Middleboro town officials share what’s on the horizon for town developments

MIDDLEBORO — Middleboro town officials look forward to future visions and goals of ongoing developments in town, while long awaited projects conclude.

Officials said the successful completion of water main developments in town, and ongoing projects at the East Grove Well Water Treatment Plant and Nemasket Park are standout developments heading into the year.

Town Manager James McGrail said the water main projects on Center and Wareham Streets were the largest completed developments of last year. The projects installed thousands of feet of new water piping to replace the previous water supply system.

McGrail added the work allowed a portion of Center Street to be repaved — which was “probably the worst conditioned road in the town,” he said. The development was a struggle to complete, he said, and was a point of contention for many due to the traffic problems it raised while under construction.

“That was really emotionally charged for a lot of residents, because it was right in the heart of town,” McGrail said. “So to be able to get through that project, and get those roads paved — it’s nice to have in the rear view mirror.”

McGrail and Select Board Chair Mark Germain said they see the $33 million East Grove Well Treatment Facility project as the most impactful ongoing development in Middleboro.

The new facility will replace the well that previously saw some of the highest PFAS, or “forever chemical,” levels — a group of manufactured chemicals used in a wide array of products, including cookware and packaging —  in town. The project is slated to finish construction in 2027, and is part of a wider push to keep PFAS out of the town’s drinking water.

“It affects everybody in this town, today, tomorrow and in the future,” Germain said.

The development raised broader concerns from community members who questioned if the Select Board was the best group to manage water concerns in the town. Leaders of the push to remove the Select Board’s water oversight responsibilities, and create a separate water commission, were eventually swayed after learning more about the board’s oversight process. 

“I'm very thankful that everybody saw the same decision at the end of the day,” Germain said.

Another impactful ongoing development is the Nemasket Park project — a development at 48 Wareham St. that will bring a multi-use skate park, playground and watercraft launch. McGrail said town officials are already planning the ribbon-cutting celebration that will take place during the opening in late June.

“I think it’s a great addition to downtown Middleboro in particular,” McGrail said. “It took a dilapidated piece of the town and is going to turn it into a green space that will include the skate park  — which will be great for the kids of the town.”

McGrail added the skate park is intended for more than skateboarders and hopes to see a multi-generational use of the space. The skatepark will be suited for bikers, scooter riders and rollerbladers as well.

Germain and McGrail agreed settling the MBTA lawsuit against the state over housing compliance was a major accomplishment of 2025. 

“It was important for us to do what we did, but it was also important for us to settle the suit in a way that worked for the town — ultimately, we're compliant but on our own terms,” McGrail said.

The two worked closely with attorney Gregg Corbo, the town’s counsel, to argue Middleboro was already in compliance with the MBTA housing regulations, and they should not have been forced to accept the MBTA Communities Act — which requires municipalities with an MBTA commuter-line stop create districts allowing multi-family housing within a half mile of the station. 

The MBTA district, the lawsuit had claimed, could have cost the town nearly $200 million and added 1,471 housing units. State grants for mental health services and infrastructure funding were also threatened by the non-compliance, but returned to status quo after the suit was settled.

McGrail said the fight couldn’t have been done without Germain’s leadership.

“At the end of the day, I'm pretty proud that I forced [the state] into doing what we asked, and then at the end of it, we were compliant,” Germain said.

McGrail and Germain also said tax increment financing agreements — incentives to bring businesses to an area through incremental tax increases over a number of years — with industrial companies Rexa and Indus were another major success of the year. The agreements incentivized the two companies to bring job opportunities and tax revenues to Middleboro.

As large ongoing projects approach their completion dates in mid-2026, McGrail said the town will continue to focus on improvements big and small.

“We're going to spend 2026 focusing on improving the community, one little step at a time,” he said. “That's through clean drinking water and recreational activities — trying to do what we can to improve the quality of life in the town.”

Middleboro might also see a change of seats in the town manager position.

McGrail is one of three finalists vying for Harwich’s vacant town administrator position. The finalists for the position were made public in a Dec. 22 Harwich Select Board meeting, where officials said their final decision to fill the seat will be announced at the end of January.

He said he’s looking at the Harwich opportunity as a way to work closer to his home and family in Sandwich. McGrail said if he were to receive and accept the Harwich job offer, “it would be extremely bittersweet.”