Littleton Select Board Approves Cannabis Equity Rules, Grants Street-Cut Waiver at Busy September Meeting

LITTLETON — September 9, 2024 — Littleton Select Board approves cannabis social equity rules, librarian position, and two public works contracts at packed September 9 session. The board unanimously adopted a revised cannabis host community agreement grading matrix — splitting 20 ownership points between Littleton residents and Massachusetts residents after a public commenter noted the town is approximately 98 percent white — and approved a companion social equity policy, both guided by cannabis counsel Avery. The board also created an Assistant Youth Services Librarian post at Grade 10 after a longtime children's room librarian of about 20 years announced retirement, with HR noting summer reading drew roughly 2,000 children and teens. DPW Director Steven Yatley was authorized to sign a $128,700 contract with Tighe and Bond for landfill post-closure compliance and a separate contract not to exceed $54,982 with Fuss and O'Neill for Foster Street Phase 1 construction administration. The board granted a street-opening moratorium waiver to the owners of a new 18,000-square-foot commercial building at 6 Spectacle Pond Road to connect to town water, citing documented PFAS concerns near the landfill site. Fire Chief McCurdy reported the Nashoba Valley Medical Center closure had not yet produced a measurable surge in Littleton call volume, though he cautioned that only ten days of data were available and that overtime costs tied to fire academy staffing would be revisited in coming weeks.