Marlborough council approves $786,500 fire engine, refers MEDC budget to Finance

MARLBOROUGH — April 8, 2024 — Marlborough council approves $786,500 fire engine but again rejects senior assessor hours expansion. The 11-member City Council unanimously cleared the free-cash transfer for an E-One pumper at its April 8 meeting, while a salary ordinance amendment increasing the senior assessor from 35 to 40 hours per week failed 7-4 on a stand-up vote — short of the supermajority needed to suspend the first reading. Finance Chair John J. Irish opposed it, saying the change would push the position past "$98,000 a year for this position" without sufficient value, while Ward 2 Councilor David Doucette argued the in-house hours would offset outside consulting costs and amount to "a net savings." The council also accepted a $250,000 Marlborough Public Library Foundation gift, approved a $34,020 transfer covering former HR director Mr. Harmon's separation payout, and heard that residential aggregation customers saved more than $1.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2023 under the new 14.15-cent First Point Power contract.