Select Board backs cheaper emergency water option

Select Board · Meeting of October 27, 2026

WALPOLE — The Walpole Select Board voted unanimously to pursue a scaled-down emergency water connection with Norwood, favoring a $3 million to $3.5 million booster pump station over a $5.3 million full build-out. One member called the larger figure "pretty scary because we have to pay for that whether it's through borrowing or free cash, retained earnings." The board also approved the FY28 salary schedule, including a cost-of-living adjustment totaling $134,769 for 79 non-union employees, and signed union contracts through June 30, 2029 covering clerical, police and library staff. Non-union agreements were also signed with Jodi Cuneo, Michael Donovan, Jim Johnson and Richard Mattson.

The consent agenda, approved 4-0, included a $39,933.75 donation from the estate of Roger F. Turner to the Conservation Fund.

In the full story:

• Salt Consortium Contract
• MWRA Emergency Water Connection
• Union and Non-Union Contracts
• FY28 Salary Schedule and Personnel Bylaws
• Consent Agenda, Minutes and Town Administrator Update
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,377 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of October 27, 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.