Shrewsbury student earns perfect score on SAT Shrewsbury | 10
Westborough offers a sweet time for trickor-treaters Westborough | 14
Westborough notches doubleovertime victory over Panthers Marlborough | 27
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Vol. 49 | No. 49 | November 3, 2023
Shrewsbury eyes tax rate of $12.39 By Evan Walsh Reporter SHREWSBURY – The Select Board held its tax classification hearing on Oct. 24. During the hearing, the board adopted a tax rate of $12.39 for fiscal 2024. According to a presentation by Principal Assessor Ruth Anderson, the average bill for singlefamily households in Shrewsbury is expected to be $8,268.05. The average single-family bill will increase by $471.40, or 6.05% over last year. “Like previous years, our average singlefamily home value [was] right near the top of the list, but our tax rate and average single-family tax bill were the lowest,” said Anderson. According to her presentation, the average single-family tax bill in 2023 in Grafton was $7,980, $8,575 in Northborough and $11,059 in Westborough. According to the presentation to the Select Board, the increased tax rate is driven by the increasing value of property in town. Singlefamily homes in Shrewsbury have increased in value by an average of $73,000 since last year. Overall values in Shrewsbury have increased by $2.2 billion since 2021. The Select Board also voted to maintain the town’s single tax rate. The board had the opportunity to adopt a “split tax rate”, which would have had commercial businesses in town pay more of the tax levy. Under a single tax rate, residential and commercial properties will pay the same tax rate. The Select Board also rejected two possible tax exemptions. The town could have granted an exemption of “up to 35% of the assessed value of residential Tax rate | 5
Halloween fun at trunk or treat By Laura Hayes Managing Editor SOUTHBOROUGH – Kids came out in force to show off their Halloween costumes at the trunk or treat on Oct. 28. The event was presented by the Southborough Recreation Department and Southborough Fire Association. That afternoon, kids lined up in front of Woodward School to parade to the Public Safety Building, dressed in their best Little Mermaid, Paw Patrol and Beetlejuice costumes. After the parade through the building, the kids returned to Woodward to participate in a trunk or treat featuring Southborough government offices, organizations and nonprofits. In a post on Facebook after the event, the recreation department said the event was its largest and best trunk or treat to date. “A huge thank you to everyone who came out this afternoon! A beautiful day to spend with our community,” the department wrote.
Think pink! Southborough Youth and Family Services donned their Barbie best for this year’s trunk or treat on Oct. 28.
ARPA funds OK’d for library resource guide reprint, consultant By Laura Hayes Managing Editor NORTHBOROUGH – A request from the Northborough Free Library for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to reprint the Northborough Community Resource Guide and hire a consultant was approved by the Select Board 4-1 on Oct. 23. Select Board Chair Mitch Cohen and mem-
bers Laura Ziton, Kristen Wixted and Julianne Hirsh voted in favor while member Lisa Maselli voted against the two requests. What was requested Library Director Jenn Bruneau first appeared before the Select Board in September requesting $27,000 in ARPA funds. ARPA | 6
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