Four key issues on the agenda for fall Special Town Meeting

MIDDLEBORO —  Key matters at fall Town Meeting include a sewer system expansion to accommodate development, a tax break for a company relocating its headquarters, MBTA Communities Act compliance changes and an expansion to the School Committee.

These items and 11 others will be up for votes at Monday’s Oct. 6 fall Town Meeting when it convenes at 7 p.m. in the Middleboro High School auditorium. All registered voters are eligible to attend, participate and vote.

Here’s a look at some of the top issues.

Sewer Service Map

The Select Board recently approved a sewage agreement with developer West Grove Holdings. 

The company, currently constructing a Taco Bell and housing projects at Pilgrim Junction, agreed to replace an approximately five mile stretch of aging and outdated pipes at the company’s expense.

In return, Middleboro agreed to waive sewer connection fees and add two sewer service locations at the development site. Town Meeting will be asked to ratify that agreement.

Town Manager James McGrail said the agreement would save the town around $5 million. He noted that the development project has already been approved, and the expansion vote is separate from approving the project altogether. 

“I worry people think if they vote ‘no’ that the projects won’t happen, and the reality is that’s not the case,” he said. “The project is already fully permitted. It’s going to get built regardless.”

Indus tax break

Indus, a paving restoration company, has expressed interest in relocating its corporate headquarters to Middleboro, and plans to construct a 75,000 square foot building in the industrial park near Trucchi’s Supermarket on Canopy Drive. 

To encourage this move, the Select Board approved a “tax increment finance” agreement, also known as a TIF, that would reduce the building’s property tax costs for 10 years. 

McGrail said the town would not lose any existing real estate tax revenue through this deal, and it would bring a $35 million construction project to Middleboro, and around 200 jobs. 

40R District Expansion

The town will also ask voters to consider expanding its mixed-use development area downtown to meet Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Communities law requirements. 

After the Middleboro MBTA commuter rail station opened in March, the state found the town noncompliant with the MBTA Communities Act. This act requires areas served by public transportation to create zoning for affordable multi-family housing no more than a half mile from a transportation station. 

The town filed a lawsuit against Gov. Maura Healey, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, and claimed it was in fact in compliance. 

A settlement was reached later that month and Middleboro agreed to expand one of its two Smart Growth Zoning Overlay Districts in order to be considered compliant. This expansion would affect the area adjacent to the commuter rail station. 

McGrail said expanding the zone and bringing the town into compliance would allow Middleboro to receive grant funds it would otherwise not be eligible for. 

He added these three articles are important for the town’s forward progress. 

“These are critical votes to shape the future of Middleboro,” McGrail said. 

School Committee expansion

In August, the Middleboro School Committee agreed to bring a proposal to voters that would expand the board from six to seven members. Expanding the committee is intended to address the longstanding issue of tied votes.

The issue was first raised after the committee’s last election cycle. The size of an elected body is often determined by a town’s charter, which is typically reviewed and revised once every decade.

However, the size of the School Committee is not included in the charter. Instead, they are governed by the committee’s own policies and a state law that outlines board structure. 

The committee has the authority to expand — but voters must approve the move. If voters approve, the seventh seat would appear on the ballot for the annual town election in April 2026.

Additional articles

Other articles on the agenda include several fund transfers for tax billing, sewer management and property value reassessment.

There will also be questions about extending an emergency agreement with Carver to continue providing the neighboring town with water, Planning Board law updates and a citizen petition to draft language to create a water commission. 

For more information on each article, visit the citizens guide.