The Southborough Select Board voted March 18 to register its support for multiple warrant articles ahead of the annual town meeting scheduled for April 7 and discussed logistics and presentations for both the annual and an upcoming May special town meeting on the Neary school project.

Board members unanimously voted to support Community Preservation Committee (CPC)–related articles and other capital articles the board had not yet taken a position on, including article 24 and article 25 (CPC adjustments) and article 26 (Town Common fence/railing). The board also approved support for article 27, a transfer to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, noting the trust had not yet completed a formal vote but was broadly aligned on the proposal.

Mark (staff member) told the board that the current warrant is down to 37 articles after late changes. He said the Chartier School roof schematic design was separated into its own article because the state requires specific language, and a transfer from the 9-11 field revolving fund for turf reimbursement was removed after guidance from DLS. Community Preservation Committee members voted to bring forward four articles and withdrew a proposed fire truck article as “not ready,” according to staff reporting.

On article 26, the Town Common fence/railing, staff said the CPC application requested $110,000 and the article presented to town meeting asks to appropriate $121,000 (including a 10% contingency). The article language sets a project completion deadline of June 30, 2028, with CPC allowed to grant extensions for good cause if necessary.

Board members discussed logistics for town meeting and related events: a pre‑town meeting on April 24 at 6:00 p.m. at the senior center, assignment of Select Board members to move articles and present where needed, and expectations that planning‑related articles (ADU and parking and loading changes) will be presented by the Planning Board. The board agreed that department heads should be prepared to present if budget items are held (for example, police or fire department budget items), naming Chief Brian Newell and Fire Chief Patini as examples of staff who should be ready if holds occur.

The board also set a joint meeting with the K–8 School Committee, the Neary building committee and advisory for April (time and date distributed in the meeting were identified as an April meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the townhouse) as a final opportunity to review facts ahead of a May special town meeting on the school project. Staff said a calendar of focused smaller meetings (finance, site, educational benefits) will be circulated to help board members and the public follow the schedule.

On scheduling, the board revised proposed office hours in May to avoid the annual town election May 13 and agreed on May 14 as an alternate; a June 10 office hour was also discussed. The board set 6:00 p.m. as an arrival time for town meeting presentations and expected to post a meeting at 6:00 to allow final preparations.

Other routine items were approved during the meeting: the Select Board approved consent agenda items, accepted corrections to prior minutes and approved the March 4 and February 25 open session meeting minutes as amended. The board concluded the open session by voting to enter executive session under chapter 30A, section 21 to discuss litigation strategy and not return to open session.

No members of the public spoke during the public comment period at the start of the meeting.