zoning across all zoning districts and (2) design funding for the fire station at 72 Stow Road. At that meeting, FSBC Chair Mary Brolin explained that the FSBC is looking again at multiple locations for the fire station and that the town’s current understanding is that it cannot build a fire station at any location without a zoning amendment. Brolin said that in order to find a path forward for the fire station, the FSBC needs the Planning Board to put forward a zoning solution that will allow a fire station to be built at the potential locations.

What Does “A-B Forward” Mean for Blanchard?

(27-JUN-25) By now, many Boxborough families have heard that the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District (ABRSD) has recently launched a strategic planning and reorganization project, dubbed “A-B Forward.”

The goal of A-B Forward, which was initiated in response to the District’s ongoing budget challenges, is to “create an updated strategic plan as well as a set of 3-5 actionable options for district reorganization that could guide district operations for the next 5-10 years.”

A steering committee of administrators, school committee members, educators, and parents is expected to meet monthly to support and guide the District’s work with consultant District Management Group.

There are two phases to the A-B Forward project. The first phase is the development of a strategic plan. The second phase, which will begin in the fall, will focus on “possible concepts for reorganization.”

As the news of A-B Forward spreads around Boxborough, families with students at Blanchard Memorial School have raised questions about what this all means for Blanchard.

Boxborough News posed five commonly-asked questions to the ABRSD School Committee Chair Tori Campbell and the Vice Chair (and Boxborough resident) Adam Klein.

Q: Is it possible that the reorganization process might result in Blanchard no longer serving students all the way from kindergarten to sixth grade (e.g., K-2 at Blanchard, 3-6 in a different building)?

A: At this point, everything is on the table. Our first step is to define where we’re going through developing the strategic plan, and then we can evaluate different ways we might reorganize to get there. Expect to hear more about the draft strategic plan in September, and more about reorganization in October. You can follow our progress on our website: https://www.abschools.org/district/strategic_planning___reorganization_-_2025

Q: Is it possible that the reorganization process might result in Boxborough residents no longer being guaranteed a spot at Blanchard?

A: The “hometown guarantee” that was written into the regional agreement expired in 2019. The regional agreement allows the superintendent to make exceptions to this, and the school committee would have to formally take action to make a change. However, there is already a possibility that in a few more years, Blanchard would not have enough room for all of the Boxborough students to attend Blanchard if they chose.

Q: Is it possible that the reorganization process might result in Blanchard being closed completely?

A: The regional agreement stipulates that there must be at least one school in Boxborough. So while it is doubtful that Blanchard will close, how it is utilized as a school in the district is up for consideration. Also, we haven’t yet finished developing the strategic plan, so it’s a bit early to say whether any school might be closed completely. You can find the regional agreement here: https://abschools.diligent.community/home/public/document/3a092fb2-b918-47c8-b6e3-d7db73a8035c

Q: How likely (or unlikely) is it that there will be NO changes to Blanchard after the reorganization process is complete?

A: Again - too early to say. That said, we are evaluating the status quo as one of our options so that we can make an informed decision about any changes that are proposed. What’s most important in the strategic planning and reorganization process is to understand what the community wants from the schools and what they are willing and able to afford. This is why we are looking for feedback from all members of the Boxborough community, first on our strategic plan and then on the final options through our survey, and sessions in the fall.

Q: How can Boxborough families share thoughts/opinions with the AB-Forward committee?

A: Please respond to our survey! We are beginning by gathering community input into what's working, where we need to improve, and what we haven't imagined yet. You don't have to have a student in school to respond. If you have never responded to a survey like this, then your feedback is precisely what we're looking for! And if you are an occasional or even frequent responder, keep talking to us - this process cannot be successful if it happens in a vacuum.

The district's strategic planning survey closes July 11. It takes just a few minutes and the survey is anonymous. Take the survey here: https://tejoin.com/scroll/673815867.

FSBC Continues to Look for a Path Forward on Fire Station Project

(27-JUN-25) The Boxborough Fire Station Building Committee (FSBC) continues to regroup and discuss how to move forward after the May Town Meeting voted down design funding for a fire station at 72 Stow Road.

At its meeting on June 26, the FSBC heard updates from Town Administrator Mike Johns about the status of several alternative fire station locations aside from 72 Stow Road and 502 Massachusetts Avenue, both of which the FSBC studied in detail before choosing 72 Stow Road as the least costly and most functional location for a fire station.

Town Administrator Johns continues to speak with property owners of 700 and 832 Mass Ave., 1300 Mass Ave., and 1414 Mass Ave. The Committee also asked Johns to approach the owner of 40 Cunningham Road. FSBC members grappled with whether and when funds should be spent to study each of these sites, several of which have been considered and rejected as a fire station site over the last decade.

FSBC Vice Chair Mac Reid shared with the Committee the latest plans for the FSBC’s “listening group,” an informal discussion with a group of invited residents that is intended to generate “out of the box” ideas for the fire station.

Reid is expected to hold at least two meetings with a group of twelve Boxborough residents, including those who have been outspoken against the FSBC’s proposal for a fire station at 72 Stow Road. The first meeting will be an opportunity for participants to speak and FSBC representatives to listen. Fire Chief John Kivlan and a consultant from Context Architecture are expected to join the second meeting in order to help discuss the feasibility of the ideas raised by the participants.

The Committee also discussed how best to approach a reexamination of the fire department’s space needs (“programming”), with the goal of cutting the cost of the project. The size of the station and its cost to taxpayers are the two primary areas of public opposition to the fire station project.

Some FSBC members expressed that the fire chief and the town’s design consultants (“the professionals”) should take the lead on any downsizing. Other members emphasized that compromise will be required in order to get this project approved by the town, and that the Committee should be open to downsizing ideas offered by members of the public.

The Committee voted unanimously to approve a contract extension with town consultant Context Architecture so that Context can continue to attend and support FSBC meetings on a time and materials basis. The extension is not to exceed $27,600, and is within previously authorized funding.

MBTA Communities 3A Advisory Group Reaches Consensus on Multifamily Housing Site Recommendation

(27-JUN-25) On Monday, June 23, Boxborough’s “3A Advisory Group,” the committee charged with recommending locations that meet the multi-family zoning requirements of the MBTA Communities Act, met virtually to review the potential districts and discuss their recommendations which they will present to the Planning Board on June 30.

After a brief introduction, Town Planner Alec Wade reviewed the three sites visited by the group on June 18: Leonard Road (District 1); Element (site of a commercial entity at 1146 Mass Ave - District 5); and 72 Stow Road (District 6). These sites were selected by the group based on their suitability for compliance with the law.

The group discussed each site’s merits and drawbacks and decided that District 1 offers the best option for meeting the MBTA Communities zoning requirements. District 1 would include Leonard Road (Meenmore Condominiums) and abutting properties along Hill Road. This district is favored not only because of its proximity to the Littleton MBTA station and Route 2, but also because it includes both existing multifamily housing (that will partially satisfy the number and density of units required by the law) and land that can be developed, which would be zoned to allow additional multifamily housing to be built.

On behalf of the 3A Advisory Group, Planner Wade will present District 1 for the Planning Board’s consideration at the Planning Board meeting on Monday, June 30. The 3A Advisory Group agreed to continue their discussion of 72 Stow Road as a potential alternate site and make additional visits to other alternate sites.

Before closing the meeting, Wade expressed satisfaction with the group’s work. “Tonight we took a significant step forward…you’ve now empowered us to take the next step in this process… I appreciate the work you’ve put into this…helping us come to this consensus as a team.”

The MBTA Communities Act requires communities with access to MBTA amenities (and neighboring communities like Boxborough) to change zoning regulations to allow a certain amount of multifamily housing by right. This program does not guarantee that housing will be produced, but creates the opportunity for future housing growth. Boxborough is required to adopt the required zoning change no later than December 2025.

The Select Board has scheduled a Special Town Meeting for October 14-15 when the town is expected to take up the MBTA Communities Act zoning.

Finance Committee Hears Report on Unspent Funds, Suggests Potential Improvements to Town Finance and Budget Processes

(27-JUN-25) At its meeting on June 24, the Boxborough Finance Committee (FinCom) discussed a number of issues including the Fiscal Year 2025 updated budget, unresolved issues regarding the overlay budget and cyclical re-evaluations, a proposal to consider a Board of Assessors, and “designing an optimum process for budgeting.”

Finance Director Honghoa Le reported an initial forecast of unspent funds of $1 million from the current FY2025 operating budget. Anything not spent in the current budget would go into “free cash” which can be used for future warrant articles or the next operating budget.

When asked for a comment after the meeting, Town Administrator Michael Johns said that his analysis showed that health insurance was under-spent by $240,000 due to several employees opting out of the town’s health insurance plan; a few positions (Associate Town Planner, Assistant Treasurer/Collector and a few firefighters) were budgeted for 12 months but went unfilled for several months; snow and ice was under-spent by $58,000 due to fewer snow events; and unemployment was under-spent by $17,000 due to improved employee retention.

FinCom Chair Tony Newton said that FinCom is still looking for answers to questions raised at the last FinCom meeting about the “overlay reserve,” a fund used to cover potential liabilities for tax abatements, exemptions and uncollectible tax bills, and the amount of funding required for the cyclical property inspections. Newton said that FinCom wants to understand what the Department of Revenue (DOR) requires as a good faith estimate for the overlay reserve. Town Administrator Johns indicated that the Assessor was not available to respond to those questions at this time, but expected to have answers for FinCom when it meets in July.

Newton also suggested that the Town consider updating its financial policy to include language on funding cyclical re-evaluations, which is currently not addressed in the policy.

Additionally, Newton proposed that the Town consider creating a three-person Board of Assessors to provide oversight of the assessing process, similar to what other surrounding towns do. The proposal would have this new board review property valuations, vote on property tax exemptions and abatements, and review the tax rate calculation and the overlay reserve fund. Town Administration Johns will take this proposal back to the Select Board for consideration.

Finally, FinCom members discussed “designing an optimum process for budgeting.” Over the last few years, FinCom volunteers have had to either use an old spreadsheet with broken links or do a number of downloads and pivot tables to get the information they needed. FinCom also explained their expectation that the town Finance Team (Accountant, Treasurer, and Assessor) create and provide FinCom with those reports. Town Administrator Johns indicated that he and Le would work on this over the next few weeks and get back to FinCom with some recommendations.

FinCom also spent a considerable amount of time reviewing requests for reserve fund transfers (RFTs). The “reserve fund” is established, budgeted, and voted at Annual Town Meeting to pay for extraordinary or unforeseen expenses or emergencies encountered during a fiscal year. Among the RFTs submitted and voted by FinCom were expenses to back-fill positions due to turnover at the Fire Department, maternity leave at the library, and a medical leave of absence at Town Hall. Additionally, there was an unanticipated legal bill for $15,000.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Newton thanked outgoing FinCom member Becky Neville who served on FinCom for the last eight years. Neville said she plans to stay involved in the town in some capacity yet to be determined.

The next FinCom meeting is scheduled for July 15 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall. The meeting is hybrid.

Select Board Revisits Town Response to Local ICE Activity

(27-Jun-25) At the Boxborough Select Board meeting on June 23, the Select Board discussed, but did not vote on, a draft “Immigration Resources” information sheet developed by the Town’s Community Services Coordinator Wendy Trinks, in collaboration with the Acton-Boxborough Community Compass (formerly known as A-B United Way).

The document includes links to hotlines and resources for those impacted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, as well as contact information for Trinks and for local food pantries. Town Administrator Michael Johns explained that once the document is approved by the Select Board, Trinks would distribute the document throughout town.

Trinks developed the document in the aftermath of an alleged ICE operation on Massachusetts Avenue in Boxborough on May 30, which was discussed at the June 9 Select Board meeting.

At the June 9 meeting, Police Chief John Szewczyk reported to the Board that ICE did not notify the Boxborough Police Department about any operation in Boxborough on May 30, and the Department had not received any information from ICE since that date. Once the Town and Police Department were notified of the alleged incident by Boxborough residents, Trinks visited the relevant residence later that day and left a flyer with information about local resources.

The Chief has stated on multiple occasions that the Boxborough Police Department does not enforce federal immigration laws and does not aid federal agents in immigration enforcement activities, in accordance with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decision in Lunn v. Commonwealth.

Select Board member Sam Anderson asked Johns to clarify with the Police Chief that he “understands what we… would like him to do in these situations from a community support perspective.” At the request of Fire Chief John Kivlan, the Select Board also recognized Boxborough resident Hoff Stuart for his life-saving actions on the morning of June 21 at Flerra Field.

As the Boxborough Minutemen and others were setting up for the annual Fifer’s Day celebration, Mr. Stuart quickly stepped in to assist when an individual experienced a medical emergency due to an airway obstruction. “Mr. Stuart’s swift and decisive actions undoubtedly made a difference in the outcome of this emergency,” wrote Chief Kivlan in a letter to the Select Board, as read aloud by Select Board member Priya Sundaram.

“His willingness to intervene in a critical moment before Fire and EMS personnel arrived is a powerful reminder of the strength and character of our community … neighbors helping neighbors, stepping up when it matters the most.” The Select Board also conducted its annual “Appoint-a-thon” to appoint new and returning members to Town boards and committees.

Water Resources Committee Consultant Reports Boxborough Has Adequate Water Supply

(26-JUN-25) At its meeting on June 17, the Boxborough Water Resources Committee (WRC) reviewed the latest installment of the water resources report being prepared by consultant Weston & Sampson (W&S).

Using an analysis of the groundwater basin, W&S estimates that the ground water in Boxborough recharges at a rate that is comfortably higher than the water demand, such that the town's water supply appears adequate for the future.

The report estimates a current usage of 86 million gallons per year (MGY) and a future usage of 100 MGY. Most of the usage lies in the Guggins Brook Watershed. W&S estimates that the ground water recharges at a rate from 6,320 to 15,996 MGY. Any future commercial demand for water was not included in the study.

WRC member Janet Keating-Connolly pointed out that this assessment only pertains to water quantity, as opposed to water quality, which will likely be a future focus of the WRC.

The report also addresses septic systems. There are 1,467 septic systems in Boxborough. The W&S report categorized the systems into four tiers according to whether their location poses a risk of failure. There are 116 systems in the category with the highest risk, Tier 1. Of these, records show that 68 have been tested, with 11 failures.

The WRC discussed special requirements that might be instituted for high-risk septic systems, such as required pump-out schedules. In addition, the Boxborough Board of Health may require water testing upon property transfer.

The next update to the report will be in the August WRC meeting, and a public presentation is targeted for September.

Chair Les Fox also provided an update on the Littleton waterline project, which continues to progress. The extension along Swanson Road is complete; the work is now along Codman Hill Road.

The next WRC meeting will be on July 15, 2025, at 7:30 p.m., via Zoom.

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