Read the March/April 2026 BCF Newsletter

In this issue:

Analysis: New Revenue from Overlay Doubtful

The Select Board has repeatedly claimed that the Belmont Center Overlay proposal will help address the town’s high property taxes and provide additional funding for our schools. Read more.

Belmont Center Zoning: More Information

The analyses by the Office of Planning and Building(OPB) are very different from the figures published in this newsletter, and there is far more information available about the Project than can fit in the BCF’s print Newsletter. Read more.

Opinion: What is a Town For?

Most towns could balance their budgets handily if they could forbid families from moving into the town, something which developers functionally accomplish when they build studio and one-bedroom apartments. Read more.

Belmont Could Tax Land Differently

One very old idea for encouraging development is the Land Value Tax. Read more.

Select Board Candidate Answers BCF Questions

How do you propose to address Belmont’s structural fiscal challenges, and what specific budget or revenue strategies would you champion as a Select Board member? Read more.

Moderator Candidates Answer BCF Questions

How do you define the moderator’s core responsibilities in Belmont, and what principles would guide your exercise of that responsibility, particularly in contentious debates? Read more.

Join Us in Stewarding Lone Tree Hill!

The Belmont Citizens Forum, in conjunction with the Judy Record Conservation Fund, is holding its 12th annual cleanup and trail maintenance day on Saturday, April 25, from 9 AM until noon. Read more.

Profile in Belmont: Joe Arkinstall

You open the door of The Wellington Tavern and are seated. Soon after, a man comes by to welcome you. Read more.

Environmental Stewards: Emily Norton, CRWA

Through scientific monitoring, policy advocacy, and on-the-ground restoration, CRWA has helped transform the Charles from one of the nation’s most polluted rivers into a model of urban river recovery and climate resilience. Read more.

Belmont Creates Clean-Energy Corridor

Today, renewable energy capacity is becoming a normal component of our public buildings and even the town’s vehicle fleet because clean energy offers both fiscal savings and environmental benefits. Read more.

Juncos Are Winter’s Dark-Eyed Favorites

Braving an unprecedented zero-Fahrenheit stretch, juncos are hot this winter. Read more.

Event Calendar

See what’s coming up near Belmont. Read more.

Letter to the Editor

Invasive plants in the Newsletter. Read more.

In Memoriam: Ken Stalberg

Ken Stalberg, BCF’s loyal, longtime Mailing Maestro, recently passed away after a long illness. Read more.