Southbridge Town Council elects Adams chair, approves 40-plus transfers at reorganizational meeting

Select Board · Meeting of July 6, 2026

Southbridge Town Council seated three new members and elected officers 9-0 at its July 6 reorganizational and regular meeting. Councilor Dave Adams was unanimously elected chair and Councilor Kelly vice chair at the combined session in the Robert McKinnon Council Chambers. The nine-member body worked through more than 40 end-of-year transfers, including a contested $5,600 ambulance billing account transfer that the General Government Subcommittee had rejected 0-3 before the full council approved it 7-2, with Councilors Lazo and Montigny opposed, after Fire Chief Normandon explained that billing agency Comstar had severed ties with collections subcontractor FFR and the town held no direct contract with FFR.

The council also approved 8-1 an amended motion authorizing payment of a $189,500 prior-fiscal-year invoice from wastewater contractor Jacobs out of FY26 sewer enterprise funds, after staff discovered the bills had gone unpaid and a June 29 meeting to use retained earnings could not be held before the June 30 appropriation deadline. Town Manager noted active firefighter contract negotiations, saying the town is "closer than we thought we were," with two meetings already scheduled.

In the full story:

• Town Manager's Announcements
• Appointments and Confirmations
• The council processed nine confirmations with minimal debate. Notable actions
• End-of-Year Transfers, Volume and Process
• Stabilization Transfer ($357,342.20)
• Ambulance Billing Dispute (Item 31, $5,600)
• The complete report, 3,299 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of July 6, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.