Hubbardston Council on Aging reports 18-month gap in account access from town

HUBBARDSTON -- April 22, 2026, Hubbardston Council on Aging raises alarm over 18 months of blocked access to its own town-held accounts. Treasurer Ken Horvath told the board at the April 22 meeting that he has been unable to obtain balances for multiple COA accounts, including one holding roughly $1,200 in art program donations and another tied to a state formula grant, despite repeated meetings with selectmen, the town administrator, town accountants, and the town treasurer over the past year and a half. A recent attempt to submit bills for payment was rejected by Town Treasurer Elizabeth Clements, who said Director Claudia Provincial's signature was required on submission forms, a requirement the board said had never previously been enforced and of which they received no prior notice. Horvath said the state has confirmed it transmitted formula grant payments to the town, but the funds have not been credited to the COA. Provincial, returning from Florida, presented a draft five-year capital plan to the board, a document newly required by Interim Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald before any facility repairs, including a leaking roof and ice-damaged entrance ramp, can be formally requested of the Select Board. The board aims to resolve the financial access impasse by approximately July 1.