Winchester Select Board 9-28-26

The Winchester Select Board met on September 28, 2026. Procurement and capital planning were prominent in discussion. The Winchester Community Preservation Committee plans to advance eight Town Meeting projects totaling $920,500, including $400,000 for phase three of the Packer Ellis tennis courts, a Leonard Pavilion upgrade, $60,000 for tree-canopy improvements, and smaller town hall auditorium and greenway projects. The Capital Planning Committee presented proposed warrant articles for building systems, school and other facility work, vehicles, traffic safety, and cemetery improvements. It described about $2.5 million in proposed Community Preservation Fund spending and roughly $8 million in later project costs associated with design investments; most capital articles are planned for fall Town Meeting. The town also discussed proposed software purchases: ClearGov budgeting software at $47,000 annually plus a one-time $19,000 setup fee, with a negotiated 3% annual increase, and townwide OpenGov permitting expansion with a reported first-year cost of about $125,000. Officials discussed funding options and integration with existing systems; the transcript does not record a vote approving either purchase.

The board also heard a proposal to update Winchester’s electricity aggregation plan and begin a 30-day public-comment period. The proposed plan would not change rates or renewable-energy content, but would make future program changes easier; no board vote was required at this stage. Other budget discussions covered potential savings from reviewing copier and printer use, health-insurance costs, and electronic police ticketing. The board voted to waive the charter’s 15-day holding period for a water-and-sewer foreman promotion, approved two committee appointments, and adopted the early-voting schedule. No contract award or vendor selection was recorded.