[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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",[32,76,88],{"_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":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6559483,"mediaKeyId","3203827-ac6a3709f050a32f820a77532aee46da","parentId",3203827,"title","Select Board signs annual town meeting warrant, appoints part‑time town accountant and advances FY26 budget overview","audioSeconds",4180,"startMs",2567000,"endMs",6747000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3203827-ac6a3709f050a32f820a77532aee46da&start=2567&end=6747","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3203827-ac6a3709f050a32f820a77532aee46da/thumbnail_2567000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6559483/Massachusetts/Select-Board-signs-annual-town-meeting-warrant-appoints-parttime-town-accountant-and-advances-FY26-budget-overview","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6559483-ccb59d344558485a962c20b4b87d3fdb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770403838&Signature=D7TWPn66kbnaLZf2s5xnkC60ubTqzk50Ra7Qy49Gad~OIYKD0JrTRnfLvWibNT8y4i9wSq~hEbWsFiSZzojMyWAHJJM6JZ1mGSitKm~-f1YNm-OhE3~8bg~0bywDuBqC3mrJVQgLc12jbdh3jfzjAw2wkZjQmyibgSbakYyH~GCrf2NkB1ZAxs1ZZAKtyDI8aLqHfXauIC5LKBBL6ub6tJvCQHQC-A9rfoSeR8L0Qegdrw-USE45K5SpXpTPtOf~nz~GZVWfX70LPG4YK--jfU~-~ukoLdHG-2n24y6PLPMz7-KS5IQNkDFy~ODdf00XybjGmhziF33GRYAa-pAdfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Hubbardston, MA","date","2025-05-06T00:00:00Z","article","The Hubbardston Select Board reviewed the proposed FY26 operating and capital budgets and related warrant articles during the May 5 joint Select Board and annual town meeting hearing and took three procedural actions: unanimous consent on the consent agenda, a motion to sign the annual town meeting warrant, and an appointment to the vacant part‑time town accountant position.

Town Administrator and finance staff presented the FY26 operating budget as an $11,805,504 package, a $646,000 (5.8%) increase over FY25, with the bulk of the increase coming from the regional school assessment. The presentation emphasized the budget was balanced with no operating override, no use of stabilization funds, and limited free cash for one‑time purchases. The administrators also detailed capital articles, including roads, technology, a pickup truck for fire operations, and a proposed $65,000 fire operations pickup with splits from free cash and a Halton Hospital fund contribution.

The Select Board voted to approve the consent agenda, which included routine administrative matters such as a one‑day liquor license for the Hubbardston Fair and early in‑person voting openings for the annual town election. The motion for the consent agenda carried on a voice vote.

The board then moved to sign the annual town meeting warrant for the June 2 hearing, placing the FY26 operating budget, several capital items, Community Preservation Act projects (including a proposed $40,000 library basement restoration), and an article to accept ownership and operating funds for the First Meeting House (historic preservation) on the warrant. The Select Board carried a motion to sign the warrant.

The board appointed Samantha Shatterton as part‑time town accountant (up to 20 hours per week). Shatterton addressed the board, summarizing her municipal finance background and saying she wanted to return to municipal accounting work after several roles in local government. The Select Board moved, seconded and approved the appointment by voice vote; the chair welcomed Shatterton to the post and said adjustments to the personnel authorization and compensation will be addressed with the finance committee as a personnel matter.

Board members also reviewed other warrant articles and capital items, including Community Preservation Act proposals (playground debt retirement and library basement work), cable PEG funding and relocation costs, and a proposed $5 million bridge replacement grant acceptance. Several residents asked questions on specific warrant items, particularly capital equipment and the proposed fire apparatus. Town staff promised to circulate additional supporting documents, including a planning board memo on zoning articles, to ensure voters have complete information ahead of the June meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town of Hubbardston: Select Board 5.5.25","oneSentenceSummary","At a May 5 joint Select Board/annual town meeting hearing, board members reviewed the FY26 operating and capital budgets, approved the consent agenda, signed the annual town meeting warrant for the June 2 session, and appointed Samantha Shatterton as part‑time town accountant (up to 20 hours/week).","taxTitle","Town of Hubbardston, Worcester County, Massachusetts","taxId",61645,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6559488,"Hubbardston hears debate over lower‑cost tanker vs. $1.1M custom fire engine; chief urges a mid‑range purchase to avoid long wait",909,4218000,5127000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3203827-ac6a3709f050a32f820a77532aee46da&start=4218&end=5127","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3203827-ac6a3709f050a32f820a77532aee46da/thumbnail_4218000.jpg","/articles/6559488/Massachusetts/Hubbardston-hears-debate-over-lowercost-tanker-vs-11M-custom-fire-engine-chief-urges-a-midrange-purchase-to-avoid-long-wait","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6559488-cd7f52cf95e15764ca4be42273f41dab/orig.mp4?Expires=1770403838&Signature=HwZo~ddvJfHNF9aZQuKeKI~r6s26JS0ldYTAV4CU7QxNOL9~iTWJ93OMQLqPyGfcTxdMc23S9bFXVH4sRhRVxiTB8cYGCSVq~1ZZ7glFZ3qP5rNUvarDj~qatbmIqyXLvgG61kAa67tUQCJFQK6ZM9FFN2FtMH4tNpmBotsG1cfu~eRItpj6lytQ6WBJOg9ZmGL~90L-Atg4RNQd9HjCRI2MmPJRwuoRVle8WQHGf6KQFO4~7XWsVvLGEYAooAYq3b~5-85Q4Scv~SopQ8REroHCecTor2LpTnnz5sCsu1YyROsWA4ZbVr7~jDJCURydf6j8e0B9lT4EjA603uNzeA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Select Board and residents debated a planned replacement of a municipal fire apparatus during the May 5 annual town meeting hearing, focusing on price, delivery time and operational capability.

Fire Chief presented options: a commercially‑chassis tanker priced just under $500,000 for immediate purchase and delivery on a 2024/2025 production timeline, or a custom ladder/tanker combination priced at roughly $1.1 million that would be built on a longer schedule. The chief said the commercial tanker would carry about 3,000 gallons of water, improving on the current 2,500‑gallon tanker and providing more time at scenes in a town with limited hydrant coverage.

“I would rather ensure that we have 3,000 gallons of water with some bows, ladders to go than waiting for 2 and a half, 3 years and not know,” the chief said, arguing that the town’s existing engine shows frame corrosion and may not last the multi‑year lead time for a custom build. The chief and multiple residents said the $1.1 million custom truck likely requires a debt‑exclusion vote and could fail at ballot, delaying replacement and creating a risk the existing truck will become inoperable while the town waits.

Residents asked technical and lifecycle questions about the proposals. Speakers described the commercial chassis truck as shorter and more maneuverable — important for Hubbardston’s stations and roads — while acknowledging it carries fewer compartments and some fewer tools than a full custom engine. The chief described the commercial option as meeting approximately 80% of operational needs and said mutual aid and additional apparatus would fill capability gaps on larger incidents.

Board members and residents discussed timing and procurement strategy. The vendor had multiple 2024 model tankers in inventory; the chief said he was attempting to secure a 2024 unit and had discussed an option to “lock in” a price pending the Town Meeting vote. The chief recommended a conservative purchase approach to maximize the chance of voter approval while reducing the immediate operational risk posed by the current apparatus.

No formal purchase vote occurred at the Select Board hearing; the discussion was part of the Annual Town Meeting warrant preview and capital plan review. The Select Board and town staff said they will try to secure firm pricing with the vendor and bring the item forward to voters in June as part of the capital articles if procurement paperwork can be locked pending voter authorization.","Select Board discussion and public questions focused on the town’s planned fire apparatus purchase, with the fire chief recommending a commercially‑chassis tanker (about $500,000) now to replace an aging engine rather than waiting years for a custom $1.1 million truck that might not pass at Town Meeting.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6559493,"Regional planners report Hubbardston met Green Communities criteria but warn missing data and utility delays could affect grants",1464,335000,1799000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3203827-ac6a3709f050a32f820a77532aee46da&start=335&end=1799","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3203827-ac6a3709f050a32f820a77532aee46da/thumbnail_335000.jpg","/articles/6559493/Massachusetts/Regional-planners-report-Hubbardston-met-Green-Communities-criteria-but-warn-missing-data-and-utility-delays-could-affect-grants","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6559493-71edb290bbe6830412c818dae27bf7b1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770403838&Signature=Mb-OqVVrZfxh35wfvnA3Qof4eRMQPhMkCl612zpC~Fd3ae0TtxoH7RKOwzWCWcgUNKA7fRfeIad3Tzt~Vs7EYn6wAHb5tAMExsYfvudlTOuMTExhba2lN3BTWcQItkmn2R7lXIJC19j7zqgKfqTp4mZa6ZvLmVhHyPWvvVZiy62RQ4BUmQfuwNHn5c3uvIL95zt0jS7KA~cLwqcy652wD7QobTt7dh9Dyuj56n8C8sr1GJOtahv3OSK6fd7EDVDTQemu0Ee9fafQOKRBa~6Zl1nD6azItYQld9Eyr6wMOCWQWNAaAtpP-hA3bdRUVWRvFqMBcZrbZHYbR2KomOUdXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission staff reviewed Hubbardston’s progress under the state Green Communities program on May 5, reporting overall energy reductions since the town’s FY2019 baseline while cautioning that gaps in fuel data and utility delays complicate certification and grant work.

The MRPC presentation covered the five Green Communities criteria, annual energy and emissions trends, and energy conservation measures (ECMs) such as heat pumps, LED retrofits, and pump replacements. MRPC staff said the town’s weather‑normalized data show a 20.6% reduction in total municipal energy use from the FY2019 baseline, but they warned that missing fuel data — notably for some oil‑heated municipal accounts and the highway garage — and one‑time changes to field irrigation schedules make year‑to‑year percentages volatile.

“Utilities upload the electric and natural gas automatically,” said Zach Kaye, a regional planner with MRPC, explaining how the agency compiles the datasets and which fuel accounts are manually entered. Kaye and other MRPC staff described two data sets used for the program — a weather‑normalized set and a raw set — and said auditors at the state will evaluate both when confirming whether the town has met the program’s 20% energy reduction target.

MRPC identified several municipal projects that contributed to efficiency gains, including heat‑pump installations at the Jonas Clark Public Library, interior and exterior LED lighting retrofits and VFD additions at Hubbardston Center School, and reset/optimization of outside‑air controls. The presentation highlighted that building energy use fell most sharply in FY2024 — including a roughly 41% drop in building energy — but presenters noted that those figures are “explained by the missing oil” data and thus likely to be revised when complete accounting is available.

Town staff and board members raised specific data questions during the presentation. MRPC staff explained that open‑space energy use is a small account and therefore sensitive to changes such as reduced field use or a nonoperational irrigation pump. Board members also pressed MRPC about how fuel use for municipal vehicles, private oil, and propane are collected and added to the inventory.

Select Board members and MRPC staff discussed grant opportunities tied to Green Communities status. MRPC listed competitive funding windows and caps currently available through the program, including up to $225,000 for certain Green Communities grants, up to $250,000 for expert grants, and multi‑year decarbonization grants up to $500,000. MRPC also described the “Climate Leader Communities” pathway — a higher‑tier program that requires a municipal decarbonization roadmap and use of the state stretch energy code — which would open additional funding for municipal electrification, solar plus storage, and coordinator seed funding.

Several speakers described operational hurdles that affect local project timelines. Board members and staff said National Grid delays have prevented heat pumps from being fully operational in one recently funded project; MRPC staff said the town would need a supplemental energy reduction plan to add a newly acquired building to the program baseline. MRPC recommended checking and correcting missing fuel uploads, and the presenters said they will follow up to bring updated data to the town.

The presentation closed with MRPC encouraging further project planning and grant applications, and with MRPC and town staff agreeing to review outstanding fuel and irrigation data before the state audit.","Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission presenters told the Hubbardston Select Board and annual town meeting hearing that the town has shown a 20.6% reduction in municipal energy use since the FY2019 baseline but cautioned that omitted fuel data and delays from National Grid are skewing results and slowing local projects tied to grant funding.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Select Board signs annual town meeting warrant, appoints part‑time town accountant and advances FY26 budget overview

Hubbardston hears debate over lower‑cost tanker vs. $1.1M custom fire engine; chief urges a mid‑range purchase to avoid long wait

Regional planners report Hubbardston met Green Communities criteria but warn missing data and utility delays could affect grants