Our Downtown has been neglected for decades, long in need of economic development action. Our lack of an Economic Development Committee is simply astounding. I know the Planning Board and Master Plan Committee have talked about this. Downtown Economic Development must be a Board of Selectmen priority for it not to languish decades more.

We remain very far behind our neighbors on our lack of open government. Most towns have been providing video of every single meeting for years. That’s something I started in my old town – way back in 2006. The pandemic forced action through the Governor’s order requiring all meetings to be streamed. That requirement ends soon, and there’s been no planning to continue it here.  Government works best when it works in the open. Every Committee is important, not just the few broadcast before the pandemic. We need to get more information online, and be more responsive to input and inquiry at all levels. This must be a Board of Selectmen initiative.

We’re taking ownership of the old town hall as soon as next month, and haven’t even begun the feasibility stage of what to do with it. We need to work with our legislators to provide better options for senior tax affordability. We need to build a new Fire Station – and do something with the existing building. Our Board should be meeting regularly with peers in neighboring towns to further regional solutions. We should catch up with many towns and rename the Board of Selectmen to the Select Board. We should engage with regional transportation agencies to connect Northborough to existing bus lines.

We have so many opportunities to make Northborough an even more amazing place to live and work. Let’s all work together to make it happen.