Hatfield Select Board Appoints New Chair, Approves Town Hall Reopening Plan

HATFIELD -- May 19, 2020, Hatfield Select Board unanimously appointed Julia Frisby as its new chair and endorsed a June 8 phased reopening of Town Hall at its May 19 remote meeting. The board approved a $32,649.14 change order for the ongoing Town Hall renovation and a separate $3,397.50 payment to project architect Architectural EL, with the project's modified completion date set for June 25. Board of Health agent Kari outlined an 11-point reopening framework requiring masks, temperature checks at the south entrance, and limited public hours, Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Thursdays 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. contingent on the fire suppression pump arriving and being installed by that date. In a joint Finance Committee session, members agreed in principle to level-fund all departments for FY21 while allowing the school a level-service budget that includes a $148,000 increase, with free cash of more than $500,000 held in reserve pending fall revenue clarity; Finance Committee member Shawn cautioned that "trying to figure it out now is guessing, essentially." Outgoing chair Luke Longstreeth credited the board's cohesion: "We're clicking on all cylinders."