As Winchester enters its fiscal year 2026 budget season, officials gathered last week for a Financial Summit revealing preliminary figures that project approximately $152.7 million in revenues against growing expenses, pointing to a potential deficit exceeding $3 million. The revenue outlook includes $127.6 million from property taxes, a
In a unanimous decision that highlighted the tension between preserving institutional knowledge and promoting new voices in town government, the Winchester Select Board voted Monday to appoint Enzo Rascionato to the Capital Planning Committee, replacing longtime member James “Jimmy” Johnson who had served for approximately 20 years. The appointment came
Winchester Select Board members sharply criticized MBTA officials Monday night over continued delays and disruptions from the $50 million Winchester Center station reconstruction project. Completion, which was scheduled for the end of December 2024, has now been pushed to June 2025, more than two years behind schedule. During their update
Winchester’s Select Board and Planning Board jointly approved an updated Housing Production Plan Monday night, laying out an ambitious roadmap to address the town’s affordable housing shortage while acknowledging significant hurdles in meeting state mandates. A Housing Production Plan is a proactive strategy for planning and developing housing
The Winchester Select Board during its most recent meeting took steps to address water and sewer rates while approving the installation of a public Hanukkah menorah display and allocating its remaining federal COVID-19 relief funds. Holiday display marks a step toward inclusion In response to community requests for more inclusive
Winchester needs more money: The town faces a $1.89 million structural deficit and a backlog of capital projects in the multiple millions. And the town’s adoption of the Community Preservation Act — a state law that enables Bay State communities to raise funds for open space, historic preservation, affordable
“Methadone Mile,” a new pilot episode that delves into the heart of Boston’s opioid crisis, made its debut at the Boston International Film Festival on April 14. The film, which has strong ties to the town of Winchester, was showcased during Session 9 of the festival at the Regent
Designs for the school traffic improvement project around Lynch Elementary School are set to be a prominent topic of discussion during Town Meeting, but some residents in the neighborhood surrounding the school argue that the improvements do not go far enough in addressing high vehicle speeds on Pond Street. “It’
Winchester school officials this week have suspended a student responsible for hateful graffiti directed at the Armenian community that was discovered on a whiteboard at the High School on March 29. Winchester Police Department conducted an investigation into the matter. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Hackett declined to speak on
The proposed seven-lot subdivision on Forest Street in Winchester has received preliminary approval from the Planning Board, but the project still has a long way to go. Town Planner Taylor Herman outlined the two-step process for subdivision approval, explaining the developers, Sunnybank Enterprises, LLC, have only completed the first step
The two candidates competing for a four-year term on the Winchester Housing Authority Board of Commissioners squared off in a debate hosted by the League of Women Voters on March 14, revealing differences in their approaches to public transportation and funding for the agency. James Harris is the incumbent appointed
Four candidates vying for two seats on the Winchester School Committee faced off in a spirited discussion Thursday night, fielding questions on contentious issues like the district's literacy curriculum and equity in honors-level courses. The well-attended March 14 forum, hosted by the League of Women Voters in the
The four candidates vying for the two three-year seats on the Winchester Select Board disagreed very little at a public forum hosted by the Winchester League of Women Voters on March 7, as the evening unfolded as more of a cordial discussion among individuals who shared similar perspectives on the
The Winchester League of Women Voters is hosting two candidate forums in the Jenks Center, 109 Skillings Road, ahead of the March 26 election. “The debates will give candidates a chance to outline their priorities if elected and answer voter questions,” said League member Marie Lee, the debate organizer. The
Winchester voters head to the polls on Tuesday, March 26 to elect leaders who will inherit a local government facing rising costs, a structural budget deficit and substantial infrastructure needs across town. The Select Board race has drawn robust interest, with four candidates competing for two open three-year terms. Select
The Winchester Town Meeting in April will vote on a zoning proposal intended to comply with Massachusetts’ MBTA Communities Act and increase multifamily housing near the town’s commuter rail station. The act, passed in 2021, requires 177 MBTA communities like Winchester to adopt new zoning that allows multifamily housing
