Government - Page 4

School Committee readies for April 9 vote on geography-based enrollment

March 28, 2026
The Acton-Boxborough School Committee’s historic vote on January 22 to move to a geography-based school assignment model for elementary families overturned a longstanding practice in place since 1972 that assigned students to an elementary school based on families’ rankings of preferred schools (“open enrollment”). The vote to discontinue the practice of open enrollment addressed a number of longstanding concerns about the role this model has played in breeding competition between elementary schools in order to attract families and in creating significant demographic imbalances along socio-economic, racial, and ethnic lines that seemed at odds with the district’s commitment to DEI practices.…

Another Town Meeting in the books

May 10, 2025
After a very long two nights on May 5 and 6, 2025, Acton has successfully wrapped up another Town Meeting. You can view Town Meeting recordings on the ActonTV YouTube channel: For an overview of Town Meeting outcomes, see the May 7 update section of UPDATED May 7,…
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Town Meeting Article 1: Choosing Town Officers

May 10, 2025
The following officers were nominated and elected: The nominations were voted as a group by voice, except for Trustee of the West Acton Citizens Library, which the Moderator held out for separate consideration, as she anticipated a possible additional nomination from the floor. Terra F. stated that the…
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Town Meeting Article 7: Select Board proposes, and voters approve, $150K for exploration of alternatives and public outreach on DPW building

May 10, 2025
Acton’s Department of Public Works (DPW), like the Fire and Police Departments, ensures essential but often overlooked services (snowplowing, stormwater management, rapid emergency services) that keep the town running. Operating from a facility on Forest Road behind the transfer station, the DPW maintains a fleet of vehicles and…
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Town Meeting Articles 37-41: Citizens Petitions

May 10, 2025
Acton’s Town Charter contains a provision for “Petitioner’s Warrant Articles.” These are articles brought forward by ordinary citizens, rather than by the Select Board or a department of Town government. The Charter requires ten signatures to place a petition on the warrant for Annual Town Meeting. Articles 37,…

Results and reflections on Town elections

May 3, 2025
Results Thirteen percent of Acton’s 16,243 registered voters (2164 people) cast a ballot in Tuesday’s Town elections, according to the preliminary results published at the Town’s website. In comparison, last November, 80% showed up for the presidential elections. In her uncontested race for Town Moderator, Jo-Ann Berry received…
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Select Board notes: April 7, 2025

April 19, 2025
Opening remarks: A resident (this reporter) addressed the Board regarding the proposed gas-powered leaf-blower ban. Town Manager John Mangiaratti noted a High School Volunteer Internship Program, and invited responses to a survey regarding the Fire Department two-location staffing experiment that will be ending soon. Ambulance fee increase: Acton…
A composite photo of two men. The man on the left wears a sport jacket and is perched on a table. The man on the right is just a headshot of a smiling man wearing a tie.

Q&A with candidates for AWD Commissioner

April 12, 2025
This year, there are two candidates running for the position of Commissioner of the Acton Water District (AWD): John Petersen and Barry Rosen. This post contains the candidates’ answers to questions prepared by the Green Acton Water Committee. The Acton Water District is an independent government entity, separate…

Tax filing tools for low-income residents

April 12, 2025
Tax Day, April 15, is coming up and many low-income families who aren’t required to file taxes could be leaving thousands of dollars in unclaimed refunds on the table. This year, new and expanded tax credits—combined with free, easy-to-use filing tools—could provide a life-changing financial boost for those…

SuAsCo Legislative Breakfast addresses bills that may impact Acton

April 5, 2025
“SuAsCo,” the watershed drained by the Sudbury, Assabet and Concord Rivers, was the subject for representatives of environmental organizations from throughout the region. Attendees gathered with Massachusetts state legislators at Goodnow Library in Sudbury on Friday March 29, for a discussion of pending environmental and conservation legislation. Acton-relevant…
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