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.