HADLEY — Adding sidewalks to road projects, improving connections to bike paths and making other safety enhancements for pedestrians and bicyclists could be supported in Hadley through the state’s Complete Streets Funding Program.

With recommendations from both interim Town Administrator Michael Mason and Department of Public Works Director Scott McCarthy, the Select Board voted Wednesday to send a letter to the state’s Department of Transportation requesting to become a Complete Streets community.

Complete Streets are defined by the state as “ones that provide safe and accessible options for all travel modes — walking, biking, transit and vehicles — for people of all ages and abilities.” But before becoming an eligible community, Hadley will need to pass an administrative policy and develop a prioritization plan.

Mason told the Select Board that it’s “an absolute no-brainer” for Hadley to be part of the program, through which the town could access grants from the state by working with its grant manager and program coordinator.

“We would work with them to do any projects that we identify, but they would have to follow within the scope of work that fits with the Complete Streets program,” Mason said.

Mason said McCarthy has identified numerous projects that could qualify. The town would then be eligible for grants of up to $500,000 every five years for either one or two large projects, or several smaller projects.

According to the letter, the Select Board will need to write the administrative policy and draft the prioritization plan before applying for money for actual jobs. There doesn’t need to be a bylaw passed by Town Meeting,

The letter, signed by Chairwoman Molly Keegan, states that Hadley will approve a Complete Streets policy within a year, following at least one public meeting to present the policy for comment.

“We are committed to being a part of the Complete Streets Funding Program and would like to begin work on the development of our Complete Streets Prioritization Plan while our Complete Streets Policy is being developed,” reads the letter.

In other business, the Select Board:

--Recognized three retiring employees with proclamations extending thanks and appreciation for their dedication to the town.

The citations went to Janice Kangas, who served as a town employee 37 years, including as assistant town clerk and assessors clerk; Dan Zdonek, who served for 35 years as a Hadley assessor; and Joan Zuzgo, who spent 28 years as a benefits and payroll administrator, assistant treasurer and assistant accountant.

“These three individuals have committed an unbelievable amount of not just time, but dedicated a good portion of their lives, to make sure everyone is taken care of,” Keegan said.

--Appointed members to a solar committee to make various recommendations related to the possible placement of a solar project at the capped landfill, including identifying its optimum size, determining whether to own or lease, locating federal and state incentives, and finding grant sources for professional services.

The members will include Matt Waldrip from the Planning Board, Conservation Commission agent Kayla Loubriel, Michael Docter from the Climate Change Committee, Shardool Parmar from the Finance Committee, Jane Nevinsmith from the Select Board and Chris Hamel, a resident with expertise as a solar adviser.

--Approved a charity wine license for the local Girl Scouts so the adult leaders can put on a wine tasting on Jan. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the American Legion, 162 Russell St. Roselee Conklin, a troop leader, explained that the money will go toward start-up costs and awards for the organization, which has students involved from kindergarten through 12th grade. Four Seasons Wines & Liquors is organizing the vendors who will provide samples.

--Heard concerns from resident Tony Fyden about two Level 3 sex offenders living at the EconoLodge hotel on Route 9, based on public information contained in the state’s Sex Offender Registration database, and the risk of danger to the community they may pose.

Fyden said the Select Board shouldn’t have authorized a $100,000 donation from the Affordable Housing Trust to Valley Community Development, which will turn the hotel into 51 affordable apartments, because of of the presence of these tenants as the property is temporarily used by Craig’s Doors Inc. for housing some homeless individuals.

“They put our community in danger, and you put our community in danger,” Fyden said.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.