June 10, 2021
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PRSRT STD Belchertown, Granby & Amherst U.S. POSTAGE PAID PALMER, MA PERMIT NO. 22 ECR-WSS LOCAL POSTAL CUSTOMER THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 2021 ENTINELYOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1915 A TURLEY PUBLICATIONS ❙ www.turley.com Volume 106 • Number 12 www.sentinel.turley.com GRANBY GRADS COMMUNITY NEWS SPORTS Set sail at first summer Former employees mark Laliberte hits milestone reading even...p. 4 ER satellite closure...p. 9 win in Granby...p. 22 p.17-21 Belchertown GRADS PHOTOS BY MELINA BOURDEAU told to ‘be well’ TOP: Belchertown High School Urged to ‘be yourself, fully and unapologetically’ graduates sing their class song, “I lived” MELINA BOURDEAU Included among the classes’ opened the ceremony by comment- by OneRepublic. Staff writer senior week activities were award’s ing on a once-every-100-years event night, the senior walk through, – a consecutive integer graduation BELCHERTOWN – With their senior video presentation and oth- date. Belchertown High loved ones on chairs and blankets ers. “In the last year like this, 1920, School Salutatorian on the football field, Belchertown Despite having another school women in the United States won the Ashley Messier High School graduates sat in the year impacted by the COVID-19 right to vote, Now we have a woman spoke about being bleachers for this year’s outdoor pandemic, graduates remarked on who serves as the vice president,” oneself fully and graduation ceremony, being the their accomplishments and futures. authentically in her speech. spectacle rather than the spectators. Principal Christine Vigneux See GRADUATION, page 15 • GRANBY BELCHERTOWN TM opts to keep strong chief law Town Hall reopening on MELINA BOURDEAU front of Granby High School. ward with the process of hiring a June 14, daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Staff writer In two separate warrant arti- new permanent chief. cles, voters took up a $225,000 “Because he was hired under KIMBERLY PALMUCCI signed an executive order ter- GRANBY – Voters opted to settlement with former Fire Chief (the strong chief law) he remains Correspondent minating the commonwealth’s pay off a settlement with former John Mitchell using free cash. the chief until he resigns, retires, State of Emergency effective Fire Chief John Mitchell and to The motion passed by a majority. dies, reaches 65 or can be termi- BELCHERTOWN – The Tuesday, June 15. He also filed stay with the strong chief law at Granby Town Administrator nated for just cause as the town Belchertown Town Hall will legislation to extend certain the Granby Annual Town Meeting Chris Martin said the decision has been in litigation with him reopen on Monday, June 14, but emergency measures current- last weekend under the tent in will allow the town to move for- since July 2020,” Martin said. residents are encouraged to call ly in place via executive orders “This will allow the Selectboard ahead before visiting. that are set to expire on June to close litigation and getting the During its Monday meeting, 15 with the end of the State fire department fully operational.” the Belchertown SelectBoard of Emergency. The bill would Resident Rich Domeracki voted to reopen the building extend measures providing for a asked how much free cash was from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., following temporary suspension of certain available. As of July 2020, the recommended health protocols. open meeting law requirements amount of certified free cash was Board members described this and more. $1,353,314. return to normalcy as “good,” Several board members stat- “I hope the Selectboard although there may be some ed that they believe it is a good learns that contracts made by staffing issues and it is a good idea to allow for remote partic- the Selectboard have to be in idea for visitors to call ahead. ipation and that there was no detail listing certain criteria,” The Senior Center and the apparent downside to remote Domeracki said. “For instance, library are in the midst of plan- participation. we could terminate someone for ning openings on their parts, “I think you know where I just cause, what does just cause according to meeting discus- stand on this,” added Select mean? It needs be detailed so sion. Board Member Ronald Aponte, the town doesn’t have to pay our In other news, remote meet- who had joined the meeting PHOTO BY MELINA BOURDEAU ings were also a topic of dis- Granby Town Administrator Chris Martin reads a warrant article Annual Town cussion. Gov. Charlie Baker has Meeting. See GRANBY ATM, page 13 • See REOPENING, page 9 • PAGE 2 THE SENTINEL • THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 2021 The Belchertown Public Schools is participating in the Summer Food Service Program. Meals will be provided to all children without charge and are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service. Meals are free for all children and teens 18 and younger. Children do not need to attend Belchertown Public Schools or be approved for Free or Reduced Price meals at school to participate. Meals will be provided at the sites and times as follows: Grab n Go lunches will be available for curbside pickup OUTSIDE Chestnut Hill Community School from 1130am-12pm every weekday starting Monday, 6/28 until Friday, 8/20. No Service 7/5. Look for our tent and hot pink sign. You may arrive by car, on foot, bicycle, skateboard, etc and will have the option to also receive a shelf stable breakfast to eat the following day. Children do not need to be present to receive meals. We will operate a CLOSED site inside of Chestnut Hill Community School for local camps only, so that we may adhere to DESE regulations for safely feeding children in school. Delivery of weekly meal kits is available to those who request it. See http://www.belchertownps.org/district/food-service/summer-eats for more information. The Summer Eats menu will be published in the paper, posted online at www.belchertownps.org, and sent home with students in June. Please join us for our Kickoff event on July 1st with entertainment, prizes, and of course FREE LUNCH! In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected]. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. THE SENTINEL • THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 2021 PAGE 3 ❚ COMMUNITY Town’s new fire chief sworn in BCTV fixes still KIMBERLY PALMUCCI ly went there, took control of the The Police Department saw two in progress Correspondent situation, and helped organize the appointments during the meet- PHONE response. He was also able to get ing, one police lieutenant and one BELCHERTOWN – After the light- BELCHERTOWN – Belcher- state organizations and agencies police sergeant. The Select Board ing strike last week, there are still 413.283.8393 town’s new Fire Chief John involved. appointed Sgt. Michael Beaupre repairs needed to get Belchertown Fax: 413.289.1977 Ingram was sworn in during a cer- “There was definitely a weight to the rank of police lieutenant Community Television completely Subscriptions: 413.283.8393 emony earlier this week. lifted off my shoulders personal- and promoted Officer Dennis fixed. Select Board Member Ronald ly...that yes, we did in fact choose Fitzgerald to the rank of police BCTV Manager Lou Louraine said EMAIL Aponte, who served on the Fire the right person for the job,” sergeant, both effective Friday, he called Charter to see if there were Chief Search Committee, said Aponte added, further describing June 11. getting a BCTV signal. Advertising Sales that as the committee was inter- Ingram as qualified and experi- The board voted to approve “I was told audio yes, video no. Maureen McGarrett Hall viewing candidates and reviewing enced. Rachel Chagnon as the new man- Tuesday, Channel 192 and 193 video [email protected] qualifications, one name and one Ingram spoke briefly during the ager of the Belchertown VFW were fixed,” Louraine said. “I thought person “kept rising to the top.” ceremony and thanked his family, Post 8428. The board also voted everything would be back to normal; Editor “As a committee, we only rec- members of Belchertown Fire, the to appoint a DPW mechanic; nope, no audio on Channel 192 or Melina Bourdeau ommended one person to the search committee, and more who Russell Carter was approved to a 193.