Southbridge Subcommittee Votes to Draft Vehicle and Meeting Video Policies

Select Board · Meeting of March 18, 2026

Southbridge's General Government Subcommittee voted unanimously to research and draft policies for town vehicle use and video recording of all boards and commissions. The subcommittee, meeting March 18 in the Laurent E. McDonald Veterans Meeting Room, took the action after a lengthy debate in which Councilor Lazio said he had been raising vehicle policy concerns since October 2025 and had yet to receive even a list of which employees have take-home vehicles.

Town Manager Jack acknowledged that two and a half years into his tenure the town still lacks written policies across a wide range of areas, but cited a packed workload — including a sewer main break, enterprise fund reconciliations, and a pending budget presentation — as reasons the work has not advanced. Councilor Montigny cited charter sections giving the council authority to direct policy and called the substance of a vehicle policy straightforward: "Drive your cars for business uses, don't drive them for personal use." The subcommittee also approved unanimously five library budget transfers totaling more than $11,900 for building repairs and landscaping, and authorized the town manager to lock in a competitive electricity supply contract for up to 48 months once market conditions are favorable.

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Source: the Select Board meeting of March 18, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.