[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6392725,"mediaKeyId","2109275-570c813f28993a5202a1be21aa3ba668","parentId",2109275,"title","Residents urge more senior tax relief, Forest Road sidewalks; condominium owner raises shared water-meter dispute","audioSeconds",300,"startMs",327000,"endMs",627000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2109275-570c813f28993a5202a1be21aa3ba668&start=327&end=627","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2109275-570c813f28993a5202a1be21aa3ba668/thumbnail_327000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6392725/Town-of-Acton/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Residents-urge-more-senior-tax-relief-Forest-Road-sidewalks-condominium-owner-raises-shared-water-meter-dispute","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6392725-b62bfe5599baccc34d4e360a4c6e7335/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448670&Signature=AOvFuXC8d1fmjjegqVlv3UOnfwiXs43FZdJRGEQqvBm73z3NbNe1fcHnlRcVZ5MYVVnOxVLHDb0oYE0DWtLS4~mnp0VC3GaufdH0hm0c0KQItaAVM66Z5kPcnW7xd4feyfWGxBrYs8JkhXODAZBhd6T6s0aBTxrzT-N-86Lg7B0ECBXbA0mTptVF7BH5-cHbJoAmWvk4Fo0~WPivEU8CXorYlPI7vyWF6mRY-HMjtA7D8X5oAwL2LARhZ7a32SQPq1EgOl6auDv6CcRhI6sXSpo7-hgB7stRG4n0QW8UzadwDg~Ly98IVvJfrIc2MnTCYkiMv890oaVmk2pG~RTg5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Acton, MA","date","2025-01-14T00:00:00Z","article","Several residents used the public-comment period to raise separate local concerns: tax bills for older residents after a recent reassessment; a Forest Road petition pressing for sidewalks tied to the proposed DPW project; and a condominium representative who described a long-running shared water meter issue at a 268–269 Main Street building.

A senior resident said her quarterly tax bill rose after a 21% assessed-value increase and asked the Select Board to \"consider adding additional exemptions or tax breaks for seniors to keep them in town.\" She said she teaches swimming and could not afford the higher taxes on her downsized home.

Eric Hills, a Forest Road resident and organizer of a petition, asked that Forest Road sidewalks be added to the Select Board agenda for consideration in connection with the DPW project. He reported a change.org petition with 184 signatures and said local safety voters would oppose the DPW project at election and town meeting without sidewalks. \"An excellent precedent was set when sidewalks were included for the safety of the North Acton Fire Station neighbors,\" he said.

A representative for the Redstone (referred to in the transcript as Redstone/Ariston) Condominium — identified in the meeting as Vishlo Estebanka — described a long-standing water-meter arrangement with an adjacent building (268 Main Street) that left the condominium subsidizing water use for a law office tied to shared plumbing. He said a suspected leak in the law-office building was repaired in September and that the condominium owner sought reimbursement for leak-finding costs but had not received it. He asked the town to require the commercial property to separate meters and establish its own water account with the district.

Town staff told the speakers they would follow up offline. Town Manager John Mandurite said sidewalk requests are a recognized priority and that staff would talk with him and the DPW director about next steps. The Select Board also encouraged seniors to attend a Finance Committee listening session and noted that the Assessors’ Office runs exemptions, abatements and deferral programs.

No formal board action was taken during public comment; staff said they would follow up with the residents and with the town’s departments on the items raised.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Acton Select Board Meeting - January 13th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Residents during public comment urged additional senior property-tax relief after a large assessment increase, asked that Forest Road sidewalks be added to DPW project planning, and raised a shared water-meter dispute at a Main Street condominium building.","taxTitle","Town of Acton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts","taxId",56888,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6392737,"State Rep. Simon Cataldo briefs Acton Select Board on state aid, housing, transportation and transparency bills",898,1847000,2745000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2109275-570c813f28993a5202a1be21aa3ba668&start=1847&end=2745","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2109275-570c813f28993a5202a1be21aa3ba668/thumbnail_1847000.jpg","/articles/6392737/Town-of-Acton/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/State-Rep-Simon-Cataldo-briefs-Acton-Select-Board-on-state-aid-housing-transportation-and-transparency-bills","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6392737-26dcdc3f6f4571c678be194682a38e2f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448670&Signature=Zvr16haveWR2myDQK0AjNBrY1bmtpzjmQ0Fkt69kopMA6Y70-ydGuEjKoq~h3BZUAxCwEmTwMqmvbPQDD4bhG5aMj4tL8CY~hr4lC~cmDc6XHsUqLAv9zQxIItGYUexrUntR0J7Gx-R6gHN7zB67w1-pi8LC7Qqtfu-SLYW9xslQluRCkgoKhtc8Vir~tR5Y2YiB21HTTXcVL2E2bGFpXd3avGSMiHlTL6~PrPTh4~dwY5JJgzmWCHRzeuTSEXkQFrOnuJDQTsNuB9ULoNA2jXeRe929KolE~uGUxC6EkYcLO6vfuDqqN-qE2d1WYGmu9WFGmohSZx9ZfTBwCt97qg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","State Representative Simon Cataldo told the Acton Select Board and Finance Committee that fiscal pressures are squeezing municipalities and that his office is working on several priorities important to Acton, including state aid increases, transportation funding and local transparency measures.

Cataldo said unrestricted general aid rose 4.62% for fiscal year 2025 and that Acton will receive about $1.72 million in unrestricted general aid for FY25. He highlighted a historic increase in Chapter 70 school funding for minimum-aid communities and said he will continue to press for higher per-pupil support.

On transportation, Cataldo said the House leadership plans to dedicate a substantial portion of the Fair Share funds to the MBTA and signaled that commuter-rail frequency and service on the Fitchburg line and South Acton stops are priorities. \"I wanna hear from residents about what changes they wanna see based on their commuting experience because that helps me advocate properly,\" Cataldo said.

Cataldo described his work on local and state projects that affect Acton, including legislation he filed on redevelopment of the MCI Concord site and meetings with state agencies about changes that could improve the rotary near Acton. He also said he would file bills on restoring pay-equity in teachers' retirement (for teachers who worked part time during child-raising years), creating a state Office of Restorative Justice, and a refiled bill addressing undisclosed political spending on town meeting warrant articles. \"There's a loophole in the state's... campaign finance laws for town meeting warrant articles,\" he said, and he plans a statewide bill to add transparency requirements.

Cataldo said Massport modernization, climate and energy siting reforms, maternal and long-term health bills, a significant housing bond and enhanced veterans benefits were among other items passed in the recent session. He said he and other members of the delegation will solicit budget priorities from Acton’s boards and managers ahead of the House budget process.

Cataldo encouraged residents to contact his office with priorities and described upcoming legislative deadlines: he said bill-filing deadlines are mid-January and that he expects committee assignments in February or March. \"Please feel free to contact me,\" he said at the meeting, and provided contact information for his office.","State Representative Simon Cataldo updated Acton officials on state budget and policy developments, noting modest increases in local aid, transportation funding priorities for commuter rail, and new bills that could affect towns: including measures on dark-money disclosure for warrant campaigns and an office for restorative justice.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6392745,"Acton manager proposes $40.94 million FY2026 budget; $43 million DPW facility ignites finance committee opposition",1293,3252000,4545000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2109275-570c813f28993a5202a1be21aa3ba668&start=3252&end=4545","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2109275-570c813f28993a5202a1be21aa3ba668/thumbnail_3252000.jpg","/articles/6392745/Town-of-Acton/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Acton-manager-proposes-4094-million-FY2026-budget-43-million-DPW-facility-ignites-finance-committee-opposition","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6392745-e129ba8d7d701f783d0b4a9c965a45be/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448670&Signature=KUQLqvQyAzGL0nCWHh72me4glCksf6QXDO2RWVw1RIhuMzIN9s0nMIZzuwUIcEmimWfz~cpI3UgQNfOuEePBkSZ6Wl~mzZYBzkRSOTW82v3WZhQnmPxChTGZ8uZ2JaftrhSw-liXHxsuS~Hqez~QVOWHr2rNE0737Anvwl26ae0Bkv6~X8flHEOLZgrTvxs~KmJMgapumfNqICEjVbrF1k1xE6VPWZ1bOLlHSOLcxy1XjCyYEyKE84mXftVegh7wpmFN2Mmddb73urm9iHdFWAMi9mgCxhxJIsUwLkW5ytMCMTfsMsC8NxcMLRB4AY2zgBj5cClvGOQXTSzW-ZVMhA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Town Manager John Mandurite presented a $40,940,000 recommended municipal operating budget for fiscal 2026 — a 4.79% increase over FY25 and a 4.56% net increase after offsets — and outlined a plan that would borrow for five capital projects including a proposed $43,000,000 replacement for the town’s Department of Public Works facility.

The recommendation includes $1.9 million for building electrification and HVAC replacement at town hall; $1.9 million for complete streets and sidewalk work; a $1.5 million fire engine; $850,000 for stormwater work; and continued replacement of the public safety radio system. Mandurite also proposed adding one administrative lieutenant in the police department and two firefighters to the roster, and recommended funding a fire prevention position via a revolving fund.

Why it matters: The DPW facility proposal, presented as a single-project replacement to address safety, vehicle storage, personnel facilities and code compliance, is the largest capital ask in the package and has become the focal point of public and Finance Committee scrutiny. Finance Committee members said the budget’s operating increase and the DPW project size are politically sensitive after last year’s override and sought more time and joint discussion to narrow differences.

\"This is my seventh budget presentation,\" Mandurite told the Select Board, explaining the budget framing, revenue mix and how the 2024 override affected available levy capacity. \"When we're buying a fire truck or we're replacing a building or other things that are going to be benefiting the community for the next 20 to 30 years, what we do is we borrow for it.\"

Finance Committee members repeatedly pressed for a lower operating increase and questioned the DPW project's scope. Finance Committee member Kristine requested a moderated joint meeting: \"I would like to request that the Finance Committee and the Select Board get together and have a potentially moderated discussion because I can tell you we all are talking about completely different things here.\" Other committee members urged stricter limits on the recommended operating increase, citing a 3% target the committee has favored.

Mandurite and staff defended the projected capital borrowing and the building design work already under way. He said the $43 million estimate does not include ongoing value-engineering, and that incentives and federal tax rebates could reduce net borrowing. He also pointed to rising replacement costs if the town delays: \"If you take a $43,000,000 estimate in 2025 and you decide to just kind of put on the shelf and revisit it in 5 years, the number goes up substantially.\"

Board members and Finance Committee members agreed on the need for more outreach. The Select Board set multiple opportunities for public review and said staff would post project materials and hold an open house. Mandurite and DPW staff also published an open-house date and a DPW Building Committee public meeting to discuss design and value engineering.

Votes at a glance: during the meeting the board approved several separate items unrelated to the DPW project. Among them, the board unanimously approved a plan to construct a wastewater equalization tank for the Powder Mill sewer extension (see separate article). The board also approved an intermunicipal agreement for shared transportation dispatch services, and acted on routine consent items.

The Select Board and Finance Committee agreed to continue budget workshops and to schedule a joint, moderated forum to focus specifically on the DPW facility scope, cost-reduction options and timing.

Looking ahead: Mandurite said department-level budget workshops start the week following the presentation and that final recommendations to the Finance Committee will reflect ongoing feedback. The DPW design development and value-engineering work will continue through the winter with a planned construction start roughly a year from the presentation if the project moves forward.","Town Manager John Mandurite presented a $40,940,000 recommended fiscal 2026 operating budget and a proposed $43 million Department of Public Works facility. Finance Committee members pressed for smaller increases, questioned scope and timing of the DPW project and requested a joint, moderated discussion with the Select Board.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6392729,"Acton Fire Department to pilot consolidated two-district staffing model for several months",505,9795000,10300000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2109275-570c813f28993a5202a1be21aa3ba668&start=9795&end=10300","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2109275-570c813f28993a5202a1be21aa3ba668/thumbnail_9795000.jpg","/articles/6392729/Town-of-Acton/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Acton-Fire-Department-to-pilot-consolidated-two-district-staffing-model-for-several-months","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6392729-743dc2908241f6309b44cff2c0c484d4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448670&Signature=Er4QVY8a3GFVFBgOzT05wlZMBweq-R4adaGHHPJ4IdnQ15HGacUiImdVmYEUfDP6eOqKkFGkUycWNvHmzHbW4J8BXQlnIUhrZlu6rMKFx0JRWGqqISmHy84XzK7dExMlnGOowiPTWp2xsucav4E~-4g6EE~7o8lyUW7xdo3FZ6ISXcblmQbDwITSX5TahvkTU4xZlNQ7teWJMHcv8mlFt4gtBUrEN0CWz3pA0AIog0HVcJjNKUC-aWlmmokk1Dt-Tn~r32zpfRz2NHHRAO-2CnxWiqp1njz0XnbU1vI9X4vbzlwlIP8OI9s5rrtRTXrd00oZZpR~WSRu4iSqVFKfzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Acton Fire Chief Anita Arnhem and town staff announced a pilot program to consolidate fire-department staffing and apparatus into two roughly equal districts for a three- to four-month trial, starting in February.

Under the proposed pilot, the south district would be staffed with an engine, an ambulance and a ladder truck; the north district would be staffed with an engine, an ambulance and a brush truck. The plan aims to create stations with five to six personnel available for training and response, rather than the current pattern of two-person staffing at several stations.

Chief Arnhem said the change is intended to improve firefighter safety, training opportunities, supervision and morale as the department adapts to a fully professional force and a tight regional paramedic labor market. \"Newly hired firefighter paramedics are often assigned together at station 1 and they are left on their own during the shift with limited oversight,\" she said, describing the benefits of larger on-site staff for mentoring and training.

The town used a state grant to contract the Collins Center for assistance in designing, monitoring and evaluating the pilot; Collins Center staff will help the department define metrics to judge the program’s safety and operational effects. Chief Arnhem and the town manager said the department and its union leadership have been working cooperatively on the pilot’s design.

The pilot will be closely monitored and can be modified or ended early if the town determines it is not meeting safety or service objectives. Town Manager John Mandurite said the pilot’s performance measures will include response-time data and NFPA consensus recommendations for staffing and response.

The Select Board expressed support for the pilot and for the department’s emphasis on morale and safety; members asked the town to circulate the pilot plan to the public and said they expected regular updates.

Next steps: staff will post pilot details on the town website, install informational signage at fire stations, publish metrics and start the pilot in February pending final operational preparations.","Chief Anita Arnhem and town officials announced a three- to four-month pilot that will consolidate apparatus and staff into two districts (north and south) to test whether larger crews at each station improve safety, training and response efficiency. The pilot will be monitored with metrics developed with the Collins Center.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":103,"_47":116,"_49":117,"_51":118,"_53":119,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":120,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":121,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6392733,"Select Board unanimously approves 300,000-gallon equalization tank at Adams Street wastewater plant for Powder Mill sewer extension",1787,8008000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2109275-570c813f28993a5202a1be21aa3ba668&start=8008&end=9795","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2109275-570c813f28993a5202a1be21aa3ba668/thumbnail_8008000.jpg","/articles/6392733/Town-of-Acton/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Select-Board-unanimously-approves-300000-gallon-equalization-tank-at-Adams-Street-wastewater-plant-for-Powder-Mill-sewer-extension","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6392733-65116b29eb46993580329dee7af9103f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448670&Signature=ZL0j8zOZvHDCU3Sj0CY1AMhcfOvYuYwOTr1IGWO5H2QPj6EQ2ENX1c3aJWnbLuKdCBPpxcB-hMQs~zgXSLPkqJ7SViAKHn5UwqnZAzfuA-13nHP66GFrfQzExZ1MrYc1DyrRJD-9W7xwvK~WjddOvSfZJ6PT0DQcJ3TSdqXARj0GcArk1YyWIv-70GgQal2o6ehmy04I~52GI85gH~Z14xLLLhDlDI~wRSvZo669a4jq76UxfphxLVWTEEm2GzBKABH-4VoVGXdvJSSpWRJSpf3mxTpYK9FF~cAgX8a1KSc5G9PId~Z-7BfzCOSwsDr5fvTwN3~8xvA0GIHSjm3lJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Acton Select Board voted unanimously to approve construction of a wastewater equalization tank at the Adams Street wastewater treatment plant to serve the Powder Mill sewer extension and the new Powder Mill Place development.

Engineer Jack (Woodard & Curran) described the proposal as a roughly 300,000-gallon above-ground storage tank sized to meet Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) conditional permit requirements and to provide operational buffer for peak wet-weather flows. The tank would sit at the treatment plant site and be used intermittently to hold high flows, then pump that stored flow back to the plant when downstream flows recede.

Town staff estimated the project’s current funding gap at roughly $2,600,000. The project includes a developer contribution of $1,000,000 toward the tank; staff said the town will pursue grant funding — including MBTA-community funding programs for eligible projects — and, if necessary, a borrowing authorization to be repaid through the sewer enterprise fund.

Select Board Member David moved approval of the plan. The motion carried unanimously.

Jack described operational benefits beyond permit compliance: the tank provides capacity for maintenance and repairs by allowing operators to buffer flows while a reactor or treatment train is taken offline. He also said the tank’s covered design will include aeration and odor controls. \"It pumps into the tank, and then we would bleed it back in once the flows recede,\" Jack said.

Staff said they will pursue grants and bring a borrowing article to town meeting if grant awards do not fully cover the town’s share. Construction and final design work will continue; town officials said additional II (inflow & infiltration) investigation and targeted repairs remain a parallel priority to reduce long-term average flows into the plant.

Next steps: staff will continue design, file grant applications, and return to the board with final funding and borrowing language for town meeting approval if needed.","The Select Board voted unanimously to approve construction of a 300,000-gallon equalization tank at the Adams Street wastewater treatment facility to manage flows from the Powder Mill sewer extension. The project is estimated at about $2.6 million before grants and developer contributions; the developer will provide $1 million.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents urge more senior tax relief, Forest Road sidewalks; condominium owner raises shared water-meter dispute

State Rep. Simon Cataldo briefs Acton Select Board on state aid, housing, transportation and transparency bills

Acton manager proposes $40.94 million FY2026 budget; $43 million DPW facility ignites finance committee opposition

Acton Fire Department to pilot consolidated two-district staffing model for several months

Select Board unanimously approves 300,000-gallon equalization tank at Adams Street wastewater plant for Powder Mill sewer extension