Arlington Select Board Approves Town Manager's 2026–2029 Contract, Clears Veterans Park Tree Removal

Select Board · Meeting of July 27, 2026

Arlington Select Board presses MWRA on Alewife Brook sewage while approving town manager's new contract. At a packed July 27 meeting, the board voted 5-0 to approve Town Manager James Feeney's contract for 2026 to 2029 and heard a presentation from MWRA Interim Executive Director Steve Esti-Smarjasi and Chief Operating Officer Kathy Murtaugh on a draft combined sewer overflow plan that would cost $1.29 billion across three water bodies — escalating to roughly $2 billion with debt service — with Arlington's share estimated at $39 million under the recommended alternative and $117 million under the most aggressive option. Member Diane M.

Mahon challenged MWRA to formally acknowledge raw sewage discharges into Alewife Brook as a public health crisis requiring elimination, telling officials, "I can't seem to get a voice, so I'm taking advantage of it here tonight." The board also voted unanimously to authorize removal of two red pines and two kousa dogwoods at Veterans Memorial Park to advance a Stantec-designed renovation that will add 22 new trees and honor 13,000-plus veterans' names on new honor roll walls, and deferred action on a cannabis host community agreement from Bud's Goods and Provisions until its September 14 meeting after members said they needed more time to review the application.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 4,397 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of July 27, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.