Select Board Approves FRCOG Advisor for Fire Pact

Select Board · Meeting of August 5, 2026

Bernardston Select Board OKs regional advisor for Leyden fire pact, presses school district over sink cost. The board unanimously authorized Town Administrator Lou to engage Tracy Rogers of the Franklin Regional Council of Governments to help draft a permanent fire and emergency services agreement with Leyden before the towns' temporary pact expires June 30, 2027. Members approved warrants totaling $1,021,321.56, including an $802,120.20 Pioneer Valley Regional School District assessment, and heard that a $1 million USDA Rural Development grant has paid off the town's fire station.

The board spent roughly half the meeting on an undersized dishwashing sink at Bernardston Elementary School, installed without Board of Health approval; Finance Committee Chair Randy Crocher said, "That's my problem as finance chair," pressing the school district on accountability for the roughly $10,000 fix. The board also dissolved the Powers Institute Trustee Subcommittee and approved the September 1 state primary warrant before entering executive session.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,984 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of August 5, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.