Blandford Select Board Approves $25,175 Grant for Solar Digital Town Sign

BLANDFORD — March 6, 2023 — Blandford Select Board approves a $25,175 grant for a solar-powered digital town sign and tables a treasurer appointment. The board voted unanimously Monday to accept funding from the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts for an app-controlled electronic marquee, part of the REDO Grant Smart Digital Town Crier program. A motion to appoint Lynn Canes as Assistant Treasurer-Collector through June 30, 2023 was tabled after one member said he had not met the candidate. The board also debated raising the fire chief salary above its current $22,000 annual figure — described by one member as below what "a guy responsible for people's lives" should earn — with town administrator Christopher Pratt tasked with reposting the position at higher pay and exploring a shared-chief arrangement with a neighboring community. Pratt reported that the FY24 regional school assessment came in at a 0.5 percent decrease, allowing the town to avoid tapping stabilization reserves.