Almost a ‘curtain call’ for Wellesley Town Meeting at high school, but show will go on

April 7, 2026

Shortly before the two-hour mark of Wellesley Annual Town Meeting on Monday, April 6, Moderator Mark Kaplan broke into Facilities Director Joe McDonough’s presentation about a proposed feasibility study for a possible Department of Public Works campus renovation with a breaking news report….

“Mr. McDonough, sorry to interrupt, but we have a little problem up here, maybe more than a little bit… we’re just going to take a 5-1o minute break to sort it out, ” he said, referring to what turned out to be a mechanical malfunction involving the stage’s fire curtain at Wellesley High School (See Wellesley Media recording).

Fire curtains are protection systems designed to descend from the ceiling during a fire to compartmentalize areas and allow people to pass through escape routes safely.

You’ll notice the backdrop behind McDonough changed before and after the incident.

Town Meeting night 3 curtain
Joe McDonough speaking before the curtain incident…

Town Meeting night 3 curtain
… and after (Wellesley Media recording screenshots)

Kaplan ended the third session of Annual Town Meeting letting attendees know that there was a possibility that the location would need to be changed for Tuesday night due to fire code. That could have had numerous implications, challenging the Wellesley Media team to stream and record the meeting, and leading to possible issues with meeting notification rules. “See you tomorrow night, somewhere,” Kaplan said, after instructing people to check their emails for updates on Tuesday.

According to the town on Tuesday, Annual Town Meeting will continue at Wellesley High’s Katherine L. Babson Jr. Auditorium on Tuesday, April 7 at 7pm for what should be the finale.

“The Wellesley Fire Department has determined the auditorium may remain in use on a temporary basis while corrective repairs are made. For this evening’s session, a fire fighter will be present during the meeting to monitor safety conditions, and a custodial staff member will be on site for additional support. These interim measures ensure that all safety protocols are in place while the mechanical issue is being resolved,” Town Clerk K.C. Kato wrote.

Our earlier Annual Town Meeting coverage:

Thousands turn to The Swellesley Report daily to keep current on Wellesley: