Town Meeting Page
Open Town Meeting is the form of democratic governing practiced in Tyngsborough, used for over 250 years. Special Town Meetings occur throughout the year when deemed necessary. Any registered voter may participate in Town Meeting. You can check your voter registration status by clicking here.
Unlike an election, there are no alternative voting methods for Town Meeting. Attendance must be in person. Due to the nature of the meeting, and the possibility of amendments on Town Meeting floor, there is no absentee or early voting for Town Meeting. While all Town Meetings are recorded and broadcast live, there are no virtual participation methods available.
State law requires that municipalities host at least one meeting, Annual Town Meeting, each Spring. This meeting is the primary business meeting for municipalities. This is where the Annual Town Budget is approved, thus funding government operations for the following fiscal year. Tyngsborough typically also hosts a Town Meeting each Fall or early winter. The Select Board may call a Special Town Meeting at any time and residents may call a Special Town Meeting through a citizen’s petition.
The Town Meeting is moderated by the Town Moderator who is elected by the Town for a term of 3 years. The Moderator is currently Robert L. Kydd, Jr. whose term expires in 2023.
You can watch Town Meetings on Verizon channel 29 and Comcast channel 8 as well as stream it live here.
Upcoming Town Meetings & Events
- Annual Town Meeting – May 2, 2023 at 7:00 PM
- FINAL Annual Town Meeting Warrant May 2, 2023 CLICK HERE
- FY24 ATM BUDGET by Department
- FY24 Line-Item Budget Book and Capital Plan
- Final Town Meeting Powerpoint Presentation (PDF)
- Final Town Meeting Powerpoint Presentation (PPT)
- Final FINCOM Guidebook.rev1
- Final Motion Book
- Sherburne Open Space Presentation (PDF)
- Sherburne Open Space Presentation (PPT)
- FY24 Capital Asset Management Committee Report
Article | Summary | Finance Committee Votes (TBD) |
Select Board Votes In Favor-Opposed-Abstain |
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Article 1: Reports of the Town Officers and Committees | To see if the Town will vote to accept the reports of the Town Officers and Committees as printed, or take any other action relative thereto. | 5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 2: Appropriate Commonwealth Transportation Infrastructure (CTI) | To see if the Town will vote to appropriate $3,347.80 as received from the Commonwealth Transportation Infrastructure (CTI) Fund to the TNC Special Revenue Account, which funds must be used “to address the impact of transportation network services on municipal roads, bridges and other transportation infrastructure or any other public purpose substantially related to the operation of transportation network services in the city or town including, but not limited to, the complete streets program established in [G.L. c. 90I, § 1] and other programs that support alternative modes of transportation,” or take any other action relative thereto. | 5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 3: Deposits to Stabilization Funds |
To see if the Town will vote to transfer the sum of $210,000 from the following sources to the following Stabilization Funds, for the purposes hereafter specified:
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5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 4: Authorize Appropriations from Stabilization Funds for Fiscal Year 2024 |
To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Select Board to expend up to the following amounts from the following Stabilization Funds, for the following purposes, or take any other action relative thereto.
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5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 5: Continue and Approve Revolving Funds |
To see if the Town will vote to establish, pursuant to the authority granted under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 44, Section 53E½, FY24 spending limits for the following revolving funds, to be expended in accordance with Article XLIV DEPARTMENTAL REVOLVING FUNDS, Section 5: Table of Authorized Revolving Funds, or take any other action relative thereto.
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5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 6: Authorization of the Select Board Regarding Contracts in Excess of Three Years | To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Select Board to enter into Lease/Purchase Agreements up to five years to lease or purchase equipment for the Town, said contracts to be subject to annual appropriations, or take any other action relative thereto. | 5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 7: Appropriation – General Fund for Fiscal Year 2024 |
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate and/or transfer from available funds such sums of money as may be necessary to fund Town expenses for Fiscal Year 2024 (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024), or take any other action relative thereto. (Budget attachment as Exhibit A) |
5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 8: Compensation of Elected Officials |
To see if the Town will vote to fix the salary and compensation of elective officers of the Town as provided by Section 108 of Chapter 41 of the Massachusetts General Laws, as amended, for the Fiscal Year 2024 (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024), or take any other action relative thereto. Salaries of the Elected Officials are included in the Department Appropriations submitted within Article 2. PRIOR YEAR REQUESTED RECOMMENDED |
5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 9: Transfer of Funds from Free Cash |
To see if the Town will vote to transfer from free cash the following sums of money, for the following purposes, or take any other action relative thereto.
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5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 10: Appropriation – Ambulance Enterprise Fund for Fiscal Year 2024 |
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from available funds a sum of money to be expended by the Select Board to operate the Ambulance Enterprise for Fiscal Year 2024 as follows: Salaries $ 511,081.00 and that $47,741.44 and $18,188.20 be included in appropriations from the General Fund for fringe benefits and indirect costs respectively, as shown above, and to be allocated to the Ambulance Enterprise for funding, or take any other action relative thereto. |
5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 11: Appropriation – Sewer Enterprise Fund for Fiscal Year 2024 |
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from available funds a sum of money to be expended by the Sewer Commission to operate the Sewer Enterprise for Fiscal Year 2024 as follows: That the following sums be appropriated: |
4-0-1 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 12: Transfer of Funds from PEG Fund |
To see if the Town will vote to transfer the sum of $158,612 from the PEG Fund to the general fund for the following purposes, or take any other action relative thereto.
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5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 13: Appropriation – Community Preservation Committee Fund |
To see if the Town will vote a sum of money to be appropriated or reserved from estimated annual revenues of the Community Preservation Fund for the Fiscal Year 2024, with each item to be considered a separate appropriation, for the payment of administrative expenses of the Community Preservation Committee, debt service, community preservation projects, and all other necessary and proper expenses, as follows: Description Amount Fund Category |
5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 14: Authorize Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical School to establish a Stabilization Fund | To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical School District to establish a Regional School District Stabilization Fund in accordance with G.L. c.71 s.16 G1/2,, or take any other action relative thereto. | 5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 15: Special Act- Appointing the Town Clerk’s position |
To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Select Board to file a petition within the General Court for special legislation, substantially as set forth below, authorizing the Town of Tyngsborough to appoint the Town Clerk’s position; to authorize the General Court to make clerical and editorial changes of form only to the bill, unless the Select Board approves amendments to the bill before enactment by the General Court; and to authorize the Select Board to approve amendments which shall be within the scope of the general public objectives of the aforesaid petition, or take any action relative thereto. An Act authorizing the Town of Tyngsborough to appoint a Town Clerk Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: SECTION 1. As of the effective date of this act, the elected incumbent town clerk shall continue to serve in such elected position for the term for which she was elected. The town clerk shall, during this period, be subject to the call of the appointing authority for the position as set forth in the Tyngsborough Town Manager Special Act. Upon the expiration of such elected term, the elected office shall be abolished; provided, however, that the elected incumbent holding office as of the effective date of this act shall become the first appointed clerk under this Act. If the elected incumbent removes from office prior to the expiration of the elected term, the elected position shall thereupon be abolished and such office filled in accordance with appointing procedures as set forth in the Tyngsborough Town Manager Special Act. |
4-1-0 | 4-0-1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 16: Authorization to sell surplus property. | To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Select Board to sell a parcel of land commonly referred to as 120 Westford Rd, having approximately 14.61 acres of land and shown on Assessors Map 22 Block 1 Lot 0, and also recorded in the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds, Book 02652 Page 0722, or any portion thereof, such land having been determined to be no longer needed for any municipal purposes, upon such terms and conditions as determined by the Select Board, but at a minimum must include the Town maintaining permanent rights in perpetuity to access, maintain, lease, and control the existing billboard located on the property, or take any other action relative thereto. | 4-1-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 17: General Bylaw Amendment – Aerator Use Regulations | https://www.tyngsboroughma.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Aerator-Bylaw-2023.pdf | 5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 18: Zoning Bylaw Amendments – Electronic Message Board Regulations | https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OBP7xZdcvW7W8q1tP83LIBU9NCf-UtSV/view | 5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 19: Zoning Bylaw Amendments – Split Zone Lots |
To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 3, Districts, of the Town’s Zoning Bylaw, by adding a new subsection shown below, or take any other action relative thereto. 3.4 Split Zoned Lots. Where a district boundary line divides any lot, existing at the time the boundary line is adopted, between the Business 3 zoning district and the Industrial 1 zoning district, and the lot frontage is located in the Business 3 district, the Use and Dimensional regulations of the Business 3 district may be extended, to a new, uniform and equidistant district boundary line from the existing district boundary line into not more than 25% of the lot area situated in the Industrial 1 District. See illustrated examples 1 and 2. Such special permit shall require mandatory findings by the Planning Board in accordance with Section 2.7 F of this By-law, with respect to the boundary extension proposed; the extension of the Business 3 Use and Dimensional regulations into the Industrial 1 district may be expanded to not more than 50% of the lot area of the Industrial 1 district subject to approval of a special permit by the Planning Board. |
5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 20: Zoning Bylaw Amendments – Site Plan Review Process |
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OeUeHPos4Jdc3gF1nO67qWn-SFOGIt_S/view https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I1KMurJRnC4Hj9YOkSMTOrLdEqZcMot9/view |
5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 21: Zoning Bylaw Amendments – Floodplain and Floodway Districts | https://www.tyngsboroughma.gov/departments/inspectional-services/planning/ | 5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 22: Amend income limit for Senior Property Tax Deferral, MGL Ch 59 Sec 5 Clause 41A | To see if the town will vote to increase the gross income criteria to be eligible to defer property taxes under G.L. c.59 sec. 5, Clause 41A from $40,000 to 100% of the amount established annually by the Commissioner of Revenue as the income limit for single seniors who are not heads of households to qualify for the “circuit breaker” state income tax credit for the preceding state tax year, ($64,0000 for 2022), said new income limit to become effective for real estate tax deferrals granted for taxes assessed for the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2023 (Fiscal Year 2024), or take any action relative thereto. | 5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 23: Approve Prior Year Bills |
To see if the Town will vote to approve payment on the following bills which were incurred during a previous fiscal year (FY22):
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5-0-0 | 5-0-0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 24: Winslow School Preservation Project |
To see if the Town will vote a sum of money not to exceed $1,500,000 to be appropriated or reserved from estimated annual revenues or existing undesignated funds of the Community Preservation Fund for the Fiscal Year 2024, for the following community preservation project:
This project preserves some of the historical integrity of the school and allows the option to add open space/recreation amenities to the site in the future. When additional funding is available in the future, the original school has potential to be renovated or added onto and used for municipal uses. Photo of original school shown below.
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5-0-0 | 1-3-1 (Motion Fails) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Article 25: Winslow School Demolition | To see if the Town will vote to transfer from free cash $250,000 for the abatement and demolition of the former Winslow School and lowering the hill approximately four feet, or take any other action relative thereto. | 4-1-0 | 3-1-1 |
May 2, 2023 Town Meeting Supporting Documents
Town Meeting Minutes
Prior Town Meeting Guidebooks & Warrants
Notable Past Town Meeting Votes and Updates
Ever wonder what came of that Town Meeting vote? Browse through a few notable outcomes from votes. If you have a suggestion for something we can spotlight, reach out on the contact page.