Charlton Select Board Sets Single Tax Rate, Adopts Overnight Parking Ban

CHARLTON — November 18, 2025 — Charlton Select Board adopts overnight parking ban and sets tax rate at $10.94 per thousand. The board voted 2-1 Tuesday to establish a formal policy prohibiting overnight parking in all municipal lots, with a $20-per-day fine authorized under existing town bylaws; one member dissented, calling for more time to assess impacts on elderly and disabled residents who have used library grounds for decades. The board also unanimously adopted a single tax rate of $10.94 per thousand — pending state Department of Revenue approval — after Board of Assessors Chairman Stanley noted the town's commercial, industrial, and personal property share has grown to 36.5 percent of total valuation, up from roughly 20 percent five years ago, driven in large part by Amazon. The board approved a $30,000 scope of work with Westmass Area Development Corporation for a Route 20 economic corridor study, timed to wrap up by April 2026 to align with the next Community One Stop for Growth grant cycle. Two state grants totaling $400,000 — $100,000 for a master plan and $300,000 for sidewalk engineering on North Main Street and Dresser Hill Road — were formally announced by the state on November 6.