Millis Finance Committee Recommends All 24 Town Meeting Warrant Articles Unanimously

ABINGTON -- April 15, 2026, Millis Finance Committee unanimously backs all 24 May Town Meeting warrant articles, covering a $48.6 million general fund budget and a $1.3 million water meter borrowing. Chair John Lohr led the nine-member panel through the full warrant at the April 15 meeting, with Finance Director Jody presenting a budget built around a 3.5 percent discretionary growth cap and an overall 2 percent budget increase matched by 2 percent revenue growth. A first-reading zoning article on battery energy storage and data storage centers drew the most discussion, with Zoning Bylaw Review Committee Chair Nicole Riley explaining that the article establishes interim definitions and use-table entries to prevent uncontrolled siting under state permitting, a full bylaw is planned for fall town meeting. Article 14, a $120,000 appropriation to fund a FEMA flood map challenge for parcels along Route 109 and the Great Swamp, prompted questions about recoupment; members confirmed the $120,000 is not recoverable but said successful remapping could generate "several times that amount per year" in new tax revenue from developable land. Lohr and member Jen Zeretzky announced they will step down at the end of their terms, with new member recruitment underway and leadership elections scheduled for June.