Hubbardston Votes To Pursue 1600s Dugout Canoe

Select Board · Meeting of September 21, 2026

Hubbardston Select Board swears in a new police sergeant and votes to pursue a 1600s dugout canoe. The board unanimously voted to send a letter asking to be next in line for the canoe, pulled from Comet Pond and held by the Worcester History Museum since 1893, if the Nipmuc Nation and the museum both decline it. Ed Blanchard, director of the Comet Pond Association, said he and resident Bill Shea would privately fund transport and storage, telling the board, "I hope the board has some faith in what Bill Shea and I do with private funds." Nicholas Malnati was sworn in as sergeant.

The board also closed the fall Town Meeting warrant, approved Gurol Tuncman's appointment to the Board of Health, and heard that 68 tax-title-eligible properties owe the town over $1.1 million in back taxes and interest, "10 percent of our budget."

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 3,380 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of September 21, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.