Analysis: Town and Schools

What the town is deciding now

18 things still open, 3 settled. Each one tracked across every board that touched it.

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lunenburgbudgetproject.org — written by the Lunenburg Budget Project, an independent tool for residents. Not affiliated with the Town of Lunenburg, the School Committee or the school district. The document this page renders: /notes/process/THREADS-MODEL.md The data this page is computed from: /data/threads.json

Top threads

  • a project — a study, a design, a build · town land or a buildingThe track and turf fieldTop Hot · 5 meetings, 3 boards, 30 dayspicking up
    Open — last discussed at the Finance Committee, Oct 8, 8 days ago
    On the agenda: Tuesday, Oct 20, Select Board
    Last vote: passed 5-0 (all yes on roll call) — Request the town raise/appropriate/borrow funds for a full feasibility and schematic study of t…
    Does the town pay for engineering of the track and turf field, and what would rebuilding them cost?
    4 boards · 9 meetings · 1 vote · voted on, not decided · Schools and my kids, Town land and buildings
    discussed by 4 boards over 9 meetings and settled by none

Newly raised

These first came up in the last two months, and are still open.

  • a contract — a union agreement, a vendor, a lease · a project — a study, a design, a buildThe sewer pump station contractNewmoving
    Open — last discussed at the Sewer Commission, Oct 13, 3 days ago
    Last vote: passed 3-0 — To accept the warrant article wording authorizing a Comprehensive Procurement for Sewer Pump St…
    Does one multi-year contract cover sewer pump operations, maintenance and capital repair?
    1 board · 2 meetings · 1 vote · voted on, not decided · Water, sewer, roads and trash
  • money — a fee, a rate, a cost residents pay · a rule — a bylaw, a regulation, a policyThe veterans property tax exemptionNew Hot · 6 meetings, 4 boards, 30 daysmoving
    Open — last discussed at the Finance Committee, Oct 8, 8 days ago
    Last vote: not audible — Put the warrant article for clause 22J (doubling veterans exemptions) on the town warrant.
    Does the veterans property tax exemption increase, and what does it shift onto other taxpayers?
    4 boards · 6 meetings · 8 votes · voted on, not decided · What I pay
  • a rule — a bylaw, a regulation, a policy · an office — a post that decides things, vacant or contestedTrust fund administration during a vacancyNewmoving
    Open — last discussed at the Finance Committee, Oct 8, 8 days ago
    Last vote: passed unanimously (2-0), roll call: John Bowen aye, Richard Howard aye — Approve the rewritten warrant article on continuity of trust fund administration during a vacan…
    Who administers the town trust funds when the commission has a vacancy?
    2 boards · 3 meetings · 1 vote · voted on, not decided · How the town runs
  • a contract — a union agreement, a vendor, a leaseThe paraprofessional contractNewmoving
    Open — last discussed at the School Committee, Oct 7, 9 days ago
    Last vote: passed unanimously — Accept new terms of the paraprofessional contract
    When is the paraprofessional contract ratified, and what is in it?
    1 board · 2 meetings · 2 votes · voted on, not decided · Schools and my kids, How the town runs
  • money — a fee, a rate, a cost residents payThe FY26 school surplusNewslowing
    Open — last discussed at the School Committee, Sep 9, 1 months ago
    How much of the FY26 school budget went unspent, and where does it go?
    3 boards · 3 meetings · 0 votes · talked about only · Schools and my kids, What I pay
    those boards have met 5 times since without returning to it
  • a rule — a bylaw, a regulation, a policy · money — a fee, a rate, a cost residents payThe Salary Administration Plan rewriteNewslowing
    Open — last discussed at the School Committee, Sep 9, 1 months ago
    Which bylaw changes to the town's pay plan pass, and what does the comp study cost?
    2 boards · 2 meetings · 0 votes · a date is set · How the town runs
    those boards have met 4 times since without returning to it

Everything else still open

  • a project — a study, a design, a build · town land or a buildingTC Passios: the site's future Hot · 6 meetings, 5 boards, 30 dayspicking up
    Open — last discussed at the Zoning Board of Appeals, Oct 14, 2 days ago
    Last vote: passed unanimously — Include the non-binding question regarding TC Passios demolition in the warrant
    What happens to the TC Passios site -- senior housing, a community centre, both, or demolition?
    8 boards · 26 meetings · 7 votes · voted on, not decided · Town land and buildings
    discussed by 8 boards over 26 meetings and settled by none
  • money — a fee, a rate, a cost residents pay · a rule — a bylaw, a regulation, a policyThe stormwater fee Hot · 6 meetings, 4 boards, 30 daysmoving
    Open — last discussed at the Finance Committee, Oct 8, 8 days ago
    On the agenda: Monday, Oct 19, Planning Board Public Hearing
    Last vote: passed unanimously — Include the stormwater management bylaw fee structure article in the warrant
    Will every property pay a new stormwater charge, how much, and billed how?
    9 boards · 52 meetings · 4 votes · voted on, not decided · What I pay
    discussed by 9 boards over 52 meetings and settled by none
  • town land or a buildingBrooks House: what becomes of itmoving
    Open — last discussed at the School Committee, Oct 7, 9 days ago
    On the agenda: Tuesday, Oct 20, Architectural Preservation District Commission
    Last vote: passed — Maintain the high school driveway as is; not allow Brooks House buyer to use it
    Is Brooks House sold, leased, reused or demolished?
    4 boards · 10 meetings · 4 votes · voted on, not decided · Town land and buildings
  • a project — a study, a design, a buildTurkey Hill: rebuild or renovateslowing
    Open — last discussed at the School Committee, Sep 16, 30 days ago
    Does the town rebuild Turkey Hill, renovate it, or neither -- and with what MSBA help?
    8 boards · 30 meetings · 0 votes · a date is set · Schools and my kids, Town land and buildings
    those boards have met 9 times since without returning to it
    discussed by 8 boards over 30 meetings and settled by none
  • town land or a building925 Mass Ave: the RFPslowing
    Open — last discussed at the Select Board, Sep 15, 1 months ago
    What happens to the town land at 925 Massachusetts Avenue?
    2 boards · 3 meetings · 0 votes · a date is set · Town land and buildings
    those boards have met 4 times since without returning to it
  • a contract — a union agreement, a vendor, a leaseThe DPW union contractslowing
    Open — last discussed at the Select Board, Aug 18, 2 months ago
    Last vote: passed 3-0 — Ratify the Teamsters Union Local 170 (DPW) Collective Bargaining Agreement
    What is in the DPW contract, and what were the discrepancies labour counsel was asked to resolve?
    1 board · 3 meetings · 1 vote · voted on, not decided · How the town runs
    that board has met 4 times since without returning to it
  • a project — a study, a design, a buildTurkey Hill: the ADA bathroomsslowing
    Open — last discussed at the School Committee, Jul 29, 3 months ago
    Last vote: passed with one abstention — Motion to give the superintendent permission to discuss redirecting the $195,000 earmark (passe…
    Do the accessible bathrooms at Turkey Hill get funded, and from where?
    5 boards · 11 meetings · 1 vote · voted on, not decided · Schools and my kids, Town land and buildings
    those boards have met 21 times since without returning to it
    discussed by 5 boards over 11 meetings and settled by none
  • money — a fee, a rate, a cost residents payThe FY25 school surplusslowing
    Open — last discussed at the School Committee, Jun 24, 4 months ago
    How did a surplus that size arise in the school budget, and does the explanation hold?
    4 boards · 8 meetings · 0 votes · plans being drawn · Schools and my kids, What I pay
    those boards have met 26 times since without returning to it
    discussed by 4 boards over 8 meetings and settled by none
  • money — a fee, a rate, a cost residents payThe extended day programme feeslowing
    Open — last discussed at the School Committee, Jun 24, 4 months ago
    Does the extended day programme fee go up, and by how much?
    1 board · 2 meetings · 0 votes · talked about only · Schools and my kids, What I pay
    that board has met 7 times since without returning to it
  • money — a fee, a rate, a cost residents payThe Monty Tech assessmentstale
    Open — last discussed at the Town Meeting, May 2, 6 months ago
    Why does Lunenburg's Monty Tech assessment rise faster than Monty Tech's own budget?
    5 boards · 10 meetings · 0 votes · plans being drawn · Schools and my kids, What I pay
    those boards have met 49 times since without returning to it
  • money — a fee, a rate, a cost residents payTrash and recycling: the enterprise fundstale
    Open — last discussed at the Select Board, Apr 7, 6 months ago
    Last vote: passed 4-0 — Recommend approval of Article Y, Solid Waste Disposal Enterprise Fund
    Does trash and recycling move to an enterprise fund, and does that change what residents pay?
    3 boards · 11 meetings · 3 votes · voted on, not decided · Water, sewer, roads and trash, What I pay
    those boards have met 43 times since without returning to it

Ordered by when each last came up, newest first.

Settled

FY2027

  • money — a fee, a rate, a cost residents pay · a service — hours, staffing, a programmeThe petition to restore middle school sportssettledstatedour minutes — figures as heard
    Settled at Town Meeting, Sep 3 — passed
    Are the cut middle school sports and their transportation restored, and paid from what?
    4 boards · 11 meetings · 4 votes · decided · Schools and my kids

FY2026

  • town land or a buildingKids Kingdom: custody to the townsettledstatedour minutes — figures as heard
    Settled at Town Meeting, May 2 — passed 100-9
    Does care and custody of the Kids Kingdom playground move from the schools to the town?
    5 boards · 21 meetings · 10 votes · decided · Town land and buildings, Schools and my kids
  • a service — hours, staffing, a programmeThe fourth fire shiftsettledstatedour minutes — figures as heard
    Settled at Town Meeting, May 2 — passed 340-68
    Does the town fund a fourth fire shift, and out of the override or the regular budget?
    4 boards · 14 meetings · 0 votes · decided · How the town runs

What we looked at and did not open

A candidate rejected is recorded with its reason, so we looked and said no stays distinguishable from nobody looked.

  • #budget — a FACET, not a matter — in 87 of 108 recent meetings
  • Adult Activity Center — a VENUE, not a matter — fails the one-question test · revisit if a matter about the building itself arises
  • Green Communities — routine appointments — the narrowed `office` kind excludes these · revisit if the Wallace Park lighting funding becomes its own matter
  • the citizens petitioner (a person) — A PERSON IS NEVER A THREAD — rule 8
  • the Pleasant Street no-trespass order — an INDIVIDUAL'S business — excluded by rule, not by threshold
  • the dangerous/nuisance dog complaint — an INDIVIDUAL'S business — excluded by rule
  • football helmets / fundraising policy review — low reach on the §2 bar · revisit if ANY further mention — see note
  • the Eagle Scout loafing shed — died on reach
  • the Town Hall / Ritter tour — scheduling, not a matter
  • 49 excise tax abatements moved to the next agenda — routine administration
  • the rec department library-space MOU — low reach; an internal booking arrangement · revisit if it becomes a paid or contested arrangement

The glyphs

  • money — a fee, a rate, a cost residents paymoney — a fee, a rate, a cost residents pay
  • a rule — a bylaw, a regulation, a policya rule — a bylaw, a regulation, a policy
  • a service — hours, staffing, a programmea service — hours, staffing, a programme
  • a contract — a union agreement, a vendor, a leasea contract — a union agreement, a vendor, a lease
  • a project — a study, a design, a builda project — a study, a design, a build
  • town land or a buildingtown land or a building
  • an office — a post that decides things, vacant or contestedan office — a post that decides things, vacant or contested

All 21, across time

2026a project — a study, a design, a build · town land or a buildingThe track and turf fielda project — a study, a design, a build · town land or a buildingTC Passios: the site's …a contract — a union agreement, a vendor, a lease · a project — a study, a design, a buildThe sewer pump station …money — a fee, a rate, a cost residents pay · a rule — a bylaw, a regulation, a policyThe stormwater feemoney — a fee, a rate, a cost residents pay · a rule — a bylaw, a regulation, a policyThe veterans property t…a rule — a bylaw, a regulation, a policy · an office — a post that decides things, vacant or contestedTrust fund administrati…town land or a buildingBrooks House: what beco…a contract — a union agreement, a vendor, a leaseThe paraprofessional co…a project — a study, a design, a buildTurkey Hill: rebuild or…town land or a building925 Mass Ave: the RFPmoney — a fee, a rate, a cost residents payThe FY26 school surplusa rule — a bylaw, a regulation, a policy · money — a fee, a rate, a cost residents payThe Salary Administrati…money — a fee, a rate, a cost residents pay · a service — hours, staffing, a programmeThe petition to restore…a contract — a union agreement, a vendor, a leaseThe DPW union contracta project — a study, a design, a buildTurkey Hill: the ADA ba…money — a fee, a rate, a cost residents payThe FY25 school surplusmoney — a fee, a rate, a cost residents payThe extended day progra…town land or a buildingKids Kingdom: custody t…money — a fee, a rate, a cost residents payThe Monty Tech assessme…a service — hours, staffing, a programmeThe fourth fire shiftmoney — a fee, a rate, a cost residents payTrash and recycling: th…
still opensettledcolour is the group · each dot is a meeting that discussed it

Tracked through 4744 meetings across 50 boards that left a record we can read, including 10 Town Meetings. The Town Clerk’s printed record of what Town Meeting voted is held for FY2011–FY2025; more recent votes are ours, from machine captions, until that year’s annual report is published.

What changed

Version 15 — updated September 20, 2026