Selectmen approve special and annual warrants, remove article and expand field lighting article to $200,000 for Roosevelt Park work

The Town of Blackstone Board of Selectmen on March 25 approved the special and annual town meeting warrants and made several adjustments to warrant articles ahead of the May town meeting.

Selectmen voted unanimously to approve the special town meeting warrant and the annual town meeting warrant as presented. During discussion the board removed Article 20 (a planning/zoning timing amendment) from the warrant by motion and second; the motion carried with the board voting in the affirmative.

Selectmen also withdrew Article 27, a proposed solicitation/door-to-door regulation article, after town counsel raised First Amendment concerns and cautioned the town the attorney general might not approve the language. The board voted to withdraw that article rather than advance it to town meeting.

The board amended Article 26, originally listed as $80,000 for field lighting, to a broader $200,000 article for design, purchase and installation of lighting at Roosevelt Park and any related electrical work and improvements. Discussion focused on using the funds for a comprehensive electrical assessment and engineered plans before purchasing fixtures. The intent is to have a fully engineered project — conduits, pole locations, necessary upgrades and code remediation — so accurate bid pricing can follow. Selectmen said $100,000 currently exists in the parks account and the additional $200,000 would provide a stronger starting point for a larger, staged investment.

The board also moved several personnel and payroll items: it appointed Christine Cooper Primack to an unexpired Council on Aging term (ending June 2026) and approved multiple staff contracts. The board unanimously approved contracts presented at the meeting — including the assistant town accountant (L.C. Lemoine), police chief Gregory Gilmore, and superintendent of public works James Sullivan. A contract for police lieutenant Sean Bridal received tentative approval contingent on the outcome of an executive-session negotiation. Payroll and vendor warrants were approved unanimously as well.

Why it matters: The warrant list determines what voters will consider at town meeting on May 27; changes to the lighting article and the withdrawal of the solicitation article alter both the scope and legal risk of what voters will see. The lighting amendment reflects the board’s preference for an engineered, code-compliant solution rather than buying fixtures without assessing infrastructure needs.

Votes at a glance (actions recorded by the board during the March 25 meeting): - Motion to remove Article 20 from annual warrant — approved (ayes unanimous). - Motion to withdraw Article 27 (solicitation bylaw) after legal concerns — approved (ayes unanimous). - Amendment and expansion of Article 26 to $200,000 for design/purchase/installation of lighting and related electrical work at Roosevelt Park — adopted by consensus/no objection recorded. - Approval of special and annual warrants as presented — approved (ayes unanimous). - Appointment of Christine Cooper Primack to Council on Aging (unexpired term to June 2026) — approved (ayes unanimous). - Approval of contracts: assistant town accountant (L.C. Lemoine); police chief Gregory Gilmore; superintendent of public works James Sullivan — all approved (ayes unanimous). Police lieutenant Sean Bridal contract approved tentatively, contingent on executive-session outcome. - Approval of payroll warrant and vendor warrants — approved (ayes unanimous).

Selectmen said the lighting amendment will allow the town to contract an electrical/engineering consultant to produce bid-ready drawings and cost estimates; the board emphasized that an engineered plan is required to understand conduit routing, pole placement and code-related repairs that may be necessary before new lighting can be powered and used safely.

Next steps: The amended Article 26 will appear on the town meeting warrant with revised language to include engineering, purchase and installation of lighting at Roosevelt Park and “other related electrical work.” The town will solicit engineering proposals and return with pricing and design documents to support accurate appropriation requests at town meeting.