Board Authorizes $90,000 Town Hall ADA Study

Select Board · Meeting of October 19, 2026

Northborough's Select Board approved $90,000 for an ADA study after Town Hall HVAC cost estimates nearly tripled. Public Works Director Scott Charpentier and Facilities Manager Sean Thompson said a $1.3 million verbal estimate for new heating and cooling grew to between $3.5 million and $4.3 million after peer review, and any renovation could trigger full-building accessibility compliance costing "$4 to $5 million." The board, with Leslie Rutan, Julianne Hirsh and Michael Tietjen voting, authorized the study from a 2012 warrant article rather than 2025 HVAC funds. Separately, the board voted 3-0 to approve a nonbinding memorandum of understanding with NextGen Energy to join "Keep Lights On Massachusetts," a six-town microgrid consortium organizers say could cut the town's $285,000 annual electric bill in half and generate roughly $1 million a year.

The board also approved a change of manager for BJ's Wholesale Club's liquor license and a response letter to the state over an open meeting law complaint filed by Patrick Higgins.

In the full story:

• Public Comment: Drone Bylaws
• Swearing-In of Two Firefighters
• Liquor License Manager Change: BJ's Wholesale Club
• Revolution 250 Committee Wrap-Up
• Safe Routes to School Grant Update
• Town Hall Capital Improvements: HVAC and ADA Compliance
• Keep Lights On Massachusetts: A Regional Microgrid MOU
• [02:38:02] — Michael Tietjen, Vice Chair
• Tax Classification: Continuing Discussion
• Open Meeting Law Complaint Response
• Peasley Building Committee Update
• Amended Minutes and Amazon Drone Delivery Update
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 4,056 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of October 19, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.