Select Board Names Gaumont Acting Fire Chief

Select Board · Meeting of January 28, 2026

Hardwick residents pressed the Select Board over a failing elementary school boiler after a special town meeting fell short of the two-thirds vote needed for roughly $60,000 in repairs. Chair Jeffrey Schaaf's board heard that a 20-year loan would add about $45,000 in interest, and that Mass Save has only recently been asked to audit the aging, 1992-vintage boilers for energy efficiency. Capital Planning Committee members Eric Fleming and Mark Korzyk said the town should weigh propane, heat pumps and geothermal options before committing more money to "old technology." One resident said "it would have been nice if somebody could have been working on this before it became an emergency." The board separately appointed Nick Gaumont acting fire chief after Josh Pease's resignation, approved new electrical inspection fees and a GIS services agreement, and tabled a $650 public records refund dispute pending more documentation.

In the full story:

• The Full Story
• Why It Matters
• Key Motions & Votes
• Source
• Hardwick's community access TV: Select Board meeting, January 28, 2026
• The complete report: 940 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of January 28, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

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