HANSON - March 10, 2026 - The Hanson Select Board moved aggressively through a massive 35-article Town Meeting warrant Tuesday night, paving the way for residents to decide on multi-million dollar capital projects, including a new highway building and a regional vocational school expansion. Amidst the heavy legislative lifting, the board took time to celebrate 27 years of dedicated service from a retiring official and recognized the “Snowageddon” heroics of the town’s highway crews.
The Full Story
The evening began with a poignant farewell to Virginia Costley, the long-standing administrative assistant for the Zoning Board of Appeals. Costley, who has served the town for 27 years, was honored with a state citation presented by State Representative Ken Sweezey. Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett praised Costley’s ability to “corral a band of volunteers” and keep the department professional and on track for nearly three decades [01:34].
“When I tell you that it’s a band of volunteers that she has to kind of corral and keep chugging along... Virginia has always made everybody look good and been professional and kept us on track.” [01:51] — Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett, Select Board Chair
The “good news train” continued as the board issued formal citations to the Highway Department staff and contractors for their performance during the February 2026 blizzard. Dubbed “Snowageddon,” the storm dumped 30 inches of snow on the region, and FitzGerald-Kemmett noted that residents frequently commented that Hanson’s roads were the best-cleared in the area [08:22].
In a move toward modernizing the town’s outreach, Jai Murray of the Economic Development Committee unveiled a new drone-video-enhanced trail website (hansonlibrary.org/trees). The site showcases Hanson’s 11 beautiful conservation trails, offering interactive maps and galleries to encourage eco-tourism. Murray described the project as a way to “share the beauty that is Hanson” while encouraging visitors to spend money at local businesses [13:32].
The board spent the majority of the session debating the upcoming Annual and Special Town Meeting warrants. A major focus was Article 25, which proposes a new building for the Highway Department [01:15:12]. Town Accountant Eric Kinsherf explained that the project is designed to be “tax neutral.” As debt for the police station and Whitman-Hanson High School falls off the books (totaling over $400,000 annually), the new highway building debt would take its place, resulting in little to no change for the average taxpayer [01:15:56].
Other high-priority warrant items include:
Article 19: A request to borrow approximately $1.1 million for a new fire engine to replace a 31-year-old vehicle [01:04:46].
Article 30: A $25 million appropriation for the new library building project, which includes a reimbursable grant for the project [01:21:15].
Article 32: Controversial zoning bylaw amendments regarding battery energy storage systems, which the town is attempting to regulate within state-mandated limits [01:22:46].
The board also received an update on the proposed audit of the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District. Chair FitzGerald-Kemmett reported that she has met with school committee leaders and Whitman officials to draft a letter to the Inspector General. The school committee has voted unanimously to support a professional audit to “start a new chapter” for the district [01:36:36].
Why It Matters
The decisions heading to this Town Meeting directly impact the future tax rate and infrastructure of Hanson. By strategically timing the Highway Building debt to coincide with expiring loans, the town aims to modernize essential facilities without a spike in the tax levy. However, the sheer volume of capital requests—including the library and fire equipment—will require residents to carefully weigh priorities.
Official Minutes & Data
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: To accept the resignation of Virginia Costley with regret.
Vote: Unanimous ([00:58])
Motion: To appoint Joseph Marcos as Highway Maintenance Mechanic effective March 16th.
Vote: Unanimous ([21:48])
Motion: To appoint Chris Callahan as Highway Heavy Equipment Operator effective March 23rd.
Vote: Unanimous ([23:00])
Motion: To place and recommend Article 25 (Highway Building) on the Town Meeting Warrant.
Vote: Unanimous ([01:18:02])
Motion: To place and recommend Article 11 (Veterans Tax Exemptions increase by 50%).
Vote: Unanimous ([01:00:51])
Public Comment
No formal public comment period was held during this session, though families of recognized employees expressed deep gratitude for the town’s “family environment” and support [06:01].
What’s Next
March 17, 2026: Next Select Board Meeting and Library Building Project Forum (6:30 p.m.).
March 19, 2026: Author Josh Cutler book talk at the Library (6:00 p.m.).
May 2026: Annual Town Meeting and Election.
Source Video: Hanson Government TV