Board adopts health insurance law over union pushback
Northborough's Select Board voted unanimously to adopt a state law letting the town pursue health insurance changes outside standard union bargaining, despite pleas from teachers and firefighters to wait.
Select Board · Meeting of August 10, 2026
Northborough's Select Board voted unanimously to adopt a state law letting the town pursue health insurance changes outside standard union bargaining, despite pleas from teachers and firefighters to wait. Town Administrator Stephanie Baker insisted the procedural vote "doesn't change" current coverage, but Finance Director Jason Woodall cited a 24.9 percent premium spike driving a projected $2 million fiscal 2028 budget gap. Firefighters union president Pat McManus argued the town's existing Insurance Advisory Committee already does what the law proposes, asking "have we been doing it wrong this whole time?" Member Jeffrey Ostiguy called the vote "kind of a tough vote" given his own union upbringing.
The board also voted 5-0 to advance a redevelopment proposal from a firm identified as NRB for the vacant 4 West Main Street building, and authorized up to $2,712,546 in MSBA reimbursement for the Marion E. Zeh Elementary School roof project.
In the full story:
- Public Comment: Unions Ask Board To Delay Health Insurance Vote
- Executive Session: Collective Bargaining, Fire Chief Contract, West Main Street Property
- State Primary Election Warrant
- Senior Center as a Voting Location
- Regional Emergency Dispatch Feasibility
- MassDOT Crosswalk Safety Requests
- Adoption of MGL Chapter 32B Sections 21-23: Health Insurance
- 4 West Main Street Redevelopment Request for Proposals
- Street Name for 17 Green Street Subdivision: Knox Trail Lane
- MSBA Funding Agreement for Marion E. Zeh Elementary School Roof
- Fiscal Year 2028 Budget Goals and the Widening Gap
- Stormwater Enterprise Fund Floated
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report: 3,568 words
Source: the Select Board meeting of August 10, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.
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