This page was updated July, 2026.
Town hall summer hours, 2026
Summer hours reminder: Town Hall and 888 Worcester Street departments are operating on a summer schedule. Offices are open Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to noon.
Please check individual department webpages as some open and closed hours vary slightly.
Regular hours resume after Labor Day on Monday, September 7.
Perrin Park Playground Closed on June 16
June 16, 2026–The Perrin Park playground will be temporarily closed on Tuesday, June 16 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. for tree work.
DPW Park & Tree division crews will be in this area pruning trees and performing other maintenance and clean up work.
The closure is important to help keep residents safe and away from the heavy machinery. While the field area will be open, please use caution and keep dogs leashed.
The playground is expected to re-open late in the day. Thank you for your patience.
Volunteers needed for the Bylaw Review Committee
Town Meeting members are needed for the General Bylaw Review Committee, which regularly reviews all Town bylaws and recommends any updates.
This committee is made up of two Select Board members, and three Town Meeting members. The group reports to the full Select Board and conducts a holistic review of the General Bylaws to ensure they remain current, clear, well organized, internally consistent, enforceable, and consistent with applicable law.
When necessary, the committee considers and recommends proposed amendments, additions, and updates suggested by Town bodies, officials, and residents.
Committee members will also participate in discussions with Town staff, and submit any proposed amendments to legal counsel for review. Read the full Bylaw Review Committee description.
Town Meeting members interested in volunteering for this committee should complete and submit the Town of Wellesley Volunteer Form, or contact the Select Board office at sel@wellesleyma.gov to indicate your interest.
Committee members will be selected quickly in order to begin work on July 1, 2026.
Town Clerk needs individuals to assist with Town elections
May 2026–Registered Wellesley voters are encouraged to apply to work at precincts on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 for the State Primary Election. A large number of workers are needed; interested candidates should email elections@wellesleyma.gov
Election staff duties include:
- Checking in registered voters
- Assisting new voters
- Ensuring compliance with Massachusetts State Election Laws
This is a paid position; training is provided.
Workers are appointed by the Select Board and can choose to work multiple elections during the year.
In addition to the September 1 State Primary Election, Wellesley will hold the State & Mid-Term Elections on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and the Annual Town Election on Tuesday, March 2, 2027.
Can I get any volunteers?
May 8, 2026–Town of Wellesley boards and committees are continuing to recruit volunteers for terms beginning on July 1, 2026.
Explore the list of current vacancies and consider volunteering! Individuals are especially needed for the new Town Wide Capital Planning Committee, the Council on Aging Board, and the Historical Commission.
If you’re interested in volunteering, please complete and submit the online Town of Wellesley Volunteer Form.
Moody’s Ratings assigns Aaa to Wellesley’s General Obligations
May 2026–Moody’s Ratings (Moody’s) has assigned a Aaa rating to the Town of Wellesley, Massachusetts’s $13.9 million General Obligation Municipal Purpose Loan of 2026 Bonds.
Moody’s maintain the town’s Aaa issuer rating and the existing Aaa general obligation unlimited tax (GOULT) and general obligation limited tax (GOLT) ratings.
Following the sale, the town will have approximately $192 million of debt outstanding.
The Aaa issuer rating reflects the town’s very affluent tax base with institutional presence, strong fiscal management with stable operations although reserves of around 30% of revenue are below the national median for the highest rating category. The rating also incorporates a strong funding commitment towards unfunded pension and OPEB liabilities, with long term liabilities representing just 86% of revenue at this time.
However, the town is considering several projects which are expected to cost around $200 million, which would add to the town’s otherwise manageable debt burden. The exact timing of these projects remains uncertain. The absence of distinction between the GOLT, GOULT, and issuer ratings reflects the town’s ability to override the property tax cap and its pledge of its full faith and credit.
Moody’s does not not assign outlooks to local governments with this amount of debt outstanding.
Happy birthday, Wellesley!
April 2026–Happy 145th birthday to Wellesley! This major milestone celebrates the Town’s incorporation on April 6, 1881, as a new municipality of the Commonwealth.
This successful act was the result of one hundred ten years of previous attempts to separate from the Town of Needham.
The new Town was named in honor of the Welles family, and Isabella Pratt Welles, the wife of Town benefactor Horatio Hollis (H.H. ) Hunnewell.
Hunnewell was a prominent community leader who donated the land and grounds on which to build the new seat of government, Wellesley Town Hall.
At 2026 Annual Town Meeting, a resolution recognizing this momentous event was read into the Official Proceedings by member Salvatore (Tory) DeFazio, III who also acknowledged the generous and dedicated volunteers, elected officials, and staff members who continue to work for good government and enhance our Town every day.
Vandalism on the Crosstown Trail
March 20, 2026–The Town is receiving reports of alterations to the Crosstown Trail along Washington Street, specifically the construction of pathways and jumps on Town-owned land. This is illegal, dangerous, and severely damages these protected environmental areas. Repairing this damage is costly and impacts all taxpayers. If you know individuals who are involved in these alterations, please work with them to dismantle these paths and jumps. If this is not done, the Town will need to take more severe action. For questions or to report additional concerns, please contact Wellesley Executive Director Meghan Jop.
Traffic ticket scam
March 19, 2026–The Wellesley Police Department and the Parking Clerk are warning the public about a traffic ticket scam circulating in our area.
People have reported receiving fraudulent messages and texts with a “Notice of Hearing – Traffic Violation” document attached. While these messages may look official, with case numbers, court details, and QR codes, they are NOT legitimate.
Scammers are using these messages to pressure people into making payments or sharing personal information. In many cases, the fake messages include urgent language demanding immediate attention.
DO NOT scan any QR codes or submit any payment information in response to an unsolicited notice.
DO verify any citations directly with the Wellesley Police Department by calling 781-235-1212.
You may also verify parking citations by contacting the Town of Wellesley Parking Clerk, or contacting Plymouth County Parking – this is the company that manages the Town of Wellesley parking tickets.
If you are a victim of this scam:
- Contact your bank or credit card company immediately
- Monitor all bank accounts for suspicious activity
- Reporting the incident to the Wellesley Police Department
- Consider filing a report with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
Pond dredging projects
March, 2026–The Town of Wellesley is currently accepting bids for the dredging of Reeds and Duck Ponds. Benefits of the project include:
- Improving the ecological vitality of the Pond.
- Increasing the water depths throughout the main body of the pond.
- Removing nutrient-loaded sediments, resulting in improved overall water-quality conditions.
- Increasing the carrying capacity of the pond; and
- Increasing the retention time of stormwater, thereby allowing further settlement and reducing potential downstream sedimentation impacts
Bid openings will occur this week. More information is available here.
Wellesley’s Animal Control Regulation updates OK’d by the State
Feb. 6, 2026–The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office has approved updates to Wellesley’s Animal Control Regulations regarding animal kennels.
The changes were voted on by 2025 Special Town Meeting and add the provisions of “Ollie’s Law,” which was signed by Governor Maura Healey in 2024.
Ollie’s Law requires minimum standards and oversight for pet kennels and boarding facilities and requires that kennels, boarding facilities, and groomers only accept animals with current licenses. The law is intended to ensure that all animals receive quality care and stay safe.
Like other Wellesley Animal Control Regulations, these bylaw changes are enforced by the Animal Control Officer, who is a member of the Wellesley Police Department.
Copies of the updated bylaw are posted online, at the Town Clerk’s Office, and at the Wellesley Police Department.
RDF to get new Administration Building
Jan. 16, 2026–Construction has started on a new administration building for the Recycling and Disposal Facility (RDF). This new building will replace the current facility where mechanical systems are failing, roofing is deteriorating, rooms are too small, there is limited office and storage space, and the area is not ADA accessible.
Design plans for the new 3,300 sq. foot space include more office and public space, training and muster rooms, adequate storage, LED lighting, and solar power capability. The new building will be located near the RDF visitor parking making it easier for the public to access services.
Construction is expected to finish in spring 2027.
The RDF will be open and operating as usual throughout the building period.
Town of Wellesley gets a new mini-bus
Annual parking permits now online
Jan. 2026–The Town of Wellesley issues annual parking permits to residents, employees of Wellesley businesses, and commuters who park in all-day municipal lots.
Applications for these permits are now online; apply now for 2026. Permits are issued via the OpenGov platform, which the Town uses for all online permitting.
Parking permits are valid in all six Town of Wellesley all-day parking lots:
- Tailby Lot (103 Linden Street) – Wellesley Square commuter rail station
- Wellesley Hills Lot (341 Washington Street) – Wellesley Hills commuter rail station
- Wellesley Farms Lot (70 Croton Street) – Wellesley Farms commuter rail station
- Weston Road Lot (625 Washington Street)
- Cameron Lot (20 Cameron Street, non-metered spaces)
- Eaton Court Lot (24 Eaton Court)
Explore the lots and locations on the Parking Lots & Rates webpage on the Town website.
The annual permit fee is $480.00 for Wellesley residents, students, or business employees and $1,080.00 for non-residents. As permits are linked to vehicle registration information, placards are no longer issued.
Please note: Purchasing an annual parking pass does not guarantee you a space in the lot of your preference.
Refund Policy
Permit refunds are prorated based on full months remaining in the permit year and begin once the permit is canceled with the Town.
Refund rates are $40.00 per full month for residents and $90.00 per full month for non-residents.
Questions? Please contact the Wellesley Parking Clerk.
Wellesley Recognized for Superior Credit Quality
May 13, 2025–Moody’s Ratings once again recognized the Town of Wellesley for its outstanding financial position.
In an announcement on Monday, May 9, Moody’s assigned the Town a MIG 1 rating for its expected $7.5 million General Obligation Bond, a designation that denotes superior credit quality.
Moody’s Investors Service, a municipal credit rating agency, also affirmed the Town’s “Aaa” long-term debt rating, the highest rating attainable.
The agency cited the Town’s very affluent tax base, institutional presence, and strong fiscal management with stable operations as positive credit factors.
Proceeds from the sale of the bond will be used to finalize financing for the new Hardy Elementary School, which opened in September 2024.
