Marlborough Finance Committee Clears $166.8 Million in School and Stormwater Bonds

MARLBOROUGH — July 13, 2026 — Marlborough Finance Committee unanimously approves $166.8 million in bonds for a new elementary school and stormwater infrastructure. The panel voted 5-0 Monday on two separate measures: a $160,544,091 bond for the Richer K-5 elementary school project and a $6,300,000 bond for stormwater drainage improvements near the school site. Christopher Eberly, project executive with owner's project manager Vertex Companies, told the committee that the Massachusetts School Building Authority confirmed project approval and will reimburse approximately 63 percent of eligible school costs, leaving the city's net obligation at roughly $59.4 million if the full budget is spent. City Comptroller Brian Hemmelgarn said the median Marlborough homeowner would see a peak annual tax increase of $275.50 — about 20 percent lower than earlier estimates. Council President Ossing accepted Eberly's reimbursement math but cautioned that the school bond arrives alongside a $35 million fire station bond and a $10-to-$12 million annual capital plan, putting cumulative pressure on taxpayers. City Engineer Tom DiPersio confirmed there is no state reimbursement for the stormwater component, which addresses chronic flooding on Ripley and McGee avenues caused by an undersized Millham Brook trunk line. Both bonds advance to the full City Council on July 20.