Blandford hires new town administrator, moves to salvage shared water grant

BLANDFORD -- January 8, 2024, Blandford Select Board approves new town administrator and scrambles to save a shared water grant with Chester before a June 30 deadline. The board unanimously hired Michael Slavik as Town Administrator on a contract running January 29, 2024, through June 30, 2025, amending the agreement to cover mandatory bar dues and to clarify that the elected-office restriction applies only to Blandford offices. In the same meeting, Interim Town Administrator Ira Grossman warned that a shared water services grant, funded through the state Division of Local Services, is at risk because neither town has yet implemented the core requirement of sharing a licensed water operator, with Grossman telling the board that "every single day that goes by where you're not sharing those personal services, you're basically depleting your inventory." A truck purchased by Blandford's Water Department from grant funds without prior notice to Chester has added a compliance question that DLS has not formally resolved. Both boards will meet jointly on the first Thursday in February to set a written sharing schedule and address outstanding equipment purchases before the grant cycle closes.