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[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Good evening. I'm Bernard Green, chair of the Brooklyn Select Board, and this is the regular meeting of the select board for November 4th, 2025.
First order of business is going into executive session. I move that the select board go into executive session for the purpose of discussing strategy related to the litigation matter identified in item two, discussing strategy related to the purchase,
exchange, lease or value of real property identified in item three and approving executive session minutes. The litigation matter and the rural property matter must be discussed in executive session because an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigation
or negotiating position of the town. And the chair so declares an executive session therefore be necessary. All in favor please indicate by saying I. John >> I. >> Paul Warren. Hi. Um Michael Rubenstein. I >> chair votes I. We will return to open
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[Music] one. >> Good evening. I'm Bernard Green, chair of the Brooklyn Select Board, and this is the regular meeting of the Select Board for November 4th, 2025.
I'd like to sort of um move the agenda around a little bit to accommodate the uh park and recreation um commission uh who's going to present a report on uh our open space plan. And uh so therefore, I'd like to give them the
opportunity to to speak now so they can get to another meeting that they have to uh go to and then we'll get to our um public comment, board comments, and miscellaneous items. So, Great. Thank you. Appreciate that. I'm
just going to pull up the slides here. Give me one second. There we go. Um, all right. Uh, good evening everyone. I'm Alexandra Veio, director of sustainability and natural resources for the town of Brooklyn. I'm thrilled to be here this evening to
share the 2025 open space and recreation plan with you all. uh our division really considers this one of our two guiding documents for the work that we do. So very excited to have the opportunity to work on it um right as our division was created. So this is
Brookline's ninth open space and recreation plan. And while I'm probably a little bit biased, I do think it's the best one yet. Um, it really does reflect the town's diverse open space assets, its complex needs, and also includes
extensive input from the community on Brookline's open space and recreation goals for the next decade, as this is a 10-year plan. So, before we jump into the presentation, I do want to take a moment and just acknowledge the hard work and countless hours that went into creating the document in front of you
all this evening. The open space and recreation plan is developed by a committee that's made up of representatives from over 15 different boards and commissions in Brooklyn and those boards all intersect with the goals that are outlined in this plan which I think really speaks to how
interdisciplinary and multiaceted the plan is. The committee that developed the plan was co-chared by Marcus Quigley, who serves as chair of the conservation commission, who's here with us this evening, and select board member John Vancoyak over an 18-month period.
So, uh, Chairman Quigley will speak more about the work of the committee, but I do want to express my deep appreciation to Chairman Quigley and select board member Vance Skoyak for their participation and leadership, as well as my gratitude to all the members of the Open Space and Recreation Plan Committee
for their uh, many hours over the past year and a half. I also want to acknowledge the conservation commission members who helped to draft and review a lot of the content in the plan. Several of those folks are here in the room with us this evening and I'll just say that Brookline is extraordinarily lucky to
have such a dedicated group of environmental stewards that are protecting Brookline's natural resources. It's a true pleasure to get to work with them on this and so many of our other conservation projects. Finally, I am so appreciative of the many staff who put time into creating
this plan. But I do specifically want to thank our conservation and sustainability assistant, Rebecca Manley, and our conservation and natural resources manager, Alex Cassie. This plan wouldn't exist if it wasn't for the two of them. So, Alex, who you'll hear from shortly, had the very fun and not
at all stressful job of stepping into his uh new job. Uh he replaced Tom Brady as our conservation administrator right after we kicked off the start of this plan. Um, so he had to really hit the ground running and and dig into things pretty quickly in his new role. So the
document before you is really thoughtful. It's inclusive of the feedback we heard from the community. It's well organized and it's welldesigned for staff to collectively exeu execute upon it, which I think is really important with such a comprehensive plan that touches so many different facets of what we do as a
town. Um, but I can assure you none of that would be feasible uh if it wasn't for Alex's organization, dedication, and general collaborative approach as the project manager. Though, I want to commend him for his extraordinary work on this project. And I also just want to acknowledge my deep appreciation for
everything he does for the town. Uh, but specifically as my co-pilot of the sustainability division, whether he wants to be that or not. Uh, Alex was the first person I had the pleasure of hiring um when I started in this new position. So, anything that the division has accomplished over the past year
wouldn't have been possible without Alex. And um he is the person that I often describe as the truest example of a dedicated public steward and someone that we all aspire to be, myself included. So, thank you, Alex.
So this evening, um, our goal is really to, uh, share with you all the great work that went into developing this document, talk a little bit about the purpose of an open space plan for our community and why it's important, and then highlight some of the content and top priorities identified in the plan.
As we know, the implementation of the open space and recreation plan is one of the board's uh, fiscal year 27 goals. At the end of the presentation, we are seeking a vote from the board to adopt the plan and issue a letter of support that will be included in the final
document that we share with the state and then um post online as well. So, with that, I will turn it over to chairman. >> Excuse me, Alexandra. Um I don't believe that a vote was on the agenda. Um,
the there is >> and and my concern is that uh I'd like to make sure that board has sufficient time to uh fully read and understand and absorb what's in this plan. >> There is a there is a memo in there
requesting a vote and the uh draft letter uh in there, but obviously if the board isn't ready to vote tonight, we can bring it back. >> Yeah, there's no uh it's not going to create a problem for you. >> Nope. Nope. Um we just need to submit it to the state by the end of the year but yeah um it can definitely wait till the next meeting for the actual vote.
>> Great. Um so thank you so much. With that I will uh pass things over to uh co-chair of the open space plan committee uh chairman Marcus Quickley. Thank you all. >> Thanks Alexandra and thank you for the board for having us this evening. Um,
this is an incredibly uh wellthoughtout um piece of work that the uh town has put together. I think of all of the things that I've been involved in um this is one of the most collaborative efforts that the town engages in. Um we
had 17 different committees participating and as chair um and as John knows um thank you John for all of your participation. Um it's a lot to bring everyone together to bring the community together and collect all the information. Um as you'll see and Alex
will go through um the process. Uh we talked to the public, we brought in the different um stakeholders, heard what people have said, conducted surveys, and brought all of that together. Um one of the things you'll know um from the past is that we have had award-winning plans
before. Um it would have been very easy for us to go through the motions, conduct the process. One of the things that is stunning about this year's um proposed plan is that we have stepped it up an entirely an entirely additional
notch. Um this plan is creative, it's thoughtful, it's fresh, it's inclusive. Um and it has really expanded I think what we even thought was uh able to be achieved as part of the process and I think that speaks um to everyone's hard
work. I counted 21 staff have participated um in the process and uh it's really been um quite a labor of love and and effort. So I think you'll be very excited um when you uh get time to read through the documents. pretty
lengthy um but there is a lot of uh change um and I think as I said uh thoughtfulness so we're looking forward uh to a vote um from the uh the board to uh support this document and um yeah
we'd love to hear from Alex as well on the details. Thank you. Hi everyone. This is um I'm Alex Cassie. I'm the conservation and natural resources manager for the town of Brooklyn um and was the project manager for the open space and recreation plan
2025 update. Um to give you an idea, you know, we've spoken sort of anecdotally about the size of this committee and the amount of staff input we've had here. This was our committee on the left as well as the
folks that gave a high level and comprehensive staff input to this plan. Um, dozens of folks uh were, you know, willing to give their input in addition to the comprehensive public feedback we got from this. And we're really excited to be able to take sort of everyone's
acumen into the mix and be able to try to put together a plan that really approached open space from a comprehensive townwide perspective and not just from our perspective in parks and open space and sustainability and natural resources and Department of
Public Works. Um, looking ahead at our, you know, full sort of 18month process of review here, um, between three public listening sessions, 23 public meetings with committees and subcommittees. Um, the goal was to leave no stone unturned to
make sure that no one was unheard and that we were able to take as much feedback as possible and really develop this into the best plan possible. Um, so looking at what an open space and recreation plan is and really the purpose of this, you know, there are
certainly a lot of municipal plans in town, but an open space and recreation plan has very specific uh guidelines and a very specific requirements and serves a very specific purpose. One of those main purposes, if not the main purpose, is it allows these allows a municipality
to qualify for certain local, state, and federal grants. Uh these can include landwater conservation fund grants, land grants, park grants. It can even help in uh local CPA grants. Um and the renovations and updates to parks like
Cypress and Amory and Downs, you know, happened with assistance from funds from Landwater Conservation Fund. Um projects at Sewer Recreation and Skyline happened with assistance from land and park grants which assist with active and passive recreation opportunities. Um,
but in addition to the nuts and bolts funding opportunities and support we have from those grants, really having this plan provides this cohesive reference of assets for staff to use, for residents to use, for boards and commissions to use. So when someone has
a question about what's at Amory playground or what sort of uh facilities and what is the size of uh a certain nature sanctuary or what is the protection status of a certain playground, this is our go-to reference for everyone that's interested in this
to have um and in this process went through those tooth and nail and made sure the accuracy was there, the updated images were there, and that this can be the go-to resource moving forward. Um, in addition to providing that sort of, you know, encyclopedic resource,
this is a document that directly identifies and advocates for community open space needs. You know, starting at the public input level with surveys and public listening sessions, but also with our board and commission representatives, having all of those folks at the table to say, "This is what
folks in Brookline are looking for." Um, and to be able to identify ways to meet those needs, to be able to generate goals and objectives that can turn into measurable, quantifiable actions that we can take over the next 10 years to try
to address those needs. The community vision statement is something that's required in every open space and recreation plan and there's some guidance from the state in what that looks like. And for a long time, the community vision statement in our open space and recreation plans was mostly unchanged.
Our committee specifically wanted to make sure we changed that and said, "Yes, there's a lot of merit here, but we feel like this is a this needs a fresh start and a fresh set of eyes." And so rather than update our community vision, our committee started a
completely new subcommittee to rewrite this from the ground up. So, it was a from a blank sheet of paper rewriting the community vision based specifically on all of the public feedback that we got. And I won't read this out aloud to you here, but these are the major beats that were pulled from that community
vision statement. And I would encourage everyone to fully read that section because it is a great sort of microcosm that shows the enthusiasm and the passion the folks at Brookline have for their open space and also really speaks
to a lofty vision for what that open space and what that connectivity and what that version of Brookline can be in 2035 and 2075 and 2175. So, it's a really sort of inspiring document and I was um thrilled when the
committee members, you know, outside of any recommendation by me said we should rewrite this and make sure that it reflects um the desires of Brookline. So, this plan at you know 275 pages has a lot of information in it. Um we
focused primarily on three subcommittees that looked at a lot of this information. That was greenways and transportation. the ways that open space connect to one another. Infrastructure and resource protection, you know, how do we protect the open space assets that we have? Um, and then including zoning
infrastructure, you know, changes to be the laws and bylaws or to the physical or natural infrastructure we have in our spaces. Um, as you read through the plan, you find background on community setting and environmental resources, which we were so fortunate to have our
experienced conservation commission go through with a fine tooth comb and update. We have a comprehensive inventory of the open space assets, which I mentioned before. Um, and then starting with a identification and analysis of community needs that builds
into goals, objectives, and measurable actions. Um, it also includes additional resources such as um such as maps. We sort of went through all I think 25 or so maps that we have in this plan and updated them with current resources as
well as taking into account um edits and recommendations that our committee members had to those maps. to give you an idea of what our visual update looks like on this plan. Um, on the left you see our 2018 plan versus our 2025 plan. So, the goal here was not
just a visual update. The goal was to make this a usable document. You know, the last thing you want with one of these plans is for it to sit on a dusty library shelf and have no one actually engage with it. We want to make sure that again it's usable by staff and it's usable by boards and commissions, but it
should be usable by everyone and should be an engaging sort of visual document that's easy to interact with and has all the information in the right place. Um, we were able to cut out some information we found was redundant, but also actually include a few other metrics
that were helpful for um staff to be able to reference. You know, I had had times when I worked for parks and open space when I would look at the open space plan and say, "Man, why isn't that in there?" And fortunately, I was able to remedy some of those by including a few other uh metrics in the data here.
And then again, looking ahead at just a visual reimagining of an action plan. Um while the you know previous action plans were really helpful in helping us organize by reconfiguring it a bit we were able to not only come up with sort of a punchier visual but really a more
functional document and we're able to include additional uh metrics not required by the state um such as our own staff capacity to do things um and it just helps for a more organized flow of the information.
So in constructing an action plan, you know, starting with a sort of lofty community vision, building that into a needs analysis, building that into goals and objectives, and finally ending with quantifiable action items. You know, one of the things the state asked you to do
is classify this by certain priorities. And we wanted to make sure we were bracketing things into, you know, buckets that made sense for the town. And so we have in our action plan, we have things that are listed as priority one, two, and three. Um, now that's not
to say that, you know, items under priority two and three aren't important. Everything that's in this plan is something we feel has merit and we want to explore and achieve over the 10 years of this plan. But I wanted to take a minute to focus on our priority one items. Um these are items that we went
through at a committee level and at a staff level and identified as the as vital to achieving the community vision that was identified in this plan. Um and as you'll see there's there's not a ton of them. There's about you know 12 or 13 of these priority one items but they're
big ones and a lot of them you know have ongoing they're going to be an ongoing thing. It's going to take not only 10 years but beyond that. But our you know charge here is to make sure that these are progressing. And if we look at sort of think of those
priority one items the major themes that come up are to acquire develop additional open space tree canopy and greenways and to increase collaboration between apartments on open space planning and projects. You know, one of the great things about an open space
plan is it it talks about what can happen with your open space. And we're pretty lucky in Brooklyn and that we have a lot of different plans. We wanted to make an open space plan that would fill in the cracks for things that aren't identified in other plans, but also really stress the importance of
working with different departments, working collaboratively on shared vision, working with the within the comprehensive plan, working with the climate action resiliency plan, working with the parks and open space strategic master plan, and finding ways to have
all these plans connect and support one another. looking forward to next steps. You know, once uh should the plan be approved by select board, um we would need our final approval by uh the Massachusetts Division of Conservation Services.
They've given us sort of um a pre-approval, sort of an unofficial um looks good, and let us know when everything's um signed off. Um then we would publish and distribute and begin implementation planning. You know, some of our pre-implementation planning is
happening right now as we work toward, you know, an ambitious 10-year plan. Um and then we would I would give six month implementation updates at conservation commission meetings um with a goal of specifically for priority one items having some sort of actionable or
measurable result in those six-month increments on those priority one items. Um we're hoping to be as transparent and engaged and present as possible with our information here to make sure that you know as one of the major charges of our division that this plan is up front and
foremost and that um folks are welcome to engage with us directly and we want to share our you know achievements as we move forward. So that was kind of a fast uh overview of everything we've done in the open space plan for a for a pretty significant uh large document. So I
wanted to uh allow time for questions from our end. >> So any questions from the board? Paul? >> Yep. Uh thank you. Thank you for all the work. Thank you for the committee and those who are not here. Um, so I just wanted to make sure there's a link in
your letter, the memo that takes us to the website with the report. It's drafted, uh, says it's a draft version, September 16th. Is that the most recent version? If we wanted to dig into the report. >> Yeah, that's right. >> Thank you. >> I have a question. Um many years ago
when I worked on the open space plan um an issue came up with respect to land and water conservation fund uh funding of various parts par parcels here in Brooklyn. Is there in the plan and I've not read it. >> Okay.
>> I did not go to that link. Um, >> in the plan, is there a easily accessible list of uh parcels that are subject to article 97 of course, but also land and water conservation um
restrictions? Sure. So if you in the in the asset inventory under each of those properties, we have a specific protection field under each of those which will list whether it's something that's on a you know national historic registry, a local registry, article 97,
LD L LWCF, whatever level of protection they have. And that was, you know, recently reviewed and updated in the last year. >> Great. Thank you, uh, Michael. Um, thank you very much. And thank you to um
all of the committee members who put together uh this really great document. I've read some of it, but not all of it. Um and I'm particularly interested if you could dive a little deeper in to the goals around acquisition of open space.
um both in terms of uh the decision-making processes that you are thinking about in terms of what kinds of open space need to be acquired um as well as the opportunities um for whether it's you know funding or
other methods of acquisition and how you prioritize those over the over the 10-year period of the plan. >> Sure. Um that's a great question. I think one of the things that we want to avoid with any of these planning efforts is we don't want to plan them in a
vacuum. We know that there are other efforts by um community planning and development to look at um you know acquisition and and priority acquisition and we want to collaborate as much as possible at a departmental level and then communicating with boards as well.
So, um, for something as, you know, complicated as open space acquisition, it's something that's going to start, you know, with conversations this winter with community planning and development staff. You know, I know I believe they've been working already at a staff level looking at um some progress in
terms of uh the potential for conservation restrictions, the potential for um priority parcels. So, it's really going to start with sort of a conversation and looking at established maps of what's there and what would be uh priorities to meet our goals with
open space. Whether that's, you know, uh large space that we can get conservation and recreation values for, whether that is, you know, the opportunity to obtain a a conservation restriction that could create an additional greenway or habitat
corridor. Um and just looking at things from as many perspectives as possible. Um and then using this open space plan and using our you know collaborative knowledge as different town departments to identify what are the things we want to actively pursue and how do we go
about you know establishing the funding whether that's CPR or whether that's working with a land bank or whether that's you know any number of avenues to try to start building the tools to plan for this because while it might not be available tomorrow if something becomes
available or there's an opportunity in 2027 or 2030 or 2032, we want to be ready to act on that and have all the tools in place to move forward. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Oh, >> another question. So, I'm I'm fascinated
by the in I'm sorry I didn't dig into this beforehand. Um I'm fascinated by the inventory and the very small parcels that we have up to very large parcels. even you're counting every rotary and spit of land, which is which is
fascinating to me. I really appreciate that. Um, one in particular kind of jumped out at me, the Newton Street parcel, which um looks like it's fenced off and not accessible. Um, it's a1 acres. Um,
and it is uh from a time when the Putterham school was there or something was moved. And how do we how do we make spaces like this available um and accessible if this one looks like this one is not accessible uh
you know today. >> So somehow you know when it comes to some of the open space is complicated because it's sort of owned and controlled by different agencies and they have different access and different availability. And I think one of the things to look at is yeah looking at is
there a is there a potential for connectivity in these small spaces is there room for you know maybe if it is an access is there room for protection or enhancement of those spaces. You know, one of the things that we looked at in the open space plan as you get down into our priority two and three
items are there's not always going to be an opportunity to um acquire a certain property, but we want to make sure that we're building tools for folks to enhance the open space value of those spaces or at, you know, minimum be able
to sort of increase that. Well, I guess you know, um, one of the things that we've we've heard and we continue to hear, uh, with our community engagement around the comprehensive plan is access to green space. Doesn't we've heard more playing fields, but just passive sitting
in a quiet spot that's green. Sure. >> Um, you know, um, especially in North Brooklyn, uh, they're few and far between. Um and so you know opportunities to open up space that we have that's uh underutilized or not utilized at all or encouraging uh folks
to they have a parcel next to their an extra lot um to encourage them to to donate that or grant it to the to the town or sell it to the town would be really helpful. And I and I we've been working on some of the um some of our actions and goals specifically around conservation restrictions and additional
you know at the at the commission level a plan to work on additional education and resources to promote exactly that. Some folks might not even know that's an option. And whether that's just a protected space for the future or whether that might have a access
arrangement or to be able to start potentially growing folks access to public open space is something we're really interested in. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, John. >> Um I I I want to thank those who spoke uh for some very kind words. And before
uh people get the wrong impression, to be to be uh a member of this process uh was a privilege. Um and um it would not have been possible for people such as myself to make contributions in a
meaningful way if not for the u really remarkable support that we had every step of the way. And it was more than support. there was leadership um from the staff uh uh uh in uh in Brooklyn's various departments uh and two of whom
you heard from three of whom you've heard from tonight. Marcus being a you know volunteer head of the conservation commission. Um, so that being said, I just want to give um people listening to this tonight a little bit of perspective on this um because sort of from the
point of view of someone who uh wasn't sure, you know, what part he could play in all of this, wasn't sure exactly what the whole history of this was, why we were doing what we were doing. um when you when you
wrap your mind around this, you come away with a very good impression um not just of Brooklyn but of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Um if you haven't already figured it out, this is a stated driven process. Um, we have this plan uh
because if we want to apply for state conservation or open space acquisition or recreation grants um it's required that you have a plan. That's a good thing. Um if the state's going to um dispense monies to cities and towns for
the purpose of increasing the inventory of open space in the Commonwealth as a whole um they have to have some kind of reassurance that people at the local level have a plan for how they're going to spend that money and that the plan makes sense. So there has been
wellestablished this tradition of every seven years there has to first of all there has to be an open space and recreation plan at the local level. Second of all, there has to be an update of it um every seven years. Um and in the process of updating this plan, um we
uh brought on for the first time a sustainability director. We saw the departure of a veteran um member of the of the department that Tom Brady who had, you know, been the one leading the process of updating the plan. Um and I'm
sure there were other changes along the way. And then at the end of the process, very near the end of the process, um we heard from the state that they wanted it to be not a seven-year plan, but a 10-year plan. So that was fun. Um uh we weathered all of that. Um and I'm going
to make the um perhaps um I don't know if it's a surprise proposal or one that we can't really accommodate, but what are the plans that we have for distribution of printed versions of this? Um does anybody have that answer
right at this moment? >> So the plan is to sort of historically we've printed about 100 copies of this. We've provided them to the committee members. We've provided some to public buildings and public libraries and make them available at the public works department should people want to review
them. Our plan is to reduce that a little bit just given the amount. So uh we'd likely make around 50 copies of this that would be distributed to the committee and would be available at you know public buildings and resources >> and from the library I assume so on. Okay. So far be it from me to propose
something that's going to add to our printing costs you know in the next annual budget. So, I I won't do that. But what I will do is is um uh you know picking up on what was just said uh if in the near future we have copies of this available for perusal you know at
town hall for borrowing from the library. This is a it's a it's a really astonishing document in terms of its breadth in terms of what you learn about Brookline what you learn about the process of land conservation and protection protection of our natural resources. And there's some beautiful
photography um in this document. So a lot of people they don't really appreciate a picture or a document until it's in their hands, you know, and they get a chance to kind of thumb through it. So I hope we have, you know, enough copies of that nature so that um people whose preferred way of um learning all
of these wonderful things would be to just hold it in their hands and take a look at those wonderful photographs as well. So thanks for the opportunity that I had to work with you folks. um and thanks for delivering um such a terrific product um on behalf of the town of
Brooklyn. If the state if the state doesn't approve this, they're crazy, you know, and I'm sure they will uh because this this really rises to the challenge that we were presented with. >> Nice. Well, I appreciate the kind words and I will say, you know, we heard from Alexander and Marcus, but just from my
piece, being able to work with this really engaged the conservation commission here who's we're so yeah, you know, blessed for them to be here and uh person tonight to support this, but also, you know, that committee of 17 boards and commissions and community
organizations that came to dozens of meetings to work on this. And um it was just a really fortunate opportunity for me to be engaged in this as well >> and a lot a lot of it in person. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Great. Thank you.
>> Are there questions or comments? >> Thank you. And uh as I said next week presumably we'll we will vote on >> week after next next week after next week is a holiday. >> Oh. >> And if there's any additional information needed from us, please let me know.
Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> I forgot about that holidays. Not on a Monday. It's on a Tuesday >> and then and then town meetings. >> Pardon me. >> And then the next week is the third day of town meeting. >> Yes. You'll have the opportunity to vote then. >> Yeah.
>> Okay. So, let's go back to the beginning uh and uh start off with uh select board announcements and updates. And I have a few announcements to start off with. Let's see what what should go first. Um, let me start off with the Pierce Geo
geothermal well. I just want to announce that uh beginning on November 17. Uh, that project will begin um the noisy part of it probably starts in January of uh 2026.
um and uh will continue through the summer. But uh if you're interested or if you're a a neighbor of the um of the Pierce Park playground area, um there are uh documents on the town on the
website of the Pierce School Building Committee that can give you information on the details of what's going to happen and when. but it's starting uh in uh starting this month. So be aware. Uh next I'd like to announce something
about uh uh a an event the changing of the bard. Um, Brooklyn poet laurate uh celebrates is Brooklyn poet laurate Allison Adair, newly appointed uh is being celebrated at Brookline Booksmith
uh on the date is not in this announcement Friday. This Friday okay uh at Brooklyn Booksmith to celebrate Brooklyn's new poet laurate Allison Adair. And as a bonus, the the event will include
readings from Allison, outgoing poet laurate Jennifer Barber, past poet laurates Judith Steinberg, Jan Shriber, and Ze Cesling. So, it should be an exciting um and uh intellectually exhilarating event uh this Friday at
what time? 700 p.m. Uh Brookline Booksmith. Finally, um, and before I, uh, read this announcement, I want to thank the many residents who spoke at last week's meeting on the, um, license
plate reader, uh, proposal and theou related to that. Uh, they provided the select board with information on, uh, block security or block safety and the general use of uh, license plate readers, which I found very, very
helpful. But as a result, um, Chestn Hill Realy sent to members of the select board the following announcement. Uh, Chestn Hill Realy appreciates the feedback from the Brookline Select Board and members of the community regarding our planned in installation of PL safety
cameras on Independence Drive in South Brooklyn. In response to this input, we have decided to place the installation on hold for now. No cameras have been installed or activated. Thus, no data is being collected or shared. So, thank you
to uh Justin Hill Realy for that uh decision. Um and that's the only those are my announcements. Any other announcements? Paul, >> I just wanted I know we got a full agenda, but I wanted to mention this. Um, for those that have young,
a child wants in their life, um, you know, the importance of Halloween and the joy that it brings. Um, nobody does Halloween better than Brooklyn in my experience. Um, Amy and I took our children over to the Tux neighborhood. Um, and it was just incredible. And I
know that a number of neighborhoods do this. the the amount of investment in time and energy um and the caring that they put into it and the joy that they bring to kids. Um from people, you know, ring the bell and look up and they're dropping candy out the third floor
window to uh incredible uh displays uh artistic displays and creative displays. Um, I know that um hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of kids in Brooklyn and adults uh really enjoy um Halloween in
Brooklyn and the incredible job that many of the neighborhoods do. So, I just want to thank them. uh if you uh participated in that, if you helped contribute to the joy of of kids and adults uh being able to get out and see neighbors and do trick-or- treat, um it
really is it is a very special experience in Brooklyn to be able to participate in that. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Michael. >> Um thank you. Uh, I just wanted to announce on behalf of the Brooklyn Neighborhood Alliance and the Town
Meeting Members Association, um, that there is an upcoming warrant article review on Thursday, November 13th, uh, in the select board's hearing room, which is right here. Uh refreshments will be available at 6:30 and the
program will start at 7:00 p.m. Um and article articles to be presented in detail include article seven which is the Clark road zoning and article 8 which has to do with nuisance lighting. While articles to be briefly reviewed
include article nine, the renters's handbook, article 13, the resolution on consideration of the needs of older adult populations in decisions on the Fiser Hill town property, and article 17, the resolution on tree protection.
So, I encourage town meeting members and other concerned citizens to join the Brooklyn Neighborhood Alliance and the TMMA that evening on November 13th. Great. Thank you, uh, John. Thank you.
Um, I just want to say a few words in support of, um, or in recognition of, uh, an organization that I think a lot of people have heard of. Um, maybe some have not, Mothers Outfront, Brooklyn chapter, uh, is the organization I'm
referring to. And, uh, that they sponsored something today which was, you know, very typical of their activities. Um it was a chance to hear from Senator Michael Barrett um on the kind of crucial uh point that we are at right
now uh in terms of legislating um to advance the um uh cause of addressing climate change. Um we clearly have some headwinds um in Washington DC. Um there's been some um delays along the
way in achieving goals. the ambitious goals that were set um in for example in Brooklyn but um also you know at the state level by the state legislature um the message from Senator Michael Barrett um couldn't have been more clear
um and mothers out front deserves credit for highlighting it and for working with him um to push forward despite the headwinds despite the fact that we have had to
change our goals a little it um and uh extend them out a little bit. But the the cause is as important as ever. Uh it is in front of us us as much as ever. Um witness, you know, the damaging effects
of climate change um that were evident just within the past week in in the hurricane that devastated uh uh the Caribbean. Um and uh there will be an agenda um and Governor Hill is very much
um you know uh involved in laying it out for Massachusetts um going forward and it's an agenda to u as much as possible um pull back on use of fossil fuels as much as possible advance the use of
clean energy. Um, Senator Barrett is key. Um, and mothers out front, should pay attention to. and they can find out more by just visiting the mothers outfront website. >> Thank you, John. Um David,
>> uh it was referenced moments ago that we don't have a meeting next week because of a holiday. That holiday is of course Veterans Day and Brooklyn uh commemorates Veterans Day every year by a program that Bill McGordy, the
director of veteran services, puts together. Uh many select board members and other town officials typically attend. Uh veterans are routinely honored and give very inspiring speeches. Typically, the portion of Washington Street right across from Town
Hall is closed off to traffic to uh accommodate anyone who would like to uh comfortably. Uh then following the ceremony, which lasts for Um, meet our local veterans. Thank you. Any other uh comments or
updates? Okay, let's move on to a public comment. Uh Charlie, did you set this up? >> I will, Bernard. Although I'm uh want to warn you that we are seeing your feed drop again uh as we did last week. It's
intermittent at this point and Big is looking at it. But um I will start reading the public comment rules. If I freeze up, you'll just have to let me know as soon as you are back online. Okay. >> Okay. Thank you for joining us for public
comment. This is an opportunity for us to hear your perspective on the issues in Brooklyn that matter to you. Each person speaking tonight is limited to three minutes. You don't need to use the entire time, but you may if you like. Once 15 minutes has been met, there is an opportunity at the conclusion of
select board's business for additional comments. Members of the public sometimes raise questions during public comment. We may be able to provide a quick answer to a question, but are more likely to work with staff to get a more thorough answer and respond over email. The on-screen timer will flash orange when you have one minute remaining and
red when your time is nearly up. Please conclude your remarks at that time. If you have more to say, you are welcome to send an email to board members expressing your thoughts in greater detail. Any person wishing to speak must begin their comment by identifying themselves with their full name, either their Brooklyn precinct number or street
address, and the specific topic on which they wish to speak. The board encourages but does not require that remote users turn on their videos when commenting. The first person signed up for public comment is Uta Friedrich who's online. You I'm promoting you now and when you
are ready your three minutes will begin. >> Okay, I'm ready. Thank you board members and also the community of Brooklyn for having me. My name is Uta Friedri. I'm a co-founder of SUFFA. We provide and operate the solar powered signage around
um the your town and I was very happy to um hear the open space planning presentation today. A lot of items really resonated with us um and I would like to make a small announcement here which for us has really been a huge
announcement. We've been waiting for working very um very tightly with EA in over the last several years and we have finally are launching a 75 in color displays which we really hoping to um
utilize to engage the local uh businesses and also local residents to really shape um the new solar powered public signage. Uh we've greatly enjoyed working with the city, the town of Brookline over the past few years. We
started just prior co >> Could you could you go back and uh repeat what you said? Solar powered beginning with powered panels. We lost >> we're having technical difficulties here. >> Okay, no problem. Yeah, so our um
signage is completely 100% solar powered. we are the only um 100% solar powered provider signage provider out there. Um it's also not backlit and it's very sunlight readable. So the values that have been presented um over the course of this meeting really resonate
with um us SUFFA Cambridge based company um as we are care deeply about the sustainability aspect and healthy living environments and we are really looking forward to um switching out some of those black and white signs that we have
seen in your town for a new larger 75 in color display. And hopefully we're going to be able to integrate those into the open space um initiatives as we could use them to really um foster interactivity, gather feedback,
communicate events. Um our platform provides um real time updates. Uh we can do polls and so forth. And we have uh been really impressed in the past with how engaged local residents have been. in Brookline Klein. I was there
personally at several of the installations and and spoke with several curious residents who engaged um asked questions and had opinions and those opinions have really shaped what Sufa is today and what SUA will be now that we
are launching um a completely rewamped product that hopefully will be much more engaging moving forward and we're looking to continue our partnership. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay. Uh there's uh there's no one else
signed up for public comment, Bernard. So folks in the audience can raise their hand in the room or use the hand raise feature online to let us know that they'd like to speak. We have 21 participants online and no one is indicating that they'd like to speak. >> Okay, we'll close public comment and
move on to our miscellaneous agenda. Um, I'd like to move approval in omnibus fashion of items 7A through 7F, unless of course someone wants to pull something out and have a discussion of it. Seeing none, all in favor of items 7
A through 7F, please indicate by saying I. John Vancoyak, >> I. >> Paul Warren, >> I. >> David Pearlman, >> I. >> Michael Rubenstein, >> I. >> Chair votes I. >> Next, uh, our main calendar. We've already heard from the open space and recreation um about the open space and
recreation plan. Next, digital community display. Our communications officer, Christina Metaf, is going to u make a presentation on this. >> Good evening. Uh my name is Christina Metaf. I am the communications officer. >> Could you speak closer to the mic
>> for the I am the communications officer for the town of Brooklyn and I'm here tonight to talk to you about the digital displays in Brooklyn. Uh just give me one moment. I will pull up the presentation. Uh so tonight I'm we're just going to review what we currently have um present
uh different options that we have moving forward and hopefully at the end get a sense of the direction that the board wants to move in um after we discuss all the options. Um just a little bit of background was installed in 2019. We have a total of uh 23 locations around
town. Um they are 100% solar powered wireless. Um there's no uh electricity running through that and they're eating so there is no light pollution. Um it is managed by uh a customer management service. So on the back end uh multiple departments have access to post as well
as myself and I assist in um community and nonprofit groups posting to that as well for uh events which are allowed. Um businesses are also able to uh submit um ads through that as well. 20% of the air time is reserved for town messaging as I
just mentioned through departments and nonprofit and community um groups. Um the maintenance and ownership is handled by SUFFA. Um it is installed with four anchor bolts. There's uh no trenching or power hookup required. Uh like I said the history it was installed in 2019. We
have since done two two new year renewals in 2021 and 2023. Um in 2023 there were free ad spots added for those nonprofits and a discounted rate for for local businesses. Um uh this year as the uh contract was coming up to um renew uh
a former town administrator Tiffany Oliva and I had discussed that and had let um SUFFA know that we would not be renewing for the first uh for the next two years. Um um but she had she and I had worked out a six-month uh extension which will go through the end of April 2026.
Um so like I said um there are also you it is um 100% solar powered no light pollution. There is community engagement possibilities. There are QR codes available um and but it's not also it's not super activated well and um there
has been mixed uh feedback from the community as well as business owners. Um the data insights it is anonymous. It's pedestrian counts only. There's no personal identifi identifiable information that is shared um and collected by SUFFA. Um there is no
direct cost to the town and we get 20% revenue share um after SUFFA recoups their expenses. Um it's limited act interactivity compared to like a full touch screen that you would see um like at a mall or other open outdoor um air
uh places. Um uh there's and then um we have to any content that we create must be optimized so that it has effective contrast. So if there's a light to um anything that is put out as a a social media post has to be just made sure that it has good contrast otherwise it's hard
to see the elements or the information. >> Sure. >> You're just going to go right into the microphone. That's all. >> Absolutely. So um tonight there's also the possibility of going for an RFP and so why consider that? Um it'll consure in
ensure a competitive bidding process. We'll get the best value and transparency. Um last time that was not done. So there were other things that um we weren't able to consider and soul source considerations and other things like that. And this will allow the community as well as the board um to
figure out what is important to the community. um is touchscreen, wayfinding, Wi-Fi is solar, accessibility integrations, the light impacts and uh revenue generation. So decisions options, decision options
and next steps. Um today, if you have any feedback, I'm happy to discuss that further with you. Um so we can continue with SUFFA um and extend that six-month contract um issue an RFP or discontinue this type of service altogether. Um if
we did an RFP, we would um ask the board to um select somebody from the board to work with myself and uh somebody from economic development and other uh business related boards and committees um to develop the RFP, issue that and then we would um work to have that ready
by the end of the year and um select an early 2026 um if we if you decide to continue with SUFFA, we would just review and renegotiate and extend that contract to the the normal two-year cycle. if we discontinue um I would work with SUFFA to um for that communication
strategy um and site removal logistics as we approach April. So any questions? >> John? >> Yes. Um thank thanks for the presentation. Um I I just want to get clarification on a couple of points for starters.
>> Sure. Um, so, uh, the process of of issuing an RFP, I'm assuming means that although we don't, um, we don't renew SUFFA, they can be an applicant under the RFP that
goes out. >> Correct. >> Um, and and basically we can start from scratch. >> Yes. >> And then any other um, >> entities that want to bid um or at least respond to the RFP um, can do that as well. Yes. And then we can kind of measure these
>> Yes. these companies against one another. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. >> Um it's I'm in an interesting position of u having been someone who didn't really welcome um uh the arrival of on street uh I'll call them billboards. I
know they're they're not technically they're not that they're something you know they're quite a bit more than that. Um but uh at the same time uh I think having been through several years of experience uh with them uh I welcome the
fact that we're opening up the process so that we can kind of get a sense of what is the market and what are municipalities being offered in terms of services in return for use of our space. And um you know, maybe I'm just uh too
cynical where these matters are concerned, but I do hope people understand that um these are always kind of presented to us as though they are, you know, some kind of a favor to the community to put these helpful billboards around in our public spaces.
Um but there's very much an a self-interest on the part of these companies um to um be the ones who then get the access to the real estate in in various municipalities and and then they have a a purpose that they hope will
someday make them a hot company and you know um be to their economic benefit to sort of use our space and not just use our space but also from our space gather information, gather data. And uh we
recently witnessed how very very careful people in Brooklyn are about uh corporate entities, large companies, uh startup companies, you name it, companies um coming into our space in
Brooklyn and using their equipment to gather data. And I think people need to both look at the advantages of these signs and and also the reality of what this means to to our stake in civil
liberties, in privacy and so on um to get into an arrangement with companies um of this nature. So that's those are the guidelines I'll be following when we assess the results of the RFP. I I am in favor of us doing an RFP. Um, and I look
forward to seeing what what happens in response. >> Paul, >> uh, thank you. Thank you, Christina. Um, I agree with much of what John said. Um, but I think there's a a step that we're skipping. You had mentioned that there were some surveys, there's been
feedback. Be really helpful to get a datadriven presentation as to how these things have been functioning, how many ads have gone up, how many interactive surveys have been done, what was the feedback. um to make a decision about whether the
the this type of service should be on our streets to begin with. >> Um and I there's no real data right now that's in front of us to make that decision and then if the board decides to issue an RFP, they can issue an RFP. But um I have you know I I think it's
important to understand how they're actually have been used and what's been the response from the community. So I think I've mentioned the last time I don't think you were here when they when uh the last time the thing was renewed. maybe you were. >> Um I was against it. Um I live >> feet from a couple of these things uh in
in St. Mary's. >> Um they're not very attractive. Uh I don't think I really ever see anybody standing in front of them to get information. They're just taking up space. Um and as John said, it's kind of like a b a billboard. Um so I just I never get it. And I do have a lot of
concerns about the data that they're collecting. They're saying they're not storing any data. It's just like who's walking by. Um there's a lot of data that's being captured passively on your phone as you walk by and it's never been clear to me what that is um and how they're clearing it and who could
actually we heard from last week could someone subpoena that information and tie it back. So um it would be helpful to get some additional data before we make a decision about issuing an RFP. >> Michael >> um so uh I want to second several of the
comments Paul made as well as John. Um, I also would hope that if we go through an RFP process that we'll have a set of those questions as part of the RFP. Um, in terms of the data that is
where that data is being transmitted, how that data is being encrypted, who has access to it, what the security protocols are for the company, etc., etc. Um I I would also hope that there would be uh both members of the
nonprofit community and the business community who are also part of the evaluation process um because their input would be very helpful. Um one of the things that you mentioned um and this sort of goes along to uh Paul's comments about needing more information.
Uh you mentioned that there's a revenue sharing agreement as part of uh our current arrangement with SUFFA. Yes. Um that is after expenses. Um since I'm not 100% clear as to what their business model or their profit model is or
whether they're making any profit, um can you at least give us a sense of the magnitude of the revenue that we have actually earned through this arrangement to date? Um I had reached out to SUFFA and I hadn't um unfortunately gotten clear um revenue reports from them. Um
I'm looking into that. I know that in the beginning um for the first few years I think that it was um maybe uh it wasn't a very high total and I think more so recently I don't have that data. So I can I can look to get that data from SUFFA as well as the um the
personal the security information. I know that there was a um during my tenure here there was an article about that and the p and was their personal information being captured um from sufas and that uh article was done by local news and so I don't I do I have the answer for that and they had reached out
to us and and assured us that that the you know no personal identif identifiable information was being used at the time but I can get more detail on that for you from them. So, >> so even though they may not be uh SUFFA sharing
>> specific data with third parties, they do provide a dashboard for advertisers. Isn't that a form of sharing? >> Um I'm not sure exactly what the dashboard that they provide is. They do provide a dashboard for us and that our and staff
you know, some of it is not so detailed. And I think that was if I have my cell phone, a work phone, and my watch, is that's considered three or I'm only one person. So is it counting me as three or is it counting me as one? Um so that's really how sort of basic that that data gathering is.
>> But do you know whether the dashboards are going to the advertisers as well? >> I do not. >> I would imagine that the data is being shared as part of that. But again the data that's being collected is not any sort of demographic information or anything. It is the your your phone and
any Wi-Fi enabled device you have sends out is regularly checking to see is there a Wi-Fi network around that I can join? Do I know any of these Wi-Fi networks? And it's regularly pinging that out. Unless you go into airplane mode and turn Wi-Fi off. What it's what the signs are doing is it's recording
that ping back. They say they're just picking up pings. I wonder if they can also pick up uh the IP address of of uh your phone or other doc or other computer. Uh for example,
you know, it's not going to be an easy thing for for us to do because we need really high high level technical expertise to identify what the issues are that we need to be checking. Um, David, I >> I don't know if I fully understood uh your uh the direction you're going in,
Paul, but are you suggesting that perhaps we don't go out for RFP at all? I I'm suggesting that before we issue an RFP, we understand, you know, what did we do? How did it work? What kind of response did we get? Um I I don't know
if this is a service that we should continue. I think the board should ask she she even raised the question on her presentation, is this something that we a service that we want to continue in Brookline. So I think that's a fundamental question and I think that that decision can be data driven and it can also be you know qualitative uh
feedback that we've gotten from staff in the community. >> Right. I agree with you because this notion that we would go to an RFP first sort of implies that we want to continue with this. >> Yeah. I'm not sure we want to continue. >> I'll continue with some type of service. I mean and maybe we don't want any type
of service. Michael >> uh a couple a couple of points. Um, number one is, um, it would be it would be worthwhile to find out along the lines that you're talking about about whether you know the
businesses and the nonprofits, the town uh, organizations that use this service find it valuable and how they take action based on the information that they get. And also, you know, given that there's data coming back to us, whether it's just pedestrian counts or something
else, whether we've actually ever taken any action based on that data or we're just sort of watching the numbers scroll by because lots of data gathering, you just look at the numbers and say, "Oh, that's interesting." And then you sort of move on and that doesn't have a lot of value for
agree with you that is very important. For example, and even with a ping, there is identifiable information that is gathered about the specific whether you think of it as a serial number or something, a MAC number um for
that device And you know, if I have, for example, a phone and a watch and they're connected by Bluetooth, you know, I have to leave Bluetooth on in order for my devices to talk together. So, so it's it's not as easy as telling people like,
well, if you want to if you're really concerned, you can just turn Bluetooth off when people typically don't do that sort of thing. >> Yeah. John, >> I um I appreciate u that there are members of the board who are open to the possibility that maybe we don't want to continue a relationship with any of
these companies. You know, that's fair game. Um at the same time uh I am well aware that there are people from the business community who are kind of excited about um the possibility of improving upon the on street um um
offerings that we have in terms of you know this kind of uh of uh data. um uh that would be it would not only provide a source of data, but it would also provide a um opportunity for some of our local merchants to advertise um and
they've been using the current um vendor for advertising and they can speak for themselves as to whether they think they got good results. um with an RFP that would attract more than just the current vendor, there might be other options
that um are seen as advantages by people in the in the local business community. Um so I before we just, you know, rule out any future relationship with a company of this nature, I'd like to learn more from our business community as to how they use the current vendor
and what their view of the possible opportunities uh in the future are. >> Yeah. And I John, I think that's what we're all saying, right? That we we want information. They've done surveys. They've done metrics. They've I mean, I don't think together, collectively, we
understand fully what the service offering is and how it's been performing and what the feedback is. So that's all I think there's a decision. >> Okay. So I think the u the message from the board is that we need more information. and we need a briefing on all the things that we mentioned before
we can even make a decision as to whether to uh continue with any service, continue with this service or go up on RSR. >> Okay. But why why don't we plan to put that on an agenda for the future and um you know come to
us with uh I take you take you've taken notes in terms of all the things that we've talked about you need >> uh to sort of brief us on and then we'll you know make our decision at that point. >> Okay. >> Thank you very much for your time >> Christina. >> Great.
Next. Oh, the fun part of the meeting begins. 35 minutes late, but could be worse. Uh, our tax classification public hearing. Uh, this is a public hearing
and uh not a vote. We'll be taking a vote at our um next meeting >> which is going to be during town meeting. So the 18th >> not going to be have some restrictions but uh best presenters.
>> Pardon me. >> So, these are the best dress presenters tonight. >> Good evening. Um, I'm Ted Costian, the chief assessor. We have Dr. Harold Peterson with us. He's on our board of assessors, as is Mark Maer. Um, and is
our uh finance director, Lincoln Heimman. Uh we received approval from the department of revenue uh for our valuations. And so the next step before we can set a tax rate for the town is uh to get your input on the shift of the
tax levy and uh the adoption of the residential exemption. So those are the two items before you not to hear about today and then to vote on in two weeks. Uh as a review uh in the last three years we maximized that shift uh from
the residential class to the commercial class at that 1.75 shift and we adopted a 20% residential exemption. So just our uh sort of year and review uh you know many thanks to our assessing
field team. uh they go out and do thousands of inspections in in the field uh picking up new growth for the town as well as just cyclical reviews of property. Um that data, you know, goes into our mass appraisal system and then we make market adjustments.
>> That resulted in our residential class being up 2.7% in value this uh fiscal year and commercial values uh based on our review of income and expense statements and using an income approach to value up a half a percent. Uh, our personal property, which I'll talk a
little bit about more later, was up 4.9% for a total value increase of 2 and a half% across the town. Uh, just to break it down a little further, uh, our single family valuations went up 2.3%, which is a
little actually under our condo average uh, value change of 2.8 and two and three families like in prior years, lagging a little behind that. apartments. Uh even with uh increasing interest rates, we did see strong rents sort of outpace that from a valuation
perspective. So we still saw a 3.7% increase in apartment average value and our commercial on the on an average basis was up 1.4% per parcel. Our new growth uh we're pretty similar to last year in in new
growth terms uh except for our personal property was up uh from about half a million to 800,000. So that's about a $300,000 increase in in revenues for the town. That is because our department decided to uh focus a little more more on that
and hire a firm called RRC which helps us to identify uh personal property in our community and uh fairly and equitably tax it. Um so that was a big increase for us which got us our highest new growth ever. So that's good at over
3.5 million. And where that comes in is uh you know our levy from last year is 293 million roughly. We obviously are allowed to increase that levy by proposition 2 and a half. That's about 7.3 million. Our new growth comes in which is uh certified by the department
of revenue at 3.5 million. So our new levy limit would be 303.9 million. We do have a debt exclusion in as you know about as you voted for uh which is 28.5 uh million. The difference this year is
the new debt that was issued for the fire stations and the Pierce School. So, our total allowable maximum levy 332.57 million, which uh now brings us to just a quick reminder on the residential exemption,
how we calculate that. So, about 9700 parcels in the town of Brooklyn receive a residential exemption. The way we determine that is taking the total residential value. We divide it by the number of total residential parcels to get that average
residential value. Uh in years past, the select board selected 20%, so 20% of that figure is 354,000 which gets taken off the value of each parcel that's eligible. Um, so just next slide, you know, last year that was
about worth about $3,400 to resident occupants in Brooklyn. And in uh this year, if we do choose the 20% in the maximum shift, it would be about $3,600 uh in the residential exemption.
So here's where um your choice comes into play. uh this uh option here is at the 20% residential exemption at the maximum residential shift. So again, shifting the most allowable by state law to our
commercial class. Uh that's that far left option in the bar chart. It's a pretty um tight spread when it comes to the percent change in the the median tax bill. So at the higher end, this option,
multifamilies would be experiencing a little over a 6% total bill uh tax change, whereas commercial would be just under 4%. As we lower the shift, obviously that pushes up the tax change for our residential properties and
brings it down uh for commercial. So, for instance, if we went to the 1.7 shift as opposed to 1.75, uh the commercial properties would only see about a 1% uh tax bill increase, whereas the apartment class would be at a 7%.
Uh we derive that uh for all of these options. Um just noting that 79% of our single families uh do receive the residential exemption. um about 51% of condos, again these are the the nominal options here in blue, uh
63% of our two families received the residential exemption and 31% of our three families. Again, the uh the options in blue and our multif family um tax increase there, all reflected in the
bar chart. And this is sort of how for people who are inclined mathematically, this is how we derive it. uh the tax rate. So if we were to select the maximum uh shift and the uh 20% residential exemption, it would result in a tax rate of $10.24 on the
residential. And the commercial industrial personal property would have a $1716 tax, that would be you, if you just look rate over rate, it would be about a 3.6 six or 3.7% uh tax rate increase for the commercial
and the residential this year. Another option would be a 19% uh residential exemption. So, we're just dropping that by 1% on the on the residential exemption percentage. It has a significant effect on our condo parcels. uh they would go again from uh an
increase of around 5%, it would it would jump it up to over eight and a half percent just by that 1% uh change in the residential exemption. Um and we sort of show you the math that goes into that. I won't take too much time on that. Uh we we offer a 21% uh
residential exemption. Doing that would drop the condo tax bill increase from about five and a half to 2% while pushing up the tax bill on our apartment class uh over 7%. Um
and so kind of open up to questions but that's kind of the the question before you is that you know that maximum shift at 1.75 and then at uh what the residential exemption that we want to have for the town this year. Oh,
>> thank you. This is so hard. Um, so I just want to talk about that uh residential exemption, that 1% change. And just to help me understand and the audience, uh,
the when you reduce the res residential exemption from 20% to 19%, the reason why condos go up is because they're getting less of an abatement, right? A rest a less reduction on their taxable value.
>> Exactly. >> So there's some I assume and there's a floor, right? Is there a minimum that they have to pay if >> Yeah, they have to pay 10%. So 10%. Yep. >> So So there's fewer condo owners who are getting that 10% minimum and that's why that number jumps up. Is that correct?
>> It's it's more that the average condo value with the residential exemption is around uh $500,000, you know. So it's that the total value would be like 880,000. But when you even the resex, it's it's about 500. So reducing that resx has
more of an effect on the the the bill that they pay. So you know instead of getting 350,000 in the residential exemption, let's say they get 320, that 30 thou it has a bigger effect percentage-wise. >> And and do we do we know um owner occupancy residential versus uh condo
versus single families? Yep. Uh 51% uh of our condo parcels received the residential exemption and uh 79% of our single families received the residential exemption. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Uh offhand, do you know how many or can
can you recite the number of how many communities in Massachusetts apply a um residential exemption? >> Um I don't have the number offhand. Uh it's roughly Harold >> 18
out of 350 whatever. Yeah. One >> 18 that don't or do >> that do do have the Yeah. So just I I it's important context because um you know it's possible for conversations on this
topic to make people very angry very quickly um depending on you know if you discuss a a variable like the 19% versus the 20% exemption. Um and yes, if we were to embark on that in this year, um
it it would impact condo owners um uh in a way that uh is far far in excess of what the impact on the other classes of property owners um would be. On the other hand, um it it might have uh a
little bit a very little bit of a mitigating effect on on other classes of property owners depending on on whether we're talking about apartments um or or single families or two families or three families. Um the real question to me is
um with with a an exemption whether it's 1920 or 21 um do we get unpredictable outcomes because of the nature of how you
calculate what the exemption would be which in the case of Brooklyn it turns out to be something always you know from properties at the lower end. The vast majority of those are um low low-inccome affordable condos, >> right?
>> Yeah. >> Right. And that's important to recognize, too. Um and and that's kind of a special case. Um but uh it's also the case that some of those properties have very light tax bills because
because they're valued low to begin with, right? So, you know, you could take a property that under other circumstances would be valued at, you know, 600 700 $800,000 and instead it's valued at like $250,000.
Um, and and then you get, you know, a minimum tax of on 10% of that. Is that basically how be calculated? >> Uh, well, no. If it had $600,000 value and went down to 300,000, it would pay tax on the 300,000. The only time it
goes, you know, below 10 is if, you know, the the condo was valued at 300,000 and there was a $350,000, you know, dollar exemption. We can't do that. We we have to be we'd have to they have to have a $30,000 taxable value. >> Yeah. >> That example. >> Yeah. But but you know, just taking even
taking that example, >> you know, how how low can a individual's property tax go in in Brooklyn? you you know have you seen individual annual tax bills of $1,000 or less? >> Yes.
>> Okay. Um and yet at the higher end as we all know um um would be paying. and you don't like to be in the position of suddenly making someone else's taxes go higher um especially if it's a
lowinccome person. But I do hope we come to grips um over time uh with this issue of how much disparity do we find to be acceptable in the range of you know the
the amount of taxes one pays on one's property versus the value of that property. And if some people are, you know, paying 10 times um the amount that other people are paying in terms of how much of the value of their property they're paying taxes
on, >> um we might want to take a look at it. even people who are living in qualify for some of these subsidized um some of the subsidized housing if you look at the thresholds you know they can be
making over $100,000 a year or over $120,000 a year in some instances um so I think it's fair to sort of try to evaluate from time to time and I'm not going to make any proposals for change this year but um I I think we should
maybe have a a a fresh look at with fresh eyes through some sort of a specially appointed committee at what has happened to our tax base over time as a result of subsidization um on the one hand of of housing and then on the
other hand um this this exemption policy which only 18 communities in all of Massachusetts have which heavily heavily heavily favors people um whose properties are valued low and the same people who are subsidies are the people
whose properties are valued low um in many instances. That's all. End of speech. Michael. >> Um first of all, one one question of clarification. Um, if you
are those two um behavior in the context of as these numbers shift than single families is primarily a factor is primarily caused by the fact that most single family homes are more valuable than most condos.
>> Yeah, we're modeling that graph based on the median value. So the the median value of condos is a lot lower >> is is a lot lower. Okay. So, so I mean for for me personally I I think that that kind of division makes makes an
artificial distinction between condos and single family homeowners. What we are really talking about is less valuable properties and more valuable properties. Um, and to your point, John, about looking at who benefits from the
exemption, um, I think it's fair to say that anybody who can claim 350 or 360 or whatever the exemption is from their personal property gets a fixed benefit from that. But given that properties
have different values, right, the the effect of the effect of that exemption is just to make the make our property taxes more aggressive because since that amount is fixed, the larger uh the more
expensive and the more valuable properties pay a larger percentage of their taxes, which is by definition more progressive. >> So like you, I'm not proposing any changes. I just think that we should frame it as a matter of being progressive. I would also be interested
in knowing of those 18 communities what percentage of the actual population of Massachusetts that encompasses because if it encompasses places like Boston or Cambridge or other large communities, then it's really not just 18 out of 351,
but how of the six or seven million PE uh population of Massachusetts are Well, >> I just want to uh challenge one thing that you said, Michael, that the the the fixed nature is progressive. Um the the
tax is not progressive because it doesn't consider income. So someone who lives and has minimal income in a large home because they've been in it for 60 years. Um their ability to pay maybe substantially less than someone who's
living in a you know 800 foot condo. So I you know the the pro I think part of the challenge and we're not going to you know there's very little that we can do here right. Um it it should be I've always thought it should be proportionate based on value. So it's not fixed, you know, it should be some
percentage of of the value of the property uh is a residential exemption versus a fixed amount of the fixed nature I think is what creates inequality. But there's only two levers we have. We have the shift. >> I think we've always taken the maximum shift. We should talk about that if we
want to change that. And then the residential exemption >> um you know and you know the the the response from the community to make a dramatic change in residential exemption um would be I think profound. Um I had I
went to a um uh my son's lacrosse game the other day and I was see out immediately on the field uh I was trying to be incognito with a hat on. Um and and I got my ear chewed off about this very subject uh for an extensive period
of time for someone who, you know, feels that they're uh they actually misunderstood quite a bit about how this gets done because it's very complicated. Um but their taxes have doubled um in like five or six years. So um I would caution us to be very careful about
making dramatic changes here. Um this is a terrible system uh for how we have to fund our municipality. Um, and I would I would hope that the state would address this at some point in the future. I'm not going to hold my breath. >> Another question. Um, you know, if it's
not already obvious, this is one of my favorite topics and I I apologize for taking up uh more than my share of time perhaps. Um I I'm very interested just to hear your thoughts on our commercial base right now because if people are following developments in other
communities, they may have um been aware that in both Boston and Cambridge um there's quite the lively debate going on right now o over how much burden the commercial um sector should bear and in
both Boston and in Cambridge. in Cambridge um it's going up 22% uh increase in in commercial tax um you know that commercial tax burden through the shift this shift that we are allowed to use to sort of favor residential
properties over commercial properties um that was done I'll just take the Cambridge example again to adjust for what was a you know unanticipated decline um in in their commercial uh
base cuz properties went begging that they thought were going to be filled. And um so in other words, yeah, there there's a 22% um hike in commercial taxes, but it's largely intended to prevent the the
total deterioration of the revenue from the commercial tax base. It's not necessarily producing a lot more commercial tax income. it it's just kind of keeping even with what the commercial tax um income had been in the past so that not too much has to be made up on
residential properties. Um is that situation likely to develop in Brooklyn or not likely at all? >> Yeah, last week I talked to the uh Cambridge commercial assessor and uh you know they they have exposure to lab space and and large office which um we
we don't really have here. that was the the main driver in it was a 22% increase in the tax rate but that was caused by a decline in value. So their actual tax bill will you know be about let's say 10% increased on on the commercial side.
>> Um I don't see that here. Uh we we have a steady commercial uh tax base at this time. You know retail did did better than office this year. Office was definitely flat. Um, we are monitoring
the any sales that happen, but we're more monitoring the income and expense statements that we get to see the net income into these properties to make sure that, you know, there's still, you know, low vacancy, you know, for the for the area. And um I I don't see that right now in what I'm in and what I'm
seeing. And what I'm seeing is, and this is based on your numbers in your pie chart, that commercial accounted for 8% last year and it's going to count for 8% this year. Um, and does that assume that we keep the shift at 1.75
or 7495 or something like that? >> Yeah. So um we have commercial industrial personal property at uh you roughly 9%. When we shift it uh it goes to about like you said 16 17% and it's
it's not really changing year very much about 210 of a percent change. >> Mhm. Okay. >> Okay. Any other uh discussion? Super. >> So, G give us a briefing on what we're going to be voting on next week or next meeting.
>> Yep. You're going to be uh voting uh and selecting that residential factor uh which I'll have on on the screen for you. uh which means that we are you know shifting at the at the maximum assuming uh with a 1.75 and the percentage residential exemption
which I can have a number of options worked up but um >> so in terms of the residential factor we're just going to come up with a number right I mean that >> um minimum allowable residential uh factor yep so it would be the minimum allowable residential factor which would
allow us to shift the maximum uh to to commercial >> but then we have to decide on the the residential exemption percentage. So 20% 19%. >> Exactly. >> Exactly. >> That's the easy part. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, uh this is a public I'm sorry, Chad.
>> Just one quick question. Can you also comment on the availability of exemptions and um tax workoff programs for senior citizens and veterans in town? >> Yes, absolutely. Uh that's in uh one of your tabs, tab uh one actually. It's the
back of tab one. Um, so we have u low-income seniors uh that can avail of a personal exemption uh by state law and we've doubled it here in Brooklyn as as you may be aware at our town meeting. >> Uh the legally blind uh can avail of an
exemption as can uh wounded uh veterans. Uh we also have a CPA exemption which you know it's only 1% of the of the the property uh value but nonetheless we allow a CPA exemption in Brooklyn as well as a senior workoff program where uh
uh seniors over the age of 60 can apply to work in a uh town office >> and the CPA exemption is is based on age over 65 right? Um there actually are a number of there it's it's el uh both the elderly
and and non-elderly would be possibly eligible for that. >> It's a means tested. >> Yep. >> Okay. This is a public hearing. U Charlie, can you open up the public hearing for us? >> Sure thing. Um this is a public hearing.
Attendees may use the raise the hand feature if you're online or may raise your hand if you're in the audience in the room to let us know if you'd like to speak. Um and um as per usual, we ask you state your precinct number, address, and name before you go. And you'll have
three minutes. Anyone in the room? Uh we have 16 participants online. No. >> Yeah, we have we have 16 participants online and no one is raising their hand to speak. That's something unusual.
Okay, I'll close the public hearing. Any further questions or discussion from the board? >> I do I have one I have two questions. One um how do we communicate the um senior programs or low-inccome programs?
>> We always we the assessor's office always sends out when the with the tax bill. >> It goes in the tax bill. Okay. And then um you know I I find that this subject is It's very complicated for us. Um, it's very complicated and misunderstood by
the community. Is there some way to include or do we already do that? Uh, an explanation as to how how the taxes are calculated. I mean, it's an area where we've actually been doing some some work on this. And I want to let Lincoln talk a
bit about, you know, community education. >> U Lincoln Heiden, the town's director of finance. So um to to your first question Paul so uh in in addition one of the things that uh we've been working on um in the finance department and
particularly the assessors is to try and get the word out make sure everyone who does know about ex knows about exemptions in other different ways. So we've been going out to the farmers market going out making sure we have a a big presence at Brooklyn day um you know
and rethinking how the flyers might look. And so Chaz mentioned that that's something that uh we've spoken with Christina uh Metaf, the town's communications officer to um to try and work through next year uh how we might
better explain um how how the tax rate is set. Um it's uh there is there is a way that Brookline, excuse me, that Cambridge explains it um that I think some people find a little a little simpler. It is complex regardless. Yeah.
Um but you know, but I it it's something we're thinking about for next year. >> It would be really helpful to have something even in the tax bill that explains how is your how is your tax bill calculated. >> Yeah. >> Um with some background information as how the tax rates determined, what goes
into the bill, how their assessment is determined, uh the valuation of their property, um is another thing, you know, that's just clearly misunderstood on how this gets done. Anyway, it would be really helpful. Well, and and well, one other fact I I think I think a lot of that might be separate from the tax bill
um for for two uh sometimes uh you know, difficult reasons, but they are what they are. One is that the the state very strictly um regulates how the tax bill looks. The tax bill is almost identical in every single one of the 351 municipalities in Massachusetts. Um, and
the other thing is that if we if we were to do we have done inserts in the past, we do if we do have an insert, um, the board would need to approve it and it does have a not insignificant cost. >> So, um, it's something we can think about, but just be aware of those two factors. >> Yeah. When we're, you know, when we're
drawing 330 something million out of the town, I think we could spend that cost to educate them. >> Yeah. >> Hey, uh, John, >> may I just one more? Um, so, um, it's too bad that there weren't any people who, you know, weighed in tonight, but that's kind of understandable. This is a real, you
know, techy sort of pro, uh, topic. I I want to take one last stab at making it uh, a little bit simpler for people. And that is to advise people who have listened and are interested that um, there is the document that was presented
on slides um, at this meeting is available in the agenda. that's attached to the agenda for tonight's select board meeting. Um, and if people would go to page 20 uh of the document, they will see a chart that gives you the picture
if we were to add um increase the residential exemption to 21%. And to further simplify this, I would just suggest that people look at only the leftmost part of the graph. U
because that's the likely CIP shift that we're going to use. 1.749 1.75 is is is probably where we will stay. And so that's in the leftmost part of the graph on page 20. That's if we
increase the residential exemption to 21%. And what you will see there is how the how the various classes of property would be impacted. Commercial uh multi-unit, three family, two family, condo, and single family. Then if you go
to page 25, and may I suggest that we should probably keep these three things together. Um uh and also, uh give each one a page so that the the the other two aren't distorted. Um but on page 25,
you'll find Um uh a people in um uh mostly rental apartments um should be advised that they're probably going to be the hardest hit um in the next round of taxes in so far as
those taxes go through to their rents because under both the 19 excuse me under both the 21 and the 20% exemption um you'll see on the charts that they are the hardest hit. That's end of my comments. >> Okay. Uh with that, I would urge select
board members if they have any questions or clarifications that they want to contact Ted Cigan. Um and uh he'll help help us work through them and u at our next meeting we will hopefully be ready to make some decisions.
So thank you. Thank you. Okay. committee is proposed amendment that would carve out the smaller section of the parcel CRM2 from the zoning proceed only with CRM1. Um there will also potentially be changes following that from the planning
board version. So Carara's recommendation to you is that you hold off on taking this up understanding that it would then have to come out in a supplemental report but given the state of the zoning currently best to hold off for now. >> Okay. Does anyone have an objection to that? >> I don't have an objection. I had a
question about just timing. So do we have a sense of when this would be >> taken up at town meeting because we would be voting the next time we meet >> is the first night of town meeting. >> Yeah, we may we may need to put an extra meeting on the calendar. Okay. um probably an an afternoon meeting on a
Friday or a Thursday just to get material out next week. Um >> okay, >> which we have done in the past when we need to, you know, get reports out. >> Okay. Any other questions or comments?
>> Thank you. I see Mr. Allen, Jeffrey Allen, the who represents the uh developer that has put forward this warrant article. Should we have any objection to >> He's a petitioner. He's we usually let petitioners speak. >> Okay.
>> Go to the mic. >> Amendment that's being discussed downstairs because that wasn't given that amendment had was given birth to that amendment after we had our hearing before you. And I I think that amendment is is extremely pro problemat
problematic and that is because uh quite simply it will most likely result in the loss of units in that right now we are at a point where we have 30 um 33
what we call workforce housing units and six uh units protected by the inclusionary zoning. for for a total of 39 units, four of which is on are on C
schedule will be number 26. So, uh I I I'm not sure that this would CMR2 would go through another public uh zoning process. Uh that's not likely. We understand the concerns with with CMR2
uh that it's only a massing study now and people don't have their arms around what it would really look like. We understand that and that's why when you hear about the cleaning up of the uh the of the uh proposal tomorrow morning before the planning board, one of it's
one change we've made I think is extremely significant. We've made CMR2 subject to a special permit for design review by the planning board. We think that CMR2 should be designed by the in
conjunction with the planning board and we don't believe it should be designed by the advisory committee, the advisory subcommittee, the select board or town meeting. The proper place to and the only concern with CMR2 we've heard is the design and how it's going to be laid
out. And I think that's the we think that's the proper province of the planning board who have done 30 40 50 unit buildings and we we made it subject to a design review special permit for the planning board and then ultimately
the ZBA to meet the legitimate concerns uh of people that say well we don't know what it's going to look like. We don't know how it's going to be laid out. So that's I just want I won't go back over the zoning, but we think it would be unfortunate if those units are lost because they're a little different than
the units in CML1. They would still be rentals. They'd still be workforce housing, but they would be geared to maybe a a family of with one child uh or something like that. something that probably wouldn't be attracted to uh the
maybe some of them, but it's it's a little it would be a townhouse uh approach and we've done a massing study which frankly the planning board liked and the planning board was unanimous in support. So I'd answer any questions if you haven't otherwise I leave it in your
best judgment. >> Thank you. Any questions? No. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. >> Okay. Next uh article 8 bylaw uh regarding uh nuisance light.
>> Yes. So there couple of couple of uh advance a couple of updates there. Um as far as we know the advisory subcommittee that's been hearing this has not taken an official final vote yet, but uh I'm not aware of uh that they they were still working on trying to incorporate some additional ideas for standards and
enforcement. Um there is a revised version to incorporate which you should obviously come on up and talk through if you'd like. Um the most recent version of your version um I know Paul Warren submitted a proposed amendment there. Um the planning board voted deadlock 33 on
an earlier version. Um they currently have no plans to take it up again. Um but I would welcome the petitioners to talk through where they are now. The the warrant article. Um, David Titel, uh, town meeting member, precinct 8. Uh, thank you for the opportunity again to speak with you.
Um, I'm happy to go through all the changes since the last time we met at 11:30 last Tuesday night last week. Um, if that would be useful. If not, I can just go to a couple of real quick highlights. Um, which would you prefer? >> Give us the highlights.
>> Yeah, >> quick highlights. Okay. >> Unless someone else wants more detailed. >> No. So, the quick highlights. Um Michael, you had had you had expressed some um confusion with the that the lang you had expressed that the language was confusing in the definition and
applicability. Um we've changed that to now read this section applies to outdoor lighting in residential areas originating from private residential properties except for the following. So you were concerned about what the definition was, what didn't. Hopefully
that has clarified um things. Um we heard you loud and clear. Um, couple of things. We've added a definition of nuisance that came from recommendations from David Pollock and the land use subcommittee. So, we've added that. Um,
we um sent it to the moderator. There were a couple things that were out of scope, including the mention of local historical districts. So, that's been strucken. Um, and then of course we have the um amendment that Paul Warren submitted that I saw today. Um, we are
open to that. um and we're happy to hear more if you want to talk about it, but um from our understanding um we saw what you suggested and we're completely open to that. So if that's included, that's fine. >> Um David,
>> so a question I have uh in connection to the proposed amendment uh by Paul, I'm I'm mostly in support of it. I think it helps to define more specifically what neighbor means. My one worry though is this is not only an issue about what a
residence is potentially doing to another resident but also potential impact on wildlife. So for example there are portions of Paul's pond or of horse sanctuary that might not have a direct a
butter who would have standing from the proposed definition in your amendment. So, I would ask that perhaps we also include a provision that would allow for standing for the town itself uh and for parks and recreation commission because
otherwise I think there's the unintended loophole of open space not being protected by anybody. >> No, I I think that's so David I think you raised a good >> so so that's my main concern. I would
like to see uh standing explicitly added for parks recreation commission uh and the town itself so that someone is in a position to bring forward a complaint if one of our parks or open spaces are
being impacted by nuisance lighting. >> Oh yeah. >> Yeah. So I just I um I I it's it's a reasonable thing. I I wonder if we actually need to change though because the in that case the the town would be the abuter, >> right? >> So I I asked uh Joe Kalan about this and
he indicated and if he's on correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that he was saying the attorney general would be the one in a position to defend open space. And to me if absent any additional language, we would have to rely on the attorney general. Uh I I
don't know how long that would ever take to process and I worry about that. It could be very cumbersome. So I would rather explicitly provide standing for parks and recreation commission and for the town itself to avoid that potential unintended pitfall.
>> He's is town council. >> He is he's down at the advisory committee. Unfortunately, he's he's working with them. You have a double meeting tonight. Um but I can check in with him on this. I think given the state of where you are here, you're going to this is another one where you're going to want to wait. >> Um, but we can obviously have that
conversation. Um, I do say just with the town because there are enforcement there's enforcement language in here. The building commissioner is empowered to enforce this law. You know, it's it's just a question of who has a private right and who has, you know, private notice and so forth. The building
commissioner is permitted to um independently ascertain violations of this. Well, I think what David's speaking to, may I Bernard? Um, is is who has standing, >> right? So, basically I defined who has standing because it said neighbors, >> right?
>> And a neighbor, you know, people send out emails to the entire town, dear neighbors. So, the entire town has a neighbor, right? >> Um, so the question is under the way it's currently modified, would the town have standing um at Hall's Pond or, you
know, other other places? put her I mean the the the one worry I have is there'll be advocates it's not just the town there'll be all kinds of pressure being placed on town staff by residents who have an outcome in mind because they're
not worried about the wildlife they're actually worried about their own property because they abut uh you know conservation land I can think of one individual that probably would do that um and so I you know I just I worry that we're creating an opportunity for people to just come out of the woodwork work to
complain about lighting and that's one of the things I'm trying to prevent here >> and I and I appreciate that. So that's why I'm not suggesting that it be open-ended with neighbors. I agree and I I appreciate how you are more narrowly tailoring that >> but by the same token and we have lots
of open space pockets of town that needs to be protected too. And I think a way to insulate your concern is by empowering the parks recreation commission or the town itself to bring about such complaints. It's not individuals. >> Yeah.
>> But the commission uh andor the town. >> So maybe propose some language for >> Right. >> Yes. Go ahead. >> David, are you suggesting parks and wreck and the town explicitly stated as both or are you suggesting the town itself and that would be encompass parks
and wreck? I'm trying to think about a as we draft changes to this >> or I I think either way as long as that's covered. Look, I'm I'm always leerary of asking public bodies to be enforcers for civil violations. I think
that puts parks and wreck in a tough spot. Um, you know, you don't want to be accused of of um selective enforcement. You don't want a public body to be accused of selective enforcement. Um, it's something we can talk about with town council obviously and you know, the pros and cons. Do you think mentioning
the town >> you know I I think as it's currently drafted the the town when I read when I read um the definition of a party and interest in the state law that Paul is borrowing from um the town of Brooklyn I
think qualifies generally speaking you know we own the public roadways we own you know except for the land that the state owns you know there may be some exceptions to that so we may want to just say to be safe to cover you know the town may independently bring an enforcement action. >> I I would feel more comfortable if that
language were explicitly added. >> Okay. >> Well, >> so I I have to admit I did not go through every single change that you made. I think you've added some things I >> Well, so and so I'm going to ask if it's okay, I'm going to ask a question. So
for for example, under uh 8.4A says outdoor lighting shall not flash, blink, or change in color. That has not changed. >> Okay. Is that does that include holiday lights? So >> So holiday lighting is in F. So um the
the point here is that holiday lighting shut is is exempt until 10 p.m. >> But it so could it blink >> because so if you go to um 8.2 which lists the exemptions 8.2d 2D,
you'll see that holiday lighting is exempt except for up to except for the part in 8.4 where it says it needs to be shut off at 10 p.m. >> Okay. So, >> so blinking Christmas lights are fine. >> Uhhuh. >> Getting to the crux of what you I think
you're asking. Blinking Christmas lights would be fine until 10 p.m. >> Okay. I was actually thinking about my uh Halloween dragon that changes color >> also would be fine until 10 p.m. >> Until 10 p.m. Yes. >> Why 10 p.m.? >> Why? >> Why not 11 or 1?
>> Excellent question. Um we wanted to draw a line in the sand somewhere. Um you know, people go to bed at different times and whatnot, but 10 p.m. felt like a good medium, you know, like compromised time that felt reasonable. Um, so that that's where where we landed
and the same is true for the back end of that was 6 am. Um, daylight savings and things like that. It gets dark, it gets light. We had to we had to draw a line in the sand somewhere. So, one more thing. Clint Richmond, town meeting member, precinct 6 co-etitioner. The idea,
sorry, >> Clint Richmond, town meeting member, precinct six, uh, co-patitioner. Uh, the idea of time limits came from the planning department. Right. Right. Uh yes, I believe that is correct. Um I do want to add one more point which is through all of these changes we've been
in constant communication with Maria and planning and building um building commissioner and everybody says they are still the town is still willing to and able to enforce this and that was that is a that's a third rail for us. We
don't want to put in any ch changes where the town no longer feels that they can enforce it. Um and we have received many suggestions from various parties that we have rejected as a group for that exact reason.
>> John, would the town itself be exempt from from the provisions of this? >> So the town is and commercial is >> exempt. >> Yes. >> Would um MBTA platforms be exempt?
>> Um it's government I think is the language. We don't we don't actually have jurisdiction as a town. I see Chaz not over the MBTA or the US government in in any in any local enforcement. >> Right. >> Yeah. I and I I don't dispute that at
all. It's just ironic that um the if the light weren't falling, you know, on on a Brooklyn household or bedroom window, uh there wouldn't even be an issue. Um and so in some sense, you know, they've intruded on our, you know, territory.
Um, but I get, you know, I get your point. Um, and and, uh, th this is, uh, at this point it's going forward as a general bylaw. >> Correct. Correct. And again, as as I stated last week, um, we feel strongly
about that because we want it to be backward-looking as well as forward-looking and to go zoning would only be forward-looking and would not be able to take care of any people who have um, current issues that they would like to address. This is again about empowering the residents of Brooklyn to
be able to um complain to bring up a new sense of light lighting and to have the t know that the town has their back when they do. Um so we want to empower residents and to do zoning would not it would only be looking forward which is
unfortunate >> and uh you know I'm I'm far from the you know the person to sort of know this as a matter of law but you know there's there is this concept of grandfathering which comes in you know when laws change and then you have to decide should we
you know grandfather in They obeyed the law at the time, but we've just changed >> have to change what they have for lighting. So, um, if I may, I have two things I'd like to say to that. The first is the technology, as I brought up
last week, the technology of lighting has changed substantially. So, it's not really an apples and apples conversation. This has really come to the four because of the rise of LED lighting. So, that's thing number one. Thing number two is that this bylaw has several safe harbors, if you will. One
of which is changing light bulbs to a cooler temperature below 3,000 Kelvin. um one of which is shielding the lights, one of which is changing when they're on and when they're off if they're an issue. Um so there are several things,
motion detectors is another thing depending on the fixture and the situation. But the point is we've written this such that there are several safe harbors that are cheap or free to people who are the ones with lights
that are being a nuisance. So, this is not putting an The alternative to this would be to easily annoyed by lighting. Um, you're going to have to come into compliance with this and if you don't, you're, you
know, you're home free. So, now we're putting in place a regime that's going to apply unequally all over the town. So, I don't I don't I personally do not see it that way. I see it in
those who are affected for health reasons, for um a a nuisance reasons, a light that's shining into their bedroom, a light that's shining into their kitchen, a light that's preventing them from watching a dark movie at night in their home. They're
unable to enjoy their homes. They're unable to sleep. they're unable to have their and their health may be ill affected from trespass light. They now have recourse and the town has their back.
Yes, there are edge cases and I'm not going to pretend that they're not. There is the chance that there is someone who is a rogue actor who is looking for a vendetta who is going to complain because there is a light that is potentially problematic. That is where
the building commissioner comes in. They can take the measurements. We've given them guidelines that they feel they can enforce >> to see if that light is indeed problematic. And if it is indeed problematic, then it will then then it needs to be replaced or there will be
penalties. But again, if your neighbor doesn't care, then it's not a nuisance. This is for the people who are being affected. We are empowering them. >> Yeah. I I would just also add to your point John that right now in a in many
contexts when it comes to enforcement they are complaint driven. So for example we have noise nuisance by law and someone might be bothered by a loud party next door and someone else might not be. That's not a light is shining into their bedroom
window. They currently have no protection and therefore need this law to protect them. We already protect people from certain types of nuisance lighting. Um, and I know because I've worked with people to get enforcement against lighting that was intrusive in
bedrooms or you name it. Um, under our current law and so we're taking the current law to a different level. Um, and and correct me if I'm wrong, we're saying certain types of light bulbs are no longer going to be allowed in
Brooklyn and they could well be light bulbs that a lot of people have in place and we won't know how many have them in place until people start complaining against their neighbors. >> So, two responses. The first is the current laws have to do with signage
which are fuzzy at best to be able >> and health. >> Yes, >> we have a health public health provision. Yes, >> that if your sleep is disturbed by, you know, somebody's light, you can ask for a health inspector come out. >> Sure. Which doesn't affect, for example, living rooms or kitchens or other parts
of your home. >> So, that's that's thing number one. Thing number two about the type of light bulb. Again, we are not banning light bulbs in Brooklyn. We are not banning 5,000K light bulbs in Brooklyn. What we are saying is if there is a high temperature bulb that is creating a
nuisance that one bulb in that one instance needs to be replaced. That is very different from banning bulbs in Brooklyn. It is a case-byase basis. Yeah. No, I agree. >> And it is absolutely complaint driven. That that is an excellent point that
David made. It is a complaint driven nuisance by >> and and the light bulb doesn't have to be replaced. You can have a 5,000k light bulb. You just have to shield it and keep it in your property. >> Uh Michael, >> um
first of all, I want to commend you for your sort of efforts to find a solution here. Um, my most substantial concern, and it doesn't sound like a concern that is really addressable for the reasons that
you state, um, is the advice that we've gotten from town council that this is either illegal or will be rejected. Um, and I I'm concerned about putting the town through that process to that end. Um
the second question I have sort which sort of uh illustrates that point is in the section 8 uh xx.5.1 under enforcement where uh I believe there's a section e exception
that talks about for new structures substantially rehabilitated structures and newly installed outdoor lighting fixtures and luminers compliance shall be immediate. Um, and I guess my question is if if you are trying to
structure this bylaw to take into account a complaint on a particular instance. Um, why are you putting in exceptions that that that
sort of point to sort of how that uh particular license uh nuisance was created because that in my mind sort of just points to uh sort of a bypass around uh the the uh
requiring this to be a zoning provision. >> Sure. Um let me answer both of your questions. First, regarding the legality, our understanding is that the town council has um brought this up to the attorney general and we're waiting to hear from them. >> So, I believe that is still pending.
>> Um and I have not heard back about it. Um so, I'm we're still waiting. >> Um is that correct? >> Yeah, that's correct. So, we're still we're still still in a holding pattern there. Um then there was the question it is it is an open question there that we
have re you've received letters stating other legal opinions as to whether or not town council's interpretation is the correct one. That's really where you land personally on you know what what interpretation you have. But regardless at the attorney
general will theoretically settle that. Getting to your question of why is 5.1E in there and what is it trying to do? Honestly, it's about nipping things in the bud from the start. Um, the idea here is we know what is apt to cause nuisance.
So, we're trying to prevent new construction from doing it in the first place. Let's not have construction built with a 5000K bulb that is just unshielded and shining into all the
yards that the new that before were dark and into all the homes that were before were dark. Um, so it's really about getting ahead of things, if you will, >> right? I I guess I would just say in all
of the other cases where we try to get ahead of things in new construction, most of those things are written into our zoning code. >> Sure. Sure. And if and you're right, this is not zoning for the reasons that I explained before. But the idea is that
we still want to try to get ahead of things. This is our attempt to do that. I >> Yeah. Let me ask a question. Um, you do allow seasonal holiday um, decorative lighting, but only up to 10:00 a.m. or
10 p.m., I'm sorry. >> Um, what about lights on trees? Uh a couple years ago, we got some really ups we had a lot of upset residents who uh wanted us to bring back lighted trees mainly around
town hall which is now a residential area but I'm thinking about those uh trees which are yeah I really enjoy them on uh Beacon Street in residential uh areas of Beacon Street. So why why would
you I mean how can you well I guess the question is why why why would you want to uh ban that type of uh holiday uh decoration? I don't think we are where how are what
is your interpretation? Forgive me but >> you're having them shut off at 10 p.m. >> We're having them shut off at 10 p.m. but we're not we're not >> what >> I think Bernard's saying why not >> you want them on at 2 in the morning. Is that what you're asking? >> Why not? I mean that that's that's we've we've done >> and and and the answer is what what we
are proposing here is that we're trying to this is a little bit of a dark sky issue. This is a little bit of an environmental issue trying to lessen the amount of light. >> This is a this is of course a nuisance bylaw as well. Um primar
>> no one cares it. No problem as if it's on municipal property. It's not covered by this bylaw. So you can you can put them on till 2 in the morning or leave them on all night. >> So what what's what's the case you're know there are some people want to put these lighted wrap their tree I guess on
private property that that's a different issue. Yeah. Yeah. >> David >> also it's about residential areas. So if it's a commercial area or if it's a municipal property then it's fine. >> Yeah. But you know the areas of beacon street where you have these lights on
private property. No, I mean that that's just me. I I think that's, you know, kind of unreasonable to ban that. >> Yeah. >> And I um I kind of agree with that. It's a it's a it's holiday lights. It's temporary. Maybe this article is trying
to be too many things. It's trying to be a nuisance. It's trying to be dark skies. It's trying to be health. I nuisance and health go along, but you know, you're starting to bleed into dark skies. So maybe consider I would encourage you to consider that uh you know shutting off holiday lights at 10
p.m. Um you know it's just it's a festive time of year. Lights are on. I mean these aren't you know I mean I guess someone could complain that it's too bright and the complaint would work and say well you've got lights up there that are higher than whatever the the the
>> So remember issue too. So remember, someone can leave their lights on past 10 p.m. This is not banning lights after 10 p.m. It's saying if if someone is agrieved by that, they have standing after 10 p.m.
>> Now to um Bernard's point, if you go to 8.2A, exemptions include public monuments and public properties. So if those trees are public property, it's moved. Yeah, I'm thinking of trees on private property. >> Yeah. So, trees on private properties
would be like housing lights as well. And if someone is bothered by it, >> Yeah. >> after 10 p.m. they would then have cause. But again, there's safe harbors in here of light trespass. >> Yeah.
>> And amount of brightness. We've got the foot candle measurement in there as well. If it's a dim festive light that isn't trespassing and isn't problematic, then there's no c. Then the building commissioner comes >> unless you get a grudge against your
neighbor. >> But but even so the bill even so then Dan comes. He sees it's not an issue. It's >> so but that's not the point that I actually wanted I I wanted to raise differently. I was supporting I but I can't see it becoming an issue for neighbor
complaints. Um, you know, fences make good fences make good neighbors. Uh, you know, bad bylaws make bad neighbors. Um, so, um, but I do want to raise the issue that I brought up a number. I brought it up last time. I brought it up at EDAB last night and I'll bring it up again
that commercial is not included in this and and I know this isn't your doing. U, but I'm I'm really concerned about this because I can kind of understand the front of commercial because it needs more may need some more work. Um but if
you the it's the back of commercial where the big spotlights are um on all night long for parking lots and when you're in mixed juice. I mean I live this every day so I know I look right down St. Mary's Court from the condo
building all the way down to St. Mary's Street, all the businesses and mixed juice in between. Um and it's lit up like Logan Airport. Um and this bylaw is not covering any of that. I did uh send a question to the building commissioner. I haven't heard back yet.
>> Um as to how how is that lighting regulated >> um and I'm hoping I'm hoping to get a response on that to understand um you know I and I will give you an example. Uh there's a new business being taken over. They're going to be opening up soon. It's commercial and they had
put up these LED bright uh spotlights on the back of their over their door. There was some people coming in trespassing, spray painting and stuff. So, they put up lighting. Um, and I I assume a camera. Well, it was very bright and it was pointing right at my son's window.
>> I did the neighborly thing and just talk to them and said, "Hey." And immediately they just turned them down and it and it did solve the problem. But there's other lights that are 25 ft in the air, 30 feet in the air that you can't do that with and they're just too bright. So I I'm concerned and I don't see the path
to resolution for dealing with those res residential properties that abut business districts on the backside uh being impacted by by lighting and it doesn't I don't understand how that's going to be solved.
So Chaz, maybe we could encourage the building commissioner to get >> I've reached out. We'll we'll talk. Yeah. >> Okay. Um, we're not taking this up uh tonight either. So, any other discussion?
If not, let's move on to the next exciting foreign article. >> Thank you again for the opportunity. >> Thank you. >> Um, so next on your agenda is article nine, the renters's hand. >> Um, you've got the clean language from the petitioner in there, the most recent
versions. Um uh you have a letter from one of our current constables um talking about the bylaw, Joe Figler. Um you have a proposed amendment from select board member Warren. Um and um you have memos generally in
support or you know in discussing the kind of you know the application of this bylaw from ODICR and the health department. >> Yeah. Um, so I don't know if you want to take Paul's motion since that's >> I like Paul's motion. >> So where is where's Paul's motion? It's
>> in the packet. It's uh it's called Warren motion warrant article 9. I mean my motion I took the feedback from the board and I drafted the motion. So >> yeah, why don't you summarize them? It's fairly straightforward. So, uh, you know, basically what the, um, the
amendment does, and there's, uh, there's a, I thought I wrote an explanation. See if I can find it here. Um, essentially, the, uh, amendment removes the requirement
that town agents, including constables hired by landlords, deliver the statement of tenants rights and resources. uh when serving a notice to quit. So it took that it took that section out um completely. Um it does preserve the
intent of the original article ensuring that tenants have access to clear information. Um the town will continue to publish the statement on the on the website as if this article were to pass. um the town would keep it updated, make
it publicly available, but the proposed change is based on, you know, three primary considerations which I think we discussed last week. The state already requires similar information. Um, matter of fact, uh, one of the constables sent me the form that they deliver, uh, where
they give a notice, uh, and it includes a link to, uh, the state website that includes robust information about programs and rights and, uh, you know, ways to stay in your home, how to get help. Um, so there's a tremendous amount
of information um, already available. So, you know, that information needs to be already is already out there by those that deliver it. Um, and you know there could be a concern that well maybe ours is is in conflict what that material
already is using a Brooklynbased constable when there's uh there's a risk that they're just not going to use uh our our uh town uh service agents, Brooklyn based agents. Um, and then the third uh issue
that we we did hear from Joe Figler last week or the week before that um you know when a when a notice of quit is challenged in court um you know they they will potentially be called in uh to
court to defend their position. Did they provide the right information? Did they deliver it properly? Was the information not up to date? Was it inconsistent with the state? Um, and that would be time that they're, you know, they're they're paid uh per deem. So, they're not going to they would paid for that material.
And, um, I'm also told that although the the risk may be minimal, um, it is possible that the suit that the town could be taking on, uh, having to do legal defense because now we're we're using our agents to deliver specific
information. Uh, and so we're taking on that responsibility. So this this uh amendment very simple. I was the main petitioner. One is uh the vast majority of landlords don't use Brookline constables.
Um they're using Boston or or or somebody else. Um, which again kind of even reinforces that this information is not being delivered by our by our constables. Anyway, >> be okay. We we haven't gotten uh
>> we're I believe I believe we're back online now. Me promote Chi-Chi. I think Kate's doing that now. >> Oh, you know, Charlie may Charlie has to do it. Sorry. >> I've just promoted Chi-Chi. Hi there. That wasn't our deal to get on. Chi-Chi
Woo, town meeting member, precinct 7. Um hopefully the internet will hold up. Um I'm here to speak on this warrant article since Alec Liowitz is uh in a session of advisory council that he couldn't miss. So I'm I'm um speaking as
the co-atitioner. Um so you know we um decided to do some research in light of the concerns expressed by board members at the last um meeting. We talked to a housing attorney who represents tenants at a
Boston area legal services agency. So he that with respect to the other municipal ordinances that require a similar statement of rights such as Boston and Somerville, he sees pretty much widespread compliance with it, indicating that landlords don't find it
especially burdensome. In fact, he said he's notware aware of a single instance where the failure to provide the local notice result in a dismissal or adverse ruling. Um, and he he also said to the extent if there's non-compliance with a local notice requirement, it's very
likely the landlord's not going to comply with the state required disclosures or other mandatory notices. Um, we also did some quick research. Um, he showed us how to go on Mass and look up Brookline eviction actions. Um, we took a look at September, which
apparently is a very busy month for evictions, but there were only nine in Brooklyn. one appears to be a duplicate. Of these, Brooklyn constable served the notice to quit in four cases. Um, other persons served the notice in four cases
and one case it wasn't clear because I filed the wrong notice quit for a different case. So, in the two ca in two of the four cases where someone other than a Brooklyn constable served the notice, the notice to quit was 61 pages and 65 pages long, respect,
respectively. In comparison, the notice to quit served by the Brooklyn constiples were about four or five pages long, which kind of gives you an indication that including an additional page or two in the package isn't really going to deter be something that deters
a landlord from using a Brookline constable. And by the way, we look through those two two 60page plus packets and in them, the notice to quit actually concluded a Bostonmandated statement of rights. So the noticing
agents actually included a local statement but for the wrong municipality. So to directly address the three reasons cited to support striking warrant article 9's requirement to have town agents including constables deliver the Brooklyn statement of rights. The state
al requires some disclosures. Well the statemandated disclosure as we as Alec has mentioned before provides information and resources that are available on a statewide level. A local statement of rights would provide information on Brooklyn based resources such as the Brooklyn Community
Development C Center's rental corporation's rental assistance fund. The concern that as drafted the bylaw would discourage the use of Brooklyn based agents. Uh the information that we just provided um indicates that landlords literally wouldn't see the
requirement to add a page or two to the notice to quit package is burdensome. and the concern that Brookline constables and agents be required to participate in court proceedings without compensation. You know, as as I just mentioned, if a notice quit is deficient
because it doesn't include a Brookline notice, it's probably likely deficient for other reasons such as the failure to provide the statemandated notice or in one case we just saw in in the nine that we reviewed, filing the wrong notice to
quit for the wrong um tenant. So, it's highly unlikely that the Brooklyn notice itself would be the sole reason that is to quit is challenged. Um, this housing attorney noted that we don't have a huge number of evictions filed in Brookline.
There is an alternative that could require the town uh a bylaw that requires the town through its office of housing stability to check the mass court record every week um like we did in researching this and mail the statement of tenants to um to tenants
who have an eviction filed against them. >> Okay. Or work for you. Yes. Um any uh >> Michael, do you have your hand up? >> Uh yes, I do. Um so first of all thank you Chi-C for providing that context. Um that was actually one of my questions is like how
prevalent a problem this is. Um and it's clear that that you know there are you know if September is a large month then we're talking about and we're talking about nine. I mean even if it were that much then we're talking about some maybe a hundred per year but I I assume the
number is significantly less. Um, the question I'm asking is given all of this, whether since this is a part of a Brookline bylaw to introduce this requirement that it be delivered, whether or not we can put some language
into the bylaw instead of striking this to deal with the the the um the risks that uh Paul has uh raised, whether we can put in some language that basically says that the failure to deliver this
publication shall not be justification for avoiding the notice to quit. Um, so that we're just basically saying that the town may be obligating the agents to supply this, but that that obligation is
is does not extend does not extend a right to the tenant to use that as a matter of of voiding the notice to quit. Um, because I presume that would be the concern of the landlords. Um, in general, I think, you
know, we're balancing the needs of uh agents here with the needs of the tenants. And the whole point of this warrant article is to provide a necessary service to tenants. So I would hate to I would hate to compromise that
um in that particular tradeoff. Um but if we if if we remove that that risk um then I think both parties can can move forward effectively. >> Question is is this a necessary um thing
for tenants? I mean it the information is on our website. It's it's already some of it's already provided to tenants. >> Yeah. I I'm I guess I am concerned that just using the websites or the internet
um is uh insufficient notice um for tenants who are struggling in a number of ways and may lack uh quick or uh effective internet access. >> Well, and also by the time this notice is given, it's really kind of too late.
They're being evicted. So, uh, David, >> so I, uh, agree with you, Michael, that just posting something on the internet is not sufficient. So, my concern is not so much with the merits and intent behind the proposal. Uh, I certainly
want tenants to be apprised of their rights and potential opportunities they have to avoid eviction. It's more the delivery component I'm worried about. Uh, and I I understand and respect your explanation,
uh, Miss Woo. My concern is more not so much about adding two pages to a four-page packet, but whether landlords in Brooklyn will have a disincentive in utilizing our Brooklyn constables. And
yes, maybe it's only nine a month uh at most, but even so, that's giving our constables less business than they would otherwise have. It's creating a requirement for one class of process servers that we wouldn't have with any others. And I'm interested to hear more
about an alternative that I suppose you technically aren't proposing, but that you laid out just now where the town could scan who has been served notices to quit and directly mail the local uh
tenants rights and resources. That would be another mechanism by which tenants receive the same information without potentially disadvantaging our constables. Uh so I guess one question for you would be whether you think that
alternative mechanism uh could be workable for this bylaw and then a question for Chaz whether you think that would bear a significant expense or would be essentially the same as this proposal where constables have to
deliver it. So with respect to whether it's workable at this moment um I I would be concerned if we tried to amend the warrant article at point um it would be considered out of scope um we'd have to do it in the
next town meeting. Um I would say in terms of you know incentives in selecting a constable I mean what we heard from this experienced housing attorney is that the selection of who to send who to serve the notice of quit is usually more dependent on the
relationship between the attorney, the landlord and whoever they usually use um to serve the notice to quit. and that sometimes they use a constable from another municipality or someone else is because that's the firm or the outfit that they use um in multiple
municipalities to serve the notice of quit and it wouldn't have much to do with uh an extra piece of paper B. >> John, did you? >> Yeah, thank you. >> Chaz, you want >> Okay. Um I don't know whether people
regard this as a historical footnote that doesn't really pertain or maybe as something more than that just that but I want to note that um in 2022 um after trying out a method of cutting
back on the amount of printing that was done um in advance of town meetings. and and the try out method was that people could opt out of receiving the meeting in which case they would access
obviously the online materials and the decision I think a very wise decision which I actually spoke at town meeting and advocated for that was uh approved by town meeting uh by a vote of 219 to8
was to change um opt out to opt in to um to excuse me to receive a printed version. So in other words, 219 members of town meeting said it probably makes more sense for the default method of
delivery of our combined reports to our town meeting members in advance of town meeting is not print. Um it is um online. If anyone for whatever reason wants a printed version of our materials
for town meeting, we guarantee them that they can opt in to receive a printed version. I don't know what the latest data is on how many people actually opt in to receive the printed version. I I honor them and respect them, but I think
their number is quite small. So, I'm not sure how the idea that was so widely favored in 2022 um suddenly is being turned on its head. Um and I must say by at least in one
case one of the people who was a lead advocate for um um moving away from printed versions of materials for town meeting now being the advocate for a cumbersome method of delivering printed
materials um to not to both tenants and and landlords but tenants who at the time of a of a delivery of an evict, excuse me, a notice to quit. Um, but I think Paul's proposed amendment is very
wise and um, I've already, you know, sort of made up my mind. I think it's something I could support. >> May I address this uh, issue of paper versus electronic, please? >> Yes. >> Um, you know, I'm a consumer advocate and, you know, one of the things that we
do try to support is paper versions for populations that need them. And the population of town meeting members is different from the population of folks fa facing eviction. First of all, you have the email addresses for all the town meeting members. Um the population
facing eviction often are quite vulnerable. Of those nine cases, I believe five or six of them either involve tenants at street at the Brooklyn Housing Authority or at Carto Community. So, you know, these are folks
maybe with um potentially um you know, lower education levels, literacy ability, reading ability, um you know, ability to function, uh you know, potential disabilities or um they could
also be older folks. And so, um I I the the fallback should all always be paper. These are also folks who may be on the other side of the digital divide or if they have any internet access it is in the form of a of a phone and not a full laptop and it's very hard to see these
notices on a for screen. Um so I I I would say you know that while um some populations can be perfectly fine with with electronic delivery um you know the folks who are facing eviction um may not
be amongst them. Yes. Um David, I'm sorry. Could you repeat your question now? >> Just in terms of the financial ramifications of having the town check who is being served notices to quit and
mailing directly to these individuals. >> I don't even know how we would do that to be honest with you. Um >> well going on mass courts and you can look up who's in housing court. it would probably be take up a significant amount of time. I acknowledge that. But in
terms of the financial uh elements in undertaking that strategy as opposed to mandating constables to deliver, >> I wouldn't recommend that. I think ge given like that's a that's a that's an
unfunded mandate. It's just you know what who who do we have that would do that? you know, our resource navigator like that person as you can see from John Kushinsk's memo um on this you know even though we're very you know the health department is supportive of this because of the housing issues
the the priorities of our resource navigator are broader than this um and we've got to be working on those getting that off the ground. It's the same thing that we see with climate action and priorities. It's the same thing we see with tree protection and priorities. If
we keep getting told you've got to do this one thing and we don't have the staff for it, we don't have the, you know, we just get we get unfunded mandates, >> then the things that people I think really do want us to do if they stop and think about it, which is build out a
functioning human services division and make that happen. Um, if we keep getting if we keep getting thrown, you know, side quests um in in that effort, I don't think that makes sense. Um so I think the petitioners have come up with
a solution that they think works in terms of the body that you know the local um authorities that are already doing this work are are doing it. Um I just can't imagine I mean I can imagine unfortunately but I can also imagine the
cost not just in terms of dollars but in terms of time of the people involved in this. And it's not that this isn't a worthy endeavor. It is, but it's just is this the highest and best use of the time of the staff that are being that are being asked to rebuild human
services capacity that's lacking in the community. And I think the answer to that unfortunately is no. >> So Joe, I'm sorry. Go ahead. >> Is that another question? So another question I have raised concerns about the >> I'm terribly sorry, but the internet is
glitching again. >> We know Chi-Chi, we have big working on it. We're not really sure what the issue is. >> Sorry, I just can't hear if a question. >> Um, David, you want to try again? >> Yes. In your conversations with the housing attorney, uh, did you learn
whether there are any efforts a foot in cities that have passed ordinances requiring that the landlord provide this notice that there are any efforts to challenge that legally? >> Um, he has not seen any challenges. He see as as I said, he sees widespread
compliance. So when he's defending tenants, he sees that the notices are provided um and that there hasn't been any dismissals or adverse ruling but for failure to serve the Boston or Somerville notice. >> Okay. Uh Joe Figler has his hand up. I
want to let him come in. >> Charlie, could you promote Joe Figgler? >> You've got it. Hey Joe, >> you've been promoted. >> Hi. Can you hear me? Oh, all right. Yep.
So, uh, TT has brought up a number of different things. So, I mean, I'll just try to touch on some of them. Um, as well as I think David had mentioned something else. So, let me start by the to David's point about um
sending out from, you know, a Brookline department notices to quit or the the tenant information after a notice to quit. So, you're not going to see the notice to quit on that um website that GT referenced until a summary process is
filed. So, at that point in time, it's going to be you're you're looking at probably a month to a month and a half after the fact. So, if you're sending out no like the tenant information based off of the notice quit that you see on
that um you know, at the housing court website, uh it's going to be pretty far down the line. Um hopefully you just heard that, but it looks like things are cutting in and out. Yeah, we heard it. Okay. Um, you know,
one thing that was brought up is in in terms of compliance with Boston, I I would, as again, I'm not a lawyer, so take that for a grain of salt. But what I did do is I called the Boston Housing Stability Department and I simply asked,
"What happens if someone doesn't include the tenant information, right? What happens if a landlord doesn't?" And what's going to happen is they're going to get fined, right? the first time, you know, they say, "All right, don't do it again." But if they the landlord continues to do this over and over, they're going to get fined and they're
going to get fined per day of non-compliance, right? Um, and that leads to another question. What are we going to do in Brookline if people don't comply? You know, that that's just something to think about. Um, I don't know if we're equipped to do anything or if that if
it's reasonable for us to do something, but you know, if we're not gonna ensure compliance, you know, I don't know what the point would be. But in terms of so to give an idea of how much notice is
to quit I've served in Brooklyn over just this year, um, I've served year to date about 157. Right? So, break that down over 10 months. It's roughly 15 notices to quit a month on average, right? And that
doesn't include, you know, what the Boston people are doing. It doesn't include what Neil's doing. I don't know about the other Brooklyn constables, but, you know, so that that's going to give you a ballpark as to how many notices to quit are uh being served in
Brooklyn. Um, Chichi mentioned how some landlords include the tenant information from Boston, which is true because I have clients who've done that as well, but I think they do it simply because they don't know the difference, you
know, and I don't think it's intentionally them trying to be good citizens. I think they just don't know the process and they just include them anyway. But um I I don't think if it's not included that the case would be thrown out cuz I don't think it's
necessarily a court requirement. But um I think the issue if you don't include it is you get fined. >> So may I follow up on that? >> Yeah. >> Um so in terms of fines, our warrant article does not include fines. I
believe the Boston Office of Housing Stability does have the authority to impose fines. For example, landlords are required to register. I actually had to do that for my in-laws where my in-laws live in it and you have to register and you don't they can find you, but they have the authority to do that. That
doesn't exist here. Um, and then just in terms of the numbers, I would note that not all notices to quit result in summary process or an eviction. So you could have 150 notices to quit and only some of them result in a in an eviction filing which is the difference in the
numbers. >> Thank you. >> And a summary process is not an eviction, >> right? That's just the next step in the process. There's a lot more to go before you get to an eviction. >> Okay. Um Paul, are you ready to make >> uh Yep. So again, based on unless the
board has moved from where it was last week, um I move um article nine uh as amended >> as amended by >> by me. >> Okay. >> Or you >> Well, I we only dealing with one
amendment. Yeah. >> At a time. So >> y >> um any questions? a quick summary of the of the impact of that amendment on the article if you >> So, uh what what it it does is it eliminates the section that requires um
uh town agents to deliver the renters's handbook. >> I think that's the name of it, but I may not be exactly right. Um to during the uh notification, >> but on the other hand, it does require that there be a statement, right?
There's still the there the we the the handbook is still developed. It's still maintained on the website. It's published on the website. Um >> and it's made available to the >> and I think there's printed copies that are Yeah. >> that are, you know, available in and town hall and wherever, but it's it
we've eliminated the responsibility of constables essentially of delivering it. >> Yeah. Michael, >> so I I just want to be clear as to what what the motion is. First of all, um you're proposing an amendment. Am I correct that this amendment is not accepted by the petitioners? So this is
not a federal >> doesn't sound like it. >> I'm sorry. >> It is not accepted by the petitioners. >> Doesn't sound like it. >> Okay. It's not accepted by the petitioners. So you're recommending favorable action. You're >> well, he's first amending the uh uh
warrant article and um I guess we amend and then we vote yeah process, >> right? with you're you're proposing whether or not the select board will endorse an amended version, whether the select board will endorse the amended version and then you take a vote on
whether or not the article as with the proposed amendment is accept is will be recommend favorable action or no action. >> Okay. So I move uh the Paul Warren amendment to warrant article um >> nine
>> nine. >> It's not as late as last time, but it's still late. Uh Warren nine. Uh all in favor please indicate by saying I. John Vancoy >> I. >> Paul Warren >> I. >> Um David Pearlman >> I. >> Michael Rubenstein >> no.
>> And chair votes eye. Okay. Next. Yes David. >> I just want to make very clear with my vote. I am supportive of tenants receiving this notice and this handbook. I think it's critically important that they receive it. I I am a little
skeptical, frankly, that they're going to be able to know by some means to check a website or to check town hall. So, I acknowledge that this amendment does somewhat hollow out the uh broader
intention of this warrant article, but by the same token, I don't want to be supporting something that I don't think is utilizing the most effective mechanism. We just heard from Constable Figgler that he has served, I believe it was 157 and he's just one process server
of many in Brooklyn. So, it's probably a very large number of people who find themselves in this situation. And this warrant article as currently constructed essentially would be only mandating that Brookline constables deliver this and
that would be a very small percentage. So I don't think that's as effective as requiring that the landlord provide this information no matter who the landlord selects as a constable. So my opposition to this and support for the amendment is not rooted in thinking that this is not
a valuable endeavor. It's that I think that the current language does not actually meet your actual goal in terms of reaching the broader number of tenants who would benefit from this. And I think the way to do that is require the landlord to deliver it. And yes, we
uh heard the opinion of town council. I respect town council's uh concerns, but as you mentioned, you're not aware of any challenges to uh similar ordinances in other communities. And I guess I'm
just a bit less uh riskaverse than town council when it comes to being a little more cutting edge in some of our proposals. So, I would like to see this come back at a future town meeting where the mandates on the landlord. >> May I respond? Uh, Mr. Bowman, um, we we
normally aren't shy about challenging town council, but to have the attorney general appine that this is not something a municipality can do and and harm Brook uh, Boston and Somerville is not something we want to take the risk. We will be back though and the next
warrant if if if our version does not pass pound meaning we will be back and we will have the town do it. We will make the town check the records. That will be the next warrant article that the town will be required to check the the mass courts every week and send this out.
>> Just to be clear. >> Okay. So >> I hope you find find money in the budget for that because I'm already having to cut money from the budget for vital services. It's just it's so frustrating. >> Vital social services. frustrating to hear again and again that oh you can find the money for it. We can't. We're
in the middle of cutting the budget. My gosh. >> Okay. Um uh we have an amendment an amended warrant article on the floor. Um uh we've accepted the amendment. Uh all in favor of warrant article 9 as
amended. Uh please indicate by saying I might be >> recommending favorable recommending favorable >> I'm sorry. Yeah. Favorable action on the amended foreign article 9. Um all in favor please indicate by saying I. John Vancoyak >> I. >> Paul Warren >> I.
>> David Pearlman. >> I. >> Michael Rubenstein >> I. >> And chair votes eye. >> Thank you. Thank you Chi-Chi. Okay. Um with that our meeting is over. >> You've got one more warrant article. >> Oh really? >> Yeah. >> Okay. My notes are out of date.
>> You do you have one more warrant article. Um sorry. Let me pull up the >> 15. >> Yeah, 15, which is the LGBTQ um >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> What changed? >> There's um there just technical small changes. We we wanted you to take the voting form with um to reconfirm that
you're conforming with advisories version of it. >> Okay. And what were those changes? >> Um hold on. I'm pulling it now. Um don't have a red line, but let me look at the report here briefly. Um
>> there was a new um there was a new whereas clause that was proposed um from the chair of the human services subcommittee um noting that other uh other municipalities uh recognize June as LGBTQIA plus pride
month. Um the um subcommittee proposed to remove um the seven the original seventh therefore clause which resolved uh town meeting recognized various occasions beyond the official pride month celebration. Um
and so um but the moderator ruled that the and then there was a proposed change to resolve clause eight that the moderator found was um out of out of scope. Um so
with that amendment um there are now um right so it recognizes pride month and it urges the select board to officially acknowledge the transgender day of viability international day against homophobia um stowal rights stowal riots
anniversary >> coming out day um transgender day of resembrance Um um >> Chaz, can I ask a question? >> Yes. >> So, there's a redline version in the subcom AC human services subcommittee
report. >> Yes. >> Is that is that what we're voting on? I'm >> looking at it now. >> Um >> Yes. Yes. >> It looks like So, it looks like uh number seven says that the town meeting urges the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to officially acknowledge, >> but I understand that that was ruled out
of scope. >> Oh, okay. Okay. >> Okay. So, what >> the So, the so the removal of um the removal of clause seven with the additional commemorations that's been that's been removed. That list that I just read was recommended for removal.
>> Um and then um but then the other the additional whereas clause was added and then there are a couple of um small changes. Town meeting urges the town of Brookline to recognize town meeting urges the people of Brooklyn.
>> Um, so it's just it some clarifying language other than that. >> Okay. Um, anyone have any uh questions or objections in voting this article as amended? I mean changes don't seem to me
at any rate to be substantial or sub really substantive, right? No, the one that the one that the moderator had rejected was. >> Yeah. >> Okay. I move approval of uh Warrant
Article 15 as amended. Um all in favor, not approval. >> Favorable. >> Favorable. >> Favorable action. Um Warner >> Oh, you have to make a mot to reconsider. Thank you. I'm sorry. >> Oh, okay. I move reconsideration of Warren Article 15. All in favor? John
Bransky? >> I Paul Warren. Hi >> David Pearlman. >> Hi >> Michael Rubenstein. >> I think I have to abstain because I didn't wasn't involved in the original. >> Okay. Um chair go. So now let's uh take up warrant article 15 as amended. Uh on
favor please not >> favorable action. Sorry. Uh I move favorable action on on article 15 as amended. All in favor please indicate by saying I. John Vancoyak. >> Hi. >> Paul Warren. >> Hi. >> David Perman. I >> Michael Rubenstein
>> I chair votes I >> okay with that unless there's anyone in the audience wanting to make a post meeting comment >> seeing no one raising a hand in the audience uh anyone online um Charlie
>> sure um if anyone would like to make a public comment u please raise your hand at this time >> we have 13 participants and no one is indicating they'd like to Okay, Michael >> I I think that my comment before about
not being eligible to reconsider was a hangover from last May. So >> I don't think that >> not from last night. >> I was going to say I thought you were here but >> Well, I was it's just that that happened routinely last May. So I can change that vote from an abstain to an I if that's
possible. >> Uh so so changed. Okay. Okay. with that.