Select Board opposes culvert borrowing, backs stabilization

Select Board · Meeting of October 13, 2026

Auburn Select Board opposed borrowing $1.4 million for the Water Street culvert, voting 3-2 to back stabilization funding. Chair Anne Cavanaugh and Member Sara Rufli voted no on the amended motion, which authorizes the chair to say at the Oct. 27 Special Town Meeting that the board would support stabilization instead. DPW Director Joanna Paquin said grant timing could delay construction, and staff quoted rates of 5.25 percent over 30 years.

One member asked "why are we spending money to borrow money when we already have that money in the bank?" The board also voted 4-1 to recommend $400,000 in high school field articles. It accepted a $390,000 HousingWorks grant for Blaker Street path design and $96,978.28 in police and dispatch grants.

In the full story:

• Public Comment and Withdrawn Hearing
• Sunrise Avenue Pole Petition
• Police and Dispatch Grants
• HousingWorks Grant
• Agenda Wording on Votes
• Pre-Town Meeting and Routine Tabled Items
• Special Town Meeting Warrant: High School Field, Articles 3, 4 and 6
• Articles 5, 10 and 11
• Article 13 Roadway Software
• Article 21 Water Street Culvert
• Article 22 Flock Safety Petition
• Bancroft Street and Infrastructure Priorities
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,235 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of October 13, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.