Select Board October 6, 2026

City Council
October 6, 2026
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Executive Summary

At its hybrid meeting on October 6, 2026, the Wellesley Select Board approved the renewal of the town's Verizon cable television license effective November 6, 2026, and approved consent agenda items including extended operating hours for Maugus Cafe and a takeout license for Wellesley Repair. The Board held in-depth discussions regarding the FY28 budget guidelines, reaching a general consensus to support a 2.0% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for non-union staff in contrast to the HR Board's 2.3% to 2.5% recommendation. In preparation for Special Town Meeting, the Board evaluated proposed revisions to financial and capital stabilization policies under Article 5, reviewed substantial financial and construction risks associated with accelerated school air conditioning proposals under Articles 14 and 15, and heard staff analysis on free cash allocations, municipal reserves, and the White's Pond citizen petition. Following administrative reports, the Board voted to convene in executive session to discuss union negotiations and litigation regarding 40 Oakland Street.

Executive Director Updates and Citizen Speak

  • Chair Marjorie Freiman called the hybrid meeting to order, noting that proceedings were broadcast live on Comcast Channel 1073 and Verizon Channel 2139.
  • Assistant Executive Director Corey Testa reported that an individual had registered to participate remotely in Citizen Speak but was not present in the virtual waiting room.
  • Executive Director Meghan Jop provided community updates:
    • Approximately 250 residents attended the North 40 Charrette at Wellesley High School on October 1, 2026.
    • A hybrid public presentation and charrette for the Wellesley Square Improvement Project is scheduled for Wednesday, October 14, 2026, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Hunnewell Elementary School (28 Cameron Street).
    • The Climate Action Committee will host the Greater Needham and Wellesley Sustainability Summit on Friday, November 6, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Olin Hall, Babson College.
    • Recent business openings in Wellesley Square include Clarendon Gallery and Village Bank.

Consent Agenda

  • The Board considered two licensing requests:
    • A takeout food license application submitted by Claude Elias for Wellesley Repair / Lower Falls Gas Station at 46 Washington Street to install coffee and slush machines, subject to Board of Health approval.
    • An application for an updated Common Victualler and alcohol license for Maugus Cafe to extend closing hours from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily and allow opening at 7:00 a.m. on weekends.
  • A motion was made to approve the consent agenda as amended to reflect the Board of Health condition.
  • Passed 5-0.

Public Hearing on Verizon Cable Television Renewal License

  • Chair Freiman opened the public hearing pursuant to M.G.L. c. 166A regarding the proposed non-exclusive renewal license with Verizon New England.
  • Special Counsel Bill August and Verizon representative John Harrington participated in the hearing along with James Joyce, Executive Director of Wellesley Media Corporation.
  • The Board discussed Exhibit A of the agreement regarding municipal courtesy drops and confirmed with Verizon that additional public facilities, including the Tolles Parsons Senior Center, Municipal Light Plant, and potential recreational facilities at Morses Pond, can be added along service routes upon request by the issuing authority.
  • Special Counsel August noted the 2019 FCC in-kind benefit rule allows cable operators to charge for municipal service drops if the municipality receives the statutory maximum 5% franchise fee; however, Verizon has not exercised that reserved right in Wellesley.
  • A motion was made to close the public hearing.
  • Passed 5-0.
  • Motion made and voted:
    • "Acting in its capacity as a statutory cable television license issuing authority Pursuant to Mass General Law 166A and finding that the cable license renewal proposal of Verizon New England reasonably meets the cable-related renewal needs and interests of the public and town, and finding that Verizon's financial and technical qualifications and Verizon's local programming channels, facilities and services are reasonable to meet the town cable license needs. The Wellesley Select Board hereby approves and shall execute the proposed Wellesly Verizon renewal license to be effective November 6, 2026."
  • Passed 5-0.

FY28 Budget Guidelines and Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Discussion

  • Executive Director Meghan Jop outlined several FY28 budgetary pressures:
    • Open collective bargaining agreements and the upcoming health insurance Memorandum of Agreement ahead of April 2027 open enrollment.
    • Health insurance rates currently modeled at an 8% increase in the Town-Wide Financial Plan; West Suburban Health Group approved variable Medicare rates (Blue Cross Blue Shield at 2% to 5.6%, Harvard Pilgrim at ~13%, and Fallon at 2%), fitting within the budgeted 6% target.
    • Software cost increases: Munis financial software vendor requesting $100,000 annually over three years ($300,000 total); subscription software increases of 5% or higher; and $24,000 operating costs for applicant tracking software.
    • Contract and operational cost increases: DPW trash hauling renewal anticipated to increase by $75,000 to $100,000; water rates projected to rise 15%; sewer rates projected to rise 4%; yellow bus contract renewal; and potential doubling of square-foot lease costs upon the relocation of the Facilities Management Department (FMD) and land use divisions from 888 Worcester Street.
  • Human Resources Director Dolores Hamilton presented the Human Resources Board's COLA analysis:
    • Regional CPI for Boston-Cambridge-Newton measured at 3.7% in July; Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index at 3.4% in August; Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia consensus forecast at 2.3% for calendar years 2027 and 2028; comparable peer communities averaging 2.56% (median 2.5%).
    • The Human Resources Board voted to recommend a 2.3% to 2.5% COLA for FY28.
  • Town administration recommended a 2.0% COLA based on total compensation, noting non-union salary steps of 2.75% and an active merit pay pool averaging 2.9% ($275,000 appropriation), which resulted in overall wage growth of 4.75% to 4.9% last year. Finance Director Rachel noted FY28 includes 52.4 payroll weeks rather than 52.2, adding 0.39% to 0.4% in personal services costs.
  • The Select Board voiced consensus support for the administration's 2.0% COLA guideline recommendation to maintain budget discipline and control operating costs alongside extensive capital improvement demands; formal action will be taken when the complete guideline package is presented.

Special Town Meeting Preparation: Capital Stabilization Fund and Associated Policies (Article 5)

  • Select Board Member Colette Aufranc led a discussion on comprehensive updates to town debt and reserve policies and the creation of a Capital Stabilization Fund under Article 5.
  • Aufranc framed the strategy as three legs of a stool to address town capital needs approaching $400 million (building projects escalating from $93 million to $260 million, plus extensive enterprise and civil infrastructure projects):
    1. The Town-Wide Capital Planning Committee (CapCom) to provide holistic project evaluation.
    2. Explicit debt management parameters: capping General Fund debt service at or below 10% of gross revenues (Wellesley currently at 9.21%) and limiting total outstanding debt to 3% of equalized property valuation (Wellesley currently at 1.15%, statutory cap is 5%).
    3. A Capital Stabilization Fund to "shave the peak" of level-principal debt amortization on major projects by utilizing reserve funds to smooth annual taxpayer debt payments.
  • Policy proposals suggest establishing a combined reserve target of 25% of operating revenues, maintaining unrestricted reserves at 8% to 12% (or up to 15%) and directing the remainder to the Capital Stabilization Fund.
  • Board members Beth Sullivan Woods and Kenny Largess emphasized the need to preserve operational flexibility, model potential impacts on inside-the-levy borrowing and structural revenue imbalances, and obtain formal input and written metrics from financial advisor Hilltop Securities and credit rating agencies (Moody's).
  • Aufranc recommended deferring formal warrant action and policy adoption from Special Town Meeting to the 2027 Annual Town Meeting to allow for comprehensive modeling and public review.

Special Town Meeting Preparation: Town By-Law Committee Amendments to Articles 2, 2A, and 3 (Article 7)

  • Select Board Member Kenny Largess reported that the Town By-Law Committee reviewed feedback from the Advisory Committee to streamline and clarify proposed amendments to Articles 2, 2A, and 3.
  • The By-Law Review Committee will review final revisions on the morning of October 13, 2026, and present the final proposal to the Select Board for approval that evening.

Special Town Meeting Preparation: Free Cash Requests and School Air Conditioning (Articles 14 and 15)

  • The Board reviewed free cash requests scheduled for Special Town Meeting, including cash capital for the Town-Wide Financial Plan ($325,000) and the Comprehensive Plan ($350,000).
  • Finance Director Rachel reviewed certified reserves: General Fund free cash certified at $38.4 million as of June 30, 2026; combined with the General Purpose Stabilization Fund, town reserves stand at $42.6 million (21% of FY27 operating revenue). Hilltop Securities recommends maintaining at least $29 million in General Fund reserves.
  • FMD Director Joe McDonough delivered a technical risk assessment regarding School Committee Article 14 (Motion 2) and Citizen Petition Article 15 seeking to accelerate installation of school air conditioning:
    • The accelerated schedule would require design completion in 12 weeks for Bates and Fisk (November to mid-February), completely eliminating standard review periods and the 90% cost estimate checkpoint.
    • Construction would be compressed into 10 weeks over summer 2027 with no schedule float, high risk of equipment supply chain delays (including MLP transformer upgrades), and required Design Review Board approvals for over 350 exterior window units across four schools.
    • Under M.G.L. c. 149 public bidding rules, a short summer schedule with liquidated damages will discourage general contractors and likely generate fewer bids, inflated bid costs, or potential bid protests.
    • Current cost estimates ($4.1 million for Bates and Fisk; ~$18.5 million total) are derived strictly from a high-level feasibility study and do not constitute reliable construction cost figures; FMD and the Permanent Building Committee cannot provide definitive project costs until bids are received.
    • Internal project management resources are severely constrained due to an impending retirement, creating significant project management deficits for active RDF and solar projects.
  • The Board debated the public health and equity arguments for rapidly cooling learning environments against fiduciary risks, reserve depletion, and the risk of unvetted construction bids.

Special Town Meeting Preparation: White's Pond Citizen Petition

  • The Board discussed a citizen petition requesting free cash to fund legal title research and acquisition costs for White's Pond.
  • Select Board members expressed concerns that the petition:
    • Circumvents the CapCom review process and is not included in the Town-Wide Capital Plan.
    • Involves town counsel estimates of at least $100,000 for highly complex legal title resolution on a private matter without guarantee of property dedication to the town.
    • Exposes the town to long-term liabilities, including surface-level PFAS contamination, dam structural repairs, and dredging operations estimated to exceed $2 million without identified cost-sharing from private residents, the Conservation Land Trust, or Community Preservation Committee funds.

Administrative Matters and Draft Special Town Meeting Letter

  • The Board reviewed the framework for the Select Board's Town-Wide Special Town Meeting letter, emphasizing the necessity of clearly explaining the town's capital strategy, the three-legged stool approach, and long-range debt considerations.
  • Revisions will be submitted to staff ahead of the printing deadline on October 21, 2026.
  • The Board reviewed draft meeting minutes from September 8, 2026, and September 15, 2026, and considered accepting the Policy Subcommittee minutes of July 30, 2026.
  • A motion was made to approve the minutes of September 8, 2026, and September 15, 2026, and accept the Policy Subcommittee minutes of July 30, 2026.
  • Passed 5-0.

Chair's Report

  • Chair Freiman reported the following updates:
    • The School Committee voted not to advance a motion under Article 13 (bus contract) at Special Town Meeting.
    • School Department staffing adjustments show a net FTE increase driven by increased enrollment complexity and specialized programming in elementary schools.
    • Preliminary October 1 enrollment figures show a slight year-over-year decrease across the district, though totals remain slightly higher than initially projected.
    • Elementary MCAS scores demonstrated strong results in English Language Arts, Math, and Science, alongside high numbers of National Merit finalists; attendance initiatives continue at Wellesley High School.
    • The Advisory Committee will conduct its public hearing on Special Town Meeting warrant articles on October 7, 2026, and will issue a supplemental report.

Executive Session

  • A motion was made to enter executive session pursuant to M.G.L. c. 30A, § 21(a)(3) to conduct strategy sessions with respect to collective bargaining negotiations with the Wellesley Superior Officers Association and Dispatch Union, and to conduct strategy with respect to litigation regarding 40 Oakland Street; inviting Executive Director Meghan Jop, Assistant Executive Director Corey Testa, Human Resources Director Dolores Hamilton, Police Chief Scott Whittemore, Town Counsel Tom Harrington, Town Counsel Eric Russell, and Special Counsel Nicholas Shapiro; returning to open session solely to adjourn.
  • Passed 5-0.

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Last updated: Oct 7, 2026

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