ROWE — With only one dissenting vote, Monday’s special town meeting voters approved spending $559,000 of its own stabilization account money to cover two of the three payments for the town’s share of its estimated costs for the Last Mile broadband build-out.
The town will pay $258,000 when it submits a make-ready application to the Massachusetts Broadband Institute. Then it will pay $301,000 when the construction contract for the build out is signed.
The state is to provide a $440,000 technology grant to pay for design, engineering and construction. Rowe’s last and final payment is to be paid within 120 days of signing the contract. The third payment is expected to cost $301,000; but if the project costs more than the estimate, the town is to pay it and get a refund of the overrun cost from the state.
Special town meeting voters also approved $10,000 for temporary repair work at the transfer station, where there was a land washout during recent rains.
SHELBURNE — Town Clerk Joseph Judd’s office will be closed Thursday while Judd attends a three-day training session for the General Election in November.
SOUTH DEERFIELD — Even though temperatures were in the mid-80s last week, that didn’t stop the Selectboard from talking about snow.
Members awarded a one-year snow removal contract to Gilmore Construction, despite monetary concerns voiced by Selectman Henry “Kip” Komosa.
Komosa argued that the town could save money by simply hiring per-diem, as-needed employees instead of paying a contractor around $90 per hour.
In response, Carolyn Shores Ness said the town can’t handle the extra workload at present because staffing is down. Ness’s thoughts were confirmed by Interim Town Administrator Douglas Finn who said the town’s public works is currently looking to fill a few employee positions.
SOUTH DEERFIELD — Last Wednesday night’s Selectboard meeting was Interim Town Administrator Douglas Finn’s swan song.
Finn, who was recently hired as Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society’s executive director, will depart later this month.