Blandford Select Board Authorizes Bridge Engineering Review, Hears Cemetery Alarm

BLANDFORD — June 8, 2026 — Blandford Select Board authorizes bridge engineering review and hears sustained public appeal on cemetery conditions. The board voted unanimously Monday to reappoint Robert Holmes as interim highway laborer and Nathan Sperry as state inspector of animals, both for terms running July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, before turning to a lengthy public exchange over the condition of North Planter Cemetery, where resident George described broken and fallen headstones, tree trunks blocking Blair Road, and a cemetery commission that held only three meetings in three years. Highway Superintendent Ray, appearing remotely, informed the board that Blandford was selected as one of three communities statewide for a state fair-share bridge funding program that would cover 100 percent of Beach Hill Bridge construction costs — contingent on completing a $39,658 engineering contract with Gill Engineering. The board authorized sending that contract to town counsel KP Law for review, with Chapter 90 funds identified as the most likely source. The board also flagged that the town's vehicle use policy, legally drafted and board-approved, has not been executed since 2019, directing water, highway, and Council on Aging departments to collect signed driver agreements.