Whately Select Board Hears Dam Study Update, Praises Record Town Meeting Turnout

WHATELY — April 27, 2026 — Whately Select Board reviews record town meeting turnout, dam study, and cut-rate website launch. The board, meeting Monday, April 27, described annual town meeting attendance of roughly 211 registered voters as a major jump from recent years when turnout ran in the 60s and 80s; members praised Article 3's passage and called the meeting well-organized. On the Charred Pond Dam on Falls Road, the board learned that state-funded evaluators have begun site work — including installation of two test wells — to assess options including dam removal, with the state covering study costs that would otherwise fall to the town as a partial dam owner. The board also announced the town's website will launch in a redesigned, ADA-compliant form on May 4, after staff member Mel negotiated a vendor deal with Civic Plus at approximately $5,000, down from initial quotes of $30,000 to $50,000.