Deerfield panel votes to approve minutes, weighs church site cleanup
Other Committee · Meeting of June 24, 2026
Deerfield's Ad Hoc Senior Housing Committee found the former St. James Church largely clean in an environmental review but flagged likely asbestos tile in its rectory. Committee member Lily Dwight, who ran Wednesday's meeting, said "my initial takeaway is that the church is pretty clean," while calling the rectory "a problem." Member Blake Gilmore is working to reach the church's pastor, Father Schaefer, to access parish archives before any removal work proceeds.
The panel also reviewed a new Massachusetts Housing Partnership report showing Franklin County at roughly a quarter of a home built per acre, versus 2.75 homes per acre in Hampden County, and zero county parcels near any multifamily building built since 2020. Member Kathy Sylvester, absent Wednesday, plans to ask the Select Board not to reappoint her. The committee voted 3-0 to approve minutes and 3-0 to adjourn at 5:38 p.m., with its next meeting set for July 8.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 2,607 words
Source: the Other Committee meeting of June 24, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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