Select Board Backs Special Town Meeting Articles

Select Board · Meeting of October 28, 2026

BELMONT — The Belmont Select Board voted unanimously to recommend favorable action on eight Special Town Meeting articles, while holding back part of an article dissolving two building committees. Chair Taylor Yates, Vice Chair Carol Berberian and Member Matt Taylor reviewed a 22-page annotated warrant, including a $2 million free cash transfer to stabilization funds and just under $179,000 in state aid, with $90,000 added for a school bus under an existing contract. The board debated a proposed Stormwater Enterprise Fund, where a public hearing produced two fee options: a flat $14 to $15 monthly charge or a tiered fee ranging from about $8 to $25 based on impervious surface.

Berberian said she wanted confirmation that the Rink Building Committee has voted to disband before supporting that portion of the warrant, calling it something she'd "want clarification on." The board also reviewed a $300,000 Comprehensive Plan funding request and inclusionary zoning bylaw changes requiring developments over 10 units to build, not buy out of, affordable housing.

In the full story:

• Opening and Format
• Article 1: Free Cash to Stabilization Funds
• Article 2: State Aid and the School Bus Contract
• Carlton Circle: A Repeat Trip to Town Meeting
• Article 5: Disbanding the Library and Rink Building Committees
• Article 6: Stormwater Enterprise Fund
• Article 7: Comprehensive Plan Funding
• Article 8: Inclusionary Zoning Bylaw
• Articles 9 and 10: Variance Standards and Single-Residence Consolidation
• The Citizens Petition
• Formal Votes and Closing
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 3,316 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of October 28, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.