Blackstone Special Town Meeting Articles: Your Voter’s Guide (Nov 8)
Blackstone Special Town Meeting Articles: Your Essential Voter’s Guide
When: Saturday, November 8, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Blackstone-Millville Regional High School at the Molony-Sullivan School Auditorium
We at Small Town Post believe a strong community is an informed community. That’s why we’ve compiled this easy-to-read guide breaking down all the Blackstone Special Town Meeting Articles you will be voting on this November. This is your chance to shape local policy and spending—let’s make every vote count!
Critical Infrastructure Articles for the Blackstone Special Town Meeting
These articles propose major funding for town services and require a 2/3rds Majority Vote to pass.
Article 1: Water Meter System Upgrade ($1,500,000)
This article seeks to fund the replacement of over 2,800 aging water meters and upgrade the related software.
| What You Need to Know | Why Your Vote Matters |
|---|---|
| Why it’s back: This proposal was voted down at the May 27 Annual Town Meeting. Officials felt they needed to better explain the benefits. | Improved Service: The new system would replace meters (most over 20 years old), dramatically improve billing accuracy, and free up DPW staff who currently spend up to two weeks per cycle reading meters manually. |
| New Technology: The system includes automatic leak detection. If a pipe bursts while you’re away, the water department can be alerted, potentially saving homeowners thousands in damage. | The Cost Plan: The Town would not pay in full from reserves. Instead, it would use short-term borrowing paid down annually by the Water Enterprise Fund (funded by water bill revenue, not general taxes), similar to how existing water projects are funded. BOS Chair Dan Keefe wrote in the November issue of the Blackstone Enlightener that the article will be funded from the Water/Sewer Retained Earnings account, which is specifically designed for this type of capital project. This infrastructure upgrade is crucial to ensuring a modern, reliable water service for our community. |
Article 5: Accessible Senior Center Van Purchase ($150,000)
This funding is requested to purchase one new, handicapped-accessible 14-passenger van for the Senior Center, replacing a 2012 model that lacks a lift. The town is seeking to acquire two new vans in total, one through this funding and one through a grant (with the state funding 80% if successful).
Article 4: Mandatory Stormwater (MS4) Compliance Funding ($110,000)
This article requests funds for annual engineering services to comply with the federal and state MS4 Stormwater Permit. This is not optional spending; it is required by regulation to prevent pollutants from entering our local waterways and protecting the environment.
Key Policy & Bylaw Changes for the Blackstone Special Town Meeting
These articles relate to town rules and fiscal management and generally require a Majority Vote (except for Article 7).
Article 7: Limiting Marijuana Establishments (Requires 2/3rds Vote)
This is a significant bylaw change that seeks to set clear caps on the number of commercial marijuana facilities operating in Blackstone.
- The Proposal: It limits the number of Marijuana Retailers (Dispensaries) to a maximum of three (3) and the total number of Cultivators to three (3).
- The Context: The Town currently has three retailers. This article is a proactive measure. An earlier attempt to set limits failed in a previous town meeting. Board of Selectman Chair Dan Keefe stated on a Facebook comment the goal is to “protect the town” from a potential influx of facilities, especially as state regulations may ease and local revenue from Host Community Agreements is no longer guaranteed.
Article 2: Sidewalks and Grant Flexibility (Federal St.)
This is an amendment to a previous vote. It changes the condition for spending the approved $126,500 for the engineering costs of the Federal Street sidewalk segment. The original condition was tied to receiving a specific $500,000 Complete Streets grant. The amendment allows the Town to additionally utilize a Shared Streets grant.
| What You Need to Know | Why Your Vote Matters |
|---|---|
| Action: To amend the language by removing the phrase “contingent upon the Town receiving a $500,000 Complete Streets grant” and replacing it with “contingent upon the Town receiving grant funds.” | Accessing Approved Funds: This small revision is critical, as it allows the Town to use the $247,805.60 Shared Streets grant we recently received from MassDOT. Without the update, the funds cannot be accessed. |
| Impact: This article is about maximizing grant opportunities and allows the Town to pursue the Complete Streets grant application submitted in October 2025. | Safety Priority: Police Chief Gregory Gilmore identified Federal Street (from Main Street to the Harnett Middle School) as a high-priority corridor. It serves the middle school, a large day care, and an assisted living facility, making it critical for residents of all ages. The Shared Streets grant funds Phase One, which includes sidewalks from the school to Rocco Drive and a crosswalk with flashing signage. |
The Debate: During Capital Outlay meeting and Finance Committee Public Hearing, member Jeff Silverstein raised concerns that the sidewalk project had not been requested by residents from Federal Street or Rocco Drive and questioned the introduction of future maintenance costs. Town officials stressed the general safety benefit for a critical corridor. Crucially, it is important to note that this vote is procedural: it only amends the grant language to secure funds the Town has already appropriated; it is not a re-vote on the sidewalk project itself.
Article 6: Expanding Use of Sewer Pump Funds
This article changes the wording on a prior $71,215 appropriation. It expands the use of the funds from strictly cleaning sewer pump stations to also include crucial repair and maintenance. This allows the DPW to use the existing money for necessary upkeep, as cleaning costs are now covered in the annual operational budget.
Article 3: Expediting Abandoned Funds Management
This article adopts state law (G.L. c. 200A, § 9A) to streamline how the Town manages uncashed checks (abandoned funds). It reduces the time before the Town can claim these funds and use them for general revenue from three years to one year, creating a more fiscally efficient process.
Clearing Up Prior Year Bills (Articles 8-14)
These seven Blackstone Special Town Meeting Articles request approval to pay bills that were legally incurred in a past fiscal year but were not paid in time. They require a difficult-to-achieve 9/10ths Majority Vote. The total amount for these expenses—which include advertisements in The Call, planning services, and office/supply bills—is $6,202.77.
Your Impact Starts at the Blackstone Special Town Meeting
Here at The Small Town Post, our mission is simple: to keep you connected and empowered. We’ve broken down these Blackstone Special Town Meeting Articles because they are the building blocks of our town—from water bills to senior accessibility and local business zoning.
It’s easy to share comments and concerns on social media, but real change, real spending, and real policy are decided by the voters who show up. You have the power to make an impact far beyond a keyboard.
Please join us and exercise your voice:
- When: Saturday, November 8, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.
- Where: Blackstone-Millville Regional Molony-Sullivan School Auditorium
If you have specific questions about these articles that require clarification before the meeting, we strongly encourage you to reach out to the Board of Selectmen or the Town Administrator’s office while you still have time.
Warrant for Special Town Meeting on November 8, 2025
Recording of Finance Committee Public Hearing on October 23, 2025
Your Community, Your Voice
Here at The Small Town Post, our mission is to provide you, our neighbors, with the clear, accessible, and friendly information you need to participate in local government. We believe that an informed vote at a Blackstone Special Town Meeting or election is the purest form of community inspiration.
We encourage you to attend the meeting on November 8th and cast your vote on these important Blackstone Special Town Meeting Articles.
Do you have a story, an event, or an important community update we should know about? We want to hear it! Send us your info anytime. Also, be sure to follow us on Facebook, where we post regular updates and discussions on all things Blackstone!
