Daniel M. Conley

The event served as a candidates night hosted by the Gtown Lions Club, featuring presentations from individuals running for the Select Board, including Joshua Douglas, Richard Manzo, Fred Flet, and Jessica Putin. Key discussion points raised by the candidates centered on responsible budgeting, zero-based budgeting advocacy, long-term financial planning, pursuing grants to relieve taxpayers, oversight of town departments (Police, Fire, Public Works), and maintaining transparency. The event also included recognition and financial donations to the student council and the Grizzlies basketball booster club for their volunteer efforts in assisting the Lions Club with unloading and preparing Christmas trees after their annual fundraiser.

The agenda for this regular meeting included several key discussions and potential actions. Topics included a meeting with Executive Councilor John Stephen regarding the Removal Of Hadley Falls Dam, discussion on the DPW Single Stream Recycling Contract with options between Casella and Waste Management. The Town Administrator presented a request to change Microsoft licensing from monthly Office 365 to annual Microsoft 365 for cost savings and added features, along with a Proposed IT Workplace Use Of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy and the 2026 Voters' Guide. A Public Hearing was scheduled regarding proposed Ambulance And Parks & Rec Fees. The board also addressed the Action Matrix for tracking town items and planned for a Non-Public Session.

The public hearing primarily focused on an application by Adam Danis seeking two variances for an attached garage addition (requiring a 5 ft. side setback instead of the required 15 ft.) and a mudroom addition (requiring a 21 ft. front setback instead of the required 25 ft.). The applicant detailed how the additions would upgrade the home's functionality, including adding a bathroom and closet space, and argued that the encroachment was minimal compared to existing neighboring structures. Concerns raised by an abutter via email related to fire safety, building code compliance, and drainage, which the Board noted were generally addressed during the building permit process. The Board discussed the spirit of the ordinance regarding overcrowding and the hardship presented by the lot's existing driveway configuration. The Board voted to approve both variances, conditioning the garage variance approval on the submission of a certified surveyed plan to ensure the addition is not less than 5 ft. from the property line.

The event recognized new employees and celebrated achievements from the past year. The department noted achieving full staffing across all divisions (patrol, dispatch, records, and legal) for the first time in five years. New dispatchers and four new officers were introduced and sworn in. Several awards were presented, including Chief's Commendations to Dispatchers Terry Gage, Zachary Smith, and Assistant Supervisor Heidi Roers for saving a suicidal female's life through coordinated efforts involving phone pings and external agency coordination. Life-Saving Awards were presented to Lieutenant Jeffrey Bernard for administering CPR to a choking victim, Officer Andrew Horseman for proactively ensuring a child wore a helmet before a severe accident, and Officer Ashley O'Brien for successfully rendering aid to an unresponsive overdose victim. Dispatcher Zachary Smith was named Employee of the Year for 2025, recognized for superior performance, dedication, and community involvement. Longevity awards were also given out, including recognition for 20 years of service for Heidi Roers, Jessica Scarupsky, and Lieutenant Bernard.

The meeting focused on reviewing and correcting activity reports captured in the MS-9 and MS-10 reports. Key corrections involved fixing the allocation of a $5,000 deposit intended for the Rita M. Banfield Revocable Cemetery Trust, which was mistakenly applied to the K. Holler fund. Discrepancies regarding a $70 deposit for the Grasmere town hall restoration fund also required correction. The acceptance of $10,000 for the Clayton S. Ginnard memorial scholarship was officially approved retrospectively as minutes were previously lacking. Other noted adjustments included confirming two withdrawals for flower funds and addressing issues with the Sandra Ellison Trust payout ratio. A significant discrepancy between the MS-9 and MS-10 reports, involving a $216,000 misallocation between principal and income buckets, was identified for correction. Furthermore, the Capital Reserve Funds were noted as missing from the received MS-10 report. Finally, updates were provided on the IT department's work to create e-mail addresses and facilitate document access through the town portal.