The Winchendon Courier
Serving the community since 1878 ~ A By Light Unseen Media publication
September 24 2026

Winchendon Notice Board

Lunch is served at the Old Murdock Senior Center, 52 Murdock Ave., Winchendon, Monday through Thursday at 11:30 a.m.

On Fridays, lunch is served at The HUB, 5 Summer Drive, Winchendon, from 10:30 to 12:30 p.m. Bowling is free for seniors during this time.

Call 978-297-3155 before noon the preceding day to RSVP for lunch. Suggested donation of $3 to help cover costs.

Take the Community Health Equity Survey and Make Sure Winchendon's Health Needs Count!

Enter a HEAL Prize Drawing When You Complete the Survey!

Volunteers from CHNA9 and HEAL are meeting residents of Winchendon and Gardner at public events and inviting them to fill out the Mass Department of Public Health's Community Health Equity Survey. This completely anonymous and confidential survey is designed to collect information about topics that affect health, including housing, access to health care, mental health, employment, education, substance use, safety, and trusted sources of information. The survey especially aims to gather information from communities that are hit hardest by health inequities and which are often missing from traditional health data systems.

The survey is done primarily online and is available in 11 different languages. You can skip questions you're not comfortable answering.

Why is it so important? Taking the survey helps make sure that the needs and priorities of your community show up in the data. Your answers to this survey will show what helps communities be healthy and what makes it harder for communities to be healthy. DPH will use this data to create programs, prioritize outreach by need, and allocate funding, among many other things.

The more people from Winchendon and Gardner who answer the survey, the more accurately these communities will be represented in statewide data, and the better our chances of benefiting from programs and funding opportunities to help solve our health-related issues.

You can complete the survey at a participating location (with volunteers who have tablets for you to answer the online questions confidentially) or in the privacy of your home on your own device. Just click the link to the survey, which you can find on the HEAL web page or the mass.gov webpage linked below.

The HEAL Collaborative is offering a drawing for gift cards or a free bowling party night at The HUB. Anyone who completes the survey can opt to enter the drawing. Instructions for entering (and the link for the survey) are at https://www.thehealcollaborative.org/healthsurvey.

Complete information and links to take the survey may also be found on the official mass.gov website at https://www.mass.gov/community-health-equity-survey.


Finance Committee Seeking Three New Members

The Finance Committee currently has three vacant positions, and is looking for volunteers to serve. (With only four members, the committee just barely has a quorum.) The Committee meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at Town Hall. If interested, please submit a letter of interest to ddennis@winchendon-ma.gov.

Overview of Finance Committee Duties:
"It shall be the duty of the Committee to investigate the financial affairs of the town, including receipts of and expenditures by the different departments, or any Town Officer; the methods in which the town business is conducted; the general conduct of the town affairs; and all the articles in town warrants for town meetings referred to it; and, in the discharge of its duties, shall have free access to all books of accounts, books of record and all accounts, bills, and vouchers on which money has been or may be paid from the town treasury."

The Finance Committee gives (or withholds) recommendations for all Town Meeting Warrant articles that involve town financial matters. It occasionally participates in a joint meeting with the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, and/or other town boards and committees to discuss the development of the town and school district budgets each year, or matters of substantial financial concern for the town (for example, the fire station renovation project). The Finance Committee may also hold public hearings for the annual town budget, or other matters of substantial financial concern for the town.

The fiscal judgment and discernment of the Finance Committee are greatly respected by many citizens in town and help to guide decisions at Town Meeting. Please apply if you would like to be part of this vital town committee!


No Soliciting, This is Winchendon!

Please be advised that the Board of Selectmen has issued a moratorium on solicitation permits. Therefore, no solicitation permits are being issued so anyone who tries to solicit is in violation of Town bylaws. Please call the police non-emergency number at 978-297-1212 to report.


Winchendon Agricultural Commission Seeks New Members

The Winchendon Agricultural Commission is seeking enthusiastic people to fill several vacant seats. The Agricultural Commission's purpose is to support and promote agriculture in the town of Winchendon. The Commission deals with town bylaws related to farming and agriculture, concerns that may arise for farmers/homesteaders and/or their neighbors, state and national legislation directly impacting agriculture in Winchendon, and the business of producing and providing healthy food and other natural agricultural products for sale. As part of boosting farming businesses, the Commission supports the Winchendon Farmers Market.

Members don't have to be farmers or have direct experience with farming; a passion for locally produced food, smaller-scale agricultural production, land preservation and knowing where our food comes from are all that you need.

If you'd like to join the Agricultural Commission, send a letter of interest to Deb Dennis in the Town Manager's office, ddennis@winchendon-ma.gov. Agricultural Commission members are appointed by the Town Manager.


Applications Open for FY26 Senior Tax Work-Off Program

Once again this year, we are pleased to announce the Senior Work-Off program was approved at our Annual Town Meeting. This Senior Work-Off Abatement Program is allowing the Town of Winchendon the opportunity to utilize the knowledge and skills of its senior residents in exchange for credit toward the resident's property tax bill. The purpose of this program is:

To employ qualified senior citizens who will apply their earnings toward payment of a portion of their property taxes;
To increase senior citizen involvement in local government; and
To enhance municipal service by using the skills of resident senior citizens.

Qualified and income-eligible residents will accrue the Commonwealth's minimum wage per hour ($15.00 hr) toward a maximum credit of $1,100.00 per household during the fiscal year.

The criteria for this program is:

You must be 60 years old or older
Homeowner in Winchendon and occupy property
Annual income below $40,150 if single; or below $45,900 if married.

Applications for the program are now available in the Town Manager's office and on the town website at https://www.townofwinchendon.com/documentcenter/view/226, and will be accepted until the ten (10) slots are filled. There are different types of positions that are available depending on preference and qualifications of the resident and the needs of each department.

Types of past and current positions have been: Custodial services, clerical help for both School & Town, Library Aides, Senior Center Aides, Cable Station Operator, Bike Path Clean up, Painting, Light Outdoor Work and Classroom Volunteers.

Please contact the Town Manager's Office at (978) 297-5431 or ddennis@winchendon-ma.gov for more information or if you need an application mailed to you.


Questions or Concerns? Email the Town Manager!

A one-click email form has been added to the town website for all residents who would like to contact the Town Manager with concerns and questions about things happening in the community. The button is at the top of the left column of buttons under "Citizen Action Center" on the left side of the website's front page. The direct link is: https://www.townofwinchendon.com/506/QUESTIONS-COMMENTS-FOR-THE-TOWN-MANAGER


Winchendon Lions Want to Welcome You!

The Winchendon Lions meet at the Winchendon American Legion Post 193, 295 School St., downstairs hall, 7:00 p.m.

Meetings are on the third Tuesday of each month, September through June. Dues are used for all Administrative cost, which is why we can say "All money received through fundraisers go back to the community, eye research, or other natural disasters around the world!"

Feel free to join us and try it out. We would love to see you!

If you have any questions feel free to call Joni 978-297-2753. Please leave a message if no answer!

"WHERE THERE'S A NEED, THERE IS A LION"


Town Committee Monthly Meetings by Week

Agendas, minutes and meeting recordings available on the Town website at Agendas & Minutes, as well as on the pages for each Board or Committee.

Boards may cancel or change times for meetings, or add extra meetings, based on specific business at hand. Check the Town Meetings Calendar tab at https://www.townofwinchendon.com/

week MON TUE WED THUR
1st Board of Health
10:00am
Planning Board
6:00pm
Parks & Rec Commission
6:30pm
School Committee
6:00pm
2nd
Board of Selectmen
6:30pm
Finance Committee
7:00pm
Economic Development Task Force
5:30pm
Agricultural Commission
7:00pm
Conservation Commission
6:00pm
3rd Winchendon Redevelopment Authority
5:00pm
Planning Board
6:00pm
Parks & Rec Commission
6:30pm
Zoning Board of Appeals
7:00pm
School Committee
6:00pm
4th Board of Selectmen
6:30pm
Economic Development Task Force
5:30pm

Recordings of town meetings may be viewed on the new "Winchendon TV" website. Most meeting videos are posted within a day or two of the meeting.
https://winchendon.cablecast.tv/CablecastPublicSite/?site=1%C2%A0%C2%A0



Winchendon PD Wants Your Feedback About Drug-Related Crime

Winchendon has felt the impact of the opioid epidemic like all cities and towns in our region and the country abroad. Drug activity creates a wide range of negative effects, ranging from increased criminal activity and violence to a decline in physical safety and economic stability. Drug activity also increases public health risks for those suffering from substance abuse disorder and puts strain on families living with loved ones struggling with addiction.

We believe a multi-faceted approach is necessary to mitigate the negative effects of drug activity in a town. Compassionate outreach programs, such as our department's Post Overdose Support Team (POST) are necessary to help individuals and families. At the same time, aggressive investigation and prosecution of drug dealers is an essential component to improving quality of life in a community.

For the sake of the latter initiative, the police department applied for and was awarded a federal grant which has enabled the creation of our own drug task force. The task force was assembled in December and is comprised of four existing Winchendon officers. The task force is assigned to conduct targeted drug enforcement patrols in Winchendon. The team has been deployed several times a month (4-8hr. intervals) over the last six months. Grant funds will support this project for one year.

The desired outcome of this project is to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics in the Town of Winchendon. In addition, reduce the number of areas/homes where illicit drug trafficking activity is suspected.

We ask that you go to the link below and complete the following survey which will aid in measuring the success of our efforts thus far. In addition, we would like to know your thoughts on how the police department should approach and prioritize future efforts, for the sake of improving quality of life in our community.

Fill out the survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/39YCY3D


Winchendon Looking for Candidates for the Board of Registrars

The Town of Winchendon is looking for a Registrar. The duties include certifying nomination papers, absentee ballot applications, and petitions. Occasionally a Registrar assists with voter registration. As a member of the Board of Registrars, you're not allowed to serve on any boards or committees or be a poll worker. If there is ever a recount, the Registrars oversee it. This is a stipend position which currently pays $240.00. If interested send a letter of interest to Debra Dennis at ddennis@winchendon-ma.gov or mail to Town of Winchendon, Attn: Debra Dennis, 109 Front Street, Winchendon, MA 01475.


Toy Town Trolley Now Running Later on Saturdays!

We've expanded service hours to help more Winchendon residents--especially those in need of transportation to warming centers, shelters, and essential services.

New Saturday Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Book ahead! Saturday rides must be scheduled by 3:00 p.m. on Friday.

Door-to-door rides within Winchendon are available for:

  • Medical appointments
  • Grocery shopping
  • Shelter and warming center access
  • Pharmacy trips
  • And more
  • Call (978) 297-8089 (NEW NUMBER!) or email communityconnector@winchendon-cac.org.

    Prefer to book with your phone? Download the Community Connector app at https://www.townofwinchendon.com/577/Get-the-App

    Let your neighbors know! This expanded schedule helps ensure safe, reliable transportation for those who need it most--especially during colder weather.


    Shop Small, Shop Local in 2026!

    Click to see larger image

    Click here to download a printable PDF of the Small Business Saturday Winchendon shopping map!


    Need a Ride?

    Check out these transportation services and resources available through the Winchendon Community Connection and Access Project

    • Rides available as far as Worcester for medical appointments, shopping, recreation, employment and more!
    • All residents can get a ride. Priority is given to Senior Citizens and residents with disabilities.
    • Most rides are FREE through MART or at a low suggested donation to the Winchendon Senior Center.
    • Wheelchair accessible vehicles available.
    Request a ride over the phone by calling 978-297-3155, Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturdays 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

    Request a ride online at www.winchendon-cac.org

    Request a ride in person at the Winchendon Senior Center, 52 Murdock Ave, Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., or the Winchendon CAC, 5 Summer Dr, Wednesday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

    If you have questions, reach out to winchendonccap@gmail.com or call 978-297-3155.

    Let us help you get where you need to go!


    Town Committee Vacancies
    as of July 29, 2026

    If you'd like to be an active participant in decision-making and management for your community, consider joining a town committee or board. There are a number of vacancies currently open.

    Agricultural Commission - 1 member vacancy, 4 alternate vacancies
    Communication Committee - 2 vacancies
    Cultural Council - 11 vacancies
    Fence Viewer and Field Driver - 2 vacancies
    Historical District Commission - 1 vacancy
    Parks & Recreation Commission - 1 student vacancy

    If you'd like more information about any of these positions or are interested in being considered for an appointment, contact the Town Manager's office at 978-297-0085, or send a letter of interest to ddennis@winchendon-ma.gov or Town Manager, 109 Front Street Dept. 1, Winchendon MA 01475.

    For a description of each board or committee, see: https://www.townofwinchendon.com/DocumentCenter/View/440/Selectmen-Appointed-Boards-and-Committees-July-2024-PDF (PDF).