Select Board Approves Fall Warrant Ahead of Oct. 22 Vote

Select Board · Meeting of October 14, 2026

Hadley's Select Board voted to recommend all 25 warrant articles ahead of the town's October 22 Special Town Meeting, with the sharpest debate centered on a $90,000 fire administrative vehicle. Chair Amy Parsons abstained from a vote on solar payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreements because one of four proposed projects sits on her own property, saying "my abstention is due to that being on the property I live at." Member Molly Keegan questioned the fire vehicle's cost "after we just passed an override," while the Finance Committee split 3-2 on its own recommendation. The board also unanimously backed a $181,500 Community Preservation Act study to design multi-use paths on Middle and East streets, intended to be grant-funded for construction; resident Melinda Nielsen pushed back on calling the grants "free money," saying "it's like pennies from heaven." Other approved items included $750,000 and $350,000 in enterprise-fund borrowing for sewer and water asset management projects.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
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• The complete report — 2,537 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of October 14, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.