2026-07-27 - 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 6:00 PM by Chairman Woodbury; all five members present, none remote. Adjourned at 9:48 PM.
Representatives Peter Durant, Donnie Berthiaume and John Marsi presented a period-appropriate reproduction of the Declaration of Independence for the 250th anniversary; new officer Paul Soojian was introduced and Patrick Waugh (Lieutenant) and Todd Laporte (Sergeant) were sworn in.
Sidewalk transitions: contractor directed to remove and replace noncompliant work at no added cost, 5-0.
Pleasant Street engineering for three properties approved 4-1, Chairman Woodbury opposed.
Tabled, each 5-0: Hazard Mitigation Plan, cannabis delivery waiver, Pine Grove Cemetery audit, Housing Authority tenant member, McCormick Road crosswalk contract. Ambulance debt collections and recycling services also tabled.
Jared J.B. Grigg named CMRPC delegate and Letendre alternate, both 5-0.
Draft minutes of June 8, June 29 and July 14 were listed for approval; the minutes record no motion or vote.
Police and telecommunicator collective bargaining agreements accepted 5-0 after executive session.

Chris Lyman (by GoTo) said one transition was compliant given the road grade and four were noncompliant and must be rebuilt or get variances; plans conflicted on curb reveal (four inches on grading plans, six on typical sections). The contractor suggested a variance instead of correction.
Members raised accessibility, liability and following approved plans.
Motion to have the contractor correct four locations (Grigg/Letendre) received only Woodbury's vote; an amendment to direct removal and replacement at no additional cost (Viner/Grigg) passed 5-0, and the original motion was rescinded 5-0.
Clerk C. Woodbury asked that a Town representative be present when the work is done.
During citizens input, Matt Defosse praised the Board for holding the standard and suggested looking at a prevailing party clause for future contracts.

Bridges said the follow-up samples were taken within 10 feet and 50 feet of the failed core. The Board reviewed the MassDOT specification (460-67) on isolating nonconforming sublots; more extensive testing would likely have followed had the new samples failed.

Corey Brodeur of the engineering firm said one property is the priority for slope stabilization; the two neighbors are generally stable, with the third offering a limited sight-distance improvement. Options were riprap, plantings, or both with an erosion blanket; plantings could cut cost and look less industrial. Added drainage farther up the street was not in the estimate.
Estimated cost about $210,000 with engineering; funds are available.
Motion to proceed with engineering for all three properties (Viner/Grigg) passed 4-1; Woodbury no.

All moved Grigg/Letendre, 5-0: one-day all-alcohol license for an American Legion event on August 15; entertainment and Sunday entertainment licenses for a motorcycle show and swap meet on September 13; entertainment license for the Rapscallion Brewery Oktoberfest on September 19; one-day wines and malt license for the Spencer Fair dates and Oktoberfest.

Entertainment and Sunday entertainment licenses for the Spencer Fair (September 3 to 7): the Board raised last year's parking concerns and held off approval pending answers. No vote.

Hearing on pole installations at ten street locations. A motion to open the public hearing (Grigg/Letendre) passed 5-0.
Public comment: Dan Harden objected that proposed pole P18-50 on G.H. Wilson Road would sit across from his driveway and affect existing pole P18, and asked the Board to oversee the work. Theresa Ryan asked whether a Spring Street pole would replace a cut tree; Robert Williams of National Grid said the remaining tree will be removed and the pole provides support for lines toward Irving Street.
With Doug Small, the Board reviewed locations. P18-50 appeared to meet the 42-inch roadway setback but was not considered resolved because of the access concern; P25-50 appeared acceptable; P5-84 is a new guide pole replacing a tree used for support.
Clerk C. Woodbury wants National Grid to address the number of double poles in Spencer when it returns.

Damaris Dominguez of National Grid said the substation was last upgraded in 1997; capacity would rise from about 40 MVA to about 95 MVA, coordinated with about 4.5 miles of reconductored overhead distribution and FLISR automation for faster restoration. Ash Street would be upgraded to three-phase, connecting G.H. Wilson Road and East Charlton Road.
Stated benefits: support for growth, reliability and resilience, worker and public safety, and faster outage response.

Motion to table the request for a Cannabis Control Commission waiver to prohibit marijuana deliveries (Grigg/Woodbury) passed 5-0. No reasons recorded.

Approved 5-0: dumpster services for construction and demolition debris (Grigg/C. Woodbury); fire department roof architectural services (Woodbury/C. Woodbury); construction equipment and services (Grigg/Letendre).
Tabled: recycling services.

The agreement requires annual reports to the Town; the Board added a formal audit as a check on the $40,000 annual grant. Cemetery representatives said audits are hard to source at reasonable cost; last year's compilation cost about $3,000 and largely consolidated 12 monthly reports. The new grant funds have not been released because the audit is not done.
Motion to table until Bridges and the cemetery can agree an alternative (Grigg/Letendre) passed 5-0.

Revised agreement with Westfield Gas and Electric clarifies that the Town owns materials and work products it has paid for. Approved 5-0 (Grigg/Letendre).

The tenant member has moved away. Three candidates were identified, none present; motion to table until they can be reached (C. Woodbury/Grigg) passed 5-0.

BETA Engineering contract for a crosswalk design (about $10,000). Viner asked whether other consultants were solicited; none were. Bridges said a 40 mph road requires an engineered design for liability protection.
Motion to table pending other proposals passed 5-0.

Grigg had been the CMRPC delegate, with a Mr. Howard as alternate when the delegate was unavailable.
Grigg confirmed as CMRPC delegate (Woodbury/Viner) and Letendre as alternate (C. Woodbury/Woodbury), both 5-0.

Police Chief introduced new officer Paul Soojian; Patrick Waugh was promoted to Lieutenant effective July 5 and Todd Laporte to Sergeant, and both were sworn in.
After executive session, a motion to accept the Massachusetts Coalition of Police local 175 and MCOA 17A telecommunicators collective bargaining agreements (Grigg/Letendre) passed 5-0.

Bridges gave the fall Town Meeting schedule, including the November 5 Special Town Meeting warrant.
Letendre relayed a resident's concern about debris left after a house demolition on May Street. Dan Harden said it took a neighbor months to get approvals to move into a home.