Tewksbury Annual Town Meeting

Tewksbury – Annual Town Meeting was called to order tonight, May 4tth, 2026, at 7:30 pm, respectively, at the Tewksbury Memorial High School. Dustin Weir moderated the evening.

Town Meeting Articles 1 – 25 were covered.

View full Town Meeting Warrants here.

Town Meeting

ARTICLE 1: To choose all necessary Town Officers, by ballot, One (1) member of the Select Board for three years; One (1) member of the School Committee for three years; Two (2) members of the Planning Board for three years; Two (2) members of the Board of Library Trustees for three years; One (1) member of the Board of Health for three years; One (1) member of the Housing Authority for five years, and One (1) Moderator for three years.

Article 1 was not voted on, as this year’s April election has already chosen Tewksbury’s Town Officers.

ARTICLE 2: Executive Summary: The purpose of the article is to fix the salaries of certain elected Town officials.

Article 2 was adopted unanimously.

ARTICLE 3 Rules: The Moderator will call out the number of the Articles, one by one. If a voter objects to any Article being included in the Consent Calendar, he/she should say the word “HOLD” when the number is called. The Article is then removed from the Consent Calendar and restored to its original numbered place in the warrant, to be acted upon, debated and voted in the usual manner. After calling of the individual items in the Consent Calendar, the Moderator shall ask that the voters pass all the
remaining items as a unit.

Article 3-26 Accept the Annual Report – Executive Summary: The purpose of the article is to accept the report of various Town Officers; which are in the 2025 Annual Town Report located on the Town’s Website (https://www.tewksbury-ma.gov/510/Annual-Town-Reports)

Adopted Unanimously.

Article 3-27 Lease/Purchase Agreements – Executive Summary: This article is acted on annually and allows the Town Manager to lease/purchase equipment for various Town Departments subject to annual appropriation.

Adopted Unanimously.

Article 3-28 Reauthorize Revolving Funds – Executive Summary: This article authorizes the Fiscal Year 2027 expenditure caps on the Town’s self-sufficient revolving fund accounts for the items listed above in the Town of Tewksbury. This article is in addition to the article which establishes the Revolving Funds through a General Bylaw in accordance with recent changes to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 44 Section 53E½ by the Act to Modernize Municipal Finance and Government.

Adopted Unanimously.

ARTICLE 4 Executive Summary: The purpose of this article is to fund the General Fund Budget for Fiscal Year 2027

Amendment Adopted: The FY2027 department request for Shawsheen Regional Vocational School was revised from $9,560,993 to $3,750,000.

Article 4 was adopted by a vote of 43 in favor and 30 against.

* Please Note: The Shawsheen Regional Vocational School budget is determined by votes from five neighboring communities, with a two-thirds majority required for approval. Tewksbury has voted against the budget, and no final action will be taken until all participating towns have cast their votes.

ARTICLE 5 Executive Summary: The purpose of this article is to fund the Sewer Enterprise Fund for Fiscal Year 2027

Article 5 was adopted unanimously.

ARTICLE 6 Executive Summary: The purpose of this article is to fund rate relief for the Water Enterprise Fund for Fiscal Year 2027.

Article 6 was adopted unanimously.

ARTICLE 7 Executive Summary: The purpose of this article is to fund the Water Enterprise Fund for Fiscal Year 2027.

Article 7 was adopted unanimously.

ARTICLE 8 Executive Summary: The purpose of this article is to fund the Stormwater Enterprise Fund for Fiscal Year 2027.

Article 8 was adopted unanimously.

ARTICLE 9 Executive Summary: The purpose of this article is to fund the Cable TV Enterprise Fund for Fiscal Year 2027.

Article 9 was adopted unanimously.

ARTICLE 10 Executive Summary: This article transfers funds available from Bond Premiums to reduce the amount of Exempt Debt Service Principal.

Article 10 was adopted unanimously.

ARTICLE 11 Executive Summary: According to Chapter 105 of the Acts of 2003, the Tewksbury Affordable Housing Trust Fund is to have an allocation submitted to and approved at the Annual Town Meeting. The FY2027 allocation plan meets the expenditure requirements of the Special Act.

Article 11 was adopted unanimously.

ARTICLE 12 Executive Summary: Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 44B requires that the Town appropriate for spending, or reserve for future spending, from the fund balance at least 10% for open space, 10% for historic preservation, and 10% for community housing. FY2027 Historic 10% Reserve will be achieved with the Town Hall Rehabilitation and Ella Fleming Bond payments. The total CPA Estimated FY27 revenue is $1,142,951.

Article 12 was adopted unanimously.

ARTICLE 13 Executive Summary: This article will fund the design of two boardwalks, one on East Street and one on Maple Street. The East Street boardwalk is critical to making the Tewksbury leg of the 230-mile Bay Circuit Trail functional through Tewksbury. Additionally, it provides a trail connection between Bligh and Pinnacle Streets to the State Hospital area. The Maple Street boardwalk allows year-round access to one of the prettiest sections of the Hospital Trails. These two boardwalk
projects enhance residents access to open space areas in Town.

Article 13 was adopted unanimously.

ARTICLE 14 Executive Summary: This article allows the Town to utilize funds from the Stabilization Fund for capital equipment and improvements and one-time expenditures.

Article 14 was adopted unanimously, achieving the required two-thirds majority vote.

ARTICLE 15 Executive Summary: This article allows the School Department to utilize funds from the Stabilization Fund for School capital equipment, facility improvements and one-time expenditures.

Article 15 was adopted unanimously, achieving the required two-thirds majority vote.

ARTICLE 16 Executive Summary: This article utilizes funds from Sewer Retained Earnings for capital equipment and improvements in the Sewer Department.

Article 16 was adopted unanimously.

ARTICLE 17 Executive Summary: This article utilizes funds from Water Retained Earnings for Capital Equipment and Improvements in the Water Department.

Article 17 was adopted unanimously.

ARTICLE 18 Executive Summary: This article raises and appropriates funds from the Stormwater Enterprise Fund for improvements and design.

Article 18 was adopted unanimously.

ARTICLE 19 Executive Summary: This article authorizes the Town to borrow funds for the cost to install and replace waterlines in the Town.

Article 19 was adopted unanimously, achieving the required two-thirds majority vote.

ARTICLE 20 Executive Summary: This article authorizes the Town to borrow funds for the cost of purchasing and installing water meters and/or water meter components.

Article 20 was adopted unanimously, achieving the required two-thirds majority vote.

ARTICLE 21 Executive Summary: Clause 22I, introduced under the HERO Act, enables municipalities to adjust veteran tax abatements annually in response to changes in the cost of living. This adjustment is linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), ensuring that the value of tax abatements keeps pace with inflation. Clause 22I, if accepted, would increase the amount of the tax exemption granted to veterans on their domiciles under Clause 22(a-f) annually by a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) determined by the Department of Revenue (DOR) based on the consumer price index (CPI).

Article 21 was adopted unanimously.

ARTICLE 22 Executive Summary: Each year the state indicates the amount it will allot to cities and towns for sidewalk and roadwork under Chapter 90. This article authorizes the Town to spend these funds.

Amendment Adopted: The phrase “a sum of money” was replaced by the figure $1,394,960.27.

Article 22 was adopted unanimously.

ARTICLE 23 Executive Summary: This article proposes amending the Tewksbury General Bylaws to prohibit the use of the motion for indefinite postponement at Annual and Special Town Meetings. The intent is to eliminate this specific procedural motion, which can be used to dismiss a warrant article without debate. The article further directs the Moderator to declare any such motion out of order and clarifies that this rule would take precedence over Town Meeting Time or other parliamentary guides,
It does not restrict other procedural options available to Town Meeting for addressing or disposing of articles.

Article 23 was adopted.

ARTICLE 24 Executive Summary: This article will fund the feasibility study for a new High School facility in the Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical School District.

Amendment Adopted: The phrase “vote to transfer and appropriate the amount of” was replaced by “allocate.”

Article 24 was adopted by a vote of 35 in favor and 31 against.

ARTICLE 25 Executive Summary: The purpose of the article is to allow the Select Board to accept a sidewalk easement located at 2131 Main Street, Tewksbury, MA 01876.

Article 25 was adopted unanimously.

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Special Town Meeting will be held May 6th, 2026 at 7:00PM at Tewksbury Memorial High School.