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Friday, November 6, 2026 Middlesex County, Massachusetts · Change town
Government · Select Board

Select Board keeps single tax rate, rejects exemptions

Ashland's Select Board kept a single tax rate, rejected three exemptions, and named the community center patio for Clara and Arthur Kaya.

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In this report: Key decisions · Next dates · Full report · Sources

What happened

The board followed the Board of Assessors and kept one property tax rate for fiscal 2027 while rejecting the open space, small commercial and residential exemptions. The tax classification hearing stays open until after the Nov. 10 Special Town Meeting, and the rate is still subject to Department of Revenue approval. The board approved naming the community center patio for Clara and Arthur Kaya, and agreed on a town manager search process, with no screening committee size set.

Key decisions

  • 💰 Board keeps single tax rate and rejects three exemptions. The board voted to keep a single property tax rate for fiscal 2027 and then separately voted not to adopt the open space, small commercial and residential exemptions. Both passed by voice vote. The classification hearing stays open until the rate is set after town meeting. (Vote Approved by voice vote; no tally stated). Read case details
  • 👤 Board agrees on town manager screening process. The board agreed on a process and timeline but did not set the size of the screening committee. Talent bank forms are due Nov. 12, and the board scores supplemental questions at its Nov. 18 meeting. (Vote no vote; Next: Nov. 18). Read case details
  • 👤 Board names community center patio for Clara and Arthur Kaya. The board approved the Council on Aging request to name the patio for Clara and Arthur Kaya and the plaque wording. A ribbon cutting is set for Nov. 17 at 2:30 p.m. (Vote Approved by voice vote; no tally stated; Next: Nov. 17, 2:30 p.m.). Read case details

Next dates

  • Nov. 10: Special Town Meeting at Ashland High School, 7 p.m.
  • Nov. 17: Community center patio ribbon cutting, 2:30 p.m.
  • Nov. 18: Select Board votes on town manager profile and scores applications

Research this meeting with Townbrief AI: “Did the Select Board adopt a single or split property tax rate for fiscal 2027 and which exemptions did it reject?” Ask this question

Full meeting report

The complete, section-by-section account of the meeting, 1,747 words, for members.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.

Members read the rest of this story and every Middlesex County meeting we cover, in full.

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