Thomas Spencer Select Board Meeting Summary – June 2, 2026
Thomas Spencer Select Board Meeting Summary – June 2, 2026
This meeting of the Thomas Spencer Select Board covered a wide range of administrative, regulatory, and community items including license renewals, property updates, budget reviews, contract modifications, and support for community events. The board approved multiple motions, authorized expenditures, and scheduled a public hearing for the water and wastewater budgets.
Consent Calendar
- License Renewals: Approved unanimously (5-0) first class and third class alcohol licenses and an outside consumption permit for Black Rock Steakhouse Inc., as well as a second class license, tobacco license, and tobacco substitute license for KB Ventures Inc. (Jake's Market Delhi).
- Minutes of May 11, 2026: Adopted without corrections.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Property Updates (Central Street, Valley Street, Seversbrook Road): A resident (Jared) expressed concerns about ongoing occupancy, electrical hookups, and sewage at the Seversbrook Road property. Board acknowledged enforcement difficulties due to unresolved ownership.
- Right-of-Way Easement (Monument Hill Road): A resident described how a newly approved driveway permit for an adjacent lot encroached on their right-of-way easement on Old Hospital Hill Road, altering access and creating snow/stormwater issues. The board noted the issue is under review and scheduled a meeting with the road agent.
- Wall Street Traffic Advisory: Dan Pepper, a Wall Street resident, questioned why the emergency one-way direction was opposite to the existing ordinance. The board explained the temporary measure is to keep traffic away from a failing slope and will remain until engineering options are evaluated.
Discussion Items
- Wall Street Mechanical Update: The town manager reported that a traffic advisory (one-way from Reed Street to Summer Street) has been extended due to slope instability. An engineering report is pending, and the board agreed to continue the advisory beyond 30 days until permanent solutions are identified.
- Water & Wastewater Budget Review (FY2027): The town manager presented the proposed operating budget with a ~5.3% expense increase, driven by inflationary costs for chemicals, propane, and other supplies. The fixed costs for water and sewer showed decreases of $104,000 and $129,000 respectively. The board acknowledged the budget and set a public hearing for June 22, 2026 at 6:00 PM. Long-term capital challenges, including lead service line inventory and replacement requirements (300+ lines due by 2027), were discussed.
- MOA for Contract Modification – Local 98 (IUOE): The board adopted a memorandum of agreement to provide additional pay for employees with critical certifications (CDL, water/sewer maintenance) to improve retention. The agreement also includes a training repayment clause (two-year service requirement or 50% repayment if leaving early). Motion carried 5-0.
- Staffing Updates: Approved creation of a part-time police dispatcher position to offset overtime during long-term disability and upcoming retirement. Also approved combining two part-time positions into a full-time clerk/grant administrator to handle complex grant reporting. Both funded within existing budgets. Motion carried 5-0.
- VLCT Voting Delegate: Designated Mike Schmidt as the voting delegate for the VLCT special meeting on June 22, 2026 to consider bylaw changes enabling an intermunicipal health insurance program.
- Trail Grant Letter of Support: Approved a letter supporting an application for surfacing and ADA improvements on the existing 1.34-mile trail. The grant would cover 50% of costs; the town has set aside $58,000 for the local share. Motion carried 5-0.
- Summer Pool Access Agreement: Approved a $20,000 agreement with the EG (presumably a pool operator) for summer hours, paid in two installments (July 1 and August 1), plus a $2,000 weekly extension option. Motion carried 5-0.
- Economic Incubator & Kiosk: Approved using dynamic development funds to support a small business incubator at 27 Main Street and to install signage kiosks downtown. The incubator would provide space for concept proofing, with potential grant matching. Motion carried 5-0.
- Pride Month Proclamation: Adopted a resolution designating June as Pride Month in Springfield, affirming the community’s commitment to inclusivity. Motion carried 5-0.
- Event Permit – Parent Child Center: Approved a permit for a duck run event on June 27, 2026 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at their location. Motion carried 5-0.
- Tax Sale Authorization: Approved three actions: engaging the town attorney for tax sale proceedings, authorizing the manager to bid on behalf of the town, and authorizing the sale of town‑acquired properties. Motion carried 5-0.
- Event Permit – Police Association: Approved a permit for National Night Out on August 4, 2026 at Riverside Park (time TBD). Motion carried 5-0.
- Fire Department Stretcher Purchase: Authorized sole-source designation for a Stryker powered-load stretcher system at $36,113, funded within the existing budget. The old stretcher is broken and will be surplused. Motion carried 5-0.
- Town Property Quitclaim Deed: Approved a quitclaim deed conveying ~2,768 square feet of recreational land to the adjoining McCormick residence (who had mistakenly maintained it). The town retained an easement for a catch basin and access. Motion carried 5-0.
Key Outcomes
- License Renewals: Approved (5-0).
- Minutes: Adopted (5-0).
- Water/Wastewater Budget: Acknowledged, public hearing scheduled June 22, 2026 at 6:00 PM.
- MOA with Local 98: Adopted (5-0).
- Staffing Modifications: Approved (5-0).
- VLCT Delegate: Mike Schmidt appointed (5-0).
- Trail Grant Letter: Approved (5-0).
- Pool Agreement: Approved (5-0).
- Incubator & Kiosk: Approved (5-0).
- Pride Proclamation: Adopted (5-0).
- Parent Child Center Event Permit: Approved (5-0).
- Tax Sale Authorization: Approved (5-0).
- Police Association Event Permit: Approved (5-0).
- Fire Department Stretcher Purchase: Approved (5-0).
- Property Quitclaim Deed: Approved (5-0).
- Executive Session: The board voted to enter executive session for employment matters (no action expected).
Next Scheduled Meeting: June 22, 2026 at 6:00 PM (public hearing on water/wastewater budget).
Note: The transcript indicates the meeting was called to order on June 1, 2026, but the official meeting date provided is June 2, 2026. The summary uses the official date.
Meeting Transcript
Right, it is uh since we've being recorded recording in progress that we're being called there. I would like to call the meeting to order for the Thomas Spencer Select Board this wonderful day of June 1st. I mean we'll start off the budget. I'll just reply of the United States of America Republic for most nation undergo an individual with liberty and justice for all. Thank you for that. Doug Johnston. Christy Morris. Mike Schmidt. Recognizing the absence of C and select for the A's on Steve Coraffa. He did message resolving. Other commitments. So our first order of business is to move into local control for purposes of lookard and tobacco license removals. In local control. So on the uh agenda, we have first class with a license for the Black Rock Steakhouse to business at the Black Doc Safe House Inc. A third class with the license for the Black Rock State House Inc. One business at the Black Rock State House Inc. And an outside consumption permit for the same establishment, Black Rock State House Inc. Secondarily, we have a second class license for KB Ventures Inc., which is Jake's Markets Delhi, and a tobacco license renewal for KV Ventures Inc. doing business as Jake's market in Delhi and Tobacco Substitute License of the same KV Ventures Inc. doing business as market in Delhi. I would entertain a motion to approve the license renewal of the licenses. No members and seconded to approve the licenses. We'll move out of local control as we completed that business. So May 11th, 2026. Were there any corrections, errors, or admissions noted? Oh done. Okay, it's uh that's that uh under opportunity grants that click or tap here to enter text. So I don't think that's supposed to be there. You got them all right now. Were there any other corrections or errors noted? Comments from the audience on the minutes here and seeing we'll call for the role starting on my left Doug Johnston. Aye. Oh, wait, did we go into the home? Yeah, so uh Christy Morris is aye. Car Chase, aye, anyway. I guess five in the affirmative, and they are so adopted. Thank you, Hunter for a great job. We had any requested additions to the agenda speed. A couple of things, first of all, for item seven, which is uh a trails grant um letter of support. We just want to make sure there was specific language in the actual the copy that you had in the packet, but not have the specific language about the percent helpful match and maintenance that's required. That's part of the actual grant. So that agenda items are there, but we just want to update it to make sure that we have the current information for them on the submit this forward. Two other new items. Uh one would be a fire department item. Resting to consider a sort of source for a purchase of a stretcher with the handulus and talk about that. And then I had a um issue for resident is looking uh one of our neighbors to one of our properties working to acquire some additional properties that is town own property. Um I guess over time they have assumed that that was there that made a miss of that property as it turns out it's actually recreation land and talked to Adam and so the attorneys for these folks getting to the vendors with a quick claim be that the time consider that the only thing that we're interested in is being that's about easement, which we do have in the mind of that is engagement for uh so that's something we could discuss when we get to those two that was an agenda. Thank you. Uh without objection, we'll add the FD straight through the right of a woman and the town property amendment and slave it off. Oh 13 uh 14 and 15 seconds.
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