Select Board Opens Warrant for November 9 Special Town Meeting

WELLESLEY — The Select Board will convene the Fall 2026 Special Town Meeting on November 9 in the Wellesley High School auditorium, and the warrant for that session is now open to article submissions through noon on August 21, the town announced Tuesday.

TOWN HALL The Fall Special Town Meeting Warrant opened Tuesday and gives residents and town boards a narrow window, closing at noon on August 21, to file articles for the November 9 session at Wellesley High School. The date sets up what is expected to be a consequential meeting, since the School Committee has already flagged it as the venue for a design-funding request tied to its air conditioning plan for four schools.

Separately, the town's News Flash channel reminded residents Tuesday that the 2026 State Primary Election falls on September 1, urging voters to note the deadlines that precede it.

SCHOOLS Wellesley Public Schools confirmed that the Fall Special Town Meeting will be the venue where the School Committee asks for design funds tied to its air conditioning upgrade plan for Wellesley Middle School and the Bates, Fiske and Schofield elementary schools. The committee voted unanimously in May to move forward with a plan that pairs electrical upgrades with window units in classrooms and libraries, after small-scale pilot installations outperformed expectations; the newly opened warrant is the mechanism that puts the request formally in front of voters.

COMMUNITY & ARTS The Wellesley Free Library has a full slate of programming opening this week. Wednesday brings "Digital Sunset Photography With Your Smart Device" in Jackie's Room from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., "Painting in the Garden: Watercolor Sunset" on the Main Library terrace from 7 to 8:30 p.m., and an off-site Mobile Movie screening of "Tron: Ares" from 8 to 11 p.m. Thursday's lineup includes Tech Time in Jackie's Room and a Flower Arranging session with Land's Sake Farm in the Wakelin Room.

The library also flagged progress on its Hills Branch renovation, describing changes underway at that location, though a fuller update was not yet posted.

ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS "These Are The Best Public High Schools In MA For 2026-27: U.S. News" a ranking based on six performance measures placed Massachusetts high schools, per Wellesley Patch, though the item did not specify Wellesley's own placement (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/wellesley/s/kn42f/these-are-the-best-public-high-schools-in-ma-for-2026-27-u-s-news).

"Wellesley Select Board: North 40 public input plan takes shape; FY26 financial wrap" the Select Board is developing a public-input process for the North 40 property alongside a wrap-up of last fiscal year's finances, according to The Swellesley Report (read it at https://theswellesleyreport.com/2026/08/wellesley-select-board-north-40-public-input-plan-takes-shape-fy26-financial-wrap-special-town-meeting-filling-up/).

"Coming Soon! In-Person Early Voting for Sept. 1, 2026 State Primary Election" The Swellesley Report detailed early in-person voting arrangements ahead of the primary, a topic the town's own News Flash also touched on this week with its election deadline reminders (read it at https://theswellesleyreport.com/2026/08/coming-soon-in-person-early-voting-for-sept-1-2026-state-primary-election/).

COMING UP The Fall Special Town Meeting warrant closes at noon on Friday, August 21. The State Primary Election is September 1. At the library, Flower Arranging with Land's Sake Farm and Social Worker Hour both run Thursday, August 20; the Friday Morning Book Group meets Friday, August 21, at 10 a.m.; and the End of Summer Ice Cream Party is Saturday, August 22, from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

Compiled from official town feeds, community organizations, and local press. Outside reporting is attributed inline.