Hubbardston board directs short‑term facility‑use rules for First Meeting House, to draft permanent policy with committee

The Select Board discussed how the town should manage use of the First Meeting House after the town acquired the building and chose to adopt a temporary process for winter events while a building committee develops long‑term rules.

Board members and residents raised key operational needs: a centralized calendar managed by town offices so uses do not overlap, a packet that includes a certificate of insurance for outside users, a fee structure for private/non‑town events to cover cleaning and utilities, and a named point of contact to unlock and supervise events. Several board members emphasized prioritizing town‑sponsored and nonprofit events; one resident, Tim Holly, urged caution about overly limiting outside users because outside rentals can stimulate economic activity.

The board directed staff to prepare a temporary facility‑use policy for the winter season and return it at the Dec. 1 meeting; a permanent policy will be refined in coordination with the municipal building committee. Members asked staff to confirm plumbing, hot‑water and boiler conditions (Peterson Oil was mentioned as scheduled to inspect the boiler) and to include maintenance responsibilities in the use agreement.

The temporary policy will include eligibility criteria, insurance and liability language, and a fee/cleanup expectation for non‑town users; the board agreed the town administrator should collect and track uses in town offices.