Select Board member announces April resignation, Middle School borrowing plan advances

WHITMAN — December 1, 2025 — Whitman Select Board member announces April 5 resignation as town weighs $60-$70 million school borrowing takeover. Laura Howell, citing CPTSD treatment and a desire for community renewal, announced she will leave her seat on April 5, 2026, while Town Administrator Mary Beth Carter disclosed that the town may need to take over borrowing for the Whitman Middle School project because the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District is unlikely to complete its fiscal year 2024 audit before a bond anticipation note matures in March. Carter said the district needs roughly $30 million to retire the existing note and additional funds for ongoing construction, with total borrowing projected at $60 million to $70 million; a lower town credit rating could yield "a more favorable interest rate" for taxpayers. Bond counsel will draft an inter-municipal agreement and a placeholder article for a special town meeting set for January 12, 2026, at 6:30 p.m., with the warrant closing December 15. Carter also reported a current budget deficit of approximately $675,000 and said a joint Select Board-Finance Committee meeting is planned for December 15. The board voted unanimously to renew all calendar year 2026 business licenses and to grant a Class 2 auto dealer's license to Smartway Collision Center on Auto Sales, Inc. at 5 Franklin Street.