Littleton Select Board Authorizes $15 Million Water Bond, Votes to Exceed Snow Budget

LITTLETON — February 10, 2025 — Littleton Select Board authorizes $15 million water bond and hears orchard compliance warning at February 10 meeting. The board unanimously executed an interim financing agreement with the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust for $15 million tied to the Boxborough water main extension, approved under Article 22 at the May 2023 Annual Town Meeting for a total of $19.2 million; staff noted contracts came in below estimates and state relief discussions could reduce the final bonded amount. The board also voted to exceed its $200,000 FY2025 snow and ice appropriation under MGL Chapter 44, Section 31D, with roughly $169,000 already spent and additional storms forecast. Most urgently, a board member reported that the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources has warned the town in writing that failure to secure a lessee for the orchard's 2025 growing season could move the property into a second year toward abandonment status under the Agricultural Preservation Restriction — giving MDAR grounds to intervene — and demanded a timeline and business plan within 60 days; the board is currently in exclusive negotiations with prospective lessee John Bransfield, with an informational public meeting set for February 12 and a Metropolitan Area Planning Council process meeting on March 6.