Mendon water board authorizes Eagle Scout hydrant project, approves leak abatement

Water · Meeting of May 18, 2026

Mendon's Board of Water Commissioners authorized a local Eagle Scout to paint the town's roughly 35 fire hydrants and approved a $323.32 leak abatement for a Cape Road area resident at its May 18 meeting. Chairman Kevin Rudin and Commissioner Vincent Roy, the only members present alongside Clerk Dan Meyer, voted unanimously on both items before turning to a disputed contract amendment with Hopedale over hydrant rental fees. The board declined to sign the amendment after Roy and Rudin argued that tying Mendon's payments to Hopedale's "current rules and regulations" — rather than to a rate charged equally to all Hopedale customers — left the town's roughly 150 ratepayers with no protection against selective fee hikes.

The board also flagged its certified water operator contract, held by Whitewater at approximately $20,000 a year, for a competitive three-quote solicitation before a July 1 auto-renewal deadline. Attorney Douglas Hartman of Bay Street attended remotely as a prospective new commissioner; the board set its next meeting for Thursday, June 4 at 7 p.m., with an executive session to brief Hartman on the full Hopedale negotiating history before any contract vote.

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Source: the Water meeting of May 18, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.