SOUTHBOROUGH – A proposed transfer of land between the town and St. Mark’s School will be among the articles taken up at Annual Town Meeting on Saturday, March 25.
Article 12 is a request for the town and the school to swap parcels – the school would receive a town-owned property along St. Mark’s Street near the intersection with Marlboro Road (Route 85) in exchange for a school-owned parcel closer to the Town House and Southborough Public Library.
The town would like to reorient St. Mark’s Street, as well as develop a park within that parcel.
St. Mark’s Street connects Marlboro Road to Main Street (Route 30). Abutters include the Southborough Historical Society, the Southborough Public Library and the Town House.
A formal presentation on Article 12 will be made during Town Meeting.
Should this article be approved, Article 13 would request $250,000 from free cash to fund the park.
Capital requests
Capital funding requests within Article 7 include $148,000 for the Police Department to replace two front-line cruisers with two hybrid utility vehicles; $400,000 toward road maintenance; $50,000 for sidewalk maintenance; and $15,000 for security cameras for the Southborough Public Library.
Article 8 asks for an appropriation of $488,000 to purchase 28 radios for the Fire Department and 24 radios for the Police Department.
Athletic facilities
Articles 14 and 15 pertain to the athletic fields for Algonquin Regional High School.
Article 14, sponsored by the Community Preservation Committee, asks for an appropriation of $246,418.51 from the Community Preservation Act Fund for the town’s portion of the rehabilitation for Algonquin’s tennis courts (seven tennis courts, three pickleball courts and one basketball court).
Funding is contingent on Northborough funding its portion of the project; upon approval, the project is anticipated to begin in the summer of 2023.
Article 15, sponsored by the Regional School Committee, is a request to approve $7,960,393 of indebtedness authorized by the committee to pay for the renovation to the school district’s athletic facilities.
The project would include replacing the current football field and junior varsity practice field with turf surfaces; replace the existing track; replace the tennis courts; replace the existing bleachers and press box to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act; construction of an outdoor amphitheater; and renovations to the amenities building.
Town Meeting will convene at Trottier Middle School from 1 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 11 p.m.
The full warrant is available at https://www.southboroughtown.com/sites/g/files/vyhlif7351/f/pages/2023_atm_warrant_-_final.pdf
