Billerica FinCom Votes Not To Recommend Trail Funds

OSRP · Meeting of September 1, 2026

Billerica's Finance Committee declined to recommend Community Preservation Act funding for a regional trail study and conservation legal costs. At the September 1 Open Space and Recreation Planning Committee meeting, members said the Finance Committee's split vote withheld support from $55,000 for a Middlesex Canal towpath and Roark Bridge trail feasibility study and $40,000 for legal costs on land transferred to the Conservation Commission, calling the legal bill a case where the board "were blindsided or maybe bait and switched at the legal fees." The Finance Committee plans to reconsider both requests Thursday, September 3, at 7 p.m. Separately, the committee voted 5-0 to adopt updated governing policies and procedures, including changing "co-chair" to "vice chair" and removing an outdated library-posting requirement.

Member John Bartlett noted he has served on the committee "at least 20 years."

In the full story:

• Who Was There
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• The complete report — 2,859 words

Source: the OSRP meeting of September 1, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.