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Select Board approves insurance plan change, reauthorizes veterans IMA and acts on routine business
Summary
At its March 24 meeting the Charlton Select Board approved a recommendation to change the town's health insurance arrangement, reauthorized a regional veterans district agreement, appointed a kitchen coordinator and took other routine votes including a pole permit and cybersecurity policy change.
The Charlton Select Board on March 24 approved several routine but consequential items, including a recommendation to move the town's municipal health coverage to a different purchasing group and a renewed intermunicipal agreement for veterans services.
The board voted to accept the insurance advisory committee's recommendation to move municipal coverage to the Mass Strategic Health Group plan with a high-deductible plan design (effective July 1). The advisory team said the move would hold rates steady for fiscal 2027 while the town manages run-out claims from its previous carrier. The board voted on the recommendation after presentations from town staff and insurance advisors.
The board also reauthorized Charlton's participation in the South Central Massachusetts Veterans District intermunicipal agreement (IMA), extending the agreement through June 30, 2028; the motion passed. The board unanimously approved a revision to the town's cybersecurity incident response policy to require immediate reporting to the town cyber liability insurer when an incident is determined to be severe.
Other votes included confirming Jennifer Mastromato as the town's kitchen coordinator, approving the installation of a National Grid/Verizon pole (amended to move the pole onto private property after engineering review), and continuing a public hearing on a club alcoholic beverage license for Overlook Communities Inc. until April 14, 2026 to allow the applicant time to consult residents. The board also approved the minutes of its March 10 meeting (the chair announced a tally of three in favor and one abstention) and accepted the annual evaluation for Town Administrator Andrew.
Most motions were passed unanimously; where the chair announced a tally the minutes vote carried 3 affirmative and 1 abstention. The board scheduled further discussion on the FY27 budget at a joint meeting on April 14.
Votes recorded: the board officially approved the following motions at the March 24 meeting: reauthorization of the South Central Mass Veterans District IMA; appointment of Jennifer Mastromato as kitchen coordinator; cybersecurity policy revision; continuation of the Overlook license hearing to April 14; approval of a pole installation as amended; and acceptance of the insurance advisory recommendation and the town administrator evaluation.
The meeting adjourned after project updates and routine committee reports.
