[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6108281,"mediaKeyId","2769457-7e1a5a49eb4c656bb52945beaf4705ba","parentId",2769457,"title","Votes at a glance: Charlton Select Board approves routine appointments, event permits and closes warrant","audioSeconds",104,"startMs",2009000,"endMs",2113000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2769457-7e1a5a49eb4c656bb52945beaf4705ba&start=2009&end=2113","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2769457-7e1a5a49eb4c656bb52945beaf4705ba/thumbnail_2009000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6108281/Town-of-Charlton/Worcester-County/Massachusetts/Votes-at-a-glance-Charlton-Select-Board-approves-routine-appointments-event-permits-and-closes-warrant","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108281-6b583e60dc63f851b21688f14c7574c7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437812&Signature=DFeDj9dWSmNmT8-E3SRKoPHyRz-Q0MzV8TvQSaOqU3i4~tusXGli-mg89G5DEoUTImvv64u9UhlPnRucyFs0mqVx4qFtqTelgp3svjuhjGR8bPVMC9cyFNK~PI3lzlxj3ENJGSpKQU-24dhPlVyqnz3upkUcPhXLO0rlkL6VV6ALggt69IUrST1N-NtUVrVPxUqqQhtKQ-6pK8zkHkIHckAZ~MwGBo8OP2aF-JH7b~gTboviJ28UcyBWXUtbb5~WaDU~EA8gCkX9A9kJCJ1XM~sdPxgoqazv75UyGcugQyucF1I~orgj2pSfGPfSpma0T-Nkg3w8fwztbKP7SneDpQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Charlton, MA","date","2025-03-26T00:00:00Z","article","The Town of Charlton Select Board took several routine but formal actions during its March 25 meeting. All votes recorded in the meeting transcript passed unanimously; the transcript does not include roll-call tallies.

Key actions recorded in the meeting minutes:

- Accepted minutes of the March 11 regular meeting (motion and unanimous vote).
- Appointed Nick Schwanier to a light-equipment-operator position in the Highway Department following interviews; the board voted unanimously to appoint him.
- Appointed Kathleen Dermody and Bruce Meanan to the Community Center Feasibility Committee, an ad hoc committee whose terms expire upon completion of assigned duties; appointment motion passed unanimously.
- Received and accepted with regret a retirement notice from Robert Anderson, light-equipment operator in the Highway Department, who plans to retire on July 24, 2025 after 28 years of service; acceptance of the notice was unanimous.
- Approved a special alcoholic-beverage license application from David Robinson for wine and malt beverages for a wedding at Camp Jocelyn on May 10, 2025 (staff recommended dates on the license cover May 10–11 to allow pickup of leftover alcohol); motion passed unanimously.
- Approved a special-event permit for the CAAC Blueberry Festival scheduled for July 27, 2025 at Fort Dreiser Hill; the application had received approvals from fire, building and police departments and the board voted unanimously to approve the permit.
- Closed the warrant for the upcoming Town Meeting (motion to close carried unanimously). The board’s chair said the warrant will not be reopened barring an emergency.

The board also entertained a motion to adjourn, which passed unanimously.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town of Charlton: Select Board Meeting March 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its March 25 meeting the Select Board unanimously approved minutes, appointments, a retirement notice, a special alcohol license, a special-event permit, and formally closed the warrant for the upcoming Town Meeting.","taxTitle","Town of Charlton, Worcester County, Massachusetts","taxId",54464,"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},6108286,"Selectman urges town leaders to press school committee over disputed teaching materials and social media posts",138,195000,333000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2769457-7e1a5a49eb4c656bb52945beaf4705ba&start=195&end=333","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2769457-7e1a5a49eb4c656bb52945beaf4705ba/thumbnail_195000.jpg","/articles/6108286/Town-of-Charlton/Worcester-County/Massachusetts/Selectman-urges-town-leaders-to-press-school-committee-over-disputed-teaching-materials-and-social-media-posts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108286-252fb108f5bd15186d85ede7174b15cb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437812&Signature=c3BejTbEaaAppgIDkOSa-Vngn1U4mI2xnght-lQYCTP9nJMqKyLGjLRsyCeeGscaD0QkjvXUZIDeflJ53IUvRFJZxehAiydBacQ~7587~pAPCErhDRCoM5caCQwN9A~YPOAh-wafYz7Qxj7PDfVhHQM6wfqnXYj~vtSGWjEXjCXDTnhJG8nw2a6BLEMMYGioMTsDLwA8SvDthRZbDsUc95G7B5pOewBu2drH62Jq35cm57tR7pXSdEDc~7KOL00KfEnY~rLUjUqJLOTLHBjMhwPcFRssim-pnLASH59WhhGFg1PdgALWSDUa-D5n0C1hicVldUts3Fze1xI1Ihf-tg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","David Singer, a Selectman and Charlton resident, used the board’s community forum on March 25 to urge town leaders to press the school committee and superintendent about teaching materials and social-media posts he described as objectionable.

Singer told the Select Board he had attended a recent school committee meeting to ask whether the committee or the superintendent had taken action after the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) “released, blatantly antisemitic and pro‑terrorist propaganda as teaching materials,” according to Singer’s remarks. Singer said committee members appeared unaware of the materials but that the superintendent said he was aware and had not taken action.

Singer said that, in the days after the school committee meeting, he saw what he described as a school committee member’s social-media posts that “repost[ed] other posts in support of those who are guilty of instigating violence against others, against students, property damage” and that, in Singer’s view, such reposting was “not becoming of a school committee member.”

Singer asked the Select Board to consider whether the school committee and superintendent would issue a public statement condemning the materials and the social-media activity and to make clear that “this is still a no‑place‑for‑hate community.” He framed the request as relevant to upcoming school‑budget discussions.

The transcript records Singer’s concerns and his request to the board but does not include responses from the school committee or the superintendent, nor does it identify the school committee member Singer referenced. The Select Board did not take formal action on Singer’s request during the March 25 meeting; the comment was made during the public comment portion of the agenda.","Selectman David Singer told the Select Board during public comment he is concerned about teaching materials released by the Massachusetts Teachers Association and about a school committee member’s social-media activity; he asked the board and the town to consider whether the school district will issue a public statement.",{"_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},6108291,"Charlton reviews first annual comprehensive financial report; draft budget factors in fire station, landfill capping debt",1072,844000,1916000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2769457-7e1a5a49eb4c656bb52945beaf4705ba&start=844&end=1916","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2769457-7e1a5a49eb4c656bb52945beaf4705ba/thumbnail_844000.jpg","/articles/6108291/Town-of-Charlton/Worcester-County/Massachusetts/Charlton-reviews-first-annual-comprehensive-financial-report-draft-budget-factors-in-fire-station-landfill-capping-debt","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108291-0a79ae479198343743da571cb753ecdd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437812&Signature=jN8BCOFVjElRqF9rWAvpzoTjzDYzu1LJxov7NEhACMho7tsdv33U0XASWcxDQXQNVjJbkjdxnqtif34oPwuwavwfJ8BmIMBdtTSWKyv-vlM21u5d8OYfNUCfzfE97lMnIbV1QeyEKcPb2QgoGEorM4GKm~YLqPDhX4qjS-lZeQX8AJSNw4DcMUmv5GW5xdyoFdBk6NRc1TfUNrHcDxTBTup0BQtT4mPvzUeL~n8G0YoLI1gE4CZjfkXz-XPtks8FhaBfFDupdsoAcaWCcqJn2RBKG9nrdfnw8QHgm0N3eLhaFx5u8dELX-EiU5eUXvq9N3CI2TRHODTD~2k7l5kbFA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ashley Oberza, the town’s finance director and treasurer-accountant, presented Charlton’s first Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) to the Select Board on March 25 and said the report has been submitted to the Government Finance Officers Association for consideration for a Certificate of Achievement in financial reporting.

The ACFR expands on the town’s previous GAAP-based audited financial statements, offering what Oberza described as a “much broader range of important financial information” designed to increase transparency for residents and lenders. “By preparing this comprehensive report, we become eligible for the GFOA certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting,” Oberza said.

The presentation set the stage for a discussion of the draft FY26 budget. Town Administrator Andrew Golos and finance staff reviewed the draft, which keeps general-government staffing at status quo while adding several public-safety positions the board previously prioritized. Golos said the draft includes an administrative sergeant and another emergency telecommunicator for public safety, and an EMS officer in the fire/EMS budget.

Board members and staff discussed several multi-year capital and debt items that are reflected in the draft budget. The Select Board previously approved a $2,000,000 borrowing authorization for landfill capping; Golos said the town received MassDEP approval to proceed with procurement and expects construction procurement to begin this summer, with much of the work carried out in fall and winter and final capping in spring–summer of next year. He said the project is expected to take about a year and a half once contracts are executed.

Golos and Oberza described the draft debt-service increases as tied primarily to early borrowing for the fire station (referred to in meeting materials as the substation) and the landfill cap. During the presentation staff referenced interest and debt-service amounts in the draft—Oberza and Golos cited roughly \"one hundred and thirty\" (thousand) related to the substation interest and roughly \"seventy thousand\" for landfill-related interest in the draft figures, and they said some debt service also anticipates the fire engine purchase if it passes at Town Meeting. The transcript does not specify precise line-item authorizations or final borrowing amounts beyond the previously approved $2,000,000 landfill authorization.

Board members and staff also discussed other finance items in the ACFR and budget. Oberza said the ACFR submission deadline was January 31 for the current year and will shift to December 31 in future years; she said the town expects to hear back from the GFOA in six to nine months. The board and staff noted recent positive comments from S&P and the town’s financial advisor about the town’s practice of prefunding liabilities.

A board member raised concern about funding the town’s OPEB (other post-employment benefits) liability; Golos said current estimates put full funding in the 10- to 12-year range, but that actuarial changes or state policy shifts could alter that timeline. Oberza and Golos recommended continued monitoring and potentially increasing annual contributions.

Board members also noted the town’s ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds are largely allocated and being drawn down, with the largest remaining pool identified for radio-system improvements; Oberza said allocations were completed last year and projects must be spent by the end of the calendar year.

The Select Board and finance staff emphasized health-insurance cost pressures—the draft budget includes a projected 19% increase in health-care costs—and noted the school budget remains the town’s largest expenditure, estimated in discussion at roughly 47–50 percent of the operating budget (the transcript offers that range rather than a single definitive percentage). Staff said they intend to post the ACFR on the town website and share it with the finance committee for more detailed review.

No formal votes on borrowing or budget adoption occurred at the March 25 meeting; the board treated the draft budget as a preliminary review and referred the draft to the finance committee for further work.","Finance director presented the town's first Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for GFOA review; select board reviewed a draft FY26 budget that includes debt service for a fire station and a previously approved $2,000,000 landfill capping project.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Charlton Select Board approves routine appointments, event permits and closes warrant

Selectman urges town leaders to press school committee over disputed teaching materials and social media posts

Charlton reviews first annual comprehensive financial report; draft budget factors in fire station, landfill capping debt