Whately board funds DeMaio site study, sets town meeting date
Select Board · Meeting of February 11, 2026
Whately Select Board funds a feasibility study to test housing potential on the blighted former DeMaio property. The board voted to hire Berkshire Design Group for up to $10,500, using Affordable Housing Trust funds pending Housing Trust approval, to study whether the four-acre, wetlands-heavy site at 268 State Road could support 30 to 40 units; the town currently has just two of the ten affordable units required under state 40B rules. In a separate discussion, Police Chief Jim Rowe told the board his department "does not enforce federal civil immigration laws" but said officers would serve as witnesses, including with body cameras, if ICE agents appeared in town.
The board also confirmed June 2, 2026, as the annual town meeting date, appointed Julie Wagner to the FCAT cable board, and adopted a new employee sick leave bank policy.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 914 words
Source: the Select Board meeting of February 11, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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