Lenox CPC Extends Cove and Historic Commission Grants to New 2026 and 2027 Deadlines

LENOX — March 31, 2026 — Lenox Community Preservation Committee extends two stalled grants and debates a tighter deadline policy. The committee voted unanimously to extend the deadline for a roofing and energy-efficiency project at The Cove bowling alley to December 31, 2026, after the applicant, Craig, described three years of contractor turnover and National Grid compliance requirements that pushed the original June 2026 expiration date. A second unanimous vote extended the deadline for the Historical Commission's fiscal year 2021-22 historic resource inventory — now in its sixth year — to June 30, 2027, after contractor Neil Larson of Neil Larson and Associates encountered health issues. Both extensions triggered a broader policy debate, with members including Patricia and Rich arguing for a new framework of two-year initial grant periods with a single one-year extension, after which unspent funds would return to the pool for reallocation. Staff confirmed that state law caps private-party CPA agreements at three years but allows committee-voted extensions. The committee also reviewed two warrant articles for the May 2 Annual Town Meeting, covering a minimum $67,500 set-aside in each CPA category and approximately $993,000 in combined project spending from fiscal year 2027 revenue and prior-year balances.