Select Board approves Pepper Ridge Drive as public way; mixed vote blocks housing support letter.
Select Board deadlocks on Carriage Grove housing letter of support. Vice Chair Jennifer D. Turner and Chair Lesa Lessard Pearson supported a letter for the NHP Foundation and Sydney Capital funding application, but Members Jonathan Ritter and Nicole A. Miner raised concerns about fiscal impacts on
Select Board · Meeting of March 16, 2026
BELCHERTOWN — Select Board deadlocks on Carriage Grove housing letter of support. Vice Chair Jennifer D. Turner and Chair Lesa Lessard Pearson supported a letter for the NHP Foundation and Sydney Capital funding application, but Members Jonathan Ritter and Nicole A.
Miner raised concerns about fiscal impacts on schools and municipal services; the motion failed 2-2-0. The Board unanimously approved Pepper Ridge Drive as a public way and voted unanimously to transfer FY26 health insurance savings to stabilization and use only 50 percent of free-cash for the FY27 operational budget of approximately 61 million dollars. Town Planner Doug Albertson and Library Director Cyndi Harbeson presented the MVP 2.0 Housing Trust By-law, which would assist existing homeowners rather than fund new construction; Miner requested explicit language prohibiting new housing development and the item will return for further discussion. ===END===
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Source: the Select Board meeting of March 16, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
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