Town Meeting: Information Session – Fall, 2026

Chelmsford’s fall 2026 pre–Town Meeting information session, held October 15, reviewed proposed warrant articles ahead of Town Meeting; no votes or procurement awards were made at this informational session. The principal spending proposals included $800,000 from free cash for roadway and sidewalk work (supplementing state Chapter 90 funding), $350,000 for second-floor restroom renovations at Town Offices, $150,000 for ADA improvements to Town Common walkways, $50,000 from cemetery lot and grave-sale funds for cemetery work, and $85,000 from the stormwater enterprise fund to repair a leaking dam outlet valve. The town also proposed returning $83,394 in federal E-rate funds to school accounts and transferring $95,547 in sewer-fund interest back to the sewer construction stabilization fund. Roadway projects are prioritized by Public Works and engineering staff, with work bid based on condition, timing, and coordination needs; no contractors or bid results were identified.

Community Preservation Act proposals included $460,000 toward the $28 million Residences at Bigelow Hall senior-housing project and funding toward renovation of a group home at 79 Groton Road, part of a $1.2 million project for residents with disabilities; the group-home article’s requested amount was not clear in the transcript. Other financial items included a proposed transfer of free cash to stabilization, whose balance was reported at about $16.9 million. The session also previewed proposed zoning changes, including rules for contractor facilities and data centers; under the proposal, small data centers would be allowed only by special permit in industrial areas, while medium and large facilities would be prohibited. These articles were presented for later Town Meeting consideration, not adopted at this session.