Hatfield Select Board Delays Decision on Historical Museum's Town Hall Return

HATFIELD -- December 15, 2020, Hatfield Select Board puts off ruling on historical museum's return to Town Hall, renews all business licenses. The board declined Tuesday to reaffirm the Hatfield Historical Society's occupancy of the second floor of Town Hall, instead agreeing to convene a January working group after a lengthy debate between curator Kathy Gau, who said 16 months of off-site storage has left the collection inaccessible and unmonitorable, and Select Board member Edmund Jaworski, who cited a roughly $250,000 cost estimate for properly outfitting the space with climate control and structural upgrades. Community member Bob Wagner noted more than $200,000 in Community Preservation Act funds had been granted specifically to benefit the museum's move to that floor. The board unanimously approved 2021 annual business license renewals with restaurant and bar fees waived, appointed Heather Cahill as school committee representative to the Capital Improvement Planning Committee, and approved a virtual community outreach meeting for cannabis applicant River Valley Growers. COVID Coordinator Carrie reported two active town cases and warned that CARES Act funding for her position expires after the final December payroll.