2026-06-29 - Board of Selectmen

Summary

Built from the official minutes (approved September 14, 2026). No video is posted, so there is no transcript or timing.

Called to order at 6:03 PM by Chairman Woodbury; all five members present, none remote. Executive session began at 7:46 PM; open session resumed at 8:49 PM; adjourned at 8:51 PM.
Executive session and regular minutes for May and June approved 5-0.
Ambulance operating and write-off policies adopted as corrected, 5-0.
Town declined its right of first refusal on a parcel leaving Chapter 61A, 5-0.
Contracts approved 5-0: library design services, ambulance vacation agreements, fire department software, state fuel contract, Whip City Fiber cost estimate, Fire Chief employment agreement.
Town Administrator's vacation carry-over approved 5-0; police lieutenant employment agreement approved 5-0 after executive session.
No citizens input at either public comment period. Meeting adjourned by motion (Grigg/Letendre), all in favor.

The Board met with Mr. Lyman and the contractor about driveway transitions on Ash Street that were not built to the lengths on the approved plans.
Lyman said the roadway grade near one location is about 12 percent and cannot meet the required slope even with a 15-foot transition; others were limited by private walkways, a utility pole and reduced curb reveal. He warned that rebuilding could create seams in the new gutter line and let water in.
Board members said the Town paid for professional plans and the contractor departed from them without authorization. Lyman said the engineer's site visits were limited to a $10,000 time-and-materials allowance and he was not asked to attend the transitions.
Stamped concrete color (4,000 PSI Egyptian Red) was discussed; the work overall was described as largely well done.
The contract has a performance bond. Mr. Bridges will get cost and quantity information, seek clarification from the Architectural Access Board, review contract remedies and return to the Board. No vote.

Second reading and adoption of the Ambulance Standard Operating Policies and Write-Off Policy, with a page correction ("360" changed to "100" under Item I-1): Grigg/C. Woodbury passed 5-0.
Bridges said UMass agreed to assign the rescue squad's affiliation agreement to the Town; it expires June 30, 2026 and the renewal is in progress.
Five ambulance employee vacation allocation agreements (credit for prior rescue squad service) approved 5-0 (Grigg/Letendre).

Vice Chairman Viner recused himself from the topic.
The Board reviewed MassDOT's response to the prior Board's request for a slip lane and extra sidewalk near Klem's. Grigg was dissatisfied the slip lane was not included and said public comments were requested but not meaningfully addressed.
The Board asked the designer and MassDOT to attend a future meeting.

Parcel R23-25 on Howe Road, about a 60,000-square-foot residential lot, is leaving Chapter 61A. The Planning Board and Conservation Commission did not recommend purchase; Bridges said it is not adjacent to Town land and not critical for a municipal purpose. Attorney Stoddard confirmed the intended use is a house lot and back taxes are paid.
Motion to decline the right of first refusal (Grigg/Viner) passed 5-0.

Chairman Woodbury proposed regrouping liaison assignments (for example Fire, EMS and Emergency Management together; Highway, Water and Sewer together) and reviving the inactive Commission on Disabilities. The assignments will return on a future agenda.

Bridges said the new State budget lets towns use the funds for roads or a snow and ice deficit; Spencer already funded its deficit. The Board noted a Chapter 90 balance of about $2.1 million and the deteriorating National Grid trench work on Main Street, and agreed the funds are best used for roads. No vote was needed.

Design contract with LIRO for Phase II: construction estimated at $300,000 to $400,000; about $254,000 remains in the library capital account and $13,366 of ARPA funds must be spent by year end. Design completion date October 30, 2026. Approved 5-0 (Grigg/Letendre).

Agreement with Whip City Fiber for a deployment cost estimate, funded by $27,879 appropriated at Town Meeting. If the Town proceeds, a municipal light department needs approval at two Town Meetings. Approved 5-0 (C. Woodbury/Grigg).

First Due fire records software (replacing ESO/Firehouse, aligned with the regional dispatch system; recommended by Chief Parsons): approved 5-0.
Fuel: one bid received (Peterson Oil); Doug Small found the State contract with the current vendor significantly better. Motion to use the State contract passed 5-0.
Employment agreement with Fire Chief Parsons approved 5-0.
Bridges asked to carry over about 30 hours (one week) of his roughly 3.1 weeks of unused vacation, per his contract; approved 5-0 (Grigg/Letendre).

Bridges said recruitment is underway; because the office is elected, the Board makes the appointment.

One core measured 92.2 percent density against a 92.5 percent requirement. Bridges, Kellaher and Small said the core was taken about two feet from the edge over a poor base and in-construction gauge readings met the requirement. C. Woodbury called it a high-quality job but said a failing result cannot be disregarded.
Bridges will contact the contractor and testing firm about two more cores, calculate any payment reduction, and consult Town Counsel on clearer density language in future contracts.

Executive session under Chapter 30A, section 21(a)(2) (nonunion negotiations, police lieutenant and chief) and (a)(3) (Massachusetts Coalition of Police local 175): roll call 5-0.
In open session, the employment agreement for Lieutenant Waugh approved 5-0. Amending the police collective bargaining agreement: no action.