WESTBOROUGH — Capital requests from the School Department, Recreation, Police and Fire were among those passed by Annual Town Meeting on Saturday, March 23.
One item was passed over — a request to borrow $1.07 million for the Mill Pond School roof restoration. The request to take no action was made by the School Department, in consideration of the budget increases for fiscal 2025.
Several residents questioned the three requests made by Westborough Public Schools to cover design costs for the high school’s exterior RIM repairs, C wing roof restoration, and the A and B wing roof replacement.
These questions included the cost, as well as how the roofs are maintained.
“We’re spending more on roofs than we need to be,” said Ron Shaffert.
In response, Superintendent Amber Bock said the roofs are maintained on a regular basis.
“Our staff does an incredibly good job,” she said.
However, most of the high school’s roof is 52 years old, and well beyond its expectancy, she added.
Westborough School Committee Chair Stephen Doret said that making plans to replace and repair roofs now could avoid more large-scale problems in the future.
“You cannot fix a roof in a short amount of time,” said Doret.
Town Meeting also passed a borrowing request for ADA and MAAB upgrades for the Hastings Elementary School. The amount — $2.624 million — would be paid over 20 years, with an interest rate of 4%. The tax impact would be $31 at the first year, and drop to $17 by the end of the borrow.
The borrow request for the Westborough Public Library’s repair project also received Town Meeting approval.
Most items within the Capital Improvement Plan passed without comment.
Items within the Capital Improvement Plan, requiring a transfer from Free Cash (unless otherwise noted):
Town Hall Security System (Emergency Management, $107,313) — pass
Mobile Column Lifts (Fire Department, $96,530) — pass
Ambulance Replacement (Fire Department, $308,498 from Free Cash, $123,000 from Ambulance Receipts Reserves) — pass
Four Police Vehicles (Police Department, $265,000) — pass
Administrative Vehicle Replacement (various departments, $112,000 from Free Cash, $37,500 from Retained Earnings accounts) — pass
One-Ton Vehicle Replacement (DPW, $190,000) — pass
Six-Wheel Dump Truck Replacement (DPW, $299,000) — pass
Jet Vac Truck Replacement (DPW, $209,000 from Free Cash, $418,000 from Water Retained Earnings and Stormwater Utility Enterprise Fund) — pass
Town Water Management Improvements (DPW, $275,000) — pass
Town Sewer System Improvements (DPW, $150,000 from Sewer Retained Earnings) — pass
Town Sewer System (DPW, $300,000 from Sewer Retained Earnings) — pass
Utility Vehicle Replacement (Recreation Department, $65,000 from Country Club Retained Earnings) — pass
Rough Mower Replacement ($95,000 from Country Club Retained Earnings) — pass
High School Exterior RIM Repairs Design (WPS, $60,000) — pass
High School C Wing Roof Restoration Design (WPS, $192,000) — pass
High School A and B Wing Roof Replacement Design (WPS, $504,000) — pass
Items within the Capital Improvement Plan requesting a borrow:
Mill Pond School Roof Restoration (WPS, $1.07 million) — passed over
Hastings School ADA and MAAB Construction ($2.64 million) — pass by 2/3
Library Building Repair Design (Library, $1.178 million) — pass by 2/3
Town Water Supply Improvements (DPW, $2.5 million) — pass by 2/3
