Marlborough council sets fiscal 2026 tax rates, approves 187-unit Glenford condo plan

MARLBOROUGH — December 1, 2025 — Marlborough seats Sargent, sets tax shift at 1.47, and approves 187-unit Glenford condo project. The City Council voted 10-0 to appoint Matthew S. Sargent to the Ward 7 seat left vacant by former Councilor Donald Landers' death, under Chapter 65 of the Acts of 2025 signed Nov. 19. Principal Assessor Patrick Greenhall's recommended residential factor of 0.8409 passed 11-0, producing a $10.54 residential and $18.43 commercial rate and a roughly $591 increase on the average single-family bill. At-Large Councilor Kathleen D. Robey called the underlying $18 million budget increase the largest in city history, citing only $2.6 million in new growth, while Ward 1 Councilor Mark A. Vital invoked a fixed-income senior with "$37 at the end of the month." The council also approved, 10-0 with Sargent abstaining, the Glenford at Lake Williams special permit, which includes $187,000 toward a Westside Fire Station and 12 percent affordable units.