Obituary notices, week of Monday, August 17, 2026 through Sunday, August 23, 2026

This week's roundup includes one Chester, Massachusetts obituary: James, Kimberley Doreen Waterman, 63, who died August 18, 2026. Born March 14, 1963, in Springfield, she was remembered in her Firtion Adams Funeral Service notice as having loved being a stay-at-home mom who enjoyed spen…

No recorded property sales data found for Chester this period

No property sales data was retrieved for Chester for the period of June 26 through July 25, 2026, according to Hampden County Registry of Deeds records reviewed for this roundup. With zero recorded transactions, no price range or median sale price can be reported this month. The absence…

No Chester sales data available to report trend for this period

No deed records were retrieved from the Hampden County Registry of Deeds for Chester property transfers between June 19 and July 18, 2026. As a result, this roundup cannot report a sales count, price range, median sale price, or top transaction for the period. The absence of data reflec…

This Week in Chester: Jul 5 - Jul 11

1 stories from Chester News this week.

Board of Health approves condemnation of Route 20 property, pursues legal action on septic inspection.

The Chester Board of Health unanimously voted to condemn the residence at 166 Route 20 after the owner completed major plumbing and electrical repairs, requiring him to clear the exterior by April 1 and submit a rehabilitation plan by May 1. The board also voted unanimously to direct town counsel

Planning Board approves cell tower equipment swaps, requires camouflage compliance.

Planning Board conditions Verizon Wireless cell tower upgrades on camouflage greenery. The board voted unanimously to require the addition of camouflage greenery to two monopole towers at 86 Route 20 and 613 Route 20 before approving special permits for equipment swaps--antennas, radio remote

Cultural Council awards $7,614 in arts funding from 22 applications.

The Chester Cultural Council approved $7,614 in grant awards across 16 funded projects from 22 applications requesting $20,045. Chair Muriel Hall's council distributed funds from $5,700 in Massachusetts Cultural Council state support and $1,914 in local Chester Cultural Council reserves. Major

Water Commission reviews drainage, water lines, and Horn Pond remediation.

Chester Water Commission maps water line connections and plans access road work. Members discussed drainage, water service to the jail, and findings from excavation on Maple Street that revealed unclear line connections; Bob Daley will coordinate with Jon Tibbits to locate existing lines using curb

Chester approves $4M operating budget, five reserve transfers totaling $99K

Chester town meeting approves $4.05M FY27 operating budget after discussion of debt service structure. The vote, moved by Jill Strong and seconded by Barbara Huntoon, includes increased compensation for most elected officials: Select Board members will earn $2,790 annually, Health Board members

Select Board approves conservation restriction on 87 acres.

Select Board approves conservation restriction protecting 87 acres on East River Road. Chair Brian Forgue moved to approve the permanent restriction, which will keep the land undeveloped except for agricultural use while providing public fishing access and excluding a 10-acre homestead; the motion

Planning Board approves cell tower permit, schedules bylaw hearings.

The Chester Planning Board unanimously approved a Special Permit for a cell tower at 97 Old State Road that will reduce transmitter count from 15 to 6, and deferred public hearings on amendments to trailer, glamping, fence, and poultry bylaws pending consolidation of ongoing revisions. Chair Liz

Chester Select Board reorganizes, approves custodian vendor hire

Chester Select Board reorganizes leadership and resolves scholarship awards. Brian Forgue was elected Chair and Jill Strong Vice Chair in unanimous votes. The Board awarded the Franklin Hamilton Scholarship to both Michael Whitaker and Isabella LeBarron, and the Theodore Steinhardt Scholarship to

Finance Committee approves FY27 budget with 2.98 percent increase.

Chester Finance Committee unanimously approves FY27 budget with 2.98 percent increase over prior year. Chair Florence Bolduc and the committee voted to level-fund Parks and Recreation while approving Board of Selectmen stipends at $2,789 per member, a 5 percent increase matching other town

Select Board approves 5.98 percent budget increase for annual Town Meeting.

The Chester Select Board unanimously recommended a fiscal year 2027 operating budget with a 5.98 percent increase that includes all debt payments in the operating budget, according to Finance Committee Chair Florence Bolduc. Chair Brian Forgue moved the measure; Jill Strong seconded. The board also