Blandford Select Board Approves Deficit Spending, Eyes Water Grant Extension Deadline

BLANDFORD -- March 11, 2024, Blandford Select Board approves snow-and-ice deficit spending and clears warrant 18 amid wide-ranging administrative updates. The board unanimously authorized Town Administrator Mike to proceed with deficit spending after the snow and ice account was exhausted, and voted to pay warrant 18 accounts payable, which included a $299,999 bond anticipation note paydown and a $22,365 personal property tax refund to DG Mass Solar LLC. The Gateway Regional School District assessment for the coming fiscal year was reported at $1,569,382, a 5.69 percent increase tied to four additional Blandford students. Annual IT costs were projected at roughly $53,000, down from more than $60,000, though a server replacement ($15,000) and firewall upgrade ($2,250) are pending. The board also pressed for a face-to-face meeting with Chester officials after continued delays in finalizing a shared water operator spending schedule required to extend a state grant through September 15, warning that failure to act could cause the funds to lapse entirely.