Good evening. So, uh we had previously begun the uh March 2nd select board meeting. Uh went in executive session. We've now exited that and we're entering back into the general session
and we will start uh on regular business. Uh resident concerns. If anyone has any uh issues they like to bring before the board that are not addressed elsewhere on the agenda, please come forward. And we're going to
be recognizing a threeminut limit on comments today. >> There's one person online, Mr. Chair. >> Okay. I'd like to hear the one person online. >> Non, you're all set. >> Ah, thank you. Um, so over the weekend I
listened to the February 2nd select board meeting about the town hall HVAC project and that presentation was confusing. Um, I mean I got that onetime expenses were cheaper due to a $1 million grant but wasn't clear by how much. But more importantly the annual
expenses they were worse but again it was not clear by how much. You know you bandied about numbers such as 37% of this and 12% of that. completely confusing that you know that did not illuminate it just you know it just offiscates and maybe that is the intent
you know can you present a sta straightforward set of slides that shows the net cost difference of one-time expense and annual expense so we can make a judgment about you know how much extra penalty we are paying for this also explanations such as uh the
non-fossil fuel think would be better except if not for a good deal with the natural gas supplier I mean those kind of statements are meaningless because there is no reason why our negotiating power is just going to magically disappear overnight. So please make it straightforward and don't try to you
know make it so confusing that we don't know. Um mainly we have this ball and chain of this bylaw and it is making us pay a penalty on every single project and it's getting very expensive to you know do every single building with this uh with this extra penalty. I mean when
town meeting passed this law it was kind of ideological you know it was uh uh aspirational and etc but I don't think people were thinking too hard and not that many people attended town meeting I think uh people were thinking too hard about the the the ongoing money impact
year after year so we should know what's going on I mean first of all we need to I that bylaw I I read it there is a a you can get a waiver for financial distress I mean our tax burden is high enough that I think we can invoke a
waiver of this bylaw to say that we can't really afford it and uh you know and down the line we maybe next year we need to amend this law or repeal it and give us you know a lot more flexibility because this gets irritating all the time that we can't go natural gas and then you know we don't really know how
much extra we're paying and even those statements about oh the school is we've saved so much money on this and that but we don't know what the baseline is. Yeah. Instead of you may have thought you were going to spend $100 and you spent $70, but what was the baseline? Was it 10? Was it 20? So the these it's
like you know 30 seconds. >> So please do a better hand on that you please you know make it better on that. Thank you. >> Thank you. Anyone else? Apparently not. Okay.
You move to the uh chair update. I have a couple of items. Uh the first is I'll read a message from our COA director. Uh Wednesday, March 4th, 11:00 a.m. to
12:00 noon. These are for Actton residents age 60 plus only. join staff from the town of Actton and assessor's office for an update on how property taxes are affected by increasing home values. They will also share information on
numerous ways homeowners might qualify for property tax relief if you are over 65 with income and assets that are low to moderate, over 70, a veteran with a disability, or suffering financial hardship in general.
At the conclusion of the presentation, attendees will be given a coupon for free lunch that afternoon at the senior center's beastro space beastro space is limited. So register for the council on aging. And again, that's uh this Wednesday from 11 to noon and
pre-register with the Council on Aging. Second item, I'd like to recognize the passing of a longtime town volunteer, Robert Gooa. Bob, um, passed on at the age of 98.
Uh, he was a, uh, a diligent worker with our land stewardship committee. U, as if you walk around our conservation areas, you'll see some really impressive bridges way back in the woods. And these were all projects that Bob uh engineered and
worked on and then managed to get people to haul very heavy equipment way back into the woods. Um he kept hiking up well into his 90s. He received numerous awards including he was one of the first recipients of the
Francis Faulner Volunteer Award. So Bob was a a great person as well as a uh great community volunteer and will certainly be missed. And finally, at our last meeting, which was online, we talked about the town
manager review process. And we're the select board members are in the in the process of performing that review right now. And I would just acknowledge that if any uh residents of town or any employees have any particular points they'd like to raise,
they should reach out directly to one of the select board members and uh that individual can uh include the comment or not as they see fit. John,
uh thank you. I just just a note that uh the municipal monthly was published yesterday. hopefully you had a chance to check it out and also the libraries um newsletter was out and the business boost was out recently. So, lots of information out there for people that are looking for for updates. Um
encourage you to check it out at acttonma.gov or on our social media channels. Thanks. >> Okay, updates from my colleagues Fran. >> I have one quick update. Um this Friday,
March 6th, will be the um ribbon ribbon cutting for the new restaurant opening on Great Road. Um Wonder. It's um March it's March 6th or 5th. Yeah, I I'm wondering. I'm wondering.
Um in any case, I I read that it was March 5th. Yeah. Is that >> permits we get? >> Yeah. Huh. Yes, at 4:30 at 145 Great Road and the ribbon the ribbon cutings are great to
um attend. You can join town staff, the economic development committee and you know vendors or new business owners are very appreciative of the uh 4:30. It's 4:30 on Thursday. Thank you.
Okay, Jim. Um, last time I talked about um the volunteer coordinating committee of the VCC. So, I just wanted to provide an update that they will be having a meeting uh their first one in 3 months
on March 12th um starting to work through the the backlog um with a let's see a COA volunteer and a couple of green advisory board volunteers and um other names are still um being uh you
know tracked down because these are people who sent in applications a while ago and haven't heard from the VCC. So, it's uh it it's it's great to have this process finally moving again so we can get some new volunteers on boards and committees.
>> Thank you, Alicia. >> Thank you. Um first of all, I'd like to acknowledge that there are some scouts here with us today. Thank you for coming. Um so some elected and appointed officials from the town um met three
troops from Actton at the public safety facility yesterday and they are working on their citizenship in the community merit badge which is an Eagle Scout requirement. So I'm happy to see them all here. Um I have a couple of
announcements. Um, the first I wanted to let everybody know that I submitted my nomination papers to run for reelection to this board and the signatures were certified by the clerk. And I also wanted to let people know that the deadline to obtain nomination papers for
the town election, which is um on April 28th, the deadline to pick up papers from the clerk's office is Saturday, March 7th at 5:00 p.m. And then the deadline to file those nomination papers
with signatures is Monday, March 23rd at 5:00 p.m. Same same time. Um, there are open seats on the select board, school committee, the memorial library trustee board, water district, um, town manager, and the actton housing authority
commission. So, if anybody's interested in running for office, go see the clerk. And then finally, um, following on the great popularity of a couple of 21 plus events at the Memorial Library, Books and Bruise and The Murder Mystery, there
is another one planned for next Tuesday, March 10th, at 6:00 p.m. It is the Bridgetgerton Ball. English country dance lessons. Um, period costume is encouraged, but not required, but there will be a diamond of the season
announced at the end of the night. and True West will be there with complimentary refreshments and a cash bar. So, you have to register to attend this and the seats are filling fast. I think there's only about 30 or 40 seats
left. So, get on that if you're interested in attending the Bridgetgerton Ball. >> Thank you, David. >> Just a small correction to what Alyssa said. She said the town manager was on the ballot. She meant the town moderator was one of the things on the ballot. Um, so the town manager is not on the
ballot. Um um the the other the other thing I wanted to mention um is the school committee has been presented with um uh very early um kind of uh uh concepts for how um geographic
enrollment might work and assigning um uh elementary school uh school students, especially kindergarteners to either the boardwalk campus or the Parker Damon building. Um they were presented with a couple of ideas of de dividing the town uh roughly on the route two border
between one school and the other, you know, uh north and south or and um another um dividing the town east and west by uh a line um that basically runs down the middle of town and divides it east east and west. And that those are
very early. None neither of those will be the the final way it works. Um, they're also trying to make sure that in dividing them up, the schools are fairly close. They're like a mile apart. So, um, that they allow walkers to walk to the school, which is more complicated
than it you might think, um, because of the schools being so close that they could one school could basically not have a walking um, uh, area if most of that area was assigned to the other school. So anyway, they're working on those and um uh they'll be doing that at
their um uh continue that work at their upcoming school committee meetings. >> Thank you. Um great. Um new and special business item
three. John, >> thank you. I just want this was announced publicly last week, but our uh long time or not long time, but our police chief James Kogan is retiring um in a few weeks on the 27th uh after 42 years of service. Uh we appreciate
everything he's done for this community as a chief most recently, but throughout his entire career working uh on behalf of the residents to keep them safe and to to foster really good communication between the department and and the and the community. Um so I wanted to just announce that again. Uh but also mention
that as part of the transition plan uh before we hire a permanent chief to replace him, we have or I have appointed Doug Sternolo to serve as interim police chief and he will begin serving in that role on March 27th. He's currently our deputy police chief. Um and he's ready
to take this on and uh I will work uh with HR and others to uh start the process and we hope to have a permanent chief u hired uh before the summer sets in. And again, I just wanted to thank James Kogan for his tremendous service to the
community, and we'll be we'll be recognizing him in a more formal way at another time. Uh, and also thank Douglas Sternolo for stepping up and uh, agreeing to to lead the department uh, during this transition. If there's any questions about that, I'm happy to answer them.
>> David, >> yes, there's no uh, interim deputy chief, is there? >> That is correct. Thank you. >> Any other questions? Okay. Um, we'll go to item four, discussion of
potential automated license plate recognition, ALPR surveillance technology policy. Alyssa, >> thank you. Um, first I want to provide a little bit of background. Um, the reason that this is on our agenda, a few
residents have reached out requesting that the board adopt a policy or a bylaw that would provide some guidance for any surveillance tech the town might acquire um or services that might be provided by
a vendor in the future um so that we can adequately balance security and privacy concerns. um as well as supporting Actton's commitment to transparency and promoting community trust in the local
government and law enforcement. And I will say that we get a lot of requests for things to be put on the agenda. Um so I thought it might be good to share justification for following up
on this request with some action. Um the automated license plate readers like flock cameras you may have read about in the news um capture footage of vehicles um but not only the plate numbers as the name indicates. It also captures
information about the make, model and color of the vehicle. Um this company in particular, the data security is not very strong and law enforcement has been um accessing information data from other
jurisdictions um and using AI to enhance analysis and there are cases where um law enforcement has pursued individuals that have crossed state lines for medical care that might be legal in in in the
state that um folks are going to. So, you know, people might be coming to Massachusetts for medical care from a from another state where it's restricted. Um, so news reports recently have indicated that the tech surveillance um either will be or
already is being used to place limits on constitutionally protected activities such as freedom of of speech and expression and peaceful assembly like protesting. Um there are news reports that indicate that surveillance
technology is expanding um both the tech um itself as well as the use and applications. So by the tech itself I mean new technologies um being brought into the marketplace. Um so some of the types of surveillance
technology um in addition to the license plate readers which are known as LPRs, biometrics such as facial recognition um or iris scanners, drones, gunshot detection, social media monitoring
software, predictive policing software. And just a couple of days ago, I think it was Thursday last week, um the CEO of Anthropic, you might have read this in the news, um released a statement about their contract with the US government saying
that AIdriven mass domestic surveillance presents serious novel risks to our fundamental liberties. To the extent that such surveillance is currently legal, this is only because the law has not yet caught up with the rapidly growing capabilities
of AI. Under current law, the government can purchase detailed records of Americans movements, web browsing, and associations from public sources without obtaining a warrant. Powerful AI makes it possible to assemble this scattered, individually innocuous data into a
comprehensive picture of any person's life automatically. and at massive scale. Um so that discusses AI but at the core what AI is analyzing is data. So um any data that act does currently
or might in the future collect could be accessible to other government agencies. So, speaking of the law not being caught up with the technology, um I thought it would be good to um take this request seriously um and consider establishing
some oversight um before any surveillance technology is acquired. And I just want to be clear that this is not an ask to ban the adoption of any specific technology. Um, one
example that Actton already uses is our body cam program. Um, there's a departmental policy that's already in place that covers um, most if not all of the above considerations. And um what I'm looking for from the
board tonight is sort of some guidance on whether or not we would like to pursue a policy, a board policy or a bylaw, which would be, you know, much more complicated um and require town meeting approval obviously. So the aim
of such a bis a bylaw or policy would be to require board approval and public input as part of that process. You know at a discussion such as a select board meeting um before any town department acquires funds or uses new surveillance
technology. um requiring a surveillance impact report so that we would understand what data would be collected um how and where it would be retained for how long whether or not it could be shared with
other agencies. Um what are the civil liberty impacts? So basically getting to that balance balance between security and civil liberty and privacy um and requiring public reporting on the approved surveillance tools that are in
use. There are um eight mass jurisdictions so far that have enacted local ordinances that provide for this oversight. And I'm not going to read through um all of the things that those
ordinances do. The second bulleted list in our meeting packet um document outlines the mechanisms for accomplishing those aims that I just outlined. And um one other thing I wanted to mention is the body cam policy that we
have. It's trans we we've accomplished transparency because it's available on the town website. Folks can access it. um but I don't believe that it was developed with any public input. So that might be something that is a benefit to adopting such a policy. So I'm really
looking for um board input on preference, concerns, questions, objections, etc. >> Thank you, Jim. >> Thanks so much for bringing this forward. um it showed up as a wonderful
surprise in the agenda and and in the packet. Um so I look forward to talking about it more. Um uh my first reaction is this makes imminent sense to me. Um it's it's
it's a way of uh touching the edges of um growing concerns that are shared among a lot of people about um you know the intrusive
use of uh collecting data and then correlating it with AI. Um, and it seems like a sensible way of requiring public hearings before going ahead with a system like that. Um, in terms of the question about whether this should be a
uh select board policy or a bylaw, um, I'd be fine with starting with with a select board policy, but I think that um because this addresses concerns that are shared among large numbers of residents, uh, it would be an opport
having a bylaw discussed at a town meeting would be a way to uh bring a lot of, you know, awareness to the pros and cons of this kind of technology. Um, which I I don't recall a conversation like that at town meeting. I I think that would be really really interesting
and and and uh important. >> Thank you, David. >> Thank you. Um I I think uh many many people have uh concern for privacy uh uh and so I I think this is a really a good
thing. I think there are a lot of issues uh here which um would need to be discussed for each use. Um uh for for example how long is the data retained? Um uh can the data be used for other purposes? Um can the data be sold? uh
what vendors are being used uh to help uh process the data. That gets actually really complicated because if a cloud service is used, the data may be inadvertently retained through a cloud services backup policy. Um uh where the
cameras are placed uh is an issue. Uh, of course, um, most of these cameras, by the way, including the things that Alyssa mentioned, like the make and model of the car, they can actually see the face of the driver or face of everybody that's in the who's in the front seat. Um, uh, so and with enough
resolution to be able to tell who they are. Um, so you can use uh potentially use facial recognition on it. I know this is getting to be a broader issue. uh one of the vendors I saw at the recent MMA conference was specifically selling uh license plate readers where
uh the uh municipality could completely control the data. Um and so they didn't actually ever take the data and the data o went to it was stored on a a municipalities owned or rented uh uh storage system. So
I I think this is really uh important that any use of such uh you know pro uh processing um be brought to the select board um as a matter of policy and so it's then discussed in the public view and people can weigh in as
to whether they want it or not. Um I'd be happy to pursue a bylaw long term. I think that opens up a lot of questions for which we'd need counsel. Um, for example, can we tell someone in Actton how long they can keep data? I'm not
sure they can. We can. Um, so there there are uh I'm sure we can control if where cameras are placed on uh public property, but I don't not even sure we can control where cameras are placed on private property. Anyway, I don't know what we can control with the bylaw um
and what what you know as a municipality as opposed to the um the state government. But anyway, I think uh the policy makes sense and the sooner the better so that um you know uh you know the the public is confident that there
there'll be no uh use by the in the town by the town for um this kind of invasion of privacy. Thank you. >> Thank you. I just wanted to thank Alyssa for bringing this to the board and like Jim,
it was a pleasant surprise to see it on the agenda. Um, and I'd be happy to talk about it in the future and I think a bylaw would be would be great. And if we wanted to start with a policy that that
would be a good first step. >> Go ahead. I I did forget to mention and I can't believe I did, we do not have any license plate um readers in town. So, if anybody's listening and wondering where are these cameras, they don't exist in Actton. So, just want to make
sure that everybody's clear on that. >> Jim, as long as doing clarifications, um there does appear to be one just over the Actton line in Stow and other places. So, they are they certainly are around Well, you know, my own feeling about
this is that I I don't have the degree of fear that uh has been expressed by by my colleagues on the use of technology. Um you know, I I look at the the very real security issues that we have which are not going
to go away. And some of the things we've seen recently was it was the flock cameras that helped tremendously in uh being able to track down the shooter at Brown University.
Um so I think there's a good benefit. They were able to track that person down and then fortunately um from some point of view he'd killed himself by the time they tracked him down. But I mean, it's
amazing what they can achieve and the good purpose that can be put to. I'll also look at the issues going on right now in Arizona attempting to uh track down the kidnapper of uh Samantha Guthri's
mother. And we've certainly seen enough of that on TV now with um the amount of information that's been able to be gathered um not just from home security but from stuff you know 2 three miles away.
Um I think when people commit acts of any kind in the public sector there should not be any particular expectation of privacy. So, I think it's certainly a these are concerns that I think I would raise if
we had a more lengthy discussion about this. Um, and I I think that obviously it's emerging technology. Um, and I think there are certainly other communities which have been dealing with these
issues and I'm sure that uh town council is going to want to weigh in on I think police department we should get some opinions from them um and to see exactly, you know, how much
of a threat to civil liberties this use of these cameras might or might not be. Um, considering that we're now in March and we've got a town meeting coming up in May and a reorganization of the
board. And one of the first things that we do once the board reorganizes in May is establish a list of goals for the coming year. And I would recommend that this might be a good issue to discuss during that goal
setting process. It'll certainly give everyone a a bit of time to be able to comment. Uh members of the public can communicate directly with select board members uh their feelings one way or another. So I I
don't think that there's really a good opportunity for us to come up with certainly not a bylaw and probably not even a well-formed policy between now and and that date when we are going to be having new members on the board.
Um those are my feelings and certainly if there's members of the public would like to comment on that um they could please come forward. >> Hi uh Jim Carrey 11 Gwood Road. Um, I actually support an outright ban on
such materials. Personally, um, we know in the past year that all of the IRS data that's protected by law is now in the wind. Um, all of the people that wanted to protect that data were fired until somebody said, "Sure, you
can have policies, but we don't care what the policies are." Um so any policy needs to protect the data and make sure the data is destroyed quickly. Uh Dean the example of the the uh Samantha Guthrie, is that her name? Um is a
perfect example of data that should not have existed because it was not to be retained by polace by explicit dictate of the people who owned the doorbell and yet the data was found. Um, it suggests
that anytime data is retained, the data is retained forever. Um, I don't have a Ring phone, a Ring doorbell. I took my oxs and got rid of them as soon as Mark Zuckerberg changed all his policies around managing those. Um, can't protect my secrecy. You're
right. There's no real expectation of privacy when you're in a public space. But at the same time, we should be doing what we can to protect things that cannot be protected by statute. We've
seen that. We've seen that time and time again in the past 12 months. So, uh, with all respect, I really support the idea of a policy. I'd like us to get a policy in place as soon as possible and follow it up with a bylaw. And the more draconian it seems, the happier I will
be. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Miriam Leac, High Street Actton. Um, thank you, Miss Nickel, for the work that you put into this. I think it's really important. Um, AI is a moving it's it's a moving
target. It's moving really fast. Um, I I think as you said earlier, the laws haven't caught up and anything that we can do, anything that people can do, you know, to to move
to to put breakers in place, um, to put a put fences in place, um, is good. And you know, as it yes, we're just one town, but you know, as it as as um you know, if a whole bunch of
towns in in Massachusetts have some of these fences in place, it makes it easier to create a state law, which makes it easier to have the ability to start putting um national fences around some of the abuses that can be um
you know, that that AI and and you know, starting with just even license plate. It seems like a little thing, license plate surveillance, who cares? Well, it's important. Um, so I I agree that we should work at you that the board should
work as quickly as possible to put a a um policy in place. And, you know, yeah, we'll require a lot of work with um town council. I think this is but this is a really great use of that. and um you know maybe by next year we could
actually start looking at having a bylaw. So thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> There's one person online, Mr. Chair. >> Okay, let that person in. >> John Leeman.
>> Uh hi everyone. Yeah, thanks Sissa for bringing this up. Um, I was just going to make the comment that I'm like my stance is largely pro privacy and pro- Fourth Amendment, which I think it's uh sort of erodess both. Um, it's definitely not anti-technology or anti-
policing. Uh, David, what you mentioned around there's technology that keeps it local. Things like that are great. I think Faulk has done a great job showing how to do this very, very poorly. um really across the board there's bad examples of false positives, people
using it for tracking their exes and and the list goes on. So I think a policy like this is is critically important and I hope it doesn't come across as anti- policing or anti-technology. Yes, they can have value, but it needs to be done right and not just handed off
to some third party to sell to the government. >> Thank you. And then the last one would be waring about the government not being able to use it. They they have mechanisms to do that. They can get a warrant and come after that when there's a real need and
just to having that out in the open for anyone with um any badge to be able to search the entire country's data set is just the wrong way to do it. And I don't think that's necessarily inate in ALPR, but it is in some of the third party vendors that exist today, the biggest
ones. Thank you. >> Thank you. Hi >> everyone. I'm Sachi Mati from 88 Hammond Street. Uh this is my first time attending. So it's uh it's a pleasure. Um just want to quickly mention about the camera and the privacy first. Um
didn't catch much attention until a couple of years ago there was a girl kidnapping and then a series of camera feed helped find the girl. Right. It it was in Massachusetts and that was where I found the value of having the
surveillance so important because it within the couple of hours the series of camera found the color of the car make of the car number plates which uh solved the case right away. So um privacy I understand maybe some of the positioning
of private cameras could be intrusive depending on where it's facings but uh maybe we can focus something about that uh when we have a camera for our security are we also intruding somebody else's privacy right or somebody's backyard or something so maybe that's
one area we can talk about thank you >> thank you Okay. Well, I'm sure we'll be discussing this at a future meeting. Uh, we'll move on. Our next item was uh we've got two
public hearings and I will read the notice for the first one. Actton Selectwood will hold a public hearing in March 2nd, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. continue from January 12th, 2026 in the
Francis Faulner hearing room 204 at the town hall, 472 Main Street, Actton, and virtually at Actton ma.gov/meingb on the application of Hawthon Realy Company for a site plan special permit
under zoning bylaw section 10.4. The applicant proposes to combine the properties at 471 Great Road and 465 to 469 Great Road and construct two buildings to be used as building trade shops. No hazards, materials or
waste are to be generated on site. Application materials and how to participate remotely are available online and at Actton Town Hall at doc.acttonma.gov/dweb/view/collection- GV/DSebview/collection-19387. The applicant has requested a
continuance to April 6th, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. If I could uh David, >> uh I move to continue this hearing until uh April 6th, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. in this room. >> Second.
>> Second. >> Moved and seconded. All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> I. >> Yes. >> Opposed. Extensions. Okay. Continued. We uh our second hearing
regarding uh 46 Taylor Road uh is not going to start until 7. So, we'll try to move on, handle some other business. uh in the intervening 15 minutes.
Uh let's jump to the consent items. Item 10, approve meeting minutes December 8th, 2025 and February 11th, 2026. Approve executive session minutes January 29th and February 11th, 2026.
Approve a one-day malt and wine license for the Acton Exchange at Actton TV Studio at 16A Craig Road on April 15, 2026. Point Steven Spiro is an associate member of the zoning board of appeals
with a term to end on June 30th, 2029. Hold. 14. Authorize town manager to sign renewal of inter agency mutual aid agreement from municipal police departments. >> Okay, I'll entertain a motion. >> Move to approve consent items 10, 11,
12, and 14. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. All in favor of approving those consent items, please say I. >> I. I. >> Opposed extensions. Okay. Number 13, Fran.
>> Um, and for Steven Spiru, he should be a full member and not an associate. >> Okay. Any discussion of that? I'll entertain a motion. I move to
to approve um consent item number 13 appointing Stevens Spiro as a full member of the zoning board of appeals with a term to end on June 30th, 2029. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. All in favor say I. >> I. I.
>> Opposed extensions. Okay, we got that approved. Um, let's see. Uh, Jim, would you like to discuss the board and committee reappointment process?
>> Sure. I think we can do this pretty simply. Um this uh arose because last year and to some extent in previous years but last year it became very clear uh that um as the liaison to the VCC I was somewhat
confused about the reappoint process. Uh there were mistakes there were delays there were um problems with transcribing the information from from one place to another place. So given that I wouldn't
be around uh next time this uh goes all the way through, I wanted to write down uh how to do this. Um the the main and that's all laid out in the memo, which I don't think we need to go over the details of. I think it's'll mostly be notes for um for the clerk's office, uh
for for Lisa Toml in the in the town manager's office and for the VCC liaison and the VCC. Uh the main thing that's changed is that um the clerk's office now has software uh that manages committee appointments in a much more
flexible and useful way. There the information is actually in a database so that uh um they can create reports of a wide variety of types uh that will be helpful and they can put them in various formats including a spreadsheet format.
Um, so what the what what the document outlines is a way to have a single report from the clerk's office with certain uh columns in it uh that then the VCC would use. They'd modify it a little bit to keep track of because what
the VCC does is they um uh check in with everyone who's uh whose term runs out uh at June 30th and asks if they want to serve again. uh they get that in they can put that information into that same spreadsheet uh get it to the get it to
the liaison who can then um detect certain issues with that uh and I' I've laid them out there like for example if someone says they want to be reappointed but that's a a committee that's been that's a committee that's um
let's see how does this work yeah if it's if someone who wants to be reappointed they've served more than two terms uh and there are people who have gone through the VCC interview process and want to be on that committee. By our policy, that's an opportunity for the
liaison to decide after discussions to um you know have that person step aside basically term limit them and bring in somebody new. It's not a situation we do very often, but it's great to be able to do it uh when it's the right time. Um so
that's the time to figure that out. Um the uh then the process goes on to describe how um the the liaison uh the VCC leazison from the select board works with that same spreadsheet changes a few things here and there like removes all
the email addresses for privacy reasons before it gets put in the packet. Uh and then after the um select board approves the reappointments um that that sheet can also just go right back to uh the town manager's office and to the clerk's
office for the updates. And this should make this whole process much more u streamlined and accurate, but I'm happy to entertain any questions or concerns. So, a couple of thoughts and you know
what we've got here I think is very straightforward and thank you for putting this together. Um, I'd like to for the board to at least consider a couple of other issues. Um what happens in situation where
we've got a individual who has uh acted in a fashion that's uh not appropriate for a board or committee member or if they are if the
actions they're taking is not in support of select board policies or if their situation where they might have served multiple terms and there is nobody else willing to step up and my suspicion is that frequently if there
are no vacancies nobody's going to come forward. You need to have some vacancies to encourage people to come forward. So in order for somebody to get appointed to begin with they need to be nominated by a select board liaison to
that particular board of committee. So I'd like to see a sit possibility of the select board liaison for the various boards of committees would actually be able to see this and kind of check it off and if they find individuals
who should be re who might be due for reappointment but perhaps are not appropriate to be reappointed an opportunity for the select board members to step in step in and not reappoint that person rather than just have it
done automatically. ly by the VCC. Your thoughts on that? >> Um, you raised a bunch of really good questions, but let me start with the the last one. Um, the ultimate appointment authority for all of our boards and committees, continues to be the select
board. Um, the VCC uh doesn't appoint anyone to anything. They only make recommendations. Um uh it's it's often been the case that um that the um select board liaison to that committee you know gets this uh gets this recommendation
from the VCC uh and doesn't they we don't often you know sort of take a second look. Um but it's it's it's it's almost always a good idea um you know to speak to the person uh to you know just to understand where they're coming from.
Um and that that's definitely an option in and in in either with the individual reappoints like we just did uh or with the vast with the big reappoints that we do at the end of the year. But I think what you're saying is uh the liaison should you know when that item shows up
on the agenda and and the the list shows up in the packet people should really look at the list for their committees to make sure nothing's going going funny. Uh so that was the first one. Um, I think I might have covered your
questions, but I'm not sure. Was there stuff that was missing, Dean? >> Well, I think I think what I'd like to see is an opportunity. I I wouldn't want to get into a situation where we don't get a chance to review the
major reappoint list until it gets in the packet and it becomes a public document. Mhm. >> I think it'll be important that we be made aware of these potential reappoints early on before it becomes a public document so we can, you know,
then if you feel it's appropriate, you can reach out to that person. >> Um, as opposed to having their name put in there and then >> having the rug yanked out from underneath them in a public session. So, I think, you know, an advanced notice of that would be good.
>> Yeah. Um I I think the right way to handle that Dean is to have um uh individual select board liaison contact the VCC chair at any time. Um because they know um you know starting about two
weeks from now. They know exactly who terms are running out uh at at the at the end of June. Um and so you can you can look at that information months ahead of time. Um, and I'd encourage people to do that.
>> Yeah, I think if and I appreciate that. I think if if we could work into this policy that we all get a copy of that potential reappoint list with a little bit of heads up time. I think that would be helpful. And then, you know, if we feel we need to
intervene, you can in sufficient time. So, a recommendation for that. Uh, Alicia, >> I would also like to make the same request that Dean is making for the spreadsheet to come to the entire
select board before the VCC sends out the reappoint request emails. So right now, number three is the first week of May where the VCC is sending out an email to anybody whose term is expiring
asking for them to say yes or no, I would like to be reappointed and that implies that the decision is up to them, right? That it's a that's a a sure thing. So even if there isn't an issue where you might decide not to reappoint
the person as the select board liaison to that board or committee because of problematic behavior. There could be the situation where there is an applicant that's been recommended and this person has served for two terms
and so you might want to term limit them. But that also that that would not come until later. So now you've asked the VCC has asked do you want to be reappointed and you've said yes and then a month or two later you find out oh never mind we're going to actually
appoint this person. Um so I think that that step should be added in um before the VCC sends out the the letter. Another um thing that I was uh going to
request I am going to request is that um number 5A says that um the select board liaison will be notified. Um, I would like that to be a
separate communication rather than embedded in the reappoint letter that comes from the VCC to the entire board. And that's that's um something that happened in the example letter that you have attached to the end
of this process that happened last year from one of my committees. And because it was embedded in the text of the letter and it was a communication to the entire board and it was uploaded to the meeting packet, I didn't it didn't stand out at me um as a communication for
Alyssa Nickel as the liaison to the water resources advisory committee. So a separate communication would be super helpful I think um for for that situation. Um I think it's for now it's time for positive feedback. I think it's
stupendous that we now have software in the clerk's office to track volunteer appointments. Um my question is has um the accuracy check been completed
because I know back in September the clerk sent that to us for individual accuracy checks. Is that all all done? Everybody responded. Um, no. There's going to be another round of accuracy checks to make sure
everything was um, you know, reflected correctly because there was, you know, was transcribed by hand. So, to move it from the Excel spreadsheet to the database. So, we'll we'll get another look at that. Yeah. >> Some more positive feedback. Um,
I love the fact that we're removing the boards that aren't appointed by the select board. that's great because they don't need to be there. Um, one other addition that I think or actually this is a change that I think should be made.
Um, it says June slash early July for uh that what number is it? Seven right after June early July. that
in my opinion needs to be June so that because terms end June 30th and I don't want any lapses to happen uh for almost all of the boards and committees it might not be an issue it is an issue with the board of health because if
their term lapses for a couple of members who were appointed 30 years ago that actually impacts their authority that they have under the state law and don't ask me to explain explain it to you because I can't. Um, but I would
love that to be June. Thank you for doing this. >> Any other comments or David? Yeah, I just wanted to say that I agree with uh Dean and Alyssa's points about being able to have the leison on review the list ahead of time and logistically it
may be that that I know you talk about sort order in here somewhere that maybe the list should be sorted by last name within committee within liaison assignment um because that also makes this you know as as we're going through pages we we can be pretty sure we
haven't missed a page with just a a few members in one committee um so anyway just suggestion. Thank you, Jim. >> I'm I'm happy to make uh those changes in the document. I'm going to check in with uh the manager's office to make
sure I'm not suggesting anything that has OML problems about sharing information. Uh but I'm sure we can figure out some way of doing this that would be entirely legal. >> David, so I I'm I'm sure that it's legal to have um the the clerk's office send
us all something. Um, and if if in some ways that it's not, that list can just be broken up by leaison assignment and you send each of us one fifth of the list. But I I'm I'm sure that that it it is legal for staff to send us something. So,
>> thank you. Thank you, Jim. This is not a very romantic thing to do. Um, >> I didn't have any soaring rhetoric. I'm sorry. >> But it it it's certainly uh it's certainly something that has tripped us up in the past. So, thank you for putting the effort into this.
>> Can I ask one more question? >> Sure. >> I know we have a 7:00 hearing, but I had this question in my notes to ask, and it may be that you've already answered it, Dean, with your first question about what do you do if we don't want to reappoint someone? Um my question is is
there any reason that these discussions can't happen in the board and committee meetings themselves where it's an agenda item and the chair says whose or announces asks or announces whose term is ending are asks are you interested in
being reappointed? Are there associate members whose time has come? art. Can that happen in board and committee meetings or is that awkward and to be avoided in a public way? >> Um, I've been on committees where that
would have been awkward and I've been on committees where that would be totally fine. I do notice that when the VCC chair sends out these notes, uh, they always, uh, CC the entire committee. Um so committee chairs can
take the opportunity to you know encourage their people to answer um and um and if they want to they can have a a public discussion about it. >> Yeah. >> Thank you Jim.
>> I'll add that that would be great for transparency purposes but I'm intrigued now by these committees. I apparently have pretty boring committees. All right. Um, it's now 7:00 and we will continue the public hearing which was
continued from several weeks ago to consider the right of first refusal pursuant to general law 61B for real property located at 46 Taylor Road. the uh
as most of you aware, we did have an executive session on this regard earlier this evening. At this point, we'd like to hear more input from the public. Um John or town staff, Kayla, if you'd like
to lead off to uh set the table for us. >> Thank you. Yes. I just wanted to mention a few things. um our playing director, Kayla Sauer, will uh be here to to help answer questions, but we did upload a memo to the packet uh early this afternoon or maybe late this morning, which included some answers to some
questions that we had been receiving uh both from members of the public and from the select board. So hopefully folks had a chance to review that. Uh we're happy to speak to any of those items here tonight. Um, we also will be bringing up
the GIS map to show the piece of property u for folks that are here uh if that helps them with their comments. Um, the primary primary points of the of the memo just to go over it uh if you'd like me to uh
is that this 5.8 acre parcel uh was in chapter 61B back since 1990. And as you all know, the the town has a right of first refusal because of the reduction in taxes that the property
owner has held from over that period of time. Um there are a lot of questions about the purchase price and the right of first refusal and whether there's an opportunity to negotiate that price and the answer is no, there is not. the the
purchase and sales agreement that was uploaded to the packet for the first public hearing um in February listed the purchase price of $1.4 million. So, if the town decides to exercise its right of first refusal, the price to that it would pay would be $1.4 million
regardless of anything else that uh we come up with. Uh, another question that came up was what type of development could go on that parcel, you know, outside of anything else. We we just recently
adopted some new zoning and our planning director did a brief analysis. Uh, I asked her, I said, "Hey, I've heard people ask me, could you put seven or eight housing units on that piece of property?" And she said, "It depends, of course."
uh but that you could uh based on the new zoning uh depending on of the size of the units and uh the other sort of the setbacks and the other things like that. You could put less than seven or you could put more than seven, but you definitely could put uh several housing units on
that piece of property uh given uh the current zoning and the land use requirements that it would would apply to it. Other questions that came up were um let's see
those are the big ones. Uh we did include a link to the wetland delineation plan that the conservation commission approved last year or maybe it was two years ago which just clarifies that even though people use the GIS system and can see the wetlands
uh what actually is out there for wetlands has been further clarified and and approved and it's it's a different layout. So uh we have all that information here to show. Um Kayla's here to provide any context to things I got wrong. Uh and we can we can just kick off the public portion if you'd
like to. >> Okay. Thank you. Um so I I will also acknowledge that all members of the board received a number of emails from folks speaking one way or
another about the purchase of the property and lots of different ideas. And these are certainly um things that we'll take into consideration. I think right now I'd like to spend some time with folks coming forward that have
any particular comments they'd like to make um about the purchase or not of this property. And when you come forward, please identify yourself by name, by street address, and uh use the mic. And we're
going to try to keep it to uh 3 minutes per comment. Thank you. Hi, Phoebe Conet, Naog Hill Road. Um, I'm also the president of the Friends of the Arboritum. I'll keep it very short. I know that I think probably
for we've made made it clear we would love to see this this property get purchased. Um, and I know that there's a lot of call for affordable housing in this town and I am in support of that. My only comment would be that we can
expand housing anywhere, but we can't expand the arburetum anywhere. So, just the uniqueness of this opportunity specifically to the to the arboritum itself. Um, I don't want to be anti-ousing. I don't want to be, but
it's it's just we can't buy 5 acres across town and have it achieve the same goal. So, um, just wanted to stress that and to say that should the town go in favor of doing this, the friends
of the arboritum stand to help, you know, promote and and get public support for for the purchase. But anyway, thank you. >> Thank you. Anyone else? Hi, I'm Susie Maxwell 1249 Taylor Road.
Um, I just wanted to speak very strongly in favor of exercising our right of first refusal and having the town buy this um the entirety of 46 Taylor Road. Uh, with the purchase of this land, we can guarantee 100% that it will be
public land with public access access for all. Without this purchase, even if some of the land remains open space, um that space, there's no guarantee that additional parking or um you know, non-public access. Uh this land is
within a quarter of a mile of the center of town, of the town hall, of the library. It's at the heart of our community. Um and I really think that this is community preservation at its best in the heart of Actton. Thank you.
Thank you. Other comments. Hi, Sally Bond at 427 Main Street. Uh I spoke at the February meeting and since then I've been thinking a lot about the uh piece of land and so forth. And I think that Susie mentioned that um this
this land is kind of unique. I think I can't think of another town that has a big piece of public land that is used as much as as the arboritum right in the center of their town. I don't believe there's any other piece of property
around the arboritum that could be added at a later date. I think this is a a one-time opportunity. Uh, I also know that u depending on if it's not purchased by the town, depending on what
whoever purchases it or whoever uses it decides on, some of the paths that exist right now due to Mary Donald's um, generosity would no longer be accessible. There's that possibility. uh the main
main path that leads to the back sort of wilderness of the arboritum uh is partly on her land. I also know from knowing Mary when she lived here and talking to her at various times that
it was her hope that the land would be saved for conservation whether given directly to the town or not. I I don't know. I don't know why this has changed and the family decided to sell the land. Uh it's not by business. I don't know.
But I think this would be a great honor to Mary who was a long-term resident also if it gets our added to the arburetum which she loved very much. >> Thank you. Abinav Shukla, Sweeney Farm Lane,
Actton. Um, also want to add my voice in support of uh the town exercising its right of first refusal. Um this is a unique property and I would say that the actton arboritum has served a very unique aim in terms of teaching young
children uh young scouts as well the value of conservation the value of uh biodiversity uh learning a lot about various kinds of plants and other wildlife found in our area. It's really truly unique and is a is an attractant
for our towns from all over. people come from all over to actually visit the actton arboritum. So I feel that if we can add to that space, this is a one-time opportunity and will not be um if you fragment the land uh there will be a loss of biodiversity over there. Um
so that's all. Thanks. >> Thank you. Other comments from the public. Hi, Michaela Moran, 80 school street.
I'm in South Aton. I'm um here to talk about a couple of comments that I heard at the last part of this public hearing. And one was uh I think addressed slightly this by um Mr. Majerati a
minute ago saying you know someone said well it's great why don't we just let one house be built there and it's not possible to limit the number of houses that get built on a parcel in a particular town. They go by zoning
regulation not by what we wish. So, um, want everybody to know that it's not just one house that could go there. I want to make sure everyone knows that. Um, two, this is, um,
a scenic roadway, and the scenic roadway that passes by Taylor Road is enhanced by those beautiful stone walls, which would no longer be there if somebody did develop it. And uh there was a third
point I had to make and I can't remember what it is now. So I'll let you all go. Thank you. Any other public comment? I'll check with my colleagues to see if folks would like to speak. And Jim,
yeah, let's go ahead. Um, I have a point of view that's different than many of my colleagues. Um, which is that I'm inclined not to exercise the right of first refusal on this property. And I thought it should be that point of view should be
expressed out loud so we can understand it. Um, let's see. The first part is um the arboritum is a wonderful important place. Uh, I've spent many, many hours
there, uh, crawling through the bushes, uh, pulling out invasive plants and just enjoying the the beauty of it. Um, and I I don't think that this particular property, um, I think the arboritum's
great the way it is. I don't think it needs more acres. Uh, sometimes things are good the way they are. Uh in particular with this property when I look at it, what I see is I see about 40 yards of
nice important connecting trails uh that connect, you know, the sort of more formal part of the arboritum with the with the with the more of the back woods area. Um so I think in two ways about that. one, I think, um, well, if we had to, we
could have that trail go on the outside of the stone wall instead of, you know, the inside of the stone wall. U, I also think that it may well be the case that the, uh, owners of that land will say, "Oh, sure. We'll sell you a trail easement, you know, give us a few
dollars." Or they'll just simply give us the land, which is also a possibility under the um, Habitat for All bylaw, because they might not want to maintain all that land. Um the other aspect of that land that I'm
very familiar with is uh it's um uh I guess I would call it negative wildlife value. Um it's filled with um monocultural invasive plants. Um
um you know barberry uh knotweed uh garlic mustard. Um there's not a lot left in there. Um the arburitum already has plenty of land that's like that and they have done a wonderful the people working there have
done a wonderful job of reclaiming uh you know a couple hundred square feet at a time uh and replanting it with natives uh and and bringing that back to life. Uh it's a slow uh and in the case of replanting expensive process. I I don't
think adding another five acres of of um degraded land is uh the right thing to do. I think there's plenty more to do in the existing arburedom without adding in uh a management nightmare. Um the other thing that's been mentioned about uh
this parcel is the um oh maybe we could have parking there. Um what I think is you know maybe but maybe um maybe the arburedom has enough people in it already. Uh maybe we don't want um you
know uh to have it be more crowded than it is. But if we do want more people, uh I'm looking ahead to a future date, maybe a few years from now, uh when there might be parking, uh parking spots available on the Conan School because
there is uh uh you know, that wonderful extension of the of the of the trail system that goes and ends just a few yards away from the the Conan school entrance there. I think it'd be a natural place to have parking. Um I on the housing aspect I I have mixed
feelings like like everybody else. Um I I I when I look at the Habitat for All bylaw, what I see is either uh we're going to get a relatively small number of houses um
large typical, you know, act and center kinds of houses or we're going to get some a larger number of smaller affordable units. Um which frankly I'd love to see. We don't have enough of those in Actton. Um, so I feel like I'm
throwing away all my credentials right now to say all this uh because I've been such a strong advocate for uh land protection in the past. Um, but $1.4 million uh when I think about what that takes
away from what we can do uh in other areas of the town's life, I I'm not happy. So, I'll uh I'll offer some comments. Um, personally, I'm very much in favor of
the town purchasing the entire property, exercising our right of first refusal. I think there's in in the next few weeks or couple of months, there's going to be lots of discussion about how exactly you come up
with the money for it. uh whether there's right now there's not enough money in the open space set aside um to purchase the entire thing outright. Um even if the community preservation committee
recommends a very large allocation towards open space this year, which I'm not sure that's going to happen, but even if they do, there still probably won't be enough to buy the entire thing outright. It's probably going to end up being something that's going to have to be bonded over a
period of time, which is the same as what we've done on a number of other parcels in the past. Uh I think a couple of considerations people have come up with is, you know, the exact use of the land. Uh exactly
how active could the use be? I think that is a a detail that needs to be worked out depending upon uh whether or not we can get CPC funding to purchase it. Um there are some restrictions on how active the use can be.
I look at the rest of the argu about what it looked like uh around 1980 and I don't think that anyone would envision how nice it looks compared to what it was back then. Um the uh the
examples that Jim, my colleague, has used about the condition of the 46 Taylor Road that would be applicable for basically most of the entirety of what's now the arboritum. Uh and it's going to take a long time to
eventually clean it up and do something with it. But the important factor is that if we own it, we own it forever. And if it takes 50 years or 100 years to fully activate someone's vision of that,
we got the time to do it. If we don't take our activate our right of first refusal, it goes away. 1.4 million might seem like a lot of money, but it's not an unreasonable
amount of money considering what house lots go for and act. um you know 300,000 a piece or or north of that maybe even higher because of its proximity to a really nice feature like the arboritum
that yes there are some wetlands and there are some constraints to development of the land but we've seen uh with ongoing litigation on other pieces of land elsewhere in town uh developers
have deep pockets and they've got lots of patience and they will pursue something for years and years to try to wear us down. And I'm thinking of an ongoing battle that we've been having at some property on Spring Hill Road, um,
which requires crossing of wet land in order to get to a piece of dry upland, which would make a really nice house lot. And I'm looking at the uh some of that back land at 46 Taylor Road and what a great spot that would be for some
very expensive houses which would basically dominate the arboritum. So, uh, I think there's a lot of discussion to be had about, uh, funding sources and
eventual uses the land, but personally, I think we've got exactly one shot to make sure that this stays in public use and we can work out over the years exactly what's going to be done with
that. Um, some of the ideas been floated around, some I agree with and some I don't agree with, frankly. But that's for future generations to work on. So that's just my feeling and I'm eager to hear comments from my other
colleagues. Alicia, >> thanks Dean. And and thank you to all of the public members who've emailed and spoken tonight and also at the last meeting when we had a public hearing back in early February. Um I want to I
want to address your comments, Jim, about the land being degraded and full of invasives. And I and I think that what Dean said is important that the rest of the property looked very similar
40 years ago in the 80s. Um I also want to talk about the arboritum that exists today is a very nice property. It's very well used.
It's very valued both in Actton and regionally. Um, and maybe since we've been living with it at this c at this existing size that it is, sure, it it's just fine the way that it is. But I do
think that the context matters here. And I think that we need to look at how the property the arboritum would be impacted by a development. So, I actually
became interested and started participating in town government um when a property that was adjacent to my property in South Actton um was
proposed to be developed and we had the same finding or assessment of the land that it was full of invasives. Um I don't think the word degraded was used. Um but in that situation like the
arboritum the context and the location mattered a lot. So it was a property that was actually very similar in size 6 acres but it was adjacent to the historic district and it was uh above
the street elevation. So it would have if it had been developed it would have been now the backdrop for the historic district which had been identified by town meeting in the '9s to be protected um by adopting the South
Actton historic district and so that mattered and I think that this is very similar. So, yes, the the land currently as it exists needs a lot of of work and effort and and like Dean said, it could take decades before it's brought up to
um the aesthetics of the existing arburetum. But if it's not and we discount it because it's full of invasives and it's degraded currently then once it's developed it will impact the value of the arboritum in my
opinion. Um so like dema I'm also in favor of exercising our right of first refusal. David. >> So, um um I I think that we uh the town should acquire the property and
incorporate it into the arburidum, but I have a little bit different opinion on on the use. Um the uh this property would increase the size of the arburedom by about 9%. For about a quarter million
dollars an acre. That's a lot, right? um for all the things that we have that the town has to finance and things that that that's a lot of money. To me, one way to increase the value of this property is to allow future generations of actonians
to use this rand land for recreation. So incorporated into the arburetum only about um I don't know exactly how many but only part of the parts of the ar arburedom are deed restricted conserved parts of the arburedom are not that they
they could have recreation on them and and we make a decision as to what to do. I mean we decided not to not to put recreation there but this particular parcel with its street access and everything um I I think could be used for for recreation. Um I'm concerned for
future generations that the the parcels that we have available to us for recreation in future generations um is not enough. Um and the these generations, you know, us right now, we have benefited by pieces of property
that were purchased in the past and that that we use um uh for various activities. And I would like to see us do the same thing here. I I just want to emphasize that I'm not suggesting that we build anything now. I I'm you know I
don't expect anything to happen in um uh you know for decades but I think it should be there um for for future generations. Um Dean mentioned um probably the need to um do bonding to
buy part of this land uh even if we preserved it. Bonding by the way is borrowing. So we, you know, we would sell municipal bonds, which is the same as taking out a loan. Um, uh, we could also take out a loan and buy the whole thing for recreation paid for out of, um, uh, uh, CPA funds. Obviously, the
CPC has to agree to that, but um, that that's that's my preference. To me, that increases the value of the land a lot. Um, and it, you know, um, uh, and it, uh, preserves it, makes it belong to the town.
Thank you, Fran. >> I really don't have too much to add, but I am on board with acquiring this parcel. I mean, it it is kismment really, and I think that we have to snap
them up um when we can. And um yeah, I'm ready to vote. No, >> there are two people online, Mr. Chair. Uh yes. Um, so could we uh let the online folks in
>> Gil Watt, you just have to unmute. >> Uh, good evening. Um, thank thank you very much. Um, I Gil Watt uh for Old Barn Way. Sorry. Um, I I really appreciate the letter that was written
by the town describing all of the background and the details. And I just have one question as we discuss the uh cost which is if it were to be developed there would also be additional real estate real estate tax revenue which if
the town were to acquire it would be lost forever. Um so it's not just the 1.4 million, it's that plus all of the additional revenue that we wouldn't get. I I believe that but I don't know. I know that's hard to estimate. Um as well um the the other thing is I I find I you
know as I listen to all the arguments that all of us here benefit from previous generations that have acquired the open space that we enjoy uh we all also benefit from uh development house
our houses were all built on land that didn't have houses on it before. And so I I I just want to point out that what we're acquiring the land for us and for future generations of people who have houses to live in, but if we develop it,
there are houses for future generations to live in to enjoy the arboritum in their backyard. Um and and I think we might want to think of those children as well. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Call in user two. I'm sorry, call-in user one. Uh, yes, this is Tara from up here on Massav and I have a question and then a comment. The question is, is to exercise the right of first refusal? Is
that a majority of the select board? Who who who votes to exercise the option? I believe it's the majority of the board, but I will the town manager is nodding as well. So, >> okay. Thank you. So, I think that we
have um a majority of the board in support of exercising the option and then everybody can argue about it while the special town meeting uh uh materials go out and the planning the logistics happen. And so I I my comment is that uh first of all I'm like I feel like I'm in
the Twilight Zone that I'm on the same side as Dean who wants to acquire uh and preserve uh land and uh speaking against Jim Snyder Grant who is advocating to not preserve the land. So I think that's really interesting. Um I I also I I I
don't know if we can sell it any time to get the money back, but land is like cash. you you can basically sell it at any time you want. I mean, if we had a preservation restriction, I think if you use CPA money, there would be. But I also want to uh just say the last thing is that um the zoning the Habitat for
all in my view builders um is not about affordable housing because um unless it is because there's a a buy component that allows them to build million-dollar condos um but that that have nothing to do with affordable housing. And if you can see on Pearl Street in West Actton
where it was zoned for multifamily housing, all they did was connect two mansions and they've got $2 million condos and that's certainly not any more affordable than the house next door. So I I believe that there's way more value
in preserving this land and uh if they build on it that it'll just go back to invasives anyways. that owning it will allow us the ability to actually uh maintain the land um and reduce the amount of invasives. So I hope you vote to exercise the option and then we all
can prepare our presentations and fight it out town meeting. Thank you. Uh so for me >> thank you. It is I do find it unsettling. Sorry, the last thing I just I >> Yeah, I just want to say please let us vote. Bring it to town meeting and let
us decide. Thanks. >> Thank you. >> Unless there's any other comments from the public, uh we'd like to figure out how to proceed. Um, now my observation is that we're we're still expecting a uh
there's there's still some more information that we're gathering about this parcel and uh I think we'll be bringing this up at a subsequent select board meeting uh in two weeks and
unless my colleagues would push for a vote to exercise our right of first refusal at this point um I I think we might end up continuing this for another two weeks. Alyssa, >> I know Fran's ready to vote, but I would
like to move that we continue this hearing until March 23rd at >> Oh, 16th, sorry. March 16th
>> at 6:30 p.m. >> Okay, we've got a motion. We get a second. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded to continue until March 16th, 6:30 p.m. Um, all in favor say I.
>> I. >> I. >> I. >> Opposed abstensions. Okay. Thank you very much. Hope to see a lot of you back here in a couple of weeks. David, I I just wanted to answer a couple of people's questions that I heard. If it would only take me a minute, Mr. Chair,
um uh if the uh land was developed, yes, it would become taxable land and the people would pay taxes on that land by the new subdivision rules. Um at least um 60% of the land would be resource land. That land could be donated to the
town um or or kept by the people who developed the developed the land. Um uh there has to be a town meeting vote um for several things. There has to be if we use CPC funds or if we borrow money
um o almost certainly there has to be a vote of town meeting um to close this. It can actually be uh the vote of town meeting can before be before or after we close the deal. So, for example, at our annual town meeting, we could ask town meeting to authorize the board to make
the final purchase or we could set everything up for the final purchase and have a special town meeting to make the the final purchase. It can be done either either way. Uh we'd probably avoid the special town meeting if we can because it that costs us money.
>> Thank you. All right. Um item seven, assign review and take positions on town meeting articles. >> John, you want to lead off? >> Thank you. Um yes. So as mentioned uh
and as one of the goals of the select board this year is to try to get warrant article information out there um in a more transparent way. We have listed all the articles that we'll be discussing tonight uh for people to uh so they know. so the audience knows
what we're talking about and can follow along if they'd like and then we'll any actions that the board takes we'll record in the actions taken document that Lisa publishes after the meeting. So there are a package that we put in the packet for you to review tonight. Um
I think about 15 or 20. I can go through each of them individually. I'll go fast for the for the easy ones. Does that sound good? >> Sure. >> Okay. Choose article one. Choose town officers. This is from the clerk's office. These are the officers um that are up for
um being chosen and um so the if the board would want to take a position on that, the information is all here. Um article two is accept town reports. We are Lisa
and Leo and Tom and others are actively working to finalize the annual town report and this is town meetings chance to officially accept it. The board usually recommends this um just as a
matter of course. Um article five these are the capital projects that are part of the capital plan for uh one-time expenses. Most of these are funded from free cash. I can go through each of them uh individually. Typically what the
moderator does at the town meeting is is she will list she'll announce them and ask for people to hold them um at the meeting if a project is someone someone wants to talk about a particular project. Um I'll just go through these. So the first one is sidewalks and complete streets program. Uh the
Department of Public Works requested a lot more money than this to fund sidewalks and complete streets, but because we were trying to find ways to reduce the budget, uh we decided to uh take a a smaller approach to the program
this year, we're going to appropriate $101,000. And we're actually going to reappropriate former sidewalk uh and complete streets articles that have expired or have uh have surplus funding remaining in them. So the next one is uh the police fleet
cruiser replacement program. This is to to m to replace uh three or potentially four police cruisers next year. Uh it's usually supplemented with energy efficiency funds if they're hybrids, which they usually have been.
The next one is to continue work on building improvements and roof design for facilities. We have a lot of that work underway. Uh we have a good study from three years ago as a foundation. We have a facilities manager now helping to lead the effort. So we just need funding
to continue the work in u improving our physical plant. The IT department has proposed some new infrastructure under item D stormwater program. This is a similar story to item A. The DPW requested I believe 800 or $900,000 for the
stormwater program this year. And because we're trying to reduce the overall expenses that we're asking of the town, we've we've reduced this to a smaller amount to try to advance a few design projects and keep momentum but not fund to the extent that was
requested. Item F is a replacement of a facilities vehicle which is used for transporting things and also for winter um winter operations. Item G is radio replacements, continuing that work. Item H is a software system
for the police department to help with recordkeeping and some other modern modernization efforts. Item I is more IT equipment to preserve and to protect our networks.
Item J is fire hose replacements. Item K is $10,000 to conduct a reuse planning study for the Morrison Farm property, building on existing work on that property and taking the next step um for
as a community. Article So that's article five. Article six is the borrowing authorization for the town hall HVAC and emergency power replacement program project rather. This
is a $3.75 million project. We're asking town meeting for $2.75 million because we have a million dollar grant. Uh there was a extensive presentation about this a few weeks ago. U we have made again this is a draft. So, since
this was published on Friday, we made some minor content changes to the article. No, no substance, just it makes it make it read a little better. Um, we happy to take any other further comments you have on that. So, that's article six. Article 7,
this is DPW project. This reflects the approach that the board approved at the last meeting, which is to take this in phases and to go full speed ahead with phase one at this town meeting and request the funding to do the design for that project.
Article the next one is article 11. This is new uh newer. Um the opioid settlements u have been in process for several years now and the attorney general's office
and other um actors have negotiated settlements on our behalf and we get funding every year from the different pharmaceutical companies. Um there was an initial trunch of funding that came in the first
year that we had and it ended up being closed out to free cash because the state laws didn't allow for us to retain that. Since that time, the funding that we've been getting from the settlements have been kept in receipts reserved. Receipts reserved means it just sits there until it's appropriated at town
meeting. And so what we're proposing is to establish an opioid settlement stabilization fund and then in a in a subsequent article appropriate funds into that opioid settlement stabilization fund to then use with uh
for the purposes that you're required to use those funds for related to public health, substance use disorder prevention, harm reduction, treatment, recovery, and other related programs. This is an effort led by the director of health and human services and she's
prepared to make a full presentation at at your next meeting or or if you'd like uh at a future meeting, but I just wanted to get this article in front of you now so you had chance to review it and think about it in the meantime. Article 12,
this is as I mentioned um a place where we'd be appropriating to stabilization and trust funds. And there are five and I'll walk through them. The first is
uh we're proposing to appropriate $300,000 from free cash to the OPED trust. This was part of the planning and financial uh strategy that we talked about all winter and fall for how we're going to start using reserve funds to to fund our oped liability instead of
always relying only on the operating budget. This is the first time we're doing it here in the amount of $300,000. The next item is um an appropriation of $400,000 to the capital stabilization fund. This is an effort to continue to
use our reserves to prepare for major capital projects, which we know we have several, and to use this funding to help offset future borrowing costs for for those big projects. Item C is the same thing. This
is a little more complex. Item C is another appropriation to this capital stabilization fund. However, this time the $400,000 is actually funding that we've received through two intermunicipal agreements.
Uh if you recall uh we negotiated intermissal agreements with the case collaborative and with the active box regional school district where they would contribute each $500,000 towards the reconstruction of our fuel depot. Um
those payments have started to come in and they're sitting and waiting for us to use them. So, what I'm proposing to do with that funding is to put it into capital stabilization so that we can use it to either a pay pay down the debt on the fuel depot or b use it for another
capital project. Um, that would helps with our significant capital needs. Item D is the appropriation to the opioid stabilization fund that I referenced earlier. If article 11 is approved, we
would propose to move $167,000 from that reserve receipts reserved account that I mentioned earlier into that stabilization fund to be used for the purposes for which it's allowed. There's a lot in this article, I'm realizing, but uh I'm going to continue.
Item E is an appropriation to the acting community housing corporation trust fund of $185,000. This is the proceeds from the sale of a property on West Road that recently was it was restricted
affordable but it reached the end of the restriction and because it was in a condition that couldn't be rehabbed without overhauling the whole affordability component. it was sold in the open market and the proceeds or a
portion of the proceeds come to the town because of that restriction. In the past when this has happened, it's only happened a few times, but in the past, those funds uh received from the sale of a formally affordable housing unit were appro were appropriated and set aside
for the affordable housing corporation to use for future projects related to housing. Do you want me to keep going? Because I will. I'm just I'm just checking in. >> Okay, I'll keep going. >> Let's keep going.
>> Okay. Uh so then we jump, you know, there's a bunch of articles that we're working on that aren't ready to to bring forward, but uh the next one that's ready for for us is article 22. This is authorizing revolving revolving fund budgets. We have several revolving
funds that we use to run different programs in several of our different departments. Those revolving funds need to have a budget that's approved by town meeting every year. This is the article that we're proposing to do that. And the each they're each listed here. Fire
alarm, building inspector, sealer of weights, food service, hazardous materials, historic district, storm water, cross town connect, roadway maintenance, public shade tree, fire prevention, senior center, and recreation. Those are all programs that
you're familiar with. Um, our budget director has been reporting quarterly out on the um expenses and revenues in those revolving funds of the finance committee, and we publish those online if you're interested in reviewing those reports. And this represents what we
believe we'll bring in next year and what we're proposing to spend in each of those accounts. The moderate, this is typically a um consent agenda article. Um and then the next several
are also typically consent agenda articles. The first is the commuter lot and station maintenance budget which also operates like a revolving fund. Uh so we have to declare how much we're going to be bringing in and how much we
want to spend from that and that's done in this article. Article 24 same thing for the disposal septage disposal enterprise budget. We bring in revenues and we're setting aside a specific budget for how much of those we're going to spend for the programs related to
that um revenue. Article 25 is the enterprise fund that we run the transfer station with. It shows what we're This one's not ready for you to be recommending tonight because we have two yellow places that need to be filled out, but I just wanted to have it in
front of you. Uh the next one is a sewer enterprise. Same thing. Um this shows what we're projecting to bring in and how much we're budgeting and what we'll be asking the town to approve for a budget for that enterprise. Article 27
is the ambulance enterprise budget. Um, article 28 is the transportation enterprise budget. Each of these transportation each of these enterprises operate almost as if they're their own business. It's a business unit of the
organization that brings in revenue specifically for the programs and services that they provide and uses it just for those. So, the money comes in for the purpose and it's spent for that purpose. It can't be used for anything else. So, they're treated as their own separate business unit. And so each of these articles are approving those
business units um going forward. Article 29 you already recommended last week. Let's see where are we? 30 32 33 34 you already re recommended.
So we're to 36. We uh town meeting authorized the town manager to enter into long-term solar agreements in very specific cases a few years ago. This is providing more broad broader authority
um to allow for us to be uh able to react to to opportunities that come up for long-term energy contracts. Um the sustainability director is prepared to provide a presentation on
this as needed and we'll make sure that whichever select board member is assigned is fully uh becoming an expert on it um as this moves forward. Uh other ones we haven't done yet are 39.
This is um another local acceptance of Mass General law which would allow um more flexibility for surviving spouses to access the town's health insurance
for an employee that passes away before they actually retire. So that's a lot. Um, and it's in the packet for those that wanted to dive in. Um, and I think the the action that we'd ask of the board tonight is to
um consider taking positions on any of those uh or to ask us any questions or any follow-up information you want us to get u for you to be able to to make a recommendation. >> Okay. Um well, let's try to knock some of these off. Article one, choose town
officers. Um, would anyone care to make a motion on recommending that? >> Jim, >> question. >> Yes. Um, I'm thinking that the
rearrangement of the uh library bylaws won't have taken place yet. So this this procedure of having town meeting approve the West Act and Citizens Library and having general elections for the memorial library trustees is still
appropriate. Okay, great. I happily move that uh the select board recommend article one. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. All in favor recommending article one. Uh, Alyssa,
>> I just have a point um to make that that was a nod for the minutes. >> That was an affirmative. >> That was a yes to Jim's question from Alyssa. Yes, that's still appropriate. >> Yeah. Okay. All right. All in favor say I. >> I. I.
>> Opposed? Extensions. Okay. Um, while we're here, look for a uh someone who might uh like to be assigned to that. Did you put your hand up and then down
really quickly? >> No, I I can do it. >> Okay. So, >> you article two, receive and accept reports. >> Would anyone like to make a motion? Alicia,
>> I have a question. Maybe two questions. Does this include the annual town report for this year? I got a little confused because it says not already reported
in the summary. Nope. in the wording of the article. >> Yeah, I think that that just references the idea that maybe there's a town report that didn't get accepted last year and this is our chance to do it. This is intended to for the board to
accept the 2025 annual town report, >> but for some reason there was a supplement to the 2024 report, this would be a chance to approve that as well. So, this article does not is not asking us to approve the 2026
report. No, sorry, the 20. Nope, it is >> the one that we're currently working on that folks have uh had a deadline of February 20. >> Yeah. So, the report the annual report is a calendar year where it's where everything else we do is a fiscal year.
So, it does create a little bit of um inconsistency and confusion, but the intent for this article is for the town meeting to adopt the 2025 calendar year annual town report, >> which is what we're working on currently. >> Yes. >> Okay. When do we expect that report to
be available, published? >> Um, definitely before town meeting. >> Before town meeting. All right. So, I would not feel comfortable voting to recommend or not recommend a report that I have not yet read.
Even though I'm sure I'll love it and not have any issues with it, it just doesn't feel quite right. >> Mhm. >> Other thoughts? I'm fine with waiting until we have the either have the report or we can do the night before town meeting if this is but
um I I'm I'm fine to wait until we have the report. Okay, unless anybody feels differently, let's move on to the next one. Um article five, appropriation for town capital equipment
and projects. >> Question, Jim. Um I if the board votes to exercise its right of first refusal uh and needs to come up with money uh for some of the borrowing perhaps from
oh free cash. Um would that rewrite this article and or rewrite the budget that we just transmitted to the finance committee? My my recommendation would be to leave this uh as proposed and decide uh what
additional funding would be used to to make that acquisition if needed. Uh we do our free cash position was certified at um a pretty healthy number. with this spending that's proposed, we're going to be at the higher end of the range that
we like to be, which is three between 3 to 5% of our budget. And so, um, I think one one item that may change if there's free cash that needs to be used is article 12, I think it was,
where we're appropriating money to capital stabilization and OPED. That would be an area where maybe the board decides to to scale back if we needed free cash for something else. But I I would highly recommend that you do not um change these projects for any
proposed land acquisition. >> Um I'm happy to move to recommend article 5. >> Okay. Uh second. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. >> I have a question. Alicia, >> just a question
about the AML data center. It says it um will reach vendor end of support in April. Is that next month or is that next year? >> Both would be concerning. Both are
concerning to me. But um I can I can confirm that might be too much information to have in this >> um >> well the only it's concerning that shouldn't be but if we reach the end of support in April of this year that's
before town meeting and maybe that's not an issue because it's just a few days but I just I just wanted to know and And that's for I don't know what letter. >> D. >> Yeah.
>> D. >> Yeah. I think when when it reaches the ends of vendor support, it doesn't mean it stops working. It just means they don't help you as much as they used to when it breaks. Um, so I think it's Carl Carl has it under control. We're getting it replaced as soon as we can.
Regardless of which April it is, we want these things replaced. Okay. Uh we had it moved and seconded. Uh all in favor of uh recommending article five, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed?
Abstensions. Um I would be happy to act as uh select board member assigned to this. Just to note, the number five isn't listed on the agenda.
My bad. Um I still think we could the board could still take a position on it. >> Okay. >> Um because it it's part of the articles that were it was in the packet, I believe. >> So, okay. Um, article six, authorized borrowing for town hall HVAC and
emergency power replacement project. And anybody care to make a motion? >> Move to recommend. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded to recommend. All in favor say I.
>> I. Here. >> I know you are. Um, but I thought we were gonna discuss after we move and second. Um the warrant for last year was 3,00 sorry 3,750,000.
So has there been no increase in cost from inflation since we're taking away 1 million and it's still 1 million from the same number as last year. And that's that's great, but I was
surprised that the cost hasn't gone up. Okay. I believe that the Warren article last year was a little less. Um, but I'd have to look. The cost estimates that we've been given, um, we found last week as a ballpark that were still within the
range, but our designer and OPM are cross-checking those numbers. Uh we've looked at the funding opportunities that we have either the grant or the borrowing um article or the EF to be
able to offset uh any expenses that are beyond what we anticipate, but the 3.75 number at last check was still within the ballpark, but we'll know more in the next week. >> Thank you. I did I did check last year's
warrant just to make sure I remembered correctly. So that was the number, but it sounds like it's fine because we've got other offset possibilities. >> Okay, I think we got moved and seconded. And
all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Abstensions. Um, assignment. Um, David, I think this got your name on it. >> Thank you. Okay. Um, article 7, authorized
borrowing for design of new public works facility, 14 Forest Road. >> I move that we recommend article 7. >> We got a second. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Discussion.
Okay. All in favor of recommending article seven, please say I. I. >> I. Opposed. Abstensions. >> Okay. >> That has your name written all over it. >> That's It does, doesn't it?
All right. Article 11, establish an opioid settlement stabilization fund. I move to recommend article 11. >> A second. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Discussion.
>> All right. >> I can take this as the board of health leison on. >> Okay. All in favor of recommending this, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed extensions.
And somebody raised their hand. Mhm. >> It's yours. Article 12, appropriations to stabilization and trust funds. >> Uh, entertain a motion.
>> Move to recommend. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Discussion. >> Elissa. I have one question about whether or not we want to clarify in the summary for C that the intermuniciple
agreements are a source of revenue because I think uh John you shared that in your narrative when you introduced it to us that we were getting I mean you don't have to put the certain the specific dollar amount but maybe saying that those because not all intermal
agreements result in the town receiving money. So I think that would be helpful for folks. >> Yeah, we can we can certainly and we will do a little bit of word smithing and making this all sound better. It does say that uh but it definitely could be clearer.
>> Okay, moved and seconded. All in favor of recommending article 12, please say I. I >> opposed abstensions. Okay. Would anyone >> take that sir? >> You want to take that? >> Okay.
We'll let David take that one. Article 22, authorize revolving fund budgets. I move to recommend article 22. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Discussion. Lissa. I
have a question about the table and the question is why is it set up so that we have the same fund balance at the end of FY27
which is above 0 for everyone but the senior center and recreation. Is there a reason that we want for for instance I think that it's a great idea to have a fund balance. I think it's here
$200,000 in storm water um for those unexpected situations or road maintenance um things changing costs. Um but is there a reason that there are some fund balances that are spent down and all the others are
not? like why aren't we using those monies to provide services? >> Thank you. Thank you for the question. I think and this is something that the finance committee uh asks Ellie about every every quarter um and she reports out on different um uses. A lot of it is
used for capital uh within those programs. So, for example, um the fire alarm network. Um now, as you know, we're in the process of phasing out the fire alarm network.
So, that may look differently in 4 years than it looks now, but one of the things that we had been doing is to setting aside some funding to replace that fire alarm truck that has the bucket on it. And that was the idea with that funding right there. If we end up not needing
that, then we may have to revisit what we do. But that's one example of of how we use the um uh retained earnings rather than just spending them down. In some cases, we do spend them down. Uh but in other cases,
we try to use them strategically to offset um some of our significant capital needs. >> All right. Thank you. And I just want to correct my statement. It wasn't the senior center and recreation. It was public shade tree and senior center. So,
sorry about that. >> We might get funding in the public shade tree one this year. It'll be the first time ever. We'll see. >> David. Yes. Um I presume that these numbers will be updated after Q2
before town meeting. Is that correct? I mean, Ellie will know what we spent in I'm I'm sorry, Q3. Ellie will know what we spent in Q3 um well before town meeting by by the end of >> uh I think we feel pretty good about these numbers, but we certainly could um
we certainly could double check them after that point. It's it's an estimated fund fund balance. It's not it's not a definite one. Okay. Um, moved and seconded. All in
favor of recommending article 22, please say I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> Opposed. Abstensions. Uh, who would like to take this consent item? David.
Okay. Um, article 23, approved commuter lot and station maintenance budget. >> I move to recommend article 23. >> Second. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Discussion. Alyssa.
I think I remember that we had someone on the board had suggested at a recent meeting that we revisit the rates because the lot use has increased and I'm wondering if we have any idea when
that might happen and if we did increase the rate would it make any sign meaningful difference to these estimates? >> John That's a uh that's a great question. It
brings up um a timely subject. So, uh Patrick being in his first um year or his first year at this point, uh we're focused on a few other things outside of this, but this is still on the radar. Um after we get past town meeting in the new fiscal year, uh we intend on looking at the rates and taking a full
assessment on any recommendations that we've made to the board. Um we are looking at different ways of uh ticketing there or usage I should say. So we'll hopefully have another announcement for the board uh in the next month or so as well.
>> Jim, >> um just an um edit the columns that say transfer to transportation that's actually article 28, not 25 this year. 123. Yeah.
>> Alissa, >> just want to offer one more piece of information. Thank you, Tom, for that update on the timing. Um, I'm not suggesting that we would raise revenue just for the sake of charging people more. Um, the discussion is related to
the rates going down because of the pandemic and and not uh 100% use of the lot. there was a lot less demand. So this this discussion of the board to bring the rates um to increase the rates is to bring them back in alignment with
uh precoid rates. >> It's nice to see the law packed. >> You don't need to spot. >> Okay. Um Jim, >> this has the word transportation in it. I'd be willing to take it. >> Okay.
And All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Extensions. Okay. And Jim's got it. >> Article 24, approve septage disposal enterprise budget.
I move to uh recommend article 24. >> Second. >> I'm happy to take this one. >> It has the word septage in it. >> Yep. Okay. Uh moved and seconded. All in favor say I. >> I >> I
>> opposed extensions. Okay. And Alyssa gets this one. >> Okay. Um, article 25 approve transfer station recycling enterprise budget. Alyssa, >> I
am again not comfortable voting. Yeah, we've still got the >> We are going to hold this. >> Yeah, we'll hold. >> Yeah, >> you didn't take note of the little yellow marks. >> Article 26, approve sewer enterprise budget.
>> I move that we recommend article 26. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Discussion. >> I would be happy to take this one, too. Okay. All in favor of recommending article 26, please say I. I. >> I.
>> Opposed? Abstensions. Okay. Um approve ambulance enterprise budget. Entain a motion. Move to recommend. >> Okay. Second. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Discussion.
All right. Uh, all in favor of recommending artic 26, please say I. >> 27. >> 27. Sorry. Yep. >> I >> I >> uh opposed abstensions. Okay. Recommended.
Um, who would like to take this one? Cran. Thank you. Article 28, approve transportation enterprise budget. Uh >> move we recommend this article. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Discussion.
>> Okay. All in favor of recommending article 28. Please say I. >> I. >> I. >> Opposed. It has the word transportation in it. >> And it's got transportation in it. That's me. >> There's Jim. Authorize
article 29 authorized easements. >> We did this one. >> Uh, yep, we did. Okay. >> We might need a person though. >> Yes. Fran. >> Oh. So, should I move to recommend?
>> We've already done it. >> Already got it. Yep. Okay. Article 30, highway reimbursements. Um, we've already done that. We just need a name to go with it. >> It almost has the word transportation in
it. >> Close enough. Looks like it's Jim's. Article 31. We've already approved it. We need a name. Appropriate insurance proceeds. >> I'm happy to take that one. Alyssa. Very good.
Authorized acceptance of federal and state reimbursement. We already voted that. We just need a name. >> I can take that as well. >> Alyssa 33
authorize appropriation of performance bonds. I'm happy to take that. >> David, article 34, authorized sale of foreclosed properties. H, you need a real estate professional.
It has the word foreclosed in it. >> Yeah. Fran, article 35, authorized long-term agreement with Actton TV. Who is our liaison? I am Emily is on to CAC.
>> All right, you've got it. >> Authorized long-term energy contracts, >> Jim. >> Sure. >> Haven't even voted this one yet. >> Okay, let's vote it first. >> I would I would move that we recommend article 36. >> Second.
>> Moved and seconded. Discussion. Okay. All in favor say I. >> I >> opposed. Abstensions. And Jim, one of our many energy gurus will.
Let's see. Demnify municipal employees. We've already voted it. Uh we just need a person. Um, I would take that one.
Uh, article 28, tailings and unclaimed chucks just need a name. >> H France I'm I'm happy to do that. Okay, David. Okay,
>> that sounds like Yeah, >> okay. Article 39, surviving spouse benefits. First, we need a recommendation. >> I recommend that we
I I move that we recommend article 39. >> Second. Moved and seconded. Discussion. >> I would like to take this um as the health insurance. Okay.
>> Trustee. I also have a question. That does not necessarily have to be answered. Just curious, do we know the percentage of towns and cities that have adopted
chapter 32B section 90 just for >> we don't we don't have that information. We could spot check a few that you're interested in. Uh, >> I'm not really interested in knowing which towns and cities, but how common it is, just in case folks ask, like, is
this something is this something unusual that we're doing that none of our neighbors or comparable communities are? I guess there you go. Comparable communities. Um, and and that definitely would not change if none of them did. And and we are an
outlier here. It would not change my position on it. Just wanted to know for for curiosity sake. >> Just >> what? >> We're doing this anyway. >> Yeah, >> we already do it. But now we're going to
be legal. >> I don't think we do. We haven't accepted this MGL >> because this is specifically before retirement. >> Surviving spouse before retirement. Unless I'm missing
>> currently contribute%. >> Oh, you are right. >> This provides >> formalizes of the town's existing. >> All right, then you can just scratch that question. You don't need to spot check any. We already do it.
>> Let's vote. >> Okay. Um, did we take a vote on this yet? >> No, >> we did not. Okay. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Opposed. Abstensions. Okay, that one's recommended. >> Maybe you don't want me assigned to this.
>> Now you're really prepared. >> I know. >> Okay. Item n item eight. Authorize amendment to powder mill. A memorandum of agreement. >> I request that this be passed over. >> I loved opening that. is like
okay we will skip that item nine discuss action leadership group updates I I can um provide some updates we had a special meeting earlier this week or I guess it was last week where we had to
take action as it relates to a complaint received from um a former resident or an interested party. And um but the good news is that the changes in the Minute Man budget,
reduction in the Minute Man budget based on the state aid numbers and the reduction in the town budget based on the budget that we recommended last week that the board has transmitted to FINCOM uh resulted in a deficit. uh the net position is around $10,000 of a deficit
which we can solve very easily and um not very easily but we can dissolve with a quick decision. Um and so I think that will will will happen at the next ALG meeting and uh I think in the last year there was a lot of discussion about the outer years and I believe that the work
that we've been doing uh working directly with the finance committee chair and another finance committee member to prepare information about forecasting. I think we've uh come up with something that both makes sense from from from our perspective and also
is responsive to some of the concerns that they've raised. and I believe the school district did the same thing. Um, so I'm feeling pretty good about the ALG model um, and plan. So if there's any questions or comments or concerns or things that the rest of the board wants
its representatives to be aware of, this would be an opportunity to have that discussion right now. >> Anyone Alissa? So I'm a representative but I just wanted to share a couple of things. Um
actually one is a question. The information that has been shared with the fincom representatives will that be provided in the ALG meeting packet or is that just going to be discussed? is I'm just wondering if there's any
documentation that we're going to need to review um about the analysis behind the numbers that are now going to be in the the spreadsheet if there's a change.
>> So yes, uh earlier this year we did increase the amount of um line items we have under municipal operations in the ALG plan itself. And in those line items, we had forecasts. And since that time, we've revised those forecasts to reflect the work that we've
been doing in the last month to better fine-tune that. Um, so there's a list of eight line items in the ALG model plus capital is nine, plus subsidies is 10, and I think that forecast thing was 11
lines. So we pretty much have it incorporated in the plan but we can also bring that document for backup if folks are interested. >> Okay. >> But it basically looks at you know just to this is really small. Um but we're looking at general
operating budget expenses. Uh we're projecting three and a quarter increase in future years. I mean we're not you know not guaranteed but that's a good number to look at and think about. pension assessment, we have a 6.55% increase in each of the subsequent years
just because that's what it was this year and it's not going down. We know that. Um, health insurance, that's a little trickier as you know. Uh, we did get a renewal this year at 10%. Um, we have a number of 7.5% going out
in future years, which we'll continue to adjust each year, but I think for right now it makes sense. And then for OPED contributions, we would level fund that going forward. Debt service, that is a number that's you that we use our actually debt our
actual debt schedule to produce. So that's not a guess. It's it's our debt what we owe. Um proposed new debt service. This was a tricky one because every year that we bring forward a borrowing authorization, it will incur
debt service in the following years. And the way that that was accounted for in the ALG plan was a little harder to um figure out in the past, but I think what we're doing now will will be more transparent. So right now we have $140,000
in proposed new debt service that will result from the debt that we're bringing forward to town meeting this year. And then each year following that we've added 40,000 which is you know that doesn't get us much new project but it's
too it's too hard to project any any further than that uh with the amount of variables that come into play such as interest rates and grants that we receive and all the different factors that come into to how much borrow money we borrow. Uh so that's that one. And
then for um subsidies, we're projecting two and a uh 2.5% increase annually. For pay as you go capital, capital that we're funding directly from free cash. We're projecting $100,000 increase
annually, which I think, you know, as you know, we have near nearly $10 million a year in needs. So I think it makes sense to try to plan to add more each year incrementally to to try to tackle those needs. And that those are our projections. U
the school district both the school districts have estimates going out um for their assessments and for their capital. They don't have the level of detail that I just went through within that but they have that available in the documents that they produce every
year or or at least this year. >> Go ahead. >> Thank you for all of that detail. Um the other thing I wanted to share is um I attended the budget subcommittee meeting this afternoon and the finance director
announced a 12.1% increase in their health premium which is lower than the 14%. So there will be good news at ALG from both the town and the district. I have a question,
>> Jim, or a request. Um I at some future meeting before town meeting I I would love to have on our agenda um reflections from those of you who are closer to the ALG process about um uh
about future overrides uh just so we have that sort of information in our heads uh that you know gee it looks like we'll need something in three years or if we do the following things we'll need a capital
overrider. It would be great to get that sort of laid out and said publicly uh so that we don't have to have rumors and also so that if if it is clear that we need an override and I have no information to suggest that we need one
but if we do uh we've learned that it's great to be able to at least hint that to town meeting um so that they're prepared for uh you know the painful discussions that will be following. Okay, good point. Thank you,
Alyssa. >> Is that something that you want us to have added to the a the next ALG meeting at the end of the month for the ALG to discuss? >> I I don't know. Whatever makes sense to
the ALG folks. I was thinking of it just as a conversation here based on what you'd heard, but whatever makes sense. This is good. Okay, thank you David. So that that's also uh that kind
of topic can be broached at the budget presentation article 4 you know because really article 4 is there's not we don't go into line items or anything there right and each year
that I did that the the um the but but I tried to introduce some topic and explain the topic like uh uh levy limits or whatever. And um and so um there could definitely be a discussion there
as to what the what the uh possibilities were. Thank you. All right. I think I'm looking for one more motion. >> Move to adjourn. >> Second.
>> Moved and second to endure. Discussion. All in favor? >> Say I. >> I. >> I. I >> if you're trying to discuss it, I would have a point of >> It's a non-discussible motion.
Yeah. >> Great. Hey, it's not that late. Well done. >> Yeah.