By Sara Brown, Contributing Writer
NORTHBOROUGH – Residents approved building outdoor pickleball courts but voted down a tax exemption for gold star parents, among other articles, at Northborough’s Annual Town Meeting May 1.
Due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, this year’s meeting was held outdoors on the football field at Algonquin Regional High School. There was a minimum of 10 feet of spacing between chairs and 10 feet spacing between rows. The aisles between sections of chairs were one-way and 10 feet wide.
Pickleball gets the go-ahead
Discussing pickleball courts on Article 23 of the town meeting’s 40 article warrant, voters indeed said “yes” to an effort to build six pickleball courts at the Ellsworth McAfee Park. Drawn from the town’s Community Preservation Act funding, the courts will cost around $290,250.
“I have never played before, but it looks like a lot of fun,” Community Preservation Act Committee chair John Campbell said during the meeting. “I am fascinated with how popular it has become.”
According to Campbell, Northborough’s 2020 Open Space Recreation survey indicated a large request for pickleball courts in town.
Resident Bob Savage said he has been playing the sport for five years now and noted that it is rapidly growing in popularity.
“I think it’s a really cool idea,” said resident Mitch Cohen. “I am looking forward to trying it.”
Voters seek more info on gold star tax exemption
As they approved Article 23, residents voted down Article 38.
That item sought to allow a property tax exemption for parents who have lost their children fighting in the military, otherwise known as gold star parents.
The tax exemption is part of a wide-ranging 2018 act strengthening state veteran’s support and services known as the BRAVE Act. Towns and cities in Massachusetts have to opt into this tax exemption program.
Parents must be Massachusetts residents for five consecutive years and have lost a child in the military that lost their life in combat to qualify.
“There is no greater gift you can give to a gold star family than this,” said resident Michelle Gillespie during the town meeting.
However, other residents expressed concern over the article. Some worried that people meeting the requirements of the exemption would move to Northborough specifically for this. Others wondered how much money the town would lose because of it.
Some said they liked the intention but had lingering concerns.
Ultimately, residents voted the article down.
Voters address other topics
Outside of pickleball and tax exemptions, town meeting discussion drew on for over four hours.
Residents approved all but four articles, ultimately saying “no” to Articles 22, 33, 36, and 38.
Articles 22 sought to make changes to the abutter notification process as detailed in Northborough’s Wetlands Bylaw.
Article 33 proposed amending part of the town Zoning Bylaw governing commercial and Industrial Districts while Article 36 proposed amendments to part of the Zoning Bylaw regarding Northborough’s Groundwater Protection Overlay District D.
Within those yes votes, meanwhile, residents also approved the town budget for $22,728,572, the K-8 school budget for $25,799,678 and the budget for Algonquin Regional High School for $13,652,714.
Voters further funded several replacements of municipal vehicles, including new police cruisers, new cars for the fire department and a number of different vehicles used by the Department of Public Works.
See the full town meeting warrant by visiting https://www.town.northborough.ma.us/administration, clicking “Annual Town Meeting – Historical Data,” and then selecting “2021 Annual Town Meeting.”
Also watch a recording of the meeting itself provided by Northborough Cable Access Television…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLR6d1sGaO0
CORRECTION: Due to an error, a print version of this article, published on May 14, incorrectly attributed a quote discussing a proposed property tax exemption for Gold Star families to Northborough resident Carter Brannon. Though Brannon did speak during that discussion, his comments only pertained to a question about how many other towns had adopted such an exception. The Community Advocate regrets the error.
