Pre-Scheduled High Interest Article - Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at 6:45 PM

Article 34 - Stormwater Enterprise Fund Expenditures

ARTICLE 34. To determine whether the Town will appropriate the amount required for the total expenses of the Stormwater Enterprise Fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026 for the operation of the Stormwater System, in accordance with Mass. Gen. Laws c. 44, § 53F½, to be expended under the direction of the Town Manager; or take any other action relative thereto.

Article Explanation

The FY26 Budget will be submitted by the Town Manager and reviewed at a public hearing of the Finance Committee May 1, 2025, and will also be published on the Town’s website under the 2025 Annual Town Meeting tab and in the Town Meeting Briefing Book

Following approval of Article 16 of the 2024 Annual Town Meeting which formally established the Stormwater Utility Enterprise Fund and associated Bylaw, a comprehensive 10-year budget projection and associated fee for the Stormwater Utility have been developed. The projected annual FY26 budget of approximately $1,062,800 is to address the town’s stormwater priorities allocated between capital and non-capital costs. The Public Works Commission has evaluated various fee structure options and plans on voting for the final rate schedule at the May 2025 PWC meeting. This vote will be contingent upon the voting in favor of this article for the FY26 Stormwater Enterprise Budget at the 2025 Annual Town Meeting. The Stormwater Utility Credit Policy designed to encourage property owners to minimize their impact on the municipal stormwater system by offering credits for approved stormwater management activities will also be formerly adopted by the PWC in May 2025. The work performed to date on establishing this enterprise is contained in the “Evaluation of a Stormwater Enterprise Fund report”, completed by Weston & Sampson and posted on the Town’s website.

Article Motion

Mr. Weber moves that the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $1,062,800 from the Stormwater Enterprise Fund, said amount required for the total expenses of the Stormwater Enterprise Fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, for the operation of the Stormwater System, in accordance with Mass. Gen. Laws c. 44, §53F1/2, to be expended under the direction of the Town Manager.