The Board of Trustees of the Affordable Housing Trust of the Town of Southborough confirmed that the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) approved a warrant article creating an Affordable Housing Trust, but said Town Council removed a proposed two‑year sunset from the article because, the committee was told, a sunset requirement would not be legal.

The change matters because the original draft that the trustees supported included a two‑year sunset requiring the trust to return funds after a set period. Committee members said Town Council told them CPC cannot require transferred funds to return on a sunset date; the trustees removed the sunset language from the application before posting it to the town website.

Committee members said Town Council left reporting requirements and other statutory limits in place. The trustees said the posted application and final warrant article reflect those edits and that the select board voted unanimously to support the article.

Trustees discussed how to present the article at the Town Meeting scheduled for Monday, April 7. Doug (Trustee; meeting chair) said he will be out of town and asked for a volunteer to present. Several trustees — Paul, Ellen and others — agreed one or two trustees should prepare a short presentation and offer to meet with the moderator in advance; the trustees discussed a 4‑slide presentation that summarizes what the Affordable Housing Trust can and cannot do.

Trustees also noted likely public comment at Town Meeting and discussed talking points: that the trust was authorized by Town Meeting, that the trust is meant for a small set of statutorily permitted uses, and that the trust may be used for more than a single property purchase. The trustees agreed to prepare speaking points and, if necessary, brief slides to help the moderator and attendees understand the article.

Trustees said the final application and warrant article are posted on the town website and that committee members received the posted materials. They asked one another to confirm who will present and to contact the moderator to check the five‑minute presentation limit.

Trustees did not take a separate vote on the content of the warrant article at the meeting; they discussed presentation logistics and next steps for Town Meeting.