Notes for Tue, Feb 24 2026 at 5:30 PM

Agenda ​
​This meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 5:30PM.
JACOBS ROAD MUNICIPAL CENTER – CAFETERIA - 18 JACOBS ROAD HEATH, MA
➢ Call Meeting to Order – THIS MEETING MAY BE AUDIO RECORDED
➢ Review Agenda
➢ 7:00PM Appointment: Budge Litchfield – MTRSD Discussion & Updates

• Logged into last week's budget hearing
• Budget "is really ugly"
• Heath's assessment is moderate, other towns not so lucky.  Heath has a 1.31 percent increase; other towns have considerably more.
• The largest piece of budget is assessments. Chapter 70 has been stable, but costs have gone up.
• Operating assessment is basis of towns assessment which comes $15,000,000 which is a 7% increase.
• Biggest increases: utilities, special education transportation ($500,000), general transportation, salary increases and insurance benefits.
• To keep assessments down 6.5 teacher positions have been eliminated, para positions have been eliminated. 
• The School Committee is making significant changes to the regional agreement for ATM.

➢ Review Minutes: 01/13/2026; 02/17/2026
➢ Public Comment - none
➢ Other Business
o Planning Board – Proposed Zoning Bylaw Amendment(s) Language – Vote Anticipated

• SB voted to approve 3 articles for the planning board regarding, (1) ADUs ( Additional Dwelling Units), (2) cleanup and consolidation of definitions, and (3) moratorium on battery backups with the caveat that they be reviewed by Town council.

o Burnt Hill-Catamount Trail Enforcement Order – Review Scope of Work & Cost

• SB voted to approve the estimate to repair the culvert for under $3000

o Sawyer Hall Rental Proposal – Discuss Lease Agreement Details - on hold as lease is not ready
o Green Communities Grant Project – Heat Pump/Mini Splits for JRMC Front Offices –

• The SB voted to approve the installation of heat pumps in the two front offices.
• There is grant money to cover the cost.
• Robyn expressed concern that the two rooms can be isolated and the operation does not increase cost.

o JRMC Security Camera System – Discussion/Review – Vote Anticipated

• NE Security System quote indicates it will not affect our ongoing coverage on monitoring
• It is for interior cameras that will focus on the 2 main entries for $8625 to be paid from JRMC revolving fund.
• SB voted to approve.

o FRTS Proposed New School Building – Discussion/Update
o Northeast IT Annual Review – Next Steps/Budget Planning
o Printer/Copier Replacement Proposal – Discussion

• Bill Baker to provide quotes for different copiers

Highway Dept Overview/Discussion
o Recycling Dividend Program (RDP) Fund – Discussion on Project Ideas

• Would like to use the RDP money used to replace the platform that accesses the recycling bin.
• Will would like a wheeled metal platform

o Truck Discussion

• Robyn wants to look at the highway dept as a whole before we purchase more equipment
• This will not be done before ATM. 
• Robyn to look at logs. She still feels it is a 3-man job with the exception of winter plowing being a 4-man job.  Needs to understand how much time the superintendent spends on paperwork verses being out on the roads.
• On-call plowers will not plow as their unemployment benefits are impacted
• The F550 truck has had some problems - defroster not working, heater not working.
• Need to eliminate the vehicles that we are not using​

Roads 

• ​Tyson to get quotes on road repairs and resurfacing
• Plowing has gone well overall considering the storms we have had. People are driving more carefully or staying home which helps get the plowing done.

Salt Shed front door - waiting on feedback from Iron Horse on possible heights
o Town of Colrain Surplus Police Cruiser – Discussion/Updates
➢ Mail Not Already Covered

• Friends of the Heath Free Public Library turned over $8,543.24 to the Library Trustees.   This money had been held by the Friends of the Library in a "building fund" The funds resulted from fund-raising efforts led by the Heath Board of Library Trustees.
• Community Resource Fair being put on by the Boh, Library, and COA is requesting the SB to participate.
• Letter from FinComm member recommending the removal of the pay phone in Sawyer Hall which costs $1188  a year for under 20 calls and no income from the phone.

➢ New business that could not be anticipated 48 hours prior to the meeting
Snow Day Payment

• Town needs to have a policy in place regarding payment for snow days.