Bellingham Select Board Ratifies Two New Hires, Approves Restaurant Liquor Upgrade

BELLINGHAM — April 27, 2026 — Bellingham Select Board ratifies two new hires and approves a liquor license upgrade as the town's $1.6 million FY27 deficit dominates discussion. Town Administrator Joe Markey introduced Rachel Benson as the new Director of Planning and Community Development, joining from Mendon, and Caleb Moody as the new Inspector of Buildings, coming from Millbury via nearly a decade as building commissioner in Auburn; both were ratified unanimously. The board voted unanimously to upgrade the liquor license for Gemma Inc., doing business as Famous House of Pizza at 40 Main Street, from wine and malt to all alcoholic beverages, after Chair Don Martinez secured assurances that the outdoor patio would be fenced and staffed to prevent service to minors. In its longest discussion of the night, the board received an FY25 audit showing a clean opinion, a $16 million general fund balance, and a $47 million post-employment health insurance liability — against a $50,000 annual contribution — and then heard Markey detail a $1,620,545 FY27 deficit driven by fully funding health insurance at $3,316,000, a roughly $2 million jump over FY26, with cuts spread proportionally between town departments and the school district. The board also accepted the deed for Union Cemetery at 84 Mechanic Street, appointed Rick Marcoux to Town Common Trustees and Rebecca Forrest to the Board of Registrars by a 3-1 vote, accepted a $10,000 gift from Edward Guselski for fire truck restoration, and continued a National Grid pole-installation hearing to May 4.