Leverett Town Seal
Leverett
Massachusetts
Town of Leverett
9 Montague Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Town Clerk: (413) 548-9150
Tax Collector: (413) 548-9666
Assessor: (413) 548-4945
Town Hall Fax: (413) 548-1035
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Select Board/Finance Committee

Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm
Town Hall/remote
A meeting of the Selectboard

The Selectboard is meeting in person and making this meeting available via Zoom for the convenience of the public. Since we are meeting in person, we will not be responsible for any technical difficulties, so if you would like to be sure of participating, please attend in person.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/94460276391?pwd=N294R3hyQzlyMUtsZ1ZkMTBjL3BPdz09

Meeting ID: 944 6027 6391; Passcode: 650146

Meeting Agenda:

Protocols for Public Address to the Board: During meetings, the Selectboard will attempt to find a balance between hearing from members of the community and conducting required business. All public address is at the discretion of the Chair.

When speaking, please identify yourself by name or the company/institution you represent. Please make your comments are concise (less than 2 minutes); avoid repeat statements made by others; address your comments to the Board Chair.

Audience members may not interrupt a recognized speaker nor the discussion of the Board. Please be cordial and respectful of others.

The Selectboard will generally listen to comments rather than respond immediately. If a topic comes up that is not on the agenda yet further action is required by the Board, the Chair will add the matter, as appropriate, to a forthcoming agenda. Depending on the comment, the Board may, if they are able within the confines of the Open Meeting Law, respond with information as opposed to needing to deliberate on the matter.

This meeting agenda is being posted in compliance with Massachusetts’ Open Meeting Law. The agenda may change to reflect unforeseen business.

Meeting of Selectboard

Members: (Quorum)

  • Present: Tom Hankinson, at 7:00 PM
  • Present: Jed Proujansky, at 7:00 PM
  • Present: Patricia Duffy, Chair, at 7:00 PM

Also Present:

  • Pat D.
  • Jed P.
  • Tom H. (Select Board) Margie M.
  • Lisa S.
  • Zane P. (IT) Fin Com members: Nancy G.
  • Phil C.
  • Liz K.
  • Steve W.
  • Geoff A. Also present: Ben E.
  • Silas B. Carol H. Matt B.
  • George B. for the Montague Reporter

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 7:00 PM

Meeting closed: 9:44 PM

  1. Meeting Preliminaries

    • Meeting Opened / Attendance Taken (see above).

    • No minutes to approve.

  2. Appointments (open to the public after initial conversation)

    • 7:00 : Brian McHugh FRHRA Housing Rehab Grant Info Session

      General Discussion...
      Brian held an information session on a possible Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application on behalf of the town. CDBG money is applied for through HUD on behalf of small communities who do not get direct HUD money. Leverett currently has 15 resident applications on a wait list which is a long list according to Brian. Grant applications will be due by April 21. Letters of support for the grant money are helpful. The Montague Reporter will announce the grant round.

    • 7:30: Tighe and Bond Mill Yard Road Bridge Hearing

      General Discussion...
      Tighe and Bond, Mill Yard Road Bridge (Andrea LaCasse, Elliot Sherman, Julie Shively)
      The town has qualified for a bridge replacement for the Mill Yard Road Bridge which has been closed for several years. Andrea presented 3 replacement options: a steel bridge, a concrete bridge and a timber bridge. The town has some input about the design. Factors to consider include aesthetics and longevity. Due to time constraints Andrea met downstairs with interested parties and the Select Board will meet again on March 10 with to discuss preferences. The public was invited to give additional feedback prior to the 10 meeting.

    • 8:00: Tim Shores, Regional School Com. update

      General Discussion...
      Regional School Budget Update, Tim Shores
      Tim is the Leverett School Committee’s Rep to the Regional School. He came in to give an update ahead of the 4-town meeting on Saturday. The Regional School Committee is set to vote on their final version of the budget on March 24. The current budget iteration has Leverett at a 4.18% increase. Tim expressed some frustration about the lack of a capital plan at the region leading to so much uncertainty, perpetually. The Select Board and Finance Committee discussed some strategies for Saturday’s meeting for voicing concern about the continual untenable increases for the small towns.

    • 8:15: Facilities Budget Hearing

      General Discussion...
      Facilities Budget, Will Stratford
      Steve w. requested that the facilities budget have a hearing. The budget presented was within the 2.5% requested. Electricity and oil are not expected to go down in price and Will saw little change in other line items. He stated that all the building always need maintenance. He also requested a stipend for the use of his personal truck as both transportation between buildings and the Transfer Station and as a collection vehicle for lumber, trash, recycling etc. Pat suggested adding $50/month as a stipend.

  3. Business (public participation is at the discretion of the chair)

    • Appoint Peter Sylvan to the ConCom

      MOTION, moved by Tom Hankinson, seconded by Jed Proujansky: Motion: To appoint Pete Sylvan to the Conservation Commission. Vote: 3-0 in favor.

      Pass: Aye: Tom Hankinson, Jed Proujansky, Patricia Duffy.

    • Approve minutes of Feb. 10 meeting

      General Discussion...
      Minutes were approved.

    • Health Insurance Update

      General Discussion...
      Jed gave an update on the health insurance increases. Looming are potential increases in costs and decreases in services. Another institution, besides HCGIT, may make a proposal for similar services at a better rate.

    • Sign stipend agreement for Town Clerk

      General Discussion...
      The board signed the compensation agreement with Lisa Stratford for possible overtime during the elections season with the unfunded mandates of early and mail-in voting. The compensation funds will be expended from the Election Reimbursement Account and may be refunded by the state.

  4. Mail (mail is not read or discussed during meetings. Copies are available by request.)

    • - PVTA assessment

  5. Meeting Wrap-up

The listing of matters is those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law.

Minutes approved on Thursday, Apr 16, 2026