CHARLTON, Mass. — The Town of Charlton Board of Selectmen on March 11 approved a series of routine personnel actions, special alcohol licenses, and administrative items and opened the town meeting warrant and FY26 budget calendar.

The board reaffirmed the appointment of Eric Weng as a Charlton police officer (start date 03/02/2025), accepted resignations from Joshua Bond (highway department, effective 02/28/2025) and Julia Korch (Council on Aging outreach coordinator, effective 03/17/2025), and appointed three traffic constables — Mike Gingerlli, John Nolan and Dylan White — with terms expiring 06/30/2025. The votes on these personnel items were unanimous.

The board approved special alcoholic-beverage licenses for two organizations: Saint Joseph’s Knights of Columbus Council 11379 for a “Night at the Races” event on March 22, 2025 (wine and malt beverages) and Mary Martha Guild for meat raffle events on April 5 and November 15, 2025 (wine and malt beverages). The board also reviewed and voted to advance Cozy Corner Cafe LLC’s application for a restaurant all-alcohol license to the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission for final approval.

The board opened the annual town meeting warrant and approved the FY26 budget calendar; departments were instructed to submit articles by March 21, 2025, with the warrant to be closed at the board’s March 25 meeting. The board also selected the essay prompt and limits for several local scholarships for Shepherd Hill Regional and Bay Path vocational students, setting an essay/one-page limit (approximately 500 words) and choosing a revised question asking students to explain the importance of municipal government versus state and federal government.

In old business the board voted to approve a minor amendment to the host community agreement (HCA) with Charlton Investments LLC to align invoicing language with state regulation timing. One board member abstained from that vote and stated on the record that, because they no longer work with the business (which has been sold), they would recuse/abstain.

The board also approved a request to amend the Charlton Coalition for Public Health Collaborative agreement to add the Town of East Brookfield as a participating municipality.

At the meeting’s close the board voted to enter executive session under MGL c.30A, §21(a)(3) to discuss strategy regarding collective bargaining and litigation related to the police union, with the chair stating the board would return to open session if needed.

Votes at a glance (formal actions taken):
- Reaffirmed appointment: Eric Weng, Charlton Police Officer — Approved (unanimous).
- Accepted resignation: Joshua Bond, Highway Department — Approved (unanimous).
- Accepted resignation: Julia Korch, Council on Aging Outreach Coordinator — Approved (unanimous).
- Appointed traffic constables: Mike Gingerlli, John Nolan, Dylan White — Approved (unanimous); terms to 06/30/2025.
- Approved special alcohol license: Saint Joseph’s Knights of Columbus Council 11379 (03/22/2025, wine & malt) — Approved (unanimous).
- Approved special alcohol license: Mary Martha Guild (04/05/2025 and 11/15/2025, wine & malt) — Approved (unanimous).
- Approved moving Cozy Corner Cafe LLC restaurant all-alcohol application to the Massachusetts ABCC for final approval — Approved (unanimous).
- Opened annual town meeting warrant and approved FY26 budget calendar; deadline for department articles 03/21/2025 — Approved (unanimous).
- Scholarship questions and format for 2025 scholarships (Nehemiah B. Stone, Jesse Smith Educational Fund, Edwin Phillips Cooking Fund, Wayne M. Colby scholarship process) — Approved (unanimous); essay limited to one page (approx. 500 words) and question: explain municipal vs. state/federal importance (essay form).
- Approved amendment to host community agreement with Charlton Investments LLC to align invoicing timing with final licensure anniversary — Approved (vote: 4 yes, 0 no, 1 abstain).
- Approved amendment to Charlton Coalition for Public Health Collaborative to add East Brookfield — Approved (unanimous).
- Motion to enter executive session under MGL c.30A, §21(a)(3) to discuss police union strategy — Approved (unanimous).

The meeting included routine announcements from the Town Administrator about elections deadlines, open job postings, the Route 20 MassDOT update and a fire-station project kickoff. Several items were procedural and required no additional board direction beyond the recorded votes.

Ending: The board scheduled its next meeting for March 25, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in Meeting Room 1.