Select Board Endorses UMass Health Care Plan

Select Board · Meeting of February 9, 2026

HARDWICK — The Hardwick Select Board voted to back a regional push for expanded rural health care through UMass Medical after Baystate Health secured court control of the Gilbert Trust once tied to Mary Lane Hospital. Task force members Judy Korzyk and a colleague identified only as Neil told the board Baystate's planned "community care center" will serve mainly its own patients and run at a projected $625,000 annual loss, pushing Hardwick toward a bid for Massachusetts' $162 million Rural Health Transformation Program. The board also approved a National Grid and Verizon pole upgrade on Barry Road and Cleveland Road, appointed Alex Mann as a highway laborer, and continued William Tinker as the town's Quabbin Regional bargaining representative.

Resident Jeffrey Smith warned he would go to the attorney general over a monthslong meeting-minutes backlog, prompting the board to order five overdue sets ready by its next meeting.

In the full story:

• The Full Story
• Why It Matters
• Key Motions & Votes
• Source
• Hardwick's community access TV: Select Board meeting, February 9, 2026
• The complete report: 1,075 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of February 9, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.