Winchester Select Board 11-2-2026

The Winchester Select Board met on November 2, 2026, ahead of fall Town Meeting. The town manager reported that the MSBA had invited Winchester to participate in a feasibility study for the Muraco School; formal authorization and an agreement are expected to return to the board, likely November 23, and some costs may be reimbursable. Engineering assessments for green stormwater infrastructure at Wedge and Winter ponds are underway, with funding support from an earmark obtained through Representative Day’s office. Work at Skinfield was nearing completion, and an Evernav drainage analysis was also in progress. No construction contract awards were made at this meeting.

The board reviewed several Town Meeting spending articles. It voted 3–1 to recommend $400,000 for the special-education reserve fund and approved a $148,000 transfer to the health insurance stabilization fund. A proposed software package for permitting and licensing (OpenGov) and budget management and reporting (ClearGov) was discussed, including $92,000 in free cash; the board deferred its position until a later meeting, so no purchase or funding approval was recorded. A proposed Sanborn carriage-house feasibility study would use about $50,000, including $30,536 in free cash; a motion to recommend unfavorable action was made, but no vote is clear in the transcript. The board also discussed possible permit-fee changes and a future per-tote charge for commercial food-waste deliveries at the transfer station, without taking action. Separately, it approved Black Horse Tavern’s request to open for food service at 7 a.m. on Thanksgiving, but a motion to allow alcoholic-beverage service at that time ended in a split vote and did not pass.