Select Board Approves Earthworks Driveway Support Letter

Select Board · Meeting of October 13, 2026

Hatfield Select Board moved toward an early 2027 override vote for fire and ambulance funding. Town Administrator Andrew told members a full in-house 24-hour fire and EMS department would cost roughly $534,000 more annually than this year's budget, versus about $409,000 under continued outsourcing to South County Ambulance. The board also weighed switching to the state's Group Insurance Commission, projected to save the town about $220,000 a year, with a December 1 enrollment deadline looming.

Members approved, by unanimous vote, a letter of support for Western Earthworks' Route 5 entrance relocation, a Teamsters Local 404 agreement covering CDL training costs, and the police department's revised use-of-force policy. "Real numbers, real talk," the fire chief said, pressing for concrete figures before any public vote. No formal vote was taken on the fire/EMS timeline itself.

In the full story:

• Announcements and Public Forum
• Second Water Meter Policy
• Celebration Committee Fireworks Relocation
• FY2027 Water and Sewer Commitment #2
• South County EMS Ambulance Agreement
• Whately Shared Police Chief Proposal
• Health Insurance: Group Insurance Commission Consideration
• Cannabis Control Commission Equity Requirements
• Police Use-of-Force Policy
• Western Earthworks Letter of Support
• Fire and Ambulance Funding: Special Town Meeting and Override Timeline
• Sewer Abatement, 32 Pleasant View Drive
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 4,126 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of October 13, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.