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Conway

  • Town of Conway Massachusetts
  • 32 Main Street
  • 413-369-4235
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river surrounded by forest
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Select Board

Monday, August 25, 2025, 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm
Town Hall
A meeting of the Select Board

Meeting of Select Board

Members: (Quorum)

  • Present: Christopher Waldo, Vice Chair, at 6:00 PM
  • Present: Elaine Campbell, at 6:00 PM
  • Present: Erica Goleman, Chair, at 6:00 PM

Also Present:

  • Sean MacDonald
  • Jolene Lavallee
  • John Craine
  • Alan Singer
  • Rhyanna McLeester
  • Chris Curtis
  • Jess Applin
  • Veronique Blanchard and Adam Reed

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 6:00 PM

Meeting closed: 7:41 PM

  1. Meeting Preliminaries

  2. Meetings Attended by Select Board Members

    • General Discussion...
      Erica attended an IT meeting regarding the transition to the new company.

  3. Public Comments. None

    • Public

  4. Unfinished Business

  5. New Business

    • - 7:00 pm. Discussion and vote on a Hilltown Trust conservation restriction request for 4.5 landlocked acres between the S. Ashfield - Williamsburg road and Briar Hill Road; Jess Applin presenting.

      MOTION, moved by Christopher Waldo, seconded by Elaine Campbell: To approve 4.5 acres in Conway to be conserved. .

      Pass: Aye: Erica Goleman, Elaine Campbell, Christopher Waldo.

    • - 6:30 pm. Discussion and vote on endorsing the study and proceeding with a request for designation for the Deerfield River Wild and Scenic Study.

      MOTION, moved by Christopher Waldo, seconded by Erica Goleman: To support the proceedings for the Deerfield River Wild and Scenic Study.

      Pass: Aye: Erica Goleman, Elaine Campbell, Christopher Waldo.

    • - Discussion and vote to sign FY26 Mass in Motion memorandum of understanding with the FRCOG for Age-Friendly Conway.

      MOTION, moved by Elaine Campbell, seconded by Erica Goleman: .

      Pass: Aye: Erica Goleman, Elaine Campbell, Christopher Waldo.

    • - Discussion on applying for the Green Communities grant again in the fall for the streetlights replacement.

      MOTION, moved by Christopher Waldo, seconded by Erica Goleman: .

      Pass: Aye: Erica Goleman, Elaine Campbell, Christopher Waldo.

    • - Discussion and vote to approve hiring of the new Assistant Treasurer/Tax Collector Jolene Lavallee.

      MOTION, moved by Erica Goleman, seconded by Christopher Waldo: .

      Pass: Aye: Erica Goleman, Elaine Campbell, Christopher Waldo.

    • - Discussion and vote on Chapter 61a Right of First Refusal for 4.01 acres of property belonging to Peter Hanas on Pine Hill Road.

      General Discussion...
      Tabled.

    • - Discussion and vote on a grant application authorization for the Rural and Tribal Assistance PILOT program for repairs to 3 Shelburne Falls Rd. embankments.

      MOTION, moved by Erica Goleman, seconded by Christopher Waldo: To move forward with the grant application and allow the Town Administrator to sign off to move forward.

      Pass: Aye: Erica Goleman, Elaine Campbell, Christopher Waldo.

    • 6:00: Joint meeting with the Finance Committee - Discussion with Selectboard and Treasurer on new health care costs and options for payment.

      General Discussion...
      The Finance Committee was called to order at 6:06.

      Town insurance is going up 20% on top of the 18% that was budgeted. The total increase will be $108,039.73. Another worry is if some larger towns leave the current group Conway is in, the insurance provider could collapse. The Town Administrator will be attending a MIIA conference that will address options at the end of September, but the rates will go into effect October 1. Other options could be GIC, which is state run, or MIIA. The first challenge will be where to find the funds for the current fiscal year. General Stabilization or Free Cash are options.

      The Finance Committee was adjourned at 6:28.

  6. Items Not Anticipated 48 Hours in Advance of the Meeting

    • - Conway Photo Permission Request; email from Paul Catanzaro, Umass.

      MOTION, moved by Erica Goleman, seconded by Elaine Campbell: To give permission for the use of a photo the town has the rights to in a forthcoming book 'Tending Your Forest'.

      Pass: Aye: Erica Goleman, Elaine Campbell, Christopher Waldo.

  7. Town Administrator update

  8. Selectboard member comments/concerns

    • General Discussion...
      Members of the board are still riding the dirt roads in town and Erica is still willing to ride around with Brian Kuzmeskus.
      There is a water truck from a Connecticut company that has been seen filling their tanks from the river in Conway. All town officials will be on the lookout.
      Milkweed has been removed from town property. Signs will be put up to leave it alone until the fall.
      The Festival of the Hills sign needs attention. We will look into seeing if the town can help with this at all.

  9. Mail

  10. Announcements

  12. Meeting Wrap-up

The listing of matters is those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law.

Minutes approved on Monday, Sep 8, 2025