Just a little something we found under the couch cushions...

SOUTHBOROUGH

If you had $1.78 million in extra free cash just lying around, what would you do with it?

Thats just one of the scintillating issues that will be facing Southborough residents at the upcoming annual Town Meeting next month. One proposal on the warrant would return the windfall to taxpayers in the form of a refund or a tax reduction, but that measure is not supported by the Board of Selectmen.

Southborough officials realized they had the extra money when they closed the books in the fall. The cash was left over because some expenses – including healthcare - were lower than expected while some revenues like excise taxes and interest income were higher than expected.

Town Moderator John Wilson and the Town Governance Study Committee are also requesting that voters approve a reduction in the quorum size for annual Town Meetings from 150 residents to 100. Southborough has a history of delaying town meetings until a quorum is reached -- it took more than an hour to get one last November.

This year's annual Town Meeting is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. on April 9 at the Trottier Middle School on Parkerville Road.

-- Jennifer Rosinski