Boxborough FinCom Backs $1.8M Land Purchase

Finance Committee · Meeting of October 6, 2026

Boxborough Finance Committee splits 4-1 to back a $1.8 million bond for a 276 Middle Road land purchase. Chair Antony Newton's committee also wrestled with a free cash balance that has grown to roughly $5.1 million, which Town Finance Director Hongwa Lee attributed partly to $1.5 million in revenue coming in over budget last year. Vice Chair John Connor presented a fiscal 2028 budget model showing thin excess levy capacity ahead of an October 13 tri-board meeting, with the Acton-Boxborough school assessment, currently 6.22 percent, as the biggest wildcard.

The committee deferred recommendations on two other warrant articles, a Hager Bridge beaver-mitigation project and first-year funding for an AFSCME Local 1703 contract, to Fall Town Meeting on November 16. One member called the proposed $300,000 budget cushion "not conservative," while the town planner said outside donations could cut the land purchase's net cost to the town to $800,000 or $900,000.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,563 words

Source: the Finance Committee meeting of October 6, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.