Writing about Lancaster, Massachusetts

  If we don't approve the zoning the week, a potential buyer is Sauron, the Deceiver, who'll be unconstrained by zoning and will build what's most profitable: the total domination of all mankind.  You must choose between these two options.   But seriously: do we in the Shire really have "no control" if we turn down the zoning week?    That's not true, and here are the details.

  The DCAMM development won't "raise revenue" as is often quoted.  It would create new assessed residential and commercial value, which raises the levy limit without an override vote.   If the town actually raised the "$777,043 in net-positive revenue" asserted in the DCAMM financial analysis, most of it would be taxed from existing homes and your taxes would increase.  In FY2026, the basis for DCAMMs projections, the town would have seen its tax rate and average tax bill increase and the percentage of taxes borne by business townwide decrease.  

At the Special Town Meeting on November 16th "Question 1" will ask voters to decide whether to approve new zoning bylaws for the old Industrial School property on Old Common Road.   DCAMMs model development for the property includes 386 housing units.  That's a lot, but how many units is it in relation to Lancaster and it's normal growth?  

  He claimed that “...a growing number of students were choosing not to participate…” in the Halloween parade, but parents requested the data:   even though the sign-up form stopped restricting the “alternate activity” to students with religious objection after 2023, the percentage of responses that chose the “alternate activity” only increased from 9.8% to 13.3%.

Should Nashoba privatize it's cafeterias?  Tonight the School Committee will hear the single proposal that resulted from the District's "Request for Proposals," from Whitsons Culinary Group.   You can share your opinion with the entire committee by sending an email to  nrsc@nrsd.net  

  If you're asked to support another override in May, 2028 -- what will you do?   It's projected in the budget book that we'll refer to tomorrow night. The budget Lancaster will vote on tomorrow night (Monday at 7PM at Mary Rowlandson elementary) projects that Lancaster will be unable to support current spending in two years:  we'll either need to "drastically cut services" or approve the second Levy Limit Override in five years.  The same budget would increase town staff -- already up  50% in 12 years through last year -- with four new hires and expanded hours for another position.   This will add another $240K in recurring expenses.    It asks the town to increase the budget for municipal services by 12% next year. The old adage goes: "if you find yourself in a hole, first: stop digging."    We're in an increasingly deep hole at the moment.

    Lancaster's Select Board looked at an early plan for redeveloping the former Atlantic Union College site during Monday's Select Board meeting.   Among the early concepts: a community athletic center, a vocational school, a hotel and a variety of housing types.