Blandford Select Board approves post office valuation increase, police detail authorization

BLANDFORD — January 22, 2024 — Blandford Select Board approves updated post office valuation, plow crash response, and early voting plan at January meeting. The board voted unanimously Monday to accept a revised building insurance valuation for the Blandford Post Office raising its replacement-cost figure from $593,898 to $860,000, a jump some members questioned given the building's condition. The board also heard from Highway Superintendent Dave that a highway plow truck had been struck by an uninsured, unregistered Ford F-550 driver who initially fled the scene; operator Matt was injured and the town's ARMS insurance coverage was activated. Town Clerk Doris announced two in-person early voting sessions for the March primary — February 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and February 26 from 5 to 7 p.m. — and the board authorized the town clerk to arrange police details for all 2024 elections. The outgoing town administrator disclosed that the town's $80,000 IT grant is funding an accounting software transition targeting a July 1 go-live date, with quotes of $8,000 from Eric Kinscher and $4,500 from MassUnifin already in hand.