Christopher Kelleher

BROOKFIELD SELECT BOARD TO INTERVIEW TOWN ADMINISTRATOR CANDIDATES, APPOINTMENT EXPECTED THIS WEEK

BROOKFIELD SELECT BOARD TO INTERVIEW TOWN ADMINISTRATOR CANDIDATES, APPOINTMENT EXPECTED THIS WEEK By Christopher Kelleher BROOKFIELD — The Brookfield Select Board is scheduled to conduct a series of remote interviews this week for the position of Town Administrator, with an appointment expected following the final session.The interviews will take place over three public Microsoft Teams meetings: Monday, …

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Southbridge ATV crackdown draws swift backlash hours after announcement

Southbridge ATV crackdown draws swift backlash hours after announcement By Christopher Kelleher SOUTHBRIDGE, Mass. — Just eight hours after the Southbridge Police Department announced a “zero tolerance” approach to ATV-related noise complaints, the policy is drawing attention for its broad scope — including its application to private property and its lack of time-of-day limits. The …

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BROOKFIELD WITHOUT TREE WARDEN AFTER RESIGNATION CITING SAFETY FAILURES AND “HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT”

BROOKFIELD WITHOUT TREE WARDEN AFTER RESIGNATION CITING SAFETY FAILURES AND “HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT” By Christopher Kelleher BROOKFIELD, MA — The Town of Brookfield currently does not have a Tree Warden, a position required under Massachusetts law to oversee the care and removal of public shade trees. Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 87, municipalities are required …

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Brookfield Business Faces Lengthy Process to Sell Prepackaged Food

Brookfield Business Faces Lengthy Process to Sell Prepackaged Food BROOKFIELD, MA — What began as a simple plan to offer food products at a local retail shop has turned into a complicated, months-long permitting process involving multiple applications, shifting requirements, and repeated requests for clarification, according to the owner of Post Road Trading. Bonnie Toomey, …

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Editorial: In Brookfield, Open Meeting Law Isn’t the Problem — The Citizen Is

Editorial: In Brookfield, Open Meeting Law Isn’t the Problem — The Citizen Is In any functioning democracy, transparency is not optional—it is the foundation. In Massachusetts, that principle is codified in the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, a statute designed to ensure that the public’s business is conducted in public view. But in Brookfield, something has …

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Select Board Vote Fails; Questions Emerge Over Use of Vice Chair Title

Select Board Vote Fails; Questions Emerge Over Use of Vice Chair Title Reorganization Vote Ends Without Majority During a recent reorganization meeting of the Brookfield Select Board, a motion to appoint a vice chair did not receive the majority required to pass, leaving the position formally unfilled. At the April 1, 2026 meeting, the three-member …

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White’s Landing permit delay resolved after Board of Health review

White’s Landing permit delay resolved after Board of Health review BROOKFIELD — A long-established seasonal business in town will be able to open on schedule after a delay in its annual Board of Health permit prompted discussion at a recent public meeting. White’s Landing, which has operated in Brookfield for approximately 25 years, had its …

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Citizen Petition Seeks to Allow Firearms in Brookfield Town Hall Amid Safety Concerns

Citizen Petition Seeks to Allow Firearms in Brookfield Town Hall Amid Safety Concerns A citizen petition set to appear on the warrant at an upcoming May Town Meeting would allow individuals to carry firearms inside Brookfield Town Hall, raising questions about public safety, legal authority, and how such a policy would function in a municipal …

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Child’s Dirt Bike Stolen in Middle-of-the-Night Garage Break-In — Police Ask Residents to Check Cameras

Child’s Dirt Bike Stolen in Middle-of-the-Night Garage Break-In — Police Ask Residents to Check Cameras BROOKFIELD, MA — March 29, 2026, at approximately 1:22 a.m. A quiet Brookfield neighborhood was disrupted early Sunday morning after a group of individuals broke into a residential garage and stole a dirt bike belonging to an eight-year-old child—an incident …

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