Accountability Posts

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water rate increase preference

Winchester Select Board on 3/16 signaled preference for a flat 7% water/sewer rate hike for FY27 to hit retained earnings targets amid rising MWRA costs. Public hearing set for March 30. https://meetingwatch.org/ma/winchester/select-board/2026-03-16/ #MeetingWatch #WinchesterMA

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housing fund use and ZBA delays

Board approved paying $42k in back taxes on Washington/Swanton and Waterfield parcels from the Housing Fund, conditional on verification. ZBA delays already added ~$100k in interest costs. https://meetingwatch.org/ma/winchester/select-board/2026-03-16/ #MeetingWatch #WinchesterMA

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SPED reserve fund draw

Board voted to withdraw the remaining $110,334 from the Special Education Reserve Fund for unanticipated FY26 tuition and transportation costs after town meeting budget approval. https://meetingwatch.org/ma/winchester/select-board/2026-03-16/ #MeetingWatch #WinchesterMA

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warrant article actions

Select Board agreed to co-sponsor solar purchase Article 14 with School Committee and remove PPA Article 15 from the warrant at the 3/16 meeting. https://meetingwatch.org/ma/winchester/select-board/2026-03-16/ #MeetingWatch #WinchesterMA

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1

At the March 16 Select Board meeting, members reviewed FY27 water and sewer rate options to maintain a -2% retained earnings target. They leaned toward a level 7% increase ahead of the March 30 public hearing. #MeetingWatch #WinchesterMA

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2

a speaker noted that repeated rate hikes plus any potential override could pile up for residents and asked for alternatives to large annual increases. No final vote taken yet.

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3

The board also approved using Housing Fund money to cover $42k in back taxes on two parcels and discussed how ZBA delays on the Washington-Swanton project have already added roughly $100k in extra interest. https://meetingwatch.org/ma/winchester/select-board/2026-03-16/

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Longer-form draft.

At the March 16 Select Board meeting, members reviewed three FY27 water and sewer rate scenarios designed to keep retained earnings at the required -2% level given MWRA assessments and capital needs. The board expressed a clear preference for the level 7% option and will finalize a recommendation at the March 30 public hearing.

Separately, the board approved paying $42,052.48 in back taxes on the Washington/Swanton and Waterfield parcels from the Housing Fund, subject to verification that the taxes had not already been paid. Members also noted that six-month delays at the ZBA on the Washington-Swanton project have added approximately $100,000 in interest costs.

The board further authorized withdrawal of the remaining $110,334.33 from the Special Education Reserve Fund to cover unanticipated FY26 tuition and transportation expenses. https://meetingwatch.org/ma/winchester/select-board/2026-03-16/ #MeetingWatch #WinchesterMA