Belchertown board OKs $25,000 opioid grant match

Select Board · Meeting of November 2, 2026

BELCHERTOWN — The Belchertown Select Board voted unanimously to commit $25,000 toward a second year of state matching funds for an opioid recovery partnership with Ware. Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Committee chair Gail Grammarosa said the combined local and state funding would total $150,000, with the town's opioid fund balance still above $232,000. The board also approved $3,500 in additional opioid funds to finish a basement renovation at Honest Beginnings and authorized the chair to sign a $425,000 Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity grant agreement toward the Boyce property purchase.

Newly hired housing and care navigator Lisa Rossine told the board she has logged "18 encounters" with residents since September. Separately, members said the senior tax work-off program's income thresholds "are not working" after only one of three or four applicants qualified for the January round, and referred the issue to a future subcommittee.

In the full story:

• Opioid Settlement Fund: Honest Beginnings and RISE Grant Renewal
• LAND Grant for Boyce Property Acquisition
• Select Board Conference and Professional Development Policy
• Department Head Appointment, Ratification and Confirmation Procedure
• Senior Tax Work-Off Program Review
• Special Municipal Employee Designation, Creative Economy Committee
• Town Manager's Update
• Individual Board Reports
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,304 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of November 2, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.