Select Board waives fees for $3M housing project

Select Board · Meeting of October 19, 2026

Groton Select Board waived local permitting fees for the Groton Housing Authority's roughly $3 million Petapawag Place renovation. Executive Director Ken Martin's letter cited state-funded upgrades including a $1.6 million elevator and a generator whose cost rose from an estimated $250,000 to $400,000. The board also approved unanimously a $25,000 part-time economic development director job description and confirmed Governor Haley signed Groton's new home-rule charter, Chapter 254 of the Acts of 2026, which lets the town manager appoint most boards and committees subject to select board ratification rather than simply nominating them.

Vice Chair Becky Pine said she opposes a statewide ballot question allowing "big houses on small lots" without a size cap. Town Manager Mark told the board the $3.9 million Calpon Brook Fields contract, backed by a $1 million state grant, is set to break ground November 1.

In the full story:

• Public Comment and Board Announcements
• Greenway Committee Appointment
• New Home Rule Charter Takes Effect
• Fall Town Meeting Follow-Up: Economic Development Director
• Calpon Brook Fields Project (Article 10)
• Golf Course Irrigation Project (Article 11)
• Senior Means-Tested Property Tax Exemption (Article 12)
• Housing Stock Study and Ballot Question 7 (Article 16)
• Fiscal 2028 Budget Calendar and Statewide Ballot Questions
• Main Street Study Public Hearing
• Tread Committee Appointments
• Groton Housing Authority Fee Waiver
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 3,120 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of October 19, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

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