Town Meeting has approved Article 6, extending the timeline for a critical land swap intended to facilitate the construction of a new school. The article amends a previous agreement regarding land on Gal Road, ensuring that the land remains available for school use until June 30, 2033, rather than reverting to conservation status in 2028.

Warrant Committee Chair Jay Funling explained that the extension is a administrative necessity caused by the timeline of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The school building committee realized we would probably come close but not quite hit the five-year deadline, Funling said. It's prudent to move the timeline back to keep those state funds. The town has been approved for significant MSBA funding, which Funling noted could reach tens of millions of dollars.

While the extension passed by a wide margin, it faced opposition from Diane Agugustino, Chair of the Commission on Disability, who has consistently raised concerns about the preservation of Lamb Woods and the legal processing of the land swap through the land court. Despite these objections, the majority of members agreed that the 10-year timeline was necessary to align with the slow-moving state funding process for the comprehensive school building project.

Motion: S. Oor moved that the Town amend the 2023 land swap authorization to extend the reverter clause deadline to June 30, 2033.

Vote: Passed 150-21-12