Select Board approves HERO Act clause 22I, designates municipal hearing officer and constable as "special" employees, confirms appointments

At the end of the March 4 meeting the Select Board took several procedural and policy votes.

HERO Act: Select Board Member Mark moved that the board "accept clause 22I of the HERO Act for fiscal year 2026 and make 22J a priority for consideration for the FY27 budget." The motion passed unanimously.

Special municipal-employee designations: Town Clerk Mary Maslowski reviewed the conflict-of-interest implications for part-time and lightly paid municipal roles and recommended two designations. The board voted, unanimously, to designate the town constable position and the municipal hearing officer position as "special municipal employee" status under Massachusetts conflict-of-interest law (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 268A, '1(n)). The designations allow those part-time roles to participate in certain town matters that otherwise could create conflicts under standard rules.

Appointments and routine votes: The board confirmed nominations and appointments presented at the meeting: Ellie Tierney was appointed as a regular member of the Conservation Commission (three-year unexpired term through June 2025) and Peter Malpass was appointed to the Community Economic Development Committee (three-year unexpired term through July 2027). The board also approved routine actions including a motion to close the public budget hearing, and approved March 12, 2024 meeting minutes.

Ending: All votes noted above were unanimous; the board directed staff to update the town's lists and to circulate appointment paperwork.