All-Board September 29, 2026

• The meeting was called to order with the Select Board in full attendance, establishing a quorum.
• A quorum was also noted for the Board of Health.
• The School Committee noted it had only two members present and did not have a quorum.

Executive Director Meghan Jop provided an overview of preliminary projections and major cost drivers for the Fiscal Year 2028 (FY28) budget:

• Collective Bargaining: Nine town union contracts remain open, with negotiations ongoing alongside the Human Resources department. School collective bargaining with the teachers union is also actively underway.
• Health Insurance:
  • The memorandum of agreement (MOA) covering health insurance expires June 30th. Bargaining across all town unions and the teachers union is scheduled to commence by late October to finalize rates prior to April 1 open enrollment.
  • Hub International commenced as the new administrator on September 1st, replacing Gallagher after 30 years.
  • The Town-Wide Financial Plan projects an 8% increase in medical insurance costs and a 5% increase for ancillary benefits.
  • Medicare plan rate changes take effect January 1st; preliminary indications suggest an aggregate increase slightly above the factored 6% (Blue Cross Blue Shield is tracking near 5.8%, while Harvard Pilgrim is tracking between 10% and 12%).
  • Any proposed new municipal positions require an estimated $28,000 allowance for health insurance costs.
• Technology and Operational Costs:
  • Munis financial software will require a cost increase of $100,000 annually over the next three years to transition to a cloud platform. Town staff are evaluating the variability of municipal rates with peer communities and considering consultation with the State Inspector General's office.
  • General IT software contracts typically increase at 5% annually.
  • The new applicant tracking and recruitment software managed by HR carries an ongoing centralized operational cost of approximately $24,000 annually.
• Cash Capital and Reserves:
  • Meeting personal services obligations may constrain cash capital to 6.0% or less of the budget, down from previous target ranges of 6.2% to 6.8%.
  • Free cash usage within the operating budget was targeted to reduce by $250,000 annually down to $2,000,000, though exceeding that draw may be necessary to balance the FY28 budget.
• Timeline: Final budget guidelines are scheduled for Select Board approval on October 13th.

Department representatives presented updates regarding preliminary budgets and service projections:

• Department of Public Works (DPW):
  • Anticipates a level of service budget.
  • The primary operating budget cost driver is the expiration of the five-year trash contract; negotiations suggest an approximate 8% increase (between $75,000 and $100,000).
  • Early Enterprise Fund rate projections suggest an estimated 15% water rate increase and a 4% sewer rate increase.
• Wellesley Free Library:
  • Projects a level budget without new staffing positions or initiatives, aside from an estimated minimum 5% increase in Minuteman consortium and software support licenses.
  • Announced a donation from the Wellesley Free Library Foundation supporting the reopening of the Hills Branch Library, scheduled for October 6th (with a preview for boards and staff on October 5th).
• School Committee:
  • Introduced Dr. David Jordan, who began in July as the new Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations.
  • Feasibility analysis for air conditioning across four schools has concluded, with design funding requests slated for the November Special Town Meeting to pursue window unit solutions.
  • Modular team rooms at the Hunnewell track and field are undergoing utility hookups and are scheduled for completion in late fall or early winter.
  • Formed a School Facilities Task Force to evaluate long-term district infrastructure needs across a 20-year horizon, including preschool facilities and the future use of the Upham School site.
  • Operating expenses face pressure from ongoing teachers union negotiations, transportation contract expiration for yellow buses at the close of the school year, and potential staffing impacts resulting from revised state graduation standards following the elimination of the MCAS graduation requirement.
• Human Resources Board:
  • Reported that town personnel policies may be brought forward comprehensively in the future rather than through piecemeal batches at Town Meeting, which may require temporary consultant resources.

Select Board Member Colette Aufranc presented updates on administrative policies under review:

• Permit Withholding for Unpaid Municipal Charges: Drafted to operationalize existing town bylaw authorities allowing withholding of municipal permits from parties with outstanding charges or fees. Input was incorporated from the Natural Resources Commission (NRC), and feedback remains open for other licensing bodies.
• Abutter Parcel Sale Program: Establishes standard procedures if an abutter requests to purchase surplus or remnant town-owned land. Emphasized that any land disposition requires Town Meeting approval, and the policy prioritizes first offering parcels to internal town boards and committees to verify potential municipal or conservation uses before proceeding.

Executive Director Meghan Jop and Town Moderator Mark Kaplan provided updates on Town Meeting logistics and municipal initiatives:

• Town Meeting Dates:
  • Fall Special Town Meeting is scheduled for November 9th and 10th (with November 16th reserved as an optional third night).
  • Annual Town Meeting dates are scheduled for March 29–30 and April 5, 6, 12, and 13, 2027.
• Town Meeting Logistics:
  • Anticipated Special Town Meeting warrant will include a consent agenda of two to three articles and approximately ten individual articles.
  • Speakers' podiums will be used at Town Meeting to facilitate presentations.
  • An automatic visual scroll-through of electronic voting results will be implemented during sessions; any voting discrepancies must be brought forward immediately on the floor, as official records will not be altered afterward.
• North 40 Property: A public design charrette regarding future uses of the North 40 property was scheduled for the upcoming Thursday at Wellesley High School. Town staff continue to coordinate with the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) to finalize an associated conservation restriction.
• Fire Station 1 Facility Study: The Select Board continues to review master plan findings identifying two preferred candidate locations for a replacement Station 1: the North 40 parcel along Weston Road, or Morton Park near the Police Department. Feasibility funding has been deferred from the fall Special Town Meeting to the 2027 Annual Town Meeting at the earliest.

Select Board Member Colette Aufranc summarized recent activity by the newly established Capital Budgeting Committee (CapCom) and outlined ongoing policy development:

• Committee Structure: CapCom serves as a standing advisory body to the Select Board on capital prioritization, comprising two Select Board members, one Board of Public Works representative, one School Committee representative, one resident member with construction/finance expertise (Tom Goemaat), and non-voting administrative staff.
• Schedule and Workload: CapCom convened on June 16 and September 28 to review project proposals and DPW site projects. Recommendations from staff and the Chief Financial Officer regarding financing methods will occur in November, followed by final committee votes on January 25 and presentation to the Select Board on January 26.
• Policy Exploration:
  • To avoid projected cumulative tax impacts of up to 30% from overlapping major capital requests over the next four to seven years, the Select Board Policy Subcommittee is studying peer-town debt management benchmarks, including caps on debt service as a percentage of overall revenue and debt volume relative to equalized valuation.
  • Consideration of a Capital Stabilization Fund as recommended by the Massachusetts Division of Local Services (DLS) to smooth spikes from the town's stable principal pay-down borrowing structure by pre-funding debt service peaks with surplus reserves.

Executive Director Meghan Jop provided status updates on key planning and commercial developments:

• MassBay Community College: Matters remain active in litigation; no substantive progress to report.
• 49 Walnut Street: 28-unit residential proposal completed the Project of Significant Impact (PSI) review and is pending before the Wetlands Protection Committee before proceeding to Site Plan Review.
• 888 Worcester Street: Acquired by Jumbo Capital with preliminary concepts for assisted living, independent living, and memory care facilities; the proponent is expected to present rezoning proposals to the Planning Board and Select Board ahead of the 2027 Annual Town Meeting.
• 592 Washington Street: Residential development at the former funeral home and Century 21 parcels finished PSI review and is advancing toward Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) site plan review.
• Wellesley Lower Falls (Haines Estate Parcels): 11 acres acquired by Boylston Properties; office buildings on Washington Street will undergo renovation, with larger-scale residential development anticipated approximately two years out.
• Taylor Block: Jumbo Capital confirmed redevelopment plans will remain deferred for approximately five years pending the completion of the 888 Worcester Street project.
• Cedar Street: 110 Cedar Street acquired by Jumbo Capital; development intent remains undetermined.
• Traffic Studies:
  • Toole Design was retained to evaluate town-wide amenities and Wellesley Square circulation in partnership with the Traffic Safety Group, with public forums scheduled for October 14th and November 18th (6:30 PM at Hunnewell School).
  • Howard Stein Hudson is advancing intersection redesign concepts for the Fells area supported by a $600,000 state earmark.

Assistant Executive Director Corey Testa delivered a status report on the newly launched Citizens Leadership Academy:

• The eight-week municipal education academy launched on September 17, 2026.
• The initial session introduced town governance, the Select Board, budget procedures, the Town Clerk's office, and Veteran Services.
• The second session featured a two-mile field walk and tree-planting project with the Natural Resources Commission along the Fuller Brook Path near Wellesley Green.
• Program participants are encouraged to attend the North 40 charrette in lieu of a formal classroom session during the current week, and comprehensive feedback surveys will be collected at course conclusion to inform future sessions.