The Charlton Select Board on April 8 voted to approve borrowing steps for the town’s fire substation and a landfill cap project, add a borrowing article for a new fire engine to the annual town meeting warrant, and permit a National Grid pole relocation connected to the fire station work.

The moves clear financing and right-of-way steps the town identified as necessary as construction begins. Treasurer/Collector Virginia Porter presented the request to authorize signing notes for borrowing for the fire substation project and for a landfill-cap project; the board approved the motion without discussion by unanimous voice vote. The board also voted to reopen the annual town meeting warrant and add Article 5, a borrowing article for a fire engine; that motion likewise passed unanimously.

Town staff reported that mobilization for the new fire station has already commenced. Tower construction started, silt fencing and security fencing were installed around the site, and staff said they are coordinating with the district to reduce traffic impacts during the mobilization phase. The Select Board approved a National Grid petition to install a single pole on Oxford Road to accommodate the fire station project after a public hearing in which no abutter concerns were recorded.

All three formal actions were voice votes recorded as unanimous “Aye.” The board’s approvals enable the treasurer to complete loan paperwork and allow National Grid to proceed with the pole work tied to the station site.

Background: the annual town meeting warrant must be posted with the town clerk’s office by April 24; the board voted to add the borrowing article for the engine ahead of that deadline. Officials said the added borrowing article and the signed notes are procedural steps needed to secure financing before construction continues.

No members of the public spoke against the borrowing requests or the pole petition during the hearings. The board did not set specific financing terms in public discussion; the motions approved were to authorize the signing of notes and to add the borrowing article to the warrant.