Westborough Library Project Will Be Focus Of Special Town Meeting

WESTBOROUGH, MA — Westborough Town Meeting will meet in special session Saturday, with the main item on the warrant deciding whether the town will move ahead with a major library renovation project.

The first article on the warrant would approve spending about $35 million to renovate the library, funding planning for the project and move the collection to a temporary location. The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners in July awarded the project a $9.4 million grant, but the town needs to approve the larger project before accessing the grant.

The library's 20,000 square-foot building was last renovated in 1981, when the town doubled the size of the building and made accessibility updates.

There are also four other articles up for consideration on Saturday:

Article 2 — Amends zoning regulations to allow for a new library to be constructed at 55 West Main St.

Article 3 — Allows the town to get a $60,900 grant to reimburse the purchase of a 15-acre parcel along Ruggles Street that Town Meeting approved the acquisition of in October.

Article 4 — Takes $30,000 from free cash to fund elections expenses in 2023.

Article 5 — Approves the use of about $224,000 given to the town from a settlement with opioid manufacturers to pay for projects and programs related to the opioid epidemic and its impact on Westborough.