Proposed Field Use Complicates Pollard Picture

July 23, 2026
• A planned vote to place a tax override ballot question on the November 2026 ballot was put on hold as the town catches up on Massachusetts procedural requirements.

An anticipated vote asking the state to include the ballot question for the Pollard Middle School project on the fall ballot was pushed to a future meeting of the Select Board. In reviewing the documents submitted last June, the Massachusetts School Building Authority has asked the town to verify that the town’s use of Warner Field doesn’t violate Chapter 97 of the state’s constitution. If it does, it may delay the approval of the project by the MSBA and disrupt the project’s timeline, affecting costs. Once an override vote is approved for the state ballot, it cannot be altered or removed.

At issue is the use of the field’s outfield area for the installation of geothermal wells for the new school. While the town intends the return of the above ground features to their current use, the state may feel that the underground use of the property may represent a permanent loss, which would need to be accounted for and mitigated under state law.

While the issue is explored further, the town is going through the process of securing the approvals required to keep the project moving ahead. The matter was outlined at a joint meeting with the School Committee as part of the Select Board’s July 21 session.