Commuters seeking a shortcut through Milton side streets will soon face new restrictions as the Select Board moves to mitigate the impacts of the Route 28 "road diet" pilot program. During their Tuesday night meeting, board members voted unanimously to install "No Left Turn" signs at the intersections of Highland Street and Clifton, Martin, Buckingham, and Spafford Roads between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM. The move follows significant neighborhood concern regarding traffic overflow from the state-led Randolph Avenue project.

The decision came after Police Chief John King voiced strong opposition to a more restrictive "Do Not Enter" proposal, citing concerns over enforcement and local access. I am strongly against 'Do Not Enters,' King told the board, noting that such restrictions require consistent police presence that the department cannot guarantee. All those time restrictions mean enforcement has to be at the same exact time. It's impossible for the police to be there consistently. Resident Amy Marrison, representing the affected neighborhood, expressed gratitude for the board's intervention, stating, It means a lot to our neighborhood.

Motion Made by R. Wells to install "No Left Turn" restrictions from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM on Clifton Road, Martin Road, Buckingham Road, and Spafford Road at their intersections with Highland Street, with the policy to be revisited on June 1, 2026. Motion Passed (5-0). Member J. Driscoll questioned the rollout of the new rules, asking, Are they going to have a grace period? When you first start doing it, you're going to need more than one policeman there, right? Member W. Daley emphasized that the town must continue to press state officials for better solutions, adding, If we're going to do the left turn signs, we should engage with the neighborhoods to let them know. Secondly, we should engage MassDOT a little bit more directly.

The town’s long-term financial outlook also took center stage as Town Administrator Nicholas Milano provided a sobering update on the Fiscal Year 2027 budget. Milton is currently grappling with a 14% increase in health insurance premiums, a trend Milano expects to continue into the next cycle. The health insurance issue is real, Milano warned. We're looking at facing premium increases that could potentially be just as high in this upcoming year. According to town estimates, every 1% increase in health insurance premiums costs the town approximately $140,000, creating a significant hurdle for department heads who have already submitted their initial budget requests to the Warrant Committee.

In a move to provide relief to local seniors, the board also approved a significant expansion of the Senior Tax Workoff program. Council on Aging Director Christine Stanton reported that the current income limits—set at $51,777 for single residents—have left nearly half of the program’s 25 available slots empty. I've only been able to fill 14 of them, Stanton said. The board voted to raise the income eligibility to $72,000 for singles and $109,000 for married couples, aligning the town with the state’s "circuit breaker" tax credit guidelines. Motion Made by W. Daley to approve the recommended changes to the income eligibility requirements for the Senior Tax Workoff program. Motion Passed (5-0).

To further address municipal costs, Milano introduced a proposal for the town to purchase solar net metering credits at a 17.5% discount. The 25-year agreement could potentially save the town between $150,000 and $200,000 annually on electric bills for municipal buildings and schools. Member M. Haggerty spoke in favor of the fiscal discipline the town is pursuing, which included the final approval of a new formal reserve policy. It's going to help us have more financial discipline and give us more of a cushion for some minor shocks, Haggerty said of the policy, noting that this was a very collaborative process. Motion Made by J. Driscoll to approve the new Financial Policies/Reserve Policy. Motion Passed (5-0).

Before moving to executive session, the board handled annual license renewals and celebrated local achievements. Chair B. Zoll highlighted recent community successes, including a volunteer award for Boubacar Diiam and victories for the Milton High School theater and football programs. Commenting on the holiday season, Zoll noted that the First Friday event in December was a holiday event... a lot of fun, as the board approved a one-day liquor license for the Milton Art Center's upcoming February event. Motion Made by W. Daley to approve a one-day liquor license for the Milton Art Center for February 6th, 2026. Motion Passed (4-0).