Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the November 25th, 2025 meeting of the Town of Cadam Select Board. Please note, this meeting is being recorded and will be available shortly hereafter for scheduled and on demand viewing on any smartphone or tablet device. If anyone else is
recording the meeting, including the use of AI note-taking apps, please notify the chair. Seeing none, pursuant to Governor Healey's March 28th, 2025 signing of chapter two of the acts of 2025 extending certain COVID 19 n co 19
measures adopted during the state of emergency suspending certain provisions of the open meeting law. Massachusetts general laws chapter 3A section 20 until June 30th, 2027. This meeting of the Cadam select board is being conducted in person and via remote participation.
Every effort will be made to ensure that the public can adequately access the proceedings as provided for in the order. A reminder that persons who would like to listen to this meeting while in progress may do so by calling the phone number 158-945-4410 conference ID 20386491
pound or join the meeting online via Microsoft Teams through the link in the posted agenda. While this is a live broadcast and simalcast on Chattam TV Xfinity channel 1072, despite our best efforts, we may not be
able to provide real-time access. We will post a record of this meeting on the town's website as soon as possible. First order of business is to ensure quorum. Miss Davis >> present. >> Mr. Dykins present, >> Mr. Meadows present. >> Mr. Smith >> present. >> And the chair is present. We have a
fairly busy agenda tonight, so we'll move right into it with the uh first item of business being approval of minutes of the meeting of November 18th, 2025. Do I hear a motion to >> motion to approve? >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Are there any corrections? The chair has
several on page eight under item C. Um the first sentence I would like to insert the following sentence uh as the second sentence after the word years period. He noted that
comma while he has historically opposed housing on this property, town meeting directed such in 2023. I'll read that again. He noted that while he has historically opposed housing on this property, town meeting
directed such in 2023. Then on page 13, um the third paragraph from the bottom in the second line where it says agenda consent agenda item placement,
I want to insert a comma and the following clause which would be brought back to the board. Comma. Which would be brought back to the board. You have that, Kathy. And then on page 15,
um Kathy, uh on the the committee appointment to the Open Space Committee, wasn't the appointment for June 30th, 2026. We have 2028. I thought we we were filling an unexpired term. >> It was the resignation of a member. Um
term was through 2020. >> 2028. Okay, that's fine. Additionally, I had brought a couple of substantive u corrections uh that I uh to Kathy's attention and she has made them. I'm going to offer them as corrections if she'll read them.
I don't have them in front of me. >> Certainly, Mr. Chair. Um on page 10 at the bottom uh the sentence the last sentence um that carries on to the next page um will be edited to read he stated that he can look further into that case
and return a memo regarding the creation of a public trust should the board request. So the edits are changing the word will to can and adding the clause should the board request. >> I think that is the reflection of what actually occurred and you watched the
video. Correct. I watched back. >> Propose that as a correction. I have no other corrections. You have no others. >> I'll uh call the role. >> Um Miss Davis. >> I. >> Mr. Dykins. >> Hi. >> Mr. Meadows. Hi. >> Mr. Smith. >> I. >> And the chair votes I. So the minutes
are approved. Public announcements and agenda item requests. Are there any from the board? >> Yes, Mr. Dikkins. >> Thank you, Dean. I just want to uh recognize and acknowledge the hard work of the ZBA and their considerations of the Penrose 40B project. They worked
months with very very much due diligence. So I just want to I want to thank their their efforts uh to all the members of the ZBA. I want to mention most notably the leadership of Randy Potach who really did a remarkably good job during the course of the those deliberations. So I' just like to
comment uh to thank them and acknowledge their hard work. >> Thank you. I I would echo that compliment as well, however much I feel about the outcome. Um any uh public announcements or agenda item requests from the audience online? The chair has
three. First, I want to acknowledge that uh we have received an appeal uh from the owners of the Mon Man Monoy Theater property from the recent decision of the uh historic business district commission
denying their request to demolish uh the theater building. We will schedule this for public hearing and an appeal on December 16th. That's the tenative uh date. and uh the board will arrange for a site visit uh and we will proceed
accordingly uh w with the advice of councel. Uh secondly um want to acknowledge that December 3rd at 6:30 p.m. we will have a special meeting of the select board next week to consider
the recommendations of the town managers working group on the center for active living project. So we will have two meetings next week. And finally, I wish to acknowledge that um subsequent to last week's discussion with town council on um Old Harbor Road, 127 Old Harbor
Road, we did receive um some further information from town council with his um take on um a particular case. Um and uh town manager and I have um decided to make that public and and in the interest
of being transparent that is being posted uh to the website uh on the on the page that contains the opinions of town council. With that, we will now proceed to a public hearing uh to consider the application for a new
seasonal all alcoholic beverages restaurant license for Diana's Kitchen and Bar LLC doing business as Diana's Kitchen and Bar. Jod N Grant Jod N Krant, manager for the establishment at 643 Main Street. And I'll ask the town
clerk I'll ask the board's clerk to read, sorry, the town clerk is your better half to to read the public hearing notice. Thanks for that clarification, Dean. Town of Cadam Select Board public hearing notice. Notice is hereby given that the Chattam Select Board will hold a public hearing
on Tuesday, November 25th, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. in the large meeting room at the town office annex 261 George Ryder Road Chattam and remotely via Microsoft Teams platform to consider a request for a new seasonal all alcoholic beverage
restaurant license for Diana Kitchen and Bar LLC doing business as Diana's Kitchen and Bar for uh I'm sorry 643 Main Street Jody an K Grant manager the public is welcome to attend the meeting
in person or participate via the link in the meeting's posted agenda. >> Thank you. Um, thank you, Stuart. So, we'll open the hearing. I understand the attorney representing the applicant is present. Yes. Could you please come to the podium and identify yourself?
>> Um, one of those. Thank you. Welcome. >> Thank you. Um Melanie O'Keefe, um the attorney for the um applicant um on behalf of Diana's Kitchen and Bar LLC and Jod, the proposed manager is also with me today.
>> Uh would you like to make any comments about this and then we'll have any questions or comments from the board or the public? >> Um no, just that um the Excuse me. Sorry, I can't read my own writing. The um applicant intends to be a friendly
neighborhood spot. Um serving up satisfying meals and craft cocktails, wines, and beers. Um the food and atmosphere is going to be that of a retro Caribbean vibe. Um and we're happy to answer field any questions about any more spec specifics about the restaurant.
>> Is this uh going to be open for dinner and lunch or both? >> Is it dinner and lunch? Correct. >> Yes. >> Yes. It would be open for dinner and lunch. >> Dinner and lunch. >> Are there any This is Miss Grant, I assume,
>> or Miss Grant. >> Welcome. Any questions or comments from the board? >> I I just 643 Main Street. Where's that? >> That's the what used to be Sandy's Diner originally. >> Oh, okay. Okay. Recently, I think >> and then for a short period of time this summer, it was >> Nazoo.
>> Ramazoo. >> So, um any any questions? I assume we have enough seasonal all alcohol licenses available. >> There is no limit on seasonal all alcohol. >> Yeah, that's what I assumed. Okay. >> Okay. It's a public hearing. Any comments or questions from the public?
None in the room. None online. Is there a motion? >> Motion to approve the application. >> There moved and seconded. Any discussion? >> Call the role. Miss Davis. Hi. >> Mr. Dikens. Hi. Mr. Matters. Hi. >> Mr. Smith. >> Hi. >> Chair votes. I
>> congratulations. Good luck. >> Thank you. >> Um we have an consent agenda, but there are no items for the consent agenda tonight. We have um next public comments on the business agenda. Um anyone who wants to make a comment at this time as
opposed to contemporaneous comment will be permitted to do so. Seeing none, we'll go right on to the business agenda. We have five special oned alcohol licenses all related to the upcoming holiday stroll on uh the weekend of December 12th. First is for
Hey, Joe and Jam December 31st, 2025 from 12:00 noon to it says 1:00 a.m. January 1st, 2026 at 16 Squanset Road, West Chattam. And um welcome seen you
before, Heather Hagens. Um, would you like to comment on this? I understand you're proposing to amend the time. >> I am proposing um 6:00 p.m. till 10 p.m. >> Okay. And 10 p.m. Kathy is the time we have slotted for other
>> correct that to date is the latest that you have given and Chief Anderson has also agreed that that time is a good time. >> Okay. Uh any questions or comments from the board? So Dean, this is for New Year's Eve, >> correct?
>> Yes, this is New Year's Eve. So looks to be in order. >> Move approval. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. >> We'll call the role. Miss Miss Davis. Hi. >> Mr. Dykins. Mr. Meadows. Hi. >> Mr. Smith. >> I. >> And the chair votes I.
>> You have it. Thank you. Next is Bulma Martin, December 12th, 2025 from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00m at 610 Main Street, Cadam. And this requires a waiver of the 30-day application submission. So, um,
>> Morinfinity is online. I >> is online, Miss Finity. >> Yes, I am. >> Did you want to say anything about this? >> Um, well, no. I guess we just wanted to serve like procco and champagne and gourmet Christmas cookies to our
customers just for the evening of the tree lighting. >> Okay. So, this looks to be in order as well. Is there any comments or questions from the board? >> Approval. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Call the role. Miss Davis. >> I.
>> Mr. Dykins. >> Hi. >> Mr. Matters. Hi. >> Mr. Smith. >> Hi. >> And the chair votes I. It's been approved. Good luck. Next. >> Thank you. >> Next. Uh, Cadam Kids, December 7th, 2025 from 2 o'clock p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 5:34
Main Street. Cadam requires waiver of a 30-day application submission. We approved the waiver in the last I would state that for the record, the one we just did as well. Welcome. Um, Emma Carol, >> uh, Lori Gilmore representing.
>> Okay. Uh, any comments that you'd like to make about your application? Uh, no additional comments. >> This is the one for Chattam kids. So, any comments or questions from the board? Um,
now the waiver application is for both this one and the next one coming up or just this one? >> Just this one because the date that the applications were received, the December 7th application was within 30 days, but when the second one for December 19th
was received, it was outside. Yes. Okay. Is there a motion? >> Mr. >> Yeah, Mr. Chairman, I move to wave the 30-day application requirement and grant a special 1-day alcohol license for wine and malt beverages only to Emma Carol of Cadam kids on December 7th, 2025 from
2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at 584 Main Street, Chattam. >> Okay. Um, is there a second? >> Um, do you want to just add Jeff the other one the other application? >> We can take You want to add the other one? Yeah, we'll just same >> but it is the clothing bar.
>> Same propriet Chattam clothing bar December 19th 2025 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at 584 Main Street Chatam. So we'll include that in the motion. >> 534 Main Street. Yes. So moved. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded as to both. Any any discussion?
Call the role. Miss Davis I. >> Mr. Dyken. Hi. Mr. Meadows. Hi. Mr. Smith. Hi. >> And the chair votes I. >> Okay. You have both of them. Good luck. >> Thank you. >> Um, the last one is Puritan Cape Cod, December 19th, 2025 from 4:00 PM to 7
o'clock p.m. at 573 Main Street, Chattam. This requires a waiver of the 30-day application submission. Megan Penn here. >> I believe she is online. >> I'm actually uh um in for Megan Penn. My name is Andrea MacArthur. I'm from Puritan Cape Cod.
>> Okay. Um, anything you'd like to add to your submission? Um, no. Just um that we're just trying to get a special license for um a beer tasting uh that we're doing an event with
uh the Chadam Clothing Bar on um December 19th from 4 to 7th. That's it. >> Okay. Thank you. Any comments, questions from the board? Or is there a motion? I move to wave the 30-day application requirement and grant a special one-day alcohol license for wine and malt
beverages only to Megan Penn of Purit and Cape Cod on December 19th, 2025 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at 573 Main Street, Cadam. It is men's night out. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. We'll call the role. Miss Davis >> I. >> Mr. Dykens. >> Hi. >> Mr. Matters. Hi.
>> Mr. Smith. >> I. >> Chair votes. Okay, you have it. Good luck. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. Next item is Cape Islands Municipal Leaders Association uh Kimla presentation um which will be made by the president
Mark Forest. This was requested by select board member Shireen Davis. So I'm going to turn to Shireen and ask him to make the introductions. >> Welcome. >> I'd like to introduce U. Mark Forest, a longtime public servant and current member of the Armit Slick Board and
Barnesville County Commissioners. Uh he's the president of the uh Cape Island Municipal Leaders Association. Mark brings decades of experience in regional policy, coastal management, and community collaboration. Um we welcome him today as the similar Kimla leader.
We don't know how to do the acronym yet. Um I appreciate Mark's commitment to strengthening partnership. Also, welcome Kevin Gallagghan. He's the past president of the organization and also on the board uh of which I serve as well. Welcome. I would just note for the record that Shireen is the past
president of this organization as well. Yes. Welcome both of you. Mr. Forest all. >> Thank Thank you very much. It's great to be here. Uh I want to commend you on uh the conduct of your meetings. I wish uh our meetings in Yarmouth could move as briskly as uh as yours and as
efficiently. Um I'll be I'll be very brief. Kevin and I really wanted to have an opportunity to to to speak with you tonight to tell you a little bit more about some of the work that we're doing at the Cape Islands Municipal Leaders Association. Um we've been obviously in
incredibly busy uh for quite some time, but in recent months we've been very very busy on trying to put a spotlight on some of the more pressing issues affecting Cape Cod. In the handout that I've given you, I g provide some brief background. It's it's um it's an
association that uh represents 22 municipalities. We do our best to really make sure that when we're presenting issues to state and federal officials that we make sure that we get the Cape and the Islands uh to try to speak with one voice on on many of these concerns.
And uh we have uh well over 105 elected officials um or we have well over 105 members and uh 105 elected officials. Um I know several of you have been to our meetings. Uh our meetings in Chadam
have always been very robust in terms of participation and uh we often look to our membership and for ideas on issues and concerns that we ought to address. Um, I would say Kevin and I have spent a
great deal of time on on wastewater and wastewater funding. Um, Kevin also chairs the um the Cape Islands Water Protection Fund. So, with his his involvement in in in my involvement at the county, we've been really working, I
think, extra hard at making sure that uh resources are available for our towns in terms of addressing uh wastewater and particularly funding. uh at the county we've been very aggressive in expanding um the role of the aqua fund and uh
obviously with the water caps water protection fund there's been important work in sort of strengthening the fund um and a lot of the input for these initiatives and others has really come from members of our association as you can see on the list we've spent some
time uh focused in fact we we touch on this subject quite regularly and that the the issue of the u the bridge replacement project over the canal. Um I thought we had a very uh productive discussion at the Cape Summit, the one
Cape Summit that was prepared and sort of run by the Cape Cod Commission focused on wastewater and the and how we're doing uh with the Cape Islands Water Protection Fund. Um some of you may be aware that other towns are catching up. you here in Chattam, you've
made enormous progress on on wastewater, but other towns are beginning to catch up and uh the demand on the fund is significant and growing. And so we we received an update from Cape Cut Commission staff on the strength of the fund and its ability to meet what we
anticipate will be some significant obligations in the coming years ahead. Um, we had a very productive meeting in October with on the seasonal communities regulations and how they're progressing. Um, the Cape Islands delegation has
really worked hard on making sure that there's a seasonal communities provision in the affordable housing act and uh they've been putting pressure on the administration to come up with regulations and have them completed by the end of this year. and so they keep in regular touch with us on the work
that they're doing there. Um, our last meeting was quite an quite an interesting one. Joint Base Cape Cod. Um, as many of you know, there's an enormous Coast Guard presence at Joint Base Cape Cod. And for those of you Cadam is is
very familiar obviously with the work of the Coast Guard uh and uh Joint Base Cape Cod, the air station provides important support to our Coast Guard personnel here in the region. So there is an effort underway largely led by our
association to work with the Commonwealth to strengthen the long-term viability of the installation. So um we had a briefing and an update by all the players involved in that initiative. Um our next meeting uh is going to be on
December 12th uh in Dennis at Ardo restaurant. Our meetings are all in the morning, 7:30, Friday, Friday mornings, the second Friday of every month. And I encourage you if you haven't been to a meeting, uh, and and by the way, Jill, they're they're open to town managers.
We love seeing managers attend our meetings. Uh, our managers provide a very unique perspective on the management of of our communities as well as some of the issues that we should have on our radar screen. Um I know you've been to our meetings in the past and we'd love to see you particularly on this one that's coming
up in December. Um we're going to be inviting the superintendent in from around the Cape to talk about uh school challenges uh but also to provide an update on what's happening with enrollments. Um as you know uh enrollments are declining in many
communities yet some communities are facing pressures to build new facilities. So we need to have a conversation about that and looking ahead and then um this has become sort of an annual ritual and it's become a favorite for many of our members and
that's a lunch with the lieutenant governor or meeting with the lieutenant governor and we started this with Shireen when she was on board as the as our president and it's a tradition that the lieutenant governor quite frankly she enjoys and um we'll have plenty on
her agenda you know when we meet with her at the mass municipal association. So, if you're attending MMA at the uh the annual convention, by all means, feel free to join us on Friday the 23rd. That's the game plan there. Um, I'm going to just give Kevin a chance to
just add a few comments and then what I'd like to do is have a conversation with you and I'm I think we're particularly interested and if there's anything that we're working on that you might have questions about or if there's some new initiatives or things that you think we should really keep on our radar screen. Like I said, we want to make sure that our association is attentive
to the concerns and issues that all of our municipal officials are wrestling with. So, Kevin, >> thank you, Mark, and uh great to see all of you. Uh this is our second quote dog and pony show where, you know, trying to get the word out more. Actually, Shireen suggested this many years ago, and we're
finally doing it. But only thing I would add too is um as you look at the meetings that we hold whether it be you know the September one the October we try to rotate in terms of region. So you can see lower cape, upper cape. We're trying to make sure that the in-person opportunity provides, you know, a mix in
terms of letting people come. But the also thing we work very hard on technology. You guys have it solid in this community just watching your meeting proceed and compliments to a very efficient meeting. But we also have a Zoom um option for those that
might not be able to travel because a busy Friday morning. Um but uh I just again um really encourage more participation. All of you are welcome to as Mark said submit ideas to us. Um we um tend to have a little bit of um u
power if you will when we say to invited speakers you know the organization would like you to come and speak. And you know um it really does matter a little bit when they see that they can be talking to a region not just oneoffs to come to select boards and um and we take you
know that also seriously because sometimes they say you know a support letter would be helpful and when we went through the u offshore exploration of uh wind opportunities that Bureau of Ocean Energy Management was looking we actually put in some very substantive
comment and concerns and uh got it on the record. So we actually can be a little force to be reckoned with. But >> well very good. Well, thank you very much for the presentations. I I think all of us um understand and appreciate the importance
of this organization. I think all types of peer organizations are really very effective. Uh and I know Shireen has probably been the most religious in terms of attendance, but I know we try to get there when we can. Uh, so I'm going to ask if anyone in the board has
any comments or questions along the lines that Mark was inquiring about. Do we have any items we'd like to see pursued or get more attention? Stuart. >> Good afternoon, Mark. >> Um,
the the joint base Cape Cod master plan working with the Coast Guard. Um that has to do I assume is more of a question specifically with Joint Base Cape Cod as opposed to uh filtering into the the stations
around the Cape or is it >> it Yeah, I I can understand the concern about the stations. Um I think that's something that we all have to keep on our radar screens. Um and I know here in Chadam we have to be very concerned about the future of of of Coastgard
Station Cadam. Um uh over the years I've spent as as you may recall I've spent a lot of time on making sure that that station could be fully staffed and fully manned and we've had problems. Um and I think it's just something to keep aware be aware of. With respect to the base itself, I think what we're trying to do
is make sure that all of the military operations at the installation are able to fulfill their missions and they have sufficient real estate and infrastructure in order to do that. uh some of the facilities some of the infrastructure there is shared by the
surrounding communities. So particularly the upper Cape communities utilize and have the potential to utilize even more of the facilities that are there. I'm speaking specifically to the use of their solid waste transfer station over the years that was done as a joint enterprise involving the towns and the
and and the military. Uh and that has that that's served the the region well. We're talking about a regional composting facility that's will start initially with the the four upper Cape Towns, but eventually uh like to expand it to other communities that might be
interested. Um and that's an area of of importance. Several towns are interested um time-wise, the timing is different, but towns are interested in the wastewater treatment plant that's at the installation. It was built to handle a significantly larger capacity and uh
it's underutilized. Um who would have thought that we'd have a wastewater treatment plant on Cape Cod that's underutilized. Um but that's one that is and um so it's in our collective interest to make sure that that's working well and it's properly managed. Uh what we're learning is that there's enormous pressure within
the Pentagon to sort of shrink infrastructure and to shrink military assets. Um, we had a uh a base realignment commission meet and deliberate and proposed the closure of the Otis Air National Guard Base. Is
that >> okay? Sorry. The Otis Air National Guard base back in 2005 and the region came together to help save the installation and that would have impacted adversely Coast Guard. So what we want to be able to do is just focus on the the the
installations that are there on Joint Base Kod, the military missions that are there, the the activities and operations that are shared by both the military, the Coast Guard and the towns, and to make sure that we can look ahead to find out ways in which maybe there are other things that we can do to help benefit
not only the the base and its long-term survival and viability, but also the communities as well. >> Great. Um, also has the municipal leaders association um has the the uh subject of dredging
gotten to their uh discussion level? No, >> it comes up all the time. >> Oh, it does come up. >> Yeah, I think um one of the things that we're concerned about obviously is sustained federal and state funding uh for dredging activities. So, um, we're very concerned about sustaining dredging
in the state budget, and I suspect that in in in short order, uh, we'll be weighing in. I I know the county commissioners have already weighed in calling on the governor to make sure that, uh, in the upcoming, uh, budget deliberations that there's sufficient dredging funds. Um, but it's also an
issue we have to keep on at the federal level as well. >> Yeah. I mean that's a vitally I mean >> speaking to the choir here but that's a vitally important program that the affects all of the Cape and Islands. My understanding in a meeting I had this morning that Governor Healey is is
proposing cutting those dredging funds. >> Um and we we need to >> we need to react to that. Um and it's a good regional uh approach I think. >> Well, like I said, the county commissioners have already already written a strong letter. I'll be sharing
that letter with the with the members of our association when we meet at our next meeting and I'll be looking I'll be calling for a vote to to weigh in in support of continued funding for dredging in the budget. We've already had some discussions with the legislators so they're aware of it. It's
on our radar screen. Um it first came up at one of the dredge advisory committee meetings. So uh it's clearly a priority. It's on our radar screen and I think we can we will continue to to advocate for it. It's I would assume that it's important that >> not only the county but the individual
communities that utilize the dredge program probably write a letter uh as well um advocating for those funds because it could be a big could be >> yeah we we'll certainly be asking all of our communities to be weighing in on this. Uh it's important and the time is
right right now because the budget we expect the budget to be coming out relatively soon and we want to make sure that there's there's there's adequate funding there. >> Thank you, Mark. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you, >> Corey. >> No, I actually what I was going to say is I've attended, you know, meetings
over the years, some years more, some years less. It's a it's a great organization. You know, some attendance is is one, you know, we're really wonderful. I appreciate the fact that you relocate the geographically here and there. You know, you can tell certain locations draw a bigger crowd, some have a lighter crowd, but I think it's it's
wonderful that you do that. Um, the thing I was going to mention, you actually just mentioned a little while ago is the composting um potential for the more communities down the road. I know I don't recall when the initial presentation was earlier this year um on
28 and June. Okay. >> Um the presentation the presenter was wonderful. She spoke wonderfully. I know at the moment it's kind of limited to four communities. Um but I definitely want to keep that on our radar as that progresses what opportunities other communities like Chadam may or may not have down the future. Um but I do think
um that particular presenter uh was was fabulous and and how she presented everything and she had everything spot on. Um and it's something I definitely want to keep on our radar and have you guys keep on your radar so we can you know keep tabs on that. The woman that spoke was Carrie uh Purcell and uh she
does an outstanding job for the county >> and um our focus at the moment is to get the jointbased Cape Cod initiative underway but then we need to expand from that. I mean, Barnstable County, the county government serves all of our 15
communities. And so, we think though that by getting that pilot project off the ground that it will basically lead the way and stimulate a lot of interest so that we can get a volume of uh of composting material that can help better
make it work uh economically long term. >> Agreed. Agreed. >> Jeff and then Shireen. Yeah. Welcome Mark and Kevin. Good to see you guys. Uh I've attended a few of your your sessions. They're great. Um there is strength uh in the organization for
advocacy. I saw what you did with the offshore wind. I thought that was excellent. That was an excellent meeting down in East Camp. The information on seasonal communities was excellent. I think you think the organization's focusing on the right things, water, wastewater, education, housing. I mean, you're hitting all the high points. So,
I think it's I think it's I think it's I think you guys are doing a great job. really appreciate your comments about dredging and and the inquiry by Stuart. It's very important obviously to the town of Chattam that we can you know we continue to have at you know very active dredging here for stage not only for
stage harbor but on in Chattam harbor as well and Mil Creek etc etc. So we have constantly shifting sands here and it's a major issue for our town. Um, so any kind of ad advocacy that you can continue to pursue there was really appreciated on the part of Chadam.
Fascinated by a regional composting. That's actually the first time I've heard of it, but I'm fascinated by that. >> What which are the four towns that are that are u involved in the pilot project? >> The um first of all, it's the military >> because they have they have their own waste stream that they need to manage.
Um, but also the other four upper Cape Towns. Falmouth is very Felmouth and Bourne are incredibly active and we're very fortunate to have a very active and dedicated uh solid waste committee in those two those two towns and uh they
attend all our meetings and have been very active participants. Uh Sandwich and Mashp are the other two communities. Um, >> now getting back to the dredging, I would say that uh I appreciate your appointing uh Stuart to serve on our
dredge advisory committee because >> you go >> it's this committee that keeps the county officials and and it and it trickles over to the Cape Islands Municipal Leaders Association. It really helps us keep a breast. I mean, we heard about the the potent the potential cuts
uh looming in the next state budget from from our harbor masters. Good. Keep on it, please. Shireen, thank you guys. >> Uh, thanks for coming. I This is a question because Mark, you wear a lot of different hats and we had a conversation today. Uh, and I know this is of
particular interest to Jeff. Uh, he brought up uh some of the issues we're having with um repairing one of the herring runs over in Ryder's Cove and you've been working with the conservation district, correct? Is that the correct term? >> That is correct. Um, can you tell me tell the tell the board about some of
the funding that's available or Yeah. background? >> As as Shireen mentioned, I do wear multiple hats. Um, the hat that I wore once I left Washington DC when I came back to Cape Cod. Uh, the hat that I put on was the chairman of the Cape Cod Conservation District. Uh, the Cape Cod
Conservation District has been in existence for years. And what we do is we are able to secure federal funds to do high priority local environmental restoration projects. Um we're very active in providing funds to local
communities for fish ladder projects and as a high priority on our list is the culvert that has been collapsing at at Writers Cove. Um and it's well it's collapsed. Yeah, that's it's we think it
probably could collapse even further, but I don't I don't want to make any predictions. >> Um the reality is is that's one of our priorities on our Capewide water resources restoration project. Uh this is some this this project is a specifically congressionally authorized
program initiated by goes back to the days of Congressman Studs and Congressman Delahunt. And because I I was sort of married to it when I served on the congressional staff, when I decided to uh retire, uh I figured I'd get involved in it. And so now I find
myself being the chairman of the group and raising we've raised almost $und00 million over the past 10 years for projects all across Cape Cod. Uh you might have read in the Chronicles something about uh the the the Cold Brook >> uh restoration project. uh we were very
involved in the beginning to help sort of get that project sort of conceptualized. We provided funding and technical assistance for that one. This Riders Cove Culver is very very important to us. It has an incredible history and uh it's probably one of the most important as you well know uh fish
runs uh you know here in Chadam and on the Cape. Uh we've been meeting because we it's eligible for funding in our program. We've been telling the Mass Department of Transportation that we have money that we want to spend with you on your culvert that's collapsing or
getting worse and uh we need to take care of it. And so we've been meeting with Mass DOT. Um they have not made it the kind of priority that we would like to see them make it. So, um, your liaison to our group is Bob Duncinson
and as we all know, Bob is encyclopedic on these things and I think he's represented the town incredibly well. Uh, we've invited Bob to sit on in some of our meetings with Mass DOT because we're trying to really appeal to them to set aside funding and take a more active interest in this. Uh, we've been meeting
and talking lately to our legislators, our state reps. So you should just be aware that this is not only a priority of the district but it's become a priority of uh the region uh and and our legislators and uh I will be coming back to you in the very near future asking
you to help with a letter of support. I think one of the things that we need to do um as and again we can if we can speak with one voice as a region I think this will be important but I think we need to do more to set aside funds to deal with these stateowned culverts. So
many of them are critical uh in in terms of what they provide uh for fist passages, you know, in our communities. Ryder's Cove is just one, but we have dozens of others. Um you may have read uh that the state established a culvert
program, a culvert repair and improvement program. Uh but what you don't read in the fine print is that most of those funds are not going to come to Cape Cod because they're dealing with um other parts of the Commonwealth. So, we need to work a little bit harder with our legislators to make sure that
we get the kind of funds that uh this program ought to be providing Cape Cod. So, we'll be working on that. And >> that's great news. Thank you. That's good. Thank you very much. >> I see our director of natural resources, Greg Burman, is coming to the podium on this topic, I gather.
>> Yes, please. just wanted to to fill in at at the um within your town manager monthly report under coastal resources. We do have a section for all our NRCS funded projects. Uh the herring run is one of those. It's going through design
permit. Um we also been trying to get DOT involved. It's not uh necessarily very easy. Um, and in addition to what's in the monthly report, we did hear loud and clear that you would like an uh more
robust potentially a memo having to do with the Herring Warden, having to do with the Herring Run, um, the timelines for that particular project. So, that will be upcoming to you sometime in the next week or two. >> Thank you very much. Any other comments
from other board members? I just want to ask um about the December 12th upcoming meeting on how what what's the format of that? Are you going to have speakers? I know you invited the superintendent. I think it's really very timely that you're doing this. >> I'm going to turn it over to Kevin. You >> Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. Um I invited
um starting with the Naret systems brand new superintendent. Um try to get them early and often. Um and he said yes. um he actually did round up three other superintendents. So it'll be a pretty robust presentation. It will include
PowerPoint. Um but the whole overall look is their perspective on the future of education on the Capeen Islands including the enrollment numbers. But as you know, I mean, education is so core to all of our communities and you can
see it in the superintendents when they are beginning to roll out budgets and they really do have a knowledge base that is so close to every program, curriculum and the direction and it's time to share that with us um well in
advance of the budget being dropped on the time when we have to vote. So this is one of the things we tried to within the feedback that we received on programs for the regional group is to get early info to better inform our actions that we take um to be you know
better supporting education. So I think it's going to be awesome. I think it's great because with the enrollment trends, it's it's as though each district is competing with one another and I think we should as a community on the Cape try to be more collaborative because the ultimate goal is the the
best quality education for our kids. >> Exactly. >> And we need to try to do it in the most efficient cost-effective manner. Mark, did you have something? >> Yeah, I wanted to add something to this. I think one of the reasons why I'm very interested in this topic is because the state has its own enrollment projections
and its own enrollment numbers and I'm not necessarily convinced that their numbers jive with the numbers that we have at the Cape Cod Commission or with some of the other groups that have been doing studies as probably as I'm sure you're aware there are number of organizations that have been doing
studies on housing here on Cape Cod and uh quite frankly it would be important to reconcile the state's numbers and look at them in comparison with some of the numbers here uh on the county. I know in Yarmouth, uh, we've begun to start looking at enrollment projections
and, uh, the numbers that the state has, which they are the ones that push onto the local school districts, uh, their numbers don't necessarily jive with what's been available at the Cape Commission, um, in terms of, uh, in
terms of housing and some of the other background information they utilize to make these projections. So I think our information is much more accurate and much more upto-date than maybe what the state is presenting to our school district. So I think it's time we have a conversation and if we all have
different numbers uh I know that in my community of Yarmouth um if if our community has one set of enrollment numbers that many people have confidence in but the state's insisting that we make investments in facilities that are based on numbers that we don't
necessarily agree with. that kind of project is not going to go too far. So, we need to have a conversation now uh on not only their challenges but in particularly on enrollments and making sure that we're all on the same page. >> Well, I think it's >> I just want to know too that the town
managers, the Cape managers are going to get together with the Cape superintendent as well in December and we also wanted to expand the conversation about what each town is offering for prek support as well. Um so um I'll report back that after that.
>> That's great. I'm glad that both both at both levels that this initiative is being undertaken. It's really important u and we have issues challenges with our dis within our district with the our neighboring s sister town of Harwitch. >> Um I also think it's a good thing that
you're continuing the lieutenant governor's line. We've been very fortunate I think both with the current lieutenant governor and her immediate predecessor. They both had backgrounds in municipal government and I think that was that's been really good. I did want to ask a kind of a personal question of
Mr. Forest. Did when you were with the in on the congressional staff, was that with Billy Deah Hunt or or Jerry? >> I'm a lot older than I look. Um I I've been I I worked in the Congress for 26 years and I started with Congressman
Studs. Um he uh recruited me out of the town manager's office in Province Town. So my start was in local government. Um and so I started with him and then I continued on with with Congressman Deah Hunt and became his chief of staff. >> Uh I knew Billy Deah Hunt. I'm from
Quinsey. I knew Billy Delah and he was a ward counselor. So don't go back a ways. Well uh unless there's anything else we really well we really thank you for coming taking the time. >> We appreciate good luck with the rest of your road show >> to be continued. Yes. We'll see you very much. Happy Thanksgiving.
>> Thank you. Same to you. Next item on the agenda is uh the Eldridge Public Library site master plan. We have a project update. Um Jill, did you want to take this and um turf it over to whomever?
>> Sure. So um thank you, Mr. Chair. Um as we noted in the staff report, it's been some time since there's been an update provided to the select board following the October 2023 tree hearering project. The staff report outlines the funding
that is available for the project that was approved back in um 2021. So um tonight we have uh Terry Whan who's our projects and operations administrator who can tee it off. And in the audience I'm happy to see our
library director as well as uh the chair for the library trustees or board of trustees of various trustees that are present online. It seems that we do have our uh consultants. We have Sean Riley of Tai and Bond as well as Jay Olmstead
at Olmstead Design. So Terry, if you could >> Yeah. And just uh real quickly for a little bit of context before I turn it over to um Jay and Sean. And again, you know, this project's got a long arc with um going back even to COVID when we bundled projects and and moved them
around. um uh part of a earlier funding article. Um we have been working on this for for um a bid here. Um we have been also uh working closely with uh the
library director on um some revisions of late um in the past um probably year and a half here on improving opportunities for um programming on the site as well. Um, so we've we've been tweaking the
plans a bit. You know, again to I know Greg was talking about monthly reports. You know, you in the monthly report you see kind of the status, but you haven't really seen graphics in in in quite a while. And there's been some refinements to uh some other components uh the wall in the front. Um and the project has
also somewhat expanded in in scope from the perspective of the original plan was to run this pro uh project concurrently or coincident with other uh projects that we had along both main street and and library lane. So, um, with those
projects taking different directions, different sidewalk work and also library lane repaving, um, that is now all part of this, um, one comprehensive project. So, so we figured, uh, you know, before we're closing in on hoping to go out to
bid uh, soon for uh, spring construction. So just wanted to give everybody an update because it's been some time um since there's been um you know a public um presentation on the the scope and uh look of the the project. So
it's hasn't changed really substantially you know with the still the same primary um functions design functions that were design objectives of really increasing the ADA accessibility general overall
accessibility um blending into the um again both the road work with the sidewalks and um repaving of library lane uh there's the rework of the um the parking parking lot in the back and lots of other elements. So, with that though,
I think I'll turn it over to to Jay and Sean to take us through the um the the design, excuse me, the elements of the design. Um, and then if you have any questions, uh, Rob Rob Fa is also here to talk about, um, you know, available
for any questions on phasing or the construction sequencing with doing this project as as laid out in in the staff report and, you know, potential uh, to make everybody aware of potential um, you know, street closings, sidewalk
closures with with doing this project all in one um, one project. now. So, with that, I'll turn it over. I'm looking the wrong way. Look up. I'll I'll and Jay and Sean.
>> Great. Good evening, everybody. Um, this I'm my name is Jay Olmstead and next to me there is Sean Riley, which I'm many of you know as well. Um, we've been working on this project for about six years, but getting close to a point where we can put it out to public bid.
Um, and Terry, are you able to put up the rendered site plan and we can just quickly talk to that and show that graphic? Thank you very much. I'm going to I'm going to go through the quick summary of the project and Sean
will chime in as well. Um, and I'm going to move on this page from left to right, which is going from Main Street up through the library to the back parking lot. So, as we had before along Main
Street, we're going to be widening the sidewalk to six feet in that area and adding a seat wall, a brick seat wall with a granite capstone along Main Street with a bumpout which is being circled right there. That bumpout will
be a a plaza which will be flush with the sidewalk and allow and it has a place for the current monument that's sitting in front of the library now which you have to take stairs to get up to. And this way it will be uh accessible. And then we're going to replace the
circular walkway that's in front of the library. And starting with where that arrow went, we're there's an ADA we're going to make an ADA accessible route which starts at the southern end right there and it ramps up to next to the stairs that go up to the front of the
library and then makes a jog along the side of the library bringing you to the entrance that's on library. And that will all be an accessible route. Um, and then from there, going back quickly, we have we'll have a
sidewalk which takes you back to the back parking lot. Now, Terry, um, we'll have a sidewalk along Library Lane, which um, we'll repair and replace. Back to the back parking lot area. It will have the same number of parking spaces as it has now. We have reconfigured it
to allow some more planting areas and um also to adjust the location of the book drop which is held back there uh in that area as well. Um and we also have a handicap parking space back there. There's a couple other
improvements for safety. We have a railing adding a railing to the front stairs and we have a guard rail um along library lane and so forth. Um and then and then other general improvements including some landscaping and creating
a space on the southern side of the building which for an outdoor classroom area for the library staff. Sean please contribute. >> Sure. Absolutely. Um just to spin off of that the back parking lot uh really the
access egress and circulation uh we feel that would be significantly improved. uh the drop off. You'll be able to drop off your books uh from your vehicle. We've also relocated the handicap accessible parking space that right now is out in the parking lot. Uh so anyone using that
space has to traverse across the parking lot and uh to a somewhat of an elevated u paved area that runs along the existing wall on Library Lane. It's not really well defined. So we're defining that with a a granite curb along Library
Lane. It's going to provide uh greater ADA accessibility and safety uh from the back parking lot. We're adding in some lighting as well in the uh the corners of the parking lot to have greater visibility uh at night. Um and again,
greater circulation um within the parking lot itself for turning movements. Um, and we've added a sidewalk that runs parallel to the library that uh that sits at the head-end spaces. Um, along Yes, correct.
Along that side, there's a lot of new plantings, uh, trees, um, a lot of different site improvements. The the benches are going to be refinished, uh, new bike uh, rack. Uh really just a lot of uh good-looking improvements that we see and a lot of functionality
improvements especially along the the southern side of the building. We're leveling out an area uh that we can have outdoor uh classroom spaces along uh that right hand. Yeah, right in there. Uh and also leveling out the area immediately in front of um in the inner
circle there. Correct. Um so we see a lot of uh great improvements happening here. a lot of safety uh features uh and improvements. Um and I think the biggest thing is the accessibility from Main Street uh coming up from Main Street all the way around to the the main entrance
uh that didn't exist or does not exist today. So with that, I'll open it up to any questions you may have. >> Are there any from the board at this point? >> Stuart? >> Sure. Um, I guess I'm the
newest one to this uh to this project. Um, just a couple of questions. So, you're I I some of the numbers a little are a little small, but you're changing some of the topography here in order to
uh make the access the handicapped access up this around to the side of the building. And and that is actually that will end up being ADA compliant from a pitch standpoint. >> That is correct. So the the access from
Main Street uh back to just about to the side of the library on Library Lane is all less than 5%. Uh so it doesn't require a railing. And then you'll see right along at that point you'll see a a handicapped accessible ramp that will have railings and that will be less than
uh the 8.3% uh rise with a single landing in the middle of that uh to bring you back to uh the landing in the uh at the main entrance. Another thing that we should point out, we're um widening out the
delivery drop off space uh that is out at the street now to provide better access and movement around that um that area and a more defined uh sidewalk along that side. So, yes, it is all ADA accessible uh on that side all the way
from Main Street all the way to the back >> because at the main street end it that's quite a challenge. It looks like >> it is. It is. It's very tight, but it works. >> Okay, great. >> We were also we're also taking out there's an existing step between the sidewalk on the ramp and we're taking
that out so it's all flush. >> Okay, great. Um I had other questions, but do you do you want to talk about now or they have further uh presentation? >> What would you like? >> Why don't you ask question? >> I think just continue with the the the
questions and then we can other items. the um the lighting. Uh I agree the lighting could be a little bit improved. Um and you're proposing to use the same lighting that exists on either side of
the uh front door facing Main Street. Those lights is that I think. >> Yes, that that's correct. >> The same light pole and and the same light fixture both in the back parking lot. And there we're adding two lights along Main Street >> and um
>> near the ends of the >> Yeah. Oh, yeah. I saw that. That's not Yeah, I think that that's helpful. And those lights um they shine straight down. >> They do. >> Yeah, >> they do. They're dark sky compliant.
>> Yeah. Didn't know the term. Um, has Sorry, I may have a few more because I wasn't here when they introduced this, but um, so Terry, is this building Well,
is that historically registered with the >> Yeah, so it's an individually listed building. Um, and again, you know, we we've been through HBDC and planning board. um previously we have a few more details to to to fill in now that we
have more information. Um so but we're we're not altering um the building a at all in this in this scenario and then you know the um well I guess I can approximate the dividing line between
the you know so the 90 9092 structure you know is from here back. >> Yeah. And the so the historic registration uh federal doesn't go to the site is it just it's just the building. >> Yeah. I mean the the you know you you're
trying to maintain the context. So, you know, it's it's the registration of of the, you know, the building. But again, we're with with Jay's leadership on the, you know, the sensitivity uh to maintaining that character u that's been
a driving force in the design to keep um again going way back if you there were some different proposals to move the monument, different things, but you know, we're maintaining a lot of key components of the um the the view of the building. uh from from Main Street to
not um change that the location of the the flag poles and y those types of things. But again, still trying to achieve >> better access, better functionality, you know, um with people can actually walk in and see the monument. uh providing
some additional area and seating on the wall, you know, during u events like July 4th parade and then using that to get this what what Sean was talking about this additional area or area the library uses right now for for outdoor
programming to make it more uniform um just consistently level. Um and again adding some area over here um to you know that that balance between accessibility and you know not
disrupting the the historic building structure >> and the removal of the monument temporary uh removal of the monument that's to deal with the topography there and the curbing along the sidewalk. Is that is that the purpose really of that? >> I mean I know you're going to refurbish it.
>> Right. Right. So, that's going to be refurbished, but it's also going to be reset so that it will be and and I'm going to uh see if I can advance to the in the plan view from the street. Um,
>> that's it. >> Is it? Yeah. And Jay, I don't know if you want to speak to this or I can move the cursor, but this is um, you know, looking at So, you hear the the plaza as Jay was calling it. So again, now zero zero entry, you know, here, here, no
steps, nothing. You would just walk into the monument area with the >> same monument refurbished and and and a tad lower. I don't know the exact or Jay if you even know that number, but >> again, it's going to probably even
increase the visibility from the street of the the library structure. >> Right. And and you mentioned that um there's you did you folks went to the HBDC with these plans and there >> we had been there a while ago but again we need to and I'll refresh because we're still talking community
development on what we need to do. Um but there were some in rec again some context as you weren't here through the the whole progression of it. There were um some items with the trees that that um you know got us into doing the uh
tree removal of of two shade trees as part of this. Um and then you know and then we just have some final details but they've reviewed the you know the downlighting Jay. None of that's changed right from from >> the original application >> and the um
>> that's correct. It's all >> right. And the uh are there Jill? Are there CPA monies in this? Do you know >> for the monument restoration portion? >> Just the monument. Correct. >> Yeah. >> Okay. The the um couple of other
thoughts or questions the um the shelter over the library bin. Oh, the other thing the library the trustees approved of this plan and are happy with
it and yep. Um, but the shelter over the uh what was the thought behind that? I've heard a couple of comments suggest, you know, just >> talk about the stroller shelter. >> Well, it's over the book deposit. >> The book bin. >> The book bin. >> The book.
the the book bin by itself is is weatherproof, but what they're trying to what the library would like to have is a shelter that covers that book bin so that when librarians are removing books or restocking the um the cart that goes
back and forth if it's raining outside or foul weather, they're not exposing the books to that weather in themselves. So, we want to keep a small structure. It's it's a metal uh post, four post and a metal roof structure that would um
prevent rain for for the people who are servicing that book bin. >> Okay. The uh I I had a I mean maybe when when you go to the when you went to the historic business uh folks, did you did did they see that bin or did they see
the the shelter over it? Did they did they like that? They they saw they saw a version of it. It's been refined um to uh simplify it a little bit. Um not and yeah, that's that's the picture
of some elevations of what those look like. Yeah, >> there's also a a a stroller shelter which is being located on a space near that uh side door along Library Lane to you know to make sure that patrons store
their strollers outside and when they so they can bring their kids inside but then the library doesn't get cluttered with strollers. >> Yeah. The um I mean I like the site plan. It looks really I mean obviously you did a lot of work to this to make to make the front work. Uh cuz that's a little bit of a
challenge. Um but the the structure over the bin it, you know, it looks like I'm not a big fan of that. It looks like uh you know a tea stop up in the Southshore somewhere. It doesn't fit the character of this community. It's got a
metal roof. Uh the pitch is different from the building. Um it's it's it's relative relatively unattractive. Um so you know I think they I think you cited a particular company Austin
Mohawk and company dealing with the with the uh building. But I would encourage uh a a pitch that is more closely aligned to the building to the library building and a metal roof.
I I don't think it fits the character of Main Street particularly. It's I'm not even sure how practical in this environment uh that is. Um, I know the roof at the library is slate and, uh, this isn't very big at all. Uh,
that may be something to consider in order to match the library building, which I think would just be aesthetically nicer. Um, and then the posts that you're using for the the handrail, uh, that it looks like the
handic uh, diagram. um I noticed was going to be steel, painted steel. Um is that etched in stone or I mean in this environment maybe something more of
an aluminum uh or would be or even powder coated but if you want to retain the black appearance but steel is uh you know something you might want to reconsider. Uh
and um >> it could be reconsidered. We were trying to match the railings that exist currently at the library along the front. >> I saw >> but we're open to >> to hearing. >> I I would suggest aluminum and powder coat it and it would look it'll be black
and it it'll it'll hold up a little better uh at last. Exactly. Um, and um, cuz I did notice that this the structure for the gate that's look or the enclosure that's around the dumpster is
aluminum. And so that that seems like it would hold up a little better. And like I said, not repeating myself, the that structure that's over the book bin, I'd give serious reconsideration on. And uh, but it looks great. Great. Thank you.
Jeff, did you have something? >> I did. I did. Thank you, Dean. Um, I think it looks great. I know that the committee with individuals with disabil disabilities is going to be extremely pleased with their the increase in access for folks that are compromised in terms of there being ambulatory. So, I
think that's just wonderful. Um, it is an icon here in town and and you guys have done a very thoughtful, thorough, I think, uh, um, review and and improvement. I I have I do have some concern about the timetable. Uh is this
um sidewalk and ADA compliant work going to be done by July 4th? You're putting it out to bid December, January. Are we going to get this done in time for the 4th or close there too? I would hope. >> Yep. I think I'll defer to Rob and we're still working out the final final
details of the construction sequencing, but we have been discussing the various potential impacts to reduce them. >> Good evening. Rob Philly, director of public works. So, we're envisioning kind of a phased approach. Um, you know, the sidewalk and the wall out front would be done first when we have the kind of the
lowest capacity in town, the lowest amount of visitors in town. Um, the library lane and possibly the um the parking lot in back uh could be done in the fall. Um, but we're trying to trying to get it so there's the the least
amount of impact to Chattam residents and visitors as possible. We know that sidewalk will be closed for a period of time. Um, you know, possibly depending on the contractor's schedule, but it could be a month or two. Um, the nearest sidewalk crosswalk would be at Cross Street. The next one down would be at C
view. So, there'll be a a stretch of sidewalk where we'll have signs that say, you know, sidewalk close ahead. Um, but that's what we have to do for ADA compliance to make sure people are aware of their crossing opportunities so they're not crossing illegally. >> Well, sounds like you guys are on it.
You're putting the construction, at least the time table right now is construction begins March and March. So that gives you March, April, May, June. Gives you four months of a window to to get it in in decent enough shape for the fourth. That's all that's that's my concern. I think the back parking lot certainly you can wait till after the
fourth and stuff like that. Anyway, but the stuff that's local to pedestrians I think is important to to get tidied up before the fourth. Thanks >> Shireen and Corey. Did you have anything? Corey, >> just one small um question or thought I want to throw through through you. Uh
obviously the bat parking lot has changed, you know, which I understand the traffic pattern and hopefully it's better use of the space. Um things happen. Uh any thought of the spots next to the handicap spot, those
three, four right there. Uh has there been any thought of adding like a ballard to that area? Because I mean it's I I hate >> Oh, no. That's good. I it's the reality is things happen. Uh it's not it's not super super close to the building, but it's not that you know it's idea. >> It's just a little little bit of due
diligence that would probably give a lot of piece, you know, >> I was going to ask about Ballards and the nearness of the children's >> department. Oh, and that that's been a that's been a concern. And so and and again it's hard to see and I'm trying to
zoom in but and and maybe Jay and or Sean can chime in as well but basically um in if you look at your plan here and you can see um we have a uh wooden uh guard rail so wooden historical looking guard rail so uh similar to the one and
not that it's a great example for what's behind it but the um on um old Queen Anne um so 8 by8 we landed we we have a uh um heavyduty wooden guard rail there. Um
>> it would be a mass mass DOT approved guardrail. I think the posts are like 10 by 12. They're you know the Queen pump station if you if you notice by the the village market it's a pretty beefy guardrail. So it's something along those lines in that area. And you know cars
going at parking lot speeds would certainly be enough to to stop any vehicles hitting the building. >> And they're timber. >> Timber. Yes. Yeah. It may be steel backing on them, but you really wouldn't see that from the parking lot. >> Sure. >> And we're adding a a more um robust spec
in that they're uh and Sean, correct me if I'm wrong, or if you can zoom in on the four by four foot on >> we're adding in um uh 4x4 posts every four feet. >> So essentially that will be give you that ballard effect. So there wouldn't be that gap between uh posts that you
would normally see at 8t. So they're they're now spaced at four feet on center. >> So that we feel this is a very robust >> where are they going to be >> barrier. >> Can you point out where they're going to be? >> Yeah, Sean, if you can zoom in on the um >> the location of the guardrail and then
maybe even point out the that some of that area also has vertical granite curb before the sidewalk as well. >> This >> Yeah. On Yep. Right there. this area >> right on >> right in the parking lot side of the
sidewalk in the back. >> I mean, sorry, the back the back side. >> It's on the back side of the sidewalk. >> Yeah. Let me Sorry. I >> So, you're going to have a car parked parking space with a vertical granite curb, and then you're going to have a
5-ft sidewalk, concrete, and then you're going to have the guard rail beyond that, and then plantings beyond that. And then the building is about 12 feet away. >> Corey, >> I'll just say my two cents worth. I understand that the the structure that's
being presented is very um beefy. Um but you still have the parking space, a sidewalk with pedestrians, then a structure that will stop anything, god forbid something happens. So if you're going to have pedestrians in an area, my two cents is add a couple ballards. But
that's that's my opinion because you have pedestrians in in in in play >> and we still have the wheel stops too before the vertical curb. So that's an additional I mean there are there are sidewalks adjacent to vertical curb all over the
country especially in Chadam. Um and it is you know kind of proven to be safe. It's not I don't want to say it's perfectly safe but it is a kind of a safe vertical separation for pedestrians. >> Okay. I'm not going to go back and forth. I got my two cents worth. >> What are you going to be doing about the
front steps to the library on the railing there? Any any work on in that area? >> Uh on the front steps of the library, there are currently two railings which flank on the outside of the steps, but we're going to add uh another railing in
the same design that goes right down the center of those front steps. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, I wanted to ask Terry and then I'm going to open it up for a public comment. Um,
I know this is off the point, but uh, justformationally, what's happening timewise with respect to some work inside the building, specifically the heating unit and the generator? >> Yeah. So, that work again is, you know,
let let's call it separate. Um and we are, you know, we've we've got a um alternative selected. Uh that work will be inside uh the generator. We're zeroing in on locations over here. Um so
that's um work that we're doing concurrently here. So it's it's different discip different disciplines than uh these engineers and different contractors. >> Right. What's the time time frame on them though? How did you when's >> Yeah. So, we're we're hoping to get that
done as soon as we can. Uh we, you know, with our workload, we haven't been >> Will that have to go out to bid? >> Will that have to go out to bid? >> Yeah, it'll actually it will need to go out to bid with with the the dollar value. Um so, and we do need to get some
more design work for the um construction package on that. >> Okay. Is is any of this going to require going to town meeting for more money? because we we've had appropriations already for this. >> Yeah. Again, right now and you know,
this project will involve other other funds. So, right now, we're hopeful we'll be in uh the band we need to be. Um and again I pointed out you know we had some savings um over you know sort of to deal with escalation from uh you
know the overall article where we were able basically you know the original 433 also included design. So we're we're at about a balance around 490 right now and design's been covered. Okay. >> So we have you know to cover uh some of that escalation and then the the
sidewalk and um library lane work. um you know through through other other projects. >> I share my colleagues um comments and compliments about the the project. I think the design work is great and uh I don't know if people know Jay Lorch did
the landscaping work on um on the Eldidge Garage property. Am I right Jay? You were involved in that. I don't know if people know Jay Jay's father was George Olmstead. Um, so I'm going to throw it open to um to the public for
comment. I know we have several trustees from the library here in the room and online. I I would invite and and the library director is here as well. If either the president or the director wants to get up and make any comment or ask any questions or anybody I'll throw it open.
>> I I had one last question. Dean Terry, does the building currently have a generator? >> It does not. >> It does not. And >> right and part of you know basically electrifying the building that is something that we identified that that should be done as part of that. So there is no generator there right now.
>> When you say electrifying >> so changing to you know heat pump heat pump systems in in the building. >> So you're you're you're changing it from whatever the current heat to >> right to basic right for natural gas. But again what there's been some changes too now with acceptance of keeping dual
fuels. So you know it's sort of been a little bit of a moving target. So we we will that most likely the design will keep some redundancy but you know there there is no generator there now and as you go to more electric you know thank you >> it's kind of a natural to have on all
these buildings. >> Sure. >> Okay. And I don't know if I could point out one more thing just because just I think with the the original graphic we had up doesn't also capture um you know we spoke to it but just again some of the u the challenges here with um with
the the the scope growing and you know the project limits here. Um also you know getting this corner down. I think Stuart kind of alluded to the challenges there. Um, and you know, having to do some additional design and survey work
heading um, west on Main Street here to get um, the grades and everything so that this can be uh, an ADA um, compliant crosswalk and then we had to chase uh, the sidewalk up a little bit
further uh, here as well um, to again get the accessible path. So I think to because Stuart raised that concern. It's a good concern on several of the um one of the other drawings that has the um and Sean you had the and I forget which
sheet it is but you have the um not the certification but the you know all the grades and everything to ensure that uh we're compliant with ADA. >> Tricky spot. >> Right. Thank you. >> Yeah. I was challenged with that corner in particular. >> So I'll just repeat is anyone from the
library board or the director wish to comment? Amy Andreas. >> Hi, I'm Amy Andreas, the director of the Eldridge Public Library. I just want to say that we are on board with this project. Um, excited to give it get it started and looking forward to improving
the safety and accessibility to the um residents of Chadam. So, >> thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? Anyone online want to speak? Okay. Any more comments? from the board.
Well, thank you, um, Terry. Thank you, Jay. Uh, and thank you, um, is it Kevin? >> Sean. >> Sean, I apologize. I'm sorry. >> Sean, thank you for the presentation, and we look forward to this project uh
getting on the ground and uh getting completed. It's been a long time coming, but it's important to get it right. >> Thank you very much. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. Next item on the agenda is the authorization of a lean on 32 Milh
Hill Road. Discussion and vote. So, um going to ask Greg Burman to come forward. Uh we have a revised version of the draft lean that has been prepared by town council in front of I think there's slight change in the numbers. Greg
there. Sorry, just trying to in presentation mode. Oh, we'll get it up eventually. There we go. Uh, so yes, Greg Breman, your director of natural resources. Uh, just have a very quick, uh, few slides to kind of talk about the timeline and
progress that's happened at 32 Mil Hill. Uh, we're not going to go through all of this. Uh, there's a long history at this property of violations. uh back in, you know, spring of 2024, we took another look and kind of updated
the violations on the property on advice from town council, getting everything kind of in order. Uh we then worked with town council for pre-litigation demands, which led to injunctions, then the final judgments. Uh the final judgment did
allow us to go onto the property to do the cleanup and in addition to put a lean on the property to cover the cost of that cleanup. Uh we had an RFP in summer and started the contracting in September and the
cleanup began in October. Uh there was a slight delay to allow the property owner to clean up as much as they could by themselves before we brought the contractor in. Um cleanup began on the 14th of October, finished on the 20th. I
believe it was about uh five business days. Uh significant amount of progress in a very short time. And then we do need to record this lean at the registry of deeds, which within 90 days of the uh debt becoming due. So it's been 30. We
still have another 60 should be plenty of time. Um the contractor was Eagle-Ele Contracting. I think they did an an excellent job. Uh they brought a lot of equipment which is why they were able to finish in a relatively short time.
Um some of the numbers involved. So about 160 cubic yards of debris were removed. Uh over three tons of tires and other hazardous materials added to the project cost. And then the recycling of the scrap metal reduced the project cost
u for either the town or the lean that's applied to the property. Uh here's a few before after pictures. So this is I want to say u further down u Milh Hill Road um over there on 2024
this was a large area of scrap metal and other debris and then as we uh cleaned up on the 20th of October um that's the view and then that hazardous material got uh pulled out uh the end of that
day. Here's another image. Um, you might be able to see the uh house on that property kind of in the middle of the picture in the upper left and then you can see it more clearly in that lower right image. But that's the before after and I'll just give you a little bit
bigger view there. Uh, so here we are before the cleanup and then kind of we're fading into after the cleanup. So now there is a driveway. We've unearthed steps going down. Um, we already covered those numbers, but for the statement of
account, uh, the total is $51,000875.50. So, talking to town council at this stage, uh, town council has provided a statement of claim or lean for the select board to consider signing. If that is signed by the select board, um,
and we do have a a copy that can be used, but I think it has to be in front of a notary. Um, I'd allow the town manager office to kind of uh handle your signatures on that if you choose to do so and then it would uh come to me and I'd work with town council to get it to
the registry of deeds and happy to answer any questions. >> So, thank you Greg. Um, and first of all, I want to compliment you and your department staff, the board of health, your health department's staff, um, the Chattam Police Department, the
Chattam Fire Department, and probably the DPW was involved, too. >> And community development, I feel like was a whole town. >> Yeah. >> Involved in this. Uh, and it was done, you know, cleanly and without incident, it appears. So, that's that's great. And the contractor apparently did a pretty
good job here. Um, as I understand it from the memo that once the statement of claim is voted and signed by the select board, it would be uh recorded at the registry of deeds and once recorded, the lean amount will
be transmitted to the assessor's office for inclusion as a tax against the property for the next fiscal year. Does it also um stand as uh as long as it remains unpaid that it's an incumbrance on the property at the registry so that
if properties are sold that would have to be addressed by the seller and the buyer is that would be my understanding of how this would work. But >> correct. So after talking to the uh town assessor and town council um it kind of works like a mechanics lean
>> and that it stays on the property. a copy of the lean gets appended to the property field card and then there's also a note that gets put in the file. So upon any transfer that note comes up and the lean needs to be taken care of. >> It looks like it's added to the tax tax
bill for the next year. >> Yeah. Yeah. We we uh >> technically >> um >> I'm just reading them. >> Anyway, uh are there are there any questions? It looks like a fairly straightforward thing. We we did indicate that even though we have we
have a fund that town meeting approved I don't remember how much was put in there 100,000 or whatever >> you know there was 150,000 in the fund but even in that article a lean was mentioned to potentially >> yeah this money came out of there >> yes
>> um if the money is recouped it goes back to the general fund I would assume not directly into this fund it's not really a revolving fund but I suppose we could appropriate to it I don't know >> I believe that's how it works. I'd have to continue with finance. >> Okay. Any uh any questions or comments
from the board? Stuart and then Jeff. >> Um relative to the fund, um yeah, it does it says here 15. Well, you have 97,000 some odd money available for future
nuance remediation projects. Um are there any on the radar screen because that you know for those people who are uncomfortable with actions like this because this is
new really to the town um that raises eyebrows. Is there anything pending? So primarily, you know, our our first thought right now is if this property falls into uh um conditions that are outside that final judgment, if a
illegal scrapyard or um debris near conservation areas occur again, we could go to the same property and clean it up again without having further litigation. So that's one thing it could be used for. Uh, you know, this was an exceptional property that the state did
come in and deem it an illegal landfill, which is fairly rare, and we did a lot of due diligence with town council. There were a lot of opportunities for self-cleanup. Um, I I think, you know, one of the advantages of this is it didn't necessarily come out of the homeowner's
pocket, so it was able to be cleaned up relatively expiously. Um, but there there's nothing pending right now that I know of that we're looking at for this. It's >> good. >> Yeah. >> The um the other uh so you would go back
and clean up any future issues that arise on this property. Um all right. I I guess that'll good for now. Um yeah, I mean looks looks a lot nicer. >> Thanks.
>> Thank you, Stuart. Jeff, >> a long timeline. Thank you, Greg. Thanks to the town staff involved. Um, and I again I called out ZBA earlier this evening, but I would call out the board of health. They were extremely perseverant and the board of health staff. They were extremely perseverant
in pursuing the the cleanup here because they really felt in their heart of hearts that it was a nuisance and it was a danger to the community. So um really do thank them um for their for their perseverance and their due diligence. And I uh would move to authorize that the statement of claim for 32 Milh Hill
Road in the amount of $52,379.75 and to direct staff to record the lean and process it for addition to the tax role. >> One revision, there's a revision in the number. >> Yeah. So it's $51,875.50. >> Okay. So as the slide says in the amount of 51,87550
would be my motion. >> So I'll accept a second and then Steuart has a >> second. >> Okay. Stuart. What? One last thing. The um the state issued well determined that it was an illegal dump, right? Landfill or >> Yes.
>> Did they do anything? >> They did come to the site and examined it. Um honestly, I think we were fortunate that the state even wrote the letter indicating it was a landfill. We had discussions afterwards and they
discussed the timelines in which they could take action. Um we were looking at another 10 years >> from start to finish with that. So we you know >> they didn't issue any citations or though it's a violation of a state law but they didn't really do anything other
than >> write a letter. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Okay. So we have a um Yes, Brian. For the record, Brian Phillips, 374 Leans Road. I was just wondering, is there going to be um
um like interest on the lean or anything like that? I don't think that's the way it works. Actually, >> I'm just >> I don't know. I don't We confirm that with town council. Greg, did you have any comment on that? Maybe the assessors know the answer to that. >> Yep. So, I I did check with town
council. Um the lean acres interested in the statute authorizing these types of leans until it is committed as a tax upon the property at which point the lean begins acrewing interest at the
rate applicable to municipal taxes. >> Okay. So, it become part of the tax bill and as long as it's unpaid, it acrews uh what is the interest on unpaid taxes? It said 18% 16%. >> It's pretty high. I think it it could it was just reduced, but I definitely I
think it's 12% or something. >> 12%. >> So like it comes on the tax bill that first year and then they have to pay it as like a >> part of the tax bill. >> Comes part of the tax. >> So if the property owner doesn't pay 51 plus their property taxes, it then goes
into what is it? Tax default or something then you got to pay 16%. >> Uh it's 12 I guess 12%. Yeah, I was wrong. Yeah, it would it would become part of the tax bill and as as such as long as it's unpaid, it will acrue 12%
interest. That's what I'm understanding here. >> I I assume he's not paying taxes either. Probably >> he is. He's current with his taxes. >> Oh, he is. So, okay. All right. Interesting process. I mean, we've we've kind of talked about the whole interest
rate and how how >> high that is. >> Yeah. But between as far as interest on the lean itself, we're just committing this now. So because we just completed the work on it. So there really is going to be very little time between
our vote tonight and when this become when this is recorded and once it's recorded, it goes to the assessors. So there's probably not going to be a whole lot of time during which interest is going to be acred on the lean itself at whatever rate that was. Staguto rate
>> carries on. That's a big tax bill though, isn't it? >> Carrie, do you want want to say something? >> Yeah, I do. I'm sorry. The um the interest on tax title was reduced from 16% to 8%.
>> Um that was per Massachusetts law that just passed. >> But that's once it goes into tax title, right? >> Yes. Yeah. >> And that requires what type? an action from the assessors to throw something into tax title or does it automatically go into tax title if the tax bill is
unpaid? So what happens is it usually it stays on the taxes for a year and then it would go to subsequent taxes and then if if unpaid after a year it the tax
collector Sharon drown can then put it on tax title if it hasn't been paid for a year but you can go like two or three years depending. >> Okay. All right. >> Okay. So if he doesn't come up with $52,000 for his taxes and he doesn't pay
it for a year, it could go into tax title and he's got to pay 8%. >> It could. That sounds like >> Yeah, they can. >> Whenever the treasury >> Okay. So I'm not saying that having a landfill there was right by any means. But to me that seems kind of like an undue burden on the um the homeowner and
maybe something else can be worked out because I mean that seems like he could lose his property over something like this. Again, I don't agree with having there, but still that's kind of I think that's kind of extreme and possibly a little predatory. >> Well, the individual is apparently
paying taxes currently, and if there is a a problem going forward with the payment of taxes, he certainly can discuss it with the treasur's office and see if something could be worked out. >> Shireen, did you have something you wanted to say? Well, this was something, you know, it
it's not a tax, it's a lean. And a lean is because this is money that's due us for services that we did. >> Uh we went through due process and I think was handled very well by the town >> um and you know taking it to court uh
getting a judgment and then taking the actions. So this is the cost of taking care of a a problem. It's not a tax. So, >> but it's coming in at But it's coming in on the tax bill >> because a a lean will do that. Yeah.
>> And and and we don't Well, I guess it's more of a question for Carrie. Carrie, I'm assuming if it goes into tax title and it's now 8% as opposed to 16, if I'm following you right. Uh we don't have >> we don't have discretion on the 8%,
right? Or do we? I don't think >> um No, that was just something Sorry. >> Go ahead, Carrie. >> Go ahead. >> No, you >> that was just something that was passed by law, >> right? >> So, it was 16% and it was changed as of
uh recent legislation effective November 1st, 2024 from 16 to 8%. And I think I don't know if we can lower it. I have no idea. I think that's just part of >> Yeah. >> Mass General law. It's uh so it's it's
it's an interesting question um because I do think that well I I think 16 we've kind of talked about this in other cases I think um but in any event um yeah certainly the job needed I think needed to be done. It was it was it was well
done by the town as as Shireen puts has has mentioned but there's always a butt. the the 8%, you know, as a uh if we're going to use this in the future, seems I don't know, seems
uh somewhat high. Um I don't think it's costing us 8%, but you know, food for thought for some other >> Jeff. >> Yeah. Just I'd like to make a comment in response to Mr. Phillips uh comment about predatory or use of the word predatory. Uh the the property owner
here had every opportunity to clear that stuff out many many times. We offered and he he demired and deferred and did not do that. But he was given ample opportunity to clear out that property himself which would have which would have negated all this activity. All this
we wouldn't have we wouldn't even be having this discussion if the gentleman had removed the stuff on his own and he didn't. So the town needed to take action. and I think very appropriately did so. And I don't believe it's predatory in any way, shape, or form. Thank you. >> I understand and I agree that predatory
wasn't the right word for me to use. I just think it would be, you know, you know, if there was just another way where he wouldn't potentially lose his house, you know, maybe payment plans. That's the only thing I uh would ask for. Thank you. Well, as I said, he as
any taxpayer who has problems paying their taxes, they can go to the treasur's office and try to work out a program. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. So, we have a we do we have a motion and a sec. There was a second. I think Shireen second. >> Yes, I seconded. >> Okay. And unless there's further
discussion, I don't see any more public comment. I'll call the role to on on Mr. Dykan's motion. Um, Miss Davis. I >> Mr. Dyken. Hi, Mr. Meadows. Hi, >> Mr. Smith. >> Hi. and the chair votes I so you have it and we'll sign it whenever it's ready
tonight apparently. Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Next is to consider approval of a successor employment agreement with our fire chief Justin Tavano dated December 1, 2025 running till June 30th, 2029. Uh this is um uh sort of a followup to u uh
board member Smith's request that we um um implement the provisions of the charter that require that those employees who have contracts have those contracts submitted to us for approval. And this is an extension of um Chief Devano's contract. So I'll turn it over
to Jill. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. So as you know there's three positions in towns that in town that has employment contracts. uh one is the police chief, the other is fire chief as well as the director of finance. Tonight before you is the fire
chief successor agreement. It's the second agreement with the town as him as the fire chief and in the memo you'll see uh chief tavano's employment history with the town. So with this um successor agreement u we
wanted to first train change the duration so it matched the fiscal year as you see we're approving it uh requesting to approve it tonight for um December 1st but to go through June 30th 2020
9. Um the also the other item that we looked at was compensation. uh we looked at the the comps of our neighboring towns as well as our internal compensation and also um some
of the restructuring that's been done for our collective bargaining agreements for for all of them. And so what I'm proposing tonight is that um an additional funding in the amount of $19,217.79
be approved for FY27. That's June July 1st 2026 for the first year and then the subsequent years are a 3% increase and that will keep the chief um comparable to the internal comps that
we have which is namely the police chief. And so tonight, I respectfully recommend the board vote to approve the successor employment agreement between the town and Chief Tavano effective December 1st, 2025 through June 30th, 2029. And Chief Tammano's here to answer
any questions as well. >> Thank you, Jill. Uh the contract >> Yes. draft. There was there were a couple of largely um totally um um proof edits that um I had called to
Jill's attention yesterday and she's made them. Um they don't really deal with the substance of the of the proposed contract. I think we all have it. >> Yeah. Thank you. that. So, um the first contract was a probationary contract per se and so we took what we noticed is the
probationary language still uh remained. >> Yeah. So, um it looks to be in order to me uh and I just wanted to ask if there were any any discussion the board Stuart. >> Um sure. I first I'll I'll do both. Uh,
I'll make a motion that we sure >> uh approve the contract and um and then I had a uh a couple of comments after a second. >> So, I'll second that. >> Moved and seconded. Go ahead, St. >> So, um I appreciate the board's indulgence on
this. It's, you know, it's uh it it brings us into compliance with the charter uh after a long time of not being in compliance. I think that's important. Um, sorry, Justin, that you were the first victim, but it's the way
timing works. Um, but, uh, I think, um, you know, I think we're fortunate to have Justin. And, um, I think process I I had a few process questions, but I can I can talk to Jill about that at a later date. Thank you. >> Okay. Any other comments? Uh, Corey. No, I just want to simply say that um you
know growing up in this town I think right now we I mean nothing I mean we have a wonder we have a very topnotch chief and a topnotch department that we are so fortunate the the positive feedback that the public you know that I
hear about is I mean I think we can all agree with and I think we are very fortunate to have the the the employees and staff that are are that are put together as a wonderful team for the community. So, I I'm I'm thrilled with the with the staff we have in placed. >> Thank you, Jeff.
>> Yeah, I will echo that. I I think Chief Devon does an excellent job and I certainly am in favor of renewing his contract and the terms that Jill has described and presented to us. >> Thank you. Uh I just I would say the same thing. I' I've been on this board I'm in my 11th year. I think we've had
four fire chiefs in my time here. They've all been superb and and Justin is, you know, continues that tradition. And as Corey said, the whole department is great and that's reflective of the chief's leadership. Uh, and I don't know if Justin, before we take a vote, if you want to say anything, maybe we'll take
the vote first and give you the contract and then you can say say something. >> All right, we'll we'll we'll call the role. Um, Miss Davis, >> hi. >> Mr. uh, Mr. Dykins >> resoundingly. I >> Mr. Matters. Hi. >> Uh, Mr. Smith, >> I. >> And the chair votes I.
>> You got got it, Justin. Welcome. >> Yeah, thank you. Good evening, everybody. Justin Tano, the fire chief. Um, it's been a fast three years. Um, I can't believe we're here already, but um, you know, I was really, really humbled with the opportunity to become the chief three years ago. Uh, I remain
really humbled with the opportunity again today. Um, I'm really proud to be the chief of the department in Chadam. Um, Chattam specifically, it's a wonderful town to work for. Uh, we have great support. Um, we have great collaboration with all the other departments and we have great men and
women working for the department. So, thank you for your for the opportunity um and the opportunity to continue to lead the department. Appreciate it. >> Thank you, Justin. Congratulations. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Um, next we have uh a couple of
committee appointments. The first one is to the summer residence advisory committee. So there is a vacant full member position that runs through June 30th, 2026. There are currently two associate members, Mr. Drinkwater and Mr. Pinto.
Mr. Drinkwater is uh somewhat senior in terms of tenure and I did speak with the and received a communication from the um chair of the of the committee and um uh his uh desire is that uh the senior
person be advanced to that full position and then we have um um an alternate position that is currently held by Mr. drink water if we move him up. And we have three um applicants for that which we can go into on a second vote. So I'll
ask first if there is a motion to um move um to elevate Mr. Drink Water to a full member position. So >> So moved. >> And that would be to June 30th, 2026 unless soon revoked or successor is appointed. >> Second. >> And that's seconded. So I'll call the role on that. Miss Davis.
>> Hi. >> Mr. Dykins. >> Hi. >> Mr. Matters. >> Hi. >> Mr. Smith. >> Hi. and the chair votes I great. So now we have um a position of an associate member that runs uh till June 30th, 2026. We interviewed three um
individuals um uh Mr. Robert Wood on September 2nd, Mr. Robert Goodman on September 16th and Mr. Steve West on October 14th. Um so I will um ask if there are any nominees for this
position. Uh Mr. Meadows. Sure. Um, nominate or do we need to do the full motion? >> Why don't you nominate first? We may have multiple candidates. >> I'll nominate Steve West. >> Is there a second to that? >> I'll second that. >> Okay. Uh, is there Jeff? >> Yeah, I'd like to nominate uh Robert
Wood. >> I'll second that. >> Okay. Are there any other nominees? Okay. I guess I will call the uh role um on um which of these would we would uh then make a motion to appoint.
uh to that position. So um call it in alphabetical order. Miss Miss Davis, >> Robert Wood, >> um Mr. Dykens, >> Robert Wood, >> Mr. Meadows, >> Steve West, >> Mr. Smith, >> Steven West, >> and the chair votes for Steve West.
So, uh can I have a motion to appoint Steve West? >> I'll make a motion that we Steven West to the summer residence committee. >> Second. And that's until June 30th, 2026, unless soon revoked or a successor is appointed. >> Yes. >> Okay, that's been moved and seconded.
Um, I'll call the role. Miss Davis, >> abstain. >> Mr. Dyens, >> abstain. >> Mr. Meadows, >> I. >> Mr. Smith, >> I. >> The chair votes I. So, Steve West is appointed. Okay. The next uh item is the town manager
month. Oh, I'm sorry, Independence Day parade committee. We have two vacancies and we have re recently interviewed uh two candidates um husband and wife Steven Alexiaak and Wendy Alexiaak.
I'm not sure which of them wants the longer term but um I'll throw it open. We have two motions. Mr. Meadows >> just arbitrary because he interviewed first. Uh, I move to appoint Steve Oly Alex alexiac as a member of the Independence Day parade committee until
June 30, 2026 unless a vote or successor is appointed. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Okay. Um, I'll call the role on that one. Um, Miss Davis >> I. >> Mr. Dikkins. >> Hi. >> Mr. Meadows. >> Hi. >> Mr. Smith. >> Hi. >> Chair votes. Cy, do you want to make the
next motion? >> I move to appoint Wendy Olesak. I probably my apologies. As a member of the Independence Day parade committee to June 30, 2027, unless soon a revote or successor is appointed. >> I second. >> Moved and seconded. I'll call a role. Miss Davis.
>> I. >> Mr. Dikens. >> Hi. >> Mr. Matters. Hi. >> Mr. Smith. >> I. >> And the chair votes I. >> Okay. The final item on the agenda is the town manager monthly report and the department reports for October 2025. Jill. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh so the first
item and we do have Greg Burman participating virtually is a follow-up item on the American Oyster Catcher and he notes um or he noted that the American AMY are not covered under the HCP
uh for authorized takes and it's protected under the general migratory bird treaty of 1918. So he um had provided that two AOY pairs typically nest on the Chattam portion of the NASA beach each season and are closely
monitored and mapped by town staff. So if you have any questions feel free to ask and Greg can um answer them for you. >> No, that was my inquiry and Greg has satisfactorily answered it. I've never seen an oyster catcher. Maybe one day
we'll go over there and look. No, >> thank you. >> The next item are the temporary restrictions to Barnhill Landing. Um the the Harvard Master's Office and Natural Resources were um we're reviewing the
Bulkhead area, Barnhill Road Landing, and following some a recent structural inspection. And so um the inspection noted excessive corrosion, significant second loss and a failing weight system
weight system that um led engineers to determine that um it can no longer safely support vehicles. So, um I know that uh the waterways advisory committee I believe received a request for a
waterways user fee appropriation to move this project up to get immediately addressed and um so ve vehicular access is uh restricted in certain areas. So, uh staff is on it and looking to get it repaired as soon as possible and a press
release was also issued for that. And then he als I'm sorry the tree hearing uh results for Kate Gold Park. Um there was a press release on that. Um Tom Bar is our tree warden and he made a
determination that one Norway maple approximately 42 ines warranted removal and that they're going to review the conditions of the other two trees uh to get a second opinion by another arborist and then um he will have another hearing
and then there's some of the trees that were determined to be dead on the back end of Kate Gold Park and that could be handled by town staff without a hearing. And then it was an exciting week. Last week we did the transfer station phase 2 priority one ribbon cutting. Um if you
didn't get a chance to go, it's really a beautiful building. We have some pictures in here. And um it uh is such a welcome addition to the transfer station. And all of you I know have seen the transfer station. And um I was tempted to put a before and after
picture here, but I I didn't want to denigrate the staff um to the conditions that they had to endure so patiently. And so this is really an exciting um exciting new addition to the transfer station. We had Dave Lusher uh cut the ribbon there as well. And I wanted to
thank the voters and the select board for your support for making this happen. And then as you know um and mentioned at the select board meeting uh that we had department life-saving awards. So here in the in the staff report for um the monthly report just gives a broad
explanation of what the awards for and it's it's really amazing that um there's such collaboration amongst our departments. I think maybe you know 20 years ago it'd be unheard of of the fire department hosting awards for another
public safety department or vice versa. And here it just shows the collaboration that all town departments have. So, this was really exciting and thanks to the Harvard Masters Division as well as the police. And then it's been a a really great month too for grants. We had a
food security grant in the amount of $730,620 and that can go towards the 90 Bridge Street shellfish propagation upweller. And also we had uh a grant for
1533 Main Street as part of the ongoing uh commitment to community housing needs to create safe, accessible, and affordable homes. And this will help ensure that the project is supported by um potentially a a crosswalk or s signalized crosswalk on Main Street. So,
it's really exciting for us to get it and um congratulations to the team. um recycling, of course. Uh we we usually get a sustainable materials recovery program um for our recycling dividend funds and we'll get $6,000 which is
really exciting and it plays a vital role to offsetting some of our recycling costs. And then we have um some housing news. We have the disposition of real property for and sale for a house at 558 Crawl
Road. This is owned by the trust and we will be doing a lottery. So, um people who are interested in the in the the house can submit by 5:00 pm on Monday, December 15th. And that's through the
I'm sorry, I just lost my place. That is through the Housing Assistance Corporation. Then the Stepping Stones housing ownership request for proposals for developers is on the street. It's due by January 8th, 2026. There was a sitewalk
today um with one potential bidder um participating and so um again January 8th and then I've convened a town manager's evaluation team to review the proposals when they come in. Uh right
now we have uh Corey Meters of course on the select board, Carolyn Mlullen um a housing advocate from the trust and the community housing partnership committee. We have Tim Smith as a local developer and builder. And then we have a property
owner from the area. Um at this time it's JJ Shock. Thank you. Um, and then we have Terry Whan who I have on all of our review committees and so we're looking to work to get our first meeting
scheduled. So, and sometime before January 8th just as an orientation. So, we're really excited about that. They'll make a recommendation to me. I'll then make a recommendation to the select board center for active living building working group. Uh, tonight uh we posted
the the draft recommendations. There's three versions that the committee is working on and an accompanying staff report as well. And so that will be presented on Wednesday, December 3rd at 6:30 p.m. for the special meeting. And um I I note the members in here, they've
been meeting weekly and done a really great job. So there might be one more meeting uh next week just to do a last preparation effort for the presentation on December 3rd and then we'll see where we go with the board's um vote to proceed. Is there a meeting tomorrow?
>> There is a meeting tomorrow. Yep. >> And then as usual, I have the employee anniversaries and we have um Julie Smith right at the top as our town clerk here for 31 years. So, it's really exciting to be able to announce that. And Sharon Stark, our
recreation supervisor, 20 years. Um Craig Row, our director of IT for 13 years. Uh Jerome in our facilities division. Patty and DPW. James Bragden who's our police officer for three years, Katen Quinn, our recreation assistant for two years, and
Matt Emmes, um, one, it's one year, and I can't believe how quickly that's gone by. And then, um, photoed here is Rain Stevens, our our newest member to DPW Parks, Grounds, and Cemetery, and we're really excited to have him. And then, uh, position availability for a DPW
associate. And then the project updates as usual are indexed by Kathy and they're included in the next 76 pages of the report. So I'm happy to answer any questions. >> Thank you Jill. Um I very much appreciate the pictures in these reports
that we're getting in the most more recent ones. It makes it a lot easier to read. I think um some of the some of the individual department reports have been reorganized and it also makes it a little easier to read. um wanted to ask about the assessing director. Where does
that stand in terms of um hiring to replace Dale? She's going to be leaving in um early December. Is it December 10th or something like that? >> I think it's the 12th. Yeah. Yeah. So, um the interview panel has conducted its first round of interviews and we I hope to make an announcement pretty soon.
>> Okay. >> Any u comments or questions uh for Jill on there internal candidates for the assessment? >> I can't really speak to the candidates. Um, but I I think no matter what, we'll be pleased with the appointment. >> Couple of comments if I might. >> Yeah.
>> Are there signs down at Barhole Landing saying you can't park any closer than 10 feet? I was down there the other day. I didn't I didn't notice them, but maybe. >> My understanding was there was signs, but I didn't I didn't go down. >> Yeah. I Okay. I was there the other day and I didn't really notice them. So, maybe there are, maybe there aren't. And also, you know, you gloss over the
numbers a little bit, but you know, giving some more airtime to the fact that we got $1.3 million in grants. >> Yes. um for affordable housing and for 90 bridges not to be unnoticed. It should be we should really advocate, you know, really get it out there early and
off. >> Yeah, they've been on social media, the main sheet as well. And then this some of this is a little stale per se with our promotional efforts, but just this is the the last um I guess location where we would announce this these type
of awards. >> Thank you, Stuart. >> Sure. the um uh page of the um the lottery for C the Croll Road Home.
>> Is that a lottery that uh goes to every anyone in the state or is that just for Chadam res? Do you know how that works? >> I know people have to register. I just want to take a look at >> I mean it's out of hyena so I'm just assuming that it goes to a broader
>> group. They run the program. >> Yeah. So, Hack is running the lottery for the housing the affordable housing trust. >> And it's my understanding that this that the the folks that would be submitting um are pre-qualified
um buyers, you know, potential buyers for the property. Um and they they more than likely can come from anywhere, but there was a local preference, I think, that we attached to this. Um and and I believe so that will give it some weight
to go to somebody who's local. >> Um >> well, good to see. >> Yeah, it's an independent, you know, from from the housing trust and and hack is knows how to do this and does it well and um as I said, everybody's pre-qualified um before they can even submit their
name. >> Okay. >> Anything else? >> Very excited about this uh this this project. >> Yeah. Yeah. No, it's uh so am I. Um m uh Jill, sorry the can't
reference the page, but Sean Stevens >> Rain. He goes by the name Rain. >> Oh, Rain. Sorry. Um is this a is this one of the positions that a new position or did somebody leave? >> I know we didn't Didn't Didn't we
appropriate money for two new labor? >> We did. cemeteries. >> I think it is >> combined cemetery and DPW, wasn't it? >> Um, it was Yeah, it's it's parks, grounds, and cemeteries. Let me look back. I think it I think it's the last position. I think
we're fully staffed. That might have been, but let me follow up on that one. just just trying to and um and we chatted about and we can chat further um Julies who have left statistics. Um I know
you're 11 of your just a little bit further. It's um town manager's office. It's under the uh town vision statement. You've got this the meetings these
different meetings that >> the the third third one down budget and finance policies review with the Collins Center fiscal 2027 department budget review
meetings. What what is that? Are we are you using the Collins Center to review town budgets? Do you review that with care or is it combination? So, we were contracted with the Collins Center to review our town's budget and financial
policies. So, Carrie's taking the lean on that and we've been meeting with the the two consultants through the Collins Center. And then I al without them, Carrie and I do budget review meetings. We've been uh working through all the
departments to get through their FY27 operating and capital budgets. So the budget and financial policies review with the Collins Center, that's a separate contract, but it's for policies. It's not the individual budget. >> It's only policies. Yeah. >> And is that coming?
>> Is that something that comes back to the board to look at? >> Come back to come back to this >> both us and the finance committee, but we'll have the final vote on it. >> Yeah. On the policies and um >> they need to they need to be updated a little bit. Yeah. >> So this is an update on policies that you've got. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. So we have them there. They were last updated in 2019. >> Okay. >> And um prior to that it was I think 2012. So it's a cyclical update that needed to happen. >> And do you remember what that number what their contract amount is?
>> I would have to look it up for >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Uh just note that u I know we're going to plan the agenda. We're meeting tomorrow. Plan the agenda for December 2nd. I guess in December 3rd as well because we have to post the agenda tomorrow because
>> both have to be posted because of the Thursday Friday >> Friday the Friday town offices are closed >> um in addition to Thanksgiving. So, um, tenatively we're looking at, um, the Coast Guard boat house donation agreement next next Tuesday
>> if it's ready. >> If it's ready and, um, the continued discussion, which Stuart had asked for, on personal care sites and emergency shelters. So, that that will take place. I know we have um the public safety personnel
available that that night. So, >> yeah. And then we have the successor agreement for the director of finance too. >> That's coming up. >> Be ready. Yeah. >> Okay. All right. Well, thank you. Uh is there um any are there any other words um before we wish everyone happy
Thanksgiving and take the final vote? >> Happy Thanksgiving everybody. >> Chad motion to adjurnn. >> Is there a second? Okay. >> Miss Davis. >> Hi. >> Mr. Dikkins. >> Hi. >> Mr. Meadows. Hi. >> Mr. Smith. >> I. >> Chair votes I. And we are adjourned at 7:37
p.m. Good night, John.