Writing about Lancaster, Massachusetts

What do towns in our region pay their town administrator?   This year Lancaster is paying 50% more than Shirley and Sterling, but how do we compare to other towns?     I gathered up the current executive contracts and salaries from 10 towns in our region.

  At last night's Select Board meeting there was more discussion about the Lancaster's "5 Year Financial Forecast."     That forecast document has not been publicly distributed in the past, but here's a copy if you're interested in taking a look.  

Last night a Select Board member posted on social media about his initiative to petition for a town Charter Commission: nearly everything he wrote about a Town Charter was incorrect.  Just a month earlier that same member did everything in his power to prevent residents from voting on expanding the Select Board.   What's the story?  

 If you're looking for a costume for a spring costume party, you'll be able to buy it right here in Lancaster;  the town's seven-month contract with Spirit Halloween started today and they wasted no time in raising their banner over the "Old Town Hall" building.

  On Friday, town hall released the first public draft of the "Town of Lancaster FY25 Budget".   It includes an 8% hike in town payroll expenses, and a few mysteries.   Right now there's a $1.3 million gap between what this budget allocates for the Nashoba school district,  and what the school district said they'd assess Lancaster in their budget presentation last week.

Our tax bills increased quite a bit this month to reflect a 9% increase in the tax levy approved last May.   The bills we received in for July and October were "estimated" bills, based on last years tax increased by 2.5%.  Bills this month and in April will fully reflect the $1.2 million in additional tax levy we approved.  (But not the high school building project: we won't feel that until next January.)