Heat. Heat. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the May 20th, 2025 meeting of the Town of Cadam Select Board. Please note that 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, please notify the chair. Seeing none, pursuant to Governor Healey's March 28th, 2025 signing of chapter 2 of the acts of 2025 extending certain COVID 19 measures adopted during
the state of emergency suspending certain provisions of the open meeting law 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 158-9454410 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 Chadam TV Exfinity 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. Before I call the role, I want to as chair uh express my uh and I think the board's congratulations and thanks to those citizens who took the time to come to vote in last week's election. I want
to uh also um congratulate uh our colleague Jeff Dikkins on his re-election to a fifth term, which I think is a town record. And I look forward to his ongoing uh contribution by way of his financial expertise and
his advocacy for our public schools. And I want to welcome our newest member, a familiar face, Stuart Smith, our former harbor master, to the board. I should say Stuart FX Smith, Francis Aver Smith, great Jesuit saint. Um Stuart is uh has
deep experience as we know in our town government uh and with our waterfront and we look forward to his his contribution in his new assignment. On Friday um the board elected Stuart as our clerk, Jeff Jeff is our vice chair
and yours truly as chair for this uh new new u town municipal year. And lastly, I want to thank our former colleague Mike Shell for his dedicated service to the town and his leadership on this board. He was tireless in his efforts to
achieve consensus around solutions to the many challenges that face the town of Chattam. With that, I will ensure a role a quorum by calling a role of the board. Um, Miss Davis, present. Mr. Dykins, uh, present. Thanks for those comments, Dean. Appreciate it. You're
welcome. Well deserved. Mr. Meadows, present. Miss Mr. Smith. Uh, present. Thank you. And the chair is present. First order of business tonight is to approve uh a set of two sets of minutes. The first is the are the minutes of May 13, 2025. Do I hear a motion to move to
approve? Is there a second? Second. Uh, are there any corrections? Hearing none, we'll call the role. Miss Davis I. Mr. Dyken. I. Mr. Meadows. I. Uh, M. Mr. Smith abstain. And the chair votes I. That's
401. Second set May 16th, 2025. I hear a motion to approve. Motion to approve. Is there a second? Second. Any corrections? None. Hearing none. I will call the role. Miss Davis. I. Mr. Dyken. Hi. Mr.
Matters. I. Mr. Smith. Abstain. And the chair votes yes. I think you were present. That's this that was the election of officers. We were there for that one. So you could vote for that I think. Sorry. That's okay. So that's an I. Five to zero. Thank you. Um we will
have some uh public announcements uh and then we will have a public hearing just to go over the uh agenda for this evening. There's a public hearing following the public announcements and agenda item requests portion of the meeting. uh public hearing will consider a request, excuse
me, a request from the Cadam Squire for an exemption from local licensing regulations um to allow for smoking and vaping on the patio at after the uh required um closing time for um service
of alcohol. We will then have an update from uh the chair of the council on aging board of directors on the work of her committee. Then we'll have public comments on the business agenda. Uh there are two items on the business agenda during which uh as is indicated
in the printed agenda and the posted agenda, we will allow for contemporaneous public comment. But the business agenda will include following items. Um a a use a request for the use of town property and a special one-day entertainment license for the fourth of
excuse me fourth of July fireworks at Veterans Field. We'll have a request um we have a request to uh for an entertainment license for one day uh at the Maronei Maritime Center. Then we will have a second
reading of uh the town a proposed town facility use policy and uh then there is a request to use um town property at L Lighthouse Beach for um uh Chattam Yoga. Then the board will
discuss its liaison assignments for the coming year. We will then have a discussion of the board's proposed summer meeting schedule and any change to the meeting times. And following that, the last item will be an update from our executive
assistant on um committee board and commission reappointments. So, going back to the agenda, the first item um after the minutes is public announcements. And um I will ask if there are any public announcements from the board first. Mr. Matters. Thank you,
Mr. Chair. I figured with the reorganization of the board, I'm going to stick my neck out again and ask at the chair's uh discretion um ideally when all members are present that we sit down and just review our public input um policy um that we've had and maybe
consider amendments if they seem fit. Um so this is an agenda item request. Yes, please. Yes, that we will place that on the agenda um uh I think sometime in June and depending on when we have our meetings in June. um when we have a full
board. Um anybody else on the board have any agenda item requests or announcements? Mr. Dykins. Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to request an agenda item on the process and pro I'd like to request an agenda item on the process and protocol for um
addressing the board um uh with having um folks have their uh cameras on when they address the board. We had a we had a uh a rag or rule I should say at my last place of employment the Duffy Hill Center where if we had large meetings
and if folks were going to speak they showed their face and they spoke to us and it was I think it was a matter of courtesy. So I would like to uh have a discussion about having uh folks uh when they're on camera to please uh address us with their with their v with their vis. Thank you. Okay. We will put that
on the agenda as soon as we can and hopefully in June because we'd like to get these whatever protocols we're going to have for the for this board in place for the coming year addressed addressed earlier rather than later. Um the chair has an announcement, but I'll I'll wait
until we hear from the public. Anyone in the audience have any agenda item requests or public announcements? Chief Anderson. Thank you, Mr. Chair, members of the board. I would also like to congratulate board member Dykins on your re-election and board member Smith. Welcome.
Congratulations. Uh Mike Anderson. I am a liazison to the public ceremonies committee and on behalf of the chair uh Rob Fr. I would like the public uh you're you're all invited to the uh this year's Memorial Day's uh observances.
This is going to be Monday, May 26th, 10 o'clock sharp uh at the community center. It's going to be held at the front lawn which is also the World War I memorial. Uh, in case of bad weather, the ceremony will move indoors inside to
the gymnasium. And our featured speaker this year is Cadam's own Army Vietnam veteran Ted Miller. He has uh spoke many times at these events. Uh, he usually does a great job. Uh, and just a friendly reminder, the public ceremonies
committee is currently looking for new committee members to help out uh with the organization and presentations of our Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies. any Chattam veteran uh or member who uh of our community has
served uh in the service or has served in public service are urged to apply. Uh more information can be found on the town of Chadam's website. Um and I look forward to seeing you all Monday morning at 10:00. Thank you. Thank you, Chief.
Um next, I think we have a presentation um an announcement from our director of natural resources, Greg Burman. Thank you, Director of Natural Resources, Greg Burman. It's my pleasure to introduce Katherine Ricks as our new coastal resilience director. You may
recognize her. She got here in August and has served admirably as our assistant conservation agent, but her experience um in the private sector as a licensed professional engineer and coastal project manager made her very
wellqualified for this new position. She's experienced in dredging, permitting, hazard plan. So, this is all things that, you know, Ted Keon used to help us with and she'll be taking over most of those duties. Um, but this is a
wonderful, you know, opportunity for the town to bring somebody in with this experience and I I think she has potentially uh cut some of the time off the Ruck heroes in transition race uh with some of the other town staff and
Coast Guard also. So, just wanted to introduce her and you'll probably be seeing a lot more. Thank you very much, Katherine. Do you would you like to say a few words and we certainly I'm just excited for the new role. Well, we applaud your promotion and we look forward to interacting with you uh going
forward on this important uh work for the town. Thank you very much. Thank you. Are there any other announcements or agenda item requests from the audience here or online? Mr. Niccastaster, if I just if I might. Yes.
Uh could I add one uh Sure. subject to a future agenda. If we could have a discussion on um uh the minutes taking, I'd appreciate it. Okay. We'll try to get again. That's kind of a procedural thing. We should wrap up earlier rather than later. So, we'll try to put uh
we've got three already for possibly in June. Thank you. I see no one else. I have an announcement. Um this has to do with um the um considerable backlog of agenda item requests both from the public and
from the select board. We have a total of 63 of which 39 are from select board members present and past and 24 from the general public. Um, I am going to propose um hopefully
at one of our June meetings that the board consider rescending all of them and allowing um a period of time, maybe a couple of weeks, fixed period of time for those who sponsored those requests
and still want them to be considered uh to bring them forward um by contacting our executive assistant. Um, my goal is to try to reduce that list, make it more manageable. As chair,
um, I have full discretion on whether to place a request that comes from a member of the general public. A request that comes from, uh, a select board member is to be honored on under the select board rule rules by the
chair within, um, 30 days. Um, I'm not proposing it this evening. It's not for discussion this evening, but I wanted to give everyone an opportunity to think about it over the next couple of weeks so that we can have an informed discussion uh at the appointed time. Uh,
with that I we will now proceed to the um um remaining part of the agenda. The first item is a public hearing and I will call on the clerk. Um, Mr. Chair, Mr. Matters. Yes. Um before we go into the public hearing, as I've disclosed
previous, um I have an immediate family member who is a property owner and resident of the site um up for discussion on the public hearing. So I will be recusing myself. Thank you. And and with that in mind as well, I just want to note note for the record, I live
in the larger neighborhood, but I am not in a butter, nor am I in a butter on an abutter. I'm not within 300 ft. Uh so I will be participating in this matter. M Mr. Clerk, could you read the public hearing notice? Thank you. Certainly. Cadam Select Board public
hearing notice. Notice is hereby given that the Chattam Select Board will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, May 20th, 2025 at 5:30m in the large meeting room at the town office annex 261 George
Ryder Road, Chadam and remotely via Microsoft Teams platform to consider a request for an exemption from local licensing regulations section 4 general provisions licensed hours to allow people to use the outdoor patio of the
Chattam Squire located at 487 Main Street Chadam for smoking and vaping. After the required closing of the patio for the service of alcohol, all interested parties are encouraged to participate. Thank Thank you, Mr. Smith. Uh so appearing for the U applicant, the
Cadam Squire I understand is attorney Jamie Nocross. Is he here or is he online? Hi. Yes, this is Shannon Neil, manager at the Chattam Squire. How are you all? Okay. I'm sorry. Could you uh we need to pump up the volume a little bit. Could
you please re repeat yourself? Yeah. My name is Shannon Neil. I'm a manager at the Cadam Choir. Okay. And is Mr. Norcross going to be participating as well? Because we were led to understand that he was going to be representing you, right? Unfort
Unfortunately, uh he came down with something and is not able to attend this evening. So, it's just me. Okay. And your last name is Neil? Yes. Okay. Thank you. Um, do you want to uh tell us what um this is about and um
what you're looking for and why, please? Sure. So, essentially, we've had our newly constructed patio open to the public for a year now. And one of the parameters that was put in place for that patio was that we could no longer
have people smoking out there after the license regulation hours. Historically, people have always smoked out back at this choir and this was an adjustment that was made after the patio was approved by the select board. We did
adhere to all of we cooperated. We adhereed to the regulations. Um, it was very heavily enforced that people were in off the patio by 10:00 on the weekdays, 11:00 on the weekends. And we our only other option, the only
alternative for people who were smoking and vaping because they're going to do that was to push them either out front or out to the back parking lot. It was a logistical nightmare. But the bigger focus, the the priority of why
we're coming before the board today is because it really is a safety issue to have our patient patrons being released into Main Street where, you know, we're trying to keep them from falling in the streets, taking off down the road, going
out into the back parking lot. It's it's a safety issue and it's really important that we address it for both us and for the town. So currently um your hour is 10:00 weekdays and 11:00 Fridays and Saturdays and federal
holidays. You stop serving alcohol. You also stop serving food on the patio at at those times. So what happens after what currently happens after that? Isn't Isn't it closed off? Isn't it supposed to be closed off
currently? That is how we're operating. Yes. And that's how we operated through the entire summer. Okay. Um we actually stopped serving alcohol a half an hour prior to the license regulation time. So that the only people that are out there with alcoholic beverages had been served
by a half hour prior to that closing time requirement. Um at 15 minutes prior to the closing time, we start asking people to head in and the patio has been emptied out by that time.
Are the lights turned off on the patio after that? The lights have to remain on because we have barbacks and bouncers that are taking out trash and Okay. They they need to have a lit access way for that purpose. Yeah. Okay. Well, I'll open it
up to questions or comments from members of the select board before we go to the public. Shireen, I I have no questions right now. I want to hear from the public. Okay, Jeff. Yeah, I I do too, but I there planning board did weigh in. Yes, the planning board weighed in
negatively, I believe. Perhaps we should just inform folks. Yes. Uh I can do that. We we uh received a communication from the chair of the planning board dated April 29th, and let me read it. Uh, it's addressed to the chair of the select board. Subject planning board
recommendation for local licensing regulations. Release of statement of conditions for 487489 Main Street. The squire. Dear select board members, the planning board granted a release of May 8th, 2023 statement of conditions for the above mentioned establishment at
487489 Main Street. Condition three of May 8th, 2023 statement of conditions is as follows. Approval of the plan will eliminate the need for the applicant's temporary outdoor dining license granted under the town's outdoor dining areas
policies and procedures following the governor's COVID 19 executive order in June of 2020. The outdoor seating may be utilized consistent with these policies and procedures unless otherwise changed through a separate licensing process as follows. Sunday through Thursday,
outdoor dining areas are required to close by 10:00 p.m. Friday, Saturday, and federal holidays, outdoor dining areas are required to close by 11:00 p.m. Given that the release of the statement of conditions will no longer hold the hours of operation for the
outdoor dining area use developed as part of this project review for the squire, the planning board would like to request the following. I should just interject that the planning board had approved the patio activity back in 2023 and they subjected it to several
conditions. One of which had to be the hours that I just mentioned and they lifted those restrictions uh just recently. Continuing with the letter, the planning board requests that the select board continue to uphold the hours of operation for the outdoor
dining area use for the squire as detailed in condition three above in order to protect the surrounding properties in perpetuity as was the planning board's intent on the condition of the condition if the outdoor dining area use was to remain permanently. Planning board voted 400 to recommend
the above reference. Should you have any questions regarding this approval, please contact the community development department regards Arthur Spru share a town of Chadam Planning Board. Uh any other comments or questions from the select board at this time. Okay, I'm
going to open it to uh public, but before I do, we received a number of corres uh communications uh and I'm going to read them all into the record. We received 10 letters total. Um, three of them were in
the packet that we had for the select board on Friday and seven came in subsequently. All of these have been shared with attorney Norcross. So, please bear with me. The first is dated May 5th, 2025 from Chris Craraven of 10 Mil Pond
Road. Dear select board members, those living nearby want less, not more noise of any kind. The squire has always done a negligible job of keeping an eye on their patrons after they walk out the door. There are always some who linger in the parking lot, usually speaking loudly and often having one for the
road, tossing bottles and cans into neighboring yards, particularly mine, so that they don't drive with empties. Allowing them to congregate in the patio isn't going to help. Although my house is about 250 ft from the square patio, the sound of talking is audible and adds
to the even louder noise from a plier. Although I don't want to put a damper on festivities, unwanted noise is difficult to avoid, even with windows closed, and it does affect the quality of life and property values. Long-term residents know noise levels greatly increased after the town built the parking lot.
Bar patrons late at night, cars coming and going, deliveries early in the morning, and more recently living adjacent to what has become an entertainment entertainment area. What I request is that not only is this exception denied, but that the squire be required to ensure their patrons not
linger, make noise, or throw trash at any time of the year. Next is a letter dated May 5th, 2025 from Margaret and Steven Heck. Dear Chadam Select Board, unfortunately Margaret and I will not be able to attend the meeting on May 20th
at 5:30 p.m. We are opposed to the above request for the following reasons. One, the patio currently creates a fair amount of noise in the evening and we put up with it until the patio closes. Two, knowing this, it takes a lot of moxy to ask the neighbors to extend the time in the evening when we have to deal
with people who have who have been drinking and now want to move their boisterousness to the back patio. Three, imagine what it would be like at some hour of the night for people who have been drinking and need to smoke being on the back patio. They are near the neighborhood yelling, screaming, and making lots of noise while the neighbors
are only asking for a little quiet. We would like to have our wind. Four, we would like to have our windows open in the evening, but we can't due to the patio noise. Approving the above request would only extend the noise until the late hours. Five, let's keep the noise on the street side where the neighbors don't hear it as much. This is a
heartfelt plea to the board to not approve the above request in any manner, shape, or form. Next is submitt from uh Joe Ryan. Dear members of the Cadam Select Board, as a Butters, we strongly urge
you to deny the Squire's request to allow smoking in its outdoor bar area until the 1:00 a.m. closing time. This proposal is unacceptable for the surrounding neighborhood. Noise levels from the Squire patio are already excessive both before and after the current permitted outdoor hours, 10:00
p.m. on weekdays and 11:00 p.m. on weekends. Extending outdoor use under the guise of smoking only will only worsen the disruption to abutters, especially during late night hours when residents expect peace and quiet. This the request raises multiple unanswered
and problematic questions. Are smokers allowed to bring their drinks during smoking hours? Will the patio be restricted to smokers only? Will active smoking be required to remain outside? Once someone finishes their cigarette, must they immediately return indoors?
Will the rear egress door to the back bar remain open during this time, continuing to leak noise that already exceeds acceptable decibel limits? Who will enforce rules regarding smoking noise and loitering after hours? This proposal is not about accommodating
smokers. It's about extending the use of an outdoor bar space beyond permitted hours, further further degrading the quality of life for nearby residents. Last year, our entire neighborhood experienced firsthand how the transformation of the former outdoor dining area, once a quiet restaurant
space closing by 900 pm, into a late night bar, resulted in increased noise and repeated disturbances with significant consequences for a butters. We personally contacted the Chattam Police numerous times last summer due to being awakened after 10:00 and 11:00 p.m. by loud activity from the outdoor
area. The notion that smoking only activity until 1:00 a.m. will not cause additional disruption is simply not credible. We are direct abutters of this property and know firsthand the daily night the the daily late night and early morning noise impact. Our neighborhood
should not bear the further burden of increased noise loadering loitering and disruption especially not to accommodate a business seeking to circumvent current noise and use limits which they already flagrantly flaunt. We respectfully urge the select board to vote no on this
request and to protect the residential character and livability of our neighborhood and the Chattam community. Uh they live at 27 Shadic Place. Next, um this is from a Dave Pulsifer. Dear select board, we are
property owners within ear shot of the squire the squire bar and grill. As fair-minded individuals, we understood when you allowed the squire to expand out the back into the parking lot during the COVID shutdown. Seemed reasonable to help our local business survive
difficult times. Co ended most towns and cities required businesses to give up or shrink their granted outdoor space and return to their original venue. Chadam did not do this with the squire. In fact, the select board approved a request to expand the bar and local noise to the
outdoor space until 10:00 weekdays and 11 11 p.m. weekends. Now, even this is not good enough for the squire owners. They're requesting to keep the outdoor space open as a smoking hanging around area until 1:00 a.m. I'm sure they promise no alcohol will be served after
11:00 p.m. We all know the so-called smokers will sneak their alcohol out the door for a smoke or better yet they will get it out of their cars and hang around outside until 1:00 a.m. One must ask what possible good can come from this for the town of Chadam. The answer is
easy. None. police lets her on the side of common sense and reject this silly, obviously underhanded request to keep selling alcohol inside to drink outside and have a smoke. That's the plan. And we you know it. Oh, make Oh, make no
make a rule. No alcohol and on the deck after 11:00 p.m. Really, who is who is that naive? And we all know smoking is bad for your health. Should we be promoting smoking in our young people? As a neighbor of the squire, I am insulted by the way these new owners
these new owners treat their neighbors. This is not your father's squire where courtesy and consideration of for the neighborhood prevailed. Please leave the current most businessfriendly rules and regulations in place and reject this request. Thank you for
listening. This is from um Christina and David me. Dear select board of as property owners of 17 shadic place, we strongly urge you to deny the petition from Squire which would allow Squire patrons to use the outdoor patio for smoking after it officially closes for
serving drinks. This request means that the outdoor patio would be active till 1:00 p a.m. every evening and negatively negatively impacting the nearby residents. Next, uh, from Don and Jamie Chalker of 30 Kent Place. Select board members. In
regard to the Chattam Squire's latest request for outdoor smoking to be allowed until 1:00 a.m. every day in their outdoor patio area, it is emphatically against anything we want to see happen. The squire's outdoor patio itself has already been a content situation as it
somehow slipped in through the cracks to be allowed in the first place. At this point, there is no reason to have a specific smoking area for people despite the squires thinking that they would be kept they would be keeping people from smoking on the street. Smoking is not allowed in bars and should not be
allowed on the patio, which is a bar. It will be yet another way for them to have people on the patio who would who will have been drinking and therefore continue to make noise until 1:00 a.m. Please consider not only the feelings of this neighborhood of the neighborhood in this issue which are legitimate, but
what is good for the town as a whole. This is one more way for a precedent to be set if this were to pass. Respectfully, this is from Robert E. Goodman Jr., due to the short notice regarding the public
meeting on May 20th and the fact that we live in Dallas until summer, we are unable to attend the public hearing on May 20 on the squire's requested variance. OMG, here they go again. Did the owner and manage management of the square not hear us about loud loud and
clear when we shot down their attempt to extend hours and play live m music in 2024? The restaurant is downtown, but it is also in a family neighborhood of homeowners, renters, and guests who deserve quiet at night. Many of us do not have AC to block outdoor noise and
air and or have it, but prefer fresh air from open windows. We most certainly do not want Squire patrons extending their evenings to smoke and vape. We do not want the ugly stench and smoke of cigarettes, scar, cigars, or marijuana wafting through our open windows into our homes and yards. We deserve clean,
fresh air for ourselves, children, grandchildren, guests, and pets. Smoking and vaping are not fundamental rights under the Constitution, and Massachusetts has laws restricting smoking and vaping in public places. The back patio of the squire is a public place because it is a in a public
parking lot. Interestingly, the notice we received clearly states that the smoking time will start after the required closing time for serving of alcohol. However, will food be available? If so, the intent and result will be enhanced revenue for the establishment at the sacrifice of neighbors. People have cars, homes, and
apartments where they can go smoke and vape or they have friends who have these locations. We at Butters do not want these activities in our backyard. The next is from Jenny Nickerson of 515 Main Street to whom it
may concern. I received a notice about the Cadam Squire requesting people to use the outdoor patio for smoking and vaping after the required closing of the patio for the service of alcohol. I am not in favor of this exemption from local licensing regulations section 4 general provisions licensed hours. If I
am reading the regulations correctly, it appears that the outside patio is required to close 30 minutes before the squire closes for the evening. I do not believe this is that this is a hardship and if I was living in the vicinity, I would want the noise level to stop earlier than later. Sending the smokers
inside with no smoking or drinking may end their fun earlier. I hope that the select board will vote against this. Thank you for your consideration. And I think this is the last one, but it's long. Um from Daniel McNamera. Dear select board, my name is
Dan McNamera and I live at 38 Mil Pond Road in Chadam. I have watched with great interest as the squire and applier continue to expand their business by providing music outside gathering areas and food and beverage services. I certainly don't begrudge their right to build successful businesses as it is
good for the town. I do however strongly request that it is done with within the current guidelines both legally and with the goal of being good neighbors. While still frustrated with how the current guidelines for their external activities came about, we nevertheless went into last year hopeful that we could coexist
and continue to enjoy the peaceful nights we all work a lifetime to be able to experience in Chadam. Unfortunately, there were too many nights where crowds and excessive noise continued well past the stated approved hours. I suppose it shouldn't have been a surprise when you see the long lines of young people, many
college students, waiting to get into the squire on summer nights. I can tell you that I speak from experience when I say that simply extending smoking gathering hours even in the absence of alcohol will result in many patrons remaining in these areas long after service stops. The previous hours of
alcohol service will naturally facilitate loud and active crowds. The effect of alcohol simply doesn't doesn't simply turn off at a certain hour. As I say, I speak from experience. I was the owner of the Commodore Inn in Haritch for five recent seasons. In an effort to
h enhance our guest experience, I installed an outdoor fire pit. We also provided bar service. The inn was located in a residential area, so we were very familiar with quiet hours. We eventually cut off bar service an hour before the quiet hour limits because the
noise generated at the fire pit from our guests went well past service time. That didn't help as the guests continued to linger at the pit. Eventually, we ended up turning the fire pit off fire pit off entirely or even earlier so guests would head back to their rooms. We had to do this because loitering and noise is a
basic byproduct of byproduct of bar service and a comfortable location i.e. fire pits. I have no doubt that the squire will experience this on steroids as the house as the hours are already longer, the bar service is longer, the area is larger, and their patron
demographics skew younger. I have also been around long enough to know that once you start something, it's nearly impossible to undo it. I ask that you please put yourself in the shoes of the neighbors that will have to live with your uh potential decision in this important matter. Unfortunately, I had
to fly back home to Texas for oral surgery. It takes place on Tuesday as well. I will dial into the meeting, but not sure I will be able to speak. So, I am hoping this note can represent our position. Um, so I thought there was also a I'm sorry, there are a couple
more. Here's here's one that I This is the last one. This is from Charles Heran. Um, to the members of the Chattam Select Board, my name is Charles Heran. I live my family and I live on 18 Mil Pond Road. Our home is directly behind the
squire. I have appeared before the select board many times about the noise generated by the squire. Unfortunately, I am unable to appear in person for this squire noise hearing, but I would like the board to know that I am strongly opposed to what the squire is asking for. In my opinion, the squire is asking
for some kind of a 1:00 a.m. smoking extension. Uh, highlights what little regard the squire has for its neighbors. Enough is enough. Please tell them so. So, those are the letters. And um I just wanted to say parenthetically I think
our town council is um logged on in case we have any legal questions. I'm going to turn now to members of the public. Now, if you have submitted a letter that I have read, um I I will recognize you, but I would ask that you try to be I would encourage
you to be respectful of the time uh of on our agenda that it's allocated that is allocated for this meeting and um be respectful of um the other people present including the applicant. So, if anyone is interested in speaking, um
I'll we'll take comments from the live audience first and we'll ask you to come to the microphone at the side and identify yourself. Um um so Miss Mr. Mr. Robenheim, sorry,
David Oenheim. Um I'm the owner of the Mayflower Complex that has three residential units. Um, you know, this board has had is always balancing uh the needs of downtown businesses with the neighbors. Uh, and as someone that's been involved
with business downtown for over 30 years, we've been having the wayside and we had to deal with these types of things at all times. Um, last year when when people were very few people were noticed when they were uh granting the the use of the outside
um space for a bar, whatever. Um, you I think you heard everybody and to your credit decided that any future things would be noticed more like a board of appeals, a butters, a butters to a butters. Last time I was not notified. This time I was notified. Um, the
representative of the squire said how everything went so well last year. Well, that's not quite the case. um you put strict hours 10 o'clock and 11 o'clock on weekends and um you know the butters were not the neighbors were not thrilled with that but that was done and and it
was my if I remember correctly it was subject to review by this board. If there were too many complaints you would have the right to review it, change the hours or revoke the permit to do it at all. Um in in my case several of my uh
tenants complained initially in the summer when the summer started um about it being going beyond the time limit everything else. It's my understanding that many of the neighbors had lots of complaints. I believe there my understanding also is there was a discussion with town manager and perhaps one of the selectmen about how do we
rectify this and I believe the police I'm not saying they're patrolling it but they're certainly in the area when in the closing hours and that that made it better far from perfect um and um so you know maybe it's headed in the right
direction but I I find this particular thing kind of comically ridiculous and also insulting to the neighbors that live in the area. I mean, the idea that somebody's going to go out, leave their drink in their bar, go out, vape or smoke or whatever you're supposed to do,
and then go back and hope their drink is still there is is kind of ridiculous. Um, that's the comedy part. The the the insulting part is the neighbors, who were very vocal last time and are very obviously very vocal this time, um, have
had to put up with with it and they went through an adjustment period, and it did get better. Uh it's far from perfect and to think that they're going to administer this any anymore. Um you know, we don't like change in Chadam a lot. It's change sometimes change is hard and the previous owners um
sometimes tested the capacity of the place and everything else, but they were always respectful to the neighbors. Unfortunately, I think the the present ownership does not share that same level of respect for the neighbors as as evidenced by the fact that they took a long time for them to even start to get
into compliance with the rules and regulations put in by this board who is sensitive to the neighbors and are doing their job. And um I think that the idea of um opening up the place for another 3 hours on a week night to 1:00 in the
morning or something so that people can smoke that which they can't do inside is absolutely ridiculous. Um and I think you should not only um turn this down unanimously with very little discussion. and I think is to send a message that these types of things while you are allowed to apply for anything you want
are not going to be looked upon and encourage them to do a better job this year complying with the restrictions that are presently on the property. Thank you. Thank you. Any any other comments from here, Mr. Chair? Oh, sorry.
Harriet Prout Chadic Place. um many of the things that I wrote down to say were all included in all those letters and I just wanted to say that I want rude requests that you deny the request um of the uh Cadam Squire. Thank you. Anyone
else here in the room wish to speak? Um we have one Oh, I'm sorry. Jeannie Branson, Striper Lane. Um, I would also just like to bring to consideration, I guess, um, we we all
know what kind of problems Ember has caused in Harwitch and the drama around all that and I think a lot of the legal problems that have gone on around that and I would I I just want to try to bring that consideration to the to the
neighborhood prior to this growing when I was here at the hearing last year and I remember them saying that, you know, this was that they weren't going to expand this, they weren't going to ask for more, that this was what they wanted to do. Um, and I think that that may
have entered into the neighbors, you know, being concessionary about the hours. Um, but this kind of nickel and dimming of additional things that, um, they could bring up every year is it can be really tiring and I think we really
have to put the foot down. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else in the room? Okay, I think we have someone online. The initials are TS. Could you um please speak? Tom Sharpie. Tom Sharpie. Okay, go. Please
go ahead. So, speaking for myself and for my wife Susanna Nickerson, uh we live at 606 Main Street and um so we we feel that the exemption is not warranted in this
particular case. There's no benefit to the town. Uh we think the existing regulations themselves are generous as they are. Now, we know that there are main street of butters up the street from us that are probably closer to the squire and they have much more concerns
than we do. Um, but sound travels at night and our experience with those that get out at the 1:00 hour from the squire is that they walk down the street. This is the summertime I'm talking about. They walk down the street between 1:00 and 2 o'clock and we can hear them and
our bedrooms are in the back side of the house so it is quite loud at night. Um, also I would just say as a general general comment that smoking and vaping I'm sure are activities that our town board of health would not encourage and
as such I don't think we as a town per se should change regulations to encourage that type of activity. and thanks for taking my my message here. Thank you. I don't see anyone else online. I don't see anyone else in the
room. So, I will close the public comment. Um I know our town council, Mr. Talerman is on. Jay, did you have anything you wanted to say? My my sense is that the uh this hearing which focuses on the licensed hours which I
believe regulate the times when um the restaurant can serve alcohol and food um uh allows us to um place limits on what
if anything can occur after those hours. Um but did you have any comment on that? No, I mean I I I saw that um there was some material which I received kind of late, so I wasn't able to go through all of it. If
this was obviously just a a liquor license, then you're really regulating just the the liquor side of it, but it appears that there it's all tied up into one more or less. So, I think it's fair and the applicant has requested it that you go through it and and make a
decision regarding all of the hours um not just the hours for which they are serving alcohol. Okay. Thank you very much. Um uh with that I will give the applicant.
Miss Neil, do you have you heard um the comments do you have and questions or observations? Um maybe we'll get some from the board. Do you have any response? Um, I want to give you an opportunity to reply to what you've heard and any other comment you might
want to make. Are you muted? She's unmuted. I was definitely unmuted. Thank you. Okay. Um, yeah. So, I I do have some comments to make on the things that were said. I didn't have a lot of time to prepare for this because I wasn't planning on being
the person presenting. So, you'll have to bear with me as I go through the notes I just took. Sure. Um, I think that I first I want to say that I respect all of the statements that were made and we do want to have a good working relationship with our neighbors.
I live in Chadam. I work here. This establishment and the town as a whole is very important to me. And the message that I'm receiving from the abuddy neighbors are concerns over of course
noise concerns over smoke pouring onto their properties and into their windows and the concerns about the fact that they some somehow a message is being received that we are not shutting that
outside patio down at the required time. So, I first want to address that. We have been heavily enforcing I actually wish that I could provide you with video footage of what that patio looks like at exactly 10:00 on the weekdays and 11
o'clock on the week on the weekends because the only people remaining on that patio are the security staff that we have stationed at the doors and and any barbacks that are going through with their trash. Um, we've been very cooperative with that regulation.
Number two, in terms of the noise that they are experiencing and and any smoke that might be going into their yards, I don't personally see how smoke would be able to get to their yards if the people were contained within the patio. If smoke is going into the yards,
it's likely because they're either on main street smoking or they're out in the back parking lot, which is much closer to the homes that surround us. If we were able to contain these people within our patio, we have the ability to
keep them under control. We have the ability, we have on any given night, we have anywhere between four and five bouncers out there. We have one at our back door. That bouncer at both our back doors, the one that exits the tavern and the one that exits the back bar. Those
bouncers are both responsible for keeping alcohol off the patio when it's out of the regulated hours. That is their entire job basically is to stand there and make sure that nobody is bringing drinks onto the patio. The people stationed at the back are not
letting people in the back door and they are ensuring that nobody is hanging out and lingering on that patio. If patrons who are going to smoke they I mean we're not encouraging them to smoke. We're we're not you know encouraging those unhealthy habits. The reality is they
are going to smoke and they're going to vape. Neither of those activities are allowed within the building. People wait for a very long time to get in here, particularly on the weekends in the summer, and they want some place to be able to go and have those activities. And
they're either going to do it in the building, in which case we have to handle that because they're not allowed to, or if they can't do it on our patio, they're going to be doing it in on public territory. If they're on public territory, number one, they become the problem of the
police department. It's no longer our jurisdiction on what they're doing in the backtown parking lot or on Main Street. It is unsafe for them to be in those areas. Again, they're going to smoke. They're going to vape. They need a place to go. And we're looking to
provide a place that's got an enclosure. We have a full fence around the back patio. And we're looking to provide a space that has the security staff out there that if they are getting unruly, if they are getting too loud, they're going to be asked to leave. They'll be given a verbal
warning, but they'll be asked to leave if they're not respecting our neighbors. Our security staff that we have, particularly this year, is a great group of people, and they understand the rules. We've put all of the ABCC licensing regulations documented for
them so that they can understand. They sign that handbook and all of these items are in that handbook currently. The what we're looking to do is not something new. It's not something that has never been done before. It's exactly what had been done prior to the
construction of the new improved, more beautiful patio that we created last year. We're just seeking to mitigate a liability for the town, for our patrons that we're
bringing into the space who are drinking alcohol, who are going into a space to, you know, either smoke or vape where they are at risk of being injured and they are at risk of affecting the local police department
who then has to be the ones that manage them. when we are we have the capability of managing them except under the occasional circumstance that we do have to reach out to Chattam Police Department and I don't want to speak for
them but we have met with the Chattam Police Department preparing for the summer we're trying to work together and support one another because we know that you know we're kind of on the same team here keeping the town safe and keeping this establishment safe and from what
I'm hearing the police department feels that it would be a safer option for them to be smoking out that too. I'd like to hear from the Chattam Police Department as well as the Chattam Fire Department to get their take on it. Um Okay. Thank Thank you very much. Um
Um Chief Anderson, please. Chief Chief, do you would you like to comment? Thank you again, Mr. Chair, members of the board. Uh, Miss Neil is correct. Uh coincidentally, we met with her uh yesterday to discuss
security. Um how last year went, what to expect this year, how we're going to conduct our business this year, how they're going to conduct theirs. Um and what was presented to us. Uh I'll
just I'm not advocating for the squire in any way, shape, or form. Uh just what was presented to us yesterday was um if it's a if it's a weekn night, the patio closes at 10:00, which means
alcohol is stopped on the patio 30 minutes prior to that. Weekends or holidays, if it's 11:00, alcohol is stopped at 10:30 uh 30 minutes before the alcohol is supposed to be stopped on the patio. She
is correct. She did mention the fact that um it's a secure area. There are security staff at the egress points. Um strictly coming from public safety, not not
uh discussing the noise which which I hear loud and clear from from the from the neighbors strictly as a safety issue. Um, it was attractive to us that if they want to use that patio
uh for smoking or vaping after that 11:00 or 10:00 period, it would be like a coralled type area that they can control. Otherwise, um, it's it's on Main Street, it's in Main Street, or it could be encroached
behind further the building uh, into your neighborhoods. That being said, will that stop the noise? I guess we'll have to wait and see. Uh, how are they going to police themselves? I guess we'll have to wait and see. So, if if
you asked me if if I like the idea of having a smoking area that's staffed by security, uh, that could deescalate some issues that are normally escalated off the property that we have to deal with. uh that keeps Main Street open and more
clear. I'm I'm not opposed to that. But I think what I I I should say in full transparency, the decision would be ultimately up to you if you have the confidence in the squire staff to police themselves with any assurances they make
to you tonight. So I'll be happy to answer any questions. Thank you, Chief. I appreciate um any questions from the board to the chief. appreciate your usual straightforwardness. Okay. Thank you. Uh the fire chief is online. Did Chief Tavano, did you have any comment
if uh you'd like to offer? If not, that's fine. Yeah, thanks, Mr. Chair. Uh Chief Tavano um joining remotely. Um I I echo uh the uh Chief Anderson's thoughts. Um you know, we've we've discussed this in the
past. Um and we we both we both shared the same opinion that you know from strictly a public safety standpoint. Um having having a a coraled group um off of the main street area away from the curb uh away from traffic is certainly a
safer option. Um certainly sympathetic to the abutters and the abutters of the abutters um and the people that are affected by by any noise back there. Um it we're it's a really, you know, difficult position for I think the chief
and I to both be in um to to weigh heavily on one side or the other. But, you know, if we're strictly speaking about public safety, um as the chief said, I you know, I think having them coralled as opposed to in and out out front is a safer option. Um and and
it's, you know, again, up to up to you as as a board. Um the I don't you know aside from aside from you know establishing a rule that if you if you smoke you're you you give up your spot inside uh and you have to leave and go
smoke somewhere else. I I don't know that there's any other option. Okay. Thank you, Chief. Appreciate that. Miss Mr. Ryan, I I I don't want to generally open reopen the public comment section, but I did read your letter if I'll let you speak if you have something
additional to add. Please, Joe Ryan from 27 Chattic. I would just like to make a factual correction to what was stated where the manager of the squire implied that it was up to the police to take responsibility for people
after they leave their premises. I'll draw your attention. It was in the packet to the Chattam Local Alcohol Control Board uh regulations. Item seven that says the manager shall at all times maintain order and decorum on the premises and in the immediate surrounding areas of the premises and
shall cooperate with town officials ensuring safe and orderly facilities. So Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate that. And I would also like actually to acknowledge Chief Anderson who we met with last summer and town manager Jill Goldmith who after meeting with them in
mid July, it wasn't until the end of July that the squire actually started to comply and uh we heard those magic words that the patio was closing and then noticed some police cars happen to be driving by at uh closing hours. So thank
you for helping us. Thank you Mr. Ryan. Okay. Uh, so public comment is closed. Um, and um, we'll I'll bring it back to the board for questions or comments. Mr. Dykins, you you raised your hand. Thank you, Mr. Niccastro. Um, this one's fairly simple for me. It's the balancing
act between squire or doing us a safety favor by corelling the folks in the patio that smoke versus noise. And we hear we had 10 letters read and a bunch of people here that that haven't spoken that would probably like to. We hear from Mr. Oppenheim and others. And I I
weigh in the and I I I say we have done what we can do for the squire. We've allowed them to to to create a patio postcoid to have hours till 10 o'clock Sunday to Thursday and till 11 Friday to Sunday. Friday to sat Thursday Thursday Friday Saturday. And um I think that's I
think we've been generous and very understanding. Um you know it isn't it isn't the Richie George Squire of old. It is a different place. But uh I definitely I weigh in favor of the the noise that's going to occur. between either 10 or or one or 11 or one and we
have to respect the neighbors. So I I am I'm not going to vote for the approval here and I'm I'm doing so with you know adamantly. M Davis. Thank you Mr. Chair and um I'm agree with Jeff. There appears to be overwhelming opposition to this request
by the neighbors um and some very clear concerns about noise disruption. Um also um you know differentiing between patrons lingering for smoking and drinking versus diff you know could be difficult to monitor and enforce. Um
what I what I see is that there's the creep here that's I I'm feeling there's a creep here that's occurring in the business plan that you know when the squire said we're not going to ask for anything more um we're we're again seeing them come before us we didn't see
any letters of support on this issue at all. Um, if there's anybody in the room that supports it, I'd like to hear from them. Um, and I feel they chose to have a dining and drinking area in the back patio. And, um, I think, you know, I I'm
I'm not in support of making any changes. Thank you. Stuart, did you have any comment or questions? Okay. Um the the chair would like to say I until I heard from the the two chiefs uh I didn't appreciate the other side of the
issue on the public safety side but um when back um in um was it in May of 2024 the squire sought an entertainment license and we did not award it. They
actually withdrew I think after hearing public comment. I have the minutes here. Um, and we were concerned about noise uh in the as it affected the neighborhood and um that issue really is greatly at
play in this request as well to me um because people are going to congregate there uh after 10:00 and after 11:00 and I don't see how you prevent that. And I think approving this
would run counter to the spirit that motivated us when we made very clear that we weren't h we weren't going to agree to uh an entertainment license. Those are my comments on it. But before I ask for a motion from the board, I
will um ask Miss Neil, do you have any final comments or questions for us? Um I I do have a couple further comments. Okay. Um so I did hear mention by a couple people including Shireen um
that there's some kind of there they're suspicious of some kind of hidden agenda being at play here. I can assure you that Mr. Chair, I don't think those were my words. I don't think you I don't think she's that's not my words. I'm that's what that's the message that I've
gotten from a couple of the letters. I'm not saying that was your work. That those that is the message that I'm hearing. I just want to make sure I'm interpreting what you're suggesting properly because there is no incentive for us from a financial perspective. There's no
incentive for us. I'm coming from a place of watching this play out over the course of the last year, but particularly over the course of the summer because I was in this building present helping to handle the logistics
of what that looked like, helping to keep people safe, watching people go into that that parking lot and not that's not our jurisdiction. I understand it's the surrounding premise, but our bouncing staff is posted on the
property and they can't be leaving and chasing people down Main Street to make sure that they're not, you know, going to do anything destructive to themselves or somebody else's property or be noisy in the back parking lot where they're next to people's home. It became more difficult for us to manage our patrons.
So, it's coming from a safety perspective. The other piece that I want to say is that people are not coming to wait in line for two hours at the squire so that they can get back outside and stay out there all night with no alcohol. They
are coming to the squire to have drinks. They are coming to the squire because we do have an entertainment license indoors and they want to be entertained. They want to be where the light w the light night life is. The nightife is not going to be on the patio. That is not our
intention of coming before the board today. The intention of coming before the board is simply from a safety perspective and seeing how it played out last year with those parameters in place and what would be the better decision for not only the business but the town
as a whole from a safety perspective. And I do also believe that you would have the added benefit of a possible reduction in noise given the fact that we have a fence surrounding the patio. It's an enclosed space and those people
who leave our establishment to go onto the patio are not getting out that back door. The way it had been set up prior was that if pe everybody enters through the front door. If they go out the front door, they have to wait in that line to get back in
again. That's how it was prior to the construction of the patio and the additional regulations regarding smoking at night. If they went onto the back patio, and this goes back to 1968, people were allowed to smoke out there. Prior to the construction of the new
patio, if they went out there, they were able to come back indoors because we knew they had already been in. they had been IDed because we have bouncers protecting those back gates to ensure that no one's coming in from the back and they can't they can't exit and come
back in that way. So, it's a way of knowing which patrons have been in the building, keeping those patrons in the building, and keeping the patrons that haven't been IDed out front. When we're letting those people that want to smoke or vape out that front door and not onto
our patio, they're going out onto Main Street where they're mixing in with the line and we're regulating that and we did it. It was it was a lot of logistics. None of that is what we're coming to the table about today. It's
not about increasing any space. We're not looking to expand anything. We're not looking to serve anything. We're not looking to serve food out there past regulated hours. We're not looking to serve alcohol pass regulator hours. We are simply coming to the board because
we were witness. I was managing what I can tell you was a safety issue. Well, thank you very much for your comments and I would just say I I just speak for myself. I I take your comments at face value. Um uh but for me, as I
said earlier, the noise is an issue. And I understand what you just said about perhaps the fencing um diminishing the noise somewhat, but it still is a problem for me. So with that, um I will ask if there is a um motion on the
table. If if it is, would you frame it in the affirmative? Yes, I will. Uh, I move approval for patrons to use the patio at the Chattam Squire to smoke after it has been closed per the liquor license. Is there a second? I'll I'll second it. Thank you. So,
we'll call the role. Uh, so if you vote yes, you are approving the request of the squire. If you vote no, you're voting to deny the request of the squire. Miss Davis, no. Mr. Dykins, no. Mr. Smith, no. and the chair votes no.
Uh we will then close the public hearing and this item is completed. Thank you everyone. Going on to the next agenda item. Thank you Miss Neil. Go on to the next agenda item um which is a committee uh update from the Council on Aging
Board of Directors. Pat Burke chair Welcome. I knew all these people weren't here to see me and this is going to seem rather dull after the last discussion. My name is Pat Burke and I'm the chairperson of the chairman Council
on Aging. Um, I came before you to give you a little update on what's going on with our board. Just to give you um a little back view, 2024 was our 50th anniversary. We were very busy. We had
many things that we did. Um, we were able to accomplish all of our goals. Our goals are simple. We only have three, but we were able to accomplish them. We one of the big things that um I'm sure you I'm sure you've all read the annual
report, but if you'd like to read ours, we're on page 93. Um one of the things that we're very proud of that we were able to do and assist with was the increase in the volunteer program. We were able to increase that from 11 to 34 people,
which is about a 33% increase. and the board was able to support our um Anna Milin who's our program director and who had trained all of these um volunteers and we found that over the
year of 2024 when we tracked our volunteer hours they were up to 1,200 hours. So that's a great support to Leah and the staff at the um uh center for active living. And I had a couple of
slides if Mark has them. Oh, there we go. Okay. So, 2025 2026. This is a transition year for us. We can go to the next one. Mark, if you don't mind, I don't
have a Thank you. Right now in our transition year, we're hoping to um move out of our current space into the community center so we can develop this wonderful renovation
and expansion project that we are all thrilled to have. So, we're hoping that by next um June, we have we're walking back into this cut. Somebody's cutting a ribbon. So I think that's great. Um,
next slide. This is our Ryder's Cove Resbit. I put this in as uh when we were putting these together. I put this in here just so you could get a view of this. Um, right now we currently have um about six
residents that um attend Ryder's Cove. Um we're open on Tuesdays and Thursdays and all six aren't there both days. But I can tell you that we are really fortunate to have a tremendous staff
that is able to um work with this population which is challenging and I can tell you from my own experience of volunteering here that the staff really works and they put develop programs and
crafts and just amazing things for this group of people to do and I think They're all very they're they're lovely. They're just lovely people. Okay. And programming. So, this is something that um we have been
fortunate to have and some of this may change when we have to transition to the um community center, but we've been very fortunate to have um Anna Milin as our program coordinator. This is just an
example of some of the programs the the themes of the programs that we have. There are many programs. There is lunch and learn every single month with somebody coming and talking and people coming for lunch. um the health and wellness. Anna has really tried to focus
on health and wellness and not only yoga but um uh meditation uh raiki all sorts of um the alternative methods that um I think are a good um good for this population.
We do a lot of community engagement and uh trying to get um our senior community out into um the rest of Chadam and see what's going on uh the arts and entertainment a monthly bingo. Not a real bingo person, but Anna
is has done a tremendous job and when we move to the community center, we will keep up as many programs as we're able to. I know we might may have to um put a pause on a couple, but as soon as we move back, I can see them increasing
dramatically. So, I will I am brief. I'm willing to take any questions if anybody has any. Dean, you missed the whole thing. I've heard it multiple times in real time. Thank you. Thank you very much, Pat. I just wanted to acknowledge your goals and objectives that are in
the packet. That's your previous ones. So our goals and objectives let me you are currently revising them right updating them. We are going to revi we put together goals that we felt were goals that we could continue on with. So
we up we will be updating the action items and interventions that go with those goals because we feel that the goals although we only have three. We were able to meet all of the interventions and having been in other places where um you have 50 goals and
nobody ever meets any of them. We we met them all. So what we'll do at our June meeting is look at what kind of actions and interventions we're going to you add to support the goals that we have. We won't be adding goals. We will just be
supporting them. We feel that these goals are really sufficient to support the Chattam senior community and um we were um pleased that we were able to meet the goals this year. Thank you. Are there any comments or questions from the
board? Shireen. Oh, thank you, Mr. Chair. Um Pat, thank you for the presentation. Congratulations on the 50th anniversary. So, it seems to me that that um you know, an increase in volunteerism of 30 over 30% is really key. And it's going to be most helpful
probably during your transitional uh time period. Um I I'm really intrigued by um the idea that there's programming, community engagement that's going on and and activities. It sounds like um it is a center for active living. One of the
questions I have and I think you've answered this before but maybe just for the public interest in during the transition what um what's going how is the respit program going to work um during that time? So the respit program is going to move to the room that is
called Leah. It's the club room that the club room. Club room. What room? Club room. Okay, it will move there and so we will utilize that room. There is a kitchen there. So, um a uh Joe will be able to
serve lunch to the clients. Um because we are moving to a different space. I'm not sure we will take more clients on really just because it will be a for this population the transition will be
challenging at best. But I think that um Joe and the two two staff that work with her will do a great job getting them get getting it done and getting people acclimated and comfortable to it. They've already gone to some programs
there. So I think that it will be hopefully not as difficult as others but you know it'll be a challenge. Thank you. You're welcome. Any other account? Jeff, thank you Dean. Um Pat, great job
on the the writers call restbite program. I think it's been well so well received here and so so badly needed. And uh I'm in your corner on the transition. I you mentioned 626 as coming back into the to the new building. That's that's very, you know, it's it's um
daunting and and anything we can do um in our role uh as select board members to assist, please reach out. And I know Dean will be communicative as well on on any needs and Jill as well. I I mean I've said this before, I'll say it again. It's going to take some patience on the part of the folks down at the
community center working together with with the council on aging with the folks being down there and programs moving. But but uh good luck and uh let us know if you need any help. And by the way, I think three goals is fine. Three to five, anything more than five is crazy. So three to five is great. Three, thank
you. Three is wonderful, especially if you achieve them. And um having worked in other places where we've had uh you know 12 goals and never met a one. I we decide that the three were the three we needed most. I like it. Thank you. And
thank you for your efforts. Thank you. And I will come if I need help. But both Dean and Jill and Kathy are extremely responsive to us anytime we need anything. So and we always and we have Leah who we couldn't get along without.
I can't say enough wonderful things about her. So, thank you. Any other comments on the board? Pat, thank you very much and thanks to your board. Appreciate it. Okay, the next item is our public comments on the business agenda. And I remind everyone that two
items on two items we will accept contemporaneous public input and that's the item on the uh town um facility use policy and on the board's meeting schedule and time. So, are there any uh public comments within the room
here? Yes, sir. Brian Brian Phillips, 374 Orleans Road. Um, this is about the beach yoga. I was wondering if they could come up with some sort of a way for me to do yoga on the beach without getting sand in my leg. Thank you. Thank you. Uh any um other comments in
from within here the room and and I don't see any online. Okay. All right. We'll now begin the business agenda. The first one is a use of town property and consider a special one-day entertainment license for the 4th of July annual
fireworks and entertainment at Veterans Field on Wednesday, July 2nd, uh 2025 from and we'll hear from Steve West and the Shadow Athletic Associations. Steve, thank you. Good evening. As Dean indicated, as Chairman
Niccastro indicated, uh I'm Steve West and 124 Old Harbor Road, and I'm the president of the Cadam Athletic Association and the Cadam Anglers Baseball. And I'm here today on behalf of our anglers and a few other businesses in town to ask your
permission to hold a fireworks and entertainment event at Veterans Field on Wednesday, July the 2nd. Last year's third annual show was also on July 2nd and it went off without a hitch. Had great weather for the first
time. uh great attendance and uh so we're coming back to ask for your permission for a fourth annual event this year uh with the support of uh a few other businesses with also the support of the Chattam Chamber and
Merchants Associations and we look forward to bringing it back. Um, as a little bit of a logistics, the event will start uh at 700 p.m. with children's entertainment, face painting, tattoo artists, maybe uh
maybe some other things, but those two we've got lined up already. Uh we will be bringing back the Jeff Low Band to perform a patriotic uh and upbeat medley, and that will start at 8:00 PM.
that leads into the national anthem and then the fireworks culminate the evening uh beginning at or around 9:15 p.m. Uh and they will last about 20 minutes. It's essentially the same show
as we've seen the last several years, the same show that's put on for first night as well and will be done by Northstar Fireworks. uh and they've done all of our shows and all the first night shows as well, at least for the last nine years. Um, prior to tonight, we
received Parks and Recck Commission unanimous approval to put this uh put this event on, and we've also received uh endorsements from uh the chiefs Tavano and Anderson. Uh speaking of which, I'm I'm working closely with both
the Chattam Police and Fire departments. In fact, earlier today, I met with uh both chiefs along with the emergency manager uh Mark Heler and police lieutenant Harris for about a one-hour session. We went into great detail about
uh about the event and how it's going to be staged and uh we're confident that we'll be able to provide a safe, fun, and uh enjoyable night for all attendees. So, um hope you find this to be a great event. Has been a great event. We'll
continue to allow it to be a great event and uh we look forward to hosting it again this coming July 2nd. Thank you, Steve. Uh I noticed in the packet that there was a communication from Chief Tavano regarding the possible use of the Little League field as a viewing area.
Is that going to happen or what where does that stand? I I well, I'm gonna let I'll let Chief Tavano uh speak to that, but I will say that, you know, we're fully on board with that if in fact he can get uh the DP the the the stars align to make it happen. Okay, we did
talk about that today. Um I I suggested moving some of the picnic tables over to that area to induce more people to come that direction. We may have a a food truck u station down in that area that would also encourage people to come in that direction. So, Chief, do you have
anything to say on this? Yeah, just just to reiterate, um, you know, I've brought this up for consideration for a couple years, both with First Night Committee, um, and and with Chattam Athletic Association. Um, the the more we can encourage people to
get off a depot, the better. Um, the safer event that we'll have. Um we've we've adapted our our response plans over the years um with just shutting down uh different roads in the area but also staging people um at different parts of town so they can respond uh
more safely and efficiently. Um but the more people we can get out of that area um it the better. Um last year we we flew the drone up overhead from um and communicated with the emergency operations center to see where people are actually congregating and it's it
it's actually pretty mind-blowing how many people just try to stand in the street to watch. So um we're really just trying to ramp up efforts to get people into a safer area um both for their own safety but also um to to open up access for public safety. Thank you. Chief Anderson, did you have anything you
would like to add to that? No. Okay. Thank you. any uh comments or questions from the board? Corey. Uh thank you, Mr. Chair. No, I mean, we've done this event before. I know I I mean, I very much appreciate the Chattam Athletic Association
um and all the the various sponsors that have, you know, coordinated to put on this event. Um, you know, it's it's a it's a quite a task to put this together and um I've always heard positive feedback on it. The the public attends it very well. Um the event is done very
professionally. It's the same fireworks company that does our first night show. So um I think this is a wonderful event and I will support it and uh hope you have wonderful weather for that day. So any other comments from the board? Mr.
Dyens. Mr. Mr. Chairman, I move to approve the request to use town property for the 4th annual fireworks display and to grant a special 1-day entertainment license for amplified live music from 700 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. at Veterans Field to Steve West of the Chattam Athletic Association for the 4th annual fireworks
and entertainment display on Wednesday, July 2nd, 2025. Is there a second? A second. Is there any discussion on the motion? Hearing none, I'll call the role. Miss Davis, I. Mr. Dyka, I. Mr. Matters. Hi, Mr. Smith. I and the chair votes I.
Congratulations. 5 to zero. Thank Thank you very much. Uh, select board. Um, one final comment. On Thursday, July the 17th, u we're going to be working with the town uh to hold a appreciation night for the town personnel and all of you
would be will be invited and hopefully can attend. So, good. Thank you. Thank you. Next item on the agenda, I consider requests for special one-day entertainment licenses. Well, plural music on the ver at the chart Chattam
Maronei Maritime Center, 831 Orleans Road, North Cadam. Mr. Fishbach. Good evening. Bob Fishbach, 220 Countryside Drive. I'm the president of the board of Chatter Maronei Maritime Center and I would like to introduce our executive director Jennifer Faly who's
recently joined Chatter Maronei and we're looking forward to working together to make big things happen. Our big thing is much smaller than Steve's big thing and I apologize for not bringing any musical samples with me, but I'm really glad Steve didn't bring
any samples with him. Um, so I'm we're here to request your permission to uh for an entertainment license for our second music on the veranda performance series um at Chatter Maronei. Um we're going to do five free
performances uh with varied u uh types of musical performances from 4:30 to 6 on Wednesday afternoons roughly every other week in the summer. We won't be serving any food or drinks. The uh activity takes place on the front lawn in front of uh the hotel at uh Chattam
Maronei, our education center, Marone's hotel. Um it's a benefit for our members, a free benefit for members and uh hopefully we can attract some uh uh prospective members and volunteers from among the public. We do just ask uh for donations to help offset the cost of the
concerts, but we don't charge for it. Uh, I have checked with our closest neighbor, Dominic Bereffi, who is probably the only uh residence that's actually could be affected by the the music, adversely affected by the music on the lawn, and he's fully supportive.
Um, in fact, he wants to come, so that's good. I took that as a good sign. Um, we're also here to request permission to use your front lawn because it is your front lawn. Um, as part of the music series and uh I
would like to take a a quick second to uh mention that our museum season opens on uh this Thursday, May 22nd. We have a new exhibit called Can You Keep a Really Big Secret? Um, we're probably in the right time for time town for that. Um
but it we are uh recognizing the 80th anniversary of the uh victory in the battle of the Atlantic from World War II when the station played uh in which the station played a significant role. Um and we've discovered among our visitors
that the three years of World War II um disproportionate interest in our visitors and that that brief time period of history. So, we have expanded our our smaller Navy Year's exhibit this year. Um, and it should be pretty pretty nice.
We're going to have a grand um opening ribbon cutting ceremony at 11:00 a.m. on June 5th. But that's the commercial part. I'm actually here to ask for an entertainment license for music on the ver and therefore request same. We're happy to entertain any questions. Thank
you. Uh I would know parenthetically uh you're part of Chattam Historic Weekend coming up, aren't aren't you? Um we're we're part of Historic Cadam and Chadam History Month. Yeah. Right. Along with the other venues and we have we have a couple of events going on. Um
um June the 5th, Dick Chaser is going to talk. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the for the lead. Well, I heard Mr. Miss Cena make another pitch this morning at the historical commission and he was before us last week so he'd be very upset if I didn't mention I heard that
Bob. What did he say? Um um yes we Dick Chaser is going to talk on June the 5th about life in Chattam during World War II. It's a talk he's given before and it's it's it's pretty pretty interesting and pretty well and it it ties into uh our new exhibit as
well. And we have a um of course the the first music event is June 25th uh toward the end of the month. And our affiliated amateur radio association uh WCC amateur radio association that operates out of
the museum has several I think two um uh Morse codebased radio amateur radio events going on during the month. Museum ships weekend is one. Great. Uh which is an essentially an international event that the museum participates in. Thank you. Miss Valy, did you have anything
you'd like to add? Nope. Just looking forward to these concerts. Okay, great. I have a question. I I missed it. When is Mr. Chryser's uh um talk? June June the 5th. It's part of our speaker series 7 p.m. June the 5th. Thank you.
Any comments or questions from the board? Is there a motion? Uh Mr. Chairman, I move to grant a special one-day entertainment license to Robert Fishbach of the Cadam Maronei Maritime Center for amplified live music at 831 Orleans Road, North Cadam on Wednesdays
from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on June 25th, July 16th, July 30th, August 13th, and August 27th, 2025. Second. Okay. Moved and seconded. Any discussion? Hearing none, I will take a vote. Miss Davis, I. Mr. Dy, I. Mr.
Meers, I. Mr. Smith I and the chair votes I 5 to zero. Good luck. Thank you. Thank you very much. Next uh consider adoption of town facility use policy. This is the second read. We'll hear from the deputy director of community services, recreation and beaches
division, Amy Howell. Um and we will accept public comment on this one. All right. Good evening. Um I know you guys all have the draft in front of you, so there wasn't much of a change. Um you can see it's highlighted. Uh we took your comments and concerns from our last
meeting. Um and we made those changes. The first change is on page two. Um and we added the line private functions that exceed the recommended capacity can seek a waiver from the select board. Um and that was due to some of your concerns about um you know the limits that we
had. Um so this would uh allow people to come to the select board and seek a waiver. Um the next change uh is on page three of six. Um and that was adding the word neither
uh on number three under rules and regulations. And the last change was under the indemnification uh paragraph on page five and we added the word officials and then agents and contractors to that as well. Um, so I
did take those to the parks and recck commission and they voted unanimously to approve the changes. Um, and recommend to the select board for approval. Thank you. Uh, Amy, I just wanted to note for the record that there is a schedule of fees that wasn't in it's an attachment,
but it wasn't included. Um, but there was no change from what you previously sent us. I would be happy to read it if anybody wants to, but I've done enough reading tonight. And if if um but if anyone wants to I will read it. It is in the form of matrices matrixes so it's
difficult to to read orally but correct there's no change. There was no change to those. No. So any um comments questions from the board. Um do we want to adopt this tonight? Is there a motion to proceed with it? I move approval, Mr. Chair. Is there a
second? I'll second. Mr. Meds are seconded. So you were going to receive public comments. Yes. I'm sorry. Is there Thank you, Jill. Is there uh any public comment on this on? Yes, please go to the microphone and
give us your name. Hi, I'm Jennifer Norton of Cadam Lighthouse Beach Yoga. So, I don't know that I am crystal clear on what the new fee structure is as it will pertain to my business very directly. Amy, can you
address that? Yeah, absolutely. So now anyone uh as stated previously, we kind of started it last year with a program that was coming and doing business on town property. Um so now any uh business that is requesting to use town property to run a business, a program um a class
where they are collecting fees will enter into a license agreement um with the town. And that is to ensure um all legal and liability issues are covered uh both by the town and the business offering it. And the also with the
license uh agreement the new fee uh will be 20% of any fees collected uh from that business. Does that answer your question? Yes. Thank you. Any other comments uh from the audience? Any online? I see none.
Okay. So, we have a motion uh that has been seconded to approve this policy. Uh and uh unless there's any discussion, I will take a vote. Um Mr. Miss Davis I Mr. Dikkins I Mr. Matters I Mr. Smith I
and the chair votes I has passed. Congratulations. Thank you. Next we have a license to enter and use real town property at Lighthouse Beach. Jennifer Norton Chattam Yoga. Hello again.
Um, when I sat with the commission last I think it was last month, um, this is when I first heard about this new fee structure. I thought that it also included a
$450 permit fee, so I might be wrong about that. Either way, that's not required. That's not required. Okay, great. Um, so this is essentially a 100%
increase for my business. I've been nine years teaching yoga at Chattam Lighthouse Beach under the supervision of the Park and Recreation Commission and our agreement has always been 10% of my fees.
Um, given the late date of this change, I have not been able to meet any deadlines for print advertising. In the past, I've advertised in the um the guide book. I've been on the um maps
that get distributed around to the businesses. Um, so I haven't been able to meet any of those deadlines for print advertisement. So, I'm already on my back foot trying to make sure that there's plenty of um um advertising going out. You know,
we do have a 25 year history. This is 25 years of yoga at Chattam Lighthouse Beach, which I think is pretty extraordinary. Long before yoga on the beach was a thing, we've been doing this. Um so, I really want to hype up some of
the buzz around that. Um, in the past I have um had some issue about using lawn signs even on private property in town to advertise. Um, so I feel like
I'm I'm a little bit disheartened by the idea that it's going to cost me twice as much to conduct business and we're not able to get the word out about the fact that we're going to continue again for the 25th year. and I'm wondering if the
select board would consider making a special um consideration. Um thank you. So the Amy, could you please come back to the podium? So, the um the proposed agreement that was in
our packet uh calls for um 20%. Yes. Correct. Of the revenue. Is that what it is? Correct. As opposed to 10. Now, is that part of the the fees? It looks like it is in the fee schedule. It is in the fee schedule. Correct. that
we we just approved 20% of the revenue um in the case of a resident or even a nonprofit. Um let me just ask for the record. Is that waveable under the the new policy? I don't remember that that would be up to the select board to wave
all fees or requirements. Is there a provision in the policy that says that? I don't not. It does say the um the the town and its sole discretion
may impose conditions. Can I ask a question? Yes. Amy, um is there any similar businesses doing what Jennifer is doing? Um or is there any other kind of businesses where there's that kind of volume or frequency I mean
um activity on that that you charge? Yes. So and so you guys will see it uh coming before you. We have um another yoga on the beach that does it at Hardings. Um we have boot camp out at community at the community center and
then at Hardings. Um and then um all classes at the community center, any businesses uh will be coming before you as well and they will all be entering into this new license agreement at 20%. So uh two of them were approved at the previous meeting and we're in the process of
um scheduling them for the select board. Um Corey and then Stuart. All right. I'm going to throw a couple comments out there. Um I mean uh I've been the park and rec leaison for quite a few years. Uh Jennifer has come before the park and rec commission numerous times. Um you
know this is a uh a business that has been consistent. It has been growing. It has been uh well um attended. Um I I I know this from feedback. I'm not a yoga person so it's not a firsthand commentary on my behalf but
no those who Yeah. No, I won't go there. Um Anyway, so um just some observations. One, um we have this new kind of tiered review policy that was put in place this year, which is, you know, I think we still got to work a little bit of the
kinks out, but I do think, um, in fairness to the applicant, um, some of the mechanics of the approval of the fee structure and what have you, not have delayed a couple things. So there there is some merit in acknowledging that um
you know there were some loss opportunities for advertising um that just unfortunately for this first year with growing pains occurred. Um so I think we it is fair to acknowledge that. Um on the flip side, um I do know um you
know going back probably I don't know how many town council opinions ago um you know um there's like this is early in the stages that you know if we were asked town council should any businesses be operating on town property and the answer would be absolutely not. We
shouldn't be delaying it at all. But I do think we we we've chosen to go in that direction. I do think it is appropriate if we manage it structurally structurally fine. Um so I do think um we kind of have a a weird situation with with Jennifer this year is um you know
she has been um compliant in multiple years of her contract. Um and there's no reason to not consider renewing it. But I do have some strong feeling that I think we could maybe adjust the fee schedule for
this year in light of the growing pains that have occurred um with this new tiered uh review transition. So I'm sympathetic to the situation u but Jennifer was before the park and rec commission over a month ago. Um so it has been a while since she's been
waiting to come before the select board. And I do I do think we we should acknowledge that procedural. Cory, would you apply that? Are you suggesting go back to 10% in this case for one year? I I I think in this particular situation, I think it's reasonable. You're not
proposing a waving the fee entirely? No, I'm not No, I'm I am proposing continuing the existing fee as as previously had been agreed upon. Um acknowledging, you know, the mechanical procedural kinks that we've worked through. um with the understanding that
the new fee structure would would start in next year and then that this applicant or any future applicant could budget and plan you know advertisings or and what have you uh moving forward if they so choose to use the facilities.
Would you apply that reduction to the other applicants this year similarly situated? I think we would apply I I would be inclined to apply apply to any pre-existing um returning businesses of similar um you know models. Yes. Amy,
are the other ones that you mentioned are they returning or are they new? They're all returning. All returning. Okay. Stuart, did you have a comment? And then Shireen, I just had a um a question and h how did we come about these fees to go from 10
to 20%. Yeah. So, um it started actually with a previous program that uh looking at costs associated with um maintaining town properties and basically balancing as as Corey, you
know, mentioned before, um allowing these businesses to come on town property and run their businesses and and make money. um and looking at other fees, you know, throughout different towns, looking at our fees, looking at what businesses were charging. Um and
with all that, um you know, we came to the conclusion that we felt 20% compared to if a business had to get their own brickandmortar, um you know, location, we felt that 20% was was very generous, um you know, compared to them having to be on on
private property. May I make a comment about that? Go ahead. There's zero overhead to the town of Chadam for me to operate my business at the beach. In fact, I'm the one who cleans up the beach every morning. Okay.
Did you have a comment, a response? You don't have to. No. Shireen, did you want to say something? Yeah, I I agree with what Corey is proposing. Um that this is into the season and and kind of blindsides the business a little bit. Um not knowing where they were going to
stand. um in the process. Uh I agree that it should be for the existing businesses and that this become effective January of 2026. The pol the new the new the new fee structure pol Yeah. Okay. Um Amy the you
mentioned um in response to a question how many other I think you mentioned three other businesses that have applied or is it two? Yeah, I think right I think we had two that's that has been at the park and wreck. I feel like we have two more coming. Are they are all the
all four of are returning? They're all they are all returning. Yes. We do not have a new business. Okay. Coming yet? Um okay. Well, let me propose to the board that um we could either defer the application
of the new policy to January 1, 2026, as Shireen said. Maybe that's the simplest thing. I was going to propose an interim amendment to the policy, but I like what Shireen has proposed first. Does that sound good to the rest of the board? And then that would if
we take that vote. Well, it How does it affect everybody else though? the all your other applicants for other in in regards to what do you mean well how does it affect I think what we'd want to do is is exempt from the 20% reduce to 10%
those who are similarly situated to um Jennifer's situation but do you have other applicants we don't want to do we want to abandon the whole fee schedule for this season which would be go ahead Mr. Yeah, I just think we we modify the
license those folks that are paying uh percent of revenue from 20% to 10 and the folks that we've already approved and any any returning businesses that might come through the pipeline, it's all 10%. We can't do this for Jennifer and not do it for everybody else. I wouldn't feel that that's correct. But
for this year, the the percentage of revenue is 10% rather than 20 and then we go to 20 next year. And that that's you're not are you proposing a delay in implementation of the policy? No, I'm just proposing a change to the fee schedule of the of the business class business class. Okay. So 10% for any
returning. Yep. But if they're new or are we moving forward with the 20% no matter what their businesses, no matter which town property they're using. Okay. I mean, I I I I I definitely agree with Corey and Shireen and that that we a little late out of the gate here in the mechanics and and folks are so we're not
going to under your idea, we're not going to defer the implementation of the policy till till January 1, 2026 and I'm fine with that. Okay with that. Okay. So, do you want to offer that as a motion to amend the policy? you know, amend the policy for those businesses,
uh, classes or programs that are sharing a percent of revenue with the town for this year for those returning businesses to change that from a 20% of revenue to 10% of revenue for those businesses that are returning. Is there a second to that motion? Second that.
Okay. Moved and seconded. Um, Jennifer, are you okay? Can you live with that? That's you're going to go back to 10%. I can live with that. My only other concern is that historically I've had a three-year permit. Okay. So, if I were to apply for a
three-year permit, it's going to be 10% this year and then 20% for the following years. Yeah. So, I'll have to take that into cons. It's an annual permit. Yes, it's annual. Okay. All right. Um, we'll call the role on this motion by Mr. Dikkins. Um, Miss Davis. I. Mr. Dikkins.
Hi. Mr. Matters. Hi. Mr. Smith. I. and the chair votes eye. Thank you. Thank you. Good luck. Okay, now we're on back to the board on our Let me just get all this paperwork
out of the way here on our LEA liaison assignments for the upcoming year. and um we have um a whole array of them um with the
uh departure of Mr. Shell. So, how do we want to proceed on this? Do do we want to go member by member to see what your interest is in either giving up or taking on a new committee? I'll just start and say um I'm okay with what I
have, but I I do pick up the summer residence advisory committee as the chair usually does. So, I'll take that one on. Um, and Stuart, we, as you probably know, each member of the board is generally assigned uh, at least well,
one regulatory board. Um, so in my case, I have the historical commission, and um, Corey has the conservation commission, Jeff has the board of health, and Shireen has um, the HBDC.
Can I I might have left something out here, but maybe somebody has too. But anyway, so Sh uh do you want to go first, Shireen? Did you Yeah, I do. Um so in my capacity, um as a select board member, I'm I'm good with what I have.
Um and I'm really reluctant to make any changes at this time. I'm, you know, my work schedule is pretty heavy and I'm um I'm trying to work out some of the commitments around some of the day day meetings. Um at least I if I'm at my
desk, I can monitor them, but um oftentimes I I I'm uh I'm following up on the on that. Saying all that, I think one of the things that um it might be coming up and I think maybe this might be something, Mr. chair that you might
want to consider. Um, and it has to do with Jeff's um role and Mike's on the on the um school school issue. Um, if you're not, you know, comfortable with like I I think you you should consider
being um his partner on that. But if not, I mean, I would take that as a consideration. Okay. Um, we'll come we'll defer that for a couple moments. I have one more thing. Go ahead, Ken. Go ahead. Um there is um there's a role
here. It's not a committee. I mean it is a committee leaison and it might be a duplicity but I I do want to open up the discussion of um uh the my role um as it's as it is on the housing trust and whether I would um it would be fine that
I am the liaison to the select board for the housing trust. Yeah, I was going to mention that as well. Well, I know you and I had a conversation about that yesterday. And I think in addition or as part of your u membership on the trust um that you would also function as the
liaison. We know we currently have a vacancy on the trust because Mike was one of the two select board members. Under our current bylaw, we still have two positions for select board members. I'm not proposing that we refill that second position at this time because it
doesn't seem to me to make much sense. the attorney general has the new bylaw change. I suspect she's going to approve it. Um so, uh and your appointment is up. It's up in June. So, that's a caveat to it all. I think we should put um you
can do this while I'm away. Um I personally support your staying on the trust as as this board's representative. I'll leave it for others to weigh in when this is on the agenda, but hopefully it can be on the agenda and that would be part of your role. As far
as the schools, um I know that um um uh Mr. Shell participated as chair sort of as rep reciprocity to to Harish because the chair and Haritch was on it. I I don't have I don't feel ownership of
it. Um I know I think Corey even you expressed some interest last time about that is because you have kids in the school, but I would defer I don't want to offend Harwitch on it. They're having an election today anyway, I think. And and uh we'll we probably will know at
some point whether their chair is going to do it. I do think Mr. Dykens is certainly uh key to that. But I I would be happy with that if if the board, you know, would would prefer and if you're willing to do it. I don't need another I
don't have any ownership. I'm just trying to support Jeff in his endeavors. No, that's fine. And I I don't have that's all I would be doing. I don't have a Uh I don't have the need for another uh role here knowing how they do things in Haritch. I don't think this is going
to be a oneshot meeting frankly. But anyway, does anyone have any thoughts on that? Well, why don't we see who gets elected and who is interested in whether they point the chair to that position? I think Okay. And not that, you know, I think Corey's would be great on it, but I just let's for reciprocity, if you
will, for titadam, you know, I'm I'm I'm fine with Well, I would I would hold on that. Okay, that's fine. And I'm fine with Cory doing it. He's got a more ownership. I can live with anyone anyone else on this board except myself being on that in that position. So, well, let's put this on um uh at the May we
could do it at the May 27th meeting that Mr. Dykins will chair. Um okay, so we heard from Shireen. Yep. Off to me. I I the only thing I I have a deep interest in that Mr. Michelle had on his list is I I would like to pick up
the committee for people with disabilities. It dovetales with my role in the board of health and also my human services committee. So that kind of kind of is a troa of of social service committees. But other than that, I'm good to go. I if anybody I mean I love the energy and
climate action committee and what they're doing and stuff, but I I don't it's just an interest of mine, a deep interest of mine, but but I I'll defer. Did you have any that you wanted to y were willing to yield up or do you feel well the open space committee is just it's not it's not active is it? I mean
no they they only meet as needed. I knew they had something pending when I was so staffing it but I haven't heard anything certainly give that up. In the case of the Monoy legislation that hasn't that committee is that still viable or doesn't make
any we could strike that from the list in both instances. So I would take open space and the monoy right. How about the North Beach commit subcommittee? Is that that that's we need you to keep that. All right. As needed. Okay. So, I would pick up I would I mean unless Steuart has a burning desire or somebody else has a burning We haven't finalized here.
We're just talking right now because we haven't heard from Stuart or or Corey. So, okay. Anything else, Jeff? No. No, that's it. Thanks. Um, no. Generally speaking, I I I like the the committees I've been assigned to. I've had a really good relationship with um you know the
the cultural council um park and wreck uh waterways advisory committee. I'm thrilled the cove committee or actually it's uh working waterways. We have to retitled this wewi whack. The wewack wewack. Um so um I'm not eager to kind
of give up the the the bond I' I've created over, you know, over the years. um full transparency and and I'll and I'll put you know put myself out there. The conservation commission regulatory um I have had have very little contact with them. I mean they've reached out to me periodically over the years but um
that's not one I'm heavily attending on a regular basis. So um you know happy to continue to serve and try to you know reach out more to them. Um I'm also happy to take over over the planning board if if there's no desire to do the
planning board. Um, I'll just throw it out there. I can go either way. Um, from a regulatory perspective, but um, I'm happy with basically the committees I have. Would you take the planning board in addition to the conservation? I can or or or swap. I don't either e either
either options I put on the table. I would just say with respect to regulatory boards, I everybody does it their own way. What I do, for example, with the historical commission, they have cases and then they have policy and regs, and I don't sit in on the cases.
That's really none of my business. Um, sometimes I'll listen. Um, but I try to catch the rest of the meeting when they're they're discussing policy and and try to be helpful to them. So, anyway, thank you, Corey. Stuart, did you have any thoughts? You've got these
are the ones that are empty here. So we Jeff has indicated a willingness to take uh disabilities and and uh climate action and Corey's indicated a willingness to take the planning board.
Um which can be timeconsuming I think um summer residence committee goes over to me. I don't know have you any thoughts about not just the ones in that c under the open liaison seat but if there's anything else on the board here that you would like to swap around with I mean
the airport commission is in your in this list that's we know that that's not an easy task but do you do you folks draw straws here or is it how does Was I cornered these were I can tell you these were carved out like 10 years ago in my
case and I haven't a bit the report commission is fine. Uh I interest in that. Um and the the the rest of these are um bikeways meets I think pretty
regularly. Strong. Yeah. The cable advisory committee I think meets like every three years. That's perfect. One person on there I think and uh and the the uh energy and climate Jeff you were vying for that. But They're great group.
Okay. If you did you want to take open space in exchange for that? You don't have to, but you're going to take open space or No, no. Uh yeah, that's fine. They they very rarely meet. That's fine. Open spaces. The planning board will go to Corey or
did you want that? I can go either way. And then there's economic development. Oh, yeah. Yeah. And that's the committee that we're trying to boost and I can take that. Sure. What about planning board Stuart? What you want? Uh I I
think Corey would be great at planning. Okay. Well, he used to be on Simon. I can Okay. Um do we have um we have everything down? We don't really need to take any votes on this. No.
Okay. If someone else wants an adjustment that we want to make once we see it all Kathy will type it up and send it out if anybody has any concerns or would like to make some amendment. We can uh we can deal with that going forward. Thank you.
Would I'm happy to still keep it. Do you do you want the conservation commission or I have no burning desire. I I will keep I'm interested in the traffic study. I will keep the cont. Yeah, I have some thoughts on that.
Okay. Okay, I will I'll just um I could liaz the open space committee. I could liaz the open space committee if you don't want to do that one. You're back to that. I was there twice, too. I know. I think this is the third time for you. Yeah, it will be. Okay. You okay with
that, Stuart? She I'll trade out traffic study and take on open space. Okay. Yep. Okay, that sounds good. Okay. All right. I think we're done with that for now. Um, next
item, consider select board summer 2025 meeting schedule and discuss any changes to meeting times and we will accept public comment. So Kathy has prepared a proposed schedule. Last year we uh started in June and we went through
September uh and we were conscious about obviously the 4th of July and um Labor Day and um I like the dates that she gave us. Um I don't know how others feel. Uh I cannot meet on August 26th and that's not one
of the dates. So um we would start the dates we would start that we would meet on are June 10th, June 24th, July 8th, July 22nd, August 5th, August 19th, September 2nd,
September 16th, September 30th, and October 14th. Uh and um we should add the Fourth of July because we all have to march in that story. You'll have to go there. Mr. Chair, I just wanted to confirm that national night out will be
from 5 to 7 in case that impacted any decisions and the reason that's consequential is that they use there's a lot of parking. Yes, we can always park at the airport. Um, anybody have any comments on the dates for the summer schedule?
Jeff, look good. All right. How about meeting time? Yeah, I wanted to talk about that. meeting times before I open it for public comment if there is any. I both Cory and I are the ones that are working till whenever. Um but I'm open
to it for the summer. Um because I can start my day earlier, but I don't think, you know, I know you own a retail store, so that's a little different for you. Um I mean, with summer rolling along, um I will be
fortunate enough to have a full staff. So, um, starting, you know, earlier during the summer, um, is something I can accommodate if the board wants to. So, during the summer months, I I, you know, is it a preference for you or I
could go either way. It's it's I'm going to go from work to here. So, it's it's whether it be four, five, six, it it's doesn't make a dang difference, Jeff. So, I'm just pleased to not be the fly in the ointment here. Five's fine. I mean, yeah, let's meet. I
could meet at four like they used to do in the old days and get out of here at six o'clock, but that's that's not going to happen. I think five I think five does five work for you guys. Yeah, I can I can make five work. I can make five work in the in the in the summer. Stuart. Yes, five is fine. Okay, good. Okay. So, the idea is that we would for
the summer. Yeah. Uh while this schedule is in place, we would meet at five o'clock. Okay, sounds good. Are there any comments from the public? We have three people in the audience here. I don't see anybody jumping to raise their hand. Anybody online? Uh Elaine Gibbs?
Uh yes. U maybe I misunderstood, but does the summer schedule go through October? Is that what you're saying? Every other week the last uh there there would be um the last uh meeting date in October for a summer
schedule is October 14th. So there's no meeting on the 7th of October. And that's that's correct. And that's been um similar to the schedule for 2024 and 2023. That's what we did. Yes. I want to caveat that too that we've h we
will schedule a meeting if we need to. Yes. Yes. I was going to say that. Thank you. Period. It's not it's not like we're not going to meet if if there's something. We will um if we have the need to meet and we have done that in the past. We will have an emergency meeting or meeting. Um Elaine, does that
answer your question? Uh yeah, my only concern was that some of these agendas have 15 agenda items when they if you meet and it is an awful lot and some things get rushed through. So, um it would be great if some things could be
handled earlier so that they can get done and the schedules aren't aren't so packed with agenda items and 200 pages of uh in a packet. No, I I I think I'm sorry. Go ahead. No, that's it. Okay. Thank you. I I
think as uh as I can speak for myself, I think we're all kind of sensitive to that. Um it's when we have a long agenda and one meeting and then a very short agenda the next meeting. So, we'll try to keep them as balanced as we can. It's not always possible, but I'll work with the town manager and and and our
executive assistant to try to do that going forward. Any other comments from Corey? I was just going to mention too, don't forget that um probably on one of our off nights um the summer residents advisory committee town summer town meeting will probably be held. So yes, that's August 12th. Yes, it is confirmed
for August 12th at this time. That's right. And that the actual time has yet to be determined, but it it is scheduled for that date which was another impetus for this proposal and that's not one of the dates on this. So we are going to meet August 5th and then August 12th for that and then August 19th is a regular
board meeting. Okay. Thank you for pointing that pointing that out. All right. I don't think we need to take a vote. I think we have consensus on this. Um do we do we take a vote on the meeting time? I Yeah, I would suggest. All right. I I the chair will move that
u we adopt the summer schedule as proposed and that during this for meetings during this summer schedule unless we change it by vote. Um, for example, for an emergency meeting. I know we've had some in the morning in the past. Uh, at least one I can
remember. Um, we will change our meeting time to 5:00 p.m. So moved. I mean, yeah. Second, rather. All right. I assume there's no discussion. We'll take a vote. Miss Davis. I. Mr. Dykins. Hi.
Mr. Meadows. Hi. Mr. Mr. Mr. Smith. Sorry, I'm losing it tonight. Hi. And the chair says I. Thank you. Sorry. Okay, the final item on the agenda, Kathy is going to give us an update on committee board commission reappointments and interviews. Thank
you, Mr. Chair. Um, having now voted your summer schedule in um with the June 30th committee term end date for multiple committee members. Um, I wanted to provide the board an update on the current status of pending interviews and
pending candidates. So, what you have before you is as of May 14th, there's been very little change to this. I believe one additional name has been added and um but otherwise what you have before you is there are 10 regulatory board members who still need to be
scheduled for an interview. Um four representative seats, one on the affordable housing trust fund board of trustees for the community um housing partnership um and then three seats on the community preservation committee. I believe those are historical commission.
Um, actually I can tell you very quickly and I should have put this in there. I apologize. The parks and wreck representative, the conservation commission representative and the historical commission representative. Um, I'm waiting on receiving recommendations from those boards for their representatives for your
consideration. There are 28 candidates that are eligible to be considered for reappointment with no interview required. Um, as you recall back in April, I had asked if you would be open to approving a slate of advisory and non-regulatory board members. As of today, we have 28 names of candidates
that you will be able to just vote on a slate of candidates. Um, and speaking with the chair, um, that will likely be on the June 10th agenda, that slate of candidates for your consideration. Obviously, if there's a name on there you wish to pull for consideration outside of the slate, um that will be
your prerogative, but the slate will be presented. Um, additionally, I there were eight candidates who had have not responded um either my attempts to reach out to them haven't happened. I still need to talk to a couple leaison to see if I can get word from them, but we did
have that deadline of the letter and emails. So, I will accept, you know, whatever the board's wish with those eight candidates are, I can let you know who they are offline if you'd like or in this form, whatever works. Um, but there are eight who have not responded and two
of them are regulatory board members. So, just for you to be aware of that. Um, talent bank forms for the last year were were gone through as were the ones that were on file. Um like so interviews I went through the interview files but then also went through the actual like
book that I keep of all past talent banks. So everyone who was within a year or so has been contacted. So that's why there were some committees that did have new so to speak candidates. They may not be new to you but and they may have
already interviewed but for all intents and purposes they're new. Um so that's where it stands. With that being said, um the 45minute block, you've been able to do three candidates per that block. I'm estimating if you continue with that
45 minute block of three candidates, you're looking at four, maybe five additional meetings to get the remaining interviews done. We've now established the summer schedule. I don't know if you would like to take one or two of those off to maybe take the 17th and schedule like a longer
meeting and try to get more of those candidates if there's another day. Um again, regulatory board, the board has expressed um that you would prefer to have the full complement of the board in attendance for those interviews. The other interviews you've expressed that
you're okay with it being the smaller subcommittee. So, and also they can be done remotely too. They don't have to be in person. We've done them remotely in the past as well. So, I guess I'm just looking for direction from the board based on these numbers and this update as to additional interview dates because
I have interviews booked pretty much every Tuesday before your meeting through June 10th um starting at 4:45. So, the next three weeks you've got nine interviews scheduled for various boards and committees. So, my sense is that
speaking for myself, we should um just keep going with the in scheduling three interviewees prior to a board meeting rather than taking up one of the other free free Tuesdays that we just approved. Um that's that's how I feel
about it. Um and um I think you can get started next week. I'm going to be away for two weeks in terms of meetings and um I don't think that should delay anything. So, I will catch up and watch those videos when I'm back. Um, I just
want to note one other thing on the attachment. I know you're aware of this. The council on aging has now just one open seat. Correct. The two incumbents are I heard that between the posting. So, yes. And I also just wanted to note too that of the regulatory board members, none of them have new
candidates. So, they're all incumbents just coming up for a rein, Mr. Chair. In saying and how many of those, excuse me, how many of those are there? 10. Shireen, in saying all that and that they are incumbents, I I think we should
try to really set a goal that we limit our interview time for each of them to be 15 minutes. That's it. Yeah. You know, because we do, you know, we do have interviewees that will somewhat ramble on a bit. We tried
to we kept right tonight. Yeah. We kept it to Yeah. Um and maybe even consider a goal of 10 minutes. But I think when it comes to people that are coming back in return, as long as we've had a committee update and we know what the committee is doing and the liaison can take the lead
on on the whole thing, I think it it would work. Before Cy, before I get to you, is is there any sentiment for the 10 incumbent regulatory board members that we really have to interview them? We've always always done this. Or could
we just have a slate and if someone wants to pull a name, we could interview? I I don't I'd have to re review the the list to speak to it. I do sit here at times. I know I've interviewed this person three or four times for a regulatory board and it's
it's a waste of their time. We're wasting our time. But in all fairness to to Stuart, that's true. He hasn't. Yeah, that's true. We what what we've done, Stuart, on the on these uh interviews, as Kathy said, if it's a regulatory board, um we require the the
subcommittee, the interviewing subcommittee consists of the entire board. So, we need at least three people there and most of the time we do otherwise we can't interview them. the um other the non-regulatory boards uh we require only u two pretty much correct.
Yeah. Your subcommittee form too. Um but historically we have we had and we recently reaffirmed that the policy would be the protocol would be if you're if you're an incumbent on a regulatory board even if no one else is seeking
your position you have to be interviewed again. And as Jeff said, I mean the obvious example, we keep throwing it out. How many times have we interviewed Frank Bassino? That sort of thing. So I don't know how you feel about it, but it's you're you you're the one who hasn't had it hasn't had the opportunity
to interview any of these people. Sure. And um I don't have any trouble with a slate and then pulling a name that Okay. You know, I probably know most of them. Yeah. Um so I don't have any trouble with that to to move along the process. It looks like we're maybe a little bit
backed up. Okay. Thank you, Corey. Um, just a couple thoughts. I guess I'm a I'm in the minority. the the when it comes to the regulatory I think we should be efficient with our interviews but I I'm a slightly reluctant to to not go through the procedural you know
review process that we've set for years when it comes to the regulatory because you know we're going to stumble across an situation some year we've had you know difference of opinions with member of whatever um so it's I'm a little
reluctant to pull back on the regulatory committees on the advisory um doing a slate is we've done it before and I don't have an issue with that. Um, just for what it's worth, um, depending on how the calendar and responses are on
the the the people we need to interview, I'm just going to put myself out there. I'd actually be willing to on June 17th, you know, do a marathon, you know, six or eight interviews just yet. I think that's early enough in the season if we want to take one night just
to knock off a bunch, I'd be open to that, you know, even if it were, you know, non-regulatory and there's only two or three of us that needed to be there. Um, if we if that would help facilitate it, I' I'd be willing to jump into to knock some of those out on the 17th. Um, and then my only last comment,
the the eight candidates that have not responded, I guess we I can follow up with you later. If any of those are the candidates that are on committees that I am leazison on to um let me know and I'd be happy to, you know, help facilitate communication with them. Um, nudge them one way or another. So, and that's the
same with me too. Yeah, I think we should probably let every every liaison know. Um just on your point Corey about have or interviewing uh keeping the requirement to interview regulatory members it does send a message to the incumbent that we're watching them and
maybe that's the thing to do and um maybe but your idea Shireen is 10 minutes you know and maybe we do that Stuart. Sure. Um here again just trying to move things along. Uh, a marathon
session sounds like I always like to You won't say that after it's over, but go ahead. No, I fine. I'll bring a snack. Um, but it it I think it would help move things along and maybe that that maybe we do that. We if if it's 10 minutes a person, that's
um that's 10 10 an hour, right? No, six an hour. Six an hour. I'm sorry. Six an hour. How many can we get done? Well, you're averaging the last two interview meetings, you've done three within the 45 minutes almost to the minute. So, um,
which is your most efficient uh interviews. How many total would would we have to do to complete this task? This horrible task. So, 10 12 about about Yeah. about 10 maybe 12 at the moment. Yeah. Okay. The two Well,
let's everybody okay with the marathon session? Yeah. Okay. on June 17. I was going to suggest you do it while I'm away, but that's all. And just one further question. If these members, for whatever reason, and this was some
of what we ran into last summer, last year, um, are not available on that date, how would the board like me to proceed? Cy, I I guess maybe sneak one in before our regular meeting if we have one meeting here or there just to wrap it
up. I I'm flexible. or there's a real reason if not Yeah. Okay. And I I'll keep you updated on that obviously. Okay. All right. Thank you. Okay. So, are we all set? We're going to continue to have some these 45
minute ones before board meetings, but on the 17th we'll have a marathon session of about two hours probably. Yes. Get rid of everybody who's remain remains. Okay. I think that's it. Motion to adjurnn. Mr. Chairman, is there a second? Second.
Okay. And moved and seconded. Miss Miss Davis. I. Mr. Dikens. Hi. Mr. Meadows. I. Mr. Smith. I. And the chair says I. We are adjourned. Good night, Chadam. Thank you, sir.