Newcomers' Information

Welcome New Neighbors

Below you will find shortcuts to information on the Town Website site that will help you get settled in. In addition, make sure to check out the New Residents' Guide to Dunstable.

Town Hall Services

Places to Find

What's Going On

Important to Know

Family

Utilities, Etc.

 

To register to vote in Massachusetts, you must be:

A U.S. citizen, a resident of Massachusetts, and at least 18 years old on or before the next election.

Who needs to show ID?

A voter who registered by mail on or after January 2003, and who has not registered previously in Massachusetts, whose identification number on their registration form could not be verified and who did not provide a copy of their ID when they registered.

Valid Identification:

Must contain name and address as registered.  Examples include driver's license, bank statement, government check, utility bill, rent receipt on landlord's letterhead, etc.

Registering to vote online, by mail or in person:

For information on registering to vote online, in person or by mail or by changing your voter registration online, please click here.

To determine your voter status:

To determine your voter status, where to vote, etc., please click here.

Inactive Voter:

For information on why you may be designated as "Inactive Voter" please click here.

To find your voter registration status:

Please click here.

View & Pay Taxes, Excise, Water Bills, Curbside Trash Pickup, Dog Licenses, Recreational Activities, and Vital Records Online!

Dunstable uses UniBank's UniPay Gold service for paying taxes, excise, water bills, Board of Health Curbside Trash & Recycling, and Fire Permits. Click the on the links below in order to get to the appropriate site. 

Note: You can only pay taxes online for current tax bills. If the tax has not been paid by the due date, you must pay the tax by mail or in person.

The Board of Health has contracted with a hauler to provide residents with a public option for curbside collection of trash and recycling. The cost for participating in this program is $396 a year, with the year based on the Massachusetts fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30. The cost of participation is pro-rated based upon when in the fiscal year a resident signs up. So, if a resident signs up in July, they will pay $396. If a resident signs up in August they will pay $363. Renewal happens for the next year the following July and the cost is $396  regardless of when the resident signed up in the prior fiscal year.

Residents who are new to the program will need to arrange receipt of their trash and recycling containers with the Board of Health after initial signup. Payment may be made by cash or check at the Town Hall, or made by online payment using the link below.

CLICK HERE FOR CREDIT CARD OR ELECTRONIC CHECK PAYMENT

July $396
August $363
September $330
October $297
November $264
December $231
January $198
February $165
March $132
April $96
May $66
June $33

Memorial Day Parade – We Need Your Help

Dear Residents,

Due to limitations on public funding, as in past years, our budget is also limited.

This year there WILL BE a Memorial Day parade; however we need your help to make it happen. Here is how you can help.

  • We need monetary donations to pay for fixed cost. Please make your Tax Deductible to: "Dunstable Memorial Day Fund"
    • Send to:
    • Dunstable Memorial Day Fund
    • 511 Main Street
    • Dunstable, MA 01827-1313
  • We need "Baked Goods" donations - Cookies, Cakes, Bars etc.
  • We need Community groups to march in the parade. If you belong to an organization that would like to participate in our Memorial Day Parade please contact either the Town Administrator or Dana Metzler.

We need your participation. We ask the residents of town to gather with their families and participate in the event.

Dunstable's Memorial Day Parade forms near the Library on Highland Street at approximately 12:15. The Parade steps off at 1 PM sharp, marches to the Center of Town. The Center ceremony consists of the laying of wreaths, speechifying, music and firing of salutes. The parade then reforms, and invites the public to march at the rear of the parade to the Center Cemetery where Honors are offered to our deceased of all wars. At the close of the ceremony all residents are invited back to the Dunstable Center church for a collation and socializing. The Dunstable Parade is as "Norman Rockwell" in style as anyone will experience and this is your chance to share in the event.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

The Memorial Day Committee

Contact:

Town Administrator, Madonna J. McKenzie
Phone: (978) 649-4514 ext. 224
Email: Click here.

John Callahan has recorded a video which is available via YouTube: click here.

little_red_schoolhouse_dsc_5239_40_41_-xlThe Tyngsborough-Dunstable Historical Society is a non-profit organization committed to preservation of the past for future generations. Proud owners of The Little Red Schoolhouse in Dunstable, where countless children from Dunstable and Groton have enjoyed the experience of stepping back in time to colonial school days.

The Society sponsors a number of events throughout the year, including the Strawberry Festival at the Little Red School House in June. Other annual events include the Gas and Steam Engine Meet in May and the Holiday Pot Luck Supper in December.

Membership dues are $25 per family or $15 per individual.

Note: The Little Red School House can be rented for parties, showers, holiday celebrations, and family gatherings.

Contact:

Mailing Address:

  • Tyngsborough-Dunstable Historical Society
  • PO Box 87
  • Tyngsborough, MA 01879

Website:

Tyngsborough-Dunstable Historical Society

For information on how girls can sign up for Junior Girl Scouts (grades 4, 5, & 6), Brownies (grades 1, 2, &\ 3), or Daisies (kindergarten), contact the local Girl Scout Organizer. If you have any interest in helping out, the group is always looking for adult volunteers.

Contact:

  • Stephanie Geiser
  • Girl Scout Organizer for Groton and Dunstable
  • Email: Click here.

Dunstable has a local 4H club, called Homesteaders, that focuses on organic gardening and general homesteading skills. Children learn about all the animals you might have on a farm, and how to raise and store your own food.

Meetings are twice a month. The group is open to all ages, though size may be limited.

The club has a group of 5-6 year-old Cloverbuds, and some 8-12 year olds who are working to become Junior Master Gardeners.

Contact:

This club is open to residents of Dunstable 60 years and older.

The club meets on the first Wednesday of every month. Lunch is served at noon. Following the meal, there is a business meeting and entertainment of some sort. The club has a system for calling members each month to confirm reservations for the meal, and to inform members of any change in the location or time of the meeting.

Dues are $5 per person, payable at the first meeting in September. If you have any questions or want to join, please contact the Vice-President.

Contact:

  • Gloria Goss, Vice President
  • Phone/ext: (978) 649-3904

Meeting Schedule:

  • First Wednesday of every month.

Location:

  • Town Hall - downstairs in Grange Hall. There is an elevator at the side entrance.
  • Map Link: Directions to Town Hall

Lions International is the largest service organization in the world, with over 1.4 million members in 185 countries. Their two primary goals are fighting blindness and community service. In Massachusetts, they also sponsor an Organ Donor Program called the Lazarus Fund. Locally, the Lions sponsors many community service projects annually, such as the Youth Speech Contest, Peace Poster Contest, Student of the Month, Child Photo IDs, Seniors Dinner, Used Eye Glasses Recycling collection, Postage Stamp collection, health screening through the Eye Mobile, and participate in the Memorial Day Parades, and contribute to blood and food basket drives.

They raise money through the annual Toll Booth, Christmas Tree sales, and the ever popular Summerfest carnival. Every penny they raise goes towards supporting seven scholarships, eye glasses for needy children, reading equipment for visually handicapped, helping fire victims, local Police and Fire Department needs, youth organizations and projects, local libraries, DARE and SARA program seed money, as well as other research and assistance programs sponsored by the Massachusetts Lions Clubs.

The club is open to men and women, 18 years and older who want to participate in making their community better.

Website:

Contact:

  • President Gerald Roth
  • Phone/ext: (978)-649-7375

The Dunstable Grange is a fraternal organization of men, women and children of all ages who serve the community in many ways, including the annual grant of a scholarship to a graduating high school senior from Dunstable, providing refreshments for the Memorial Day Parade, memorial benches and gifts, as well as reaching out with donations to a number of charities and community organizations. The Annual Grange Fair from every August is a very popular event that is open to all members of the community.

Contact:

  • For membership information, contact Jennifer Tully.
  • Phone/ext: (978) 649-3934

Meeting Schedule:

  • 2nd Friday of Every Month

Location:

  • Dunstable Town Hall - Downstairs

The Neighbor-to-Neighbor newsletter, formerly mailed to all Dunstable residents on a monthly basis, sadly is no longer published as of January 2025. Serving Dunstable for over 30 years, the newsletter was published by Anne Paquin and was one of the best resources for staying up to date on what's happening in our community and finding local businesses that serve the Dunstable. The website is still live and all previous newsletters can be found here. 

Articles about Dunstable are also usually published in the following newspapers:

The Town of Dunstable also has Social Media presence on the following platforms:

Babcock Scholarship Information

During the winter of 1923, the home of the Morgan family here in town caught fire and was largely destroyed. The citizens of our community responded to the crisis by taking in the children (all 17 of them!), keeping the family together and aiding in the reconstruction of their home. One of the children, Helene Morgan Babcock, remembered the words of her mother, "Never forget the kindness of the people of Dunstable," and so established a scholarship fund to be made available to the graduating students of Dunstable as they continue their education.

The amounts of these grants are substantial, with one of the Babcock Scholars receiving $4,000 each year for up to four years. A number of additional $2,000 scholarships are granted to other students on a one time basis.

Scholarships may be applied to expenses incurred in the pursuit of advanced education beyond the secondary level in two or four year institutions, vocational education institutions, or formalized apprenticeship programs.

Applications are available at the town library, town hall, your school guidance office, or by email (click here). Questions regarding the application process should be sent to the address below or by email (click here). The scholarship committee opens the process in the beginning of the year annually, sends out invitations to Dunstable seniors and establishes the deadline for the annual submission.

Private Schools

Some residents take advantage of the following private schools in the area:

Cable, Internet & Telephone

Electricity Contacts

Gas Contacts

Water