The Select Board met on Monday, April 13th, 2026, addressing significant financial, planning, and resident-focused items.

Financials & Expenditures

The Board approved the appraisal and authorized the interim town manager to execute a purchase and sale agreement for $210,000 to acquire approximately 5.5 acres of land on Spruce Street. This land is adjacent to the Spruce Street well, one of Middleboro’s best-performing wells. The purchase is intended to protect the well and provide space for a potential future replacement well, preventing the parcel from being developed as a buildable lot. The funds will come from retained earnings, and the purchase will be placed on the Special Town Meeting warrant for June 1st, 2026.

Middleboro faces a $3.3 million budget shortfall. The interim town manager is engaging in “impact bargaining” with various town unions, including library, gym, police, fire, and clerical, to address potential layoffs. This process involves discussing impacts such as severance, seniority, and layoff timing.

The Board is seeking more specific proposals for a forensic audit. Initial feedback indicates a town-wide audit, covering both school and town budgets for three years, may be cost-prohibitive. The Board decided to obtain pricing for various scopes (town only, school only, one-year, three-year) to make a decision after reviewing the 2025 audit results, expected by the end of April. Senate Cherry Sheet numbers were anticipated on Wednesday, April 15th, 2026.

The employment contract with the administrative assistant to the Select Board was terminated effective April 17th, 2026, due to budget cuts. The employee was still on probation, and legal counsel advised this action before the probation period ended to avoid future contract renegotiations. The Board emphasized this was a difficult budget cut, not a reflection on the employee’s performance, and thanked her for her service.

Zoning & Planning

A propane storage permit for Devaney Energy Inc. at 200 Canopy Drive was unanimously approved. The permit allows for four 1000-gallon underground propane tanks, following approval from the Interim Fire Chief.

Discussion and a vote on a Class Two Automobile Dealer License for Auto Medic, LLC at 25 Williams Street were postponed to April 27th, 2026. Board members had concerns about the lack of a detailed plan for vehicle display and parking, especially regarding any outside storage. The applicant was requested to attend the next meeting and provide a sketch of their proposed operations, as they aim to begin business by May 1st.

A public hearing was held regarding a special permit application by Darren Michaelis on behalf of Foresight Engineering, Inc. for a 7-foot by 60-foot wooden bridge at 5 Kelly Drive. The bridge, already constructed, crosses a stream in a Water Resource Protection District zone four and is for the property owner’s recreational access to the rear of the property. The applicant agreed to replicate 950 square feet of wetlands adjacent to the riverfront area. Despite concerns about the bridge being built without prior permission, potential environmental impact from vehicle spills, and the use of telephone poles (which may contain creosote), the Board voted to approve the permit, noting that removing the bridge might cause more damage and that wetland replication would occur.

Resident Action & Public Hearings

The Board voted to approve mandatory water use restrictions for the Middleboro Summer Water Management Program, effective May 1st, 2026, until September 30th, 2026. These state-mandated restrictions are for non-essential outdoor watering:

• Non-essential outdoor watering is restricted to before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m.
• Even-numbered addresses may water on Tuesdays and Fridays only.
• Odd-numbered addresses may water on Mondays and Thursdays only.
• No non-essential outdoor water use is allowed on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Violations will result in a warning for the first offense, a $100 fine for the second, and a $250 fine for subsequent offenses. These restrictions do not apply to private wells, though well owners are encouraged to conserve water.

A reminder was issued for water flushing at Oak Point on Thursday, April 16th, 2026, between 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Residents may experience rusty water and should run cold faucets until clear before cooking or laundry. Flushing is performed twice yearly for water quality and system maintenance.

A new Capital Planning representative from the Select Board was needed. Mr. Pike volunteered and was unanimously approved.

The Town Manager search is ongoing, with proposals due around April 24th, 2026. An internal evaluative process will follow, with a recommendation to the Board likely in the first week of May.

The Hidden News

Karen Foy, Director of Media Technology, clarified that the “Middleboro Community Update” newsletter is a new format, not a Town Manager’s Report. It focuses on town department updates, local events, photos, and recognitions. The April edition is available on the town website and social media, and she noted that the Town Manager’s Budget and Operational Correction Plan document, which was previously included, has been removed from the current edition.

Bob Sullivan, a Finance Committee member, thanked the interim town manager for his collaboration with the Finance Committee on budget matters, noting that four meetings are scheduled over the next two weeks to focus on numbers.

Resident Jasper raised concerns about the poor condition of sidewalks near the Central Cemetery, describing them as cracked asphalt. He advocated for widening and repaving these sidewalks to encourage walking and biking, and to address car speeding in the area. A Board member echoed concerns about dangerous car speeds, particularly near Level Street and the bridge.