Bellingham Select Board Issues Three Liquor Warnings, Closes Auto Dealer Hearing

BELLINGHAM — April 6, 2026 — Bellingham Select Board honors fallen town administrator, promotes officer, and issues three liquor warnings. The board opened its April 6 meeting with a moment of silence for 38-year Town Administrator Dennis Frey before moving through a packed agenda that included the promotion of Detective Edward Henderson to Sergeant, the formal introduction of Officer Ryan Tracy, and commendation plaques for Officer Tamaris Ribeiro and civilian Matthew Hunt for separate lifesaving responses to structure and vehicle fires. Police Chief Fitzgerald briefed the board on a proposed legislative transfer of Bellingham's court jurisdiction from Milford District Court in Worcester County to Wrentham District Court in Norfolk County, citing a democratic-representation gap, Milford's lack of a trial session, and prisoner intake cutoffs as early as 2 p.m.; the board agreed the chair would sign a support letter to accompany the bill. Three establishments — Pizzeria Uno's, Salsa Mexico, and Bellingham Beer and Wine — each received written first-offense warnings after a February 19 compliance check in which a 20-year-old operative purchased alcohol without being carded. The board voted unanimously to approve 11 Southeast Regional Services Group public works contracts covering paving, guardrails, and drainage work, adopted a new subdivision street-acceptance submission policy shifting legal and review costs to developers, and appointed Amanda Verdone to the Open Space Committee and Carrie Farrell to fill Frey's former Parks Commission seat; the Cranes 101 Class One Dealer's License public hearing was closed 5-0, with the conditional vote deferred to the April 27 meeting.