Wellesley Select Board wants to make sure you’re getting the message
The Wellesley Select Board has launched a twice-a-year community-wide update to keep the public informed about major initiatives, financials, and upcoming Town Meeting topics.
An online version has been posted, and a physical mailing is on the way ahead of Special Town Meeting, which begins Nov. 3 and will cover a variety of business from funding a new Recycling & Disposal Facility (RDF) administration building to updating the animal control bylaw regarding dog kennels. Another Select Board letter will be sent ahead of Annual Town Meeting in the spring.
Among the Select Board update highlights:
- “Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 closed June 30, 2025, with very favorable results: revenues exceeded budget by $8.5 million, and expenditures were $5.8 million under budget.” (See also “Select Board meeting brims with positive financial news” from August, 2025) At Special Town Meeting, some $7.3m in reserve funds could be used on a handful of projects, including new team rooms at the Hunnewell track & field.
- Projects of interest, namely the state’s plan to use a portion of “surplus” MassBay land for housing development. The town seeks to hold a community-wide “visioning session” to gather feedback and come back to the state with Wellesley’s ideas on what would be most beneficial from the town’s perspective. Also highlighted are multifamily development projects in the works or at least on the drawing board, such as at 888 Worcester St. (senior living) and 49 Walnut St. (apartments)
- Establishment of new efforts, such as a Town-wide Capital Planning Committee to get more strategic about coming capital investments (this was previewed at the recent All Board Meeting), and the launch of a Citizens’ Leadership Academy to “give residents and employees a hands-on opportunity to see how Town government works” over 8-10 weeks (applications will open this winter).