We are the Cardell Select Board meeting on July 14th, 2026. We're going to start with some community input. Does anybody have any community input? >> Hearing was that? >> We're letting a couple people in.
>> I see. We will wait. >> Okay. Now, you might ask again. >> Okay. We are open for community input. If anybody on the line has any community input hearing none, we're going to go ahead and move on to item number two. We're having a joint meeting with the
agricultural commission. And if I understand correctly, it's a discussion. You guys are not a quorum. Correct. >> Why don't you go ahead and come forward? Thank you so much for joining us here tonight. >> Sure. >> Oh, handouts.
>> Nice >> handouts. Yeah. >> Hi, Christine. >> I'm John. >> Nice to meet you. >> Hello, John. >> John, thank you. >> Okay. Right to farm bylaw. Okay. Do you want to walk us through the
handout or how do you want to structure our uh discussion? >> I think John uh is gonna start. We're going to actually keep this pretty brief and we'll explain why. Um so, but go for it. John farmed for 43 years. So, he is
our resident farming expert >> in quotes. Okay. My name is John Lee. I live at 65 L Street and have been in town for 35 or 40 years. Um, we appreciate the invitation to come and
meet with the site board and we think it's very important for the agricultural commission and all of the land use related commissions to finally begin to get together. Um but I will say that um from the agricultural commission's sort
of point of view, we're relatively new and that um with the passage of the right to farm bylaw and the inauguration of the commission um we've sort of seen ourselves as um
a a less than formal body that is met on an as neededs basis to sort out the relationships between shall we say abuing land owners and active agricultural enterprises where occasionally um there are
misunderstandings um and try to iron those out. So um we haven't been all that active and and I I will say that we have occasionally had meetings where you know we've really
gotten together mostly to discuss what's going on in Carla. There hasn't been, as you all have, a very sober and lengthy agenda that we often meet just to sort of iron out what's going on in Carile
on an agricultural basis. But I think I think at this point um it's it's very clear that the that given recent history or maybe it's not history given the recent goings on in town that there's an
urgent need for all you know the LSC the conservation commission the agricultural commission and other land use related boards whether even the trails committee perhaps to um not so much come to an
understanding but uh come to understand where we all are with with regards to land use questions. What's appropriate? What's not appropriate? What what lands for instance are should we
strongly designate as agricultural lands? What lands are me? Maybe not agricultural. Maybe they're really they've been here before, considered agricultural lands, but maybe
the bog might be a case in point. Maybe that's no longer an agricultural property, but it is uh a conservation property. It is a property that might be considered for a lot of other things that are environmentally appropriate but
I'm no longer you know I'm personally perhaps off the record I'm not sure that the bog can be resurrected as an agricultural property and you know the LSC or the cons or some other agency should be looking at as
a butterfly habitat. It grows some of the best milkweed in town and I know that there's at least three varieties of milkweed there. So the point being that we we are here to
to talk about how to make that work. But we I I will say that we do not have a charter. Although I could probably show you one that would pass for a charter. >> Well, the town thinks you have one.
>> We have We have one done. >> I don't think we ever called it a charter. >> Well, we didn't call it that. Mission statement, perhaps. >> We have We do have a mission statement. So, the last meeting we had was um uh
June 8th and it was um all about having the event at Great Brook Farm and we're trying to raise awareness especially let people uh get educated about what happens there um because there were a lot of misunderstandings
um and uh so when we got Gretchen's notice of this meeting every everybody was going to um um because it was go you know go over the charter and plans for the year and priorities and we've discussed all of that in meetings but
then I don't mean to throw you under the bus Christine Christine sent this incredible uh email Sunday afternoon and I read it about what she wanted us to address >> tonight and it was fantastic. It was
about obviously things you've talked about about getting you know all the committees meeting with all the committees really getting to know them their priorities and for AGCOM it uh asked to be able to discuss the long-term vision for a threats and
opportunities what can the town do to attract and support the next generation how to evaluate land and we do have farmers that can evaluate land for unrealized a potential uh what could the town do to promote and strengthen
agriculture proactively? I mean, those are really important things for us to address and we haven't had the time. We haven't had a meeting. Uh we want to have a meeting. It might take a meeting or two um to really hash
this out, but I think it is such a great uh idea for the select board to do this so that we end up working together and not not negatively, you know, not oh yeah, >> not all in their FFTs.
>> And I apologize. We love this idea. I've individually talked >> Gretchen sent out a few uh high notes summarizing what we had discussed about in our planning meeting and um I sent you know my longer set of thoughts but like you know a few days before which is >> I don't know if they that's why I named
some of the things you mentioned because I didn't know if they'd seen it but it >> no it was just to the icon >> they haven't seen it yet. It is it is really well stated really really well stated because I you know >> so it's you know and I think just to as
a bit of backdrop I think it's it's probably going to be the first of many meetings that we have on land use topics. So it's not meant that we're going to settle everything tonight everything's defined crisp and clear and we all come out of here going glad we got that figured out. That's not going to be the case. So but we we can have
the larger discussion. you know, we we do want to one of the goals this year for the select board yet to be voted on, but I'm pretty sure it's um it's it's going to be a goal is that, you know, we want to figure out um a land use strategy or at least a process to get to
>> um a clear land use strategy for town. Um >> Okay. So, what >> we came to to beg for a later meeting. >> Sure. So >> one question I have is if if we embark on this process to update the land use
plan um is there looking at your members typically like we'll have a liaison to the select board there should be a liaison to this effort so maybe another thing and maybe this was in your note but another thing to discuss is among your members who might have the willingness and bandwidth to participate
in that process because I think if we are doing this having someone or someone's from acom participating in along ong the way is going to be important. So it's not just periodically here's what was discussed. So something to think about on your end.
>> Yeah, we've been asked to have a liaison to LSC and consum and I don't know with our five members. I mean that's a >> yeah we need to figure that out because we obviously want to support it. It's
just having the bandwidth >> and having that perspective in the room is obviously important as we're they're working through the like you said these different lands like what's because there might be lands where you're like yeah this like the bog and you have a clear perspective on it and it would be really helpful to know from an
agricultural standpoint which which lands are like high priority which lands are and yeah >> and you could probably cut through a lot of discussion pretty quickly. >> Yeah. Well, that's what Christine was she you need to send that out to everybody. It's really well done. I
mean, it got it got me very excited about what AGCOM could do, >> which is the long view, not this view, and not just licenses, but but really what what does this town want and what does this town how can we do it and
satisfy all the different land groups, you know? So anyway to that to that to that extent to the as in the land use the long-term plan um you know if Carlile is going to be an agriculturally
friendly as had is stated um you know how can we do that you know and we shouldn't be just cobbling it along you know well this piece and then that piece and then somebody else gets in trouble. No, we we did I salute you
for trying to organize a process and we're on board. >> Okay. >> So, >> so you you handled out the right to farm by law, John. Why? And walk us through what you think is important. What what why did we get this?
>> Um because I don't know I honestly don't know if any or all of you are familiar with it. >> I am. But it is why we exist. >> So, >> and the town voted it through town meeting. I I don't we don't know how
much you all know about the background of how ADCOM kind of started and what they accomplished which was doing the right to farm. >> Yeah. >> By law. >> Okay. The um you know a couple of the topics that I
highlighted for you guys in my email. Anytime I look at a board and you know the average age is shall we say over over 40 I want to know like what the bench strength is. What are we doing to bring you know the next generation along and you know what what are we doing to
do we attract new farmers to Carlile? What um I don't know what to say there. Do we have a >> Well, we're going to answer you after we have a meeting or two >> recruit the next Okay. I can think of some things but I I don't want to take
up your time when we don't I think it would be really interesting to have our whole team here. >> Yes. >> Because everybody has a different lens as you know the same way you all do. It'd be it'd be a good conversation >> for sure. So >> we're the we're the two oldest.
>> Yeah. >> Oh, I wasn't comment >> most elderly. >> Yeah. No >> members of the commission. >> Most experienced, >> but we both worked with young farmers. So yeah. So, >> does anybody have any questions from RG and John? >> I just have something for the board to
consider from a staff perspective. So, if you think of the the land that Carile owns as a portfolio, a certain percentage of it is agriculturally based and I looked at other towns that are like ours and talked to some other town administrators and managers of town like
ours. And one thing I learned or or that was interesting is a lot of the times small towns supplement the management of land and the costs involved with that by licensing with with agricultural farmers. So it's it's an exchange. So a
lot of the land under our portfolio is currently managed by farmers. So I think the bog is illustrative. If the farming goes away from a piece of property, then if you don't have a plan
in place for after that happens or or how that farmer is going to be succeeded, it can take a long time. In the Bog's case, 10 years and we still don't have a solution for what for what's next. And it's going to be very expensive to remediate that land or to
change its use in any way. And that was an unintended consequence of the boghouse decision and all of these things. and and you own over 30 of these pieces. So if you took the aggregate of costs that would be there, let's say if you removed one particular farmer who is managing a lot of the land, you could
imagine cost ballooning in a way that's not in the capital plan or any type of understanding. So I think why the staff is so focused on getting all of you to pay attention to land use is a it's politically sensitive as we've seen and not had a lot of fun with. And the
second part is it could be extremely expensive and it's really going to cut into your other priorities. >> I I have a high level question that I think when we talk about from where I sit we have all 30 lands and you talked about Fox Run and how that process if
you if you try to multiply that times 30 it's a lot of time. I guess my question is you're familiar with the agricultural parcels and the land in general. Of the 30 parcels in Carlile, how many would you say are like high priority from a
from an agricultural standpoint or maybe controversial from an agricultural standpoint? Because I'm trying to get a sense of do we really need to do all 30? Which one should we be focusing on? How do we break up this large effort um and really focus on what might be the key parcels?
>> And I'm just curious on that. Yeah, I know of a couple off hand >> based on recent experience, but >> but I don't know is it like are all 30 like as you said there's probably a handful that are really like need a lot of attention and consideration. >> Yeah. >> Um and getting our heads around that I
think is important. >> Not all 30. >> Yeah. Yeah. Not definitely not all 30. I mean I guess one of the the questions might be in the long run are there any that are maybe marginally agricultural but
are of significant um viewshed value and are they worth investing in for that reason >> after >> I don't know 20 years on the
conservation commission I I can tell you that it's hard to find out of town farmers who want to come to Carlile. >> Yeah. >> Mark Duffy is is a truly unique character in that he farms in Carile and
conquered I think maybe even in Bill Ricka. Um he's a really a unique farmer in terms of his ability to manage and use land not only in Carla but in other
towns. I think finding his replacement or his twin is going to be a real problem. >> We had uh when we went around with him uh I didn't realize he is really a cutting edge farmer. Mhm.
>> I mean the sustainability aspect and what he is doing is amazing and if uh you know maybe we'll do another thing. We were hoping people um that some of the commissions would come to the event that we had a couple weeks ago but you
know to see he was the first farm um to do the >> the robotic >> the robotic milking. I mean he he has done a lot of really innovative stuff with this town. I was so proud leaving there. So anyway, we're not going to take all the our half hour.
>> Oh, we we're actually way ahead of our next agenda item isn't for another >> Well, we got 20 minutes. >> So I could dig myself into a deeper hole. >> Yes, you I'm next to a time bomb here. So
>> well, >> okay. If you have no further use for us, >> I wouldn't put it. >> Not tonight. I think that we will in the >> Well, how about to be continued? >> To be continued for sure. >> So, how how should we proceed? I think we need um because obviously open
meeting law. Um two. How many meetings do you think we need before we sort out >> at least two? >> Yeah, we probably need two meetings. >> Yeah. Okay. because we have um people on
on adcom that tra travel like to Japan and you know >> great >> so it's not it's not something where we can set things up regularly. >> Yeah, we understand. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, >> hey, thank you for thank you for this initiative. Absolutely. This is well
well thought out. >> Won't be thanking us in a few months. >> Well, >> this is the fun part. At least you're interested. >> Forewarned his forearms. >> Well, yeah. >> You know, seriously. Yeah. Well, I think last year we all lived through what happens when you don't have a plan or
process in place. >> Yeah. >> Okay. And you're an important >> part of Carlile. No question about it. >> The egg is >> absolutely absolutely families. Everybody. So >> the viewshed, right? Is that is that the term viewed? That's a new one.
>> Scott, we got to give them some vocabulary. >> Viewed vocabulary. >> Write it down. There's two fourletter words. a covert term. What was the covert term? >> All right. Thank you both. Appreciate your time. >> What was the culvert? >> There was a weird.
>> No, what was it? >> Thank something. >> There's something. There was a covert term. They were like, what? I like >> that's what it was. >> I'll be overusing that term for the rest of the year. >> Okay, we are running significantly ahead of schedule. >> Good. >> Uh the next item on our agenda is
transfer station policy update and we do have a vote associated with that. I don't think >> Do we have anybody? >> I don't think he's >> We might need to wait. >> Tom's not here yet. >> We're running. >> We can flip to >> How about we finalize our goals? That's something that doesn't depend on anybody but us.
>> That could be a longer >> It could be a discussion. >> A little longer >> marijuana waiver. >> Thinking some light them up. >> I think you have a lot of appointments. >> Yeah, we could start. >> Yeah, there we go. >> Okay, let's go through. Okay, we are up
to item eight. Woohoo. Uh so we do have a number of appointments tonight. Um looking at those in the packet. Let me get to the motion.
Oh boy. >> What page is it on? >> I just pulled up the individual file. Um >> it's PDF 26. >> 26. >> There's the >> charter update. There's a crack thing. Yeah,
>> volunteer appointments. So, continued, >> right? I missed that last time. >> Okay. So, >> strategically stepped out from that one. >> Why don't we go ahead and get through these? Who wants to propose the motions?
>> Do we want to start with the appointments versus the charter update? >> Yeah, >> appointments. >> Okay. So, the some of the appointments are dependent on the charter. >> Oh, okay. >> So, you do the charter first. Let's do the charter first. Charter update. >> What's the What's the executive summary on that
one? This is just >> it's um either membership clarification or changes. >> Okay. >> I say this lightly, but we don't deem any of them to be controversial. Just more of an organizational >> cleanup. It's the number of me
>> number of members on crack >> how they're >> and >> because currently it's what is it kind of seven or we're just formalizing it or is it are we changing the number? >> The committee is seven three are going to be at large.
>> Okay. >> But if no Oh my goodness. Yeah. >> Want to make a motion? >> Sure. I'm assuming this came through from conservation like is this there's nobody opposing this or
>> okay do you want to make the motion ch >> I move to amend the membership of the conservation restriction advisory committee as described below do I have to read the whole mot is that part of the motion >> okay >> yes >> membership the conservation restriction
advisory committee the committee shall be appointed by the select board the committee shall comp be comprised of seven members. Three members shall be at large members. The planning board, Conservation Commission, Trails Committee, and Carlile Conservation Foundation shall each be entitled to
nominate a designate to the committee as a fully participating member. However, if no design is nominated, the abovementioned bodies shall appoint liaison and the remaining committee appointments shall be filled by additional atlarge members with a
preference for those who have prior experience on one of the listed bodies. Term the select board shall appoint the members of the committee and the term shall be staggered three-year terms. >> I'll second I have a question.
>> I have a question, too. So my my question is it might be the same Travis is um what's is there a specific time frame on no design is nominated? I know we often have open slots on committees coming out
of town meeting and maybe it takes a month or two. At what point do you say we're not going to we're going to fill it with an atlarge versus a nominee? It's not stated here, but I would I would say the fall is typically >> okay. >> Our practice. So through the summer and
there's no >> and we don't have to specify. We can just work with that. Okay. >> As it exists right now, they all expire in 2026 and they have to be appointed. So it it is difficult to manage. And this clarifies it and it also formalizes the CCF relationship.
>> Okay. And ultimately it would be the select board that would make the appointment regardless. So if we wanted to give it more time, so to speak, we could. Okay. >> Similar. >> Did you have the same question, Travis? >> Similar. Yeah. >> Okay. >> It's on timing.
>> Okay. >> Okay. It's >> up to you. >> Uh, so we have a motion. Do we have Do we have a second? We do have a second. >> Second. >> Um, voice vote. >> Sure. >> Okay. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any no votes?
Oh, >> I just want to be make sure you're clear on we didn't do a roll call to start the meeting or whatever. >> Didn't Did we? >> Well, you can do one now. We're all here though. >> Should we do a roll call vote? >> Well, no, but we're all here physically. We have no one. >> Yeah, but we have one member absent.
>> Okay. >> Okay. Uh, so so it's moved, right? Do we have nothing? Nothing else. Okay. And then there was another I see there's another vote right here. >> Yeah. Volunteer appointments. >> Yep. I can do this. >> Well, what is the >> one more move to amend membership?
Sorry. >> Move to abolish the environmental. I'm just kidding. >> Just seeing if you're paying attention. >> She's awake. Move. Um I move to amend the membership of the environmental sustainability committee to remove
associate members. Is that okay? >> I second that. >> Okay. any >> any >> comment on that from your perspective? >> We've had a hard time filling them and it was suggested I think second year in
to actually have associate members so that they could help fill the quorum, but then we found out from the uh town clerk that actually we cannot use associate members to complete a quorum. And so we just figured we'd clean it all up and have official volunteers the way
um trails committee has. on specific projects. >> Okay, >> thank you. >> Probably good. Okay, so it was moved. We had a second. That was our discussion and deliberation. Any other discussion, deliberation? >> Okay, let's take a voice vote. All in favor?
>> I >> I uh any no votes. Okay. Uh it is moved. And then we have volunteer appointments. >> I can go through these if you want. >> Okay. Um, I move to appoint Heidi
Herring of West Street to the Celebrations and Veterans Committee with a term to end June 30th, 2029. >> Are we going we go through all of them? >> I think you can read them all and >> Okay. >> them all >> and just say hold if you want. I'll use Wayne's playbook on this one. Move to
appoint uh I move to appoint Ken Hart of Esbrook Road as an atlarge member to the Conservation Restriction Advisory Committee with a term to end June 30th, 2028. Move to appoint Maline Blake of Carlton Road as an atlarge member to the Conservation Restriction Advisory Committee with a term to end June 30th,
2029. Move to appoint Rick Oches of Rockland Road as the Carile Conservation Foundation representative to the Conservation Restriction Advisory Committee with a term to end June 30th, 2027. Move to appoint Sylvia Willard as the Conservation Commission
representative to the Conservation Restriction Advisory Committee with a term to end June 30th, 2027. Then move to appoint Mark Laame Merr as the trails committee representative to the conservation restriction advisory committee with a term to end June 30th, 2027.
Oh, there is a page break. Okay. Move to appoint Sarah Dun Levy of Fisk Street to the Environmental Sustainability Committee with a term to end June 30th, 2027. Move to appoint Emanuel Cresbow of Cross Street as a member of the zoning board of appeals with a term to end June 30th, 2029. Move to appoint Eric Adams of
Actton Road as a member of the zoning board of appeals with a term to end June 30th, 2029. Move to appoint Ian Applegate of Robins Road as an associate member to the zoning board of appeals with a term to end June 30th, 2029. And move to appoint Mark Bernstein of
Peter Hansro as an associate member of the zoning board of appeals with a term to end June 30, 2028. >> I second that motion. And we discussed I know at a former meeting Mark obviously is on FINCOM but I we did say that we
were okay with him serving on this committee. Correct. >> We reviewed it with council. Y >> and there's no financial overlap >> as would happen with most committees. So this one would be acceptable. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Any other discussion or
deliberation? Okay. Let's do a voice vote. All in favor? >> I. Any no votes? Okay, the eyes have it. >> Awesome. >> I do have a note here about uh the
affordable housing trust representative that is not in the packet. Is that right, Ryan? >> That paper has two additional appointments. >> So, this the first one was on here. It was exactly as written in here. >> Then just the one. >> So, just the one. Okay. Um sorry. Can we
do that one as well? Sure, >> you can do it. >> Move. I move to appoint Moren Cosg Grove Deiri as the affordable housing trust representative to the community preservation committee with a term to end June 30th, 2027.
>> Second. >> Thank you very much. Any discussion or deliberation? Okay, let's go ahead and do a voice vote. All in favor? I >> I. >> Any no votes?
Okay. And the eyes have it. Is that it for appointments, Ryan? >> That is it. Looks like it. >> How are we looking overall >> in terms of vacancies? >> Better. >> Better. Yeah, >> I would say over 80%.
>> We're not turning people away yet, though, are we? >> No, we're not. We welcome all volunteers, >> including there. I saw there's a vacant uh seat on Adcom. So, for all of you listening out there, >> That's right.
>> Okay. What can we do that takes five minutes? >> Uh, town meeting warrant >> minutes and cemetery deeds are all good candidates. >> Okay, let's open the special town meeting warrant. >> What page will that be on?
>> Uh, uh, >> 47. PDF 47. >> Official town meeting. Boom. I am not Okay. >> So, I move to open the warrant for the special town meeting scheduled for
Monday, November 16th, 2026. >> I have a second. >> Second. >> Okay. All in favor? >> Any discussion? >> Any discussion or deliberation on that? >> Just the schedule for the the town
meeting based on this vote. We're suggesting and recommending that it close on August 25th. That the bylaw language is due to me for legal counsel review by September 28th. That the uh final language to include that review of council is completed by
October 5th. And that the warrant would be posted on October 28th, which gives you if you go by the October 5th date, more than a month for final language to be reviewed by boards, committees, and this and this board. And that's been posted.
I know. I've seen that. Right, Ryan? >> We sent a we sent a warning order to everybody and after you approve it tonight, we will send it out again and post it online. >> Okay, great. Thank you. >> And this will be Monday. We don't we don't need to set a specific time yet, but I'm assuming it'll be a Monday like
six o'clock. >> Yes. And we reserve the the cafeteria >> as well. Okay. >> Cory auditorium, not the cafeteria. Really? >> We we reserve that as well, just in case. >> Okay. >> Okay. Okay. Any other discussion or deliberation?
Okay. Let's do a voice vote. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Any no votes. >> Okay. The eyes have it. >> And I assume Wayne's Yeah, we >> cemetery deeds item 12.
>> Um fast. Hold on. Think we'll get out of here early tonight? >> I hope so. >> This is baseball. >> Allstar game, right?
>> We can we can put it up. >> We can put it up on the back screen. >> I wish yours was a dinner date. >> Oh, wow. Lucky you. >> I like I like your child, though. All those best winding roads at night
must be hell. My god, you can't >> I think this might be a first that we're a form for a dinner date. >> Is that on the agenda? >> Is there small talk? I know. >> Is there an agenda item that you were
here for? >> We are. We're actually here for PJ Keing. >> We're actually look Yeah. here to just see if that's on the agenda for tonight for >> approval. that bid for highway >> highway. >> Oh, that the highway >> on this.
>> Yeah. So, that's going to be >> that's going to be closer to the end of the night. >> Yep. Long as it takes. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Um Okay. Is there an item? Is there cemetery deeds in the packet? >> There are.
>> Sorry. I don't see a motion though. >> There's just one. >> Yeah. It's just right. >> It's Bur and Tilia. >> Right. >> All right. I can >> Do you have the motion? >> Get you a motion.
>> Oh, there's no motion. >> Well, it's right in the agenda. >> Oh, it's in the agenda. >> I guess we can make an motion out of that. Item 12. >> Okay. >> Move to deed.
881 to Sylvia and Bert Willard of Bellows Hill Road for C17 grave 2. >> So I'm going to offer a slight amendment. So move to transfer land in the public burial ground at Green Cemetery as described and then the deed.
>> Okay. I move to transfer land in the public burial ground >> at Green C >> at Green Cemetery as described in the deed 881 to Sylvia and Bert Willard of Bellows Hill Road for C17 grave 2.
>> Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you very much. Okay, let's do a voice vote. All in favor say I. I >> I. >> Any no votes? Okay. Any discussion or deliberation on that?
>> Yes. Staff. >> Yes. >> Staff never dies. So we'll never execute that deed. >> Oh, >> we all talked about how it hits a little different when you know the person. Yeah. >> Yes. Exactly. >> Yeah.
>> Signed my own deed. >> Uh you have signed your own deed. >> Oh, that's a little morbid. >> Obering. Yes. >> Okay. So, we um the eyes have it on that one. There's nothing else on that one. Yes, >> correct. >> Okay. >> I think we're
>> we're on time, but do we have people online for the transfer station action committee? >> Should be Tom. >> Supposed to be Tom. It's unlike him to not be here. Um but I can represent. >> We could move on to one other item and
maybe he shows up in the next five minutes. also possible. So, you've seen this one before. The amendment is to the transfer station u policies and the ad is for parking that states parking within the transfer
station is limited to 15 minutes. This requirement is necessary to assure adequate traffic flow. If you are parked longer than 15 minutes, a transfer station attendant may ask you to move your car outside the transfer station and park elsewhere where it is legal to do so. This was recommended by director Jim Hall to the TEAC. They took it up
and they are recommending it to you for policy change. >> Is there any from your vantage point anything controversial around this or I don't I mean it seems pretty common sense to me. >> It's designed to keep flow from
happening. the the swap shed is very popular and people can park at it for a long time and there's just no policy that allows those people to move along and come back if they if they need to. So, this just clarifies that and gives staff some ability to keep it functioning correctly
>> and staff's on board with this. >> Staff is asking for it. >> Okay. Okay. >> Okay. Okay. Okay. Can I >> just when when you try to enforce something at the transfer station and it isn't an actual policy, it can become a debate and we don't want our transfer station attendants debating with
residents. Um, >> Yep. >> because we lose there. >> Okay. >> So, I move to amend the Carile Recycling and Transfer Station regulations to add a parking limit provision as included in the packet. >> I hear a second. >> Second.
>> Thank you, Dave. Okay, let's uh do a voice vote. All right, >> I just have a question. Does this amend their the state? This this is the regulations in the >> there's some red font down below that shows what this change is.
>> Yeah, >> it adds that section to their current. >> There was no parking. >> There was Right. No, it adds it at the I read it in there. Okay. But I just had some questions on the actual if we're amending the recycling and transfer st station regulations. I actually wanted
to offer another amendment or thoughts. I want to talk about it while we're on it. >> Okay. >> Can we do that? >> Yeah. >> Maybe we should we pass this particular one and then we can >> we can Yeah. This doesn't impact that. So sure. >> Yeah. Maybe close this one and then we can >> and then
>> Yeah. >> I mean it'd be better if Tom were here. It would be >> otherwise we're talking amongst ourselves. But yes, we can do that. Okay. Did we vote? >> No. >> No. >> Okay. >> Do we have a second? >> Dave second. Second. >> Okay.
>> Uh so any other discussion or deliberation on this particular point? Okay. Um voice vote. All in favor say I. >> I. I. >> Any no votes? Okay. Okay, the eyes have it and we will
have a parking limit of 15 minutes. Okay. What other >> on this if you have that in front of you? I do. Um so I noticed in there it says current identification sticker permanently affixed to the front bumper. Yeah. >> And that's also in the section below.
All passenger cars must have the identification sticker affixed to the vehicle's front bumper. I didn't know if we wanted to >> revise it. revise it because >> yeah, mine's on I I can't put it on a car. It just ruins the resale value, messes up. >> Well, we can talk to Tom about that. I don't think we But I just want
>> You would just be talking amongst ourselves that we did that right now. But yes, I hear you on that. Is that what your point is to be a fix to the car? >> My point. Yes. >> Because it is identified with you individually or with your vehicle. So >> I think they're worried that you know if you have it on a little then yeah, you
just hand it off and >> Well, we can let them talk. All chaos will ensue, I'm sure. Okay, next topic is >> Well, it's not on the bumper anymore. >> It's not on the bumper windshield inside the windshield. So that I don't even
have I don't even have it on the windshield. >> I think we should put it back on the bumper per the regulations, >> right? Acquire it. You don't have >> Please. God, no. >> I moved. I have I um >> Okay, we're at 7:40. Um
>> would >> go ahead >> just would it be possible to move up the road maintenance just given we have people here >> that's what I feel like report >> or that piece of it I don't know if there wasn't much time allocated to it I don't know how controversial or how much
discussion >> um >> I'd be happy to um to do that Marine, was there a topic that you were interested in? >> Got it. Okay. >> Okay. So
>> uh this year's road maintenance plan was consistent with the plan discussed last year in the fall and then the resources you allocated for it to um at the town meeting which includes the Warren article and then any state money called chapter 90 that came in. So we bid it in
chunks in order to make sure that we didn't um fully eat into our into our funds and to give you options. So the primary bid included Heielded Road, Pope Road, South Street, West Street, Judy Farm Road, and the designed autobond lane drainage as this board directed us
to do. The alternate bid um included North Road, Indian Hill Road, and North Road and Indian Hill Road. And the third bid was all of Autumn Lane. So those aren't numbered right. Should be alternate one and alternate two. >> Okay. >> Alternate one and alternate
>> instead it says alternate bid two, alternate bid three. Yeah. So, uh, this is just listed wrong. So, North Road is alternate two. >> How about down below, Ryan? It says alternate one, alternate two. Alternate. >> The primary bid is on the left. The alternate bid is North Road. That's one. Indian Hill Road is two.
>> I see. >> But the amounts down below are >> those are correct. >> Those are correct. Yeah. >> Okay. >> And you had some commentary about the the bid amounts and the reserve. >> Yes. So the um the base bid and the
alternates are totaled as shown for a total of 738,339. >> Yep. >> We had projected that to be um 900,000. So fuel prices and a competitive bid process resulted in in a a positive bid
for us. So in terms of available funds from various warrant articles already approved 25 and 26 you have 184,285 left uh that are not accounted for or contracted currently. So that is a true reserve.
Your chapter 90 reserve is uh 454,285 and your projected chapter 90 funds for this year which have not come in but normally come in like today um is 430,000. So your total
is 100 is 1.1 million. So if you were to approve the entire plan you would be uh slightly below 400,000 in reserve. So when we presented this to you last year, that number was closer was under a 100,000 which you had expressed some discomfort in. So we're
recommending you approve the entire plan, but we wanted to check with you. >> Uh okay. So thoughts on this? >> The the addition of the reserve just what's your intent with that? Is that do do we use that in the coming year?
some of it potentially for emergency or is that just going to be pushed forward into the next year do you think? >> Yeah. So if you see the chapter 90 reserve total there y >> it would be less than so we're eating into the reserve. >> Okay. >> We also would like to back up the
connected carile sidewalk project because that's not fully funded. Right. >> It could be up to 200,000 of that. And then you're correct. There is always the concern of a midyear adjustment that's needed, a road failure or something that we can use chapter 90 for. We typically
don't because we try to plan correctly, but um that's there. So, we would reconfigure our 5-year plan, have your annual road discussion with the residents, and then show you where you're at again in the coming year. Uh
the good news is we have more reserve than we thought in Bedford Road is going to be state funded. So um our five-year plan becomes a four-year plan and then you can add more roads and make people happy four years from now. >> We still have culverts and >> all the other things.
>> So this does not include the covert money, >> right? >> Which is going to be its own budget. I'm also concerned about more like the um just what we're seeing like with autumn lane or in other areas where we have
these larger rainfalls and these different situations arising where it's not draining properly. We have these issues suddenly of a development goes in or something happens and the water's diverted. So I imagine we'll have more of those popping up in different places as well that we don't have today. Soon
>> more cases like where you have or just street flooding or neighborhood flooding. So I think just having a a healthy reserve is important. >> So you're saying Ryan the suggestion is to have the reserve and then that reserve may be doled up in certain ways.
Some of which might be to fund the sidewalk project. Some might you know midyear things pop up. Got it. But just to have that what is it 300k or whatever in reserve. So you could just accept the base bid and then you have to go in
order alternate one, two, and three. So we're saying you should accept the entire package, but you could create more contingency than you have now or you could do nothing >> and have 1.1 million. I mean that's obviously absurd, but um >> we need to vote on this.
>> Yeah. The reason why our our f friends are here as well is because different biders would win depending on how many alternates are selected. Okay. you do you have >> with PJ >> they they probably should not be included in your discussion. >> Okay. Okay. Sorry, but they're very
interested. >> Yeah, I vote I >> Well, strike it from the record. >> Okay. Um >> Okay. Well, the there is a motion on what are we on page 49? No. Where are we
at? I think I'm on page 49. >> Yeah, this is all good news, which is probably why it's a little confusing. >> It is. Yeah, I'm not used to having to priorities. >> So, the the town meeting allows us to spend chapter 90 outside of town meeting appropriation.
>> So, we feel as a staff, especially a finance team, that we need to continue to bring you these numbers and these decision points so that you know where that money's going. >> Yeah. >> So, that's all this is. So, this is usually we're like we're trying to scrape some together some money. In this particular instance, >> you caught us off guard. We don't know
how to handle this, >> but that doesn't mean we just want to assume that you're just going to approve it. So, >> okay. >> We want to make sure that you're tracking. >> And Jim's I'm assuming on board DPW is on board with that recommendation. >> Yeah. So, if you remember Yep. >> our plan is to maintain C plus roads
with additional investment each year. So, this >> these are all bad roads. >> Yes. >> These are really bad. So, we could do more, but this is a way of balancing uh getting stuff done with having enough ammunition to face whatever comes. >> Oh, did anybody read the editorial in
the Boston Globe about how maybe potholes are the best way to mitigate speed on roads? >> David Odell have suggested >> we've we've had that where it's like now it's paved and everyone's driving fast. Um I don't think that should be our goal, but um no,
>> it was a timely article. >> That is funny. I if anyone's I'd move to approve all of them. >> All right. Does anybody not I guess that's our vote. Okay. So, let's go ahead and just do the vote then. >> Um can I hear a motion? >> What do What do you need? What do you
need Ryan? Do you need us to move? >> Is there's a motion? >> Oh, there is. Sorry. >> Move to approve the road maintenance plan and authorize the town administrator to contract with the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. Can we hear a second? >> Second.
>> Thank you very much. Any discussion or deliberation? >> Okay, let's do a voice vote. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Any no votes? >> Okay, the eyes have it. >> I'm sorry to interrupt, but just to
clarify, that's the complete package, right? >> Yes. >> I mean, you didn't mention the bitter by name, which is fine. You don't have to, but >> that's my job. >> But like as you said, it does make a difference. That's why, you know. Yep. >> Say that. I'm assuming that's accepting the package
>> the including the three alternates. Yes. >> Yep. >> So just if you look up because you know I like to overexlain here was the road maintenance plan as presented to you. So we were projecting um a negative reserve and the inability
to pave all of these roads. Now, the reason why the reserve is higher is not just because the bid came in lower, but because other projects return funds that we didn't expect because we try to estimate conservatively. So, this is the entire slate to include your parody roads and your DPW priority roads. So,
next year, your funding will roll into the next attempt at deferred maintenance and allow you um more flexibility. And then what I was talking about in 28, everything in green is being paid for by
the state and being done in the next 12 months. So that opens up that plan even more. So we're going to be able to move some things up. >> Excellent. >> And the chapter 90, I mean, we talk about paving and what else can it be what other aspects of road maintenance can it be used for?
>> There's not a lot of restrictions. So you can buy equipment that allows you to maintain roads. You can study roads. you can do all the things that would allow you to make good decisions on on road maintenance, >> snow and ice. >> No, >> not really.
>> But like street sweeping and things like that because I know like there's other things we could potentially road maintenance is not just paving. So I think we should look at that and just make sure we're >> so I mean of course I'm not commenting on necessarily Carlile but these budgets
can be buried and it's really its own budget. So, we're trying to make it as transparent as possible >> because um there are there are communities that use this money if they don't get a town meeting vote to buy equipment, right? There's other ways to fund capital and
that might be a choice you make, but there's a trade-off. Yeah. >> You're going to lose a road or two, >> right? >> And um I get more complaints about roads than anything else. So, >> you do. >> Yeah. >> That's good. Actually, >> this week actually. Oh,
>> maybe we work our way way way up to a B minus. >> Yeah, over require 200 grand more a year. >> Yeah. >> Generally, I know we haven't said it, but when are we talking about the roads again? >> In the early fall. >> Early fall. >> Yeah, we'll start advertising in August
and schedule that meeting to talk about the plan. >> And this year, we're going to add coververts, too. So, >> right. >> Okay. Anything else on road maintenance then that needs our attention? Nope. >> Okay, it is 7:52. Why don't we go ahead
and move on to >> You're cool. >> Oh, marijuana waiver. It's already It's It's practically 8 o'clock, right? >> Don't take it personal. >> No, no, we Yeah, we >> good. Unless you want to talk marijuana, we're good. >> Focus. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Roads are in good hands.
>> Great. >> Have a lovely evening. >> You too. >> Fantastic. Okay. Where are we on marijuana? >> I thought it was here for a road. >> Okay. What are we discussing on
marijuana waiver? There's nothing in the packet. I did see. >> So, you had your goals, too. And >> Right. We do have goals as well. Should we do goals first? >> We're kind of jumping all around tonight. >> Yeah. >> I'm happy to discuss marijuana, too, if
you want. Let's do marijuana first. >> We're there. >> Here. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, this can be I'd like to I'd like to set this up by saying we can bring in an expert from the Cannabis Commission or a lawyer, etc. to discuss
any of this with you. Um, we didn't necessarily think that was that was the case or that you'd want that, but that is possible. So, don't feel like this is the only information available to you. But the short version of this is the new state law allows companies that sell marijuana to deliver it to homes. So
kind of Uber for marijuana, Uber Eats for marijuana. Uh it is allowed statewide by right unless a municipality opts out. And the only way you can opt out is if you don't have a marijuana establishment, which Carile does not. So this means it's a decision for you whether or not you want to opt out of
this. If you don't opt out, then delivery is allowed in the town. If you do opt out, then you have a two-year waiver. While I'm assuming they discussed this at the state level and have some other option. So, your decision is to to apply for that opt out
in that two-year waiver or to actively not apply and know that delivery would then be allowed in Carile. >> And this is a select board decision. >> Yes. >> Amazing. >> That's weird. That feels like a town
meeting type thing. >> It's very similar to your um alcohol license, which is why I think that decision was made. >> Interesting. >> And there was a um I'm not saying this is why this is necessarily made, but that there was a ballot about this where
towns were allowed to accept or not. So I I think that's why they put the authority at the select word level. >> You you could make it a referendum and bring it to town meeting as well. You have that option. If we were to apply for the waiver, how would we even
know if marijuana is being delivered in town? >> It's a good that's a good question. >> You wouldn't know one way or the other. And this reminds me of a conversation we had earlier on God, what topic were we talking about where we said, "Why would we pass something we can't enforce it?"
Oh, transfer station. >> Oh, the way. Yeah. >> But the >> So, if someone was delivering in the town, that would be enforceable. It's just whether or not you would know. >> You would have no idea. >> Well, it might be on an app and maybe these,
>> you know, I think it's analogy to Uber Eats. You know, they if they were prohibited from a town as a company, they would know that and their legal department would say, "Okay." And they circle that town and they're like, "Okay, we don't deliver." I mean, I mean,
>> I see. Yeah. But you're counting on them to >> So I I I researched this a little bit and they have to be licensed. It's not just some >> Yeah. >> kid who shows up and >> Well, it could be, but that would be that would be >> a lot of, you know, and they can't deliver past certain times,
>> right? I see. >> And things like that. They can only handle so much. They have to verify ID. Kind of like if you have alcohol delivered to your house. So there are regulations. It's not just some guy >> Yeah. >> driving around. This seems like the classic thing where the waiver restricts actually the the lawful activity versus
the unlawful. And I mean I >> So we didn't anticipate that tonight you'd be like this is what we necessarily want to decide. We just we know this is a topic that may or may not garner attention. So what do you want us to do with it? Do you want to invite the public to talk to you about it? Is it
just fine? You're going to opt out, etc. >> But we had to bring it to you because >> Yeah. I think this is good public policy like and how do we want to involve the public in this discussion? I mean, I would definitely think we, >> you know, not vote tonight on this
because we haven't had any kind of input from anyone. >> Hopefully the the mosquito or someone can bring this to light and maybe they'll be, you know, people can reach out to us individually as they do by email or however or or they can show up
and we can have another meeting to discuss it. >> But the default action of of doing nothing mean you have to take action to opt out, right? So, >> is there a time limit? >> It wasn't clear in my research. I don't know if it was in yours, but for me, you
have a town meeting deadline. If you wanted to bring this to town meeting or add it to an election ballot, um I wouldn't sit on it because this this law tends to go quick. These discussions tend to go quick. >> Do you have any information on towns
that have opted out? Is there a No. No. >> And again, you can't opt out if you have a marijuana establishment and a lot of towns do. >> Right. >> Yeah. I don't know. This doesn't really I don't have a strong reason to opt out,
but I don't haven't given it any thought. So, I would Yeah. I'd be curious if there's any public interest andor position on that. I haven't heard any. So I can gather data
and then advertise a public input session or we can schedule something like that. I'm guessing not schedule too much time for it. It's probably one of those things where >> if people feel strongly they'll show up. >> Yeah. And if I I don't know if I don't
know how you guys feel, but if if no one's really interested or I don't see my default would be I I'd want to see some some reason to opt out. >> Agre. Agreed. I Yeah. >> And I don't I don't sitting here
tonight. I don't have a reason to say we should opt out, but I'm open to that argument if it's out there. >> Well, the only argument I can make would be that the town opted out. We didn't we did this through a town vote or not? I >> earlier that was the vote.
>> That was a town vote, right? >> The original vote was >> The original vote was a town to opt out. 132 cities and towns, roughly 38% of the 351 enacted bans on adult use cannabis business >> on the business, right? As opposed to
>> as opposed to the delivery. >> Delivery, right? >> And you're right. This is different because this isn't about okay we now have to locate an area for growing it or we have to locate an area to sell it you know this is th those were considerations in the last vote right
>> I mean there was a land use component to the last vote too >> would the cos have a perspective on this like who would who would who would have a insight into this issue like I don't know people that use
marijuana medically might have a need for delivery. >> It does not apply to that. >> Does not apply to medical question. >> That is your question. Yeah. No, you can't. >> You want to just state your yes who I happen to know that use it
medically and they can't get the closest place in Maine. So, they do have to have it delivered and usually a friend has to pick it up. >> Oh. medically. I think if that's not
included, it's not really a problem. >> I just do >> Sorry, Moren. We technically needed your name and your address. >> Street. >> Okay. Thank you very much. >> And is the fl is the picture of the
mosquito that I'm seeing there? I don't know. It would be good to get >> Is that a budding pian? >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> I think that's Mary Lynn. >> It would be good to get a feel of this is an issue. >> Yeah. I I don't know. This hasn't been
on my radar. So I don't know. >> Is there a way to collect public comment just by having people write to you know you Ryan and then you know raise their hand and say >> um so normally >> we whatever send them
>> we advertise that you're going to be discussing on said date. >> Yeah. >> And then we tell people to send Gretchen emails and then we consolidate them. Sometimes we get a ton and sometimes we get none. But yeah we >> Okay. If someone were to put something on City in the Woods or something, it'
be interesting to >> Yeah. >> or any of the other social media platforms. >> Yeah. >> You know, they're not official, >> you know, things of the town. >> Temperature gauges. >> Yeah. They're just grenade into >> Well, Ryan, to opt out, I'm assuming
it's it's not a bylaw or anything. So, >> a vote and a form. So if we had it on an agenda in like September and we deemed there was a lot of interest to opt out, we wanted to put it on town meeting, it would be easy to add. It's not like a complex.
>> Is there a comment? >> Well, Mary Lynn just texted and said we could put an editorial in the mosquito if >> Oh, okay. That's a good solution >> commenting on it. I don't know if that's >> Is that a good solution, Ryan? >> We just need someone to >> just someone Yeah. to to what they
>> we're Yeah. Okay. So, let's I think we've already spent too much time going round and round on what our approach is. Let's have a public comment uh indications of interest to Gretchen and we'll hear them on the next agenda and let's get this over with because I feel like this is something we just mainly because we don't know uh how the town
wants us to proceed, you know, for lack of anything else. But knowing that it doesn't pertain to medical, I kind of feel like that that was the one issue that came up. Okay. Okay. So, there's just discussion on this one. Uh,
do we want to do goals now? >> That's Oops. Is that 15 minutes? Yeah, let's do goals. Oh, >> we have >> Hey, Julie. How are you? >> Good. >> 8:15. Okay. Yeah, we could do >> whatever you'd like. >> Yeah. Let's go ahead and do Let's
finalize our goals real quick. >> I hope. Real quick. I don't know. Did everyone have a chance to take a look at it? We had a couple go rounds this afternoon it looks like. >> Yeah. What was the last That was
Gretchen's that she sent out. >> She sent something this afternoon. >> It would I think be helpful to put it up on the screen so it would where we are >> with the latest >> where we stand.
I think where we stand is >> draft three. Is that the latest one? >> Review changes. Okay. >> So, Ryan, do I have this right? This is the accepted language here. This is the clean copy and then are the ch the track
changes are shown in the packet below. Is that right? >> I didn't see the >> Okay. So, I do see some revisions on the copy below. Do we want to walk through those?
Okay. Uh Scott, we didn't want to presume that we do another study. >> Yeah. a path to secure any >> I'm just sensitive. The Highland building has had all these multiple studies done and I don't necessarily want to set an expectation that we're we
maybe we do but I don't want to say at the outset our goal is to spend yet another >> 50 $70,000 on a feasibility study and maybe that's where it takes us but I just didn't >> you don't want to presume that. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. Yeah. We're presenting a path
forward. That's the goal. Okay. Got it. minor thing but >> right and then we struck the sentence present the model at town meeting to improve public understanding of the town's tax rate long-term final outlook >> just shortening it up
>> capital yeah that's good >> I think we talked about >> tighter >> you know the plan to present the state of the union so to speak >> yep we did >> that's fine >> and then on complete streets devise a plan to connect sidewalks and trails
creating a walkable network seek additional grants to fund plan always good with grants >> so a question on this is so if if a goal is to do this I I don't we you mentioned chapter 90 because funding is a big issue and funding has been an issue when
we get into sidewalks and we've talked about like running a sidewalk down um 225 and there's all these options some of them aren't within our budget so is our is would the goal here to be to do more grant funded sidewalks and and
we just haven't talked about the funding of this and what it might cost because it hasn't been the top priority. So I I think if you took a longer lens, yeah, 10 to 15 year lens, >> what's needed is to cut through
the what could or should or maybe happen and see what it would cost, >> right? >> So maybe a CPC application to design or at least do a cost estimate of of a conceptual design for any of the
suggested so-called spokes, whether it's to conquer or to Westford. I think that would be a good use of CPC money to see because then you would know is this a $200,000 project? Is it a $4 million project and everything in
between? And if we had that plan and we kept applying for larger infrastructured driven economic development driven grants and I think you'd get it as long as you extended that. I think you would for a
long time. >> Go ahead. >> Didn't the safety committee do something like that last year or the year before? And are you saying build on that or what? >> Shortening a very long conversation. The connected car project was picked because
it was more shovel ready. >> It was doable. >> But they had Westford, >> but that one was >> popular. It was the one that got more attention and votes, but it was it could be millions of dollars depending on how far you go and what you
do, especially if you want to make it accessible. >> One thing would be to to look at all of those like say is that your >> I think you should have your engineers tell you what it would actually cost and I think then you would know what to do. Do you apply for grants until you get it? Do you never do it? Do you want to
do it now? >> And you can use chapter 90 as well. Correct. >> Yes. in some cases, >> but I think it's CPC eligible too, which >> so I guess my I was taking a step too far. My comment was more around I didn't want to set an expectation that we were going to
support a plan like so devising a plan and doing getting the cost estimate and being able to make those decision. I support I don't want to create the false expectation that we're we're going to be making a priority to actually do all of this because I do think there it will be one of these things where there will be trade-offs and we will want to find
alternate sources of funding. So that's my only >> as it's written the goal is to devise a plan seek grants. >> Yep. >> Oh goodness. Right. >> Yep. Okay. And then the last change that I see is strategic private parcels for
potential future acquisition. >> Yeah. Again, I didn't want to set an expectation that um because I could imagine we could identify some parcels um in the future, but you know,
>> it's premature. >> It's premature. We you know, >> right? >> I don't know. >> Okay. >> Maybe I'm hedging all the bets too much, but I like the words potential. I don't want to create an expectation that we're going to >> come out of this with we are buying this land when it's available. That might be
in 10 years, 20 years. >> Yep. >> Okay. So, what is the clean copy, Ryan? Is it the >> Travis >> copy above or there's a version below, too? And I'm confused about what which one what I'm reading. >> Are yours up there?
>> I think they will be. >> Are your changes incorporated? >> Dave, did you have any changes? >> Those were my Those were my changes. So I I don't know where >> yeah the I think we just removed the formatting but the one below includes the changes.
>> Okay. So let's take a quick spin through the clean copy and we can make sure that our changes were incorporated. >> Okay. >> What do you remember what you >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> They are incorporated. >> Okay. So for under Carile character,
>> uh we have goals around the DPW, boghouse, Highland, and Benfield. Um for DPW, we're going to advance and support the com the design phase. Bog House, we're going to uh continue the article 97 land swap.
>> Does it include yours? >> Uh I I don't know >> the Well, okay. So, >> let me let me pull up mine. I'll just do a little check as we go through. >> Check. >> Under the Highland building, we're going
to present a path forward at town meeting. >> Uh that seems a little abridged. >> Yeah, that's why I'm saying >> seemed like there was something else around that one >> though. It said and secure nominal funding for an initial study. But >> well, that's the part he struck. >> He struck. So it just present a path
forward. I don't know. I >> Okay. And yes. Okay. I struck that too. >> Okay. So, we're good. Then on Highland building. >> Okay. And on Benfield, we're going to meet with Noah leadership to establish a shared action plan
on caring community trust funds dispersement. We're going to finalize the process for actually get some funds dispersed. Public safety. We're going to imple implement prioritized improvements to crosswalks, sidewalks, roads, pathways,
culverts, and sistns and aggressively pursue grants. That's a lot of work summarized in one goal. That's good. Okay, that's an ambitious one. >> Well, I think that one's actually I think in pretty good. >> So, we got >> fix the crosswalks, install some
sidewalks, potentially pave some roads. I think we have we have prioritized culverts, prioritized roads. We've >> done a lot of the leg work around some of these. Yeah, it's just a lot of work. So much never has so much work been reflected in one bullet.
>> Well, the land use one is probably more work. >> Oh, yeah. >> That's everything. >> Commas don't mean it's going to take longer. >> Town volunteer recruitment. We need to grow our volunteer base by recruiting residents who don't already volunteer
for town office. We don't want to just shuffle the deck chairs. We want to actually get some new talent involved and their voices heard. Okay, what's next, Ryan? Okay, fiscal sustainability. We've got our community preser What is this?
>> Okay, that was a comment I had made, but that was just so I guess got in there. Um, it was just a question. What does affirmation of town mean? What does that mean? Is are we going to propose something at town? I was just that was a question to our board. Scott's very good suggestion was we need to take the pulse
of town. Do they want to continue with this sir charge? And I think we actually had a question out to was it legal counsel or the state saying can we pause? >> Well, that would have to that would be a new question. Like that's I don't think that's been done. Um >> okay.
>> I think we would want what I go back to several years ago we did this where we basically had it voted on again at town meeting. So it would be a warn article that would assuming the feedback was generally people are are want to
continue at I believe we're at 2% you would present that warrant article and have people um vote at a town meeting. >> Yeah. Okay. So I don't know that all that extraneous text in the brackets needs to be included. Right.
>> No this is this is Travis's edits. So >> and they somehow made it into the live copy. >> So the top draft is clean. Second one is >> Scott. And >> the other question, the other potential thing would be >> red. So I don't know why the red >> and I don't know if this makes sense or
not, but at the next election, we could put a non-binding question on the ballot just to do a get a sense of and if it seems overwhelming, you know, you might not have to do town meeting. Um I don't know. There is an opportunity in November to ask a non-binding question.
>> I think you have to do both. You have to do an election. Yeah. >> Well, this would be like an informal though, so we don't have to Yeah. But I think that I think it's important enough the town should should um I think we should vote it like every five years or something just to
>> keep a regular tab on so it doesn't just get so >> it's a we spend a lot of time you know on the budget and very small costs and the town previously has said they support this partially because it's outside the budget and they want to fund these things but in the you know when we
look at what's ahead of us I think it's important to both remind people of the search and just make sure that the community still supports it. >> Yeah. >> At the current level. >> Yeah. Okay. Shared services. We're going to continue identifying town departments and functions that are well suited for
shared services. Um vocational financial planning. We need to get our arms around a process, >> joint process for forecasting vocational placements and their corresponding financial plans and controls.
um long-term building and capital planning. We've got a lot to cover under that one. We're going to refine the financial model and strategic framework to evaluate the costs and tax impacts of potential building projects and major capital investments. Yes, Travis.
>> So, my because you're looking at my document here. So, I'll just tell you what was changed. I took out the it did say present the model at town meeting to improve public's understanding and I just took out present at town meeting just improve improve and and that could
mean that we go to the town meeting or it could not I didn't want to have it so affirmative that we have to go to the town meeting. Oh I see we we as a board decide that that's you know not worth worthwhile. >> Okay. >> Or we could >> well yeah we could
>> we'll decide. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. >> But the goal is still we always want to have an educated public as to where their absolutely absolutely >> where their finances are. Okay. >> The public's understanding. >> Um partner with the finance committee. Sorry. Uh to update the town's debt service forecast. Identify long-term
operating capital budget strategies to manage future debt obligations while maintaining fiscal sustainability. Okay, that's good. Connectivity and access. We're going to maximize digital access to public records, forms, bills, scheduling, and other routine town
transactions. Always good to move things online. Uh complete streets. We're going to devise a plan to connect sidewalks and trails. >> This is my comment. This is >> We're looking at Travis. >> You're looking at my thought process. >> Travis agrees with the concept of this
goal. >> I wrote that in this package. You all should have seen this. surprised. >> Yeah, I did, but I guess the clean version, but that's not >> I don't even know. >> So, my question was priority and then
the costing plan. What are we what are we looking to to do? We probably I just thought about the process >> as far as we want to accomplish and we can leave the goal as >> it's really just defining the process of you know who are we going to bring together? Are we going to um devise what
our metrics for success are? apply certain weights and then you know >> I didn't articulate but I had the same concern Scott had where I don't want to promise like everyone says oh you're you're going to do complete streets and you're you're >> and I don't want to set any false
expectations of what the select board we're going to have a lot of competing interests for money. >> Yeah. Yeah. I would I would in view view this as almost like the um kind of like the paving plan kind of like the bid where you have like the core then you
have alternate one alternate two and you kind of prioritize based on the network the r you know >> so I would I would envision a study that would have that costed out and then we'd look at what we can fund and >> okay >> if anything like I mean there's a world
where >> doesn't make sense or doesn't fit in the plan but Do we want to keep it as a goal? >> I do. Yeah, I think it's fine. I just was that was just a >> comment to the board here in our packet.
>> Okay. Was there anything else, Ryan? >> So, what is this? That was a >> What' you find, Scott? >> Oh, what Gretchen sent around? >> Environmental stewardship. We've got a goal around sustainable land management and strategic land acquisition. Just >> this is the big Go ahead.
>> So I changed that. It says work with all boards. It used to say convene all boards. >> Oh, okay. >> And I said work with because we may not have >> one big convention. >> We may not. We may, we may not. >> Okay. Um to integrate existing plans
into a single long-term land use strategy. And so by single, I meant to convey we are all in alignment. Um Ryan is laughing. Good luck. >> I don't know what this is. This is >> um
>> establish priorities and target allocations for conservation. Yeah. All the land uses. >> Scott, what is it you're finding? >> No, whatever. Um I'm sorry. That's There was a
I'm just looking at a document that was sent out that I'm I'm just confused on. We're looking because I'm we went through the the one that was the what was edited last time and then then we had you had two comments that were submitted, right? His comments and my
comments and they're both in there now. We happen to be looking at mine but I'm looking at >> I don't mean to and this is >> when I have draft four of us >> which is which is different. >> That's it. You're out. >> I'm out. Anyway,
um yeah, little version issue. I'm not sure what this is because this looks like an older version. >> One that we've got on the screen is Travis's version. >> Yeah, this one. It has like >> Which one are you talking about? >> The draft three that was sent out yesterday.
>> Oh, yesterday's version which is not up on the screen that that is that it right there. >> I don't know what this is. We've got multiple versions. >> Yeah. And that one has like >> Yeah, >> this looks >> sister man. Yeah, >> this is
>> uh >> it's not because it should be HKA. >> Yeah, >> but I don't think in our goals we want Do we want to be so specific as to name who's doing what? >> No, that was from the Those are the minutes. >> Those are the minutes.
>> The minutes, Scott. >> Yes. >> No, but it's FY. It's >> those are the minutes. Everything goals related is in one meeting. >> That was that was in the minutes from the >> Oh, that's the meeting and there were in the >> Oh, >> I don't know how we got this jumbled. >> Fantastic.
>> Well, no, I just read >> everything goals are. >> So, this is the wonders of the open meeting law. So, you >> Okay, I got you. So, it's >> you want you want to work on this outside the meeting, but you can't, >> right? Okay. >> We have to display everyone's thoughts. >> So, it's the minute goals minutes, not
the goal. Okay. But we don't have one cleaned up version like >> not allowed. >> That's not allowed. Got it. Okay. >> I think we're we're aligned with the goals. Did anyone have any uh >> the only the only one that I thought was
that I mentioned it last time was the municipal vulnerability preparedness >> that we Okay, we didn't actually review. >> That was the only one. And I I don't know if I you know articulated it too well because I crossed out but I I thought we've spent a lot of time and energy and you know we have a report and
we've got a lot and not that we >> Ryan just >> right there. Thank you. What was our goal? Develop a comprehensive implementation plan establish measurable performance metrics and create a framework to monitor and report progress over time.
>> That's what I wrote. >> Oh okay. That is I'm good. >> That's a pine gold. >> I'm good. That's what I but I changed that because I took out and that's why I'm just surprised it doesn't have because my version I sent had the but we we um I don't know if you wanted to, you
know, reduce a lot of we had advanced communitywide carbon and solid waste reduction efforts. We can add that in. We cannot. Whatever. >> Report progress over time for waste reduction goals.
I think either is fine. I mean, we it's our goal. >> Yeah. >> And what we do across the year is what's important. So, >> I don't know that we need to I think this wording includes that. >> Yeah. >> Which wording? >> The wording there? The one that we just
read. >> The shorter version. Yeah. I think it's fine >> and I think it encompasses what we've been talking about. And what's important will be actually setting those metrics and doing the work and then yeah >> versus the wording of the goal. >> Dave, what do you think?
>> I'm good with it. >> You're good with it. >> There's a question. >> Oh, we have a comment. Christina, >> hi Christina Goldist Road. Um, last time um something was added that we think is important and that and it's removed now and that is maintaining climate leader
and great community status. >> Oh yeah. Where did that go? Travis truck. >> Yeah, >> I think it's fine. That's why we're talking about this, how we want to approach this. So, whatever the board wants, if you wanted to put that in.
>> See, it's Scott's version >> right there. Climate leader, green communities. This is this is we need some these are the pitfalls of all this, you know, and it's fine. >> Well, you and you that was part of what you deleted, right? >> So, we can just add that language.
>> Can add it back in. >> Yeah, >> it's fine. >> So, >> I was giving my thoughts. >> So, add the wording maintain climate leader community and green community status. >> Right. >> And you can take some liberty with how you incorporate that into the sentence. >> Okay.
>> So, we're going to shorten as suggested. >> Yep. and add >> we're gonna add these. >> Yep. >> Or maintain them but in Travis's shortened version. >> Yep. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> So, we will create a clean copy. >> Yep. >> Thank you. >> Based off what we think you want and
then you can work from that draft next time. >> Okay. In the meantime, we do need to vote on it. >> Well, we don't have it. >> We don't not We do not have it today. So we can't say vote as amended >> and and we can we can always revise it
but I would as a member I would say I would >> no not >> got it. Okay. >> But I I I think at a high level um if I look at all these goal like the land use is a really big effort >> huge
>> and like that's a big one right so it's I think as I look at these goals that's one where it's pretty broadreaching it's going to involve a lot of groups um it's going to take more than a year to do the whole thing but really getting some good
progress done on priority parcels this year should be our kind tactical goal. That's a big one though. >> That is just a sub bullet comment on the financial model >> name and address. >> John Valentine 268 Fifth Street. Since
I've been working on the enrollment projections at the school, I think that's a really important part which I will continue to do because if the school enrollment drops into the 570 range, which you can easily do, that has significant implications long medium term for what happens. So I
will do that to feed that in. But I think it's really important that you have the schools start looking out that way as we're making this transition. And I know we all agree with that, but >> but I'm the only one who's been doing it. So other we've got to get other people doing that and understand it.
>> Yeah. And they have their own projections, correct? Like from Desi and all that. >> Yeah. Right. >> Um Okay. >> But that's just the subtext. >> And you're you're you're in communication with the finance committee as well. >> Yeah, of course. Yep.
Okay, I think that's it for goals discussion. Um, how about land swap? >> U, we have >> we have Julie here >> and John. >> John. Yep. >> Should we just do that next then?
>> Great. And that is what item is that though? >> It's item six. >> Item. Yes. Land swap. >> Line process. Thank you both for joining us tonight. Thanks for having us. >> Julie, I'm making you a co-host.
>> Okay, great. We have a little presentation. I hope this time I don't have to speed read it last time. Although that was fun. Just see here. >> Hello, John.
>> Hi there. So, let me say we would not be here without Julie doing a lot of the leg work and this is because this turns out to be really complicated and a lot of different moving pieces and so she does a lot of the calls tells me what's going
on. So, I mean this is obvious as you know with our staff people but this is really >> complicated. >> I couldn't do it without John. >> Yeah, right. Um so here we are to talk to you guys about
the bug house. Again the discussion tonight is going to focus on the replacement land um process feedback. Hold on one second. Let me make this forward to the next slide. So the purpose of the discussion tonight really the reason for this is because we are
trying to cue up the land swap vote for fall town meeting on November 16th. And so working back from that we have a number of things that we need to accomplish. uh one of them being the public process related to the land swap. Um so tonight we'd also like to get your
feedback on the replacement land options that we that we have. Um we'll get there in the presentation in a minute. Um, and then also, um, what you'd like to see for a local process in addition to what the state requires as part of the Open
Space Act. And the Open Space Act is triggered, um, by carving land out of Article 97. So, I did put together a little background slide because I wasn't sure like how up to speed everyone on this select board is about what's going on here or why we have to do this. Um, I
can do it if you guys want me to just quickly breeze through. Okay. So, >> remind me. >> Basically, yeah. So the the project is um converting the boghouse to affordable housing, right? Um article 97 of the
Massachusetts constitution governs the protection, use disposition of public lands. Um ensuring that there's no net loss of land with environmental, scenic, or recreational value. The Carile Cranberry bog land and the boghouse are subject to article 97. So repurposing
the boghouse for any non-aggricultural use requires that we carve the house and any land that we need for the parking and the utilities to support the the use of the house, right? That's non-aggricultural needs to be carved out of article 97. That requires a
two-thirds vote of the legislature. Um and that the carveout triggers the open space act which outlines a process for how the disposition works. >> And how much land are we talking about here? So, for the carveout, we haven't quite pinned that down yet. >> Around two acres, I think not too much.
Again, >> we're thinking ideally no more than two acres, potentially less um depending on how things lay out um on the site. >> Okay. >> So, >> and the reason two acres is kind of it's a kind of a choice is then from a septic standpoint
and bedrooms and you get four bedrooms on the two acres from a septic standpoint. So then you don't have to go through a lot of hoops from a from the board of health's perspective. So >> and this the boghouse, remind me, did we decide on three units, four units? Four units, one bedroom each.
>> We didn't we've got a configuration of bedrooms, but we're and we're working with different things. So it may be three, two, and two twos and a one. But again, >> yeah, some mix probably, right? Getting to a total of no more than eight bedrooms. That's kind of what we're
>> what we're targeting. >> Is there such a thing as getting an article 97 waiver or is that just that's a no-go? >> There is a thing, but we're told it's really unlikely and we wouldn't know if we could get it until like way further down the road. So, we have to have the
conversation anyway. Um yeah, so um the open space act disposition process requires a few different things. Um the first thing they recommend is presubmission consultations with um the people that hold the land that we're looking to carve out. So that's the conservation commission. So John and I
have met with them a couple times and we'll certainly go back and meet with them once we kind of start to um nail this down a little bit more. And then also EA staff and that's staff from the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Um I have met with them. I never meet with the state
alone anymore. Um, so I always make sure that there's someone else on the call with me. Usually that's Megan Sullivan, our conservation administrator, sometimes John. So, um, we have people hearing all the same things I'm hearing and taking notes. Um, they have been very helpful and pretty positive so far
about the things we've talked about. So, um, and then we do need to put together an alternatives analysis. So there's a lot of details related to this, but the basic gist is that we need to basically prove that there's no other town land where we could do affordable housing. And some of the history here in town where we've actually tried affordable
housing on town land and it hasn't succeeded is perfect for this proving that there is no alternative to the boghouse for affordable housing. Um the yellow uh bullet point here is identifying replacement land. So um I'll
get into the details of that and that's really why we're here tonight. Um and then just after that there's a few other things that need to happen. So appraisals and surveys uh is related to the boghouse carveout and the replacement land. So figuring that out and then getting the appraisals and getting the survey work done is those
are steps that need to happen before the town meeting vote. Um and then there's a notification and public comment requirement that the state has um and there's details around that as well. And then there a vote of the conservation commission is required. Um a vote of the select board. I'm I'm not 100% sure if
that's required, but I included it here because I've heard that it might be. Um, and then this the land swap will require a two-thirds vote of town meeting. Um, and then if we once we get all those things compiled and if we get there and we get the vote from town meeting, we can submit the legislative petition.
>> And so, one of the questions that Rebecca asked both at town meeting and then privately was was the comparability of the land swap, >> right? And so the question is that basically you have to go through this appraisal show what this two acres is worth on on the bug and then this other
land swap has a comparable value and the idea of it being town land shows you can have comparable value that we own that we don't have to go out and buy a new piece of land to replace it so that it isn't so it's so it's an clearly one asset one of our assets for another asset.
>> Yeah. When you say comparable valued is that based on >> okay it right up for me. >> So it needs to be of equal or greater natural resource value. Um and the policy states that that is under the
sole discretion of the secretary of the EA. Um equal or greater acreage and equal or greater monetary value. And like John said it's going to be the greater of the fair market value or the value in use. um whichever's higher of the bog carve out.
>> So that could be a pretty substantial value. >> It could be a substantial value. >> Correct. >> Correct. >> Even though there's none right now. >> Right. >> Um >> well, right now >> and then in discussions with EA staff, they're looking for land and also in
their policy it outlines this, but they're looking for land that's similar to the carveout land. So the three things they've identified for me are land that has street frontage because the land we carve out from the bog street bog house um will have frontage
on curve street right and then wetlands and trails and passive recreation similar to the bog land. Um whether what we carve out actually includes any of the trails is still an open question, but they're those are things they've identified as um
resulting in sort of an equivalency in their opinion. >> I can't think of anything off hand that meets the same conditions. >> Well, that show you right. Yeah, right. >> There it is. The Conan land is the um
basically only property that anyone that I've spoken to has suggested. Um it is a town-owned property that's unencumbered. Um it's not subject to article 97 like many other town owned lands are. Um it
has frontage on Rockland Road, wetlands, trails, and passive recreation. And initial feedback from EA staff has been positive. >> Okay. Um what we're trying to determine is like how much of conet land and
exactly where and in what configuration. So um I have recently walked the entire site with some of the abutters um seen it with my for myself after three and a half years working on the property. Um,
high time. And, um, we've talked about Castle Rock, which is identified on this, um, >> in that little black. >> So, I can't, my cursor is not really working. Oh, yes, it is. Okay. Right here, Castle Rock. Um, the other things that are marked on this site are the
future well for the fire station, and then the trails are kind of um, dotted in a way that makes them pop out more from the plan. The dark green is a wetlands um national wetlands inventory layer. It's really actually not matching reality on the ground, but it gives a
sense that there might be some wetlands there. And then the lighter green are the state um DN or not delineated D wetlands layer. So um that's what you're looking at here. And then we're thinking of some land kind of within this. Um,
>> and so if you do six acres with the frontage, then you can get comparable value because then you can get three supposedly three lots there. >> So again, you know, again, the appraiser will obviously kind of go through that process with us, but that's, >> you know,
>> so we would be swapping two acres of cranberry bog for six acres on Conan. >> Well, we don't that's the question, right? Like this is just a starting point for a conversation. I have put together a draft RFQ for an appraisal
for the appraisals, right, that we need to put out and I put in it that the appraiser would need to contemplate a few different configurations so that there would be some choice. >> Okay. >> Um but kind of pinning down like what that is like how much where
>> and the appraiser is appraising 2 acres of cranberry bog minus the house >> not minus the house the house with the house. So it's >> we're changing the use. So therefore, you've got >> the eight bedrooms. >> Okay. >> So that's the issue >> of affordable housing,
>> right? >> Well, they don't say that. It's housing, right? >> Yeah. >> Even though we're doing affordable housing, they're saying it's house from a from an appraiser standpoint. You've now got a developable lot that you can put in eight bedrooms. it it's a way to protect conservation land because they
they have it in conservation now and they're saying if you go to you know another you want to swap that and you're saying oh you can use this for some better higher use we want to make sure we get the that same comparable thing >> right exactly >> can I ask a question then absolutely
what what are who are some like with this example who are some of the other constituencies like tonight we heard from acom and you know I don't think that that's an agricultural parcel, but have you talked to them or you know ball fields are another thing or people
recreational use or whatever? I mean are there other >> Have you walked the land? >> I have. I've ridden those trails many times and and I would think that those trails would remain in place no matter what happens. So >> yeah. So no. So we're starting with you
really. Um, we we've talked informally with many boards and committees and we've heard from like informally from those committees that Conan land is the obvious land because we own it. So, we're not buying land to give to the state. Um, and it's one of the only I
think there are five properties that the town owns that are unencumbered, but that includes like Spalding and Center Park and smaller parcels that are not. Um, so this is kind of the most probably viable >> option. and wearing my former select board hat is you still want to keep some
of that land that you could possibly develop in the future. So I think from your standpoint is what part of that is developable? What's flat and where could you be doing it? And obviously that's kind of around you know the town offices, the fire and you know the police and things like that. So you want
I think that's an important consideration for you all to think about thinking longer term because that was why Kona was purchased you know 50 60 years ago or something right >> to be developed. No, for the municipal uses, >> right? >> Yeah.
>> Okay. >> But it's turns out not too not easy to develop. There's not much here. There's a lot of >> rockedge putting the trans the DPW there, >> right? >> Well, yeah. >> So, we I walked this as well. It was
lovely. And the DPW is >> on the other side of >> maybe two two minute walk from that top point. >> Yeah. The land starts up there, >> right? >> So, it kind of does connect. >> Yeah.
>> It should be considered someday as a way to connect all of it. But I don't think that's this generation's focus, >> right? >> Okay. >> Also, I can add that more people have talked to me about conserving this land than any other piece that we possess.
>> Right. So there's trails interest, there is butter interest, there is municipal use interest and uh finally got to see it. But the significance of Castle Rock is the equivalent of the boghouse in my opinion in terms of like Carile
landmarks, >> right? >> So the idea of developing around it seems to not be popular, >> right? >> Coyotes like it back there. I've seen them. So what do you need from us tonight then?
>> Yeah. So um let me just see what my next slide. >> Yeah. What's your what's your timeline here? >> This is a whenever you start involving the state I'm like so this will take how many years? >> So we are the we have landc engineering
working to kind of pin down things on the site. So that's happening right. And then I have the RFQ for the appraisals. And the pinning down the site and the appraisals are going to kind of need to happen simultaneously. Right. there's going to be some you know discussions that happen right between the two
entities. Um so we need to identify the land like what are the boundaries of the carveout, what are the boundaries of the swap land, get those appraised and surveyed. Um and then kind of figure out what will be the local process to like continue the conversations with all the
entities. So I kind of just outlined here. We're thinking that we try to get the the land identified and the appraisals done um in the summer and then circle back with boards and committees in September and October um and try to queue up like the votes that
we need from conservation commission and potentially also the select board um in October and then town meetings November 16th. So this is just a highle outline of our schedule. >> So so realistically we're working with land and at some point this is where we need your guidance. We have to do meets
and bounds of you know what what part of of let's say if it's Conan that we carve out and they have to do have to do the meets and bounds and that we've got a contract with them that can do it and then we go to the consom and say this is what we're thinking about and here's what the meets and bounds also on the
boghouse. So this really has to be done in the next six weeks, right? To be able to get ready to say here's the appraiser who then has and then comes back and the appraisers to work in their own time frame, but hopefully by September and then we come back with you to you and
say here's what we know and here's what it is. So that's pretty tight looking to November and the language for the town meeting, right? There is some overlap too and like EA staff will come and walk the site with the appraiser like there'll be like communication happening
between the end. Right. Okay. Right. >> Um >> is it worthwhile at all to pursue a waiver in parallel? It just seems like the town has 30% of our land already set aside. Is that just not advisable? No. Christina's like back there hissing.
>> We could circle back to town council. the EA staff didn't really feel like it like we're changing the use and the ownership, right? So even though technically the house was always housing, it was housing to support an agricultural use. >> So they view like housing for a
different purpose as a different use. Um and then also the ownership change. So it's it's like two of the two checks against us, I think. Um >> that being said, like housing is a priority of the administration. So >> it's possible, right? But town council felt like we we should
>> and >> they kind of indicate it's not a high priority. >> They think it's really unlikely we'll get it and we will will not know until we're like literally shovel in the ground with the project. >> Okay. >> Um we can reach out and revisit if
that's something the select board >> does anybody else see any value in that wants. >> What would that save us? I mean, I think >> I mean, if this fails at town meeting, would you then seek the waiver?
>> Depends on why it failed. >> Yeah, I think so. >> So, if it failed because of the Conan land value, then yes. If it failed because people don't support the project at all, then it doesn't matter. >> Yeah. Right. >> And that's going to be the bigger half of this, the more controversial half of this is the Cranberry Bog.
>> Correct. Then it's what are you doing with the >> with the house? How many units? What's that going to look like? Does that how does that impinge on trails? I think people are going to be more focused on that part of the equation versus >> what section of Conan is it? >> Yeah.
>> So for the for the fall, you also need to have a compelling >> right >> story about the boghouse and what that's going to be. >> And we and we do have we do have a conceptual design and you know it's kind of working going forward. Um, and uh,
it's it's it's a a municipal project, so it's going to it's going to at least council sort of said this is going to fall under procurement laws >> because I would assume if if someone's voting in favor of this at town meeting
>> or or let's say someone's voting opposed to it, it's either they don't like the plan for the boghouse or they're concerned about what might happen to that land if the boghouse plan doesn't go forward. and will this be developed? So, >> I think that's the bigger hurdle in
terms of the town vote. >> I we have heard some feedback about Conan that we in order for this to get through town meeting the town should give should offer a lot of the Conan land as replacement land. um >> more
>> yeah so I don't think that piece of the conversation is >> that's not >> but we will have but we will have certainly we have conceptual plans already for what the what the apartments will look like we'll have the we have the idea of where the septic would be
and we have >> you know we have to go through the whole permitting process and the RFP to get to everything else we at least be able to present where we are not just you know a nice idea but you know much more of the detail. So >> I also think people understanding if
this if if this if we don't go down this path, what happens to the boghouse? >> Right. There's that. Yes. Right. >> Right. Like >> too. >> No, but I mean it's >> right >> there's going to be resistance some resistance to the whatever your
plan is for the boghouse. Correct. Because people say what if we did this? What if we I think it's also important to not only articulate a vision but also that there's not a lot of other options. >> Right. Especially the current plan, I think, at least I've supported because in part it's, you know, financially
really advantageous to the town. I mean, this is we're talking about potentially having a independent developer come in and and do this. And so, you know, we have the land. It's not like the town is going out purchasing land doing I mean, this is and this has all been funded
through CPC to date. Is that right? That's correct. Yeah. So, I mean, this just seems like a reasonable affordable housing project to me. >> Yeah. >> But Scott, it's still our if for some reason it stumbles and fails, it's still the town's land. >> Yeah. >> And and you've also defined what purpose
it is at town meeting, which is, as you said before, and I don't remember the exact wording of the article. We go back to the wording of the article. I mean, it's pretty clear what we're doing. So, you're not going to be doing something else. But even if you have all the land swap mechanics figured out and people support that, you're still going to need to give people confidence and vision for
what and that's g that's farther behind. That's a long you're not >> No, absolutely. >> Yeah. So that's going to be the challenge. >> No. No. Absolutely. Yeah. >> Was there anything else you needed from us? >> Yes. So for tonight, we just kind of wanted to take your temperature on like does this feel right to you and like
because we will need to get an appraisal. >> That feels like the right process. >> Does it feel like the right Yeah, amount. They're right. Like it's we don't know if it'll be six or we'll we'll probably get a few different options within that. >> How big is it
>> is that 45 total? I think >> the whole the whole Conan land, isn't it like 52 acres or something? >> Yes, it's in the 50s. >> It's significant. >> Yeah. So, >> so that circle does not represent the proportion. >> So, it would be like in there in that Yeah. circle. And with the with the fire
station project and the whole well thing, I don't does that help us too by making this conservation land. I mean, I don't know how much that work would impinge on any future development with wells and water supplies. >> It's a really good question. >> So, I think if anything
like I I don't have any plans for Conan land. I don't have any structures, >> right, >> I have my eye on for town. >> And it's very hard land to develop as you know. And we're we're expanding a fire station right there which with a new well source and all this other stuff
and just knowing how >> challenging that can be. >> I I do I support it. I think that this is a good plan. The one thing to think about and John you brought this up is thinking long term well beyond us. You know the we didn't plan necessarily on
putting a new well in there for the fire station because we didn't think about that. If this goes into conservation land and it's, you know, locked up in perpetuity, is that going to preclude, you know, whereas we say, "Oh, well, a well is, you know, pretty innocuous type
use. It's not like we're, you know, building a Walmart there or something to the other extreme, but you know, a a you know, well, but we may need that land for a well. And does that preclude that?" And I'm not saying to not do this because I'm just want to make sure we think about that. So for another well in
addition to the one we have showing on here. Sorry I don't know. Yeah. Okay. So so this is the one for the fire station with the radius. >> I've actually been looked at two affordable housing developments on the conet land. Okay. >> One way in the back >> by u
>> yeah by the pond >> and there's and it hurts back there and there's a well you could put back there and the one right where near where the well is there which you could then if you wanted to let's have some housing there. So one of the things I think in terms of dividing it is because that well obviously is a public water supply.
So that's why you have to keep things outside the public water supply. So you'd want to make a lot line, you know, on the other side of where that the black circle is so that it's potentially developable in the future. >> Yeah. >> So so I think those things absolutely
have to be considered >> well as an example, but it could be a septic system town hall. So it could be lots of things we haven't thought of, >> right? And so I I mean I support this. I think that this is a good area to put it in everything, but I would try and minimize as much as I want to preserve
more land in Carlile and I think that's great and put more. This is a pretty valuable piece for just you know whatever kind of use that 20 to 50 years from now people say we may want to see there. >> Right. >> Right. Do another land swap. Dave, what
do you >> Well, we might we might want the land for some another >> swapping it. >> Makes sense to me. So, >> okay. >> Yeah. And there's no other >> prime options. >> No, this is the best. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Okay. Any comments on the phone or
anything that we're missing? >> And the abutters I'm assuming support. >> Yeah. >> Oh, it puts >> we haven't spoken with all but we've spoken with a few of them. >> Okay. >> Um Well, I think you have our support. >> Okay. And then I did wanna we did want
to also ask you about um like the local process like we'll do the things that are required by the state, right? And then we'll circle back with the conservation commission. We we I mean we've been talking to people from trails from historical from right we'll come back to you.
>> Um >> is there anything >> I I update them at their meetings. Um we could certainly do more them easily. Um, is there anything else that you're thinking or like do you want us to come
back sooner or more frequently or um just kind of when we have an update? >> This is a main item on your town meeting agenda, right? So, we have to be ready for a main item a main item once you open the box. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> So, we have to be ready kind of by the
end of September. At least in my mind. >> What were those dates again, Ryan? >> Yep. >> You you both know how to do this. MVTA community. I mean, you've been through the the rain. I mean, you got to go out to the groups who might not support this and and out early and yeah,
>> get all the input you can. >> We've been trying to as much as we can just find out >> the issues people have, what are the sticking points, what are the things we can try to plan around, work with, whatever. Um, >> okay. >> As best we can. >> You have till October 28th. >> October 28th.
>> Okay. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Yeah. And I think educating people on the bog house is I wouldn't get so st so focused on the mechanics of the swap at the and neglect to tell the story of the bog house and why that makes sense
because I think even though we're voting on this you're really voting on the other thing and you're not going to have enough information to answer all the questions but you you still need to articulate a clear vision and rationale for people who are concerned or aren't
aware of what's going on Right? >> Because as soon as you hear develop a bog house, affordable housing, >> right? >> You know, >> it it raises concerns and among people. What's this going to be like? >> And we've heard it, right? Like still access to the trails. So, just being proactive with that,
>> right? >> But not overly uh >> Okay. Okay. >> Okay. >> Okay. If there's anything else, >> thank you both. >> I'm sorry. I have one more thing to talk to you about and it's going to take a minute. So the the two design paths that we have for
this project um and we just learned this today so so I apologize it's coming late. The the two design projects one of them suggests that that we have a lot of control over the project which means we design it all the way to
how many rooms all all the different design pieces. Um, if we were to do that through procurement law, you need to consider it a municipal project, which means that prevailing wage and other items would would come into play. So,
the benefit of it is a lot of local control over what the project looks like and feels like and ends like, but the cost would be higher. So, the risk there would be that the eventual person constructing this might not see it as feasible because they have to use
municipal procurement. If we were to go with a more hands-off approach and say, "We have identified what this might be and we're going to put out an RFP for you to design it and to take over that process." The benefit of that is it
would be cheaper. It wouldn't have to have prevailing wage and other other procurement details, but you would have a lot less control over the project. And Julie did a good job identifying this with the state and council today to identify the different risks here. So
each each way has risks. So we're curious which one you would prefer >> cheaper. >> What's the constraint? I mean I assume you have to leave the boghouse intact like >> kind of >> well the the issue
from a procurement law standpoint. This is kind of a municipal project, right? We're building housing that we're now saying it's separately owned, right? We're providing a way to build h from their perspective. Mass housing is they want to have housing built following you
know you know designs and things like that from their perspective but this is town land that then you have separately owned. So but once you start prescribing what you want and giving more details then it's a municipal project. Then you just say oh you you know Scott just go
figure out what you could do with the bug house. We want you to keep the same envelope but you just figure it out. We don't have the same kind of controls. >> Can I ask though, do you have those controls in the RFP you put out like you would say like we want affordable
housing in there or would you then say this could throw out the ability to do affordable housing because a bidder could come in be a high bidder and we'd have to accept a high bid who does all market rate housing. Correct. Risk. >> The advice I've been given is that we could say something like up to four
units and we could say two need to be affordable. >> Okay. And but we really can't specify like the whole thing should be affordable. We can't specify only four. We like the details that we could put in an RFP would be very limited and we would not be able to use any of the design plans. Um we could say preserve
the building envelope, but that wouldn't necessarily mean all the historical details that the historical commission's concerned about. And then the other path is kind of the path we've been on where we've been getting a lot of feedback from various stakeholders and we're really we're basically designing the
project. So if we stay on that path and this is a public construction project. >> So to simplify the risk a little bit more there's no risk in designing it all the way putting out the RFP and seeing what it costs except for the basically the 200,000 that's been approved. So you
would be if we didn't go forward with a project at the end of that, you would have lost that design money, but you would have retained all of the control of the project. If you just put it out to bid, then then we don't have to spend that that 200,000, but it might not look
like something that you would want to support and then you'd have to go that way anyway, >> but we don't have to accept it. Right. >> Correct. >> So we could get in five people and they all do skyscrapers and we say we don't want that. you know, we're not I mean, is that possible?
>> Which part? >> But that's not But that's not how we So, the pro the issue we're it's not a catch22 quite yet, but it's close to it is we've already had these conversations with the state. And so in terms of the OC and saying we're going to do this for
affordable housing or for whatever and so you can't really say what else would you develop there in this this element. They probably wouldn't approve it, >> you know. So there's a there's the this gets the article 97. >> No, they probably wouldn't approve the article 97 carve out. So the carve out
we've already said and we said at town meeting that we're doing a car that we're doing this a carve out for affordable housing. Right. That's been our approach, >> right? And basically the state say or the mass housing partnership saying hey if you're doing that this is a municipal project
>> and if you don't do municipal someone could come in knock down the cranberry bog house build something completely new right >> we well we would we could put certain things in the RFP like preserving the structure right would be one of them but we can't really be super detailed about it and and then obviously if they propose to knock the structure down then
we don't award the bit the contract to them right if the goal is to preserve the one of the goals is to preserve the structure Um it's there's and there's really my understanding is there's like no middle ground, right? >> It's like we have a lot of control and then it's subject to prevailing wage and
public bidding or we give up the control and we put set some parameters and >> well and this gets to your point Scott. How does this happen? It's with a developer who's doing it who raises the additional money because there's a a funding gap to make this work,
>> right? and the economics of four units and if one or two is affordable don't work. >> So in reality, who is really going to bid on this is someone who understands this business and is doing an affordable housing
development and then covers the gap, >> right? That's what I would think would happen. It's not going to be someone because we would deny I've used the skyscraper. You know, if someone came in and said, "I'm gonna tear it down and put up a you know, whatever." The town would >> I think many people would object to that
and say, "We're not going to do that." >> What do they what would they have to show to us for the approval though? >> What do you mean? >> Like if if you had you put out the RFP, what what do you >> They could say we're going to it's going to look like this. It's going to, you
know, we're going to do all these things, right? And then, oh, guess what? >> Yeah. Right. We can't do it that way. >> Yeah. Like, I'm not clear on if we went that route what we would >> One of the details that that's been discussed during this project that I was involved or listened to was like where
this the septic should be, where all the things should be in order to make sure that the habitat is retained in a non-control situation. as long as they met all the site requirements, they wouldn't necessarily have to do it the way that right
>> that our engineers had prescribed it. So maybe that's the only way to do it, but but we're not sure. So sure, you you could look at the different proposals they have, but based on my experience with the project, there have been a lot of people interested in the details, >> right? So, we've been moving along as if
you wanted us to have those details set before the town meeting vote because we thought it might be controversial or discussed, etc. But we don't want to not tell you that that that could end up in a cost that you don't
>> want and a waste of the 200,000. >> And and then to put the consom hat on because they're the ones voting to say yes, carve this out. They could say this is not something that we thought we had the impression that this was being carved out for four units of affordable housing that kind of matched their values. They could say no we don't want
to do that. So we need the conscom approval for doing this which we've got we've had so far because we presented it to your point Scott and the prevailing wage I'm assuming would increase double triple the cost >> 20 to 30% >> but does that still make it I mean does
it is it still going to fit within an affordable threshold? So the the units if if a not for-p profofit or an affordable housing developer creates affordable units then they have to be deed restricted or some sort of regulatory agreement to keep them available to households earning incomes
of certain ranges. >> So the gap that we thought was going to like a million dollars roughly between what it would cost to construct maybe is now a million two >> rather than a million. And again, we'd have we haven't gone through a cost estimate and work with a cost estimate,
but that's kind of a million to sell the units and then you have to, you know, 200 two million. So that's so the basically this only happens if there if a developer comes in and makes up the gap and this just makes the gap bigger. >> Okay. Okay. We need to move on to other topics. What other what did you need
from us tonight then? >> I did want to add one thing though. So if we if if we go the route where we don't have as much control then the entity that wins the bid actually has to do the design and permitting the 40B permitting or whatever. So there's that if you go that route agree
>> economically it may not work but I don't see how you get twothirds and everyone lined up when you're saying well developer come in and >> right >> you know do something different. People want are going to want control on this one >> given the the structure and the location. This isn't some hidden
>> Yeah I agree. And so take the economics out. I don't My knee-jerk reaction is that's just a dead end trying to go down that route. >> Okay. >> That's my sense of it anyway. >> And what >> Dave? Yeah. I'm just absorbing all
>> No, I know. But this is Yeah, but you're you're still JQ public. >> I think you're going to have a hard enough time with control. >> We need somebody. No, seriously. You know, I mean, >> right. >> Accurate. Yeah. Where are we costwise though? Is the 200,000 going to cover?
>> That won't be an issue >> at this point. No. So far, no. We're doing fine on that. >> So far, we're fine, right? >> Okay. Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Was there anything else needed tonight? >> No. >> No. Okay. >> Thank you very much. >> So, please reach out Dave Willie if you
have thoughts and questions, you know, else. >> Thank you. >> We'll probably talk about this again. This is uh >> make sure the old like prisoners dilemma or I don't know what you call it like >> totally >> um >> yeah because it sounded like we started where you know you said it
>> I thought we were defining a process and then we got this sort of late breaking news which is very difficult to act on >> right >> so we're going to see it again >> so is there anything else that we need right now tonight >> no but I think the board here we started with like oh let's move in a direction
this is my sense of it but we move in a ction where it's least costly and we'll let them and then as we learn more tonight we kind of shifted >> you know real estate I thought the whole point was things change yeah right and maintaining the bog >> house maintaining the boghouse the integrity
of that historic >> structure >> you say you need the outer mold line don't touch the outer mold line you have certain definitions around it and then they take care of the rest and that sounds fine but we will hear it again >> okay >> thank you guys and the article 96 Seven
pieces required for whatever any use. Right. Right. Either way. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Okay. Thanks a lot. >> Got some uh showstoppers in this process. Multiple points of failure. >> Four units. Just shows you how hard it is. Unbelievable.
>> Very difficult. >> Yes. >> Fascinating. >> Okay. What haven't we talked about yet? >> Trail easement. >> We're so ahead. We're ahead of schedule. We're so ahead of schedule. >> All right. So there there's an administrative error in this, but we think it's a lowrisk administrative error. So this is not the now
communities trails ement. It's the 225 low. >> That's what I thought. Y >> which is in the packet. >> Okay. >> In the 225, the reason why I say it's a low threat error is because town meeting did approve this easement. So we're >> ready. >> So what are we doing? >> Crossing our tees here. >> Hello Ashley. >> Hey Ashley.
>> Good evening everybody. Thank you for >> So tonight we're endeavoring to uh wrap up a trail swap that was initiated at the 2020. >> Can you introduce yourself? I know we have >> I'm so sorry. My name is Ashley Cody. I'm your town clerk. Um so I'm looking to um finalize an easement swap that was
introduced at the 2020 special town meeting. Um the intent was to um swap easements between town property at 59 Morse Road and 225 LOL Street. Um what ended up happening is after the town meeting neither of the easements were
acted on or recorded because there was a lapse in town staff. So it kind of got dropped and somebody just happened to notice you know 5 years later wait a minute nothing's been recorded about this. So they reached out to me and said can you follow up and find out what happened? So, I reached out to town
council, found that there was, you know, a ball dropped with um staff turnover and also there was a typographical error in the original vote. Instead of referencing 225 LOL Street, it referenced 257 LOL Street with the wrong lot number.
>> So, the first part had been correct. The part of um 225 LOL Street giving the easement to 59 Morse Road was correct. That easement was acted on after that and has been recorded. This is now the second half where where we're um you'll
be signing off on 59 Morse Road, town owned land, granting an easement to 225 LOL Street. >> Okay. >> Uh once that is uh signed off on, I'll ensure that town council files it at the registry of deeds and that will complete the swap from 2020.
>> Okay. >> Town meeting voters. >> Okay. >> So, you need to discuss it, vote it, and sign it. Okay. I don't know that we have >> Yeah, it does. I don't know what
>> it sounds pretty cut and dry. We're fixing an error, right? >> That's Yeah, it's pretty much an administrative move to to fix an error from the 2020 vote and to complete the easements as they were voted. >> Great. Glad you found it.
>> I'm Oh, it wasn't me. It was um Steve Tobin from Trails. He brought it to my attention. So, good good diligence on his end. >> Yeah. >> All right. Do you want me to make a motion then? >> Yeah. Can we have a motion? >> Move to accept the grant of easement for two 255.
>> Oh, no. 225. Sorry. >> This thing is >> Everybody that touches it gets the numbers wrong. Uncanny. It's uncanny. >> Move to accept. >> I'm looking at a different one. from for easement for 225 LOL Street, 59 Morris
Road, as described in the agreement in accordance with the town meeting vote of May 18th, 2026. Is that right? >> Perfect. >> Can we have a second? >> Second. >> Who seconded? >> Dave. >> Scott.
>> Scott. Okay. Can we have a second? >> I'm second. >> Thank you, Dave. Uh, okay. Let's do a voice vote. All in favor? >> I. >> Any no votes? >> Okay, the eyes have it. I think you have what you
>> I appreciate uh helping me and wrap this up and getting it all. >> Thanks for coming in. >> Absolutely. >> I'll give you the hard copy for signatures here. >> We got to sign. Okay. >> Wow. Look at this. We've gone through everything. >> Did we open them up? The warrant is
>> Yep, we did that. Go ahead and start with Dave. >> We have to just the minutes >> from the town TA report. >> TA report and the minutes we >> only have half of the TA report, >> right? We have No, don't we have to do Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. We're doing fine. >> Doing
great. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Ashley, I think that's your pen right here. Julie, who the is George the Con's com chair again? I asked that question. >> Yes.
>> They haven't voted yet. >> Okay. >> They've got a lot of >> talk about that and there's a lot on their >> Thank you very Oh, we don't have Rebecca. Is that okay? >> That's okay. As long as it's a quorum of
the the board, that's totally fine. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> Thank you very much everyone. >> Thank you Ashley. >> Thanks for Ashley for coming. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Review of warrants and minutes. I think that's that and the other half of the TA report. And that's all we've got
left and leazison report. So review of warrants and minutes. Well, I thought the minutes were the actual goal, so I'm not gonna be shows you how closely I was reading it. >> I had some changes in them and I got
them to Gretchen and she changed them in the latest version. So, >> okay, >> I trust your judgment. >> Well, one of them was kind of interesting. It was porative. I It said the you know how we have AI write these now? Yes. >> The um Travis speaking out of order out
of >> See, you made an See, this is what >> once you start correcting minutes, the AI gets angry. >> Yeah. Right. >> Yeah. That wasn't the AI. Yeah. There is no AI. It's just Gretchen. Right. Right. It's just the
scapegoat. >> Okay. >> All right. Do you want to make a motion for the warrants in the minutes? Um what do you have the >> Well, it's just those are the two dates. >> Um I move that we um approve the minutes
from June 23rd, 2026, July 7th, 2026 and our goals meeting of July, was that July 7th? >> 7th. >> 7th. Okay. Yep. is provided by >> is provided by
>> what her email to there the latest ones. How do we >> latest draft provided via email? >> Okay, do we have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. Okay, let's do a voice vote. All in favor? >> I >> I. >> Any no votes?
>> Okay, the eyes have it. We have approved our warrants and minutes. Ryan, you want to take us through the second half of your TA report? >> Yes. Uh, this is my town administrator report for July 14th, 2026. We're going
to ask you to do a few things here and ask your forgiveness on on some of the agenda. So, a lot of these last minute things happen in July. So, although we're into goals and things, there's a lot of year-end closing and trying to finish up um town meeting. So, my apologies for that, but we're getting
through it. and there'll be a couple things for you to to discuss and talk about here. >> So, for my coffee hour, unfortunately, it was just me on the patio. It was very sad. It hasn't happened in a while, >> but we had uh town hall staff come down and I had discussions with each of them
trying to take advantage of that hour. So, I don't I don't have anything from the community for you, but uh we did use our time well. In terms of our HR report, um we do have a couple resignations to unfortunately give you. First is Kelly Callow, uh, our health director, uh, had a better opportunity,
I wouldn't say better, she might, in, uh, in Littleton to serve as their health director, so she's moving on. And then Officer Rob Lewig, uh, one of our great patrol officers, is moving on mostly for family reasons. >> I feel like we just pinned him. >> Mhm. >> Well, yeah, he's he's been here a year,
but we pinned him late and then um, he he got a great opportunity, so he he was great. I I enjoyed working with him and I I wish him the best. He has a he is a young child and is looking for some work life balance.
I want to thank our our Aubrey wants to thank our custodial team at Carile public schools for their flexibility and understanding as we transition them to town positions. So that's been a lot of work. We're working with them to identify differences in HR policy to make sure that we're taking care of
those employees and that they're comfortable with their time tracking. and other things that we don't think about until you know till we have to do them. And then we have scheduled our annual employee training day for Wednesday, October 19th. So we will be
closing town hall that day. Uh this is an opportunity to make sure that everybody's trained and >> it's August 19th or October 19th. >> August 19th. >> Thank you. >> Um did I say October? I guess I'm tired. um make sure everyone's trained on best practices and then we go over u professional development in the
afternoon and we tour various parts of the community. I was going to do the rock that we mentioned earlier, but um there's a group going out to see that because of the interest in in this boghouse. So, we're going to find we're going to find another place of interest. Hopefully, a completed police station,
but we'll see. for department updates and information. The state budget has been signed uh through the conference committee stage and has been signed since this um was written. So our state aid total is higher than we projected which means there'll be a slight
decrease in our projection of the tax rate and that does offset some some changes. A lot of it is estimate. Also the supplemental budget included 144,000 for carile to offset costs of winter weather. We had talked about this with you before. So, this is going to be a
little bit different. It's not going to go into our chapter 90 as we thought. The way that they're processing this one is you have to use the money to offset the direct costs or it goes into the general fund to not close until 2028.
So, Kelly looked at this and I looked at it and we decided the best way to do this would be to use it to pay off the snow and ice deficit from this year so that all of the transfers and savings that you had done would then turn into free cash as of July 1, so a couple
weeks ago. So, this allows us to use it now or in this coming year instead of in two years. Uh, and it's what it was intended for. So, in order to do that, you would need to vote on uh some transfers that the finance committee has already seen. I'm going to call that up
for you. All right. This is weird. Here we go. Give me one second. It is in the latest version of the packet. Okay, I got it. All right. So, you had initially voted to transfer money out of town hall and general expense zoning board of appeals
and the town accountants line and um move that to cover the snow and ice deficit. So, instead of that, we're just covering the snow and ice deficit as we discussed. U one of the reasons why is the deficit itself wasn't exactly 144,000, but the overtime and employee costs which come from a different line,
we're able to to use this money for. We vetted this all with the state. All of this is is legal legal maneuvering. Uh we made sure that we called them to talk about what we were trying to do so that it was compliant with what the intention of the wrap funding was. So we feel very good about this recommendation and if
you do too, we have a suggested motion up there for you that would undo some of the transfers and allow us uh what we think is the best financial option. Um I'll make the motion. Um, and I I spoke with Kelly about this last week or
two weeks ago, um, when we were signing the warrants, um, and she gave an overview of this. So, I'm certainly confident it's all being handled appropriately and it's a smart way to do it. So, I move that the select board vote pursuant to MGL chapter 44 section 33B
approve year-end transfers between various line items of the fiscal year 2026 budget as detailed in the memo from the town town accountant dated June 26, 2026. >> Can we have a second? >> Second.
>> Thank you, Dave. All in favor, let's do a voice vote. Say I. >> I. Any no votes? >> Okay, the eyes have it. >> And once again, thanks to Kelly and Sandy for their continued diligence and
good work on this stuff. >> Yeah, this is a good Well, it was a good problem. The the state came through with some funding for a tough winter and this will allow us to to not have that deficit and again use free cash for other priorities in the town like roads.
This is and this is also one of those things if you're not paying attention you miss and you don't I mean you get the funding but this tactic is um >> a reflection of them noticing it and saying hey so kudos to them. >> Yes. Okay. The regional dispatch grant I
alluded to this at your last meeting but the town of conquered was notified by state 911 um their development grant uh funding source was not approved. Uh state 911 let them know this. So according to report from Steven Johnson who came and presented to you the director of
communications from conquered uh the decision was not ba was based solely on limited funding availability not the merits of the proposal. So it was highly competitive process with more than 139 million in requests competing for 50 million in available funding. Uh state
91 noted that the Colin center remains available at no cost to assist municipalities. We have a meeting in next week to discuss this uh at the management level to see if this is something we're going to bring to you or not. So, as of now, we do not have the grant that we thought we were going to get. We are going to discuss another
option and then either way, we're going to bring it back to you for future um decision. So, do we apply for a different grant? Do we wait for next year's cycle? Or is there another option? >> Okay, >> that stinks. >> An update on your solicitation bylaw application. Uh I attached the
application that the police is using per your vote just for your awareness. So this is what's going out in the community and anyone who has um any issues should contact the police department about solicitation as they should be following the bylaw that was passed by town meeting
>> and every $25. >> Yes. Y >> and so just so people are aware if someone knocks on your door they should have a permit. >> They should. >> So you should ask for the permit and they should show you the permit. should be worn on their outer garment or however it's worded. So you don't even
have to ask for it. >> Good. >> So that provides a level of safety and allows our police to better do their job. >> Great. >> Our custodial services bid. We worked through our analysis of custodial service bid. Um I'm liking this trend, but it was a it was a positive financial
outcome for us. We we worked with the lowest bidder today to make sure they understand the parameters of what we need. So what's happening at CPS as you transition to managing the manager of um facilities is we are retaining current staff um great staff great custodial
staff but as vacancies occur we are replacing them with an agency and the reason for this is it has been extremely difficult to recruit custodians and keep them. So it's been a little bit of a merrygoround there's a lot of training and as you know employment costs are the most expensive part of our budget. So
we've been working with with an agency for the last five months in one of our school positions. It's gone very well. They're cried, they're sorried, they're checked and background checked just like any school employee and if they call out they're replaced. So it's it's a good solution. The things we've had to work
through are snow removal. Not yet, but we're thinking that through. and then also um weekends and and other details that our custodians do, things that things that we don't think about, but we've we've gone through that and we think we have a a good relationship here
with a with a provider, but we're going to continue to monitor that and see if this is a way to go. Obviously, from a financial standpoint, the biggest part of this is that we do not have to provide benefits to the agency and overall the cost of the agency is cheaper than the employee without benefits. So we could see some
significant reduction and improvement of services which we're also think is very important. All right, very much switching gears here. I got a letter um not too long ago from a resident of Conquered Street who um sent me a historical society newsletter from 2023
talking about the goddess of liberty, which is the name of the statue honoring the 13 soldiers from Carile who gave their lives in the Civil War. And she was right when she said it's very dirty. Uh, so we had Jim look at this and ask a um reputable cleaning company what they
thought. We put the amount in your in your packet. The we don't have a budget for this, so this would have to become from your your expense line, but we think it's the right thing to do to clean up the uh the goddess of liberty. So, assuming that you agree, we'll do that. Uh, we're asking you to vote on
that or if you have any questions, we'd be happy to answer them. I did not solve this by Memorial Day like she asked, but other than that, the letter is >> the reason for this, which we >> So, we need to vote on that. >> 1750, right? >> Yes.
>> Okay. Can we get a motion on that? >> I don't know if there is. Is that >> There's not one. That's the thing. What kind? I move we approve $1,750 for the cleaning of the goddess of liberty in the Carile Rotary.
>> Second. >> Thank you very much. Let's do a voice vote. All in favor? >> I >> I. Any no votes? >> Okay, the eyes have it. >> Thank you for the information on the goddess of liberty, too. I'd forgotten.
>> I enjoyed researching her. >> Yeah. And I had also noticed we she's getting a little dirty there. >> Yeah. >> You get enough cards. >> Did she ever hold anything? >> Her hand is kind of like broken off. >> Oh, is it? >> Yeah, >> we'll look at that.
>> That's the That's next year's project. >> We'll be voting on that as well. >> Um I will look into that. That's important. >> Okay. Um a couple things we've already talked about tonight, but not in this medium where people might be listening. The special town meeting timeline is now
set. The special town meeting is November 16th. The warrant was open tonight, July 14th and will close on August 25th. Bylaw language is due to me by September 28th and will be finalized by October 5th for posting of the warrant on October 28th. So, we're
excited about town meeting. Additionally, we talked tonight about the annual maintenance um road maintenance project. We received very favorable numbers for all of our roads which is healed Pope Southwest Judy Farm Road. Some drainage uh just above Ottabon Lane, North Road,
Indian Hill Road, and Autumn Lane. And the select board approved a total of 738,339 in road maintenance funding, leaving us a reserve of a little over 350,000 for next year's project. So, we're excited to begin that. It could start as early
as the first week in August. um switching to the ele elevator modernization project that started we it feels like we've been talking about that for 18 months or so. >> Um that will end in time for school to begin so about less than 40 days from
now. Uh next will be the Carile Town Hall which is about 45 days of work which ends in um around Christmas which is depressing to think about and then Gleon Public Library will go last and be incorporated into their renovation project. So, three big projects that
were approved a couple years ago starting now for the connected Carile sidewalk project. U, we had a meeting today with our CPC chair to talk about different ways to fund some of the ADA accessibility that was identified in the
Diamond Park design um process. Uh, also thank you to Representative Simon Catalo. we were able to include a 200k bond earmark um request in the House version of the economic development bill. So, this has not necessarily
passed yet. And if it did pass, the governor would have to authorize the bond funding, but it's in there in case that passes. Uh usually these things take over a year to to process. So, maybe we'll have some funding for there as well. But as you can see, we're trying in every way to find money. And
um I do appreciate Representative Catalo working on that. And you were the one Dave that brought that to uh to my attention cuz uh Repalo's office was trying to call me all day and I was busy with stuff and then um our new select board member told me to call him and we
got that done. So thanks to the team for for all of that. No real updates on CPA projects for your building uh construction projects. I do recommend taking a look at the police station. The final excav exc excavation was done. So, we're done dealing with dirt and uh you
can see some structures going up and there's been a lot of placement of displacement of staff inside which means that work is progressing too. So, the project is really speeding up. It's still behind schedule, but um the contractor is doing a good job trying to trying to catch up to that timeline. We are still under budget, which is an
update I know you enjoy. >> And sorry, what was Grant High School? That was um that's what almost everyone calls CPS. They think it's a high school. >> So that was just the I clipped that from the contractor's timeline, but it's actually CPS
and uh misidentifying the grant building as the entire building. >> Oh, I see. >> I promise you they know where the elevator is. >> Okay. >> And how to fix one. >> Yeah, that Yes, we're sure of that. I don't want to say we hope. for the fire station uh renovation. All the contracts
are signed with the OPM, the architect, and the contractor. Um we've secured all the necessary documentation, insurance, and we we expect a timeline um within within a month with uh construction actually starting within a month. So, that'll be really exciting.
The DPW renovation, we met with uh the selected designer, HKA, to finalize a design proposal. Uh thank you to Travis for for helping with that as well. We're comfortable that it is the right amount of money and scope to match what has been talked about thus far. The
committee is going to be taking a field trip to the Hudson DPW which AK HKA designed to get a feel for for what they did and what's being recommended which I think is great. And then they're going to meet with you soon to talk about um
the things that that you need to understand before designing starts for real. So any recommended changes or or anything within the project that that you might care about. So that's coming soon. And then lastly for building projects, the library renovation has
begun as well. All of the the contracts are signed and insuranceances have been obtained and the library has moved out. So they moved to River Street, number one, River Street, and they expect to open back up on July 22nd, so a week from now. So, they moved the entire
library to a new location, set up the new location within two weeks. Um, it's it's hard not to think of what a great leader Martha is to be able to accomplish all of that. >> And as I understand it, she did a transfer transition to Googlebased systems and launched a summer reading
program at the same time. >> Yes. >> Wow. >> She is very talented. Um, some recognition here. You you'll recognize the names. So, first, Officer Lewig. He joined the Carile Police Department in September 2025. Prior to joining our department, he served in the Mass Air
National Guard from 2009 to 2015 and with the Drake Police Department from 2014 to 2025. So if you were to go like it's Army and then Air Force, so that still counts. Although Officer Lewick's time with the Carile Police Department was brief, he quickly established
himself as a dedicated and dependable member of our team. very strong work ethic, super positive attitude, helped his officers. Um, you know, we meet with everybody when they're leaving and and it was definitely a life opportunity for him. He he did enjoy working with the department. Um, we'll miss his
professionalism and maybe he'll come back one day. And then Kelly Callo, the health director, uh, as we noted in Aubre's report, we're losing a very talented health director. She wasn't here very long. Um she did bring a lot of professionalism and work ethic and uh increased health programming and worked
uh with me and others to digitize records and modernize processes and definitely worked a lot with Janine to try to to um bring the board of health up to speed. So she leaves a very robust agenda for Janine who is right now filling in. So we appreciate Kelly and
her time here. some discussions for you upcoming. A uh ADA transition proposal or discussion, a report. This is all of your accessibility needs around town. Uh just things to think about in terms of
capital investment and it definitely allows us to have some grant opportunities. So, you'll get that presentation. We got to talk about early voting hours as we do around any election. We're going to have the fire department and the DPW come in um those committees and talk to you as well. So, a lot to do and I think we identified a
couple more things tonight that I took notes on. So, unless there's any questions, that that's my report for this evening. >> Good report. >> Oh, one more. Sorry, I knew there was one more. I could feel it. Um, in the latest version of the packet, the library identified some furniture as
they moved out that they no longer want. It is of almost no value, so they plan on mostly getting rid of it, but by law, you have to vote at surplus. >> Okay. So the vote would be to declare the library furniture as identified in your packet as surplus.
>> Yeah, I I have it here. I was looking for a motion. There's no motions anymore. Just >> a lot of a lot of stuff got added today. >> Yes. Okay. Can we have a motion on that? >> What was >> anyone?
This is a mo motion to declare the furniture surplus and the furniture identified in the packet as surplus. >> The furniture identified in the packet as surplus. >> Thank you. Can I have a second?
>> Second. >> Thank you. Okay. Let's do a voice vote. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. Any no votes? >> Okay. to explain that procurement law does not allow us to get rid of anything
without you declaring it as such so that um nothing is sold either unethically or of in a way that wouldn't maximize value to the taxpayer. That's why you have to do that. >> So is being sold or given away or where's it going?
>> Do we know yet? >> A combination of both. I mean, armchairs in use six days a week since 2000. >> Not super popular. >> Don't smell them. >> You could take You could take it for
your office. Go back to >> Okay. What else was there tonight that we have not covered? Is there anything else? >> Looks like we have liazison reports, community input, and then we can adjourn. >> Okay. Any liaison reports tonight?
>> Question. When do we want uh historical commission is meeting tomorrow. Um I sent them the the dates. When do we want them to meet with us? August. >> Let's hear how their language is shaping
up for the warrant. >> I think you want them as soon as possible. >> Okay. I'll see what their availability is for the next couple of meetings. Yeah. >> Okay. Not the next meeting, but Okay. I'll check in and see what they can do. >> Speaking of that, are there other
priorities like thinking about that? Like which committees? >> I think conservation we have to get in here. >> Yeah. Like big time. Well, no, that's for >> and and you know, Megan, too, because I think a big question I have is for the
whole land use thing is like who is someone's got to like crack the whip on that and and run the process. So, my question is who is that person or persons? >> So, we did assign Sarah. She is our sustainability coordinator, but works as a land use assistant. She is running
that process. >> Okay. >> But, as you can imagine, I'm heavily involved because it does face a lot of resistance. So Sarah is not trying to to dictate how anything happens. She's trying to referee a right very difficult process. So as much support as you we
can provide her as she's doing that would help you accomplish your goals. >> Well, I think we need to find the balance between the only way we're going to make tangible progress is to at some level drive it forward. And if you know I think for again for some parcels you
want to have a very open collaborative dialogue and for others it's like here's here's what we think we should do. So I think helping Sarah kind of sift through that and prioritize is something that certainly the conservation and land use committee should be doing and we should be getting updates on. I think you have
to be very strategic with this one. >> Yeah. Let me um draft up a few thoughts. send them to Gretchen to disperse to the team and then um maybe we take it from there. Let's define the process.
>> Yeah. define what process >> uh around the goal for land use that big meaty um >> my concern is it's not a if it's is making sure conservation commission knows this is a priority and they need it needs to be a focus and that they're
supporting the process and dedicating time in their meetings. So that's why I'm asking who's the chair, who can we talk to, who can I talk to and reach out and start um because I think their business can become very tactical and we got to do
this this week and and these sometimes the longer term strategic things they don't have as much time for, >> right? >> So and Sarah like she's going to need the support of staff in the various committees too. So she needs to be getting support and some direction when
needed from multiple parties. So it's complicated. >> My my strategic feedback to you on that goal is the consom did create a process. They did decide where to go and how it could be structured and they picked what they
thought was the simplest piece of land or or one that was a good test case and there again it was two hours of discussion. So I'm not sure there's such thing to the community as a parcel that is not of interest. So there's a difference between what I think the select board would be focused
on the big political financial issues but each piece is heavily there are the people care about each piece that okay so I live near Fox Hill and that is our sidewalk in the town that trail I mean it is very heavily
used so the fact that they didn't think it was going to be of interest it's of interest to that neighborhood for sure. >> Yeah. So, >> and my I think my point is that's how everyone feels about the piece of land near them >> in their neighborhood, right? Yeah. >> Yeah. But, >> okay, >> again, you you have to take a big
project like that and break it into different buckets and you know, there's going to be say 10 parcels that are going to be highly contestable. Maybe there's 10 that are like not and you know, or some we want to potentially change use, others are like status quo and it, you know, you can populate the plan. I don't think every parcel has to
go through a huge process like that. And I think strategically and Sarah working with whomever needs to kind of triage the parcels and and put some structure around it so we're not just um waiting for the whole thing to be
done because and to your point like with the bog if if it's we want to do x y or z it's like well what's the new plan no new plan what's the old plan agriculture well we have nowhere to go with this until you update the plan right >> and so there needs to be some urgency
around this too. >> Okay. Okay. Any other liaison reports? >> Um I would just ask because we did our goal setting. Ask our town administrator. Are you comfortable? We haven't finalized our
goals but we got one step closer. Are you comfortable with these goals as far as do they give enough clarity and do you have enough sense of direction? and what can we do to support you to accomplish these things? Is there something we're missing?
You know, it's a broad open-ended question. It >> sure is. Um, >> this is it's it's early, Brian. We have >> I'll provide some notes, too. I think two Well, Scott just identified a comment that I had earlier about how much work. There's no way you can do that in one year.
>> The complete streets is also another >> Yeah. sneaky. Um I think if you put that on an agenda, you'd have a full room. I think people care about that more than it might be in the top five of things that I've dealt with that people care about here in
Carlile. But it's it's a like I said a decade long project probably. So managing that expectation and trying to chunk it out like what can be accomplished by this board and and what you're going to pass on in the future is a really fun but difficult conversation.
>> Okay. And it's one of those projects where if you ask anybody what the project is and you ask each person, each person would have a different vision. So some people picture it as paths, some people picture it as ADA accessible sidewalks, some people picture it as bike lanes, right? So it has it has a
different look in everyone's head, which is what makes it complicated. >> Okay. Any other leazison reports, Dave? No. >> Okay. And my only ad was about what I already mentioned about the library. Not only did they move, they transitioned to
Google and they launched the summer reading program all at one time. >> I have one last thing and I'm circling back to the first thing we did tonight because I found my notes which I couldn't find earlier on the appointments. Remember we I read that long thing about moving for the
conservation restriction advisory committee. Yes. I had a question on that and I'm putting it out to the board just because I I read it again. Um, as we said, three members shall be at large. The planning board, conservation commission, trails committee, Carlile Conservation Foundation shall each be
entitled to nominate a designate to the committee as a fully participating member. And my question, and that's what we voted, but my question was, is a fully participating member the same thing as a voting member? >> Why don't we just say voting member so
there's no ambiguity of that? That was my question. We've already voted it, but I just want to be clear what every what >> that that's a voting >> that that that's a voting member. >> Yeah. >> Sorry I didn't get that in there early. >> Okay.
>> So, because somebody may ask someday. >> I participate, but I can't vote. >> Okay. I'm not a liaison, but at the planning board meeting last night, there was standing room only for the now communities um >> yes
>> animal rehabilitation. >> Yes. >> So I I do think that you should watch the or at least engage with um whoever on the planning board about about So the community interest is extremely high. >> Yeah, it was it was a good meeting. I was watching it. >> Yeah. You want to tell us about
anything? Um, you know, people are most worried about traffic. Um, they're worried about, uh, animal release, where it takes place. Um, doesn't seem like they're doing much to the structure.
Um, they're not doing much to the land besides building. Um, pens. It all seems very minimal. I actually drove by the property today. Um, I was the only car there. I'm like, I don't I don't think the the traffic thing's too big of a
deal. But it's, you know, it's set back. You can't tell. Um, you know, there are people who are abutters who are, you know, have a lot of questions and, you know, they want to know about the traffic and but there are other people who are for it and felt it was very Carlileesque
to have such a facility. Um, they do release animals time and time in Great Brook. Um, yeah, it was a it was a full room. Wow. What's the property? Where is it? >> It's North Road. >> North Road.
>> So, yeah, the it's a residentially zoned area. Yeah. >> And they are changing they're asking for um what's called the Dober amendment, which is the ability to provide education to the public. So, it would allow a rehabilitation center to be in a residential area.
>> And it's 10 acres. It's a lot. It's It's I mean, yeah, it's not two acres. It's It's a a lot. There's a lot of buffer around the other properties. Long driveway, a lot of parking. Someone will always be on site with the animals. >> Okay.
>> It's an interesting one. Just >> Yeah. I'm sure you'll get public feedback about it. >> Okay. Thank you for the heads up. >> What's just the process? Is that a >> That's not a town meeting thing. >> Okay. Any community input?
Hearing none. Can we get a motion to adjurnn? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Okay. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any no votes?
>> Okay, we are adjourned and it's 9:46. Thank you everyone.