Boxborough Finance Committee Defers Reserve Fund Draw, Debates Override Budget Strategy

BOXBOROUGH -- November 18, 2025, Boxborough Finance Committee defers a $37,000 bond principal transfer and debates a Proposition 2.5 override budget strategy. At the November 18 meeting, the committee chose to cover a December 1 bond principal payment from an existing debt-interest budget line rather than tap the reserve fund, deferring any formal transfer until May. Chair Maria Nealan will present draft A and B budget guidelines to the Select Board on Monday, with the A budget allowing spending increases "up to 5.5 percent" and the B budget capping increases at 2 percent assuming an override fails. Member Michelle argued against pursuing an override at all, citing macroeconomic uncertainty and a senior population she estimated at 30 percent of Boxborough residents on fixed incomes, but the committee did not reach consensus. School Committee liaison Liz Connor reported the Acton-Boxborough Regional district is targeting a 3.75 to 4.25 percent budget increase for FY27, which Finance Committee member John Greven calculated would produce a 5.9 to 13 percent increase in Boxborough's school assessment, Boxborough's share of a projected $118 million district budget is roughly $17.8 million. The Fire Station Building Committee has narrowed its search to three sites, 984 Mass Ave, 1300 Mass Ave, and 1300 and 72 Stowe Road, with environmental testing now underway at 984 Mass Ave and potential acquisition costs ranging from $1.2 million to $4.5 million.