Deerfield Selectboard Approves Stillwater Bridge Agreements, Tables Senior Center Decision

WHATELY -- June 1, 2026, Deerfield Selectboard unanimously approved two agreements tied to the Stillwater Bridge replacement project and left the future of the South County Senior Center unresolved at its June 1 meeting. The board voted to accept a revised grant of temporary easements from Great River Hydro LLC, updated to meet Federal Energy Regulatory Commission licensing requirements after an earlier vote had to be revisited, and separately approved a traffic control agreement with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, with the town administrator authorized to sign. The senior center discussion centered on a possible relocation to a Deerfield town-owned building and a hard procedural deadline: under the regional intergovernmental agreement, Deerfield must file a notice of potential withdrawal before June 30 or remain committed to the arrangement through at least July 2028. Board member Trevor argued against sending such notice, saying "all that's going to do is create animosity in two other towns," while a colleague contended a notice letter preserves options without committing to separation. The Sunderland building previously proposed as a regional site was effectively rejected after Deerfield's share of costs was projected at roughly $243,000 for a single year, more than the program's entire prior-year operating cost. The board tabled the senior center item to its June 10 meeting, with a second meeting on June 24 also available before the deadline.