Writing about Lancaster, Massachusetts

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.  

Some Lancaster Residents will be "Moving to Clinton" next year -- but they won't need trucks. Check to see if your street is on the list.

  With a 2-1 vote on December 8th, Allison and Carr voted to tax the average homeowner an extra $300 this year to lower business taxes: at least 73 will pay less this year than they did in 2019.    With residential values skyrocketing, why have we been so reluctant to split the tax rates?