Start off by calling the meeting to order 705. I'm going to read the remote participation text. In accordance with chapter 2 of the acts of 2023 suspending certain provisions of the open meeting law, public bodies otherwise governed by
the OML are temporarily relieved from the requirement that meetings be held in public places open and physically accessible to the public so long as measures are taken to ensure public access to the body's deliberation through adequate and alternative means.
This meeting will be live on Zoom. The public may participate remotely by joining Zoom meeting ID number of 846008222 or by calling 929-2056099. For additional information about remote participation, please contact Harley,
assistant town manager at atmair.mma. us or 978-772-8220 extension 100 prior to the meeting during business hours. All right, thank you everybody for showing up. I really do appreciate it. Um I know I I sort of
started the meeting a little bit late because Artemis 2 or whatever is up in the air and I had to I had to watch it. >> Oh, I know. Me too. Sorry. That's why I was late. Sort of was like, "Oh gosh, the meeting's about to start. I better.
>> That's right. That's right. >> For those of us who are older, it just takes you back to as a kid watching these. >> Yes. Sitting there like this right in front of the TV scene that was about that big. >> Yep. >> Yeah. No, it's impressive.
>> Fight of our species. >> Um, let me get anybody have any corrections or updates or changes that they want to have for the agenda? Can I get a motion to approve the agenda as written, please? >> So moved. >> All right, Colleen made the motion. Can I get a second?
>> Seconded. >> All right, Julie. Second. I got to do roll call. Jess, >> I Julie, >> yes. >> Colleen, >> yes. >> Beth, >> yes. >> All right. And the chair says I. Great.
All right. Now, next we've got the approval of the minutes. Um, as of March 4th, 2026, I have one correction. >> I know. Sorry, Jess. Um, underneath the public hearing for the air affordable
housing trust, um, it's really the second bullet of the third bullet, you know. Um, you've got the big bullets and then you've got the two smaller ones. >> Yep. where it talks about the 128 to
support future acquisitions. >> Yeah. >> Underneath that that bullet you've got this will replenish the trust acquisition fund that was depleted. It wasn't depleted. It wasn't down to zero. It was diminished. >> Okay.
>> Because there still was some money left in it, I think. Am I right, Colleen? because you you know from what I understand the trust wanted to make sure just in case there was something else they couldn't give everything to Devon's crest >> right right we did definitely did not
give everything I think we gave a decent percentage of >> yeah oh yeah >> of what was in that fund but yes I don't think it was I don't think we gave the entirety of the amount >> and that's the that's the only thing that I found um great
I think I can help with that. >> I have one small clarification to on page four, the last bullet >> where I'm talking to Seal Harbor about the um old fire station.
And so that that bullet states given the historical significance of the 1934 building designed by George Ernst Robinson, Seal Harbor is committed to restoring the front facade of the building in a manner architecturally consistent with the original building. And I think because we had talked about
previously the 2017 CPC grant money was used on the parapit walls and the step gables that I'd like to have in that that you know given the historical significance piece that um >> Seal Harbor understands the requirement
to um >> so just change that instead of seal >> no I would add I would keep that but I would add another sentence about they understand the requirement for um historic restoration
compliance for step gables, parapit walls or something like that because >> or stuff that was already done >> and that was done with CPC funds. So yes, they they want to do the whole thing, you know, to the extent they can, but we want to just kind of clarify that
they acknowledge that CPC funds were spent and that they have a requirement to to meet those standards. >> Okay. So, Seal Harbor understands the requirement for historic preservation >> standards or something like that
>> as a result of CPC funding or something. Past CPC funding. Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Okay. We'll do. >> Okay. All right. Anything else from anybody else?
All right. Hearing crickets. Um, can I get a motion to accept the minutes as amended? >> I'll make a motion to accept the amendments as amended. >> All right, Colleen. >> All right, Julie. Second. Uh, Jess,
>> I Julie, >> yes. >> Almost got you. Uh, Colleen, >> I >> Beth, >> yes. >> And chair says I. So that that passes. Okay, cool. Um, now what I need to do is
find my agenda, >> correspondence and invoices. >> Yeah, thank you. I tell you, sometimes I don't know what I do with these things. There are none that I don't I don't have. So, >> okay.
>> So, moving on. Next is the Warren article review. I got to get these to Robert before Friday. So, I told him that after the meeting today, he'll have them by tomorrow morning. So, it's the fund dispersements.
Um, to give you an idea, um, I can bear with me. I can share so you can see my little spreadsheet that I do. Can you see it?
>> Not yet. Up. Okay. This is >> This is different from what you sent us. >> Oh, yeah. No, no, no. What I sent you guys is what our balances are, >> right? >> Okay. This is the spreadsheet that uh
Carrie and I use to go ahead and um um let me let me get rid of this stuff. We don't need some of this is just me and my um this this is the number that comes in from the assessor,
okay? which is $813,375.96. >> I can the assessor. Can you just say that one more time? >> That's right. I can send this to you too as well, Jess. >> Yeah, just say it real quick, though. >> $813, $375.96.
>> And that's from the assessor for town. >> That's the three That's the 3% uh search charge. That's what they're estimating that it's going to, >> you know, be. >> That's what we bring in from the taxpayer. >> Correct. >> Right. Okay.
>> Okay. And again, this is all still estimate because it's for fiscal year 2027. >> Okay. >> So, um, again, I probably should update this. So, this does say 20 uh 27.
>> Okay. Can I just ask a question then? Sure. Um I added up everything in your draft articles the administrative offense uh expenses the 10% and then the uh 600 some thousand to uh then designated fund and
that total was a million 26,670 it the only thing that will be missing and that's what I was going to I I think last year we started talking about it is this number has to be removed. The
$12,569.73 that's an abatement. This is an estimate amount of money that they take out of what we can have in the fund because
certain individuals ask for >> um you know not to have the search charge. and you meet the qualifications >> of, you know, certain age limit, certain income bracket and everything, um, you won't get charged. So, they're saying if
you look at all the property, this is how much money we should bring in that 813,000. However, we need to put money to the side just in case people don't want, you know, it's a debatement. And Jess, the number that you quoted, your total of
all the warrant article allegations, that equals this number that Janet has after the state anticipated match. Correct. >> Okay. So the the million26,000 is
anticipated state match with the anticipated. >> Yeah, with it added it in. The state match they're anticipating is $225,864. That's what they're estimating. >> When do we find out what the state
match? >> Next year. >> Right. So when we do our allocations, even if the state match was less than predicted, would that just mean less
going into undesated reserve? We'd still we'd have voted on the exact amounts going into the different buckets. >> Correct. We've got like say the 10% going into the buckets. >> Yeah. >> Of that money and then this number will
be less and vice versa. What ends up happening is sometimes we get more money because they collected more in fees and that number goes up. Hence why it's always moving.
Like if you notice on the balance the on the balances that I sent everybody that's out on the website um the balance reserve the undesated reserve went up
from um from last let's see two months ago because it's still collecting money. Does that make sense? >> Yeah. Would you like me to in the minutes to include the current fund balances just for our record? >> I think that that might be good for
record. >> Okay. >> Yeah, that might be good. But I wanted to make sure everybody was aware that that money that $12,569 has got to be put to the side saying just in case. We don't get many people who opt out. I do have to admit that.
Um, so if anything, a lot of people do like to see that this money is being put to good use. Um, I heard a lot of that at the um, ribbon cutting for Habitat for Humanity. So um, that was, like I
say, that was good. But this is, like I say, this is my little spreadsheet that I go ahead and do um, so that we know what we have to to break down. And again, we start off with a base number of 1,26,67023
cents. So, it just gets rounded. Hence why you've got the, you know, the um um the 10% for each one of the categories. So
again, the warrant article um asks for uh $12,667 for historic community housing and for um >> open space.
>> Open space. Yeah. It's like it's here. Okay. And with that, the balances that we're going to be, you know, that that sent that's again also on the website um
do don't reflect these numbers yet. These numbers get put into those buckets >> um after you know the town meeting and whatever we're taking out. Let me All right. So that gives you the spreadsheet. Let me stop sharing this
and let me go ahead and bear with me. Um, let me share. Oh, I thought I had it open. Can you see the balances? >> Yes.
>> Okay. So again this is just what we have in the in the categories right now before um that dispersement and everything will be added you know the 102667
will be added to these three categories. All right like that the sound of that. Um >> and then we have we you know we clearly have enough for each of the expenditure warrant articles to cover it from its
category. So that language is reflected in the warrant articles too. >> Correct. >> All right. So with that, so I'm going to go one article at a time. Um we've got the 5% for um administrative costs that
helps pay the uh legal notices and such. Um, we have >> share those now. Janet, maybe articles on the screen. >> Sure, I can do that. >> All right. Thanks. >> You're welcome. Hold on.
I'm going to stop sharing this. Oh, um, hold on. I got to go back to it. Hold on. Bear with me. Can you see the articles? >> Yes. >> All right. So, this is the 5% for
administrative expenses. Again, we never, you know, we we've not used all of that. I think we've only used approximately $3,000. um currently. So what ends up happening is that just gets thrown back into um
the undesated reserve um if we don't use it within the year and the 10% which is the 102667 for open space historic
and community housing. And then the remainder of the money 667,333 goes to undesated reserve. Okay, that's how the dispersement goes this year. Now
um because of being at 3% we're getting approximately again it was 15.5% for the first go around and then the second and third um we get extra looks like we're getting
approximately $100,000 more for being at 3%. we're at like 21 um um it's almost like 21.7%. Um that we're going to be at instead of the 15.5
of state match. So we do get like I say extra money from the state because of that. Um, any other questions with regards to this article? And this is the article number. It's Robert, you know, worked on
this as well with uh Carrie. So, we're going to be 23, 24, and 25. Um, as it stands right now, I should say. That's why it says draft. Okay. Any questions? >> Um,
nope. >> All right. Does does anybody want to make a motion to accept? >> Um Oh, I do have a question. >> Sure. >> Uh we're taking out um let's see. Our current balance in
community housing is 237. We're taking out 212. >> Not yet. That not yet. Um that's the next article, >> right? But if that passes >> Yeah. So, are we putting enough back
into community housing given >> Okay, I see where you're going. >> Yeah. >> Um, we'll be putting in a 100,000. You know, the 102. >> Yeah. >> Um, we could put in more.
>> Yeah. I I had a similar question to Jess between that and there was another one that was on the low. Now, I'm drawing a blank. >> That's okay. >> Was the other one that was lower. >> But I guess we're not pulling anything
out of that one. >> Yeah. >> But yeah, I wonder if community housing should be Oh, yeah. Historic is the other one that's lower than the others, but still
>> right. still decent, but with housing going down significantly, >> we can I guess say um we have to put at least 10% in, >> right? >> And 10% is the 102 or we could just say
skip it. Let's put in 20%. Well, given the regularity now of the uh rental assistance program, it seems to me it would just make sense to up it a little bit. >> Okay.
>> We can always just take from und designated two. It's not, you know, like when we come to this phase for the fall or for next year, we can always just use undesated too. >> Right now, we'll have to do a lot of math.
>> Yes. without accounting. But but really I mean because really we can use you know any of the undesated. >> Yeah. And one one thing that when we use the undesated I make sure that in the explanatory note it does say you know
what category historic or community housing. So when we're looking at the totals, it would be included. Um, you know, meaning even though it came from undesated, where did it, you know, what was it used
for? Um, because when we do the database for um the department of revenue, we have to put it in one of the three categories. So, anybody else with feedback? I mean, >> okay. So we can just leave it. Yeah.
>> Okay. Okay. Um let me All right. So accept this warrant article as written. Can I get a motion? >> I'll make a motion to accept this
warrant article as written. >> All right. >> Second. Beth. >> Beth. Second. Okay. Um, roll call. Jess, >> hi. >> Julie, >> yes. >> Beth, >> yes. >> And Colleen, you guys are in a different
order this time. And the chair says I. All right. So, that's good. Now, the next the next warrant article. Um, like my bar is on the right in the middle. um is
>> should we include a note or just observe that any final edits may be made by town council. >> This has already come from Robert. >> Okay. So this is no no further changes then. >> So I'm going to say yeah I mean do make
a you never can tell. >> Yeah. >> All right. This has not been um this is going to the select board on April 7th. So they may make a change too. So, all right. So, that's why it's still a draft
and um Okay. So, yeah, it still has to go through the select board and um the final blessing by town council. Um we're just trying to expedite it, you know, making sure that it's
>> it is good. All right. So, article 24 is um the sum of 212,000 which is what the application asked for for rental assistance as well as funding the trust fund. Um, anybody have any
questions about that? >> Nope. >> All right. Can I get a motion to approve article 24 as written? >> So moved. Beth. >> All right. Beth makes the motion. Can I get a second?
>> Second. >> All right. Um, let's go through. Uh, roll call. Jess, >> I. >> Julie? >> Yes. >> Beth? >> Yes. >> And Colleen, you can vote because like I say, you're not getting any benefit from this. >> I.
>> All right. And the chair says I. Awesome. Okay. And then the last one is the Sandy Pond Schoolhouse. Um, just to bring you um a little bit up to date, uh, Robert sent me send email that
he is in the process of reviewing that um, um, preservation restriction. However, there were a couple questions that needed to get um settled out um by town council and he
has spoken, you know, has let George know and the commission know that after town meeting um they will hit it harder. You know, they will hit it and uh get everything um all squared away. And one of the questions was who's really going
to hold the um restriction? Is it going to be um the historical commission or um I forget there was somebody else but um that's what they needed to find out too from town council. So with that there is
a um preservation restriction in the works um and it will be um completed after town meeting. So I just wanted to bring that up to date. >> Yeah. Yep.
>> All right. Um, so this one here is the $25,000 for the HVAC unit that will be inconspicuously placed um and at the the building and um
it's going to be coming out of the historic category. Any questions? I just a little bit more on the like followup from our last discussion whether or not there's been any discussion with the historical commission
about it or you know like placement or because I just want to make sure that you know that that is clearly stated that they should be following up and that everybody agrees with the location things would be installed and stuff and that can be part of the grant agreement
>> as well but >> yeah I think that's one thing we'll make sure and I and once town meeting's over with, I'll get the grant agreement. I mean, I'll I'm going to be developing it now anyways. So, at our next meeting in May, we'll we'll be reviewing that.
>> Um so, we can make sure that we add all that in there. Um >> Okay. Um but I don't know I have not spoken with Irv and um I don't know if Irv has met with or discussed anything else you
know outside with the historic commission. >> I had a call from a commissioner but I didn't have a chance to follow up so you know I just didn't know um what the status was either.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Robert, like I say, Robert's going to go ahead and um work on that restriction after town meeting. So, all right. Anything else? Can I get a motion to accept that
article 25 is written? >> So moved. >> I Julie second by Beth. >> Beth seconded. All right. The do roll call. Jess >> I. >> Julie. >> Yes. >> Beth. >> Yes. Colleen, >> hi.
>> And the chair says I. All right. So, I will be sending this off to Robert um tonight and get that all squared away. Um next is public comments. I don't see anybody.
Um I think it's just the five of us. Um, so let me just reiterate if you've got any questions, if you're watching this on YouTube, please let us know through Carly and one of us, I or one of the
team members here will be able to give you a holler back. Thank you. All right, that was the PSA. Let me stop sharing this. Um and with that um committee reports
um the housing authority is getting ready to start working on the sidewalks and the um asphalt uh driveway parking lot um around 18 Pond Street and they
got the um u contractor um for the generators now that they can move forward and and such on that. So, um it's a good thing. Like I said, they're all going to be more handicap accessible spots as well as um the sidewalks
themselves will be better ADA compliant. That's that's that for the housing authority. All right. U Jess anything? >> Yeah, let's see. So conservation um
we're awarding our annual uh pond treatment contract to water and wetlands. Again they've been really really good to work with. Um one thing to be watching is last year's beginning of the summer um the water uh was fairly
a little bit green cloudy and they had observed it was filamentous algae which is naturally occurring and uh probably part of our climate change future. Um but that dissipated as the summer progressed. So, you're just
monitoring for that. And they're also going to be watching again for hopefully no return of a blue green algae bloom. Um, other than that, we're just reviewing a national grid structure maintenance and improvement project and
we're finalizing the Orion Park Drive project to extend the driveway or road and culdeac. Um but now it's just waiting for um the environmental review by GDDARD consulting that National
Heritage required. >> Oh wow. Okay. >> So that's it for conservation. >> All right. Great. Julie planning board. >> Yep. So we um approved the ANR for the
senior center. So peeling off a lot um just the land part um from the DPW property so we can um so they can come forward with projects just for that square. I'm sorry I keep kind of like it looks like that. Um
and then um we had the site plan approval for 63 Main Street. >> Nice. >> That's where we're at. >> What's happening there? um they are
our formbased code um property and they're building let me see I'm sorry it's off the top of my head um 11 units >> one of them I think is going to be affordable correct
>> and for for those the parking arrangements will be like under separate leases and that's where the whole town council has to review the leases to approve things and stuff like that. Is that right? >> Yes. >> And then what are they doing for a storm
water treatment? >> Tonight is not going to be my night to answer that Beth. >> Okay. >> I know they're like really building out the entire lot. So I'm like why are they doing storm water treatment? This is interesting. >> I'm literally looking at the agenda to refresh my memory. There's been a lot of meetings that we've had in between for
other boards that my head's just not there. >> But I can get back to you. >> Just curious. >> All right. >> All right. That sounds great. Thanks, Colleen. >> The Affordable Housing Trust did not meet in March, so we haven't met since
our last meeting. Um, the new person who is replacing Alicia is starting next week, I believe, April 6th. And so we were we're waiting till she is on board to to meet. So we won't meet again until
later in April. >> Yeah. Same thing here. We got um for the affordable housing committee. We're not meeting really until the end of April. Um um so that we can make sure she gets on board and at least get a couple weeks
underneath her belt. All right. Uh Beth, >> um not much to report. You know, there hasn't been activity with open space committee stuff for air for wild and scenic. Um we had incredible response to the community grant applications and I
think the requests like for for about twice as much money as we have allocated um for the community grant. So, you know, like a lot of interest and a lot of invasive species control projects in particular, which has been a focus of
the stewardship um council. So, you know, we'll be thinking about, you know, just other ways to, you know, kind of address the um interest in projects with invasive control with, you know, like a more regional approach as well. But we haven't decided on all of the grant
applications just because we needed some more information from some of the applicants and things like that. So, more news to come and there is going to be a workshop on invasive species. I I think it's like April 14th, but I am not remembering exactly. Um
>> where would that get publicized? >> It should have been sent to a lot of boards and committees. Um and like it they'll have an invasive species speaker. Nice. that from National River
Watershed Association. >> Yeah, it's um so they're actually meeting tonight on a special topic related to the West Rotten Dam. Um but I am it would it would come out from when of National River Wershed Association
probably but it's actually a stewardship council meeting or um sponsored meeting. Yeah, I'm sorry. I'll have to look it up. >> Okay. And then I saw that there's something on McFerson on April 22nd.
>> Yep. So, the Earth Day um open streets event will be happening on April 22nd again. So that's from 2 to 6 and air conservation and air sustainability committee PACE um Devon's Enterprise Commission, Mass Development, Devon's
Fire Department, um Scouts Group, um a new foundation that's focused on birding, North County Land Trust, you know, a lot of different organizations. We'll be tableabling and having activities there. We're going to
be um talking about the native plant installations and giving advice about that and then also constructing bird boxes and painting murals that'll be hung at Vixsburg Square. Um the the boarded up window panels. So >> Oh wow.
>> Lots of cool and fun and exciting things in addition to like bring your own bike and skates and scooter and non-motorized scooter I should say. So yeah, it should it should be great. All right, that sounds great. >> All right.
April 22nd. You said um what time? 1 to 3. >> 2 to 6. >> 2 to 6. >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. That's great. All right. Anything else that people want to bring up? Um, just I noticed on the uh community
pa the fa community Facebook page there was a uh I think Ernie Girtton posted something about potential beach house that I think proposal and nothing's coming before CPC
in any future is it? that I mean they might. >> Okay. >> Um and I did a little bit of research because um yeah because just in case they did come um it has to stay a beach house.
You can't have um you know like say a um you know giving out food you know selling food um there. You can't have it have office space um or anything like that. um you're allowed to have like say lockers especially for uh the lifeguards
and such but it has to stay as a beach house. It it it can't be used as another type of quote unquote municipal building. So um so there's a certain amount of funding that can happen and certain amount that cannot. So, I know
that they've asked for um money out of the capital fund. Um but they may say, "Okay, great. We can't fund the whole thing. Can um open space, recreation, you know, fund some of the monies?" Um
but they still have got to, from what I understand, they've got three things that they're looking at. refurbishing it, restructuring the, you know, the the whole thing or um tearing it down and coming up with something, you know,
completely different. So, they haven't, from what I understand, they haven't made their mind up yet. So, >> I thought the proposal to the capital planning committee was that they decided against refurbishing and we're just going for tear down. So, now it's back
up in the air what they're doing, right? Or >> Yeah. And yeah, I I I didn't hear that part. That that was the last time I >> I was talking to Robert about it. So, um Okay. So, that means they're they want to start something fresh and new. >> Um
>> am I >> So, we'll see. >> Oh, go ahead. >> No, I was going to say Sarah hasn't, you know, done told me anything about an application. Go ahead, Colleen. >> Well, I was going to ask about across the street, 71 Sandy Pond Road. Have
there is has there been any updates or decisions on what that is going to become? >> There I can't find it on the new on the on the new website. There was a plan um
that is going to be circulating as a public information session of uh the parking spots picnic area. Um, a Sarah Ernst, the parks director, has received
a grant for a fitness court area. Um, that's all going to be paid for by this um m I think it's from MIAA, the insurance group, um, the whatever it's, you know, the insurance coalition there.
Um, that they're able to fund this fitness thing. Um they are going to lay out uh a pathway uh to to the back there. Um and then looking at they were looking at a splash pad across the
street. Um I know we discussed that a little bit uh at last meeting. Um but nothing has really been finalized um because again we've got to get the public information session um to to get um people to give us feedback.
So that's where that stands. Colleen, >> what would go into a fitness court? >> It has to be again ADA compliant. So
there's going to be um some lifting of you know of your body and you know those types of I I really haven't got the whole thing. Um but
you're right it's it's it's almost I want to say it's almost like the one that's behind page hilltop school. I don't know if that's still there. Um there was something there. Um, but >> so is it a course, fitness course, not a
fitness court or it's called the fitness court, but it's not going to be a basketball or a um, you know, pickle ball. It's not going to be any type of court like that. It's
gonna have equipment on there that >> over like pull-ups and >> something like that. >> That bars and >> Yeah. Have loose equipment, right? Because that'll just get taken. >> Correct.
>> No, I've been to parks before that have like fitness stations along the way that are built in where you, you know, do step activities or Yeah. pull-up bars or, you know, stuff like that. So, I'm wondering if that's more would it
>> I I can find out. >> Okay. >> Well, I don't know that you have to. It's just be nice to know when they have the next public, >> right? >> Uh meeting and >> there's going to be a lot of feedback. >> Yeah. Yeah. Definitely after town
meeting. Um, I really just advocate for park, land, recreation, open space kind of master planning because I feel like when we look at one property and we think, oh, let's do this there, but then we're not thinking about holistically
all of the parks and all the needs of parks and, you know, just really thinking about, you know, equity in these questions as Well, it it's you know like so it's a broader planning initiative before we start spending a
lot of money on any individual places. I think >> that's my >> Yeah, and I think that's why we have to have like I say a public input session. So, >> um All right. Um but I'll I'll keep that on my on my radar. Uh
anything else? Nope. I did just find um and put in the chat the date of that invasive species workshop is April 9th at 9:00 a.m. at the NRWA offices. All right, I see that. Thank you. And I
think that gets put in with the um whatever this is, you know, being recorded and everything, so I think that that goes with it. I'll find that out, too. Um All right. All right. If there's nothing else, can
I get a motion to adjurnn? >> I will make a motion to adjurnn. >> Okay. A second. >> I'll I'll second. >> All right. And I think everybody's all in favor. Um, >> you have to technically say yes.
>> I know that. >> You got it. All right, everybody. Again, thank you so much. Have a great night and stay warm tomorrow because it's going to get colder.