Panel weighs legal action over damaged guideboard

Historical Commission · Meeting of October 27, 2026

SHUTESBURY — The Shutesbury Historical Commission weighed a renewed letter, and possible small-claims action, against a Williamstown conservation firm whose repair of the town's historic guideboard came back damaged. Member Henry, who has handled the correspondence, said the firm's contact, Christine Pouza, never followed up after technician Peter Mahoney went on vacation; Buildings Committee Chair Steve Dalmas estimated local repair costs at "a few thousand dollars" and offered to testify. Members said the original restoration cost the town roughly $6,000 to $7,000 and agreed to consult the Select Board before engaging Town Counsel Donna McNichol.

Separately, the commission declined a $250 offer from a Hadley Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution chapter to present on Revolutionary War-era resident Jeremiah Cady this fall, and marked the departure of longtime member Karen Zirvonka.

In the full story:

• Opening Business: A Member's Departure
• The Guideboard Dispute With the Williamstown Conservators
• Guideboard Placement and the War Memorial Question
• Jeremiah Cady: Revolutionary War Research and the Hadley Invitation
• Archival Preservation and Future Projects
• Scheduling the Next Meeting and Adjournment
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,400 words

Source: the Historical Commission meeting of October 27, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.