Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! We welcome you to join in on our activities with us. We are always pleased to see new faces at the center. Come and try a class or two - check the calendar on the site and take a peek at our monthly newsletter to see what this month has planned. Make sure to see one of the Senior Center staff to register as a member of the Center and get your ID card! This is important for us as we use these statistics for grant funding.

You must both apply in person for a marriage license. This requirement is applicable to both residents and non-residents of the Commonwealth. According to Massachusetts law, you must jointly file intentions to marry, and you may do so with the city or town clerk in any communtiy in the state. If a person is in the military, intentions may be filed by either party, providing one is a Massachusetts resident. If a person is incarcerated in a county house of correction or a state correctional facility, intentions may be filed by either party. A marriage license once obtained, is valid for 60 days from the date intentions are filed and may be used in any Massachusetts city or town. It is not valid outside of the state.

Yes, there is a mandatory three-day waiting period. While Sundays and holidays are included in the three days, the day the application is made is not. For example, if you apply on Friday, your license will be issued after Monday.

Yes, if you can obtain a court waiver after filing intentions.

You should file your intentions first with any city or town clerk. Then an application for a waiver must be filed by both of you at a probate or district court. After a hearing, the court may issue a certificate allowing the marriage license to be issued, and the marriage performed with out delay.

The fee for the marriage license in Blackstone is $20.00 due at the time of filing your intentions. Other cities and towns may vary.

A Massachusetts resident may marry if he or she is 18 years of age or older.

If either party is under 18, a court order from a probate or district court where the minor resides must be obtained before the marriage intentions can be filed.

No. As of January 28, 2005 the state of Massachusetts no longer requires medical certificates.

You are not required to present a divorce certificate when filing intentions to marry. However, it is extremely important that an individual who has been divorced be certian that his/her divorce is absolute. If you are uncertain as to the absolute date of your divorce, you should contact the court where the divorce was granted. In Massachusetts, a divorce does not become absolute until 90 days after the divorce nisi has been granted, regardless of the grounds for divorce.

No.

Massachusetts statute does not require that witnesses be present at your ceremony. However, if a member of the clergy performs the ceremony, you should ensure that you are in conformity with the appropriate religious tenets.

The member of the clergy or justice of the peace must complete and sign the original license and return it to the clerk of the city or town where the license was issued.

If an out-of-state member of the clergy is to perform the marriage, the clergy person must obtain a Certificate of Authorization from the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth prior to the ceremony. This certificate, which is issued by the Public Records Division of the Secretary of the Commonwealth is to be attached to the original license and returned to the clerk of the city or town where the license was issued. For further information, contact:

Division of Public Records

• Secretary of the Commonwealth
  One Ashburton Place, Room 1719
  Boston, MA 02108
• Phone: 617-727-2836

Applications can be downloaded from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Website HERE.

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Yes. The meetings are always open to the public.

Yes, for Notice of Intents but not for Request for Determination of Applicability. For a Notice of Intent abutters located within 100 feet of your property will need to be notified of your proposed project at least one week in advance of the Conservation Commission hearing your project.

In order for the Commission to make an accurate and fair determination of the proposal it is best to have a registered land surveyor, licensed engineer, or wetland scientist draw up the plans for the project. Most of them are very familiar with the guidelines given in the Act and regulations established under the Act. They can give you accurate advice on what can and cannot be done and produce a plan for the local and state review process.

A Request for Determination of Applicability is a form filed when you are not sure if your project is subject to the Wetlands Protection Act and/or within the jurisdiction of the local Conservation Commission. A Notice of Intent is filed when you are planning a project that you know is subject to the Wetlands Protection Act and/or the local Conservation Commission.

A completed form with all its attachments must be submitted to the Conservation Commission at least two weeks prior to the Conservation Commission meeting. Applicants also must send a copy of the form and attachments to the Worcester office of the DEP and the property owner if different from the applicant. Applicants will need to attend a conservation meeting. The applicant will need to pay for the cost of a legal advertisement to be placed in the local newspapers at least a week before the project is presented to the Commission.

Since many wetlands are not always obvious, you are encouraged to consult with the Building Commissioner or Conservation Agent, who will help you determine whether your project falls within the Commission's jurisdiction and whether your project will require a filing. Additional assistance may be necessary from a wetlands biologist to determine if your project is located in or within 100 feet of wetlands.

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Any activity that is located within 100 ft. of wetlands, rivers or streams requires an application for review and approval by the Commission.

All requests for police services are assigned by priority, based on seriousness of the incident and the potential for injury or damage to property. At times, calls of a less urgent nature must be delayed so that we can respond immediately to emergencies. In addition, due to budgetary constraints, shifts often work with fewer officers than needed.

Dispatchers are trained to get as much information as possible to best determine the nature of the problem and its seriousness. This is done for your safety along with the safety of the responding officers. On emergency calls, the dispatcher will send the information to the officers while asking you additional questions. That means that the officers are already on the way while you are answering these questions.

Obtain a copy of a police officer’s accident report through BuyCrash.

Obtain a police report through BuyCrash.

Parking tickets are paid at the Blackstone Police Department, Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 3 pm. You may also mail your payment to:

Blackstone Police Department
15 St. Paul Street
Blackstone, MA 01504

The Blackstone Police Department will respond 24 hours a day, seven day a week to all requests for police assistance.

Stop in or call 508-883-1212, and if a police officer is available, they will be able to assist you at that time.

First you must complete a state recognized firearms safety course. Application for the permit is taken at the Blackstone Police Department by appointment only. You should call 508-883-1212 and speak with the Chief. If he is not available, leave a message and he will get back to you as soon as possible.

911 is for emergencies of any nature. The other numbers are for non-emergency requests or information. Some common examples:

• Domestic dispute – Emergency.
  • Many people are seriously injured or killed each year as a result of domestic disputes. If you are involved in a domestic dispute or know of one, call 911.
• Loud music or loud neighbors – non-Emergency.
  • This is considered a service call and should be directed to 508-833-1212.
• Ambulance Request – Emergency.
  • All requests for ambulance services are considered emergencies. Please call 911 for all ambulance requests.

If you would like to phone the Blackstone Police Department (BPD) and leave an anonymous tip, call 508-883-1212 and ask for a Police Officer. Please be sure to include any pertinent information that may be helpful to the BPD. For example: Date and time of event, description or plate number of car, and street address.

You may also submit an anonymous tip online here. Be sure to be as descriptive as possible, every bit of information will help!

The Blackstone Police Department is an equal opportunity Police Department. In order to become a police officer for the Blackstone Police, you must follow the process outlined on the Massachusetts Human Resources Division website.

Visit the Municipal Police Training Committee website.

To receive an Officer's crash report, go to Crashdocs.org. If you need to fill out a crash report, go to Mass RMV's website and download the form to fill it out.

If your vehicle has been towed or you believe it has been, contact the Blackstone Police station at 508-883-1212. Download a sample Tow Release Form (PDF).

• Stop your vehicle as far out of the travel lane as possible.
• Turn on the interior light.
• Keep your hands in view at all times, preferably on the steering wheel.
• Wait for the officer to request your license and registration.
• Relax and stay in your vehicle.
• The officer will explain the reason for the motor vehicle stop.
• Do not argue with the officer, if you think that you have been wrongly cited the correct procedure is to request a hearing through the district court.

Moving violations are the most common reasons for motor vehicle stops. These include but are not limited to:

• Speeding
• Traffic light violations
• Stop sign violations
• Marked lanes violations
• Failure to yield
• Equipment violations i.e. broken headlight, taillight, plate light, and obstructed windshield.

Safety. Officers are trained to minimize the risk of danger to themselves and the operator of the vehicle stopped. Many officers are injured or killed while making traffic stops each year.

Again, safety. Officers in the vicinity of a traffic stop will routinely back up their fellow officer to reduce the likelihood of the officer being injured.

The Community Choice Power Supply Program is a municipal aggregation program which allows local government to combine the purchasing power of its residents to achieve savings on electricity costs. In doing so, it creates competition among suppliers which helps ensure aggressive rates. Consumers are no longer “stuck” with the cost and fluctuation of Basic Service rates because the Program offers them another option.

Following the approval of Article 9 at Town Meeting in May 2023, the Town of Blackstone developed and published its Aggregation Plan (“Plan”) in compliance with Massachusetts law regarding municipal aggregation of electric consumers (M.G.L. c. 164, § 134). The Board of Selectmen approved the Plan in November 2023, and a power supply agreement was executed in January to take effect April 2025.

A competitive (or third-party) supplier is a power supplier other than National Grid. Competitive suppliers provide electricity to consumers either through a municipal aggregation program or through a competitive supplier program. Your electricity is currently being supplied by National Grid unless you have switched to a competitive supplier program on your own.

Your electric bill is divided into two parts: Delivery and Supply. Supply is no longer regulated and therefore can be provided by a competitive (or third-party) supplier. Delivery is still regulated and can only be provided by National Grid. National Grid will continue to deliver your electricity over the wires. However, the power running through those wires can be provided by a competitive supplier.

Programs you see advertised are competitive supplier programs in which the supplier contracts directly with the individual consumer. While both programs seek to lower your electric bill, they are run very differently. Competitive supplier programs set their own terms and conditions. Once signed up, it is up to the consumer to monitor the rates. Competitive supplier programs usually have a clause in the terms and conditions that states the consumer remains in the program after the initial rate and term have ended unless specific action is taken to cancel the contract. In many cases, there may be an exitfee. Municipal aggregation programs are run by cities and towns. Once signed up, it is up to the city or town to monitor the rates. Having knowledge of the electricity market, the city or town continually looks out for their citizens’ best interests. Their goals are to provide low, stable rates and possibly green options to their citizens. Municipal aggregation programs have no entrance or exit fees.

BEWARE OF OTHER ENERGY OFFERS claiming to be associated with your community or National Grid. You may receive direct mail, phone calls or even visits to your door from energy marketers for the competitive supplier programs mentioned above. These marketers are NOT associated with the Community Choice Power Supply Program or with National Grid. The Community Choice Power Supply Program will notify you of the Program ONLY through mail direct from your community (look for your Town’s seal).

Your Town has signed a contract with a supplier on behalf of your community as part of their Community Choice Power Supply Program. If National Grid has your account listed as being on Basic Service, you should receive an envelope with a Consumer Notification Letter and Opt-Out Reply Card. If National Grid has your account listed as being contracted with a third-party supplier, you should receive an informational postcard. However, there is a lag between the date the utility provides the account data and the date the letters/postcards are mailed so there may be some accounts that are categorized incorrectly at the time of mailing.

You will not receive a notification mailing if you have requested National Grid put a “Supplier Block” on your account so that it is removed from all supplier marketing lists.

You will receive the benefit of potentially lower rates on your electricity and therefore a lower electric bill. Otherwise, YOU WILL NOT NOTICE ANY CHANGE. The only difference you will see is that the name of the chosen supplier will be printed under the “Supply/Generation Services Charge” section of your monthly bill. You will continue to receive one bill from National Grid. You will continue to send your payments to National Grid for processing. National Grid will continue to read meters and maintain the distribution and transmission lines. Reliability and quality of service will remain he same. Furthermore, you will continue to have all existing consumer rights and protections.

If you have received a Consumer Notification Letter (for automatic enrollment) AND you have not opted out AND your account is not listed with National Grid as having a “Supplier Block” (a request to have your account removed from all supplier marketing lists), you will not need to do anything to participate. You will be automatically enrolled in the Program.

Enrollment is automatic ONLY IF you have received a Consumer Notification Letter stating that and have not opted out. Enrollment is NOT AUTOMATIC if you received an informational postcard because National Grid has your account listed as being contracted with a third-party supplier at the time of mailing. Also, you will not receive a notification mailing, and therefore will not be enrolled, if you have requested National Grid put a “Supplier Block” on your account so that it is removed from all supplier marketing lists. If that is the case, consumers will have to call National Grid and have the “Supplier Block” removed before enrolling in the Program.

Yes, as long as your community has a DPU approved aggregation working with Colonial Power Group. You may OPT-IN AT ANY TIME by filling out the online Opt-In Form at colonialpowergroup.com/blackstone  OR by calling the supplier chosen by your community (listed on your community's page) OR by calling Colonial Power Group at (866) 485-5858 ext. 1. To avoid delays in your enrollment, before opting in, please make sure that if you have a “Supplier Block” on your account that it is removed. Also, if you have previously contracted with your own supplier, you should confirm with them that you will not incur any fees for leaving their supply.

Your automatic enrollment, if applicable, will start on the meter read date stated on the Consumer Notification Letter. You will see the new rate on your bill the following month. For example, if your meter read enrollment date is January 1, your usage from January 1 - January 31 will be charged the new rate and billed on February 1. If you opt-in at any other time, enrollment may take up to two billing cycles before taking effect.

Each consumer has the right to choose their own supplier. Enclosed with the Consumer Notification Letter is an Opt-Out Reply Card. If you do not want to participate in the Community Choice Power Supply Program, you can sign and date the card, place it in the envelope provided and drop it in the mail OR fill out the Opt-Out Form at colonialpowergroup.com/blackstone OR call the supplier chosen by your community (listed on your community's page) OR call Colonial Power Group at (866) 485-5858 ext. 1. You will then be removed from the list of participating consumers. The initial opt-out period is thirty (30) days from the mailing date of the Consumer Notification Letter.

Participation is designed to be as flexible as possible. You may leave the Community Choice Power Supply Program at no charge and be placed on National Grid Basic Service or choose another supplier on your own. Opting out of the Community Choice Power Supply Program is easy. You may fill out the online Opt-Out Form at colonialpowergroup.com/blackstone OR call the supplier chosen by your community (listed on your community's page) OR call Colonial Power Group at (866) 485-5858 ext. 1. It may take a couple of billing cycles before you are back on National Grid Basic Service. There is NO CHARGE to opt-out. Large users (100 kW or 500,000 kWh/year), if you participate initially and then choose to leave the Community Choice Power Supply Program, you may return but the supplier may offer the then-current market rate for the product selected as opposed to the aggregation rate.

National Grid records should indicate that you already have a third-party supplier. If so, you should receive an informational postcard but you will not be automatically enrolled in the Community Choice Power Supply Program. However, there is a lag between the date the utility provides the account data and the date the letters/postcards are mailed so there may be some accounts that are categorized incorrectly at the time of the mailing. This is why we recommend you opt-out if you have received a Consumer Notification Letter (for automatic enrollment) but have contracted with your own supplier.

GreenUp is a renewable energy program, through National Grid, which allows you to choose to have all or part of your electricity generated from renewable resources. GreenUp only allows for enrollment with Basic Service not third-party supply (which includes municipal aggregation). National Grid records should indicate that you already have a Green Power Supply Option. If so, you should receive an informational postcard but you will not be automatically enrolled in the Community Choice Power Supply Program. However, there is a lag between the date the utility provides the account data and the date the letters/postcards are mailed so there may be some accounts that are categorized incorrectly at the time of the mailing. This is why we recommend you opt-out if you have received a Consumer Notification Letter (for automatic enrollment) but have chosen a Green Power Supply Option.

You will continue to receive those benefits from National Grid.

You will continue to be eligible for those incentives, which are sponsored by National Grid.

Any applicable taxes will be billed as part of the Program’s power supply charge. You will be responsible for identifying and requesting an exemption from the collection of taxes by providing appropriate documentation. According to Massachusetts law, in order to maintain your tax exempt status for your electric bill, you must send a copy of your tax exempt certificate directly to the supplier chosen by your community. (The supplier’s name is listed at colonialpowergroup.com/blackstone.)

Net metering and on-bill credits will work the same way with the Community Choice Power Supply Program. You will continue to receive your net metering or on-bill credits while benefiting from the aggregation rate on your electricity. National Grid will continue to post your net metering or on-bill credits to your electric bill at National Grid’s Basic Service rate.

By law, all electric supply products are required to include a mandatory minimum percentage of clean/renewable energy resources. The total Massachusetts Renewable Energy Requirement consists of several different state initiatives, each with different objectives and different resource types that qualify. Currently, the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Requirement equals the sum of the Clean Energy Standard (inclusive of RPS Class I), the Clean Energy Standard for existing resources (CES-E), and RPS Class II. A detailed breakdown of the different categories and the minimum requirements of each category can be found at colonialpowergroup.com/massachusetts-renewable-energy-requirement.

The Community Choice Power Supply Program is in effect until the local government terminates the Program. Throughout the life of the Program, each subsequent contract will vary by rate, term and possibly supplier. You will be automatically enrolled in the next contract at the new rate unless you optout. The new rate may be higher or lower than the current rate and the voluntary renewable energy content may change. The latest rates, terms and contracted supplier can be found at colonialpowergroup.com/blackstone or by calling Colonial Power Group at (866) 485-5858 ext. 1.

Basic Service rates change every six months for Residential and Small Commercial accounts and every three months for Large Commercial and Industrial accounts. As a result, the aggregation rate may not always be lower than the Basic Service rate. The goal of the aggregation is to deliver savings over the life of the Community Choice Power Supply Program against National Grid Basic Service. However, future savings cannot be guaranteed.