Ayer Select Board Approves $74,926 in Reserve Fund Transfers to Close FY26

AYER -- June 2, 2026, Ayer Select Board approves $74,926 in reserve fund transfers and $800,000 in housing grants at June 2 meeting. The board voted unanimously to transfer $40,000 to the Information Technology department for a police and fire .gov email migration, $32,000 to the Assessors department for costs from two Appellate Tax Board challenges involving the local hospital, and $2,926.32 to the Treasurer's office for interest payments tied to those same cases, drawing down the entire FY26 reserve fund balance of $150,000. The board also executed two $400,000 Community Preservation Act grant agreements: one with the Neighborhood of Affordable Housing for the 65 Fitchburg Road project and one with the Devenscrest Tenant Association, with CPC Chair Andrew Ostrowski noting the Devenscrest units must be designated at 60 percent of area median income. In public comment, Police Chief Brian Gill disclosed that a $25,000 federal Byrne JAG grant paid for the town's new Flock Safety license-plate-reader system, and said a public information portal would be live by June 8; former Selectman Pauline Conley pressed the board on why residents were not told in advance.