Sturbridge Town Meeting approves budget, trail bridge funding

Town Meeting · Meeting of April 27, 2026

Sturbridge Town Meeting approves $2.245 million trail bridge and a moratorium on large battery storage. Finance Committee Chair Kevin Smith touted the town's "AA plus stable" bond rating as voters worked through more than 60 warrant articles, including an education budget of $23,545,648 and a police budget of $4,198,030. Trail Committee Chair Brandon Goodwin said the Community Preservation Act-funded bridge would connect downtown to "30 miles of trail" used by roughly 56,000 people a year.

CPC Chair Penny Dumas said the town has drawn $5,698,342 in state matching funds since 2001, insisting "we are not feeling like the money is burning a hole in our pocket." A motion to reconsider the Capital Improvement Plan, passed on a 4-3 Finance Committee vote, failed to reach the two-thirds threshold needed to reopen debate. Voters also approved $240,000 for ADA-accessible library outdoor space.

In the full story:

• The complete report — 880 words

Source: the Town Meeting meeting of April 27, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.