Northborough Joins New Veterans District

Northborough voted to formally join and share resources for veterans by forming a regional Veterans District. Westborough recently voted to join the district, which will officially go into effect on July 1 of this year to start FY2014. Shrewsbury and Grafton have also voted to do so.

Perron originally planned to retire in April, but will "stick around to the end of the fiscal year," said Assistant Town Administrator Kim Hood, who explained the change to the district at the Board of Selectmen meeting on Monday.

For a town of Northborough's size, explained Hood, if it did not become part of a district, it would have to employ a full-time veterans' agent. Presently, there are two veterans in Northborough. Among the four towns, the caseload is 36.

"There are economic reasons and efficiencies to joining into this with other towns," said Hood.

With this regional proposal, it would employ one full-time director to handle all four towns, as well as two part time agents, which would schedule office hours across the towns.

"With this proposal, the cost would be shared based on the population," said Hood.

Following the board's approval (which was unanimous), the towns move forward with the proposal by filing it with the Department of Veterans Services and would seek approval from the state.