Hanson Select Board Approves Housing Plan and Fire Equipment Surplus

HANSON — November 18, 2025 — Hanson Select Board unanimously approved a housing production plan and surplus fire equipment at its November 18 meeting. The board completed the fiscal year 2026 tax classification hearing, voting to maintain a single uniform tax rate on the recommendation of Town Assessor Denise Alexander, who reported the estimated FY26 rate is likely to fall slightly even as assessed values continue to rise; excess levy capacity was certified at $50,140. The housing production plan, nearly a year in development with consultant Karen Sunbord, was approved subject to a small caveat regarding the town's MBTA Communities zoning obligations in the event of a state-level legislative repeal; Hanson's subsidized housing inventory currently stands at 194 units, or 4.95 percent. The board authorized surplus sale of a 2017 ambulance, two Lucas CPR devices, and a power-lift stretcher through a municipal online auction platform, with proceeds earmarked toward a replacement fire engine projected to cost approximately $1 million. Interim Town Administrator Donald Donovan's written report confirmed that new growth for FY26 has been certified by the state Department of Revenue at $618,672, and that Town Administrator Lisa Green is expected to return December 1.