Welcome to the select board meeting of Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Just a note for those viewing at home, um given the Conquer Town meeting, Minute Man Network is not here tonight, so we're we're running straight from Zoom. So, we may have to tweak some things along the way.
And if you can't hear us uh or see us, please let us know. Um tonight's agenda, as always, we open with call for community input, followed by appointments. Um item three, we're going to discuss town meeting update and recommendations on
uh warrant articles listed in the agenda. Following that, we're going to have a joint meeting with the historical commission to discuss uh the potential demo review bylaw, not for this town meeting, but a future town meeting. Um and following that they had also
requested to talk to us about Highland. So at 8:40 we're going to discuss the Highland building and that'll include a recap of the school committee's um deliberations and letter as well as um we'll discuss the historical commission and community um input on that as we
look toward the future and how we want to um address the Highland building. 910 item six annual town election warrant. Then at 9:20, we're going to talk about the potential for a special town meeting in the fall and and talk about the dates
that would be associated with that. Um item 8, the land stewardship committee charter potential vote. One note on that, uh depending on how much deliberation there is, we may move that up as we do the appointments at the beginning because we do have some LSC appointments. Um we're going to discuss
an intermunicipal agreement for plumbing inspection services, which is a highlight of the evening. uh followed by the TA report uh review of warrants and minutes leison on reports community input and then adjournment. So with that, I will begin with >> Oh, yeah. We got to do a roll call vote
because uh David is remote. So if we can just do that. >> Arnold here. >> Modell here. >> Snell here. >> Stevens here. >> Triola here. Great. We'll do all the votes. Roll call. Keep me on.
So let's open it up with a request for community input. Does anyone in the room have community input? Does anyone online have community input? >> Okay, seeing none, let's move to appointments. Um, there was a one employee appointment. I know you're
going to talk about it in your TA report. You just want to give a quick summary of that one. >> Hey, just notifying the board that we are appointing Eliza Kerchim as a driver for the COS. I qualified a pointy for
for a muchneeded position. So we made this appointment and we're working on her onboarding. Just letting you know under the TA bylaw policies and procedures that we have made that appointment. Great. Okay. In terms of volunteer appointments, now we have four
appointments listed in the packet for the land stewardship committee members. Three of them are currently sitting on the land stewardship committee. Um, and I wasn't 100% clear on is now the time to reappoint them for the next
session or are we appointing them in lie if we if we approve a new charter? I wasn't quite sure. I knew this was a late ad, but was that discussed at all? Do we know? >> Yes. So, the um this went to the to you the charter.
It went back to the cons at the same time here. >> Y >> um >> they approved the changes. A couple of changes. >> Yeah. And they approved the changes. So it's up to you if you would like to that charter or if you have any more comments
for that charter and you as the appointing authority that that so then they you did say that you wanted to start beginning point appointing LSC members so that they could start their work. >> Right. But do we have to approve the charter first before we could appoint them? That >> that's what I was thinking we we should
probably do. And I I guess the question was have have you had a chance to review the charter? If we don't have a lot of deliberation, we could we could do that now rather than at the end >> um and then do this if we if we require more deliberation discussion. We'll just we'll just keep it in the time slot of the agenda.
>> Um I know they added the one change that you had requested, Travis. Yeah. >> Did anyone else have any comments on the the LSC charter? Um just I had rereading the minutes you know from our last meeting. We had said something about defining what a lease is
versus a permit and I noticed that's not in the charter but maybe that doesn't matter. >> David, did you have any comments? >> No, no comments. I have no comments. So, if you'd like, we could if someone wants to make a motion to approve the LSC revised charter is printed in the
packet, you can do that and then we can >> Okay. And do you have it handy? >> That was clearly that >> very basic. You're I could have said so moved. Um, I move to approve the land stewardship
committee charter as it appears in the pack. Second. >> Any further discussion or deliberation? Um, seeing none, let's do a roll call vote. >> Arnold I. >> Mot. >> Now I. >> Stevens I.
>> Triola I. And I'd like to thank the conservation commission for all the work they put into revising the charter and doing public outreach in the process. Um given that we have a revised charter. So we have four um volunteers who my
understanding would is their appointment is supported by the conservation commission. Correct. Um and those are in the packet. So if we want to point those volunteers and and for the terms as listed in the in the motions um
>> that would give the LSC a quorum. >> Yeah. Um all right. I move to appoint Adam Chugnaki of Suffach Lane as a member of the land stewardship committee with a term to end June 30th, 2027. I move to appoint Alex Parah of Bellows
Hill Road as a member of the land stewardship committee with a term to end June 30th, 2028. Move to appoint Angie Burge of Indian Hill as a member of the land stewardship committee with a term to end June 30, 2028. And I move to appoint Chris Spinny
of Fisk Street as a member of the land stewardship committee for the term to end June 30, 2029. >> Is there a second? Second. Any discussion or deliberation. >> Okay, let's do a roll call vote. >> Arnold I.
>> Mod I >> Stevens I. >> Triola I. Excellent. Again, thank you to all involved, both consom and the LSC. Uh let's move on to item three, which is our town meeting update and
recommendations. And we're going to uh first address article 26, the community preservation act. And that's going to include a joint meeting with the Gleon Public Library trustees to review the library renovation request. So, um, if you have a quorum, if you want to come
up to the the table and open your meeting and while you're doing that, so Barney, what's the status now? Has the CPA recommended? >> No, because we're meeting tomorrow night. >> Okay. >> And we have just the two library the block house,
>> right? >> Assuming we're all fine, then we put the whole thing tomorrow night. So we had talked about the select board um making a decision at the next meeting. >> Okay. >> Yeah.
>> We're opening the joint meeting with the trustees and Karen Gings chair Kaitlyn W. >> Um if we can go through the presentation. Christina, are you on? >> No. >> Long time but no longer >> but can you do a presentation now? other
and there only three. >> There are three of them. Jen was coming and maybe she'll join it be a nine. Uh >> and if you don't mind just in in the interest of time I know you have a lot of you have a bunch of information in the deck.
>> Yes. >> Hit the highlights and you know I think we've had some initial discussion but this is a good opportunity to surface. >> Well I think the major >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, we we have reached our original fundraising goal, which was $2.3 million that includes a CPA grant.
Um, do you want to do the uh >> I think slide three is probably the or four even. Ryan, >> yeah, that one. Um, sure. Uh, we've been doing this since 2023. We've been doing a lot of events
and a lot of uh we've been working hard to uh do the fundraising. Right now there are three grand applications out that we haven't heard back from. Hopefully they come back. We've also talked to Simon Catalo about getting
some um um um state funds. Um that being said, if you go to the next page, we have reached our fundraising goal of $2.3 million. We're a little bit above that. or at two 2361
uh million dollars. Um however, the project now is is more money and we need help to help us get to the finish line. So, if you go to the next slide, um this is what the original estimate
for the $2.3 million was in 2022. In 2025, we got a revised estimate and there is this is an estimate from the architects and this is like you know taking into account inflation and whatnot. The 2026 estimate even though it says estimate because not everything
is is uh booked yet. Um the construction fee the $1,658,000 that was after a bidding process. We received 10 bids which shows the bid the lowest bid that included the entire project. Um the company is called uh
construction dynamics. Uh we had a a trustees and building committee meeting approving that bid u with the help of the OPM. Um as you can see it's like every day we wait the project gets more expensive. >> And if you have done any home renovation
you may know that this is you know across the board. Um um that being said, uh if we go to the next slide, we are requesting $500,000 from um the um from the CPA grant in
addition to the $767,000 that we already have. Um this is still under the amount of money that the project um C that the project is eligible for CPA grants. So it still doesn't include furniture, doesn't include, you know, things like
that, but it does, you know, it includes the things that are in in the in the list there. And this is for historical rehabilitations, which is to take a place that is historic and make it usable for modern days. And in the next slide,
um, through this historical rehabilitation, we're asking for $500,000 to close the gap to start construction. So we would start construction the bid that was accepted is to start construction in June 2026 which is like right now we have uh um
that that I'm not sure how much how long the permits and what number take but the bid is the construction bid is to start in June 2026. Um, we have some people who have offered to become additional donors saying, "I will do this if it
happens this year because, you know, a lot of people have very graciously donated, but it's been three years. We've been at it a long a long time and it's it's getting more expensive by the day and the the cost increases are faster than our fundraising efforts. So, with this 500k, we can accept this bid
that has already been approved and uh and then get it going June. Um and we ask respectfully ask for the board support for um for a warrant article. And in the next page just a very very Oh yeah, this is the you know this mentions
the June starting date. Um the conception begins. We already did the um site of the law reader and there's a picture the the date for the for the third meeting and last but not least the final page.
Um we got to the finish line. We raised the $2.3 million, but then hit again. They broke the finish line. So, we would like your help to get to the finish line. Please do again. You click again. >> Oh, there it goes. >> That's cool.
>> We want to get to the finish line as soon as possible. Let's Let's get this done. Any questions? >> And the request of the 500,000, that's what has been with the >> with CBC CBC. We were waiting for the bid. Yeah. So,
>> which came in yesterday. >> And CBC is good with all this. >> Well, we will be, I assume, tomorrow night, but we haven't we're not meeting until tomorrow night. >> And if you do raise more money or for whatever reason you don't need all of those funds, you can see what happens. >> We just don't take so every money all of
the grants that we have applied for are deposited into the town on the endowment account. So the town can decide which ones to use first and >> for unneeded CPA funds that would go back into the pot. >> Yeah. It doesn't it doesn't leave the
pot. >> Doesn't leave the pot. Okay. So it only come out when you're actually paying. >> Yeah. >> Okay. And how long is the is that good for? Is it good for >> I think what did we decide? Three years or three years which should not be a problem because the construction is
supposed to take nine months. But that's construction and then there's funny things and but those are not CPA that's not CPA money. >> Does this CPA money go in the same time on a Perry PU basis or is it like the private money goes in first? I missed
that. >> Or is it doesn't >> Yeah, the the CPA money covers certain things and and uh there are certain things it doesn't cover but just money and construction and things like that are covered by the CPA money. We still
need money for furniture. We need money for you know lights and like things like that that um um so those we would need the private funds whatever private funds we have to cover those we would use the CPA money for things that can be covered with CPA money.
>> But if these other grants were to come in and we were not to need all the CPA money this second grant we're we're planning to well we've basically spent the original run right I mean obviously we haven't but we are counting on those dollars. Um, but this next request, if
we don't need it all, take it out. Yeah. Yeah. >> And for anyone looking to learn more about the project, I know you have a virtual tour. Is there anything you want to promote tonight? I think you did you have a link in the >> It's a link right there. >> Put it up there so everyone can
>> Yeah. Yeah. But >> ask audience can uh have access. >> It is also inside in the in the glisten library.org website. It's called our next step, our next chapter just like Gen renovation. I mean that's got
renovated was 1999. So it was 1999 2000. We didn't even have highspeed internet. We didn't have like it was a very different world. That center staircase for example was an addition of the 2000s. Um it it kind of it kind of um
fuel the need for the renovation because it works as a funnel for noise. The noise that is on the first floor gets funneled up to the staircase bounces at the ceiling of the second floor and makes the lobby very noisy. Just the opposite of what you want. So uh we we
went quickly through the Oh, there you go. We went quickly through the um through a presentation, but the the first page um talked about exactly that having having a quieter library, having you know electric that is you know of the
years 2020s and no you don't have to get an electrician every time you need to change a bulb because the electric that we have right now is very old like that. um having more meeting rooms for you know for the community including a oneperson meeting room downstairs if
they're replacing the roof at your house and you need to get take a zoom meeting and you know you can do that also really good for telea health and one of our donors uh was very interested in that because they deal with um um young people who may need um to talk to social
services that way and this is like a safe place to to do that. Do you have any events coming up like for public? >> Yeah, >> we're planning on a um art art auction coming up and it will likely not be at the library because hopefully if this
gets approved the >> I mean just in terms of if people want to learn more are you having any like info sessions or anything? I am an email away at GSM capital campaign.com and I have taken lots of people to the
library, show them around. Happy to do that with anybody else who who would like it. >> The only other event pictures. >> Yeah, there you go. That's >> And we have Yeah, more fundraisers coming because we still need more money. The 500 doesn't cover the entire gap.
So, >> yeah. Okay. And this will be voted on tomorrow night. So, we won't take a position tonight, but we'll figure it out at our next meeting. >> Excellent. >> Excellent. >> Thank you. All your work on the campaign and
>> a lot of work as we know from >> we got to progress in. >> Yeah. >> Thank you very much. >> We'll do the solicitation if you're okay with that. Eric, >> I think we're all I think we're all set.
You're do you want to do how how are you guys on time? Do you want to go? >> Let's do you want Let's do the fire station since you have your folks at the ready. So Craig is my co-chair. Let me >> Does um Hey, um Scott, does library have
to is this joint? Did they have to close your meeting? >> You want to close your meeting? >> Thank you, David. >> I said on the way out, but I How do you second it? I don't know. U >> So we're gonna in terms of the agenda,
we're going to discuss article four fire station renovation project. Right now we have Eric Alice who and and Greg Zuro who are the co-chairs of the fire station building committee. I see Matt Sal there from Tecton. Um Steve from
CMS. >> Steve from CMS. And a lot of work's happening right now. Initial bids came in today. I know you're still working through those and you have a meeting tomorrow. Um, but if you just want to give us just a quick overview of where things are at and I know you have an upcoming meeting with the planning board
on May 11th. Um, if there's any additional information or words of support you need from us for that, please let us know. >> Uh, absolutely. So, we're here today to provide an update um from the last meeting that we had with you on March 10th. Um, some updates on the design progress part of the class updates uh
literally with information hot off the press. um at 2:00 p.m. today. Uh so you'll see you'll get a snapshot of that. Um there's some loose ends and moving parts that we're addressing and we'll talk a little bit about the schedule take us from here to um town
meeting that. And at this point I'd like to turn it over to Greg to pick up on the conversation from uh design process. >> Great. Thank you, Eric. And uh good evening. Um so the committee uh has been
relying a great deal on the planning board uh input um along the way when it comes to design. Um you know at the last planning board meeting I think it was a pretty positive session. Tecton presented a few exterior options uh that
was generally accepted well. Um from that planning board meeting there was some immediate follow-up items like a deeper dive into the landscape strategy. That meeting was held last week. Uh there's uh uh finetuning of material
selection and preparation of the upcoming planning board meeting and uh folks are working on that uh uh right now. Uh so overall the design is advancing well and aligning with the planning board feedback. on the on the
budget side. Um I guess uh because things are in motion, you I'll refrain from presenting a bottom line single number tonight. Uh but just speak to the $15.7 million hardcost number that we
presented last time when we were, you know, here at the select board meeting. That $15.7 million number was um just hard cost. it was prevalen engineering savings and didn't include
the soft costs or soft cost contingency or the hard cost contingency. um that so what happened since that $15.7 million number um filed sub bids came in uh they were generally within
expectations um the GC bids as we know they were received today the the snapshot is uh we're running about uh 1.2 2 million uh under the March hardcost construction budget which is
very encouraging. Um we still have a little bit of work to do as as as uh Scott you mentioned. Uh we have a little scope alignment to do what's in what's in or not in the bid. Uh finalize the contingency levels. Um
look at the outcome of the public verse private water supply. There's a D discussion happening uh this week uh that could have some potential cost uh impact, but overall we're in a pretty positive position and we'll be coming back to the board uh uh the 12th uh with
a more refined and fully vetted recommendation in in terms of the outstanding issues with the planning board. I I attended those meetings more to listen and understand. I know there were there was a lot of feedback on as you said the materials and the landscaping and things
that I would consider not necessarily functional elements of the building. Um do you feel like those are progressing and in and in and the the the outcomes you're getting are are in alignment with the project and and our functional goals and our timeline goals?
>> Yeah. Yeah, I do. Um, so we uh we extended the uh the bid due date by a week and and part of that had to do with um Tecton taking on issuing addendum along the way as you know it's kind of like fixing the bike while riding it as
things were coming up they were getting addendum out uh we've gotten uh some of the comments uh from the planning board in there some of the comments from the committee in there so where we are now with the planning board I think All of the substantive work um has been
incorporated into the scope, but we still have some finetuning to do. So the intent of any any scope of work that has cost associated to it that comes from the final planning board hearing, we'll be able to capture that in a contingency
number. Uh assign a rough order of magnitude so that we have uh something dependable that we can come to town meeting with. So there there it doesn't seem to be you know there was a lot of positive feedback um how how the
building and the outbuilding was being coordinated the material selection so I think the heavy lift is behind us and we'll see some revision to the number but when we meet tomorrow one of the thing that Matt's going to prepare for us is a list of items of all those
things that may not have been included in the bid and then make sure that we're covered with the 1.2 2 million savings right now. That's excellent for where we're at. Uh we're we're, you know, we're feeling pretty comfortable as we
cross the finish line. >> I I'll just add a caveat. You probably heard Craig Greg say a little bit. Um these are numbers that are hours old. Um there's a there's a vetting process that can is still going that we need to go through. I mean, clearly everyone's been
vetted ahead of time as a qualified bidder. So that's not what I'm actually talking just making sure that we understand. Um there's a one issue that's still being resolved. There's a a protest that has to be worked out for and so that that's moving through that
process. Um but we think that we're still on pretty good timeline. It was an electoral pleasure. >> The process is a very small part of the project. It's already been addressed by town council. Our our side they submit their side should know that we
But the project scope is very >> yeah I just want to I mean a I want to underscore it's a big milestone to get to this day where you actually have bids and a lot of the work that's been done both last year and this year by your committee and by our committee and
leading up to this was to be able to get the town meeting because we thought it would be a favorable bid environment and that there would be a lot of interest versus waiting and pushing it out. As we know, costs keep going up and it it does seem like we had a lot of interest. We had a lot of bids, a lot of sub bids.
>> Yes. >> Um and hopefully that that strategy is paying off. >> To that to that end, Scott, if I could, we actually received over over 80 sub bids um out of the 120 or so that pre-qualified, which is a substantial
volume of sub bids. And uh and eight bids from general contractors as well, which is which is great. There was there was a lot of a lot of movement and a lot of interest in this project. and and that certainly helped and aided in in the quality bid numbers that we've received.
>> Can't see who's speaking. >> That's Matt Saling. >> I think he's on a phone line, too. >> Oh, I see. >> Yeah, I got I got two lines here. I apologize for that. >> To sub bids. I don't know what >> Oh, the the electrical work.
>> That's not bid as one whole >> they're bid by discipline and someone else than I have. Yeah. So in in Massachusetts for public construction under general law master law chapter 149 um there are 16 defined
categories of subcontract work. Um they involve anything from from masonry to the to the MEP trades, different finishes and things like that. Each of those provide their own separate bid um for their scope of work. Uh we got we received those bids two and a half weeks
ago. Um that results in about for this project it was about $6.7 million worth of the total uh bid value. Um once those bids are received we issue by addenda those results and then the general contractors would then select from those
the subcontractors that they would hire off of those values and and submit that with their bid >> teams. So those those subders are available to the GC's to include in their work. >> And so this is part of where things were
changing. You're changing from masonry to something different then that that's where we were trying to at least you know okay a different kind of brick maybe but let's you know yeah >> interesting >> it's fascinating
the process of municipal production. So from your standpoint, you're gonna our next meeting. So we've already taken a position on this article. Um obviously uh if if we didn't support it, we wouldn't bring it forward for some reason, but it seems like at this stage
there's no red lights on your >> No red lights. >> Okay. >> Um so we have a path, you know, pretty active path that you know, tomorrow we the committee meets tomorrow to review GCS in more detail. Uh we have a meeting scheduled with the mass DP regarding the
water supply uh question. It's one of the unresolved issues. We have taken a contingency step to uh relocate the well to a new position that meets the geometric constraints of a public water supply. So it could be used for either. So we we've got that base covered uh
because that is one of the first things that has to happen as the drill get well gets drilled before just about anything else happens. Um we hope to get a clear a clear clear guidance from DPP. Um probably circle back with the board of health, but at least that part's
covered. Um then we have additional meetings with the committee as we go through between the DP and the uh planning board that comes up on the 11th that you pointed out already. Um we have outreach with to the community on this project still RTSC for one plus uh a
tour and a presentation at town hall not yet definitive yet. Um we hope to meet with you again on the 12th. >> Yep. >> And then on the agenda >> um just a a quick question from us. Um the slide deck and presentation of annual town meeting. Is that a board
member that does that or do you want a committee member to do that? I don't think the committee member would just just a question. Yeah, >> we talk about that offline, but >> yeah. Okay. So, but we'll have you know had that >> you guys have been doing the heavy lifting
>> prepared and ready to go. >> Yeah. Tremendous amount of work by not only the building committee, but I know the planning board has put a lot of time into this. I'm assuming board of health, the other boards have been working in cooperation. Um, people have really been pulling
together to get this done in an aggressive time frame without without cutting any corners, without taking any shortcuts. So, >> hair on fire. >> Well, no, no pun intended. Um, maybe >> it's a fire station.
>> But, uh, if I can add to that specifically, you know, I I haven't met Ton or CMS before this project, and we really did have an excellent team. I I haven't seen folks uh you know uh uh
move so quickly uh to make this happen uh so um uh so eloquently. Uh Matt, you've done a great job thus far. Thank you. >> Yeah. And I I I was just going to say that Greg beat me to it. Um professional help. >> Great.
>> Yeah. They've been turning things around really fast based on feedback and >> yeah, I mean the the OPM CMS provides a tremendous amount of guidance and uh and Matt and and everyone at Tecton provides a lot of value for this effort.
>> Great. Well, keep pushing. Um we'll see you on the 12th. I'll attend the meeting on the 11th. Um and just keep us updated. >> Hey, we run into anything you say, we'll let you know. >> Okay. >> All right. Thank you all. I appreciate it. >> No,
>> thank you. Have a great night. >> All right. Thank you very much. Let's move on to um article 22 canvasing and solicitation vital subject matter expert. You need to know if the Girl Scouts.
>> That's really what it comes down to. >> Put the blinders up. >> We have the dibs that this is going to be the long disc session at >> But um so we have we um last time we discussed the um the bylaw. I know
Gretchen had sent around the existing bylaw. Could you just briefly recap from your standpoint the purpose of this bylaw? why we why we need this revision. And I know we have we've taken some some community input on on the do not solicit
list which is incorporated. There had been some questions last time about who this applies to or doesn't apply to. Um so if you could just speak to those on a high level that would be helpful. >> Sure. Yeah. So when we uh so uh about two years ago we started receiving a lot
of complaints uh about solicitors which caused a review of the bylaws to have a look at it to see what kind of restrictions they may have or how we can enforce the law better. Uh so when we sat down and discussed it, uh Deputy Chief Booth did a a good job at kind of researching and and looking into some
different ideas and one of the things we developed in the bylar as a way to also generate revenue for the town uh by having people apply, pay for their permit and and solicit. >> The other thing that we looked into is what we worked on as well was strengthening the uh do not solicit list
to just put a little bit more uh uh enforcement behind that. So those are the main things. >> So our existing bylaw is deficient or it doesn't what's >> what are we solving with >> it was limited in different ways but you
can I think what really brought it up was when I took over looking at the solicitors um solicitor program it was antiquated. We we weren't doing giving IDs out to the solicitors as the bylaw said. So we ended up purchasing this an ID maker which is great. I was like,
this could kind of trigger some trying to chief some funds uh for the town. But as far as enforcement goes, we're very limited with how we deal with these folks. You know, it's usually it's a verbal warning. Don't do it again, but you catch them again. We kind of wanted
some more um options for our officers to have, you know, a little as a little more bite into how we can enforce the the law. >> When you receive these complaints, what was the nature of the complaints? Is there too many solicitors or are they being like overly aggressive or you know in some cities a solicitor is just sort
of a thin veil for crime right they're like you know scouting out your house really what what was the nature of the complaint >> so a lot of it sometimes it would come in as a suspicious person in the neighbor um that's a lot of the majority of them and then other times after they you know
somebody has engaged in conversation with them it would come back as this person soliciting they they call so those are probably the two avenues WC, >> right? A lot of people also were already on the no solicitation list and >> they weren't they were kind of ignoring
this. So you want to kind of reinforce that strength. >> Sure. Right. >> Yeah. And about how many solicitors do you get a year? Do you have any stats on that or >> probably millions? No, I'm just kidding. No, we don't have exact We don't have exact stats. We probably can look at
that. Um, but it was enough for us to to review the current bylaw because it was it was it was pretty frequent for a while. So, >> it was it was enough to complain for us. >> You have probably 20 complaints or 50 complaints or >> I'm just saying the 20.
>> Yeah. Which for you guys would be a lot. >> Yeah, it's a lot. Sure. But in terms of the number of of groups or individuals that are coming to town to solicit, there were even under the current bylaw, they're supposed to come and sign in at the police department.
>> So they fill out an application and then we do a background check on them and then the chief well we approve it. >> Um and as I said before, we we weren't following the car pile giving folks IDs. So, okay. >> Anyone could just, you know, >> I see. >> So, we had no method of actually producing the ID for them.
>> Yeah. So, >> and were you giving them though a do not, you know, do not solicit list? >> Yes. >> And you're saying that? >> Yeah. >> And um I mean, how many groups a month would you say on average were
>> coming to Carlile to do some kind of solicitation? >> That's C. I know. See? Yeah, it is see though and that that's yeah about 20 total over the the month. >> That's complaints. >> Complaints. No, I just meant groups are
coming through to >> I would be willing to guess more than that. There probably groups that we didn't get complaints on. >> So >> yeah, this was complaints on 20 different groups or this was 20 complaints but they could have been about 10 of them could have been about
the same group. Yeah, probably 20 different complaints on >> either the same individual. >> So, the way the new bylaw was written, the I'll say the only issue that I potentially would have adjusted is if someone
applies, it's good until December 31st. I mean, that's a lot of potential VP visits. Is there any way we could tighten that up just a little bit? Like it's good for a week? I don't know. feel like December 31st is it could be a very long lead time. Someone gets in there January 1st or maybe less.
>> I mean, after the research and most of the surrounding times, usually the it's usually a year a day. >> Oh, really? >> Yeah. It's usually the the typical I'm sure that could be changed, but >> just I know that's it's maybe it was just me. I just thought, wow, you only have to do this once. I I was interested
in making this I don't want to say pain. There needs to be a high hurdle, not just a long driveways car, right? >> Okay, that's >> Well, there really isn't there really isn't a high hurdle, is there? I mean, you just have to pay the fee and right respect the do not solicit list, right?
Otherwise, you're not saying I don't like your >> your particular roofing company or, you know, solar company. So, >> and is it typically a a commercial business that's going around soliciting or do you have like I know at our house we had um you know an environmental
group come to the door. Um but I don't ever recall a commercial entity coming solar people or >> energy or yard. I've had those come by people in the neighborhood are doing work and they just start >> honestly most of it is school children
right and all of us have raised kids in parallel and we're selling citrus one year and we're selling cookies and we're selling golden raffle tickets I mean whatever so again remind us what is the threshold for the in town fundraising events is there a
>> just go do it >> the girls go back >> right >> and I think that's that's the angle though realistically they're fundraising by selling cookies. >> Yes. >> Right. So, I think that's where >> so if you're looking for limitations like it's commercial.
>> I have this from council. So, under this bylaw, a a Girl Scout would get a license. >> That's right. >> Um, but you could consider an amendment that would exempt charitable or youth organizations or when we set the fee, >> we can set that.
>> Okay. >> Certain rates fee. The problem with setting the fee is defining charitable organizations. So we may have to allow a zero dollar fee to a group that you might not think is palatable with scopes. You know you
charitable organizations, >> but this would not impact transfer station sales. This would not impact point of sales if they set up a turns or this is >> going door to >> door to door. And if you have a neighborhood kid, is that considered solicitation?
>> I don't believe so. I I mean I've always here on the side of it being charitable. You also have to get a complaint about >> for the police, >> right? Just test it up. >> Exactly. >> Yeah.
>> But it doesn't apply to what you you were saying nonprofit, but it does apply to a nonprofit right now. nonpr. So the I think the guidance that we received more when we looked into it more along the lines for the Girl Scouts and the Boy
Scouts. Um but nonprofit there's if they're you know they aren't harassing, right? So nonprofits would need a license. You can set a B category for that or you could amend it so that nonprofits are
exempt. >> That's not in the bylaw, right? B is set by B. >> It does say that the TA sets by >> but you can can you you said you can create a category. Does that need to be like what needs to be in the bylaw
versus you need to set categories or >> and you just change the fee number or do you have more leeway off the bylaw >> I think it follow the way it's written. So you set set a schedule but >> but yeah so the but the fee is a single
fee >> right it's not a >> or is that the interpretation I can't remember exactly what it says >> it just says the TA sets the fee >> if you do want you want it to be more explicit than on >> I don't think you want it more explicit >> I think that allow flexibility and I
think that the TA having the authority to do that is great but I think TA should probably review with this whole board you know just to make sure it's you're the boss. >> Well, right. Well, I know. I just think that's a a public interest thing that would probably mean that it's good to
have the public that we represent. >> So, maybe when we approved signs for town center, we also >> just like that, right? Is it right? >> This is my plan for fee and the TA.
>> Um I had two uh questions. one is um so the hours of solicitation and I think the current one for this bylaws is 9:00 a.m. to six if I remember correctly. So, I was reading through though the other towns that you had um
provided in this packet and some of them like one forgotten which town but starts at noon and goes till I think 8:00 p.m. and another one um went till 7 p.m. How did how did you
come up with the 9 to6? And I guess I should say one reason I raise it is that if typically this you have more of that more soliciting when it's lighter out later uh like you know spring summer. Um,
so ending it at 6:00, I'm just thinking from the standpoint of the solicitor, you know, there are a lot of people that aren't home from work yet. And so if it if you have to be done at six, then they're places that you'll never end up being able to speak to somebody. And so
I was just curious what the thinking was. >> It's also after dark. Sometimes it's want to get a knock on my door after dark speak. >> Yeah. Well, you know, one of the towns said dusk. >> Yes. Is there any point? But I don't know. Dusk here can get to be like 8:00
p.m., you know, 8:15 depending on the time of year. But I just wondering what your what your thinking was. >> We kept the same I think the time that was in the new bylaw was the old by more it's more of a reasonleness thing. And >> as Steven said, I'm sure some people
don't want to knock on their door after six o'clock. pay. >> I think that's a reasonable hour for >> And is this including weekends? >> Um, believe it does include weekends. Yes. >> Yeah. >> Because again, I saw another one that
limited that no soliciting on weekends. >> Um, I mean, I'm just wondering if we should be thinking a little bit more about some this. >> Well, I was thinking I was asking Scott, this has been published now the warrant. So, Oh, it's a draft. So it could be
amended prior to by the select board. >> The motion could be amended. >> Well, it's as long as you don't violate the spirit of the bylaw is decided by the moderator. >> We're not would like the article.
>> Is it our Yeah, that's why >> Wayne would just say he wants any amendments. What did I just saw? Well, that's if someone's going to amend it meeting, but we can change you can change >> bylaw or >> I would just think in the spirit of it. I know sometimes people want it in the
bylaw, but I think that that can make it very rigid for the future. And I think like the fee I think it's better to have the fee, you know, adjustable because the spirit of it may change over time and some select board may ultimately say we really want a high fee because we're
having problems with this or they may lower it. So I think the same could be said for the hours of of solicitation. You know, don't prescribe them in the bylaw. Let the then current board or TA through the board decide that
>> would be my suggestion. assuming you can do that >> or maybe you'd have to put some sort of um you know set the fee is set or the hours are set for you know the next year
or something right where it's it's defined in advance so that you don't have somebody showing up to can't solicit thinking it's still 700 p.m. but it's changed to six. You know, that kind of thing. >> I agree. I just think having a little more flexibility would be helpful
because we don't know the future and the consequences. >> So, right now, as it's written, it says 9:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. >> So, you would not have that. >> So, you could say >> determined on a yearly basis by the town
administrator. There's also some people that allow soliciting on the weekend. >> Um, some people feel really strongly about Sundays, you know, not being solicited at 9:00 a.m. Sunday. Again,
>> that's why we could change it. >> Yeah. >> You know, and post it on the website and post it on the application. I mean, just >> No, the more you can build flexibility into these bylaws, the better. These are the things that people are gonna these are the things that people
are going to have questions and concerns and different opinions about >> at town meeting >> at town meeting and >> knowing that there's ability to adjust >> is help I think in a case like this is helpful to getting it getting support >> because then you can well I really want
you know you know that there's some flexibility and some opportunity to change it versus it's cast in stone. So if we can ask town council, is that something to change? Is there like what would the language be? Um that would be good.
>> Do you as the police department that would be enforcing this? Do you have any opinion about making it more flexible on the part of the town administrator? >> I think it's a great idea. I mean it's comparable to the same probably language
that would be for the rate them setting the rate of setting the hours. same thing. Um, you know, if we do publish and it's 9 to 6 and that ends up being extremely annoying for the community, then you know, at least there's flexibility there for the following year to tighten the hours or remove the
weekends. >> Yeah. >> Go to towning bylaw, right? >> Is there anything else in there like that? But on a fee, >> I struggled with that because I saw you had a hundred dollars in there at
Hamilton. >> Yeah. Hamilton 100 bucks and I thought that's, you know, seems like a lot, especially if a nonprofit falls into this, you know, that's a lot of be a lot of money, but they're fundraising. >> Yeah.
So, I'll ask town council if there if the structure of the bylaw allows for fee schedule for nonprofit, non nonprofit. If not, we'll provide that amendment to you and an amendment on the hours made set annually.
>> Ryan, can can we get a red line of what's proposed versus the current bylaw? The bylaw as it exists now is just the three the three paragraphs. This is >> well so what I mean a red line is a
standard thing like I ask this all the time and I don't understand give us a red line so we can see what's changed like why is that so hard? >> So without sounding rude the red line would be cross out everything in the existing bylaw and replace it with this
new one. No, it wouldn't. That's weak. Then they're not >> Tell them to redline it the right way and let's redline it and let's take a look. That is weak. I >> mean, Gretchen had sent out the current bylaw with addressing that. But I don't want to do that work. I'm not paid to do
that work. That's what attorneys do. Just give us a red line, please. I don't want to argue the point. Give us a red line. I I I have an email I'm forwarding to you that has that information. >> Okay. But why do I have to hunt and
fish? Like that should be a standard thing that we get when we have these packets. That's like law one contract drafting or law drafting 101. Don't I'm leaving the select board, but that needs to be a standard practice
period. All right. So, we'll get the red line. We'll get answers to those questions. Were there any other Is there anything else you've heard from the public? I know again the I saw the comments on do not solicit list. Is there any other
aspect of this that you think may may be contentious or may be problematic just anticipating town meeting? >> I don't anticipate it. I mean, I think this was good. good uh discussion to to figure out what could be some intentions. But um
it's it's I look at it is it's a way to protect the citizens of Carile from from something that can unfortunately be as lovely to say but annoying for the residents. Right? So this gives us the police department just a way to to enforce it a little bit better as well
as maybe generate some revenue for the town for those services that they're trying to sell. So see it as a good thing >> and thank you for raising awareness. I hadn't realized we were getting 20 leads since
>> well that's a few a year and it's always >> it's always awkward right >> not just >> thank you very much for me time to revise >> so this will be on the May
12th agenda as well this one um >> CPA >> the final CPA And we might have some amendments to this that then get published prior to the count.
>> Yeah, those are the well, we'll get through the rest of these, but I think those be the three and I don't know that they're necessarily going to all require a lot of deliberation, but we that's the point. We'll give it as much time as we need them. >> I have one last question on penalty. Are you satisfied with the penalty language?
Because one of the things you said coming in here was we didn't have clarity on what we could do. We should liberally warn them and then you know move to the next stage but we don't have a next stage. Are you find that this has that? >> I think that's the big thing is really
setting the right. >> So this says um the penalty is based on the provisions. General general bylaws with each day of violation separate events. So what are those general
>> B? It's a it's a bylaw citation essentially, >> right? >> So they'll get us a ticket. >> We have a civil citation that we have that basically a bylaw town bylaw violation, right? >> And so each day that they're in violation. So let's say somebody's told
not to solicit, they come back and keep soliciting. Every day it accumulates. There's additional penalties >> if they violate the right if they I think the main thing was the no solicitation once they continue violate that list >> right >> we'll keep that
>> I see okay and that's >> can you arrest them ultimately what do you do to deteration >> what sorry I didn't hear you >> yes technically we could yes >> so you're you're saying >> you guys are saying with 20 times a year
you get a complaint >> on average. >> And where does that stack in the list of complaints compared to, you know, noisy dogs? >> We're looking into a lot of things. >> Yeah. I mean, >> it's it's like like the deputy chief
mentioned, it's se it is seasonal, right? It seems to really >> How many How many of the 20 have to do with things you actually cannot control like Jehovah's Witnesses? Or is it only these commercial people?
>> It's mostly the commercial complaints. >> Okay. All right. Okay. And we're pretty sure we can do the carve out for the Girl Scouts. >> Yeah, I believe so. I think I think >> discuss. >> I mean, it doesn't it doesn't hurt to
have the language on the books. I just question I don't know. It doesn't seem like it's going to be very easy to >> We can't hear you very well. David, what was the last part? I said it doesn't hurt sorry it does not hurt to put the revised bylaw on the books.
It I just question how much enforcement we can really do but all right it's better than nothing. So okay I don't have a good answer. I just, you know,
>> it may also be a deterrent. Let just know I don't know how much research these companies do, but if you know a town doesn't have much enforcement or a good bylaw, you're more likely to go there for door. So, part of it's just the >> the deter, right? Yeah.
>> And it depends. Some companies like uh renewal was here and they had they registered 10 individuals to solicit down and do you have >> I noticed >> I did notice in one of the comparable towns you know that officer booth or
deputy chief booth put forward that they put a positive list. So we would put together a list and maybe publicize in the mosquito that these vendors have registered. You can trust that they have registered. >> We can do that. Yeah, I think that's
>> I mean I would I would say carrot is probably better than stick, right? I mean something like that because you don't know who isn't registered because they're not registered. But you could at least reward those who go to the trouble of doing it the right way. And
>> well, plus I'm in this rewrite, David, that you could revoke the license of person, but it says that's at the uh discretion. >> No, I know. But I'm at enforcement Barney. So what? You know, then they still go do what they do. I'm just saying.
Carrot versus stick is all I'm saying because I think the stick is a pretty short stick. But but a carrot might be a nice thing like a they get a certificate that they can show when they do the doortodoor they show the resident, hey, I'm an approved, you know, vendor of
Carile. >> I guess it was a bag. >> Yeah. They would have their their ID >> right >> that they purchased >> right >> in their no solicitor list that they
have to keep on their person. That's right. >> Increase in those to you, right? >> Thank you. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> So, we'll pick it up on the 12th with u the request that we had. Um yeah,
appreciate the work and thanks for coming in tonight. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> All right, let's um we have three more to get through. Um in short order here,
>> what in terms of um so Ryan, we have article 18, the compensation classification plan. We did not vote on that last time, so I don't know if there's anything more >> we need to discuss per se except to take a decision. Correct. And Aubre's on a very short reminding you. Go ahead,
Aubrey. >> Hi everybody. Uh, thank you. I'll make it short, I promise. >> Um, so I just wanted to provide a couple things, just a quick explanation of the background of this plan and why it's annual and then just give an update of what's changed for this year. Uh, so
I'll start with that. So when there is an opening in town, particularly for full-time positions, the process begins by working with the appointing authority to clearly define the role. This ensures that we are hiring for the town's current needs, not simply filling a vacancy. We then review the job
description, the title, and the compensation. Compensation is benchmarked against comparable communities, and internal equity is evaluated to ensure consistency across similar roles. At the same time, we coordinate with the finance department uh the accountant and treasurer to make
to confirm budget alignment and consistency with finance committee guidance. This step ensures compliance with pay equity laws and prevent helps prevent both internal inequities and bud budget issues. Once there is agreement on the job description, the title and
the compensation, the position is brought forward to the town administrator and select board for review and approval. That approval is required before recruitment begins. After approval, recruitment and hiring can move forward. Finally, any changes to the classification or compensation
are included in the in the annual town meeting warrant for formal approval for the following fiscal year as you're seeing tonight. This process ensures that hiring and compens compensation decisions are consistent, transparent, and aligned with the town's financial and policy framework. So all the other
positions other than the one that was discussed in the last meeting, this is the process that they go through >> meaning the health director which we discussed. >> Correct. >> Yep. >> So what you'll see um with the classification plan right now um there
are marginal changes but it's not much. Right. So because the custodial uh department is moving fully to the town town end of the compensation plan, you'll just see more Nate more titles such as lead custodian, groundskeeper um
added to that. Um so that's why that's there. DPW that's now uh separated. And I know Ryan discussed that as to making sure that it aligns with uh their credentials and facilities director is again part of that facilities transition
and then communications director is because uh that role is now not in the um union contract with the dispatch. >> Oh that's what that is. Okay. why this is so rigid. Um, first of all, personnel costs are the number one driver of
budgets and people care a lot about adding positions. That's the number one question that everybody gets during the budget process from the department level. And secondly, when I worked with the finance committee when I first got here, their number one question was, "What has changed? How were these
decisions made?" So when you're hiring the employee, it doesn't seem as significant as when you get to the budget process and you have to explain a hire in reverse or what costs were involved. So this process, which Aubrey deserves a lot of credit for, is a highly transparent and thoughtful way to
pre-isuss the hiring of people in order to make sure that when the hiring comes about, because everybody wants to hire really fast, that there is some deliberative process. And we did go through this today with the COS. They have a vacancy right now and we did a very long visioning session talking
about the position and what we may or may not be able to do with that position. We we're going to go talk to the reccom because there's some overlap there. So, this has happened many many times and it is very common with all of the vacancies that we've had and and should be in small towns because of the
scarcity of resources. And then the foot for it's the law too. So the the waging classification we do have to have that approved town meeting. Um that's our law by state law. Correct. >> Yeah. And we want people to be so bored
with me talking about this that it stays in the consent agenda. They can trust that the hiring process was done in a way that has already been >> overly described. So, we need to take a position on this is article 18, >> correct?
>> Yeah. >> Yes. >> So, does someone want to make a motion? >> I move that select board recommend passage of article 18.
Is there a second? >> A second. >> Any further discussion or deliberation? >> Let's do a roll call vote. >> Arnold I. >> Modell I. >> Snell I. >> Stevens I. >> Triola I. And again we we've had a lot
of discussions about this. So um touching on it briefly tonight but there's a lot of discussion and work behind that. Um thank you Aubrey. >> Thank you all. Do you want to do lease tower or DPW?
>> Um, I think both of them are are pretty quick. You've already recommended each, but we want to continue to provide you updates. We did receive bids for the lease of the Proctor Road tower. This is tower we own that only has communications equipment on it right now or a dispatch communications.
Verizon did bid to provide cell service on this tower was a single bid. The basic parameters of the deal is that they get to put their equipment on the tower and in exchange they will they will pay a lease of $30,000 a year um with a 2% increase for each year that
the contract is is um updated and it's right now it's for a five years five years at a time basically. So we can present these findings to the town. If town meeting supports the lease then we can sign the lease and start the process. The process includes permitting
with the planning board. So they have to go through the full process that everybody does in order to use towers in town. And if that is successful, then they would add the we get increased self service in that area plus the the between town meetings.
Anything else going to change necessarily? So we probably don't need to discuss this on >> saying we already voted on it because you have down here on the agenda vote. Did we already vote to approve this? Let's see. It's article uh 21.
>> You supported the premise, but the details were still coming. Did we support the article? >> We did recommend passage of article 21. Okay. >> And then DPW DPW right now we've received uh four
architectural firms request for qualification. So first we have to go through a designer selection process and then we'll understand the design fee for for the DBW project. You're still at 1.4 million which is based off largely off the fire station
design that you're seeing right now which is has gone very well as we talked about. This money would fund DPW design doesn't mean we would spend the full 1.4 4 million that would allow for the site exploration the work with the designer in order to bring this to bid and a cost
the next town meeting >> spring town meeting 2027 >> that's the target >> this is very similar to the article that was passed at the town meeting which is allowed the hair on fire design processes described for the fire station
but this one should be it's still going to be quick a year is quick but it'll be from this town meeting to next And we already recommended passage of that. >> We are telling the designers that we expect it to be this cost. It does give
us some leverage. >> Okay. I think that was there anything else? I mean that those are all the bullet points on the town meeting update recommendation. Um, so for next week, the remaining things will be the circle back on the CPA recommendations, update on the fire
station once they've had a chance to process the bid info and meet planning board again, and then the um >> solicitation >> solicitation. Those are the three outstanding items for next week for the final meeting
before the town meeting. >> Yes. Did you say that EBA? No. Oh, didn't >> I may or may not be ready. Didn't we? >> Oh, >> I think Yeah. What's that article? I think we uh >> I think you might have supported. >> I think we did already. What's that? That's in the consent agenda.
>> It's not It's not consent. >> No, that >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I forget what number it is. >> I made that motion pass. >> Bring that up. That's already done. >> Yeah. All right. Well, let's let's
double check before our planning meeting just so we can make sure we have um >> the complete list before the 12th, >> but I think we have >> we're in good shape for town meeting. So, um >> great. All right, it's 809, so we're ahead of schedule. Let's move on to our
810 agenda item, which is a joint meeting with the historical commission. So, if you wanna step right up to our bonus table here and open your meeting, if you have a point, >> I'll open the meeting for the commission
on 28 the joint meeting with Blackboard at 8:0. who's here >> typically um >> want voting members and non- voting. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, roll call vote.
>> Ider I All right. Okay. Correct. Anybody else on the on the line from the historical commission? >> No. And that's a quorum. Correct. Yeah. >> Good. So, um
they had contacted me earlier on and and asked for some time in April. Um two topics that were mentioned. One was the demo review by law and the second was um Highland building which we're discussing at the next agenda item. Um,
but we wanted to start tonight with an update on the demo review bylaw and what work you've been doing on that, where where it sits today, um, what work needs to be done. So, if you just want to go over what the status is on that, that' be great.
>> Sure. Um well, as far as updates, um uh since last fall when most of you were, you know, here at our open houses and we present it to you, uh we have been working on the bylaw itself. So, we have been working on um the intents and
purpose section of the bylaw really to make it more specific to the town of Carile. You know, there was a lot of language there that was pretty kind of boilerplate and non-specific to Carile. So, that's been something that we've been focusing on. Um, >> what are the main pieces of feedback
that you heard people last fall? >> Uh, clarity being one of them. Um, and I guess the intent and purpose is a good area of focus for us because I think people are some people were not
understanding why we were doing this. Um, those were a couple of comments that I'll make. Um, we have added a section in. So, overall, I mean, I think in general, the edits to the bylaw that we've been
focused on have been to clarify what is already in there, um, and to make it, you know, more approachable to somebody reading it. So, we've added in a section for alternatives to demolition really to highlight and detail out what
these alternatives are, meaning rehabilitation, restoration, relocation, documentation, so on and so forth. We've added in a section for that clarity. Um, we met with the MVP court committee earlier this year as well. Um we've met
they met with all of the boards and committees and uh uh you know their focus is on sustainability. Um and so they shared some uh suggested amendments to the bylaw which we've been uh have been under review with us. Um
one of the additions was adding in a definition for deconstruction. um really just meaning kind of selective dismantling, selective uh uh demolition of parts of buildings or reuse or
recycling. Um and so we've added that in there. The deconstruction piece is more suggestive than anything being mandated. It's just, you know, beyond demolition. you know, if you could take it another step
further and uh be thoughtful about how you're doing that demolition, that's in there as well. Um, we've also made up to our flowchart. Um, if you recall our flowchart from last fall that really walks people through
the process, including dates between the steps in the process, uh, we've added some more clarity to that. It's on our website right now. We didn't bring a copy of it, but if anybody wanted to share it and put it up on the screen, it's there.
You can hunt that down. Um, where do you see yourself in the pro? So, you're you're updating and refining the version of the bylaw that we saw last in September, >> correct? Um
later tonight we're going to talk about potential dates for fall town meeting if we are to have that and it's not certain yet whether we're going to have that. Um but when you back it up it's you know things need to be done kind of by the
end of August which is very tight timing. >> Yeah. >> Especially given summer schedules. So from your standpoint, the open items process of of you know socializing the updates and doing all that where where
are you in in in the process as a committee in terms of the work remaining for the bylaw? >> Yeah. So, we are I think we're in a really good place where the refinements that Ben's mentioning are are really sort of polishing the bywall and really
making sure that's as specific to Carlile as it can possibly be. It's not making major changes at this point. So, I think that the language will be settled. Um, and our target that we've been working back from is that fall meeting, the Halltown meeting shouldn't go ahead.
>> Um, so our timeline is to hit that at this point. just putting the word of warning out because it's our a potential fall town meeting date is earlier than last year and I think as we all realize when you come out in the summer it's next thing you know it's it's fall town
meeting so part of the goal tonight was to communicate those potential dates to people who may be considering by including review like you >> so you have the yeah under flowchart there. Yeah.
>> And the process itself, the others people involved in the process, remind me, was it the who were the is it board of assessors or who was involved in the process and have they been involved in in the process of refining the bylaw and the language because I know there was
initially some concerns about some definitions and have they been involved in the process? >> So, we've we've asked for feedback from the boards and committees that we met with. Okay. MVP or committee um has been the most sort of um forthcoming with
direct recommendations to the bylaw language. Um I think it's a nice tiein as well because that committee sort of was formed after the horsesly whitten review which is one of the reasons one of the triggers for exploring the creation of this bylaw in town. Um, and
I think that the um the other feedback that we worked pretty closely with before he left was um the former building commissioner. Um, and so we actually I had just emailed Ryan to
see if um there's a new hire, a permanent hire yet, but we have not gotten feedback from the temporary. Um, but we did make some adjustments based on the feedback from the that proto former building commissioner. And what are the major updates or
changes from what we saw last? So >> yeah, the updates kind of high level the updates to the flowchart. We're adding in this predetermination uh step which is effectively step zero
here in the dashed bubble to the left there. uh giving homeowners the opportunity to get a determination of historical significance prior to applying for a demolition permit. >> What what's your cut off date now? Is it 1970
>> 70? >> And then in step four really just a graphical clarification um whereby there are different pathways that step 4 could take. one being finding a mutually agreeable
solution to an alternative uh end result than demolition or waiting for that 12 month period to expire and then proceeding with demolition.
>> I was just going to also summarize I I was participate in some of these things and listen to people in our community ask me about it. Yeah. >> And I think the predetermination really, you know, targets the the objection that, you know, people said, "Oh, if I
want to sell my house, how am I going to do that and be, you know, kind of held to this standard that I don't even know and it'll drag out." And so this gives a a homeowner an opportunity if they're thinking about selling their house, they can get a predetermination before they even go through that. So it kind of, you
know, solves that objection, I would think. Um, and same with the uh, you know, you've tightened up the initially it was 18 months and I think you you know downsized it to 12 months >> and um you know it's it seems like it's
a you know more has has been vetted in fact by more people >> that's good and in these steps within within five days within 30 days within 30 days >> if for whatever me reason you can't meet or is that a no like it there's no
opportunity to have something just caught in a limbo Because >> yeah, we have the the historical commission needs is held accountable to these time frames. >> But if you can't meet say you can't get a quum in 30 days elapses, >> the building commissioner would have the
authority to issue the demo permit. >> Okay. Say though the authority does that revert automatically they issue it or is there >> Yeah, the language in the bylaw is built in where it says something that if the commission doesn't meet within x amount of time or written notification to the
building commissioner in x amount of time that they are at liberty to issue that >> the default is demo. >> Okay. >> Or the the applied for demolition permit. >> Okay. Right. Because I think that's the other you know the concern is um remembering the
language subjective I mean and it is subjective right like historical significance or but trying to minimize the ability for uh to control for changes in the commission
or the individuals making decisions or the time frame. So the more definition that can be put in there, the more you know people can be comfortable that well this can't just get hung up because if they don't meet for 30 days well it's just extended. I mean I think those are the things people just want to take the uncertainty out of it
>> and know what what the process is and how comp >> right they changed it in 1970 it used to be a rolling 50 years right so you know now it's date specific um but one thing that that I was uncertain of and still I haven't looked at the updated bylaw but
is the context still in there so that was one of the things up here it says building structure when at one point when we were discussing this there was a objection that you know you said well if a a you know if you are in a we'll give
an example in a deck home that is in a row of deck homes on a street and you wanted to tear it down and put up a colonial home you could the historic commission could make the argument that it's in context of these homes and use that as historic significance and and
deny the demolition of that and so I'm wondering if that's still in there >> that would still be part of the review process. >> The context >> the context. Yeah. >> But that's not something specific to the Carile Historical Commission. That's specific to the national level of how
they make that determination. It's again, it's within a matrix of other conversations about the historical significance of the structure. Um, and the language very much follows closely that national guideline for how those determinations are made. And it's also
the state what the state uses as well. No, honey. Do you have a thought? Oh, >> I was just agreeing. >> Could you say your name please? >> Debbie Bentley um former architect and I retired officially. Um, >> congratul what context works both ways because
when we argue when we want to change something we can argue it's not in context or it is in context. So context is a legal framework in in planning. So uh what she was saying was correct but more both ways. So if you're in a
house for for instance hill 50% of houses are are are deck houses 50% are. So we we don't really have context. >> All right. So it can work both ways. >> That's why I was noting going yes this
is correct. >> The national issue. >> So I'm not sure. And and when do you plan to send out like another is it is it posted is the latest draft posted on your web page or are you going to be releasing an updated draft?
>> Yeah, we will be updating. >> Okay. A new draft. We do have the most up-to-date one that is now >> when you anticipate publishing kind of the next version so people can review it and >> so there's some edits that we need to review with the commission as a whole at
our next meeting >> time frame >> May 20th is our next meeting so I would assume once that discussion happens >> pretty much immediately following >> and I know >> I'm just going to I'm reflecting back on
the timing we have a full town meeting. >> I'm wondering if we just move the agenda like >> well we had so previously when the select board discussed it we had been um suggesting October 18, 19 or 20 um and
so working backwards from that um it and then again this is we haven't voted on this but closing the warrant July 14th and then the final language uh the motion draft for a bylaw would be August 25th.
Um, so I >> Okay. >> So that will you be meeting over the summer or basically you trying to get all this done before um the summer begins? >> So we meet throughout the summer. Typically the commission doesn't meet in August, but that hasn't we've actually
met pretty much every August for the last few years anyway. So um >> yeah, I would if this town meeting is going ahead on the timeline. >> Okay. >> We would be >> Yeah. I I'm wondering so the next agenda item is Highland. I don't want to start
that prior to 8:40 because I also know >> I know Brian Orerson is at the Conquer Town meeting and he's planning on attending. So I want to give him I and I know there's going to be public interest, but I'm wondering if >> I don't know what else more there is to discuss on the demo bylaw right now, but
maybe we do have a discussion of the um special town meeting >> now for the next >> 15 minutes. uh because it does relate to you and I think that information is is useful for the community to hear. >> Yeah. >> Um so if we're good with that, we can
you can keep your meeting open. Maybe we discussed the special town meeting calendar. >> Are we good with that? >> So you just teed it up. Um we're looking at now there's going to be a point at which we decide we're having a special town
meeting. Um I don't know. I'm guessing that would be in the May time frame because part of it's going to depend on fire station. Some of the some of the town meeting, you know, will inform if we have a special town meeting. Um, so
I'm hoping as a select board by >> probably end of May, we're deciding if we're going to have a special town meeting because it's >> after that >> after that it's too short time >> and I I I feel like if it ends up Depending on what happens with town
meeting, what's brought forward to town meeting, we may not have enough to have a special town meeting. >> Yeah. >> Um and by that I mean if it's just demo review bylaw, maybe the wetlands
special town meetings as we know from last year is a lot of work and last year was particularly a lot of work. Um but there is a there is a cost to having those in terms of people's time and focus. So, um I think we as a select board we should look to make that
decision probably at our May 28th meeting following town meeting. And if we do that, we did talk about the dates of October 18th. We had >> 1819 and 20 >> 1819 or and or 20th.
>> Um and those are check school. What's that? Those >> those were based Oh, right. >> Yeah. Those were based on the availability of um the auditorium >> and it was either that or December and
we we decided that it was better to do that 18th, 19th or 20th which is Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. Um, David, did you have any thoughts on the I know there was some feedback about liking to do the the Sunday meeting if we went down that road
for the fall from a from a town meeting pers town meeting committee perspectives? Do you have any opinion on that? >> If you're there, just unmute. Otherwise, we'll just um I think we talked about doing it on Sunday if I recall. >> Yeah. So, I would stick with the 18th
date. And then backing up from that, um, we would be closing the warrant closing the warrant July is that that's selecting date, July 14th. >> Yes. So, the the reason the main reason for a closure date is is sufficient.
>> Yeah. >> Because you want enough time to help guide that process and make sure you're not getting last minute, which frustrates both sides. >> And we would know at that point what the existing warrant articles would be I don't think anything anything that comes
in after July 14th especially given our dates we don't want to have new on the docket so that seems reasonable so we should put that and then the 25th date I mean it's we could probably push that back a little bit if we go that route I mean that
seems aggressive um but I don't know what what you're thinking I mean we're still tweaking the solicitor bylaw It's, you know, three weeks of town meeting. Um I think we had talked about going like the week after
um Labor Day in an earlier discussion. >> So we had 8 to nine weeks this current cycle leading up to Baytown meeting. So the main reason for finalizing the language is moderators preference for everyone to
review the bylaw and people's unwilling boards and committees unwillingness to review a bylaw late. >> So that six weeks gives all the boards in that summer time frame chance to weigh in on something like this and I do assume that demo and wetland would have
significant discussion boards committees given the >> various jurisdictions. Are we expecting anything about the pain? >> There's four things that I can think of. Yeah. Anything financial, which we haven't had in a while, the demo delay,
the wetland bylaw, and if anything comes from burns there >> or earlier >> or earlier >> pop up town. So if they needed to use land town land core
opening or meeting certain requirements then that would require a town meeting to wait. What's your view on it? I mean there's obviously it's something that you want to get a demo review bylaw in place and sooner is better presumably but fall versus I mean if it was a
spring town meeting you have a is there a strong reason to do it in the fall? I mean, obviously the sooner the better. Um, this bylaw we've been crafting since, >> right, >> fall 2024, so certainly it's had ample time to be sitting.
>> You can change the date to 1971. >> Yeah. >> Um, so I think that would be, you know, the reasoning. Um, and if there's enough on the docket to go, then certainly we'll be ready for that. I think the
interesting thing will be if we have a few things and none of them are overly timesensitive, do we do a fall town meeting? I think that's the calculation. >> Or does spring town meetings stack on the other end then?
>> Yeah. No, that's always a risk. Um, >> right now it's a little like >> for fall. Yeah. Yeah. And then again, if you push that back to the spring, you could have a heavier spring, but
>> yeah, we could also manage that. I mean, we're doing a lot this year and we get a lot more ETA, so maybe it's not as much. But >> So, what do you do do we need to vote on these dates tonight? >> No, but the more lead time you give to like these, the better.
>> We can communicate this without a vote or vote. So, the August 25th is the Tuesday, the last Tuesday in August. Um, Labor Day is September 7th.
I mean, I don't see a reason not to do that date other than that, it's just tough. It's the end of the summer and you're trying to >> But pushing it to the first or the eth, what does that really buy you? people, you still have the same problem that
it's the pre-LOR day uh interval. It's going to be tough to >> Would this be for the sorry >> be for a fall town meeting? Yeah. >> No, but for this be the deadline for the final bylaw >> language.
Is that correct? >> That would be August 25th. Closes >> August 25th or what you were just talking about Labor Day post Labor Day. Okay. >> Yeah. Which means it's it's really >> and again the things that we're discussing are the things that are
potential for the fall are >> like the conservation the wetlands that's also been in process for these aren't like starting you're starting from scratch >> bylaws. So I don't know if you know two weeks in the summer makes a difference at this point in the process. It
probably doesn't given that you've been working so long. Um, so from that standpoint and and Conscom would probably be similar in that they're not starting from from from the jump. And then if there was anything with ferns, I think that would be fairly straightforward and they would probably
I don't see why they would. So I think it's probably earlier is better and it just pushes everyone to to kind of makes the point like when you see August at the front of it that you got to get work done over the summer. Um question Brian on um the August 25th.
The language here is the article language and final motion draft for bylaws is the 25th and then the warrant would be signed on September 22nd. So, is it possible then between the 25th and the 22nd, 25th of August, 22nd of
September, if something came up that hadn't been anticipated that a change in the bylaw language was warranted, that could be done before the warrant gets signed. Is that correct? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Okay. So,
>> Okay. >> Right. Yeah. There's a little bit of uh room there if >> okay we >> had something >> council's attention or something. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Kind of like final final. >> Yeah.
>> You really want to hit that date but then if something comes up in a public hearing or a point of feedback and you need to tweak something like we were discussing with the solicitation bylaw minor edits could be done prior to the great. So, I think Are we good with that?
Generally, those dates, select board, we don't need a formal vote. >> Put on my calendar. There you go. >> Do we want to formally vote for that Sunday the uh is that the 18th October 18th the actual town meeting or you want to wait? >> I want I think we can do that when we
decide if we're going to have one. >> You know what I mean? Okay. I think if we have one it'll be the 18th, but >> wait and do that. >> Yeah, I think we can. I think we've told the school >> Okay. that if there's anything we need to communicate the school to make sure that it's not booked and then I think at
the end of May we make a decision how >> that sound reasonable Ryan >> yeah we'll communicate this to boards and committee chairs and department heads the dates the tenative dates >> and this this would be a I'm thinking if we have one it would be a one day
>> especially on Sunday we would be planning a t >> does anyone one here um have any opinion about when the um CPC should uh open a round of funding for a fall town meeting.
I don't know what I don't know what's on the plan. Do you have you've been working on a longer term plan like what what is >> Well, there there's some different items. uh the recreation commission has, you know, some projects that they want to have
considered, but I don't know their their timing, you know, has has changed somewhat. And I know the historical commission had had some ideas about um additional projects and maybe there'll be something coming out um
around the Highland building. I don't know. But so uh >> could you wait? Well, what from a timing standpoint, if you decided say end of May, yeah, we're having it. Can you open it? >> Oh, sure. Yeah. And it'll be, you know,
the new CDC. >> I think it's something that if you have a meeting between now and then, it's a good question to pose. Yeah. And then we can talk about it. >> Yeah. >> Um, >> okay. >> As long as you have enough lead time and, you know, I'm assuming you wouldn't open something before we decide how to
follow. >> No. >> Yeah. >> Right. Right. I don't know what the we times are with all this. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Well, that's a good point. >> Okay. >> All right. Good. Thank you. I think we're close enough. And then you're going to you're going to stay in session for the Highland discussion. >> Yeah. >> Okay.
>> So, let's move on to Highland. It's 837. I think the person Brian, I see you're here. If you want to >> come up just for the first part of it. How's Conquer Town meeting? >> What happened on the amenities? >> It was a nailbiter, but the amenities
building passed. It was a nail by there was a motion to pull it from the CPC amendment and so that was a 45minut discussion >> and what was the reason to pull it just lack of support >> but it had the that move the
>> amendment >> amendments failed by three to one >> so yeah >> all rights in our court >> yep don't want to go through it again next year but we're here to talk about the amenities building. We're talking another building that does that does
exist and that's the Highland building. And just as a bit of context, um it was a little under two years ago the the select board discussed Highland building and put it on our annual goals. Two years ago, it's on our annual goal this
year. Um and the discussion we had and and Travis and Barney and David Prene speak but essentially as a select board um at the time and Kate Reed was also on the select board for this discussion. Um we had said you know there's been this
open question of what to do with Highland. It's been out there for decades and and there's a real need to come to some closure um wi with the building and its function. Um and as a select board, our position at the time
was let's hand it to the school committee this question to to identify their preference for how it be used given the location, given the constraints of being in the school that whatever function is identified or is workable would really have to come from the school committee.
And so the school committee um looked at a couple of different options along the way. I know you looked at doing like a um locationational setup and and some other things, but ultimately um and the letter is included in the packet in February um you discussed at your school
committee meeting and took a final position and provided a letter to the select board um essentially saying that um the Highland building does not meet the current or perceivable needs of the Carile public school um and
that while you might have needs needs the to essentially you didn't see the Highland being a solution to your future needs. So, um and there there's more in the letter and hopefully everyone's had a chance to read that letter, but um I didn't know if you wanted to provide any
other color on that. >> Yeah, I mean I think what I just want to make sure to note is you know this I do see the school having and the school committee sees the school having space needs in the future. Um
but again, Highland does not fit those needs in that we could in theory you could move a few offices over there, but that's not going to make a dent um in terms of the the space needs that we have. And if the school committee is
going to be requesting town resources for a large capital investment, it's not going to be for that building. it is going to be for the buildings that we have that we use every day like Wilkins like Robbins that are you know from the
60s7s that frankly need attention themselves and so if we're trying to be smart about town resources and looking at all the other capital projects that are going on the school committee is not going to factor in Highland as a
solution for for what the school is going to need. we've got to focus on the resources that we're using on a daily basis. I would say the second part of that that the school committee talked about in that February meeting is, you know, while we do not have a use for
the building, we would definitely have a use for the land. And so if a synergistic use of the building cannot be found in the very near term um the preference of the school
committee is that we have access to that land. So we didn't say what near-term meant. Um you know in my personal view it would be by next 2027 annual town meeting uh at the
latest. But um the school committee wants a final decision made on this so that um you know it's either invested in and we have an active building that's being used by the community for purposes that align with the school such as recreation and community. Um definitely
not housing. Um but otherwise it's like it's sitting there on campus. It's a little bit dangerous. It's, you know, my third grade daughter, I mean, the only view she has out her classroom is this vacant building that's just been sitting
there. Um, we have other uses for the land, yet if the town can't come up with something in the near term. >> And in your letter, you said, you know, the school committee would support potential uses of Highland that are clearly synergistic with the school camps as community centered or
recreation focused programming provided that undergoes review by the school community. Can you just in a nutshell remind us of what some of the constraints are in terms of the physical location of Highland as it relates to the school day and what is synergistic
at a high level in terms of function in terms of hours um essentially while school is in session it can't really be an active community space or can it
>> how well defined those constraints are >> I would say it definitely has the potential to be used during the day if there was you know community program in the same way the community room at the school you know can be booked during the day um um by outside um
you know by by outside groups >> is it is it that is booked during the day by outside groups >> I mean when it's available and unfortunately it's basically a teachers lounge at this point during the day um and you know teachers are eating lunch there two hours of the day um you know I
know that recreation has an interest in that space. Um, and just like the the um, you know, their building is used during the day for programs. Um, I don't see why the Highland couldn't be used. Obviously, parking is an issue. Um, you know, that's already a parking
constraint uh, at the school. >> Did you did you discuss recreation as a school committee as a potential function? Have you had conversations with Holly? And >> have we had conversations recently with Holly on it? No, but I mean we did say in that, you know, we have said all
along that, you know, aligning with recreation would would be um would most likely work for the school. >> But again, the idea that it's a place where kids could have after school activities at the school, great. But that's not necessarily the school's not
saying invest in the building for that function. We have other needs. >> Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, when I was the, you know, on the executive committee at Kids House, we looked at it as the after school option and short of the high price tag, Kids House was very
interested in it precoid um 2018 2019, but it was just, you know, too expensive to to renovate. Um it would make sense as an afterchool location but it's expensive and that you know after school programs
are not run by in Carlile they are not run by the school those are run by recreation and then from a historical from your standpoint you wanted to also discuss the Highland building. Was it in response to the school committee or was
there a particular use or point you wanted to make about the Highland building? I mean, aside from its historical significance, obviously. >> Yeah. I mean, I think that when you look at the master plan, the goals are clearly outlined that the retention of
historic character in town is critical to the desires of the town. It's one of two town owned buildings, the bald house being the other. Um, you know, I think that the um CPA funds were used 15 years
ago to secure the envelope of the building. So, in that regard, it's pretty um updated and, you know, I think it's probably the reason it's been as well preserved on the inside because the outside has been sort of maintained.
Um, and I think, you know, there is a critical need in town right now for some community space. And I'm sort of speaking not as a historical commission member, but just as a community member, I think the loss of
some of our community spaces um, sort of mandates some creativity on our part to bring that back because I think over time that community spirit has potential to erode. And I think that that's not a great outlook for the town right now.
>> So we know I think Christine you had asked this question. How much So we invested how do you recall how much we invested in the envelope back in >> it was some amount of money. Yeah.
>> Yeah. And so on an annual basis and how much are we spending to maintain Highland or is it one of these you don't do anything, you don't do anything and then you have to invest a bunch of money? Um do we have a budget for Highland or is it maintenance? Like
what's the cost of holding Highland on an annual basis? >> I would have to get you the exact amount. >> No, just false. >> Yeah. general maintenance and insurance >> and I know from the MFC we had investigated a little bit they it has a
lot of asbestous and you know hazardous stuff. So now to go in there you have to put on the hazmat suit to to actually use it. So storage, the fire department has been storing stuff in there, but I think that's I' asked the chief if not
whether they're still going to do that or not. >> And recreation has been using the basement to store stuff, too. >> I did ask a question for a rundown on cost. She got back to me insurance and she said it was $6,000. And she said, interestingly, that it
costs more to ensure a building is empty than a building that is occupied. So she that go down if it would be engaged. >> But but but really all of that stuff is tail like the dog, right? So I mean I
was on fin when we voted to preserve it and I don't remember the amount but it's you know 20 years ago so or 18 years ago. So the cost the dollar amount is not really relevant but it was a it was clearly a holding
pattern. I mean, in other words, the the money and it was controversial at the time, but the money was deemed relatively cost effective to preserve the options, right? So, demolition is a
one-way thing. Once you decide to demo, you can't go back. It's kind of like um green out, right? I mean, we demoed, we argued it, but we demoed. Now you got a little Koopa that we can do something with, but you can't go back and say, "Oh, gee, I wish I'd had the barn." Like that's it.
So the, you know, to the earlier point, I mean, it it was determined that it was felt, I can say this, and I I was personally against it, I also will say, but it was felt that for the money, it
bought the option of time to determine a use. And you know, to be fair, I mean, it kind of did what it's supposed to do. It looks decent from the outside. We know it's toxic on the inside. Um, but and we've gone I don't know what this is
probably the third or fourth goround of of the uh you know, possible use of it. But to be fair, you know, we've preserved the right to analyze it and it's been analyzed and the 6,000 of insurance and whatever is kind of a tiny amount, you know, in the scale of
things. So, so I think it did what it was supposed to do, but it really is every study that I've seen runs into the same conclusion that Brian's saying is like it would cost too much to make it useful.
>> It's not that we'll have time for community input in in a couple of minutes. Um, finish up, David, on your thoughts. >> Well, I'm done. I'm done. All I want to say is in perspective, you know, whether
it's 6,000 of insurance cost, it's peanuts money to keep it, but it all the so we bought the luxury of time. We did our job. I mean, we collectively, the town did our job in, you know, doing studies and trying to find uses, but the conclusions were always the same, which
is it's too expensive for the use we could find, you know, to bring it to code and all this stuff. But so two two I'll just finish two items. I think it was a decent decision to preserve it at the time but we've had like it's not 20 but it's almost 20
years. We've looked at it 88 ways and we've never come to a different conclusion about its cost effective use. And I'll stop now. Thank you. >> I think from our standpoint again our goal here tonight is not to make some kind of decision about what to do
tonight. It's to one publicly discuss the feedback which we haven't done since February. we had that opportunity. I also wanted to uh coordinate with with historical commission since you were here. Um but as a select board, my
feeling is keeping an open-ended um date to to make some decision or identify a function is probably not tenable. We need to make a commitment um that I think next town meeting we're we're bringing something to the town. No matter what we do, it's going to cost
money. whether it's buying a function or demolition, it's going to cost money and ultimately that means the town needs to approve it. So at the end of the day, this is going to be town decision. Um, and I think over the next and we're not doing anything at this town meeting and we're not doing anything at the fall
town meeting. So the bogey is next town meeting 127. Um, what are what are we asking the town for? If anything, maybe there's an avenue where we don't have to ask the town. Um but this is the school
has said what you've said. Um and I and I know there and now I'll give the opportunity. Um we I know we've had some community uh informal committees working on this looking at this. if you just want to say a few words again I don't want to get into a whole deliberation on
different uses but if you want to say a few words about what you've been looking at what some of your thoughts and from my standpoint the big thing I'm looking at from a town standpoint is all the in all the investment we have to do in critical infrastructure um
when we talk about the fire station DPW our roads we need to invest a lot of money over the next 20 years I don't see a big um amount of available investment in the Highland building. So, similar to what we're doing at the Bog House where we're
pursuing um alternative funding means or you know the library which we heard from earlier this evening which was private fundraising. finding an avenue. If we're looking at a potential use, it's going to be incumbent that we find some use that a is synergistic with with
the school and the school committee, but also has to be attached to some kind of funding strategy that isn't asking the town because we know all these buildings, it's going to be $800 to $1,000 a square foot to do whatever you need to do to the Highland building if it's just town funding. So that's what I
think giving giving some time to look at those options um and organize that is is something we need to look at over the next year. So does someone want to speak to that from the community standpoint? >> Sure. You want to step forward and just say your name and and and I and there's information in the packet that came out
today that has a lot of information. Um what is that regarding the different potential uses and >> page 66? >> Page 66 of the packet. Yeah. >> And I haven't had a chance to review in full detail, but u I appreciate the
information you did provide. So, if you want to kind of speak to your history on the project and and some of what we've been discussing tonight and what you'll see as a potential function if we look over the next years to articulate what that is. >> Sure. Uh Jack Tro 151 conquered Street.
Um I was the uh steering committee chair of the Carile master plan. that was um published in 2022. Um also the vice president of the Carile Historical Society.
So I guess first I'll say I was encouraged um after the uh school indicated at the request or behest of the select board to take a look at the building because one of the
recommendations in the master plan was for the school to look at the building um for its purposes. And it sounds like that has now been a process 18 months or so run
its course and made a determination um that that's uh not compatible with what the school hopes to accomplish. So after that meeting um
a group of interested parties from the different community groups that have historically expressed interest in the building like the reccom um the cultural council. Uh
we got together with historical commission and and other folks and started to talk about what kinds of community uses there could be for the building because that was another key aspect of what was intended what was
recommended in the master plan and I don't believe other than some preliminary and you just said it Brian I think there wasn't a lot of coordination between the school committee and the reccom and other groups. So now enter
that discussion and that's what we think uh is you know what we would recommend in this intervening period. I would emphasize a couple things in the memo um that apart from
community uh use of the building and there's some fairly you know there's outline details from both the reccom Holly Mansfield and and the cultural council uh Debbie Bentley provided details of things that have been on
their uh agenda. Um, Holly would like to move into the building next week. Um, she has use for the entire first floor. Um, and, uh, as you probably know, she's
running over capacity on a lot of programs that she runs out of the brick schoolhouse, the summer fund. She doesn't have any um, uh, inclement weather options for that. Um, so anyway, those details are are in
there. I would emphasize one other thing. Um, couple other things. I think there's a lot of misnomers about the Highland building. And so I just want to say I agree with David that it was stabilized in 201 uh 201
13. Um, and then there was another town vote in 2014. But when it did not pass for a uh really an engineering and architecture study, it was the same year that the town well
both the year before and and that year were when the town took on $30 million of bonded debt for the spa for the Spalding building and the high school. So it really wasn't good timing and as
you said it wasn't likely going to be a hot project for the town to undertake with that much um you know debt. So in a master plan, it's very specific recommendation to look at the options for public
private partnership similar to what the library has done and other groups have done in other communities like Westford, Conquer. And so one of the things that we discussed as the group is the likely
scenario that the project wouldn't go forward if there wasn't a public private partnership. So just to summarize what came out of those three meetings were lots of interest for community use,
you know, historical significance of the building and and benefits of of going forward, use of a public private partnership to consider how it could be used. And I just want to say too from a cost
standpoint, we did have an estimate that was incorporated at the time of the uh master plan for um well there were two steps to it because part of the master plan was to also look at housing.
So when Tachi Builders came in and looked at the project, there were several meetings with the last Highland committee and the school committee and it was decided that uh housing was not a good location for
the Highland bill. So when Taji did their estimates, they looked at both housing and for community use. And the budget for the restoration of the interior, it's about $2.2
million. And uh that was in 2021. So if I had to guess, that's probably about $3 million today. um you know if you were to accept you know index for building cost
inflation particularly high right after the uh pandemic and then so I think we have a lot of information um about the building there was an architectural study done uh there was
this cost estimate done um clearly the cost estimates would have to be updated um for current uh dollars. But um you know, we think that there's uh synergies, to use your term, uh synergistic uses
for the building. Um, and you know, one thing that that Brian mentioned, there are onampus uses of the brick building, community room, and the Highland building would sort of fit in that same
category, I think, as you being available for that kind of program. So, um, I'll stop there. I don't know if anybody wants to add anything else uh that was present in the meetings that we
>> the building footprint is 2,400 square ft around that 2,500 >> yeah 7500 very big building just to give you an idea you just been talking about the library innovation at 3 million and something so I mean that gives you an
idea it's another similar program that you would have in that building so you've even got a sort So the library is 11,000 square feet. I don't know what the >> So it's describe it as footprint. I So I think it's around >> 7500 square ft.
>> Yeah. Just give me that's just a comparison question. So it just >> overall um talking about asbestous we have to deal with the asbestous regardless of what the decision is. So if you're talking about fall time meeting or I don't know but somebody
needs to do a study on that speestus >> and how much it is to remove it regardless doesn't matter what we do we still have to asus >> and there was no asbestous by the way in green now just as far as like
>> comparison would know that that was 210,000 200,000 to do the deconstruction of greenout So you're talking the you know we had an estimate in 2021 of 325,000 to to demolish it and that was with no
asbesus remediation >> for high >> for high. Yeah. >> So it's probably >> it was 25,000 the estimate. >> What's that? I remember back in the day the go estimate was like 25,000 but I mean it it yes it's expensive. I
mean, we know. Um, John Valentine, do you wanna do you have a comment you want to make? >> Thank Thank you very much. As you know, I've been on three Highland committees and read through all those engineering studies and everything else. I and I just want to echo what Dave um Modell
said. Clearly, we stabilized a building back in 2012 and 13 to try to figure out what the community uses were were. And essentially that's been the real dilemma is what is the how would we use it that is compatible with the school and works
with the whole town. And I think that really has been the real decision problem and issue. I mean the cost we know from a you know engineering standpoint everything else it's strong. It's stable. It can be converted and used. But how what works for the
community and community space and I my sense is on what's happening now is finally people are coming forward say oh yeah we can we can find a systemic way that it can work but and also and to echoing what Jack and what the library has done we understand very much the
financial constraints and that essentially you're going to have to have a a a public private partnership that helps fund at least half of it much like the orary and that's the way to do it. And so I think the real issue is okay there's a community group that's gotten
together that's got a lot of energy there other people are saying we need you know 3 4 thousand extra if not more community space around town and particularly without ferns and everything else how do you find ways to make this work and I know also the issue
on parking everybody gets all dives into detail there are ways to figure out the parking issue we've had conversations with the congregational church so there are ways to figure out creatively to do this. But the issue is, is there a broader sense of community participation that this can be used and that works
with the schools and works with this community as we evolve in a way that doesn't create extra cost for the town because we all know, you know, sadly, you know, underinvesting um over the past 20 years has really meant that we've had to do a lot of things on the
facility side, which means we have few degrees of freedom. So, pilot has to be done. if we decide to do it as you say in the next year or so. How do you do that in a way that we share it and that can be used in the future? And so I think it's possible, but that's uh and I
really want to applaud Jack Tro and everybody else who's gathered has said at Holly said, "Hey, here are some ideas that could work and that works with the school." And I think it's really important to have something that works with the school and the whole community. And I think that's possible, but it's no
hopefully we can get there. We'll see. And I really want to applaud everybody else who's sort of stepping forward and say, "Let's try to figure out if we can do this. Did you have a comment? Sorry. Thanks, John. Christina. >> Yeah. >> Hi. Thank you. Um yeah. Um so I've been
one of the people um going to to some of these meetings. Um I just wanted to also u put in and from an environmental perspective um the the Highland building actually is my understanding is it's it's pretty technically intact. I mean, obviously there's work that needs to be
done on the inside, but structurally it's it's in pretty decent shape. And especially given that fact, um it usually uh structurally sound buildings are much more environmentally
sustainable um option to refurbish, reuse, repurpose than to demolish. Um, and given the fact that we do need community spaces, um, we do need, uh, places to gather, um,
to preserve our historical connection, if you will, to to the town's history. Um, it the places the building is right in smack in the center of town. Um, so that actually affords increased walkability, which is a very
environmental sustainable um, component to it. Um and it will provide um also opportunities for um upgrades uh which um or it can provide opportunities uh for environmentally sustainable upgrades. So all around um
environmentally it makes sense to repurpose it, reuse it and not demolish it. So thank you >> Jack. Um, are you are you and the others that are interested, are you um
prepared to continue working toward developing something more specific, including addressing the question of how you would finance something? >> Yes, absolutely. Um I think it makes
sense to you know continue on looking at um other you know models that have been applied in other communities and you know uh take some of the lessons learned from the library too. But you
know just kind of make a pass at you know the feasibility of a public private kind of application for the for the building. I mean, I I'm not concerned about the uses. I I think ultimately the the uses will be considered
compatible based on my initial uh overview. I think that brings us to the question of if that's the case, then how do you make it work? You know, from a financial standpoint, >> have there been any funds raised so far? >> There's been no fundraising
activity. Um, I can say through the my experience in working with the historical society that um, we've been approached by a couple of people who are very interested in the Highland building and have expressed an interest in
supporting it. Uh, but they want to know that the town and the school are behind it. Obviously, they want to, you know, express interest in something that isn't going to happen. So, and I just want to reiterate and I
said at the start, but community usage, recreation uses, you know, those at a high level align with the school. There's no concern there. I think the school's concern is just >> time boxing how long these conversations
continue because, you know, we've heard >> third fourth iteration of a committee like we've got to get to the point of just making. >> Yeah. Exactly. So the school committee would, you know, happily, you know, be part of the
conversations and, you know, make sure that there's the alignment before things go too far down any given path. >> Is there is there anyone I know you have a comment, but was there anyone on the school committee that might be a liaison to this this working group? >> Um,
>> maybe that's something you can ask your committee. >> I will ask our meeting in May. >> The more >> we'll get a leazison. the more someone from the school committee can be involved in these discussions, I think the better. And just to ensure that any path they're going down is is
one that is communicated back to the school committee and is synergistic with what they didn't cut you off. >> No, it's fine. I I just had a question really for Christine because you were talking about time boxing and you're the liaison. You're really were on the committee with the library. How was that
done from a timing standpoint? And you know, at some point you had to organize and then get enough to to sustain a a campaign and >> Right. Right. >> How did that play out? >> Timing is really important. I'll tell you just as a bit of backstory. Um, you
know, we wanted to renovate the library starting with the 125th anniversary of the library. That posed a very natural, logical um, but that happened to coincide with COVID. very difficult to raise funds and get people together and excited about something when everyone just sort of hooked down trying to get through the day. Um, and then when we
finally popped our head up and it looked like things were going to happen, um, turn off the castle just kind of came out of nowhere and said, "We're ready to bunch of money. Thank you very much, Brian." >> So, we took a backseat because no one wants to be with school children. And, um, waited another year and then we
finally uh, kicked it off. And you know, as anyone who has raised a couple million dollars knows, it takes a lot of energy. Oh my gosh. You're always always on, always calling people, shaking people down in market basket. I mean, it
was every little It was raw three years straight. It was hard. It was hard work. So, you know, you know, just to speak to Scott's point, there's not enough money for the buildings we do use and people are kind of tired of the, you know, round and round the Malbury bush. So can
we, you know, commit to a plan forward. If we were to say next year at annual town meeting notionally in May, um the involved parties come forward with a plan of a trade-off. Do you want to
either fund a community use center for x amount of dollars, whatever you guys determine that to be with this amount of money coming from the public, or do we want to just we do we want to make the finally the demolition decision? What do you want it to be? That does need to be
a town decision. But I do think that, you know, a year's time, is that enough time to come up with a plan? No. Yes. What do we think? Well, you know, I would
suggest that we probably certainly would be able to conduct a feasibility. Uh, and whether we would have 100% of the money spoken for, I can't say for sure based on your words of caution. Um
but I believe it's possible within the course of a year to come forth with a you know legitimate plan to say this is how it could be done. X dollars private philanthropy of which Y dollars is
spoken for or pledged >> and yeah show some pledges some action against that. Sure. Yeah. >> And then, you know, some component of CPA funding uh as a historic property and, you know, probably some kind of a
coordinated um facility model with the town as it is with the brick building, you know, because it I can tell you it's probably most feasible, you know, to have it again as
a public private partnership of them. It's not all independent staff if you can use common staff, common resources, you know, for the benefit of community programs. So, some kind of a, you know,
model where the town would know what they're uh considering. Uh, I think I think that's reasonable, you know, >> and I think it's also reasonable, you know, I had reached out to Scott because he was on the um in the predecessor
group and but I leave it to you guys to figure out, but I do think somebody to liaz with the with the group is a good idea and I think to come forward periodically along the way with the
select board and make a report, you know, this is what's going on. This is what we've done. Um, and then we've also talked about setting up a website because I know Christine, you asked about that, you know, posting up information, there would be some
publicly facing element to it. So, if you wanted to look at a timeline, you have a fact-based dialogue. People, you know, correct? memories start to like, oh, it's been, you know, we've revisited this six time, you know, but let's have a fact. >> And we don't want to be a town meeting
saying, let's we need $50,000 to do what can we do with the highland. We've done we've >> it's got to be >> any action has got to be defined. It's got to be in process and we have to get community buy in. And it doesn't have to be 100% done, but I think if you can
demonstrate the vision, the buy in and the commitment financially and politically, you know, that's that's what you need. And I think we but I do think we need some urgency around pushing this thing forward instead of just kicking the camp. Yeah. Because there is a cost
>> to just letting it sit there and and it it's it's been too long. No, I think it's worth pushing towards that uh time frame >> in your favor. I don't know of any major fundraising campaigns coming up.
>> That's what I thought. It might be the right and that's kind of bad. >> Rename the building too, by the way. It can be called something else >> to to David's point about I I would say my only caveat to his observation about looking at it teen times is timing is
everything. And so each time it's been looked at, there have been other extenduating circumstances in the process. So >> timing is key. >> Yeah. Okay. May I make one other point just sort of echoing what both Christine
and Brian who didn't say but was very involved with the castle and renovating of the castle. We need you know obviously deadlines of things to do but probably realistically is this is a two to threeyear project to get it all pulled together. And so you lay out a detailed plan that says, okay, this is
what you're doing. This is what's going to look like and here are these commitments, but so that you have to say realistically, you know, yeah, there's an urgency to do it. Here's a plan. It looks like it's going to happen. There'll be active debate and discussion and then then things happen or don't. And so I think it's great to say let's
shoot for a year, but understand that just like 51 Walden and other things that have happened, these things take time and effort and they can happen, but people have to decide they're behind it. >> Great. I think that's >> we have um Barney on the committee
still. Barney, in your opinion, what if any of these plans would qualify for CPA funding? uses I should say that. >> Yeah. Well, >> number one, because we've used CPA money
already to um >> maintain or um improve the exterior and the you know physical structure of the building. Um we that is a precedent for
using CPA money. Um I think one aspect would be the the um on the interior of the building. Um figuring out uh what if the
what what could be preserved from a historic standpoint that would be of value in terms of uh representing the history of the town. um which would then qualify for CPA money. Um but more broadly um because we
went through this I don't know if you you probably don't remember because it didn't actually come forward to um town meeting but the there was a group um two years ago that wanted to um that had put in an
application for CPA funds for the Highland building to do the kind of remaining uh analysis of the of the interior infrastructure and um at the time
our town council um felt that it didn't qualify for CPA money, but since then um that that opinion it I we haven't talked to town council about it, but that opinion
um I think has been shown in in other towns uh that that's not the case when you are trying to determine the usage of a of a say a building um that could
potentially be uh eligible as a CPA project. It's allowable to use CPA funds to do that analysis to do that, you know, structural um or infrastructure analysis as a way to determine whether or not there's a
use for the building and if that use will qualify for CPA funds. So I hope it's it's not too well. >> So I think I think if I can summarize what I'm hearing is CPA funding might be eligible for the analysis portion but not the actual implementation.
>> Well, it depends on what what the conclusion is. Um >> well let's say the conclusion is yes. I I mean let's Scott, you said $1,000 a square foot and how many square feet?$7,000. Is that what I heard? 7500
>> 35 >> no >> what for that >> 7500 >> 7500 square feet >> right so that would be $750,000 or no that would be >> 25 million a million >> 7.5 million
>> so if if the study is you know $500,000 okay but if the conclusion is 70 7.5 million to bring it up to code and make it useful you're saying CPA they could pay for the study but not the seven seven million or >> well for example if the interior of the
building has a lot of um and again I haven't gone in to look at it from this standpoint but let's I don't know what the uh the uh interior um flooring looks like but if it's you know if it's the original
>> but it could be No, I'm I'm serious. This could qualify >> my way. I know I I >> David David >> this has been looked at before >> right >> historically if if the tochi set if you retain the same historical look of the classrooms
>> then you're basically maintaining the historical structure >> and much like the library and the thousand square foot is not an accurate number to be throwing out it's really >> well I don't want to I mean we're >> so I mean we shouldn't be going down that rat hole in that this >> No no no I mean I agree with you not to
go down a rat hole it's more like how much of it I think I got sort of an answer that uh it would be a stretch to get like a full CPA funding but there may be some you know meaningful hundreds of thousands of dollars that could be
creatively applied but it remains a multi-million dollar project that needs so it it buttresses your point John right a public private partnership is what would be >> right and and I think in the same way that the interior improvements uh
gain eligibility in the library, they would qualify in this building. I mean, the building is like a museum inside. It it literally is very well preserved because of the exterior improvements and it looks like a school like it did. It's
got all the chalkboards up. It's got a lot of the elements, the floors, the banisters on the stairs. It's it's I think a lot of it would be eligible. The building is also eligible for the national, you know, listing on the national register.
>> So, >> all right. So, much more to come on this. Again, this the goal tonight was to just recap the school committee, talk to historical commission and and resurface some of the community work that's that has been done and is being done. So, I think as a select board,
we'll we'll need to continue to discuss this. I'm sure this will be another annual goal. Um, do we want to have any We're not resolution, but do you want to have anything a little bit like more formal about a timetable here? We've
been talking about it, but you know, to really kind of put some fire under this, not not literally. >> Well, sorry. Well, do you do you want to make up a not even a motion, but I'm just thinking
we we've talked about, you know, in the people who are involved here, it's like a 12 month process is a reasonable process. And I I just think we discussed we should have some notion of a goal that speaking next town meeting because if you don't hit those town meetings,
those are where you can get funding to actually do anything. So, if you miss next town meeting, now we're two years out potentially. So I think it is important that >> you were saying we we we don't necessarily need every dollar accounted for but we've coalesed around an idea that that the community supports that
the school committee has said is yes this works with the school. Um there's a the notion of a private public partnership. We've looked at maybe some CPA things at a high level. We have enough confidence that we can take it to a town meeting to get public support behind it.
>> Yeah. No go decision, right? >> Yeah. Go no go. And the goal may not even be like full go. The go is just >> this is the >> you know but yeah I think I think next town meeting we need to have that. >> Yeah I would argue by the way that uh I
mean you might not want to bring it to the town anyway but it's probably within the purview of the school committee and the select board to allow the use of the building without going to town meeting. Obviously, if it was a public private
partnership and then you had town council probably weighing in on how that was structured, that might require approval, but if CPA obviously talking about funding. >> Yeah. So, funding >> obviously the town has to approve any
>> any money spent on study or anything. So, that's where you're going to need the town. >> Yes. Absolutely. I I I I was thinking of the >> and without building >> look nothing. We're going to hit a point where without any we're going to need some funding to take it to the next step, right? >> Yeah. >> And that next step, we should be a town
meeting. Maybe that's design funding. Maybe that's some element of the project. But >> I think that's a reasonable timeline. So, and and I think, you know, we can even come back at a future meeting and have a timeline of how we're getting there, so to speak. because just in
listening to the earlier discussion, there are certain milestone dates you have to hit before the town meeting. So, >> we have to factor those on the calendar, too. And from a select board standpoint, I mean, >> we form committees and things. Are we
comfortable allowing this community committee to to run the run the charge? Like I don't >> for now I'd say. >> Yeah. >> I think they need you need some grassroots a leader who comes out. I mean you look at the you did it for the
the playground and it worked out beautifully. I mean so if you could find someone who just energized and you're pointy >> right there >> been nominated. >> Yeah. That's great. That's I think what it takes to to push that forward.
>> Well see what we can do. got the master plan >> and you know we we we're always referring back to that good >> but but I would say and I think that's a good move but I would say that it needs
to be missiondriven it you know if if Jack or whoever wants to step forward and say I'm leading the charge I think that's fine who's that >> it's not Jack it's not Jack who's who raised >> Jack Okay. So, if you want to lead the
charge and uh you know, grassroots and all that, it's I think the best way is to say kind of preemptively, we've looked at it and we think it makes a good rec center and you know, whatever. Like, here's the vision. I'm leading on the vision. Come
in, don't come in. Like, >> Brian and Deepa had the playground. This is the vision of the playground. We're going to do this and the library. We're going to do this. and uh John and the cat, you know, hey, we're going to take the boghouse and we're going to do this. So, it needs to not I think, you know,
my reflection on the 20 years of sort of naval gazing about the process. It needs not to be another study of the study. I think you just decide >> just decide and lead people come. >> Yeah, you you've seen enough. You've thought about it enough. >> Sorry about my committee. You should be
able to find a a strong vision. Yep. And I think the select word down is going to turn over but may continue to have this as a goal to to really get this resolved and one whatever that is. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Good.
>> All right. Good for discussion. >> Officially. >> Yes. Please do motion is closed. So historic discussion and portion of this joint meeting. >> All those in favor? >> I >> I
>> I don't think he's on anymore. >> Thank you very much. >> The conversation outside. >> Okay. Okay, we're going to move on to item six, annual town election warrant approval. And uh we're going to look at the and approve the ballot questions.
And Ashley, you're out there. >> Welcome. >> Good evening. Thank you everybody. Um so I have um presented tonight the um annual town election warrant. Um, as you all are familiar, the warrant notifies
voters of the place and time of the town election, as well as the offices that they'll be voting on and any uh ballot questions, which in this case, we have three debt exclusion ballot questions. Um, so we do have a motion to uh approve
the warrant as well as a motion to approve the language of the questions and to place them on the the warrant. So, I have a question. Um, >> I I don't have the answer to it. I should. >> So, I heard feedback on the um when we
did the fire station design question that people were confused. Some people were confused about what a yes vote meant and what a no foot meant. So, I know there's legality around how we describe these things. Is there the
opportunity to provide a a layman explanation um so that people don't get confused about what they're voting for? And I don't have the previous language so maybe it's it's not an issue here. >> Um but I want to make sure people understand
>> who haven't been involved in the process don't ally with what's being asked. >> Yeah. >> Right. that that is allowed >> that that the ballot question there could be like a yeah a summary after the
question that says a yes vote would blah blah and a no vote would blah blah >> now are you asking for that on the ballot itself or um on the warrant? >> No, I was think well >> on the ballot. >> Yeah, I was thinking more on the ballot
itself when you go to vote. >> I see. Um I believe there is some provisions for that. Um I will have to look into who makes the description of those um kind of u paragraphs describing those questions. Um but yes, I believe that we could uh look into that and see
if that would be a potential because it is understandable the questions come off a little levies and it's a little hard for an average voter to understand what exactly the question is asking. >> Yeah. >> In thinking about it would be like question three. Shall the town be
allowed to exempt from the provisions the proposition 20 so-called amounts and then a yes vote would allow the project to move forward right or >> right >> would I mean something that's like >> very straightforward
>> straightforward so that someone says oh I want this fire station or I don't want >> or if you support it well yes if you don't >> right >> and I don't know what's legally allowed but I I did have a conversation with and this is anecdotal But someone who's, you
know, very educated that voted the wrong way because they misinterpreted >> the question. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> I had a person tell me that too >> after town meeting. >> So I I will caution that. I do think that's possible, but probably not in this time frame >> really.
>> So the only way I've seen it is if a town passes a bylaw or mass general law that allows you to write these questions and it you do have to dictate who writes them. Can you provide a um >> so you can't write both the yes and the no. There has to be a either town
council writes bold independently >> or the so-called no group can write their own version of no >> does the town moderator get involved in that? I mean he he would verbalize it anyways. He I mean he's the one coaching people at the
>> so this is the election of the >> Oh go I could be I could be wrong. I was cautioning that if you put this off, it might >> Yeah. >> When does this need to be signed by Ashley? >> So, the B the ballots actually need to
be ordered um by uh May 1st basically because we do have vote by mail for the election. So, um we do have to get the ballots ordered mailed out to people who have requested mailed ballots and received back. So, the earliest or the latest we really could order them would
be like the first week of May. So, that really wouldn't be a whole lot of uh time frame to to get all of that sorted, but I would maybe focus on outreach. I can certainly um there's some there's some limitations on what we can
advertise as far as, you know, uh letting people know what the questions are. We can certainly um try to make some type of um outreach uh on our website, you know, without I'll have to look into the laws about uh what we can and can't say or advertise with our um
town election, but certainly we can look into outreach to try to explain things a little bit better >> or even I don't know if it would be allowed, but even to have something posted outside the ballot area, you know, where you coming to vote, but that
said um a yes vote. vote means X and a Y vote and a no vote means Y. >> Um, we might need to have grassroots signs say vote yes on one. Yes. You know what I mean? I don't >> Yeah. All right.
>> Because it sounds like it's too late. >> Well, we need to make sure that the town meeting presentations are also very clear on vote yes on question one. Right. I mean, so we can't say that to the town and you can't say that the town,
but you can say what? Yes or no? >> What do you mean we can't? So you can say vote and vote to approve. >> So >> you can vote yes on the article and count, but you can't say the select board urges you to vote yes on this
question on the ballot. That >> depends on how you do it. If you if you spend taxpayer dollars doing it, then it would be a campaign violation, >> right? >> So, you have to be careful. Like, we can't put it up on the town website using staff. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Now, you as two different things here,
right? So, we're not arguing to advocate. We're arguing for clarity, right? >> Correct. Clarity. So, um, >> yeah, >> I think first of all, Wayne is very good at, you know, clarifying what a vote at town meeting means, and
he's well within his rights to do so, and that works fine. It's not that audience that needs clarity at the ballot box. It's those who didn't go to town meeting or those who went to town meeting and already forgot or to Scott's point, those who maybe went to town
meeting, think they understand, and then they get there and they don't understand. So that communication if it cannot be through the official town I think we need to work on like something that the mosquito puts out. I mean it's not making sure people at town meeting understand what they're going to do next
week. It's what people generally understand when they get ready to vote what they do next week. So that has to be like if we can't do it on our website I think it has to be like the mosquito. You're saying if it's to clarify something, he
>> to clarify. Just to clarify, a yes vote means XYZ. >> Yeah. >> But if if if Ryan is correct in what he says, we ought to think about taking up a bylaw change in some future meeting to allow the town to do what the Commonwealth does, which is just, hey, a
yes vote means this and no vote means this. That's all voter education. There shouldn't be anything wrong with that. >> Yeah. Okay. But for now, >> But for now, we need to uh >> we need to approve this >> approve these. Okay.
And >> so there's a motion here in a packet. Um should I go ahead and read that? >> Please remember signing this. >> And are we doing both of them at the same time? So one's the um the language of the three ballot questions and the
other one is approving the warrant for the annual town election. Uh maybe we should separate the votes, huh? Different things. Okay. Uh I move to approve the language of the three ballot questions as presented in the town clerk's memo included in this
packet and to place the questions on the 2026 annual town election ballot. >> Second. Any further discussion or deliberation? Roll call vote. >> Arnold I. >> Modell I. >> Snell I.
>> Stevens I. True. I >> that passes. Then I move to approve the warrant for the annual town election scheduled for Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026 in the Clark room of town hall, 66 West Street, Carlile, Mass 071,
as presented in the packet. >> Second. Any further discussion? None. We'll do a roll call. Arnold I. Model I >> I >> Stevens I >> pass
this um >> Ashley and I will research this immediately if there's anything that can be done and >> they can't then get the pathway you're doing >> clarity is just making sure >> I agree thank you very much for u
bringing that to my attention because yeah these things can be a little difficult to understand because they're written as legally required. So yeah, we'll look into that and get a path forward so that we can educate the public a little bit better. >> Yeah, appreciate it. >> Great. Thanks. Thanks for all your work.
>> Thank you. >> We'd be interested to write a question or know about project groups. >> That be very I Yeah, I oppose. Not opposing. >> All right. So, >> we're on to the I think the intermunicipal agreement for plumbing
inspection services. Oh, >> we give a poop about the pipes. >> True. >> This is in line with what we've talked about with >> Yeah, it's good. >> Region shared >> item nine. So, do we need to discuss
this again or can I go ahead and put the motion on the floor? >> So, the IMA is the legally binding document. The details are the same. It's a sevenh hour arrangement as 56 an hour. 56 and change dollars an hour with the $6,000
credit for benefits, which is about a3 to $4,000 change from what we're spending. Now, it is one year at a time and we do have out clauses. We would share the full now full-time building and plumbing inspector with Actton to include their backup. So this is just a
full service >> and it would start Oh, sorry. >> Nothing changed last year. >> It would start uh beginning of July. >> It could start as soon as May 1st. We because we only have someone till May 1st. Hi. >> And nothing's because you presented this
last time. Anything nothing's changed since then. >> No, the what you were presented is what is in that IMA. Um, and we've got enough. >> Great. >> So, I had some specific questions on it, but there I don't know. It's you're
you're going to negotiate a contract or is this the Okay, so question. Um, so with the inspector compensation, um, does that I know they give section for the amounts and so forth. Does it
include transportation costs in his or her, you know, work? >> So that's part of the six. So that's why I negotiated the straight $6,000 covered >> fringe. Okay. And then I I had what if
the inspector is sick on all of the carile days? So I found that actually in another town. They had a shared service and every time I went to that town because the only person that only came in on Thursday and that every Thursday I the the three Thursdays I came in the
person was out sick. >> Maybe it's you. >> And I thought but I wasn't going to get the permit but >> so on a on a >> so I was asking on a less significant basis they have both a inspector and a backup inspector will be available to do
if the primary inspector is sick. So, we're getting a whole package primary and backup. The the more serious answer is if they're always sick on Carile days, then we we would just get out a little bit quicker. >> And that was my next is what what is what are the terms to get out of of
that? If if there's a egregious problem with this, >> then we would just end the relationship. >> Ryan Actton, who does this person report to? >> John Mander, the town manager. >> Okay. I mean, theoretically, we would address this first, right? Or the town
manager and say, "Hey, we're noticing a pattern here. Can you help fix it?" And then, >> yeah, we have we have current IMAS and I have experience managing IMAS. And the first step is I texted the town manager to say, "We have a problem. We sit down." Yeah. >> So, I did go to act and meet with the
plumbing inspector. >> While that can change any day, he's expressed an interest in doing this for several years. just adds to his portfolio in a way that that he wants. He's very excited about getting the benefits and adding and adding this to his job. So, we're getting someone who's
eager to do this. Now, long term, we need to make sure that that stays in place. That'll be part of the succession planning. If it doesn't work with the new employee, it doesn't work that we just try to arrange. But this is there's not a lot of plumbing inspectors out there. So, I'm strongly advocating that this is the best path for us moving
forward. Sure. Does someone want to make the motion? >> Uh, I move to endorse the inter municipal agreement IMA with Actton for plumbing and gas inspectional services and authorize the town administrator,
the Carile town administrator to review with town council and execute the contract. Second that. >> Any further discussion or deliberation? >> Please. I think it's great. Good. All right, seeing none, let's do a roll call vote.
>> Arnold, Illy, >> Snell, I >> Stevens, I >> Excellent. >> And I should have mentioned passed this last time. So, >> well, there we go. >> You should I should imag.
>> All right, we're on to the TA report. >> Hey, this will be more succinct than normal. um because I was not here. So, Aubrey did provide some information and I'll just hit some highlights having a coffee hour on May 5th and we expect people to want to talk about town meeting. The
town meeting information has gone out. The the podcasts are starting videos will be coming out and we'll be sending out one message a day on all platforms including City in the Woods and we expect the mosquito will be covering town. If anybody has any more information or wants to come talk about
it, please do. some HR reports for you. The biggest news, the mosquito put it out tonight. Um, we've just been holding the information just to make sure that everything is final, but Chief Amandola was selected to be the next police chief in Bedford and uh has given his final
date as June 8th. So, with the select board's approval, I will be appointing or you will be appointing through me the deputy chief food who is here tonight to serve as the new interim chief for an indeterminate period. Right now, we're thinking around six months, which should
give you time to talk about your next cheap options and what's next. We've been planning this for a while. The succession plan, we think it's the right the right move and the right idea to just take our time and make sure that we we think through this important position. And I have full confidence deputy chief loop's ability to be the
intern. Also, Eliza was appointed tonight for COS van driver. As we discussed, we talked about the IMA and open enrollment and benefits has been working through through Aubrey and Jessica. That'll be coming around to employees to include a
bear where employees are are mandated to come and talk about the benefits so they're aware or sign waiver saying that they that they don't want them. But we are trying to make sure that they understand their benefit package. We've received a significant amount of interest in our host doctor agreements.
We are putting together a committee to to uh do your designer selection for that and we'll be bringing the results of that to you for final approval. Our roads package for the year to include Ottabon Lane will be going out in the next couple weeks which is the same time frame as last year for paving to begin
in July and August. It's important for you to know that our we have a great solution for a problem that we have at town hall with our water the water heater which is enormous. is failing and it gives us the opportunity to make it smaller which is allowing us
to not need to expand the mechanical room. Um Stephen did a great job sizing this making sure that we made a good decision and has uh saved us a lot of money in terms of the immediate need to expand the mechanical room. So much credit to him and the MFC for working
through this. However, next week we're going to have to close town hall on May 7th and 8th as they drag that giant water heater out of here and put in a new one. Uh we're communicating to everyone that that may or may not need to use town hall. There will be staff in the building, but we are closing it to the public because we can't provide uh
bathrooms or any services that are needed for for the public. >> There's no bathrooms for what staff what >> we're going to open up uh the bathroom in the fire department, but we don't want to make seniors and others walk down there. The one caveat is um
although we don't normally get last day voter registration for town meeting, it's very rare. They will be open that day. Staff's going to split the ship to make sure they're open for people to register and we'll communicate that to the public. I think we've had one in the last two or three year, one person. So,
it's not it's not a huge concern, but we do need to provide it. You heard a lot tonight about the library. The the numbers are good in terms of the bids to include the coils project. You you approved as a town $700,000 in order to do that project. It came in um as the
alternate bids under 600,000 which allows for a contingency and the need to make sure that all the housing for the units and everything is covered. Um and then the commissioning. So we do believe that that project is under budget. We've heard that a few times with these projects. So we're we're pretty pleased
to give you that report. police station. We're working on furniture um procurement and and upgrades and tying that to PEG funding to try and create some more contingency andor lower the tax impact. Thank you to Suzanne Spinny for her work on that. She basically did
all the procurement and selections free of charge. Classic Carlile volunteerism. You heard a lot of great news tonight about the fire station. Uh the costs are below. There's still, you know, those numbers are very optimistic because there's still a lot of work to do in vetting those costs, but it is going to
be no more than the 175 that's on the on the warrant, which means we don't have to go to town meeting and say the number is going to be higher, which is great, and we we do hope that'll be significantly lower, but we're not ready to say that yet. Uh there's a Rotary sign approval in your in your packet in
the report that Aubrey provided. And I would just like to um to quickly recognize Megan Sullivan, our conservation administrator. She's doing a real good job, but in particular, she got a grant to fund the uh office of dam safety inspection of the curve street
dam, which is the next dam that you're going to be hearing of besides dam number one. This allows ODS to go in, inspect, and make sure that it's compliant for safety reasons. uh that is a much more health and welfare safety dam than than dam number one which is more agriculturally based. So that
inspection is important and we were trying to find funding for it and Megan Megan did find funding for it without impacting taxpayers. So thank you. >> Well done. some upcoming discussions for you. Fire and DPW as you know, reviewing your town meeting articles and some cleanup stuff because some of you are no
longer some of you are quitting and no longer serving on the select board. So, we'd like to finish the code of conduct, the um executive session minutes and some MVP work before this board pumpkins in two meetings. Now,
>> I just interject on the executive session um the thing came up. It said ideally at 700 p.m. Are we do we do that in public? Is that it? No, >> I think you mean 6:30 the executive session. >> It was on there and I didn't know what
>> it was a question of if depending on what we have on the agenda, we might just have executive sessions start at seven. >> Oh, okay. >> Instead of instead of showing up early if if we don't have too much on the agenda, we'll just start at seven session. >> Okay. versus we wouldn't do that and
then have obviously a community meeting. So, >> we had some contingency space for town meeting and we're being pretty efficient this year. So, might have some room to not do extra. >> Nice. >> And the other little cleanup thing is the CPC
recommendation >> CPA projects that position. >> Yeah. Yep. We'll link website people want to show up early
>> and the just um the dates upcoming select board date. So this does not have that end of May. This the what is it? May 28th. >> Taking that one off. >> Fourth Tuesday. And I know you're not here, right? You're Yeah. You're doing your military training.
>> I'm not here. >> May 28th. So, that should be added then, I'm presuming. Okay. >> Yeah, that I'm hoping to be an abbreviated uh >> an abbreviated meeting on the 28th, >> but what did we just say we were going to do on the 28th? Oh, the town meeting,
>> right? Setting the date for the finalizing the date, right? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. There might be a couple things up there. >> Yeah. >> But we if that and then maybe we go out for >> Yeah. Let's see. Yes. So, I'll be
hearing 28th Tuesday. >> 26. >> Sorry. >> That would be Barney's last. >> We'll go whoop it up without Ryan.
>> Be there. >> What? What day? I'm sorry. Hard to follow. >> The 26th May. the Tuesday the 26th >> which is not a we not we don't have a select board meeting or we do >> we do >> but it'll a short one
our chair our chair >> okay May 26 okay I got it yeah >> the lame ducks decide everything all >> I was gonna say earlier I >> suck I didn't get I didn't get a chance to
say it but Um, June 2nd. I would call that liberation day. Myself and uh and Barney. >> Yeah. David, I think you and I need to have a conversation about that last select board meeting. >> We had a question on the ballot. Do you
oppose David not leaving the select board yesterday? >> All right. Very confusing. All right. Is that it? >> Oh, and we need to approve when we need to approve. >> Yes. Did you say there was a lady signed
just apologize information? >> All right. So, next up is the minutes of April 14th. >> Um, I know Christine, you had edits that were incorporated. >> Um, >> someone wants to motion to approve.
>> Uh, I move that we approve the minutes of April 14th, 2026 as written in the packet. I >> specifications. >> Seeing none. Roll call vote. >> Arnold. I >> I sn I.
>> Stevens I. >> Triola. I. Leaison reports. Anyone have anything to report from the field? >> I'm sorry. I forgot because I didn't have the sparkly poll there. >> Okay. >> Um I do need the select board to approve or not the use of Conanit land for the
Scouts Court of Honor. Okay. which is something you typically do approve. Opponent land is your land, not conservation land. So you need to approve that if you're willing to tonight. >> Okay. >> I make a motion to approve it. >> I'll second that. >> Any discussion, deliberation? Seeing none, roll call vote. >> Arnold I.
>> Not all I. >> I. >> Stevens I. >> Tri I. >> And second is that the house budget came out. The house's version of the budget. >> Yeah. And um while there was significant upgrades in chapter 70, which is school funding, up to $160 a student from 30,
which was the original amount, there was almost no increase in state >> a but total the impact is 43,000 more than we were projecting >> for state for school aid >> for for total state aid.
>> So that cushions the numbers that we're presenting at town meeting. >> Um You're not you're not changing anything. It just gives us more wiggle room. >> Correct. >> All right. >> Unless you direct me to change things. >> No,
>> I'm not going to direct you to change it. >> So, it means our number is conservative or projected tax bill. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> That's a good thing. >> Any other leazison reports? Well, I'm just going to do them really
quick. Sorry. I know. But um so I was at the COHS board meeting this morning and uh Ryan referenced it but um the other discussion they had so I'm not going to reference the discussion about um the
position you know the open position COS staff but um they had a very good I thought and uh you know back and forth about the um rental assistance program that we're
doing through CPA money and um no specific conclusion but I think it it was a good start at looking at um whether this is going to be a program that is only uh providing short-term
assistance to somebody until they can sort of resolve what's making it difficult for them to you know make the dental payments and or is it going to be more of a long-term term uh support program um and then a lot of discussion
about the specific requirements and how to verify better and you know things like that. So I just wanted to report that it's discussions underway with the COS board and Jeff did a good job outlining the um some of the key
questions the board needs to decide and so that >> on the town meeting. Yeah. >> Yes. >> Pancakes can make you so happy. >> Yeah, we're getting someone's background. >> David,
>> any other leazison reports. Okay, then we'll uh take another opportunity for community input. Anyone online? Marilyn, your hand up. Yes, I do. Hi. Um, I just have a couple
questions about Chief Amandola. Um, so has he officially resigned? >> So, he has not officially resigned. >> Okay. Um, but you guys approved an offer to him back on March 24th.
Did he not sign that contract or did you know at the time that he was considering the position in Bedford? I'm just trying to get it correct for the paper. I don't want to miss uh you make a mistake in reporting this. So, were you aware at when when you approved that contract offer for him
that he was considering this other position? >> No. >> You were not. Okay. So, but it was Carile's best offer basically that he was given. >> Yes. >> All right. And you said his last day is June 8th, but how do you know that if he
hasn't officially resigned? his contract essentially goes till June 30th. Correct. >> It it doesn't. So, um his new contract wouldn't take wouldn't take effect until May. So, he's still on his original contract.
>> Yeah. >> So, he's never going to enter his new contract. >> Okay. >> And he wouldn't have been because it was for July 1st. I know that's confusing. So we talked, Chief Amund and I talked about this and I reported to the select
board that he would like to ex he would like to leave first week in June to fulfill his contract and his obligations and make sure there's a good transition plan. Um June 8th was the date that was reported in the Bedford paper. So that's how I know that.
>> Okay. Okay. >> It was speaking June. So that's compatible. >> Okay. I think that's it. Thank you, >> Marilyn. Any other community input? >> All right. >> As a I have as a citizen, can I ask a
question of Mr. Mlan? What's up with the What's up with the 225 bridge? Like it's a onelane bridge, but there doesn't seem to be any activity in the closed off lane. Is there is there any plan for that? >> We we don't know what the time frame is
and we have inquire. So it is months and years, not days. >> But I mean, it's it's being paid for by the state, I guess, right? But so they closed it off, I guess, because that lane is dangerous, but they're just kind
of it's like a highland of the bridge, like just close it off and figure out later. >> So they have to go through the It's like our products. They they have to go through their design process, designer selection, and then bid it and then do the construction. And none of that started,
>> right? But they must have concluded that that left-hand lane, whatever, that one lane is structurally compromised cuz and the other one's okay, right? >> Yes, that's correct. >> Okay. So, it'll be a while. So, live with the traffic lights. Is there any
way to petition Bedford or the town to put smart lights because often it sits there red, there's nobody going the other way. So, I'm only going to speculate, but educatedly um that this is the cheapest option and
that they would tell us if we want the whole option, we got to pay. >> Okay. I mean, that might be something to talk to Bedford about. It can't be that expensive to put a sensor. Those sensors are like a dollar, right? So, anyway, just a thought as a soontobe citizen.
>> Maybe talk to chief police citizen. >> Hey, ask the Bedford chief of police. Maybe he can help. >> It's all part of our master plan. >> All right, >> just check.
>> No, I agree, David. It's frustrating. >> Yeah. Okay. Just curious. Thank you. >> All right. So, we have a motion to adjurnn. Did we do that? >> No. Um I move second. >> Roll call. >> I
All right. Thank you everyone. Thank you