Finance panel votes 7-2 to back $4.9M override

Finance Committee · Meeting of April 1, 2026

HOLDEN — The Holden Finance Committee voted 7-2 to recommend a $4,916,254 property tax override to the Board of Selectmen. Chair Paul tied $1,190,714 of the request directly to the Wachusett Regional School District, saying "Holden isn't causing the problem" of collapsing state Chapter 70 aid. Members voted 8-1 twice to formalize that school-linked stabilization draw, and unanimously cut a $75,000 geothermal study, a $50,000 town office feasibility study and a $185,000 Trout Brook Pavilion roof replacement from the list.

A bid to pull $504,500 for a DPW building refit failed 4-5. A motion to fund the library and senior center from stabilization instead of the override failed 2-7, keeping $520,000 for those departments on the ballot question. Two SAFER grant firefighter positions, $39,347, were restored unanimously.

The override goes to a May 11 vote ahead of a June 8 town meeting.

In the full story:

• The Full Story
• [00:04:59] — Paul, Finance Committee chair
• [00:58:09] — Sarah, committee member
• [01:42:12] — Paul, Finance Committee chair
• Why It Matters
• Key Motions & Votes
• Source
• Holden's community access TV: Finance Committee meeting, April 1, 2026
• The complete report: 998 words

Source: the Finance Committee meeting of April 1, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.