Stoneham Override Committee Hears Tax Data, Divides Report Writing Work

STONEHAM — August 11, 2025 — Stoneham Override Study Committee hears tax and development briefings, begins dividing report-writing assignments. Town Assessor Cheryl Koslowski told the committee Monday that two recently completed apartment projects at 95 Maple Street and 164 Franklin Street generated approximately $811,000 in combined new-growth tax revenue for fiscal 2026 — roughly double the town's historical annual baseline — but cautioned that comparable gains are unlikely to repeat, as many projects in the pipeline have not broken ground and the former hospital site will temporarily lose assessed value during demolition. Director of Planning and Community Development Aaron Wartman, the department's sole full-time staff member, reported that his office has secured more than $8.3 million in grants over ten-plus years, including nearly $700,000 for the Stoneham Shuttle, which now carries an annual operating cost of $330,000 once the three-year federal grant expires. The committee agreed on a one-to-two-page "digest" format for each departmental summary in its final report to the Select Board and assigned writing pairs: Nick and Jackie taking police and fire, Brendan and Stephen handling the Department of Public Works, and Heidi and Eric covering the Council on Aging. The School Department is scheduled to present at the committee's next meeting on August 20.