Dighton Open Space Committee Votes to Contact State Land Trust Coalition

DIGHTON -- May 13, 2026, Dighton Open Space Committee votes to contact state land trust coalition and sets September cleanup date. The committee voted unanimously at its May 13 meeting to authorize Chairperson Jonathan Gale to submit a letter to the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition seeking guidance on forming a municipal land trust, available grants, and technical assistance. Member Kenneth, who has a professional background in land use and property law, cautioned that any land trust "can't be imposed on a town" and must first win explicit support from the Board of Selectmen and a town meeting vote before nonprofit paperwork is filed. The committee's working timeline aims at a Special Town Meeting warrant article in November, following an informational session with outside speakers scheduled for June 10. A separate unanimous vote directed the Select Board to post and announce a committee vacancy left by a member who became ineligible following a recent town election. The committee also set September 12 as the tentative date for a long-delayed town-wide cleanup day, with September 19 as a rain date, and agreed to distribute flyers at upcoming town events including the Cow Chip Festival and Strawberry Festival.