ALL TOWN MEETING AHEAD

It’s been a big week in Williamstown! Here’s your quick roundup of what happened, along with links to full articles and meeting notes if you’d like to catch up in more detail.

May 7: Agricultural Commission Makes Statement on Compost and Sludge

The Williamstown Agricultural Commission issued a public statement opposing the use of biosolid-based compost from the Hoosac Water Quality District due to PFAS contamination concerns.
Read the full statement and context here:
👉 Agricultural Commission Statement on Sludge

May 12: Board of Health Recommends Smoking Ban in Multi-Family Homes

At their meeting, the Board of Health unanimously endorsed Warrant Article 30, which proposes a ban on smoking in multi-unit housing. The Board emphasized the dangers of second-hand smoke, especially for vulnerable populations like children, the elderly, and those with chronic illness.
Read more from iBerkshires:
👉 BOH Endorses Smoking Ban Proposal

May 12: Final Select Board Meeting Before Election

The outgoing Select Board met for the final time before the election. One big highlight: they voted to fund a slate of exciting Pride Month events, including a kickoff picnic at the library—with a bounce house!
Catch the full meeting recap here:
👉 May 12 Select Board Meeting Notes

May 13: Citizens Academy Learns About Town Meeting

Elizabeth Goodman, Town Moderator, walked this week’s Citizens Academy participants through the ins and outs of Town Meeting—how it works, who can vote, and what to expect on May 22.
👉 Full Breakdown of the Session

May 13: Town Election Results Are In

Voter turnout for this year’s election was 19%.
In contested races:

• Shana Dixon defeated Jane Patton for a seat on the Select Board.
• In the Library Trustees race, the top four vote-getters were:
  Robin Lenz (594), Micah Manary (577), Katherine Myers (544), and Benjamin Lee-Cohen (486). Adriana Brown finished just behind with 427 votes.

All other races were uncontested.
Full results coverage from iBerkshires:
👉 Dixon Elected to Select Board

May 14: Hoosac Water Quality District Provides Sludge Update

HWQD officials announced that they’re scrapping the plan to import sludge, following public concern and debate. However, long-term questions remain about how to manage the sludge currently produced and how to navigate future disposal.
👉 Full Meeting Recap

Looking Ahead: Town Meeting on Thursday, May 22

It’s almost here! All Town Meeting will be held:

🗓 Thursday, May 22
📍 Mount Greylock Regional High School Gym
⏰ Begins at 7 PM
👶 Childcare available for up to 15 children

Before the meeting, the Select Board and Finance Committee will convene to discuss Warrant Articles 5, 6, and 7, specifically addressing sewage rate implications in light of HWQD’s updated stance on sludge imports.

📄 Review the Warrant ahead of time:
👉 2025 Town Warrant PDF

📊 Check out the FY26 Budget Overview for context:
👉 FY26 Budget Book PDF

Thank You!

Thanks for staying informed and engaged. If you have questions, suggestions, or feedback, feel free to reach out! We’ll keep the updates coming—and we hope to see you at Town Meeting next week.