Groveland Select Board Closes Old Dog Park, Approves $3.2 Million Capital Plan

GROVELAND — February 2, 2026 — Groveland Select Board approves five-year capital plan, closes old dog park, hears warning on invalid VZ Park leases. The board voted unanimously Monday to formally close the old dog park behind the softball field, directing users to the town's grant-funded bark pass facility, and voted 4-0 to accept a Microsoft Forms performance evaluation for Town Administrator Rebecca Oldfield. Oldfield presented a fiscal year 2027-2031 capital improvement plan proposing $3,457,000 in bond financing — net new borrowing of approximately $2.65 million — for town hall complex roof repairs and electrical upgrades across Town Hall, the public library, and the public safety building, alongside $580,124 in free cash expenditures covering police equipment, server upgrades, highway vehicles, school asbestos abatement, and new trash carts. Oldfield also warned the board that existing residential leases at VZ Memorial Park are legally invalid because they were never approved by the Select Board, reviewed by town counsel, or authorized by Town Meeting, and that the park's revolving fund "cannot handle" major capital repairs — stating bluntly, "this is a town issue, this is not one board, one commission, one person." Formation of a formal multi-board advisory committee for VZ Memorial Park was referred to the next meeting on February 17.