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Northborough TM passes affordable housing
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Shrewsbury weighs in on candidates, DPW project
By Shealagh Sullivan Reporter
Vol. 51 | No. 19 | May 9, 2025
Mother’s Day
Page 10
NORTHBOROUGH – After four days of active debate and 62 articles, Northborough ended its Annual Town Meeting on May 1. From controversial costs to affordable housing, here’s a look at what passed — and what didn’t.
Fried chicken restaurant wants to come to Shrewsbury
Downtown Streetscape Project Residents voted, 145-67, against funding the Downtown Streetscape Project. Encompassed in Article 29 on the Town Warrant, the project initially called for $1.1 million in town funding. However, at the beginning of the meeting, Select Board Chair Mitch Cohen
shrewsbury | 7 Northborough announces two bids for White Cliffs
Town Meeting | 8
Westborough drops sewer moratorium By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor WESTBOROUGH – Westborough’s yearlong sewer moratorium has been lifted following a unanimous vote by the Select Board on April 29. The removal of the moratorium was part of a vote that approved new sewer regulations developed by the Department of Public Works. “The data collection and analysis that occurred over the past year-plus helped us gain a very good understanding of the town’s sewer system and flow capacity,” said DPW Director Chris Payant. “The regulations are an outMoratorium | 7
Northborough | 9 It was rainy and foggy on May 6, but Shrewsbury candidates were still campaigning. (Photo/Evan Walsh)
Grafton Select Board candidate statements
By Evan Walsh Managing Editor SHREWSBURY – It was rainy. It was misty. But Shrewsbury voters still cast their ballots. On May 6, Shrewsbury residents voted for several key positions in one of the most competitive election cycles in recent history. For Select Board, Michelle Conlin (2,022 votes) and Gregg Richards (1,889 votes) won the two available seats, besting Anand Sharma (1,694 votes), Nicole Torres (1,653 votes), and Brian Haugli (705 votes). All results are unofficial. Erin Boucher (3,035 votes) and Rajesh Velagapudi (2,830 votes) earned seats on the School Committee. The election had 17.6 percent turnout, beating last year’s mark of 10.1 percent. In addition, Shrewsbury voters rejected, 2,528 to 1,993, about $40 million worth of renovations to the Department of Public Works (DPW) facilities on South Street. The Municipal Facilities Optimization Committee (MFOC) — charged with researching and recommending a design — developed a plan that called for demolition of the Water and Sewer Garage, the renovation of the Highway Garage, and a 21,600-square-foot addition.
grafton | 27
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