During its Jan. 6 meeting the Town of Blackstone Finance Committee received a final accounting update on American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) spending and several administrative updates from town staff.

Town staff presented a list of ARPA‑funded projects the selectmen approved and said the town has used the ARPA allocation and the remaining ARPA balance is zero. The largest ARPA appropriation mentioned was roughly $1.6 million toward the municipal water filtration plant. Additional ARPA expenditures listed by staff included a website upgrade, ClearGov budgeting software, library HVAC replacement, radios for the fire department, municipal building upgrades, grant‑writing services, ADA park designs, animal shelter electrical and fencing, multiple paving projects, a ClearSpan structure/pavilion at town hall, training‑tower repairs, and other public‑safety and facility items. Staff said some projects came in under estimate and staff completed purchase orders to capture the funding.

Chad (town administrator) told the committee he will work with auditors if the town crosses the federal single‑audit threshold for FY24; he said the general ledger and auditors will determine whether a single audit is required.

On audits and management letters, the town accountant said the FY22 and FY23 management letters and financial statements were provided to the committee in November and that work on FY24 is ongoing. The accounting timeline slipped because the town engaged a new audit firm and staff hoped to return audits to an earlier timetable in future years to make recommendations more timely and comparable.

The committee also received a timeline for a compensation study review; staff said the board of selectmen asked that the finance committee review the compensation data at its first February meeting so the committee can compare financial impacts and discuss next steps.

Administrative votes conducted at the Jan. 6 meeting included approval of two constable posting bills totaling $120 and two newspaper‑advertising bills totaling $260.96 for the special town meeting; approval of minutes from May 6 and May 9, 2024; and a motion to adjourn. All votes recorded in the transcript were voice votes and recorded as unanimous on the floor; the transcript does not list individual roll‑call vote names.

Ending: Staff said they can produce a public summary of ARPA expenditures upon request; the committee will reconvene Thursday to complete action on the special‑meeting warrant articles and to consider minutes and items remaining on its agenda.