Finance Committee Approves Three Special Town Meeting Articles, Defers Solar and PFAS Votes

MAYNARD -- September 8, 2025, Maynard's Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend three Special Town Meeting warrant articles while deferring action on four others at its September 8 remote meeting. Chair Jillian Prendergast led a six-member panel, Peter Campbell was absent, through a series of 6-0 votes recommending Article A, which corrects a retirement survivor benefit for one individual currently receiving $500 per month who would have received approximately $2,375 per month under Option C; Article B, a bylaw update formalizing the long-operating Maynard High School Scholarship Committee; and Article I, which rescinds authorized but unissued borrowing balances dating to 2009. The committee deferred votes on Articles D and E authorizing solar panel and battery installations on school and municipal rooftops, Article C allowing wine-and-malt license holders to upgrade to all-alcohol licenses under new state law, and Article J directing PFAS class-action settlement funds, believed to come from 3M and DuPont, into a new water improvement fund. Written comments for the warrant are due by September 19, leaving one scheduled meeting, on September 15, to resolve the remaining articles before the October 27 Special Town Meeting.