Wellesley Morning Brief, Oct. 29: Board OKs rent hikes, fire chief defends site

From Wellesley News

• Panel presses for cheaper Morses Pond materials Wellesley's Permanent Building Committee is working through a long list of premium material choices for the Morses Pond beach house redesign, from granite curbing to a copper rinse station, as members press for cheaper alternatives.Wellesley News
• Health board to draft memo on school AC plan Wellesley's Board of Health began drafting a memo on the health effects of the planned window air conditioners for four schools ahead of the Nov. 9 Special Town Meeting, weighing a $16.8 million estimate against a $39 million full-building option.Wellesley News
• DPW awards $158,000 playground contract Wellesley's Board of Public Works is moving ahead on a new Phillips Park playground after reviewing six bids, as the board also laid out a roughly $28 million fiscal 2028 budget that includes tens of millions in PFAS treatment costs.Wellesley News
• Select Board approves Wellesley Place rent hikes Wellesley's Select Board set new rents at the town's Wellesley Place affordable housing, even as Fire Chief Steve Martorelli pressed the board to back North 40 as the site for a new fire headquarters, citing cancer risk data for firefighters.Wellesley News
• Advisory Committee votes down White Pond funding Wellesley's Advisory Committee took up a citizen petition for free cash to fund White Pond legal work, as conservation trust leaders warned the pond's last active trustee may resign without town help and town counsel raised the prospect of an eminent domain taking.Wellesley News
• Housing Authority seeks $600,000 for security upgrade Wellesley's Community Preservation Committee weighed a $600,000 security upgrade for Housing Authority properties serving hundreds of elderly and disabled residents, with members split over whether a legal opinion was needed before voting on using preservation funds for the project.Wellesley News

Happening Thu, Oct 29

• 10:00 a.m.: Library offers drop-in tech help Thursday Wellesley Free Library offers 30-minute technology help appointments in Jackie's Room Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon for residents needing device or digital assistance.Wellesley Free Library
• 11:00 a.m.: Library offers introduction to Rummikub Wellesley Free Library hosts a beginner-friendly Rummikub session Thursday at 11 a.m. in the Wakelin Room, open to all ages with no experience required.Wellesley Free Library
• 1:30 p.m.: Mental wellness book group meets Thursday Wellesley Free Library's Mental Wellness on the Page book group meets Thursday at 1:30 p.m. in the Arnold Room to discuss mental health themes in fiction.Wellesley Free Library
• 6:00 p.m.: Historical Society holds Oktoberfest fundraiser Thursday The Wellesley Historical Society hosts its Oktoberfest Fundraiser 2026 Thursday starting at 6 p.m.Wellesley Historical Society
• 7:00 p.m.: Library lecture examines coexisting with coyotes Wellesley Free Library hosts a Wellesley Conservation Land Trust fall lecture Thursday at 7 p.m., with Chris Schadler of Project Coyote discussing eastern coyote behavior and how residents can coexist with them.Wellesley Free Library
• Babson improv troupe performs Thursday Babson College's Students Against Gravity improv comedy troupe performs on campus Thursday.Babson College

Yesterday in Wellesley (Wed, Oct 28)

• Wellesley College soccer shuts out Babson 2-0 Wellesley College's soccer team beat crosstown rival Babson College 2-0 on Wednesday, the Blue's first win over the Beavers since 2016, with goalkeeper Olivia Lore recording her seventh shutout of the season.Wellesley College Athletics
• Babson men's soccer ties Wheaton 1-1 Babson College's men's soccer team played to a 1-1 draw at Wheaton College on Wednesday after senior Alexander Yablonovskiy tied the score with a second-half penalty kick in NEWMAC play.Babson Athletics
• Babson's Baroni named NFHCA offensive player of week Babson College field hockey junior Penny Baroni was named the NFHCA Division III National Offensive Player of the Week, the coaches association announced Wednesday.Babson Athletics
• Wellesley adds two late nights for early voting Wellesley Patch reports two additional evening hours for early voting ahead of the 2026 election, giving residents extended Wednesday and Thursday sessions this week to cast ballots before Election Day.Wellesley Patch
• Wellesley field hockey routs Weymouth 10-0 Wellesley Sports Blitz reported Wellesley High School's field hockey team defeated Weymouth 10-0 on Wednesday, the Raiders' latest result in a busy fall schedule.Wellesley Sports Blitz

Coming up

• Fri, Oct 30, 10:30 a.m.: Library hosts Halloween storytime Friday Wellesley Free Library holds a Halloween Storytime for kids Friday at 10:30 a.m. in the Wakelin Room.Wellesley Free Library
• Fri, Oct 30, 10:30 a.m.: Library offers cork pumpkin craft session Friday Wellesley Free Library hosts a "Cork Pumpkins & Ghosts!" adult craft program Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Arnold Room.Wellesley Free Library
• Fri, Oct 30, 11:15 a.m.: Historical Society offers tour of Revolution exhibit The Wellesley Historical Society offers a guided tour of its "A Time of Revolution" exhibition Friday at 11:15 a.m.Wellesley Historical Society
• Fri, Oct 30: Babson holds Great Beaver Hunt Friday Babson College hosts its Great Beaver Hunt campus event Friday.Babson College
• Sat, Oct 31: Halloween Stroll brings trick-or-treaters downtown Saturday Wellesley Recreation holds its free Halloween Stroll Saturday, letting young trick-or-treaters show off costumes and collect candy at local businesses; Wellesley Patch also previewed the event.Wellesley Recreation
• Wed, Nov 4: Wellesley High, Middle School dismiss early Nov. 4 Wellesley High School and Wellesley Middle School have early release scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 4, according to the district calendar.Wellesley Public Schools
• Thu, Nov 5: Elementary schools dismiss early for conferences Nov. 5 Wellesley's PreK-5 schools have an early release Thursday, Nov. 5 for parent-teacher conferences, per the district calendar.Wellesley Public Schools
• Thu, Nov 5, 7:00 p.m.: Library hosts Arnold Lecture with David Tuch, Dick Lehr Wellesley Free Library's Arnold Lecture Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. features David Tuch in conversation with author Dick Lehr in the Wakelin Room.Wellesley Free Library
• Sat, Nov 7: Wellesley College marks 45 years of jazz Nov. 7 Wellesley College celebrates 45 years of its jazz program with a faculty concert featuring faculty and guest musicians on Nov. 7.Wellesley College
• Sat, Nov 7, 10:30 a.m.: Commonwealth Ballet performs at library Nov. 7 Wellesley Free Library hosts a Commonwealth Ballet performance for all ages Saturday, Nov. 7 at 10:30 a.m. in the Wakelin Room.Wellesley Free Library
• Sun, Nov 8: Diwali marked on district calendar Nov. 8 Wellesley Public Schools' calendar marks Diwali on Sunday, Nov. 8.Wellesley Public Schools
• Wed, Nov 11: Schools, town offices closed for Veterans Day Nov. 11 Wellesley schools and town offices are closed Wednesday, Nov. 11 for Veterans Day, per the district calendar.Wellesley Public Schools
• Tue, Nov 17, 6:30 p.m.: School Committee meets Nov. 17 The Wellesley School Committee holds its next regular meeting Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m.Wellesley Public Schools

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Compiled from official town feeds, community organizations, and local press. Outside reporting is attributed inline.