🏛️ Wellesley at a glance

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🗳️ NEXT ELECTION
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Massachusetts State Election · 140 days away
Governor and statewide offices on the ballot. Polls open 7 AM–8 PM. Your town's own election (Select Board, School Committee, etc.) is held each spring.

This week in Wellesley

Updated June 16, 2026

📅 Coming up

2 meetings

These meetings haven't happened yet — you can still attend, speak, or write to the board.

June 16, 2026
Select Board
Select Board
Wellesley's main governing board. Sets town policy, approves major contracts, and makes key appointments.
Coming up June 16: Select Board and Board of Public Works meet jointly to fill a vacant BPW seat.
Joint Meeting with Board of Public Works – Appoint Vacant BPW Position
Select Board and Board of Public Works will jointly appoint a candidate to fill a vacancy on the Board of Public Works.
Public Safety Update from Police and Fire Chiefs
Quarterly department updates from Police Chief Whittemore and Fire Chief Mortarelli.
North 40 Conservation Restriction — Next Steps
Status discussion with the Community Preservation Committee on permanently protecting roughly 13–16 acres of the town-owned North 40, including the vernal pool and aqueduct buffer; no vote, with public hearings expected fall 2026.
📍 North 40, 156 Weston Road
The Nines 2026-2027 Affordable Rents
Vote on setting affordable rent levels for The Nines development for 2026-2027.
10 more items on the agenda
Call to Order – Open Session
Meeting called to order at 6:30 pm.
📍 Great Hall, Town Hall, 525 Washington Street
Citizen Speak
Open public comment period on agenda topics; speakers must pre-register by emailing sel@wellesleyma.gov.
Executive Director's Report
General government update from Executive Director Meghan C. Jop.
Call to Order
Open session begins.
Consent Agenda — Year-End Transfers, Appointments, SPED Fund
Two $2,500 year-end budget transfers, a slate of board reappointments, and a $782.41 Medicaid-billing payment from the Special Education Stabilization Fund.
💰 $2,500 + $2,500 transfers; $782.41 SPED payment
Appoint Vacant Board of Public Works Position
Joint vote with Public Works to appoint Edward 'Ned' Hall, filling Scott Bender's seat until the 2027 Town Election.
Climate Action Committee Appointments
Vote on appointments to the Climate Action Committee, including applicant Mary Gard.
Administrative Matters — Minutes and Bylaw Review Committee Charge
Approve minutes and update the General Bylaw Review Committee charge.
Chair's Report — 40 Oakland Street and CapCom Update
Updates on 40 Oakland Street and the Town-Wide Capital Planning Committee.
📍 40 Oakland Street
Adjourn
Meeting ends; next meeting is the June 30 Select Board retreat.
Open to all residents — you can attend and speak during public comment. View agenda → ·Contact the board →
June 25, 2026
Board of Health
Board of Health
Handles public health rules — food safety inspections, septic system permits, and local health regulations.
Routine Board of Health meeting covers summer camp, pool/beach inspections, and mental health update — no major votes expected.
Summer Camp Review
Board reviews health and safety compliance status of summer camps operating in Wellesley.
Pool and Beach Inspection Update
Director updates the Board on inspection results for public pools and beaches ahead of summer season.
7 more items on the agenda
Call to Order
Meeting called to order (online remote).
Citizen Speak
Public comment period; participants must email ddokugardner@wellesleyma.gov in advance for joining instructions.
Chair Report
Chair provides updates to the Board.
Mental Health Awareness Month
Director reports on Mental Health Awareness Month activities and community outreach.
Nurse Supervisor Report
Nurse Supervisor presents operational updates to the Board.
Meeting Minutes Approval — April 7, 2026
Board votes to approve minutes from the April 7, 2026 meeting.
Adjournment
Meeting adjourned.
Open to all residents — you can attend and speak during public comment. View agenda → ·Contact the board →

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What happened

12 items · last 60 days

Decisions and notable items from recent meetings, most significant first. Routine procedural items (184) are left out.

Nothing matches that filter.
🔄 Postponed Planning Board · June 15, 2026
Inclusionary Zoning Special Permit – 26 Washington Street (continued)
Continued hearing on an inclusionary zoning (affordable-unit requirement) special permit for 26 Washington St., carried over from June 1.
📍 26 Washington Street, Wellesley
Why this matters: Affordable-housing mandate tied to Washington St. development.
View official document → · from an agenda — check minutes for the final outcome
🔄 Postponed Planning Board · June 15, 2026
Lower Falls Village Commercial District Special Permit – 26 Washington Street (continued)
Continued hearing on a commercial-district special permit for the same 26 Washington St. property in the Lower Falls Village area.
📍 26 Washington Street, Wellesley
Why this matters: Commercial development in Lower Falls Village affects nearby residents.
View official document → · from an agenda — check minutes for the final outcome
📋 Proposed Planning Board · June 15, 2026
136 Washington Street Presentation
Presentation on a project or proposal at 136 Washington St.; details not specified in the agenda.
📍 136 Washington Street, Wellesley
Why this matters: New development proposal on Washington Street corridor.
View official document → · from an agenda — check minutes for the final outcome
📋 Proposed Zoning Board (ZBA) · June 13, 2026
Waiting Period for Minor Modification Petitions
ZBA will consider requiring a 3- or 6-month waiting period after an initial petition is approved before a minor modification petition can be filed — affecting property owners seeking small changes to approved variances or special permits.
Why this matters: New waiting period could delay homeowner projects needing small permit tweaks.
View official document → · from an agenda — check minutes for the final outcome
📋 Proposed Review and Discuss Town Meeting Member Applications to Bylaw Review Committee Select Board · June 11, 2026
Committee will evaluate Town Meeting Members who applied to join the Bylaw Review Committee.
Why this matters: Shapes who reviews and proposes changes to town bylaws.
View official document → · from an agenda — check minutes for the final outcome
📋 Proposed Discuss Next Steps of the Committee Select Board · June 11, 2026
Committee will chart its workplan and priorities going forward.
Why this matters: Determines scope and timeline of bylaw review affecting residents.
View official document → · from an agenda — check minutes for the final outcome
💬 Discussed Discussion: Facilities Management — School Roof Projects School Committee · June 9, 2026
Update on school roof replacement or repair projects across Wellesley Public Schools facilities.
📍 Wellesley Public Schools
Why this matters: School building capital work can affect future budgets and taxes.
View official document → · from an agenda — check minutes for the final outcome
💬 Discussed Discussion: WHS Handbook Changes — Tardy Policy School Committee · June 9, 2026
Proposed changes to Wellesley High School's tardiness policy affecting student discipline rules.
📍 Wellesley High School
Why this matters: Directly affects WHS students' daily experience and discipline.
View official document → · from an agenda — check minutes for the final outcome
💬 Discussed Discussion: WHS Curriculum Update — Evolutions Program School Committee · June 9, 2026
Update on the Evolutions Program, a WHS curriculum offering, coming up June 9.
📍 Wellesley High School
Why this matters: Curriculum changes affect course options for WHS students.
View official document → · from an agenda — check minutes for the final outcome
💬 Discussed Discussion: End-of-Year Elementary Literacy Update School Committee · June 9, 2026
Report on elementary literacy outcomes and progress for the current school year.
Why this matters: Reading performance data affects all families with elementary-age kids.
View official document → · from an agenda — check minutes for the final outcome
💬 Discussed Discussion: Non-Union Salary Increase School Committee · June 9, 2026
Proposed salary increase for non-union WPS staff discussed ahead of a likely vote.
Why this matters: Staff compensation increases can influence future school budget and tax impact.
View official document → · from an agenda — check minutes for the final outcome
📋 Proposed Special Counsel for Central Mass MSW Consortium Trash Disposal Contract Negotiations Select Board · June 8, 2026
Vote to hire special legal counsel to support DPW/RDF negotiations on the regional trash disposal contract — outcome could affect Wellesley's trash costs and service.
💰 Legal fees unspecified; contract terms will affect future trash disposal costs
Why this matters: Trash contract terms directly affect resident fees and service.
View official document → · from an agenda — check minutes for the final outcome

118 older items not shown.

How to get involved

📅
Show up and speak
Every meeting above is open to any resident, and most have a public comment period — usually a few minutes per person, no sign-up needed. Showing up matters more than you'd think; most decisions are made in front of nearly empty rooms.
✉️
Write to the board before the meeting
Often more effective than speaking at the meeting itself — board members read constituent email, and a handful of messages on one topic gets noticed. Each board's contact page is linked from its meetings above.
⚖️
Know the appeal windows
Some decisions aren't final right away — zoning board rulings, for example, can be appealed to Superior Court within 20 days. Items with an open appeal window are flagged above with a countdown.
⚠️ These summaries are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. Always check the original source documents for anything important. This site is not affiliated with the Town of Wellesley and is not legal advice.

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