Board of Selectmen — June 9, 2026
Selectmen address potential legality of tax bills mailed without prior approval and delay DPW facility spending pending more data.
The meeting was generally routine but featured a pointed discussion regarding the legality of tax bill issuance and a cautious approach to new DPW spending.
Questions about this meeting? Just ask.
Ask MeetingWatch answers from this meeting’s report, transcript, and records — with linked sources.
At the June 9 Board of Selectmen meeting, a significant procedural issue regarding taxpayer rights was brought to light. A board member challenged the validity of spring tax bills that were sent to residents before the Selectmen had formally approved them.
According to the discussion, the Town Administrator attributed the error to a scheduling conflict between meeting dates and the bill printing process. This raises a fundamental question of accountability: should residents receive tax bills that have not undergone proper municipal oversight? The administration has committed to coordinating a new schedule to ensure approval precedes mailing in the future.
Additionally, the Board is beginning to navigate the complexities of a potential multi-million dollar capital project: replacing or refurbishing the DPW facility. While a $6,950 contract for conceptual design and budgeting was proposed, the Board deferred a decision, requesting a facility tour and more detailed square-footage cost estimates to better understand the long-term impact on Amherst taxpayers.
We will continue to monitor how these decisions—both regarding daily administrative procedures and long-term infrastructure spending—are handled by our town leadership.
Public impact
Potential multi-million dollar capital project
The board requested a facility tour and ballpark cost estimates before proceeding with the contract.
The DPW Director will schedule a tour for June 16th and prepare square footage cost estimates.
Increased capacity for fire inspections and improved equipment reliability
The board approved both the new job description and the intermunicipal agreement with New Boston.
The Town Administrator will execute the agreement and file necessary paperwork.
Topics discussed
The Board considered the recommendation to appoint Laura Taylor as an alternate member of the ACC.
The appointment was approved by a 5-0 vote.
The Town issued a proclamation to honor Amherst Girl Scout Troop 60162 for achieving their Bronze Awards.
The proclamation was read, and a group photo was taken with the troop.
Updates were provided on several municipal projects including lake treatment, property redevelopment, and upcoming community events.
The board was briefed on project statuses.
Staff to follow up on repurposing funding for North Oak 2/3 and continue work on the SS4A project.
A discussion regarding the issuance of tax bills before they received formal Selectmen approval.
The administration committed to modifying the schedule to ensure approval precedes mailing.
The Tax Collector and Selectman Chairperson will coordinate a new schedule for future bills.
The DPW Director presented a proposal to hire a project management company to initiate the first phase of replacing or refurbishing the DPW facility. The board also discussed scheduling a facility tour.
The board requested a tour of the current facility and additional budgetary estimates before making a formal decision on the proposal. The board tentatively aimed for Tuesday, June 16th for the tour.
The DPW Director will schedule a facility tour for the board and prepare a ballpark cost estimate per square foot. Ms. Scott will send out emails to finalize the date.
Updates on several road and sidewalk projects including North Oak 2 & 3, School Campus path, and Village Streets improvements.
The board was informed of the timelines and the intent to involve a third party for public engagement on the SS4A project.
The town will communicate road closures for the Thornton Ferry Road 2 project.
The Fire Chief discussed the acquisition of a new air-filling station and the creation of an on-call fire inspector position.
The board approved the intermunicipal agreement with New Boston and the new on-call fire inspector job description.
The Town Administrator will execute the agreement with New Boston and the Attorney General's office.
The Police Chief provided updates on Captain Blake's retirement and the development of a youth law enforcement academy.
The board was advised of the upcoming personnel change and the academy outreach efforts. The board expressed support for the youth program.
The Board reviewed and voted on the approval of meeting minutes from May 11th and May 26th, 2026.
Both sets of minutes were approved by the board.
The board moved into a non-public session to discuss administrative matters.
The motion was seconded and passed by a roll call vote.
Controversy & dissent
Potentially controversial issues
Tax Bill Issuance Process
DPW Facility Replacement Proposal
Split votes
Community vs. board tension
Public comment
Decisions logged
Action items
Creating this report cost real money.
MeetingWatch attended, transcribed, and analyzed this meeting on its own dime. If this work is valuable to you, chip in to keep covering Amherst.
Follow Amherst
One email when a new report is published from the Board of Selectmen — or one weekly digest.
grok-4.3, gemma-4-26b, grok-4-fast, grok-4.20-0309-reasoning · analyzed 2026-06-09.
Members feature
Ask questions. Get answers with receipts.
Ask about anything covered on this page and get a plain-English answer that links to the report, the official records, and the exact moment in the meeting video.
Create a free accountFree with a MeetingWatch account — no card, no spam.
Already a member? Sign in
Ask questions about any meeting
Open a community, board, issue, or meeting and I can answer from its records — with links to the report, official documents, and the exact moment in the video.
Then reopen this button to start asking.
AI-generated from meeting records — verify against the linked sources. Conversations are stored (privacy).