Douglas Board of Selectmen Accepts $350,000 Water Tank Donation, Eyes Gleason Court Re-Bid

DOUGLAS -- December 2, 2025, Douglas Board of Selectmen accepts $350,000 warehouse donation for North Street water tank. The board voted 4-0 Tuesday to accept the gift from The Cubes at Gilboa LLC, a warehouse development off Gilboa Street, after cost savings from the town's 2023 installation of a 12-inch water main eliminated the developer's need for a private fire-suppression tank. Town Administrator Matt Benwait said the donation, held in a restricted account, will reduce the size of any future MassWorks grant request for the proposed North Street elevated storage tank, improving the town's competitive position. The board also directed Benwait to draft a revised request for proposals for the historic 11 Gleason Court schoolhouse, adding a deed restriction to limit development to the existing building footprint and setting a minimum bid tied to the property's $390,000 appraisal, after a prior RFP drew one proposal the board liked but priced too low and one it considered an overdevelopment of the site. Separately, Benwait disclosed publicly that Peterson Oil has come forward with a court-pending settlement proposal related to a fuel spill that cost Douglas $890,000 to remediate, $390,000 of which was borne directly by taxpayers.