West Newbury Promotes Officer Sandborn to Sergeant, Adds Reserve Hire

WEST NEWBURY — August 7, 2025 — West Newbury Select Board promotes officer to sergeant and approves eight unanimous measures at August 7 session. The board voted to appoint Officer Hayden Sandborn as police sergeant following an endorsement from Police Chief Dwyer, who cited Sandborn's OUI enforcement award from Mothers Against Drunk Driving and his work as a field training officer, and separately approved Royster Johnson as a part-time reserve officer to cover summer staffing gaps. Town Manager Angus Rennie disclosed that the Church and Prospect Street water main replacement project ran over budget due to pavement that measured six inches in depth against a four-inch specification, that the Board of Water Commissioners was not properly notified before the cost was incurred, and that a fall town meeting warrant article may be needed to resolve the payment — the warrant closes August 18. The board also approved a new signature stamp policy for routine correspondence, conditioned on a written log and explicit exclusion of contracts, and deferred a decision on permanent mill pond signage to August 21 after a resident raised questions about cyanobacteria risk and the board expressed concern that authorizing regular water quality testing would create municipal liability.