Blandford board OKs $9,000 for fire memorial

Select Board · Meeting of November 2, 2026

BLANDFORD — The Blandford Select Board voted unanimously to approve $9,000 for a firefighter memorial in Watson Park. The board rounded up from an estimated $8,479.93 cost to build in a contingency cushion, with the Blandford Fire Department donating labor and equipment for installation. Members separately discussed whether Watson Park Trust funds could cover both construction and ongoing maintenance, agreeing to seek a legal opinion first.

The board also wrestled with uncertainty over local battery energy storage bylaws, noting the Massachusetts Attorney General is expected to rule around December 15 or 20 on whether Blandford's bylaws stand, with one member saying "they had a listening session and they weren't listening." Separately, the board approved two sets of October minutes and a payroll warrant, tabled a Maple Lane plowing request pending a letter, and heard that three water manager candidates will be interviewed during the weeks of November 18 and 25.

In the full story:

• Call to Order and Routine Business
• Todd Ackley Memorial Fundraising and Design
• Select Board Updates: Highway, Taxes, Fire Department, and Scheduling
• Beagle Club Road and Related Resident Concerns
• Mass Cultural Council Allocation, Highway Personnel Issues, and Water Manager Search
• State Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Bylaws and Listening Session Concerns
• Regional Land Use Planning Initiative
• Local Newspaper Distribution Problem
• Public Comment
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,359 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of November 2, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.