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Select board approves appointments, labor agreement and $150,000 culvert grant; suspends regular meetings
Summary
Townsend select board approved several routine items — appointments, an AFSCME clerical memorandum (2% plus one-time payment), LRTA and election warrants, surplus of a parks quad, and a $150,000 state reimbursement grant for Bixby Culvert design — and voted to suspend regular meetings while administration addresses legal workloads.
The Townsend Select Board on July 1 approved a slate of routine municipal actions and directed staff to complete signings and procurement while agreeing to suspend regular meetings until pressing administrative and legal matters are addressed.
The board approved appointments and reappointments including Abigail Farley (Commission on Disability, term beginning 07/07/2026), Kim Craven (ad hoc Heart Library Restoration Committee) and Colby Streeter (Zoning Board of Appeals). Sarah Logan moved to approve the slate and a second was recorded; the board voted by roll call in favor.
Board members authorized the interim town administrator to sign the annual agreement with the Lowell Regional Transit Authority (LRTA) and approved placing the warrant for the September 1 state primary and the October 6 special town election on file, with signatures to be executed out of session. Members also approved a motion to allow the interim town administrator to execute the LRTA contract on the town’s standard state form.
The board ratified a memorandum of agreement with the clerical bargaining unit (AFSCME). Town staff described the contract as providing a 2% wage increase and a one‑time payment intended to address reduced hours for one clerical employee; the agreement had been ratified by the union and town council had previously signed on the town’s behalf.
Select board members approved a request to surplus a 4x4 utility vehicle used by parks and cemetery staff and to list it for municipal bidding; the vehicle’s approximate resale value was discussed as about $3,300. Members also authorized the town administrator to sign a standard Commonwealth contract after the town received a $150,000 state reimbursement grant (no local match required) to fund engineering and design for the Bixby Culvert project. The town administrator said procurement would solicit at least three engineering firms to propose work.
On a separate item, the board reviewed and approved a disclosure form for Cindy Marie King of the Commission on Disability related to her anticipated work on a Safe Streets and Accessibility grant; board members said the response could be edited but approved it as presented.
Near the end of the meeting, the chair said the board would suspend regular meetings indefinitely to allow administration and staff time to address the town’s backlog of legal and administrative tasks. The board voted to pause its regular schedule and to handle business on an emergent or as‑needed basis.
Next steps: staff will post updated TA reports and legal‑expense materials to the town website; procurement will proceed for the culvert design work; approved warrants and contracts will be signed out of session as authorized.
