Blandford Select Board Orders Site Study for Long-Delayed Public Safety Facility

BLANDFORD -- March 16, 2023, Blandford Select Board authorizes new site study for fire station and highway garage stalled for years. The board directed Weston & Sampson and City Point Partners to screen at least four sites for a potential combined or phased public safety facility, with results expected before the June annual town meeting. The project, in planning for seven to eight years, saw its price estimate climb from roughly $2.9 million to $8.1 million under the consolidated Alternative C option that was rejected at the November 2022 special town meeting. Mike Richard of Weston & Sampson said the goal was to bring the committee "to some type of consensus" on the best option and to equip board members to "answer those questions" from taxpayers about cost. The board also unanimously approved a $20,000 fiscal year 2022 audit contract with Roselli, Clark and Associates and appointed Lynn Cain as Assistant Treasurer-Collector.