Select Board — September 23, 2026

The Fairhaven Select Board met on September 23, 2026, handling several administrative, community, and budgetary matters. During the appointments and community items segment, the board approved requests from the Economic Development Committee regarding the Old-Time Holiday festival scheduled for December 12, 2026. This included approving the use of Town Hall, temporary street closures on Center, William, and Walnut Streets, and a special one-day all-alcohol license in partnership with Traveler's Ale House. An item requesting $3,569 in grant matching funds for the Fire Department was passed over because the grant had not yet been formally awarded.

A significant portion of the meeting addressed regional advocacy and municipal governance. The board voted unanimously to approve a regional joint petition letter to the Commonwealth requesting increased Chapter 70 education and general state aid, designating Select Board members and the Town Administrator to coordinate outreach across South Coast municipalities. Following discussion on proposals received under the legal Request for Proposals (RFP) for General Counsel and Labor Counsel, the board voted 3-1 to conduct interviews with all four bidding firms while withholding fee proposals from members until after the interviews take place.

In other business, the board voted to dissolve two inactive bodies: the Dog Park Study Committee and the Fairhaven Buzzards Bay Water Quality Working Group. They also formally approved calling the state election and signed the state election warrant for November 3, 2026. The meeting concluded with reports from the Town Administrator and board members covering local economic development, updates on the Atlas Tack site, library infrastructure improvements, and updates on the ongoing work of the Budget Working Group.

AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Watch the video to verify.