Select Board Revives Building Panels After Code Report

Select Board · Meeting of February 25, 2026

Brimfield Select Board voted to revive two dormant building panels after a report found annex offices violate occupancy codes. Building Commissioner Bill Cantal told the board most annex business offices can legally hold only one or two people under the 2021 International Building Code, after decades without any formal occupancy classification; he raised limits for the clerk's, select board and building offices to two or three people each. The board, voting 4-0 on most items, agreed to reestablish the Building Committee and Capital Improvements Planning Committee by April 30, 2026, with Christopher DeBruin screening Building Committee applicants.

Cantal said it's "apparent that no relief of the overcrowding of the town's offices will be forthcoming for years." Separately, Administrative Assistant Chris DeFalco said Brimfield's regional animal control costs could rise about 12 percent, to near $250,000 to $273,000, even though the town generates only about 3 percent of calls while paying roughly 11 percent of the shared budget.

In the full story:

• The complete report — 1,081 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of February 25, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.