Whately, MA

06/06/26

The Giving Garden Committee will review the July 25 distribution, discuss logistics for the next one, and explore ways to better reach residents in need, including seniors and families. They will also follow up on signage, a possible blueberry donation, and a refrigerator painting contest with the school.

• Review of July 25 Giving Garden distribution
• Logistics for next distribution: donations, supplies, bags, tables, signage
• Follow-up on blueberry donation or picking opportunity
• Discussion of outreach to Senior Center and school for residents with mobility limitations
• Possible refrigerator painting contest with school involvement

08/06/26

The Whately Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on renewing a special permit for a marijuana product manufacturer at 3 River Road. The board will also review and vote on a peer review proposal for Baystate Blasting’s amended special permit application and approve the minutes from the July 2 meeting.

• Renewal of special permit for Marijuana Product Manufacturer at 3 River Road
• Vote on Berkshire Design Group peer review services for Baystate Blasting’s amended special permit
• Approval of minutes from July 2, 2026 meeting

8/06/2026

08/11/26

08/04/2026

The provided document is a meeting agenda rather than minutes. It lists proposed items for discussion including July 2026 meeting minutes, chlorination reports, water rates, and hydrant leak detection.

07/16/26

The Giving Garden Committee will review the most recent Saturday distribution, discuss volunteer and donation logistics, and plan the next distribution. They will also follow up on the garden bed program, a refrigerator painting contest, and outreach efforts. The agenda is focused on operational planning and community engagement, with no major policy decisions or financial commitments.

• Review of recent Saturday distribution and volunteer needs
• Planning for next distribution including donations from Nourse Farms, Doug Colwell, Hotkowski/Scott, and Fairview Farms
• Follow-up on garden bed program feedback and recordkeeping
• Status of refrigerator painting contest and possible school-based alternative
• Discussion of signage, supplies, and funding opportunities

07/16/26

The board will elect a chairperson for a two-year term, review meeting minutes from January and April 2026, and receive updates on program status and the FY27 budget. The meeting is hybrid at the JW Olver Transit Center in Greenfield and on Zoom.

• Election of Advisory Board Chairperson for a two-year term
• Review of meeting minutes from 1/15/26 and 4/16/26
• Financial Report: FY26 budget vs. actual, permit revenue, and FY27 budget

2026.7.16 BTF

The provided minutes for the July 16, 2026, meeting consist of a meeting agenda. There is no record of votes, approvals, or specific outcomes for the items listed.

2026.7.16 BTF

The Franklin County Technical School Building Task Force met on July 16, 2026, but the minutes record no votes, approvals, or substantive actions. The agenda included approval of prior minutes, an MSBA update, and public outreach plans, but no outcomes are reported.

07/16/26

The Whately Conservation Commission will discuss additional bog bridging at Kestrel’s Whately Center Woods conservation area. The meeting will also review and approve minutes from the June 17, 2026, meeting and receive updates on WPA violations and enforcement.

• Additional bog bridging at Kestrel’s Whately Center Woods conservation area
• Updates on WPA violations and enforcement

07/14/26

The Whately Water Commissioners will meet to review and vote on June 2026 meeting minutes, discuss pumping and chlorination reports, consider abatements, and recap the FY26 budget. Old business includes rules and regulations, solar for the treatment plant, storage at 71 Chestnut Plain Road, and a chlorine pump and tank.

• Review pumping information and chlorination reports for June 2026
• Abatements
• FY26 budget recap
• Solar for treatment plant
• 71 Chestnut Plain Road storage

2026.07.14 SuperintendencySubCom.Posting.pdf

The Superintendency Agreement Sub Committee met virtually on July 14, 2026. Members reviewed and approved the minutes from June 10, 2026. After discussing changes to the draft superintendency agreement, the subcommittee voted to move the agreement to the full committee for further action. The meeting then adjourned.

• Approved minutes of June 10, 2026
• Voted to move draft superintendency agreement to full committee

07/13/26

The Whately Historical Commission is meeting virtually to approve minutes from the June 8, 2026 meeting and discuss plans for the Whately Center Walking Tour. No other substantive decisions or proposals are listed on the agenda.

• Approve minutes of June 8, 2026 meeting
• Plans for Whately Center Walking Tour

07/09/26

This is a regular meeting of the Whately Giving Garden Committee. The committee will discuss general program updates, the plant and seed swap, pantry operations, the raised garden bed program, and a refrigerator painting contest. No votes on ordinances, contracts, or spending are listed.

• Plant and seed swap logistics and volunteer needs
• Pantry operations and food quality reminders
• Raised garden bed program updates and feedback
• Refrigerator painting contest status and timeline
• Donation tracking and future funding opportunities

07/08/26

The Recreation Commission will review and vote on meeting minutes from January, discuss the Connecticut River Paddlers Trail site tour and breakdown, receive Herlihy updates, and address the Belanger Memorial and soccer season. Old business includes a baseball recap. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 6:00 pm at Herlihy Park.

• Review and vote to approve meeting minutes from January meeting
• Whately’s Connecticut River Paddlers Trail site tour and breakdown
• Herlihy updates
• Belanger Memorial
• Soccer season

07/08/26

The Franklin County Technical School Building Task Force held a meeting on July 8, 2026, but the minutes record no substantive decisions, approvals, or votes. The agenda included approval of prior minutes, an MSBA update, and public outreach plans, but no outcomes are reported.

07/07/26

The South County EMS Board of Oversight will reorganize, welcome a new chief, and discuss hiring staff. The board will also set its meeting schedule through October and review minutes from prior meetings.

• Reorganization of the Board of Oversight
• Welcome new Chief and gratitude for interim chief's work
• Hiring of needed staff
• Set meeting schedule up through October
• Review meeting minutes from April 7, April 21, and April 21 executive session, and May 14 joint meeting

07/07/26

The Whately Board of Health will meet to discuss the storage of explosives at the Baystate Blasting site and the board's role, as well as an update on the beaver situation on Route 5/10. The meeting will also include approval of minutes from May 26 and May 29, 2026, and updates from the Franklin Health Department. The next meeting is scheduled for September 2026 unless needed sooner.

• Discussion of explosives storage at Baystate Blasting site and BOH role
• Update on beaver situation on Rt. 5/10
• Approval of minutes from 5/26 and 5/29/26
• FHD updates

07/02/26

The Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on Chris Green's proposal to build a two-family detached dwelling at 9 River Road, with related site improvements. The board will also review and vote on minutes from the June 4 meeting. An application from Baystate Blasting for an amended special permit has been continued to August 6.

• Public hearing for two-family dwelling at 9 River Road by Chris Green of 25 River Road
• Request for statutory lot protections under MGL c. 40A, Article 6
• Review and vote on minutes from June 4, 2026
• Baystate Blasting special permit continued to August 6, 2026

06/30/26

The Whately Planning Board will review and possibly vote on the town's Comprehensive Plan. They will also discuss allowing social consumption of cannabis as a new commercial use and a proposal for food trucks at 268 State Road.

• Possible vote on approval of the Comprehensive Plan for Whately
• Discussion of commercial use of 268 State Road for food trucks
• Discussion of whether to allow social consumption of cannabis as a new commercial use
• Discussion of Town Counsel feedback on draft Planning Board Rules & Regulations
• Discussion of candidates for 2027 zoning amendment projects

06/18/26

The Foothills Health District Executive Committee is meeting to discuss the FY27 budget and payroll options in executive session, along with updates on permit software and board chair transition. The agenda is largely procedural with no final decisions scheduled.

• Executive session on FY27 budget and payroll options
• Report on Opengov and Permiteyes permit software updates
• FHD board chair transition discussion

06/17/26

The Commission issued an Enforcement Order for a Wetlands Protection Act violation at 182 Chestnut Plain Road. A Notice of Intent to control invasive plants at 98 Chestnut Plain Road was withdrawn. The Commission took no formal action regarding a beaver dam breach or soil dumping at 132 River Road.

• Approved May 20, 2026, meeting minutes (5-0)
• Issued Enforcement Order for wetlands violation at 182 Chestnut Plain Road (5-0)
• Withdrew Notice of Intent for invasive plant control at 98 Chestnut Plain Road
• Decided to take no action on beaver dam breach near Routes 5&10 and Christian Lane
• Decided no formal enforcement action is currently needed for 132 River Road

06/17/26

The Whately Conservation Commission will continue a public hearing on a Notice of Intent to control invasive plants at 98 Chestnut Plain Road. The commission will also hear a presentation on invasive plant management at Smith College’s MacLeish Station, discuss a Wetlands Protection Act violation at 182 Chestnut Plain Road, and consider a potential violation involving a beaver dam breach near Routes 5&10 and Christian Lane. The meeting will be held remotely via Zoom.

• Continuation of public hearing for invasive plant control at 98 Chestnut Plain Road
• Presentation on invasive plant management at Smith College’s MacLeish Station off Poplar Hill Road
• Wetlands Protection Act violation at 182 Chestnut Plain Road
• Potential Wetlands Protection Act violation: beaver dam breach near Routes 5&10 and Christian Lane
• Review and approval of minutes from the May 20, 2026, meeting

06/15/26

The Whately Affordable Housing Trust will discuss the status and progress of an engineering assessment at 268 State Road. The meeting also includes approval of minutes and topics not anticipated 48 hours in advance.

• Discuss status/progress of engineering assessment at 268 State Road

06/15/26

The Housing Committee is meeting to discuss the status and progress of an engineering assessment at 268 State Road. The committee will also consider approving minutes from a prior meeting.

• Discussion of engineering assessment status/progress at 268 State Road

06/11/26

The committee reviewed feedback from the Spring festival and town meeting, discussed interest generated by the RFI, and finalized farm and cook surveys for distribution. No votes or formal decisions were recorded; the meeting was procedural and planning-focused.

• Finalized farm and cook surveys for distribution (no vote recorded)
• Discussed RFI responses and community buzz (no action taken)

06/11/26

The Frontier School Committee approved several policies on second reading, including ECAB, KBG, JKAA, JLCD, and JLCDC, as well as the International Trips policy JJH. They also approved a transportation reimbursement for the 2026-2027 school year, school lunch interest charges, and naming the new baseball/field hockey scoreboard after the Class of 2026. No votes were recorded as unanimous unless specified.

• Approved policies ECAB, KBG, JKAA, JLCD, and JLCDC on second reading
• Approved International Trips policy JJH on second reading
• Approved transportation reimbursement for 2026-2027 school year
• Approved school lunch interest charges
• Approved naming new baseball/field hockey scoreboard after Class of 2026

06/10/26

The Franklin County Technical School Finance Sub-committee met on June 10, 2026, but the minutes record no decisions, approvals, denials, or votes. The agenda listed a call to order, approval of prior minutes, and a business manager evaluation and contract item, but no outcomes are reported. The meeting was procedural only.

06/10/26

The Franklin County Technical School District Committee approved the superintendent's contract, the business manager's contract, non-resident tuition rates for FY2027, and a contract award for switchgear maintenance. They also authorized a district-wide ballot vote date and polling hours for the MSBA core building project, and approved the project scope and budget agreement.

• Approved superintendent contract
• Approved business manager contract
• Approved non-resident tuition rates FY2027
• Approved tuition rates for Pre-employment Program FY2027
• Accepted FY2026 donations
• Awarded contract for switchgear RESA PM
• Approved budget transfers
• Authorized district-wide ballot vote date and polling hours for MSBA core building project

06/10/26

The Superintendency Agreement Sub Committee met virtually on June 10, 2024, and voted to move the draft superintendency agreement to the full committee for further consideration. The meeting was procedural, with no other substantive decisions made.

• Approved minutes of April 8, 2026 and April 29, 2026
• Voted to move draft superintendency agreement to full committee

06/10/26

The General Advisory Committee of Franklin County Technical School met on June 10, 2026, at 7:30 AM in the school library conference room. The agenda included approval of prior minutes, a student presentation, updates on the school, CTE, cooperative programs, and night school, as well as member comments. The next meeting date was set for September, to be announced. No votes, approvals, or denials of substantive items were recorded in the minutes.

• No substantive decisions were made; the meeting was procedural and informational.

06/09/26

The Whately Water Commissioners met on June 9, 2026, and discussed storage at 71 Chestnut Plain Road. No decisions were made; the meeting was limited to review and discussion of this single agenda item.

06/08/26

The Cable Franchise Negotiating Committee, representing Whately, Sunderland, and Deerfield, will meet to discuss the renewal of the Comcast cable franchise. The meeting is hybrid, allowing both in-person and remote attendance via Zoom. No specific decisions are listed on the agenda.

• Comcast Cable Franchise Renewal discussion

06/08/26

The Whately Historical Commission will meet virtually to approve minutes from April and discuss plans for a Whately Center Walking Tour.

• Approve minutes of April 13, 2026 meeting
• Plans for Whately Center Walking Tour