Phil Thibault for Dracut

06/18/2026

So goes the town so goes the country.

in 1912, speaking in Chicago during his Progressive Party campaign, Theodore Roosevelt articulated a principle that remains central to his public philosophy:

“This country will not be a permanently good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a reasonably good place for all of us to live in.”

TR believed that America's strength rested not only on individual achievement but on the health of the nation as a whole. Through his advocacy for the Square Deal, labor protections, corporate accountability, conservation, and political reform, he argued that lasting prosperity requires fairness, opportunity, and responsibility shared across society.

More than a century later, the quote continues to resonate as a reminder that our collective future depends on ensuring that the benefits of citizenship and economic progress are broadly accessible. For Theodore Roosevelt, good government and active citizenship were not opposing ideas—they were partners in building a stronger republic.

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Learn More at www.theodoreroosevelt.org

06/18/2026

These are the updated estimates for the project's tax impact as developed by the design team with support from Bond Counsel.

The Town of Dracut recently obtained financial modeling that included bonding the local share of the project cost. This slide reflects a preliminary $30M/$30M/$30M staggered bonding approach (BANs) using a projected 4.25% interest rate provided by Bond Counsel.

Please note that these estimates reflect project design and construction costs only. The estimates do not account for potential future changes in Dracut's tax rate, new growth, property values, or other variables. During discussions with Bond Counsel, caution was expressed about incorporating unknown future assumptions into project impact estimates and the importance of focusing on known project costs and grant funding. Dracut is also in the process of finalizing its bond rating, and the final borrowing rate may differ from the preliminary 4.25% assumption used in the recent modeling analysis.

This slide is being shared to provide additional context regarding the MSBA grant utilization and the financial modeling assumptions used in developing these estimates. These values are preliminary and should not be considered "final".

Competitive construction bidding, contingency utilization, and future bond interest rates may also affect the final project costs and financing impacts.

These materials are intended to help residents better understand the project's estimated financial impacts before the June 23 Special Town Election. Thank you.

June 16, 2026 Slides:
https://aptg.co/l8Ft6j

Footnote: Slide 38 contained an earlier single-bond approach and displayed a rate of 4.75% with $94.7M. It has since been identified for correction.

06/18/2026

The opportunities are left by the wayside by those who fear change and are not willing to confront and direct it. Highway access would not be an issue if Dracut was the destination.

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DRACUT >> The town must find opportunities for new growth, particularly with business and commercial enterprises, Chair Don Plummer told the Dracut Board of Selectmen at its June 9 meeting.

06/16/2026

06/11/2026

This investment is not about status symbols or pretentiousness. It is about respect and dignity. We honor education by placing value on it, on those who provide it, those who support it, and those who receive it.

06/10/2026

“You’ll have opportunities to retreat into groups that only confirm what you already believe. You’ll also, however, have opportunities to do something better — to listen, to persuade, to serve and to build,” Stone said. “Rather than seeing someone or some group that disagrees with you as the enemy to be dominated or destroyed, find common ground. … Build a future where strength is not measured by how loudly or performatively we condemn one another, but by how faithfully we work together when the work is difficult.”

True words for each of us to live by.

Dracut High School’s Class of 2026 celebrated their graduation on Friday evening, hearing words of wisdom imparted from fellow graduates and education officials alike.