Finance Committee approves MEDC budget, lead pipe bond, most earmarks

MARLBOROUGH -- April 23, 2025, Marlborough Finance Committee backs MEDC funding and lead pipe bond, tables two earmarks. The committee on April 23 approved a $784,320 transfer for the Marlborough Economic Development Corporation's fiscal 2026 budget on a 4-1 vote, plus $150,000 to replenish MEDC's small-business Toolbox grants. Executive Director Meredith Harris called the request a 2.9 percent increase and pegged commercial vacancy at 11.3 percent. Council President Michael Ossing, contrasting MEDC's hotel-tax funding with double-digit school and cable hikes, said, "If I could get the rest of everybody else to fall in line with that, this would be a very easy budget cycle." The committee unanimously approved a $750,000 MWRA interest-free bond to replace the city's last 59 to 75 galvanized and brass water services after roughly 1,350 lead lines already swapped, a $147,581.95 police command officers contract transfer reflecting roughly 11 percent over three years, and seven of eight state earmarks totaling $450,000. A $35,000 Ghiloni Park pavilion grant and $50,000 outreach vehicle grant were tabled for missing cost detail.