Blackstone selectmen approve $10,000 peer review for sand-removal proposal.
Board of Selectmen · Meeting of March 24, 2026
Blackstone selectmen greenlighted a $10,000 peer review for a proposed earth removal operation at 202 Elm Street by Kimball Sand & Gravel, operating as Mill River LLC, and unanimously signed the 2026 Annual Town Election warrant. Collector/Treasurer Matt Ryan warned that proposed state legislation would eliminate the town's municipal motor vehicle excise tax collection mechanism, putting $529,000 in outstanding receivables at risk and costing Blackstone approximately $225,000 in recovered back taxes over three years; the Board voted unanimously to oppose the legislation. Blackstone Valley Technical High School Superintendent Anthony Steele presented a proposed FY27 budget reflecting a 2.5 percent overall increase achieved after $1.5 million in reductions, with Blackstone's assessment declining $9,259 (1.07 percent) due to projected four-student enrollment decline.
The Board agreed to explore a potential cable television franchise with Verizon Fios while consulting town counsel on the existing Comcast agreement.
In the full story:
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Source: the Board of Selectmen meeting of March 24, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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