Financials & Expenditures

The Select Board moved to address a Special Town Meeting (STM) issue, as the original June 1st date for the STM could not be properly published. The Annual Town Meeting (ATM) on June 1st will proceed as planned. The Select Board voted to cancel the June 1st Special Town Meeting and instead scheduled a Special Town Meeting for June 16th, 2026, at Middleborough High School at 7 p.m.. The warrant for this Special Town Meeting was opened and closed on May 18th, 2026.

The Special Town Meeting will consider over $1 million in budget transfers. These articles include: $650,000 for health and life insurance, $350,000 for snow and ice, $75,000 for a water management permit and emergency response plan, $2,100 for a prior fiscal year bill, $348,579 for the Mayflower Wastewater Development Interceptor Project, and $56,000 for debris tank structure assembly repair. An additional $150,000 for accrued benefit (sick leave buyback) is also on the warrant. The Board also voted to rescind an appropriation of $575,844 for the Mayflower Water Department Wastewater department interceptor project.

The Select Board approved consolidating polling locations, projecting an annual savings of approximately $20,777. This includes $10,208.50 in police detail savings and $180 for AutoMARK machine usage for Precinct 3, plus similar savings for Precincts 5 and 5A.

Kearsarge Energy proposed a 20-year Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreement for a battery storage project at Lifehouse Church on Jericho Road. This project is projected to save Middleborough Gas & Electric Department (MGD) an estimated $10-14 million over 20 years from “peak shaving” benefits and $600,000 from other revenue streams. The initial proposed PILOT is $11,000 per year with a 1.5% escalator, but Kearsarge Energy is flexible, and the Select Board will discuss a potentially higher 2.5% escalator to align with Proposition 2½. The Board aims to discuss this again on June 8th.

The Town Manager search consultants, Municipal Resources, Inc. (MRI), informed the board that a competitive salary range is crucial, citing examples like Marshfield and Mansfield at $235,000, Upton at $200,000, and Cohasset advertising up to $225,000. Citizen Glen Montalbano expressed concern about these figures given the town’s $3.6 million deficit. The Select Board will discuss the Town Manager salary range at a future meeting, likely next week.

Zoning & Planning

Kearsarge Energy plans to use 10-12,000 square feet of land at Lifehouse Church on Jericho Road for the battery storage project, which will include landscaping. The company claimed they had completed permitting with the Planning Board, Conservation Commission (Con Com), and the Fire Captain. However, Select Board members and a citizen questioned this, with Select Board member Miss McGee stating she did not recall the project coming before the Planning Board in her seven years of service. A citizen also suggested a variance might be needed. Kearsarge Energy was asked to provide further documentation regarding permitting.

Resident Action & Public Hearings

A Special Town Meeting (STM) is scheduled for June 16th, 2026, at Middleborough High School at 7 p.m. to vote on several budget transfer articles. The Annual Town Meeting (ATM) will proceed as planned on June 1st.

The Select Board voted to approve the consolidation of three polling locations. Precinct 3 will move from the South Fire Station to Middleborough High School, and Precincts 5 and 5A will move from the Council on Aging to Nichols Middle School. The Town Clerk’s office will mail postcards to all affected households (estimated one-time cost of $2,000) and use social media, the town website, and physical notices to inform voters of the change.

Public listening sessions for the Town Manager search will be scheduled by Municipal Resources, Inc. (MRI), likely at locations like the Council on Aging or the library, with an anonymous email option for public comments. These sessions will gather input on the ideal candidate profile.

The Hidden News

The Middleborough Museum at 18 Jackson Street will open on June 6th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will be open every Saturday until the end of October. Volunteer training for museum guides will be held on May 30th, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at 18 Jackson Street.

The Peter H. Pierce Homestead is the local partner for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, reaching out to the Middleborough Early Education Center and planning further outreach through Saint Vincent de Paul and a Pride Day pop-up. The homestead is also involved in the 250th commemoration of the American Revolution, distributing flyers about local commissioned officers and offering “Middleboro 250” pins funded by an anonymous donation. Colonel Peter Percy’s library at 132 North Main Street will host an educational exhibit, “Bringing the Revolution to Middleboro,” which opens Memorial Day from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. The homestead will also host an antique fair on May 30th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. which has attracted visitors from outside the region.

During discussions on precinct consolidation, several residents raised concerns about accessibility and voter behavior. Louise Dairy Wells highlighted the importance of voting traditions and questioned if the $20,000 savings was worth potentially changing voter behavior or disenfranchising voters in South Middleboro. Nancy Cephalus noted parking and ADA concerns at the high school and suggested considering retired officers for police details, though the Police Chief stated this is a contractual issue. Nathan Summers voiced concern that some residents might experience three polling location changes in ten years, viewing the $20,000 savings as insufficient to justify interrupting routines or potentially causing disenfranchisement, especially for town elections lacking early voting options. Police Chief Robert Ferrara supported the consolidation, citing safety concerns with parking and traffic on Route 28 at the South Middleborough fire station. Precinct 3 Warden Adriana Mack explained that some voters with mobility issues in South Middleborough may stop voting if the location moves from their accessible local station to the high school. Precinct 5 Warden Judy expressed concern about parking and congestion at Nichols Middle School, fearing a loss of the “small community” ambience.