Blandford Select Board Approves Two Grant Applications, Accepts Tax Collector Resignation

BLANDFORD -- December 1, 2025, Blandford Select Board approves two state grant applications and accepts tax collector's resignation at December meeting. The board unanimously approved applications under a MassDOT small bridge program, which covers construction on Beach Hill Road up to $1 million, and an unpaved roads equipment grant for a new single-drum road roller up to $250,000, both with January 9, 2026 deadlines. Highway Superintendent Ray signed the equipment grant application at the meeting and will return with the bridge application once MassDOT completes its Chapter 85 review with Gill Engineering. The board also accepted the resignation of Tax Collector Sue Mello, effective December 18, after six years of service. A board member presented an annual commercial revenue summary, solar, cannabis, Springfield Water, and the Eversource substation, totaling roughly $780,000 per year, noting that without those revenues the average homeowner assessed at $384,000 would face an additional $800 annually in taxes. The board held over a dispute with owner's project manager CityPoint Partners, which would cost approximately $250,000 to complete a public building project, and deferred road bonding policy and backflow meter replacement funding to the December 8 meeting.