Belmont Town Meeting approves $1.3 million for Community Path land

Town Meeting · Meeting of June 8, 2026

Belmont Town Meeting approves $1.3 million for Community Path land and a $60,000 sewer takeover. Select Board Chair Matt Taylor told members the community path right-of-way estimate jumped from $200,000 to $1.3 million hours before the meeting, warning the town risked losing roughly $48 million in state construction funding without it; Town Meeting approved it 212-24 after voting 204-33 to end debate. Former town moderator Mike Widmer called it "the number one" last-minute shock of his half-century in town government.

Separately, Town Meeting voted 168-23 to authorize eminent domain over a private Concord Avenue sewer system tied to a roughly $50,000 unpaid town judgment, then voted 172-24 to appropriate $60,000 in just compensation, over the objection of the owner's attorney, Michael Magarrer, who called the town's characterization of the system "disingenuous."

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 3,286 words

Source: the Town Meeting meeting of June 8, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.