Heat. Heat. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the April 28th, 2026 meeting of the Town of Cadam Select Board. Please note, this meeting is being recorded and will be available shortly hereafter for scheduled and on demand viewing on any smartphone or tablet device. If anyone else is
recording the meeting, including the use of AI note takingaking apps, 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 Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 3A section 20 until June 30th, 2027. This meeting of the Chattam 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 ID20386491
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 Xfinity channel 1072, despite our best efforts, we may not be able to provide real-time access. We
will post a record of this meeting on the town's website as soon as possible. First order of business is to establish a quorum. Miss Davis >> present. >> Mr. Dykins present. >> Mr. Matters present. >> Mr. Smith and the chair is Thank you. and the chair is present. >> Uh we have no no minutes to approve
tonight. So, we'll proceed to the next item, which are public announcements and agenda item requests. Are there any from the board? Mr. Dykins, >> I just have a quick one. Uh, at the, uh, Earthweek forum, a couple of, uh, interested citizens were wondering if we
could get an update on our recycling program, glass, paper, cardboard, um, etc., etc. So, I said I would bring it up as an agenda item, and hopefully Mr. Failey can come forward with with an update. >> Thank you. And yes, Stewart. >> Yes. Thank you. Dean. Um, a few of our
neighbors I've noticed in the paper have um have supported uh the uh audit question um that was put before the voters passed very substantially in Chadam very substantially statewide but hasn't been
initiated. Um so I'd like to put that on an agenda item. Maybe the board would consider writing a letter as they did. >> Okay. Any others from the board? Um Jill. Um well, I first want to mention to remind
people that in order to vote in the um coming election and to participate at town meeting, uh you need to register to vote by 5:00 p.m. on May the 1st. This can be done in person at the town clerk's office or online. Uh Jill, you
have an announcement. >> Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. So, I wanted to let the community and the board know that there is a change of venue in the League of Women Voters candidate forum that is scheduled for this Thursday, the 30th at 3M. It's going to be held here
in the town hall annex at 360 261 George Ryder Road. It will be broadcast live as and recorded and available um in our regular programming. So, I've talked to the organizer about it and again, uh, League of Women Voters Candidate Forum
will be here Thursday, April 30th at 300 p.m. Thank you. >> And we may have spillover capability in the next room. >> We just arranged that. Yes. With Chadam TV. >> Thank you. Um, are there any uh public announcements or agenda item requests
from the public? >> Chief Mike Anderson. Welcome, Chief. Thank you, Mr. Chair, members of the board, uh people in the audience, and citizens watching from home. I am here with good news. I'm here to introduce uh
our your three newest Cadam police officers. Uh these three officers were hired just to show you how long this process uh and and detailed this process is. This uh they were hired in October of 2025 after uh pretty substantial
background and interview process. Uh they entered the police academy in October of 2025 and they graduated March 20th uh just a few weeks ago. They are in I believe their fourth week of their field training program. Uh the
graduating class was the 78th recruit class at the Plymouth Police Academy and as a point of reference I was the 22nd. So that's how many police academy classes they've had in Plymouth. Uh so I will be happy to introduce them to you. Brian Ley
is a former captain in the United States Army National Guard where he served from two uh 2017 until his honorable discharge in June of 2025. Uh Brian holds a bachelor's degree in history with a minor in education from
the State University of New York in Buffalo. And he has a master's degree in special education from the Relay Graduate School of Education uh where he taught for a while. He taught special needs uh children in New York in the Bronx. Uh he relocated recently to from
to Chattam from New York. Couple of notes about Brian. Uh he was one of the police academyy's squad leaders. And if you know anything about the police academy, you're almost like a supervisor of your own little squad. So already he's had some uh substantial leadership
exposure. And he is third generation. Uh his father is a retired New York state trooper and his grandfather retired from NYPD. So that's Brian Ley.
Devin Niley uh relocated to the Cape from Colorado after spending summers on the Cape growing up. Uh he has a professional background in the medical field working for UC Health uh and Yampa Valley
Medical Center and Steamboat Orthopedic and Spine Institute out of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. He's also emergency medical services certified and he has a bachelor's degree in psychology from the
University of Colorado Boulder in 2018. Nice job. And finally, Josh Sawyer. Uh different career path to us. Uh he's a graduate of Cape Cod Regional Technical High School in Hawitch in 2010. And since then, up until recently,
he served as an energy specialist uh for an engineering firm in Hyannis with a focus on renewable energy for the past 10 years. And just just a little bit of look behind the curtain. Um, we at the police department, we we look
for not just candidates who have a calling to be a police officer, but we also try to identify individuals with have a little bit of life experience and maybe have some exposure in different fields other than
just that one silo of law enforcement. We think it gives us a wider, more rounded candidate, uh, and a little bit of, you know, human skills or communication skills, which is extremely valuable. Uh, again, as I mentioned, they're I'm sorry, they're in their
sixth week of the FTO program. And if all goes well, they should be on their own and on patrol for July. So, uh, to my officers and dispatchers watching at home, help is on the way. Um, just a side note, just to let you guys know,
um, hiring is a challenge these days. You've you've heard me for the past couple years talk about staffing and shortages and staffing. Um, we're we're pretty close to to full staff, but again, we, you know, we we're not there
yet. It's a candidates's market. Um all of these gentlemen when they drive down the midcape and they pass every exit for each town, every one of those towns is hiring for police officers. So they chose us, I think, for the same reasons why we chose them for they because they
have a a feeling that they want to belong to this department and belong to this community. And that's something that we we try to identify in our candidates. Uh and since it is a candidates's market, we at the at the police department uh and and hopefully
the board as well recognizes that um you know it's it's a challenge to ma remain competitive to not just attract these fine candidates but to retain them as well. So uh I'm I'm proud to introduce them. I'm looking forward to a long and safe career from all of them and uh just
join me in in wel welcoming them. Any any questions? Thank you, Chief. Um, would any of you like to say a few words? You're very welcome to. Don't feel you have to. >> We we welcome all of you. >> It should be easy because there's nothing going on in July here. So,
you'll be you'll be fine. >> Um, hello everyone. Uh, Brian Ley. Uh, just wanted to reiterate how grateful we all are to be here. Uh, not only to serve the community, but be a member of the community. Um I have a daughter on
the way. Um my wife is tomorrow. So um this is a special place and my wife and I came out here and uh looking forward to serving all of you. >> Great. >> Thank you. Welcome. Thank you.
>> So Chief, thank you. I wanted to ask you, how are you making out with the um hiring of community service officers for this season? We have two committed, both returning, and three in the wings. Not final yet.
>> You can't retire until you fill those positions. >> We're We're working on it. Trust me, we're working on it. >> Thank you, Chief. >> Thank you for your support as always. >> Um, any other any other public announcements uh from the floor? Um, I see none. I see Elaine Gibbs, you have
one, your hand up. >> Uh, yes. is just a request. Uh due to the lateness of the change from uh the community center to this meeting room for the League of Women Voters, I'd ask that you put a sign out at the community
center telling people because a lot of people I I assume been notified that it was going to be there so they know where to go. Thank you. >> Thank you. Good suggestion. We we'll attend to that. >> Um I don't see any others. So we will proceed with the business agenda. The
first item is a public hearing. This is a continuation um from March 24th and April the 7th to consider a petition from Verizon New England, Inc. to install one new pole number 225,
36 feet east of an existing pole number 225 and 80 ft west of an existing pole number 226 on Mil Pond Road and to install a new conduit from the proposed pole number 225.5 southeast along Mil Pond Road
approximately 180 ft to new to new Mil Pond pumping station project. Uh this is since the public hearing announcement was read uh previously, we don't have to read it again. Uh and I guess I will call in our director of public works,
Rob Philly, to present this. And I know from the last time there was an effort that was um called for to try to see if this could be resolved. >> Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. Rob Philly, director of public works. Um yeah, I
think you've all had the history. I do have uh the PowerPoint presentation loaded if you'd like a refresher. Um >> Sure. >> Okay. Um so again, this is the new pump station at uh Mil Pond Road. Uh the existing pole with the three
transformers is the one that needs to be relocated. So the existing pole is numbered 227. Uh the next pole up the hill is 226 and the one up from that is 225. That's just a point of reference. We'll discuss those a little bit further.
Um, again, this this one needs to be relocated. Uh, back in 2023, we originally thought the next pole up, 226, was the most logical choice for the new pole with the transformers. Uh, one of the residents, or two of the residents, I should say,
pointed out that it would be an obstruction to their view of Little Mill Pond. Um, that wasn't really um something we had thought of at the time. So, we took that under advisement and saw if we had another solution that could work better. Uh, so that would basically what it would look like with
the uh with the improvements on the pole. So, we decided to relocate that uphill a little further. We went about 40 ft uphill. Um, there were there's a gas line. You can see the yellow pavement markings in the street. That's the gas line. um that was supposed to be
installed on the opposite side of the road, but at some point that was installed on this side of the road. It presents a lot of logistical challenges for us. Um 40 ft uphill seemed like an appropriate um location based on discussions with the utility companies.
Um but then the homeowner uh pictured here uh had recently installed a two-story window and they felt that was going to be impediment on their view. Um, so we went back to the drawing board and said, "Well, maybe we can locate it
uphill a little bit further um to maybe not be in their direct viewshed and it still wouldn't be blocking any of the neighbors view of the water. Um, just to give you an idea of what this might look like without the overhead
utilities. Uh just thought it was a nice uh touch for the folks that have been living with the Mil Pond Road construction and living with the pump station in the neighborhood and also with the pier uh that may be redeveloped soon doesn't have the kind of the blight
of the overhead utilities in that area. Uh so we thought it was a good solution um that maybe everybody could be on board with. Um and that would basically be at 36 feet down from pole 225. Um and that's it. You know, just to just
to reiterate that any of these locations are challenging. Uh there are there is uh gravity sewer, force main sewer, water mane, and gas service in the street. And it's only 18 ft wide. And we need to add two electrical conduits,
communication conduits, and uh cable conduits. So, um there's very limited real estate. All of these locations will be challenging, but we can make any of them work. And I know there are some concerned citizens on the online right now, and they probably um let you know
what they're >> So, the the proposed poll location is 225.5. >> That's correct. That's the That's the subject of tonight's hearing at this location. >> What side of the street are we looking at right now? >> That would be the the south side of Mil
Pond Road. >> Okay. Uh I do note that uh Robin Lour of Verizon and Marissa Jackson of Eversource are supposed to be online if they have any comments at this time. >> Um I I'm here I support um Rob. This is
Robin Lour. Um Marissa will not be able to make it tonight because she obviously has another hearing um that she had to attend. So she kind of just gave me some notes just stating um you know she agrees with the current design. We did go back to Verizon and Eversource and
see to see if this there was a redesign possible. Um like Rob said, there was this they're all going to be um challenging. So they they've decided to stay with the current design. >> Okay. Are there any questions or
comments from the board at this time? If not, I'm going to entertain public comment. Um, anyone in the audience here in person or online wishes to speak, please raise your hand. >> Yeah,
>> I think there are two people I think. Yes. Yes, sir. Mr. Mr. Triber, I think. >> Yeah, Christian Triber, we are on um 7470 mil pond. >> Yes. >> And as you know, we we fully support the the pump station and the redoing of
everything. Uh the one thing if you don't mind me director fi to correct we didn't recently install those windows. We built the house knowing that there are no uh poles right in front of the windows and that was 2015 2016.
Um so I just wanted to put this uh on on record. I think it's important. Um the original plan was to to keep the existing pole and upgrade it and our ask was to to keep it this way because it's
tricky for us to understand why are we all of a sudden um and I totally understand that it's two degree influence of view on the mil pond. Um, but building a house with no pole in front of you and now all of a sudden you
have a pole right next to the windows is one thing we we just can't support. And we looked for an alternative. Yeah. We said last time at the last hearing, why can't we go all the way up to Paul uh that's next to the cottage 70 mil
pond just to use existing um utilities. And I guess technically that's not possible because of the power that needs to be created and transferred all the way down to the pump station. Um so another alternative and I'm really
looking for finding solutions would be if the the pole location or the distance needs to be as described, why does it need to be on our side of the street? Why can't it be on the other side of the street? which would ask every I guess
involved party for compromise. Uh but I think that would to a degree ease our view a little bit. Uh not greatly but at least we would have a compromise for everyone involved. >> Okay. Um can I ask that question of Rob
or Robin Lour? Does do you want to answer that? >> I'm certainly not a utility engineer so I I can't answer that. Um, Miss Lour, do you have a Are you still there? >> I am not an engineer as well, but I do not think that that is an option because
then they would have to because all the poles are in a straight line on one side of the street, so they're not going to want to zigzag back and forth. But I can bring that back to Eversource, but um I know as far as Eversource and Verizon, all the engineers looked at it and they
just wanted to stick with the current design >> cuz Verizon owns the pole, right? Verizon and Eversource. >> Yeah. Well, I I thought polls in chatam are owned by Verizon, I believe. Um >> they're both >> okay. Um
Mr. Triber, um I understand that as I understand it, the um the proposed location of of of the new pole is not not directly in front of your window, but up a little farther near next to the hedges. Is that
Rob? Could you show that again? So, I wonder if I wanted to ask how much of an issue that is for you, Mr. Triber. >> If you don't mind, if you don't mind, I would share PowerPoint as well. Look, it's not as pretty as um director Farley's,
>> but I've created some some pictures. >> How many do you have? How many do you have? >> Um, can you see it? >> Not yet. >> I'm sharing. >> Not yet. >> Okay. Sorry. Let me just do this again. Here we go.
>> It's not on the main screen here. How do we get that up >> showing on my >> Okay, I see it now. >> Yeah. So, this is what it looks without a pole. And this is what it would look like roughly with a pole. So you can see
it's very close to to the house itself. Um >> but does it block your window? The window that you're talking about. >> This is what it looks like when you look out of the window and this is what it looks like without. So I think it is a
definitely a visual impact. Um >> okay >> but and not quite substantial from my point of view. >> Okay. And I just wanted to come come back maybe if I might for the so we're going underground so it's not really a
big zigzag as I would understand it but again look I'm not an engineer either um but it wouldn't be a zigzag it would just be one crossing of the street uh but other than that we would go underground. >> Okay thank you. Um I see another party wants
to speak. Yes. >> Yeah. Good afternoon. I'm Cristiana Samulis. I'm the owner of 77 Milbond Road in Chattam and Paul 22-6 is located directly in front of uh my
home. I have submitted a letter which I think speaks uh um for itself and uh addresses a number of points and requested that it's included in the petition's official record. So I don't know if
>> we have the letter I intend to read it because this is a public hearing. It's from your attorney. I will read that letter. >> Okay. >> Into the record. So >> go ahead. >> All right. So I I since you'll read the letter, I will just reiterate that I
strongly support uh Verizon's current petition and I strongly oppose any alternative that would relocate the three transformers on the pole directly in front of my home as this will have a detrimental impact on my primary
front-facing water view uh and as a result on my property's value. You have you have a pole in front of your home. It must be on the other side of the street, but it's >> it's in front it's on the other side of uh the street, but right in front of my
home, please. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh is there any other member of the public who wants to speak? Otherwise, I'm going to read this letter next. All right. I'll let me read this letter. arrived today dated April 27th um from the law offices of Bruce Barren in um
Hyannis regarding response to objections regarding Verizon Eversource petition number 186 KT7P. Dear Mr. Chair and board members, this office represents Chris Christristiana Stamulus of 77 Milpond Road in Chadam.
We submit this letter on her behalf and in strong support of the revised poll and transform replacement proposed by Verizon and Eversource the utility under petition number 18 A6 KT 7P. The revised plan is a least harm solution that
achieves the utility's technical objectives while preserving the scenic integrity of the neighborhood. We feel it is necessary to respond to the formal objections raised by Christian Triber and Erin O'Brien of 70 and 74 Milpond Road as their objections reflect a
misunderstanding of the utility's obligations and the administrative process. One, the utility has revised its plan to address residents concerns. Due to the pumping station project on Mil Pond Road, the utility needs to remove a utility pole located next to
the pumping station and relocate three transformers. The utility's original proposal was to place pole 22 226 located directly in front of my client's home with a taller pole and to cluster the three relocated transformers on the
pole. This would have caused a significant and permanent obstruction of my client's primary front race front front-facing view of Little Mil Pond and diminished her property's value. When my client objected to this initial proposal, the utility submitted a
revised plan in which the transformers would be moved to a newly installed pole roughly 40 ft farther up Mil Pond Road to the rear of Mr. Triber and Miss O'Brien's property. Mr. Triber and Miss O'Brien objected, however, arguing that the pole would be visible from a large
rearfacing window. In response, the utility has submitted the current further revised plan in which the transformers will be moved to a newly installed pole even farther up Mil Pond Road. The plan addresses Mr. Triber and Ms. O'Brien's concern about the pole's visibility from the rearfacing window
while still avoiding interference with my client's view of Little Mil Pond. Two, Mr. Triber and Ms. O'Brien's continued objections. Unsatisfied, Mr. Triber and Miss O'Brien now object to the utility's further revised plan by
one demanding an explanation as to why the transformers cannot be placed on a pole directly in front of my client's home. Two, suggesting that the utility may be planning to violate their property rights. And three, alleging there was something improper improper about my client communicating her
concerns to the DPW. These objections are without merit. First, Mr. Triber and Miss O'Brien's demand for an explanation about why the transformers cannot be placed in front of my client's home misconstrass general laws chapter 1666 section 22.
The select board has broad authority to grant locations for poles and wires and the util utility is not required to prove a technical necessity for pole B over pole A. Rather, it proposes a plan and the select board decides whether the plan is appropriate and serves the needs
of the community. Here, the utility revised its initial plan in response to my client's valid concern about the destruction of her primary view of Little Mil Pond. This was a common sense response to a resident's reasonable concern. The utility does not owe Mr. Triber or Miss
O'Brien any further explanation. Second, Mr. Triber and Miss O'Brien's suggestion that the proposed utility poles anchor might be placed on their property line is little more than a than groundless speculation as the utility is surely aware that it is required to stay
within the public layout or to obtain a private easement for any project. Finally, Mr. Triber and Miss O'Brien's argument that the process was not equal because my client may have discussed the utility's proposed poll and transformer relocation with DPW director Rob Fairley
is without merit. There is nothing improper about my client voicing concerns to the DPW regarding a proposal that would severely impact her enjoyment of her home and the value of her property. Mr. Triber and Miss O'Brien have had the same opportunity to voice their concerns and have done so several
times. Indeed, the process's fairness is evidenced by the multiple written objections Mr. Triber and Miss O'Brien have submitted and their right to further object at the public hearing on April 28th, 2026. Conclusion. Petition number 186 KT7P
represents a balanced and equitable solution to a necessary infrastructure upgrade. It prevents a disport disproportionate burden from falling upon my client's property while placing the transformers in an appropriate roadside location that does not interfere with water views or diminish
property values. We respectfully request that the select board approved the petition as currently proposed. Very truly yours, James P. Lucking. Um Mr. Triber, um this is the first time you probably heard this letter. I'm going to give you an opportunity and I realize you don't have it in front of you, but
I'm going to give give you an opportunity if you want to respond to any of the assertions in this letter if you'd like. >> Well, to to really look at all the details, I think you understand that I need would need to have it in front of
me. So, um I would ask for for some time to do so. Um since I say our name was mentioned quite a bit in there uh surprisingly um two things look
I think a Massachusetts doesn't have a right to a view and I think when we purchased our property and when we built the home um we built it knowing that there's no pole and I think at the same
time respectfully when Mrs. Stemis bought her home, she bought it knowing that there's a pole in in front of uh her house. So I, as you can imagine, uh would ask the board to respect that
benefiting one neighbor at the expense of another um that that's something I can't really um accept in this context, but I I do understand that it influences her view. I get it. That's the reason
why I came up with another suggestion to say, okay, can we put the pole on the other side of the street? And um therefore we would still have a view. It would clean the view for for uh
her and at the same time um it would be an alternative not just being right in front of our house. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And I ask the board this to consider. Yeah. >> Thank you. Uh Mr. Mullis, do you have you still have your
hand up? Is you have further comment? >> Yes. It's just a clarification that when I bought my property, there was a pole um in place, but not a pole with three transformers on it, and it makes a very big difference. >> Okay. Thank you. Um unless there are
further public comments, I'm going to take it back to the board for questions and comments. Stuart, >> sure. Thank you. Um the if the pole were across the street, does that interfere with either one of
you or someone else someone else's neighbor uh view? Do you know? >> Either one of you wish to speak to that Mr. Tribe or Mr. Müllers. >> I mean, we would still see it from our house, but at least it would be a little
bit further detached. Yeah. So that's the reason why I think again it would be a compromise for for everyone involved there. >> And sorry I can't. >> Yeah, go ahead. >> I was just going to ask the uh >> Mr. Mullis, do you do you have a comment on that? Mr. Smith's question.
>> I I don't think that uh it would have an impact. >> Okay. Okay. And the other question I had was this the attorney uh Mr. Lucking says that, you know, the proposed
utility poles anchor might be placed on the property is a little more in speculation. Is there an anchor associated with this? >> There will be. There's an existing pole and anchor on um Mr. Traver's property now or not on his property, but between the roadway and his property. Yeah.
>> And so it would be a similar situation just moved up further up the hill. >> That but that was asked last time and that would stay within the public layout. It would not be on the private property. Is that correct? That's correct. >> That's what I think the utility companies told us at the LA at the initial hearing. >> Yeah, I was trying
>> Correct. >> That's fine. Yeah. >> Okay, that's fine. I was trying to get to his >> groundless speculation comment. So, >> okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other comments from the board of >> I just I just had a question. Can you go underground from where the the pole with
the through transformers to the >> to our uh pump station? From which which pole location? >> Oh, I you you're trying to locate the three transformers somewhere. And so from is is that the is that literally the end if you will or can you go
underground from there? I don't know. >> I mean it's challenging. There's a lot of infrastructure buried in the street. So I it really would be up to the utility engineer to make sure that can be you know the connectivity is there. >> Yeah.
Again, none of us are engineers, unfortunately. >> I know um one of the comments that Marissa had submitted to me earlier today, Marissa from Eversource. Um so, I'll read her email that she had sent to me. Um the current poll 22-5
has a singlephase transformer that feeds those homes in the area and we cannot add a three-phase transformer on that pole. Hence why we added 22-5.5. The option currently presented is the best option to prevent voltage drop
issues to the residential homes and prevent a high cost of underground utilities further up the road. >> So you need a new pole. >> Yes, >> Steuart. >> And it can't go across the street.
That's probably no 20 because of voltage loss. >> Uh because it's all the the poles are all straight in one line and they would be zigzagging across the street. So the the engineers looked at all the options and the current design is the best option that they will work for.
>> There's a tremendous amount of force in those wires and you need anchors. >> Yeah. Sure. >> To counterbalance that. So those anchors may be onto private property. Um >> and when you're going across the street sometimes you need additional poles to um hold the structure. So it ends up being more of a mess.
>> Have a comment. Jeff. >> Yeah. So, uh, we're not engineers, but I I this process we've the hearings, this hearing has been, uh, postponed and, uh, a couple times. And my my opinion is, again, I'm not an expert. My opinion is that we've had a good process here where
we've tried to assuage the concerns or meet the concerns of of both parties here. Um, in Mr. Triber's case, we've moved the poll up upstream, if you will, a little bit, so it's not directly in front of a window. And in Cristiana's case, we've we've removed the poll from
from her view. I agree that a poll is a single poll is different from a poll with three transformers. So I think I think the process has been a good one and we've heard everybody's concerns and we now we have a plan in front of us that I'm willing to move. So I would move approval.
>> Is there a second to that? >> Second. >> Can I? >> Yes. I'm going to let you speak, Mr. Triber, because you have your hand up. We haven't taken a vote yet, but there's a motion on the table. Yes, sir. Mr. Triber. >> So, we have to go underground anyway.
So, we have to grow underground up the street. So, there are no additional costs to that. >> Um, what do you mean by that? >> Because we're going So, the way I read the plan is that there's no pole at the pump station. So, we have to go underground.
So, it goes underground up this up the road anyway. So it's not zigzagging or it's an additional going further up the road. Um I I wouldn't understand why that would be the case because the plan is to go underground to the pole anyway
because there can't be a pole next to the pump station. That was the starting point. So now the only ask we have is to put it on the other side of the street which would be again a compromise I think for everyone involved and it would
just cross the street one time. Um but I don't see it zigzagging by the end of the day. >> Well the only way it wouldn't zigzag is if you put it underground across the street >> and we don't we don't know if that's feasible or not or what what it would
cost. You still need the three poles. I mean the one pole with the three transformers on it. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, I understand that. Yeah. >> All right. Okay. Any any further comments? All right. So, um
we have a motion before us. Is there any dis further discussion on the motion? Stuart, did you want to say something? Well, you know, I I agree that, you know, we've been round and round on this process, but I, you know, I kind of object getting a letter from an attorney
5 minutes before the select board meeting, and you know, it it's hard to digest the letter. Um, and I still, you know, I like compromises and if the two neighbors aren't objecting with the pole
across the street and it's only the power company, I'd like a little bit more information other than they don't like to zigzag uh as to the design of that pole. What would it look like? Where are the, you know, how is it supported and whether we could accept that? Are you
>> I don't think it's I don't think it's feasible. They've looked at all the options. They've looked they've looked at this this design since like Rob had spoken earlier since 2023 and this is the only feasible design at this point. >> Yeah. And they they he also mentioned that you know it was going to be
expensive um you know for people >> and that would be the town's cost >> and for people who are going to have to look at this well it could be the towns it could be it could be a a group of you know the town and some neighbors. Um is that possibility Rob? Uh typically we
carried that in the project cost. So for the original location of the pole that was in the view, I think Eversourc's cost, they carried the bulk of the cost because they do all the conduit work. >> Y >> um it was about $45,000. The next position up in front of Mr.
Traver's window was about $68,000. So I would imagine the third location would be somewhere in the $90,000 range. >> Would that include underground work going across the street? So you would >> that would include all the underground work but it wouldn't include like a new pole set by Verizon or Eversource and
maybe some minor uh work from uh Verizon and uh Comcast >> and and we would be so Yeah, we would be responsible. >> We're requiring the pole to be moved from the pump station. We're paying for it. We bear the cost of it. >> And you think it's going from 60 odd thousand to maybe 90 odd thousand.
>> We don't have an estimate >> because it goes across the street. It'd be nice to get an estimate. I mean, um, >> would that 90,000 include the option of putting the line underground across the street so you wouldn't have a a wire
overhead? >> Um, but Freya, you still need a pole with three transformers located someplace. >> We re we realize that. I'm just saying you put a pole across the street um and you reach it with an underground wire rather from the south side. Is does
the 90,000 include that? We don't know. >> We don't know because we haven't had them design it and they haven't given us a cost estimate. >> When you when you I'll in a second. When you were before us previously, this seemed like a time-sensitive matter in order to be able to get the pump
station up and running. >> We're basically going to close the project out with the contractor because this has lagged on so long. The pump station has been active since uh end of June last year. So, we want to close out the contract, pay the contractor, make them whole, and this will be an entirely new project, basically.
>> Is the pump station active now? >> Yes, it is. >> Are the neighbors willing to share that additional cost to move it? >> That's a good question. Well, we can put the question to Mr. Driver and Mr.
Mullis. I mean, excuse me, but the uh you know, the the poll's forever basically and unless we move it again and people are going to have to look at it. Hope we don't have to move it. >> Do either of you have any response to Mr. Stewart's
Mr. Smith's question about whether the neighbors would be willing to cost share in this with the town? I I think the the importance of who has the greatest benefit out of the moving of the pole and should cover the costs
for that. Um that would be would be my view and if stimul stimulus says that it has a negative impact if you put it there I would assume it has a positive impact on the value of our house if you remove the pole and therefore I would
suggest for her to cover the cost uh in this context. Corey, >> I just had one one small small question because I want to be able to put this in my bank of knowledge for further projects. We're talking about the area that we
where we're doing this work and there's a lot of lot lot going on, a lot of electricity, gas, and everything. Did I hear you right in the beginning of the presentation that the gas was actually meant to go on the other side of the road? So, how did was that was that an error?
>> Was that a field change? Well, how would you clarify classify that? >> A surprise. It was not part of this contract. It was done um in between the point where we had done the site survey, designed the project, and then went out with the utilities and had it dig safe
and marked everything out. And that was the first any of us, you know, it was before my time here, so forgive me, but um that was the first time the utility companies were made aware that the gas line was on the south side of Milpond Road and not the north side. Okay, Shireen,
>> I just want to know that um in the process whether you know we're talking about moving the pole up and then across the street all all impacted neighbors have been notified that that move would be >> well the abuters well they haven't been notified about this lake
>> bigger change yeah >> this suggestion uh but they they've been notified of the original plan >> that's correct and so basically that whole neighborhood there are five property owners >> and they they're all aware but they're not aware of this latest
>> okay >> twist. >> That's what that's what Mr. Mullis didn't hear from you on Mr. Smith's suggestion or question as to whether um you would be willing to cost share if the poll were placed on your side of
the street but at a location that doesn't impact your view which seem to be a location that both of you could live with from what my understanding of the previous discussion. So it would be open to cost share given
that uh this uh moving it to the other side of the street will is something that uh it's uh requested by Mr. Triber and uh uh but moving further up obviously it's it helps as a solution
overall so I would be willing to cochair. >> Okay. Thank you >> Mr. Chair if I may. Yes. >> When a typically what we see when a utility makes a 90° bend, there's an anchor on that apex of that outside of
that bend that would put the anchor onto private property. We don't have any easements for that at this point. So, I'm sure when the designers come up with something that would be an anchor on Mr. Triber's property because that's where the bend would be. >> Okay.
Um Stuart, do >> we, you know, I'm not familiar with the the homes on the north side, I guess the um east side. Are the uh are those windows looking Do you Are you familiar with those homes? I'm trying to visualize they look >> on the north side of Mil Pond Road.
>> Well, on the east side. Yeah. >> I mean, that's the front of their house. And they're a little higher in elevation, so they may >> they may look over it at some point. I don't >> I mean I'm just trying to find a a resolution. I I I think the cost
sharing, you know, uh would be helpful. It does require a little bit more discussion, a little bit more delay, but pump station's working. I mean, I don't think it hurts. >> It It would be significant cost sharing just to get it out there. >> Well, no. Our Well, our cost, the
taxpayers cost wouldn't change, right? >> I didn't I don't know. >> Yeah. My Well, my suggestion is it wouldn't. we, you know, we can live with it at, you know, with a $60,000 move. And if if the neighbors want it moved to be, you know, more neighborly, that's
great. We get the job done. But I'm not I'm not sharing that. I wouldn't suggest sharing that. >> Sure. Okay. Mr. Triber, I'll let you speak one more time. >> Yeah. I think when it's when it's about cost, Yeah. I think then the original plan was the way to go because that was the most cost effective solution for the
town. to upgrade the existing pole. That was the most cost effective solution for the town. My understanding >> they can't do that. They can't have those transformers that close to the Is that the correct answer, Rob? >> No. They our original plan was to move
it to poll 22-6, which is that next poll, the existing pole and Mr. Tribber's front of his lawn, >> which you which you object to, Mr. Triber. >> Oh, that that was an objection from Miss Stamulus. >> Correct. because it was in her view
shed. Her and her neighborh night. >> Okay. All right. So, we have a motion in before us. Um that was seconded. Um if there is an interest in
the town pursuing an alternative, then we would withdraw that motion. I don't know where to go with this, but Stuart, >> well, it was it's really up to the neighbors if they're if some are willing to cauter and some aren't. Well, then I I guess we >> it doesn't work. We only had one one of the two saying they would cost you.
We're talking about at least $30,000. >> Yeah. Well, I mean, it's it's it's up to the how important it is to the neighbors because >> and an anchor on the neighbors one of the neighbors property. >> Yeah. It requires more discussion, but if if they're not willing to do that, then we might as well go with the original uh
>> All right. Unless there's further comment, I'm going to call the vote. Um so the the the motion is to approve the >> the plan >> the plan as revised and presented tonight. Uh Miss Davis >> I >> Mr. uh Dykens
>> I >> Mr. Meadows >> I >> Mr. Smith >> I >> and the chair votes I. >> It is approved. Thank you very much everyone. >> Okay >> that's unbelievable. >> Thanks. We'll go on to the next. Uh
there is no cons. Well, there is a consent agenda. It's one item on the consent agenda. As you can see, consider use of town property for a wedding Newton DJ Zoo on May 16th, 2026 is Harding's Beach. I understand the principal is here, but this is a consent
agenda. We if there's a motion to approve the consent agenda, we can um >> take it. >> Um move approval. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Uh okay. I'll call the role. Miss Davis. I >> Mr. Dyken. >> Hi, >> Mr. Meadows. >> Hi, >> Mr. Smith.
>> Hi. >> And the chair votes eye. Thank you. So, that is approved. >> Thank you. Um, we have a lengthy business agenda. Um, very meaty business agenda and uh we'll entertain public comments at this time
if anyone wishes to make them. Otherwise, they will be made contemporaneously. I don't see any. We'll go to the first item. Consider a special one-day alcohol license. Chattam Conservation Foundation annual fundraiser on July 23rd atuh 2026
at 434 Rididgeville Road in Chattam. Uh this is for the C Chadam Conservation Foundation. Lauren Aromano is here. >> Yes. >> Good evening. >> Good evening. Yes, please present uh your application. So yes, we are
throwing our supporting the protection of salt marsh fundraiser on July 23rd uh at the property address that you have indicated. It will be from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. All liquor will be um donated and
there will be 100 guests invited. >> Okay. Um any questions or is there a motion? >> Move to approve, Mr. Chairman. >> Second. Moved and seconded. All right, I'll call the role. Miss Davis. Hi. >> Mr. Dikkins. Hi. Mr. Meadows. Hi. Mr. Smith. Hi. >> The chair votes I. Thank you. It's been
approved. >> Thank you so much. >> Next is to consider a special one-day alcohol license Mother's Day tea on May 10th, 2026 at Hay Joe and Jam 16et Road, West Cadam. And the proprietor Dre Tui is on the line for this. Welcome. You
want to tell us about this? >> Sure. Um, uh, similar to other times, um, I'm I'm Dre Tawi. I'm the owner of Hey Joe and Jam. It's a one-day event, uh, Mother's Day tea from 2 to 4, and we just wanted
to, um, offer, um, champagne and wine for sale. >> Okay. I just had one question in regards to uh, what steps will be taken to prevent underage sale or consumption? What are you going to do to police that? So we would we would we would card at at
um the point of purchase the point of sale. >> Okay. Thank you. Any questions or is there a motion? >> Move approval, Mr. Chairman. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. I'll call the role. Miss Davis. Hi. >> Mr. Dyken. >> Hi. >> Mr. Meadows. >> Hi. >> Mr. Smith. >> Hi. >> And the chair votes side. It's been
approved. Thank you. >> Thank you. Have fun. >> Next is um a vote to approve the updated intermunicipal agreement and IMA with Pleasant Bay for the Pleasant Bay watershed permit and um our director of natural resources, Greg Burman, will
introduce this and Carol Ridley is here from the Pleasant Bay Alliance. Greg, welcome. >> Great. Thank you. Uh so what you have in front of you and in the select board um agenda item is a revision to the
watershed permit. Uh we do have Carol Ridley here if you would like. She's here to talk about um how the original IMA occurred in 2018 and what some of the other towns are doing with their
nitrogen removal. Uh really for the town of Chadam, this is a relatively minor um edit. Uh primarily there's a new MUP report that gets referenced. There's some language changes. There were some new regulations put out in 2023 that
were referenced. Um Chadam's plan is still to sewer and remove far more nitrogen than is required by the wershed permit. Um that really hasn't changed. Um all of this is reflected in this um
IMA and these annual reports that are put out through the alliance and the overall Pleasant Bay wershed permit. Happy to take any questions. I I did just want to call out though that our town council did review this IMA revision and made some minor corrections
that were adopted uh or approved by the other towns. It's being presented the same to them. >> Thank you. Uh I would point out that um as you as you say the edits are really fairly minor and this was authorized by
town meeting back in 2018. We did uh Jill um at my request consulted with town council today to make sure it did not have to go back to town meeting and he agrees agrees with that conclusion. So, um, and as you as you point out,
Chadam is essentially ahead of the game in terms of how much nitrogen has been removed. So, I'll just ask Carol, do you want to say anything to this tonight? Uh, you're welcome to please come forward. >> Uh, good evening. Uh, Carol Ridley,
coordinator for the Pleasant Bay Alliance. Thank you. Um, I think Greg pretty much covered it. We really view this as sort of a a housekeeping matter to bring the IMA up to uh currency with the existing new permit that's been issued by D >> and the state has issued it.
>> It has issued in February. Correct. >> I remember when we signed this there were several of us were on Jeff and Corey. I don't know if you Shireen were there. Were you there at that time? Um we signed this um with the other three towns in person um at a meeting out in
Hyena somewhere. Um, any questions? Corey. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, I I know the language and this is, you know, we all the communities have to agree on the same language. There's not a lot of wiggle room. So, I'm just looking for two clarifications and then I have a small little edit um I want to point
out. My first question is on page five, all the well, it's blue in our packet are are edits. Correct? Blue. Blue. So on the very top there's a paragraph that says whereas following the execution of this agreement it is in blue yet it is
totally stricken out. Is that an edit that's been pulled or it's intended to remove that whereas from the IMA because that goes back to 2018 when part of the agreement the towns were making was to apply for the
permit. The permit's been in effect since 2018 and was just revised. >> Okay. My >> there's no application. >> All right. My second clarification is on page seven
the um the very bottom items 6C uh withdrawal/termination and it goes um any party may withdraw the agreement and it goes on upon 60 days etc etc. But then if you carry over to the next page, there's been an
agreement. It says this agreement may be terminated by a vote of all parties. Um I'm not an attorney, so I maybe I'm misinterpreting it, but is that >> does that balance out or am I misinterpreting that? >> I believe that particular edit was from our town council. My interpretation is
that >> any one town can leave on their own, >> but the remaining towns would vote to dissolve it entirely. I I think I'm reading it to mean vote of the four towns. I don't think they're calling for
individual town meeting votes. I would assume if the town of Chadam want if all four towns want it out, each of the four select boards would have to take votes to do it. >> Okay. >> I think that's what is meant here. But we we can get that clarified.
>> They're not attorney in the room, so I'm asking question. >> Good question. But I think that's what they mean. >> And then and then at my little nit um on the very bottom of page eight, you got um town of Brewster and Town of Chadam kind of sitting at the bottom, which are
headings for the page nine uh signature categories. >> Definitely want to fix that. Yeah, thank you. >> Other than that, I'm I'm fine. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> All right. Is there a motion to There's a there is a form of motion in the cover
memo by Kathy Joe Gre and Joe. >> Oh, I'm sorry. The question is from Stuart and then from Jeff. >> Um I was kind of following up on Corey's I think that's a I think I'm not sure that's been answered because of this new
addition. This agreement may be terminated by a vote of all parties. I don't know if I think that question is still out there. I was trying to read C real quickly. Um, should a town elect to opt out of the wash permit remain in full?
>> My my interpretation of that and I I'm not council, but any party can withdraw on their own. Like if China wanted to leave, the other three towns would still be in there. If those three towns at that point said, "Well, let's get rid of the whole agreement." then those three towns would vote to dissolve the entire
agreement or any one of them could leave at any time. >> Well, um I mean I'm comfortable as as long as if the town of Chadam in the sometime in the future or town meeting decides to withdraw from this agreement. I don't foresee that of course but um uh
we we we don't want to hold their feet. They should be able to do that. >> Yeah, I think we can under the first sentence. Any party may withdraw on 60 days notice. Yeah, I was reading that. I think the addition kind of confuses it, but um okay, if you're comfortable, >> I think the only attorney in the room.
>> I think what they're saying at the end in that final sentence is I don't know that that necessarily relates back to the withdrawal, right? I think it just means that all four towns can vote to or whoever's left. >> Yeah, >> you have two towns quit. >> I guess that was my concern is
>> one one town drops out, another town drops out, all of a sudden you got two towns drop out, and then you know what? last the last last man standing it's your agreement. >> Yeah, but I think under that last sentence and we can we can get an answer to this but I think under the last sentence the remaining two towns could
vote to terminate the agreement. >> I >> that's how I'm reading that. >> I I don't there's only one standing. >> I I would think it would be last man standing. I think that if there were two two towns in left, one town could exercise that six the language in the
beginning and and remove themselves. And then there's one more one left. >> That's why that's how I'm looking at it. >> So there's no agreement. I mean, you have one party left. >> I mean, >> technically that party could vote to >> There's an agreement. >> Terminate the agreement. >> We can get that clarified from town. He
he wrote this language. >> It it might I believe. So I I think it's that any one town can leave or if everybody wants to leave at once, you can have a vote. >> I think if it if it were to say that it would be helpful.
Well, if we if we approve this tonight, we can there is a motion. I believe we can we can make that motion contingent on or with instruction to we can vote the motion in, but there be instruction that town council take a look at that and revise it as an as appropriate
consistent consistent with our discussion. We can add that to the motion if we want to. >> And I and I had one other question. >> Yes. If if I may just quickly um just note that you you are the first board taking this up so that if there is any modification to the language following that we can carry that forward with the other towns.
>> Great. >> We also had the only modification of the four towns. So >> Okay. >> So we pay more attention. Is that what you're saying? The um so you you mentioned Rob that the >> like I put it to a vote and it happened so quickly and then
>> the one guy was on >> who's talking guest. Maybe >> who's the guest? >> It was guest. >> Yeah, I don't know who that is. >> So, um you had mentioned that the um you know, we're we're either ahead. Well, we are we're
ahead and we're we plan to uh be way ahead on the nitrogen removal when we're completed the infrastructure in that watershed area in Chadam. When do you know when that is supposed to happen
roughly? Maybe Rob would know. >> The the um current permit is a 20-year permit which uh carries through to to uh 2046. I'm not sure if all of the sewing in Chaden is completed at the end of the
20-year term. I think it may not be. >> Well, Chaden sewering is going to be completed in 2045 under the current plan. Rod >> is it >> if phase one should be completed in 2044 and we'll start uh work on I'd say 2033
we'll start design work for the Pleasant Bay um watershed area >> and then and then >> construction will follow soon after that. There's no, we can't predict that far out of ST. >> It's part of it's in phase two. Yeah. So, so it'll be, you know, decades. >> Yeah.
>> For for general numbers, the the town will be removing twice the required amount of nitrogen under the wershed permit. >> Interesting. >> That is required. >> Thank you, >> Jeff. But we're removing twice, but it's a it's a ways out. I mean, we have to build the infrastructure. And I had
questions on uh kind of where we are today and what our goals are going forward. Um if you if I look at the table on page eight, they have been revised for our targets for Muddy Creek upper and Muddy Creek lower and most
notably Ryder's Cove and Frost Creek. Um, the if I'm reading this correctly, and I'd like to know whether or not I'm reading it correctly, I think the the numbers in in blue are the original plan and the numbers in in black are revised number. They go up substantially. And
what our goals are for nitrogen removal for Muddy Creek, upper and lower, Ryder again, most notably, and um and uh Fresh Fist Creek. So, and but we won't achieve those even higher numbers until kind of the tail end of our sewering project.
We're we're making a big bet that the sewering project in Pleasant Bay is very su is done and very successful in 20 years or whatever 40 years. Um and we're getting credit for that, at least written credit for it. Um because the savings thus far is like 767 kgs a year
of nitrogen primarily through just you know the bridge for muddy creek and and frost fish what we've done in frost f fish. So um we've got a ways to I guess my larger point is we've got a ways to go yet to to really fulfill what we believe is our our our reasonable goals
for for nitrogen reduction in Pleasant Bay. Um and then I was struck by uh Haritch is getting a lot of credit for having being sewered in in East Haritch. So you know we take some credit there because that's a regional effort that through an intermunicipal agreement with
Haritch where they're they're cleaning up their act for Pleasant Bay. So that wouldn't have happened if we hadn't been willing to use our wastewater treatment plant to clean Pleasant Bay. So what I love about this plan and about the 208 effort initiative is that it is a
regional initiative and all the towns are you know really really into it. Um and we you know thus far we spent some extraordinary amount of money $130 million in sewer infrastructure with more to go. But I I would argue that Pleasant Bay is is just as important as
Mil Pond Stage Harbor you know uh all the other little estuaries and that we have here. Pleasant Bay is a stunning asset. Um, and we ought to treat it with respect regionally as well. So, I just want to make those points. Our our goals are laudable. I mean, they're they're
high. Um, and again, we're making a big bet on the future sewing of of that neck of the woods. Nitrogen loading by golf courses. I noticed that Brewster is is is making a big bet on or analyzing what the
captains does in terms of the wershed. Do we do any of that stuff locally with the private courses, national, eastward hoe, any other the private courses? Do we we talk to them at all about nitrogen loading? >> All of Yes. So all of the um the loading
calculations um considered um updated information from the golf courses on their practices. >> Oh, good. So, so the current data, the results and and the goals going forward take into consideration mitigation efforts that golf courses, private and
public are are putting in place or have put in place. >> Correct. When we updated the um MEP report a few years ago, um that information was incorporated and there was a notable um decrease in loadings from golf courses pretty much across the board from what had been incorporated in the 2005 plan.
>> Excellent. Right answer. And I I just think I think it's good. They should be partners in this effort because they're right on the bay. >> Thanks. >> Just a quick follow. Is is that a result the the the reduction by the golf courses? Is that a result of um you know
uh better practices? Are they using fertilizer that isn't loaded with nitrogen? I believe it's a combination of better practices, more up-to-date practice p practices and also better accounting um in better ability to track um than what was reported and incorporated in the 2005 um MEP report.
>> And do those f do we know anything about the fertilizers? I'm just using them as an whoever they are as the example >> in terms of the content of it you mean? >> Yeah. What they're using for their fertilizing? >> I couldn't speak to that. No. >> Thanks.
>> I just have one one quick followup, Mr. Chairman, in in the write up on Cadam on page three, um uh we've removed approximately 767 kgs a year of nitrogen primarily through traditional sewing projects in the Muddy Creek and Frost Fish Creek subwaterheds development of a
residential fertilizer control regulation. And I I'm not I'm not aware that we've done any are we projecting these numbers take into consideration that we're going to have a you know a residential fertilizer control regulation? >> I think we have one. Do we do we have in
the in the Pleasant Bay area? We do. Okay. All right. >> The board of health adopted something a few years ago. >> All right. Okay. Good. Thank you. Yeah. Thanks. >> I just didn't know if we had more work to do on them. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Um I want to propose an amendment to the motion. So the motion before us is to um
approve the revised intermunicipal agreement among the towns of Brewster, Chadam Harwitch, and Orleans for implementation of the revised Pleasant Bay watershed permit. I want to add this language contingent upon review and any appropriate revision to section 6C
consistent with the select board's discussion this evening. Is there a second to that? Amen. >> Second move and seconded. Kathy, do you have that language? I'll repeat it anyway. Contingent upon review and any appropriate revision to section 6C consistent with the select board
discussion this evening. All right. With that, I'll u call the role. Miss Davis. >> I. >> Mr. Dyson. Hi, >> Mr. Matter. Hi, >> Mr. Smith. >> Hi, >> the chair of Ozai. Thank you very much both. >> Thank you so much. >> Good job. >> Next is an item that was requested by a
citizen, Elaine Gibbs, and um uh a select board agenda request from our clerk, Steuart Smith. This is a post analysis of the blizzard of 2026 response. And I'm gonna first call upon the um fire chief who is our emer
emergency management director and our deputy emergency management director Mark Heler to make a presentation. >> I don't know what do you have a slideshow. >> Yes, >> Dustin. Okay. Yeah, >> there's an extensive document in the packet.
All right. Good evening, members of the board, uh members of the Chattton community, uh fire chief and emergency management director Justin Tavano, uh accompanied tonight by deputy emergency management director Mark Heler. Uh thank you for the opportunity to come before you tonight and provide a review of uh
storm preparedness and operations and recovery from the February 2026 blizzard uh winter storm Hernando. Uh first and foremost um I'd just like to say you know uh emergency management is is primarily focused on planning and
preparedness uh the co effective and efficient coordination of resources as we respond to incidents and the facilitation of uh community recovery postevent. Uh it requires more than just folks like myself and Mark being assigned to positions. It requires teamwork, shared
values, and an alignment of goals and objectives. and I'm grateful to work alongside professionals throughout the town from all the different departments uh who care deeply about this community and continue to work as a team to deliver exceptional public service. So, just want to start by saying thank you
to all the town staff um that that had some role in our in in a in a pretty challenging week. Um going to start off um with just some slides showing some data from the uh from the storm and then move into some
slides that um kind of highlight the the afteraction report uh which was included as an attachment in your packet. So wintertorm Hernando's impact um we saw significant winter storm with blizzard conditions and heavy wet snow. While snow totals were lower than
originally forecast, uh tree damage and power outages were severe due to the consistency and weight of the weight of the snow and the extreme winds. Uh during its peak, um the the town was 99%
uh without power and power restoration was completed uh within 5 days. our preparedness efforts uh monitoring began 3 to four days prior um to the the storm's approach with escalating coordination with local and regional
state and private partners uh throughout that weekend. Um this was a storm that I it I it certainly won't say it snuck up on us. Um but it didn't have quite the hype a week in advance that some of the other storms we saw this winter did. Um
so we we really started to kind of heighten our awareness of the storm about 3 to 4 days out. Um that's when it became pretty apparent that we were going to going to have a pretty significant impact. Um I wanted to note that uh our private partnerships uh partnerships with local
hotels um nursing homes, assisted living facilities, our cert volunteers um the these are relationships that they're result of uh years of collaboration, networking and relationship building uh
planning but also mutual and reciprocal support. Um we we have constant contact with uh different organizations and uh businesses throughout the year to develop these relationships so we can lean on each other when times get tough. Um and we saw that we saw great value um
come from that during this week. Town facilities were closed ahead of the storm. The decision was made prior uh that weekend um prior to the storm impact to to shut down uh all town facilities. Uh the emergency operations center, our
EOC at the fire station was activated on Sunday evening uh before the storm approached. Just some uh highlights from our emergency response. The emergency operations center operated uh around the clock from Sunday evening through Friday afternoon coordinating and monitoring
all response efforts for the police department, fire department, and department of public works. um doesn't necessarily mean we were running each agency's operations, but uh we were monitoring things. We were coordinating different responses that uh that required all those agencies to respond
to. Uh the emergency operations center processed over 300 calls on the on the EOC dedicated phone line throughout the week beginning Sunday evening. Um that's a that's a significant statistic um because those are those are phone calls
that would typically be going through um fire department and police department dispatch if we didn't have that EOCC line open. So it took a tremendous strain off of those dispatchers um allowing them to focus on the calls that were coming in to them and the other emergencies uh that that weren't
necessarily storm related. the fire department uh specifically the fire department responded to 225 storm related incidents uh throughout the week uh and there was effective real-time coordination with Eversource including
on-site and on-site Eversource leaison in the EOC uh which allowed for prior prioritization of our >> power chief before you go to the next slide I think Stuart has a question relative to this slide before we move along on the next slide so the 300 calls
received by the EOC. That's substantial. >> Substantial. >> And um what is there only a few people there, I think. >> Yep. Yep. It was Yeah. >> And that's um that's in addition to the calls that are coming into the DPW for all of their
>> correct, >> you know, uh issues and the and also the police department. Y >> so >> and and directly to fire department dispatch up at up at the county. >> Right. So, um, just thinking as I'm looking at that, I didn't want the public to think it's 300 calls cuz it's
probably far exceeds that far exceeds that. That's what you guys >> That just specifically went through the emergency operations center. >> Thank you. um a statistic that does that's not reflected on this slide, but um was put out by the Barnes County Sheriff's Office, um for the the 13 fire
departments that they dispatched for, um Chadam uh the number of 911 calls that they processed for those uh towns individually, Chadam was third on that list behind only Dennis and Harwitch. So, and that that that's with us taking all those calls in house. So that kind
of shows what the how significant of an impact not just the KAD but Chattam specifically. >> Yeah. That's quite telling because they have a higher population. >> Yes. >> Considerably. >> Yeah. >> Like double. >> Yeah. So Chadam Chadam, you know, I think if you looked out your window after the fact and we're just trying to
judge the storm based on snow totals, um it didn't seem like much, right? >> Um but the the amount of damage that that the town incurred was was pretty pretty substantial. uh the the power outage progression. Um as I stated Monday, we were uh 99 to
100% without power. Uh Tuesday, um once crews were able to to get out there and start assessing damage and start fixing small repairs, uh we were able to get down to 94%. Um 70% without power Wednesday, 30% without power Thursday, and then we were
virtually restored by Friday around midday. Um by Tuesday evening um we had our on-site Eversource Lison in the EOC and we had 38 utility crews operating in in town.
Um with our Eversource lison, we were able to prioritize restoration for critical infrastructure um identifying uh vulnerable populations and facilities that that we wanted to try to get back online as quickly as possible. um despite being able to prioritize some of
those facilities, that doesn't always necessarily mean that they're going to be the first online. Um it's sometimes based on the complexity of why that facility lost power. So, while some crews are working to prioritize those vulnerable populations and and fac
critical infrastructure facilities, um several of those other 38 crew uh utility crews are out there fixing more minor problems, which is bringing that percentage back online fast, too. Chief, the uh outage numbers we have here, how confident are we in those
numbers? Um are those they're obviously supplied by the power company. Um >> it's supplied supplied by the power company but supplied by >> the power company >> by customer representation.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Um so uh fairly accurate you know our Eversource liaison um did have better you know additional software monitoring technology um that's not available um on their website or through their Eversource municipal hub uh
database but he was able to to to see um through his system um you know which facilities and and circuits were online and which weren't which weren't. Um, so, you know, I will say those percentages um were fairly reflective of of of what
we were seeing through what he could see in his database. Uh, sheltering and resident support. Uh, the community center opened as a personal care site on Monday. Um we made the the decision um despite Monday throughout the day being a significant
uh timing of the impact. Um we wanted that that building open uh knowing that the storm was supposed to move out fairly quickly early in the afternoon. Um so that if anybody uh anticipating widespread outages um once the storm started to wind down Monday afternoon,
our staff would already be in place um and have a facility available for people in town to go um if they needed to charge their phones up and and uh for the overnight hours. um the personal care site at the community center uh throughout the week saw up to 100
residents each day. Um shelters uh the regional shelter was was activated pre-torm uh the decision was made to uh based on staffing availability um with county partners um
and volunteers um that they had to make decisions to to open up three shelters across the Cape. Um so they made the decision to for the lower Cape to operate out of NSET High School. Uh capacity challenges at that site. Um
utility issues, a loss of a heating system. Um and some access access issues with with the roadways required relocation of that site on Monday to Cape Tech Regional High School. Um the county um is well aware that we are
highly supportive of of the use of Cape Town High School um which we'll get into in some future slides. Um and transportation provided for residents throughout the week. Uh that's residents needing access to shelters
andor personal care sites. Um also included uh uh residents going to neighbors homes or uh family or friends throughout town. Uh we were able to pro um provide 40 courtesy transports to residents throughout the week.
Support for vulnerable populations. Our center for active living staff um is overseeing our special assistance list for the town. Now uh there's 23 residents on that list and they made daily outreach to each one of those folks um before the storm and then
throughout the week. Um they were able to identify some folks that wanted to be relocated before the storm. We ended up moving one resident up to the NASA shelter on Sunday. Um and then we were able to secure more permanent shelter for that resident um
at one of the assisted living facilities in town and brought them back on Monday. Uh the emergency operations center maintained direct coordination with our center for active living staff. Uh housing authority staff and staff at assisted living and nursing facilities
throughout town throughout the week. Well-being checks uh were performed in person um and via the phone for several residents at their either at their own request um or the request of family members. So, we would get phone calls in the EOC from family members out of state
um that wanted us to go uh knock on doors. Uh we did that. We were able to check on folks and make sure they were okay. Um for anybody that we did that did that for uh you know, we went we went into the home, made sure um that they had power. If they didn't have power, it wasn't too cold, made sure they had enough food um and critical
supplies um if they were unwilling to move to a shelter. Uh post storm, uh safety inspections were performed by fire department staff um for all folks on the special assistance list um where they went into the homes with checklist to make sure
that um the the power was actually back on. Um they had working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors with fresh batteries in them. uh replaced batteries as needed, made sure that they were okay with critical supplies uh for food um nutrition um and medications and then
made it um made referrals to the SE fall staff as necessary. So that's just kind of the brief overview. Uh we'll get now a little bit more in depth into our afteraction review. Uh the afteraction review is a result of
uh many many lots of different insights. Um some of it was was um what we observed in the in the EOC. Um but also uh a survey uh questionnaire was sent out to town uh town staff that played roles in the
storm uh preparedness and response and recovery. Um so some of it was based on their feedback. Um we had a a fire department um command staff meeting um with our our shift supervisors, our captains and lieutenants. Um they
provided feedback. Um so got a lot of really good feedback from a multitude of departments in town um and people that played really important roles and and learned a lot of really great lessons uh for for moving forward. Okay. Okay. So the purpose of our afteraction review uh primary purpose of
an AR afteraction review is to facilitate reflection and learning by assessing performance after an event identifying strengths and weaknesses and generating actionable insights for future improvement. So our focus areas uh were on
preparedness, response and recovery. Um, and the capabilities we assessed were was our operational coordination and the health and safety of our community and our first responders uh and and town staff. Participating personnel uh were was
myself and Mark from emergency management uh fire department staff police department, Department of Public Works, community services, natural resources and communications for the town. >> Chief, I had a question. Uh,
>> yep. Few slides ago you started with um the uh center for active living. Yeah. There. So daily outreach to to the 23 residents on is that the same list that the police
department used to call? Is is this function changed? >> A different program. So there's the reassurance program. >> Yeah. >> And then there's a special assistance program. >> Okay. Okay. Reassurance program is so that that was ongoing as well. Um that that's a that's a program where those folks call into the police department.
>> Yep. >> And if um if they don't call in by the required time, then somebody goes and checks on them. So that's also going on. >> Yep. That program still exists. >> Still exists. Yep. >> Yep. Still highly effective. >> Um so we we really, you know, it's going to be towards the end of the
presentation, but we're going to continue to advocate for people to get um to become parts of those programs. they really work. Okay, so the objectives um that we set out to achieve um as a town uh for the storm uh number one um these are
somewhat in priority order but there is also some of these objectives that kind of float between um as they pop up at different different uh times throughout the event. uh protect life and property is always our number one number one responsibility and objective um and to ensure public
safety. Support vulnerable populations, maintain emergency response capabilities, support incident stabilization and hazard mitigation, coordinate multi- agency operations, maintain critical infrastructure and
access. provide public information and risk communication and conduct damage assessment and recovery operations. So, we're going to take these objectives one by one and look at some things that um we felt we did well um not just
myself and Mark but uh through the feedback that we got from town staff and some areas uh for improvement for under each one of these objectives. So, first under uh protecting life and ensuring public uh and responder safety.
Uh some of the things we we thought that went well um uh first strength was first responder safe safety. Um there's always, you know, of course there's inherent risks with severe weather events. Uh our staff being on the road, um you know, road conditions being poor,
weather conditions being poor. Um but uh staff felt as though um for what it was um we maintained adequate staffing levels for the most part. We were able to manage work rest periods appropriately.
Um the fire department. Um one thing that worked well for us, normally our shift change time is at 8 a.m. Um we decided based on the timing of the storm's arrival and the and and when the worst wind uh and conditions were going to pick up, we decided to move that shift change up to 6:00 a.m. uh allowing
offgoing personnel to get home safely and oncoming staff to get in safely. And that worked out really well. Um second strength um very general here but uh we had a you know an efficient and effective response to all reported emergencies including a a a drastic
influx of carbon monoxide related uh incidents. Um one noted area for improvement um is on road closures. um the the caution tape and lightweight barriers and and traditional means of
blocking roads off really don't work well in these weather conditions. Um and it's it's not um a good utilization of resources to assign vehicles with personnel to babysit. Um you know, when it's a one-off wire down under, you
know, not severe weather conditions, we can do that. uh there was just so much damage in this in this situation that um to to dedicate staff to those situations wouldn't have been uh a good use of resources. So, uh we need to look at ways uh in the future, more substantial
barricades um and things to uh that that aren't going to blow away in the wind that we can that we can set out there to um identify a road as being impassible and unsafe. um and just uh continue to encourage um the public to to heed to those barriers
and and and not try to drive through those areas. Our objective number two was to support vulnerable populations. Um, a strength here is our community partnerships um with with uh programs
like Boxert uh Broadreach, local hotels, the Family Table Collaborative. Um, everybody stepped up. Um these are resources like I mentioned before, you know, we work hard in advance um to to network and and to develop relationships
with some of these organizations uh so we know what their capabilities and limitations are um and how we can support them when they need it and how they might be able to support us as a community in return. Um so those worked really well. Um, Boxert was was
fantastic as always, uh, providing staffing assistance at the personal care site and at the overnight shelter as well as assisting with lighting and evacuation assistance of an apartment complex. Um, Broadreach provided uh shelter for residents, family members, and
vulnerable residents who required a higher level of monitoring than the shelter could provide, and partnerships with local hotels remained intact and available to provide shelter for emergent needs um as they as they popped up. Uh, Family Table Collaborative stepped up in incredible way. uh
provided thousands of meals across the region throughout the week um including over 150 meals to to Liberty Commons Nursing Home um to to assist with feeding the additional people that they took in there. Um we coordinated that
through the emergency operations center um and they really made things easy for us with with delivering the food to the towns. Um and and that worked out really well. Uh, >> our next question, >> Chief, how many folks actually ended up
at at Liberty Commons and Broadreach? >> I don't have their exact number because they were taking people in from other towns, too, that were members of residents. >> Um, but I do know, um, they made a call to us. They said, um, we have more capacity
here. We have space here. We just don't have enough CS. Um we were able to within 20 minutes deliver them 12 CS and they and they took in 12 more people. >> Excellent. >> Um so it was a it was a really good collaboration between us and them. Um was on the phone with their staff
probably a couple dozen times a day throughout the whole week. >> Yeah. Well, they deserve a shout out. They're a great asset town. >> Yeah. Yep. Thank you. Uh, another strength, um, while the the shelter itself, um, wasn't a huge success at Nasid High School, uh, the
pre-activation of the regional shelter, um, was um, not waiting to post impact. I've been a huge advocate of this um, with our county partners um, to pre-activate shelters and give us an opportunity to get folks um, to somewhere safe if they if they desire
um, before the storm arrives. Uh the decision was made to do that. Um we did have one resident that we transported up to NSET. Um and there was there were a couple dozen other people from other communities on the lower Cape that took advantage of that on Sunday as well.
Next strength identified um was the opening of the personal care site. As I referenced uh before the decision was made um not necessarily so people could arrive at the personal care site, the community center during the storm, but was so that we safely got staff there. um ahead of time in case anybody needed
it Monday evening. Um so that worked out well. Another strength was uh transportation. Um the fire department staff provided pre-torm transportation to the overnight shelter for one resident. Um, center for active living van and driver were also available pre-torrm if there was a high
demand within the community to get to shelters. Um, and then again after the storm to assist with with transportation in and out of town um or to warming centers. Uh during the storm and throughout the main of the week, fire department staff assisted with relocating residents back and forth to
shelters, personal care sites, and to family, friends, and neighbors homes. Um so that the the transportation plan um seemed to really work out well. um folks were getting the message uh to call the emergency operations line uh and request that transportation. So that that that
worked out really well. Um we're just going to continue to try to push that message out. Some of the feedback we've got from the community is that some people didn't know they didn't know shelters were open. They didn't know personal care sites were open and they didn't know that they could call for transportation. So um you know despite
our best efforts to get that message out, um we're still seeing some gaps um as to who the messaging is getting to. So, we'll continue to focus on that. Uh, another strength was um the the the
decision once the NSET shelter um once the heating system started to fail there and we needed a place to relocate um at least 50 um folks that were up at the NASA shelter. Um decision was made to open up at Cape Cod uh Technical High
School. um from the time that it uh was decided to open that site to when it was activated and ready to take in residents was under four hours. Um kudos to um some of the the volunteer organizations that helped out with that, including the Monoy High School hockey team. Um I had
the inside track on that cuz I called my kid and told him to get up there. Um he's he's good at rallying the troops, so he he had a he had about 10 10 of his teammates up there and within a half hour and they were moving equipment in and and got them activated pretty quick. So that was great. Um once that was
operational, it was managed by the American Red Cross um and was a very su successful operation and we're going to continue to push that as the best andro most appropriate shelter facility going forward. Um the next strength >> chief, are all the regional shelters
managed by the Red Cross? >> Um it it typically yes. Um there there's Americanore and some other uh organizations that pitch in to help, but usually the management is done by the Red Cross. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Chief. But chief chief, the call to open
which one or a shelter is made by MIMA by the county? Who who makes the call? Who who decided to open NASA and not and not >> as as as of this storm in February? The county. >> Yeah, that's what I thought. >> Um we're going to we're going to we're going to touch on on that. All right.
areas of improvement. I'm getting ahead of you. Did Did the Did the heating the a new heating system fail at No, so they just redid the entire school. >> It was It was part of their new facility. >> Okay. Thank Thank you. Yeah. >> Um I I've I've for quite a while um I've I've advocated
for not using NSET. I know it's a longer hall for folks in Turo and Ptown >> um to get down to Haritch, but um if you're familiar with where NSET's located, it's >> it's out of the way. half mile from the hardest hit beach in a nor easter on the Cape. >> Um, and it's out of the way. It's in a
residential neighborhood surrounded by by treeine roads and >> agreed. >> It's just it's just a poor poor site in my opinion. >> Totally agree. Y >> uh next strength identified um was the utilization of our special assistance list and wellness checks. Um those daily
daily checks check-ins with folks really made them feel comfortable, gave them somebody to talk to. um identified um any any critical supplies that those folks needed um that SEAF fall staff was then able to follow up with once once roads started to clear up and uh was
able to get food and and and medications and things of that nature out to those folks. Um so that worked out really well. And lastly, uh the shelter demobilization and individualized resident support. Uh once it was decided
to close down the Cape shelter, uh about midday Friday, um shelter staff uh at at the at the Cape school uh worked individually with the folks that were that were being sent home, not just
putting it back out on the street. Um but they worked uh with each emergency management director from each town um to make sure that that so we could check with our ever source leison on make sure that person did in fact have power and they were returning home to a safe place. Um only one resident from Chadam
uh it was determined um didn't have a safe uh home to go safe place to go home to. Um the house service had been pulled off. Um so they was an isolated power issue at that home. Um, so you know, it was a very uh person with some health
needs. So we worked with our Broadreach partners to uh to temporarily get them shelter at that location until they could get their house up and running. All right. So areas for improvement um sheltering. So, as a result of this storm,
we are there's uh been some very in-depth um discussions with some of our neighbors. Uh there's actually the the county is holding an afteraction review for emergency management directors specific to sheltering on Thursday. Um that hasn't
happened yet. That's upcoming. Um, in the meantime, uh, the emergency management directors from, uh, some neighboring towns, um, we we're we're looking at at the need to shift the paradigm, um, for lack of better
terminology, from a a a countymanaged um shelter to a locally managed shelter. Um, not to say that the facility per se would be located in Chadam, but uh, you know, the the facility, the the most
appropriate facility still in my opinion. Um, and and and my experience is the Cape High School. Um it's very accessible off a ma off major roads off the highway roads that are typically
cleared um and made accessible um to to to vehicle traffic. Um it's a it's a brand new facility. It worked out really well once it was open this time. Um so in speaking with with our partners and our surrounding towns um we're we're
working towards um a system where we'll have more local control over the decision to open up uh that shelter. Um Corey go chief just quick question. I I'm glad you're talking that having this
discussion about more of a something we can control. um you know you you'd have identified Cape Tech um during that conversation has the what is now currently the Monmai Regional Middle School on Crow Road been part of that discussion because when I think of you
know options another tool in our toolbox um may not be option A but maybe it has an say we say option A is to Cape option B being that facility or something else actually within our borders um what we
would need on our checklist to do to qualify it, but uh are we going to have a potential in in town plan B option facility if the right criteria require it to be activated? >> Yeah, great question, Corey. Um and I
know that this has obviously been, you know, discussed with this board extensively and there's been votes taken. Um, regardless of the votes that were taken, um, I I I tried to get this message across in in uh different platforms, um,
we're always looking at those contingency plans um, and plan B's and plan C's. Um, the middle school, as I've mentioned in in past meetings and and and discussions, what what it's lacking there is a full building generator and something that will operate the heating
and cooling system. Um, so that's the big setback there. But what the middle school does provide us um as we as we noted with the demobilization of Cape Tech as a shelter and when they had to start sending folks home um a good
example of this is up in Wellfleet they had about 40 residents that that they had to that they were sending away from that shelter because they were closing but they still didn't have power at home. So take that same example and place it in Chadam. that's now a Cadam
specific issue. Um it's not multiple towns that are all having uh groups of 40, 50, 60 residents that all don't have power. As we look at something as more Chadam specific, we have more um access to resources. So if we needed to bring in a
portable heating system, we're not competing with dozens of other communities for that equipment. Um, so if if we if we ran in we wouldn't it wouldn't be optimal as a as a primary
overnight shelter option, but if if the need arose where we needed to open up a shelter in town, that facility does lend itself fairly well for that. Um, we've met with the school officials with uh Superintendent Carpenter and incoming Superintendent Robin Millan. Um, they're
on board with that. Um, and you know, I I bring it up in in response to your question, but also not just for weather events as a shelter for weather events. If we had, you know, a major fire um at one of our assisted living facilities or
um, you know, uh, uh, independent living apartment complex where we had a dozen or so folks that needed to be re relocated, it would certainly be an option. Um, so, you know, we're going to continue to work through those plans and and figure out um ways that that the
different buildings in our town can support us. Um, but we're we're we're moving towards keeping Cape as option A, as a facility, but looking at it as our local shelter at Cape High School. So
we'll have more local authority over it um over when it activates um how it activates um and it's going to require um you know a commitment on on be from the town um when it comes to staffing um that's going to have to be shared. There's going to be some costs that have
to be shared um some operational costs. You know anytime one of these buildings open up there's custodial fees and and other things that uh snow removal fees that that that come with it. um in this particular instance that uh that expense was picked
up by by Haritch this year. Um but as we move forward and look at at utilizing some of these facilities, it's just something that we're going to have to consider. >> Do we have the um I'm sorry, Cy, did you have something else? >> Well, I just want to ask on on that question. Do we have the portable heating equipment?
>> We don't we don't own any. Um but my point is we we wouldn't necessarily if if we just had an an incident specific to Chadam. um we wouldn't be competing with other communities. We have access to equipment like that through MIEMA, through through the county, through the
Department of Fire Services. Um so we have mutual aid agreements that allow us access to some of that equipment. Um it just gets tight when we're competing with so many other communities for it. >> Do we have the medical personnel that would be required to staff that an
overnight shelter at the middle middle school? What would what would we need in terms of staffing besides the staffing that you talked about? if we were to stand up the middle school. Yeah. Um that that that would be something that we would have to figure out. It would be more internal staffing. So it would be EMTs and paramedics most
likely from from our department. >> Um it would be specific to Chadam. Um we you know if in the event that that did happen hypothetically um you know we we could reach out to some of these other organizations that provide medical care. Um, one of the
things we are looking into, um, on a county level, um, is partnerships with more. So, one of the biggest, uh, shortfalls we had in staffing with these regional shelters is the clinical uh, medical staffing. >> Um, so broadening our our our outreach
with with uh, organizations like the VNA um, and some other private uh, corporations to that provide some of these um, mobile medical support. >> Okay. Thank you, Corey. and then Steuart. >> Not sure exactly where it fits in, but I'm going to throw it out there now. So,
one thing is do we have an are we we're creating an inventory of like supplies specifically generators like you know if we if we were to look for the middle school as as an option B we need a generator. So looking at that um if
there's another facility in town and if I if I have my facts straight like the Anchorage they lost they lo they went down but no one wanted to leave them which I which I completely understand but does it make sense to bring in some assets like a generator that in in a
severe case like we had with the storm that we could place a generator at the facility to accommodate some comforts. So, it is it is another area of improvement that we'll get into in a little bit with generators. Um, but just a short answer to your question is I'm a a little bit reluctant to want to
dedicate I had this conversation with Stu in the storm um to to to dedicate our big portable generator to a building like that, >> right? >> Somewhere else. Yeah. So, one of the things that Mark has been working on, um, and there are generators in town
that we don't didn't have any idea about that continue to pop up, um, is trying to really get a good solid inventory of our cache of equipment. Um, not just generators, but, you know, our CS um, and other things that that we're going to need uh, and crates, animal crates
and stuff like that. Um, so he's been working with CERT to to really identify some of the um, that inventory. >> Good. Good. Thank you. >> The uh, chief of the I'm glad we're chatting about this. This is an important subject because uh we've
had some experiences now on on why we need this. Um the the schools, what happens when there is a you know a school conflict in that school needs their building. Are we able to I know
it's still in the planning stages obviously, but are we able to utilize a portion of that building and the school can continue to function? I'm I'm thinking that the school board probably wants that. >> Yeah. So, that's that's always one of the um the big challenges with using
schools is they want to get kids back to school. Um for some students um it's the safest place for them to be. Um in some cases, it's it's it's um it's food security for them to be back at school. Um so it's certainly a challenge. Um
in this particular storm it was so significant that the schools ended up shutting down for the week. >> Right. Yeah. But there may be another occasion where there's some other event like you say a fire and >> Yeah. So, one of the things that we've that we've um started to kind of pre-plan over at the middle school, if
that ever, you know, was a a future need of ours in town was how we could use that facility without interrupting the day-to-day operations of the school. Um, and the use of the slim gym over there, um, does lend itself well to being kind of cordoned
off from the remainder of the school building. Um, so we are we're continuing to kind of develop those plans. um you know on on what would allow folks in the community if they if we did have to use that as a shelter operation
um which would provide them access to showers and food um and place for pets and stuff without disrupting the school day um because we certainly need to be um cognizant of the need for kids to get back to school. >> Right. and and during the snowstorm, did
any of the town buildings lose generators with this blizzard? >> Um, lose generators. Uh, the DPW did briefly um for the bumps. >> And that's kind of the example that
>> Yeah. Yeah. >> That's kind of the example that you're using uh the larger generator kind of in reserve or something like that. >> Correct. Um, the other problem is that the to get back to Corey's is the housing authority
doesn't have a transfer switch. So, there's no way to you'd have to get an electrician to hook it up during a storm. So, that's problematic. >> But, it is possible. We do have some resources for that. >> Yeah. >> Um, and I know you're having chats with the housing authority on >> Yeah. And the other, you know, the other
thing with the housing authority is >> everybody wants to stay home. Uh, we get that. Y >> um you know there was there was a lot of feedback throughout the week from from a few of the residents there that you know the situation was dire. Um I did several
site walkthroughs of the building myself. Um and it was >> pretty cold >> as well as the fire station. Um it it it wasn't all that cold there. um when we knocked on doors um I'm not saying you
know by nighttime on on Wednesday it was super comfortable >> right >> um but it it at that point wasn't life-threatening. If it was life life-threatening we would have shut down the building and forced them to evacuate. >> Sure. >> Um we don't want to make anybody leave their home if they don't want to. Um but
we did provide a mechanism for them for them to do that. We went over there with with lighting for the parking lot and center for active living vans with drivers to to bring them to the shelters and cert members knocked on doors to try to get folks to go to the shelter and
everybody refused. Um so the opportunity was there um but but folks said that they actually were largely mostly fairly comfortable um just riding it out. And I see on page three that you
know the uh St. uh St. Christopher's Church and Holy Redeemer kind of deadcoms with them. >> Yep. >> That was a possibility. Yep. >> We used to use them million years ago. >> Yep. Part of our part of our uh you know planning and partnerships is is prior to the storm. Um getting in touch with with
reps from those faith-based organizations and churches and making sure um if if the need be to open those those buildings up um >> and they're generating >> available. Yeah, >> they have generators. Thank you. >> Um St. St. Christopher's
>> um I'd have to go back to my notes, but um you know, they weren't ready to open up on Monday evening, but uh spoke with their with their snow removal contractor, and he said that that he would have that um how it would have them up and up and running by by daylight Tuesday. So, um you know, these
are conversations that continue to to happen in the planning phase and and throughout the week. So just keeping all our options open. Uh, another area for improvement, uh, this identified by the community services staff with the Center for Active Living, um, identified their need
to to pre-establish some partnerships with local businesses such as the Village Market, uh, other grocery stores, uh, to explore options for food and pharmacy delivery ahead of these anticipated major storms. >> Shireen, >> I did want to touch on food security a
little bit if you don't mind, >> please. Um, so I I'm part of uh I'm on the board of the Cape Cod Hunger Network and that's made up of food producers, people from the county and the 42 or so food pantries and community kitchens all
over Cape Cod. And um so we've been having a lot of discussions about some of the gaps and and in where we saw you know uh in what was lacking in getting food to people. And we know that uh Family Table Collaborative played a huge
role. Um they had World Community Kitchen come down. Um they were fortunate enough to have enough food and staff to be able to put out several thousand meals. I think it was like 15,000 meals or something incredible like that. But they're just one small entity if you think about the bigger
picture. So um also there's a an assessment going on with uh through the Marian Institute and I think it was generated by the Mass D, um is looking at the county um emergency
food and food access assessment. It's it's a every county is going through it in Massachusetts right now. Um I'm not sure where the report's going to land. I think it will land with the county eventually and I've been on that um as well. So, we've been doing that for about nine months of just going through
where everything is, >> you know, mapping, you know, who's got freezers, who's got kitchens, who's got, you know, uh, food, who are the food providers, where are the gaps in in the towns and everything. And it's pretty interesting process. But some of the storm um uh the takeaway from some of
these discussions uh has been chief and this is not a criticism but this is just where it is and it's landing right now is there's uh key disconnects throughout the whole Cape and there's a lot of food around here and there's no map assess
you know asset mapping going on. Um and there's a lot of um limited well there's limited pre-planning and very ad hoc >> um and I think there's a great opportunity for um the the emergency management system in itself to start to
take a look at you know where they can start to tap into some of the resources that we have. Um there was like uh I think there was some people you know that we're hearing that Family Table Collaborator was just running and doing whatever they were doing here and there and there. Some people getting food they
didn't even know where it was coming from. Apparently it came from them. But that's a food safety issue right there for and I think the board of health would probably say that. Um, but I think it it's there's there's a lot of reliance on grassroots and organic
efforts and I think there could be opportunity for much more formal and I've got a kind of an assessment that we've been talking about from the Cape Cod Hunger Network that I'm happy to share with you. Uh, I can email it to you and just give you a little breakdown, a little more critique of of
what we have been seeing as we've worked through some of these studies. >> Thank you. >> Okay. All right, moving on to our next uh objective was to maintain emergency response capabilities. Some of the strength we identified there um as mentioned earlier um was our our
fire department shift change modification. Not something we've done uh traditionally, but worked out really well. Um and you know, we really want to focus on staff safety. So something we'll we'll utilize going forward. um staff uh
largely felt that uh apparatus and equipment was appropriately staged and accessible. Um another strength was the emergency operation center tracking of impassible roads for first responder situational awareness and priority emergency
response routes. Some areas for improvement here. Um enhanced GIS mapping. Um so our IT department's been in the process of transitioning to a new GIS platform. Um this platform will ideally enable the emergency operations center
uh FD PD DPW harm staff to provide critical live updates identifying special hazards uh road statuses emergency response and evacuation routes all in real time. Um and will also ideally be available to
the public as a view only map. So, as we block roads, um, identify hazards, um, it would be a resource potentially for the public to be able to go on and see, um, and those real-time adjustments could be made. So, we'll continue to work, um, with
Craig and our IT staff, um, and our GIS staff on that. Um, next area for improvement on emergency response capabilities um, and staffing. Um the fire department, speaking for the fire department, the staffing plan was a
strength. Um but there's always room for improvement. Um all of our departments, the DPW, the police department, we all upstaffed. Um it still does never seem to be enough. Um we can't ever predict exactly how busy of a storm it's going
to be. Um so managing those work rest periods can be can be uh challenging. Um especially for our DPW folks. um don't want to speak totally on on Rob's behalf, but I know they were short staffed and both Rob and Tom were out clearing roads themselves. Um
uh and Rob's uh feedback to me. Uh he identified the need for some um some better um inventory, better equipment for his staff to be able to find a place to rest. Um so I got some ideas on that on that, Rob, that we can work through. Um but staffing is always going to be a
challenge. Um when do you bring them in? How many do you bring in? Um how do we rotate them out? Um we were fortunate with this. Um we had staff that was available and willing to come in. Um the ability to to rotate staff and get them
in um out of their homes. Um I know we had several town staff from other departments that were either blocked by down trees, down wires, um driveways, and cars were were inaccessible. So, you know, staffing is always going to be a challenge. Um and just continuing to
have those discussions and conversations um with each of our individual departments on how to how to best lay out those staffing plans is is going to be important as we move move forward. Uh next area improvement for improvement um backup fuel supply and a backup power
supply to the fuel pumps. Um as mentioned the DPW facility was on generator power much the week. At one point the generator supplying power to the fuel pumps went down. Um, I think we talked about this in real time during the storm, but there was uh kind of a a
fuel shortage with our gas stations um throughout the Cape. Uh, the gas stations that that were offline and didn't have power couldn't couldn't power their pumps, so they weren't able to get the gas out of their tanks. Um, and the stations that did have gas um quickly ran out of inventory because of
the demand. Um, so just something that we can think about going forward. Um fortunately they were able to get the DPW generator back online pretty quickly. Um so uh fueling emergency vehicles and apparatus never became a major issue. Um, but just as we
anticipate our future needs, um, to either bring in a fuel truck in advance, um, when we know that there's a a pretty pretty definite chance of power outages, um, and long duration power outages, um, or to to to have uh, a generator
designated as an emergency power backup to the facility generator. Um, so we'll continue to work through those plans. So chief chief I got to share this this one with you and not to elongate the but when I was CO at the hospital we lost
power and we had full full gener generator capacity to run the OS and run emergency lighting etc. And then the fuel pump was tied into power we the fuel we ran out of fuel and then we had no pump to pump fuel back into the
generator so we lost power again. >> So it was an absolute nightmare. But when I when I when I read this, I was like, "Oh my god, the exact same thing happened to us and it was awful." So anyway, you know, get the get the other fuel truck here and or we ran a whole separate, you know, electrical service
into the hospital for one thing, but we had we did like redundant redundant redundant system so that we never lost fuel to our generator ever again. So, >> and you don't think about it until it happens. >> I know, but boy, when it happened, it was awesome. >> And then you make plans for it and hopefully it never happens again. >> It was awful. Anyway, just I chuckled a
little bit. Share your pain. Uh our next objective uh was to support incident stabilization and hazard mitigation. Our strengths we identified under this objective uh was that we efficiently and effectively responded to all emergencies.
The emergency operations center supported uh triage and prioritization of emergency response and the EOC also supported utility restoration. some areas for improvement. Um just from the fire department's perspective um
really early on as predicted um in the early morning um of Monday is when the storm really started to hit. We started to really run around like crazy. Um it was very reminiscent of our tornado response to just trees and poles and
wires coming down everywhere. Um it can be chaotic early on uh until we get our bearings. um and really come up with uh you know our our defined response plan. But as we would send one
crew to South Chadam to investigate an emergency down there, another crew would be downtown and we they were just responding to calls as they started to stack up in the order that they stacked up in. Uh once we were able to kind of get a handle on things, we were able to
kind of geographically divide out the town and prioritize calls. Um, so they weren't just responding to call after call after call, but rather the, um, you know, were able to triage it and have them go to the more emergent needs first, um, and base it on kind of the geography of the town. So had crews
designated kind of the west part half of town, crews designated the east half of town. Um, it happened somewhat organically, but as we look at our our planning um, for future emergency response, it's something that we'll just have baked in so that it's done right off the bat.
Uh our next objective was to coordinate multi- agency operations. And with that um our strengths were uh fully activating the EOC on Sunday prior to the storm's impact um and getting that information out to the public that the EOC was operational with a dedicated
phone line. Um we staffed it minimum min minimally Sunday night with just myself but the phone started ringing um within an hour of us becoming operational there with folks looking for information. Um so that worked out well.
Um next strength was ensuring a unified and coordinated response across town utility and partner agencies throughout the planning response and recovery phases. So that was all of us working together um being in constant contact with Pam at the DPW either by phone or
by radio uh with our police partners um to make sure that um to the best of our ability we weren't duplicating efforts uh which was our next our next strength here just uh our kind of comprehensive incident tracking to make sure that um staff had good situational awareness of
where the hazards were around town. uh we weren't duplicating responses and we could streamline recovery operations as best as possible. Some areas for improvement here. Um emergency operation staffing. So, with that, um, we're going to
continue to try to build out, um, town staff, um, and and give them the the tools necessary, um, to provide additional representation in the in the EOC, uh, including our PD, our DPW,
finance and administration team. Um, allow for better, uh, rotations of operational periods, giving, uh, folks a break. Um myself and Mark were in there uh all week pretty much. >> Um in one way it it it's good because we
have a really good grasp of what's going on. Another way um we we need to develop that bench strength to get more rotations in there so people get get adequate rest. Um in order to staff properly though uh we need additional training. So, uh, continuing to identify
some trainings, um, necessary training, um, in emergency management to our PD, uh, and FD shift supervisors, um, command staff, um, and other town, uh, staff and town employees, um, just
to give them an understanding. It's not really a role that you can just sit somebody down and say, "Here's the here's the the keys, and go ahead, take it for a drive." um you need to really have a comprehensive understanding of all the different systems and databases um that organizations like MIMA
Eversource are using to track resources um and information out there and how we're entering that information as a municipality to better their response. So, um, just continuing, uh, you know, unfortunately all those all those different systems are necessary. Um, but they're all perishable skills. Um, if
we're not if folks aren't using them frequently when it's time to go log to Mima's web EOC, they're not even going to remember what their password is. So, um it's just kind of, you know, getting the initial training and then and then continuing with exercises to make sure people are comfortable with those tools,
um is really what it's going to take to to be able to have the bench strength necessary to to run that um that EOC for a period, you know, of like a week that we which we had to do this time. Um and then the last area for improvement there is our EOCC interface. Um and that's to
provide more direct interface um between EOCC operations and field operations uh through more formalized formalized operational period um briefings for oncoming staff. Um so actual sitdowns um with field operational staff um to give
them you know a direct picture as to to to what we what we're seeing throughout town. Um so they're coming into it and uh we're all on the same page. Next objective is maintaining critical infrastructure and access. Our strengths here um we're able to prioritize uh snow
and debris removal for emergency access and response routes and evacuation routes thanks to our um colleagues at the DPW. Um next strength was coordinating restoration with utilities where ever with our Eversource liison. Um I know everybody always wants power
back the next day. Um it's just it's with the amount of damage we had, it's just an unfortunate um reality that it's just not it's unlikely to happen. Um they gave their realistic uh estimated time for restoration of Friday afternoon and they were able to get us virtually
fully restored um ahead of ahead of schedule. So um that was good. Um next strength was uh monitoring and maintaining critical infrastructure uh generator capacity and functionality. Uh so by that um out of the EOC we um we
maintained communication with our our fuel vendor to make sure that the diesel generators um were topped off daily um as they were running around the clock. And lastly maintaining operational capability of the community center as a personal care site.
Areas for improvement under maintaining critical infrastructure and access. um generator maintenance and function remote monitoring system. So a while ago Mark um spoke with Cellshore generator. Uh they offer a service called Blue Pillar which provides remote monitoring
of generator equipment to ensure functionality uh monitor service faults and any required maintenance. Um there's a high initial setup cost uh for this system. Um but then uh once the system is set up, there's a a relatively low annual service fee. Um and it's our
recommendation that the town pursue this service to ensure generator functionality during critical events. Next area of improvement is backup generator plan for critical infrastructure. Uh we've already touched on this uh to some degree.
And lastly, uh enhanced snow removal operations at the community center, the personal care site. Once that's stood up, um as a personal care site, um can be very challenging with blowing uh drifting snow um the staff uh staff did
their best to try to keep walkways clear. Uh but just making sure that that we have um resources available to make sure that if if that facility is going to be open to the public to make sure that access is is uh clear at all times.
Chief, um, on the generator issue, it's I think my recollection was that the, uh, when we obtained a DPW mechanic, which I I'm not clear if we have one or if we don't.
Um, but that that person was going to be able to assist and during those emergencies helping out with those generators. Is that working? Um, we we we haven't really gotten to that point yet. >> So, we didn't hire the mechanic,
>> you know, as their as their staffing was a major concern. Uh, they were all hands on deck on plowing roads. >> Oh, so the mechanic was plowing roads. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Um, uh, we we probably could get plow drivers uh quicker than we can get mechanics. So, um, that should be
something in a fun it's obviously a funding issue. uh and we need to pay them appropriately and hire local people that we can count on. All right. Our next uh objective was to provide public information and risk communication. Our strengths here um was
uh proactively putting out reverse 911s, social media information, local media information, and website notifications uh which provided timely, accurate and pertinent information. Um for example, whe the weather impact, uh transportation plans, shelter plans,
warming centers, and travel bans. Uh several of these notifications were put out. Um, we can't stress enough the need for folks to this is a subscription service um to get people onto that system so that they're receiving these notifications.
Um, another strength here uh was our frequent and effective communications with our high hazard facilities and residences such as Broadreach, our housing authority partners and uh uh facilities such as Park Place.
Uh, one area for improvement here with public information and risk communication. Um, historically we've relied um on the county for getting information to our
local radio stations uh FM and AM. Um, what we are going to focus on internally is to develop a contact list with those radio stations so we can get information directly um to them so we're not relying on other people to do that. Um so that's
our air for improvement there. And our last uh objective was conducting our damage assessment and our recovery operations. Um some strength we identified here was early expense tracking. As soon as the
emergency operations center uh was stood up on Sunday evening, uh Mark had already um established a a a expense tracking spreadsheet to get the ball rolling on that so we could start to try to um you know ascertain any expenses, any storm related expenses.
Um another strength was coordinated debris removal. Um not solely with our internal departments. Um, but we were able to also uh assist
um a resident out in the Goose Pond area um who had several trees down blocking access to that property. Um the Department of Conservation Recreation had some saw crews um staged over in Brewster and they were able to come over
um on Wednesday, I believe, of that week um and quickly cleared all those trees. Um so that worked out very well. Uh, another strength was uh all of our MIMA documentation was submitted on time and on schedule. And lastly, um, we're
we're we're doing what we're doing right now. We're conducting afteraction reviews. Um, we've sat through afteraction reviews with our Cape Islands Fire Chief's Association. Um, we've we've we've dissected this information. We've done surveys and questionnaires for town staff. uh as an
emergency management agency uh we've sat with our fire department personnel um we've listened to the feedback um and as I mentioned earlier there's an upcoming afteraction review with our Barnesville County um partners regarding sheltering
area for improvement um on this objective uh is to fill the finance administration function um within the incident command system ear uh at the EO POC earlier in the event. Um position does not necessarily need to be filled in person early um but would be
beneficial to have more involvement earlier um even if remotely. Um so a key takeaway from many of the municipalities and from MIMA resulting from this winter storm was the lack of clarity in the initial damage assessment process. Um as MIMA continues to work through the
process, it would be valuable for additional town staff to participate in trainings related to damage assessment and reimbursement processes. Um the process was very unclear for MIA. There were several webinars that uh Mark and I sat through and Carrie sat through um
and Rob I think sat through a couple of them to try to uh figure out just exactly what they were looking for from us because they gave us about a less than one week deadline to get all that information in for the initial damage assessment. Um so very unclear
initially. um not a process that we all go through very frequently. So again, it's one of those perishable skills. Um so we are um having additional conversations with our uh dedicated MIMA rep on um just getting additional trainings in place for uh folks that it
would be pertinent information to to receive some general afteraction review comments. Um this was just kind of taking uh general um information from different uh contributors to the the survey and
questionnaire um as it pertained to certain categories here for life safety. Um staff uh mostly felt as though public and town staff was appropriately accounted for before, during, and after the storm. In regard to emergency operations center, personal care sites
and shelters, uh staff felt as though the early activation um of the EOC and of the personal care sites and regional shelter was vital to the success of the operation and for providing critical support to the community and our responders.
In regard to personal care sites specifically, um additional training for for town staff is needed. um specifically that of the SEAF fall staff um who would like to have more involvement um with with supporting a
personal care site um and as identified um that with that additional training they will look at uh prescheduling staff um from from their division um to support that operation. Um the SE fall staff also identified um in
conversations with some of their clientele um that additional public information uh would be beneficial to letting pe folks know what the capabilities limitations of personal care site are. Um uh and also
um uh a more streamlined registration process when folks are visiting the personal care site to make it easier for them to come in. um but also to get a more accurate um representation as to how many folks are using those sites. Um some of the feedback we got was um a
family of four or five would show up and one person would sign in to represent that whole group. So um we saw upwards of a hundred residents a day and in reality it was probably more than that because of the way folks were signing in. some additional comments uh in regards
to transportation. Um the SEAF fall uh as a takeaway from from this storm uh intends to to preschedu drivers in advance uh to support storm recovery. Um, so that would be to to dedicate a van to making sure that folks that might
still be homebound um but need supplies are getting uh groceries and and pharmacy items uh as needed and having that all uh pre-planned so that they're not scrambling um
after impact. In regard to communications, um staff felt community notifications were timely and appropriate. And in regard to our partnerships, um staff felt that they were reciprocal and valuable. Um they provided food, shelter, and
transportation to those in need um and assisted in streamlining our recovery operations. um for coordination uh town staff coordination um staff overwhelmingly felt as though coordination, collaboration and communication was excellent and solutionoriented.
Um and I took a quote from one of the surveys um that stated teamwork demonstrated a clear commitment to supporting the community during a storm event that we have not experienced in many years. And for staffing, staff felt safe and supported throughout the storm. Um however, several departments did note
that staffing is always going to be a major challenge for reasons inherent to a severe storm such as those work rest periods we discussed um staff transportation and staff availability. And then our last slide um was just another quote um which I thought really
just kind of encompassed everything we try to do um and going above and beyond for the community. Uh being able to use a special assistance list to identify vulnerable individuals that were able to move prior to the storm's arrival was invaluable. The care that was put into
residents on an individual level was above and beyond. It's the example that Chief Justin and Markeller set for everyone and it is so appreciated. So with that, I just want to again um the same way I open just to commend town staff. Um it was a very challenging week, a very exhausting week. Um
conditions were um not ideal. um uh and with the resources that we had available to us, I think that um overwhelmingly we did a very uh very good job um with our with our response and recovery efforts. So with that, I leave it for your uh discussion and direction and to answer
any other questions you have. Thank >> Thank you, Chief. U I'm going to ask if the board members have any particularly Stuart since you had requested this item, any additional comments or questions otherwise I would next go to Elaine Gibbs because she had requested this if she has any comments and then the general public. So start with you
Stuart. Do you have anything you want to >> Sure. Um I think it was an excellent report. I appreciate you guys coming in and and providing that to not only us but the public. Um afteraction re reviews are critical. We have not done that in the
past enough globally in the town as opposed to you know not just the emergency management. So this is uh this is a healthy healthy exercise. Um and the couple of things I
might suggest and um I'm I'm real glad to see that uh we are looking at a more local control of uh the sheltering subject uh and probably some other
subjects contained within emergency management. I think um I think that's a healthy move. I I I outlined concerns I had about that in uh earlier months that um those agencies, whether they be state,
federal, or county agencies, are hard to rely upon when they when the you know uh the event takes place. Um they're they're busy with other things, you know. Um so I I think that that's going to be a healthy conversation. I I I'm
sure you're going to come back and give a uh give an update on how that all transpires. Um so that's uh I think that that's very helpful. I'm glad to see that uh I lost this vote, but I'm glad to see
you're looking at um you're relooking at shelters in general and are homing in on at least some sort of a plan or proposal for down the road on an alternate uh uh local sheltering plan, maybe whatever building you come up with. Um but I
think that that is vitally important. It's outlined on page three. It's outlined on page uh nine of these regional shelters failing. This isn't the first time they failed. They failed before um and uh in other uh winter
storms and we just have to be prepared for when that takes place. Um I think that that's just vitally important. Um the um the other the last thing I you might
consider um well second to last thing is it's good to do internal surveys um for events like this on town staff. I assume that that survey included all town staff or at least those ones
involved in you know such a >> yeah initially I sent it out to to department heads to disperse um to their staff as they saw necessary uh and then it went out to to division heads as well um and then ultimately to pretty much everybody that was part of like the
storm coordination meetings had a role. Yeah, I I have thought for a very long time that we um are not using our staff um um really beyond the police and fire and the DPW who are the core, you know,
emergency folks uh for these types of events. Um and this goes back years. is not um new that um we have an opportunity to to uh train and um utilize uh local uh our local staff if
um if they're uh motivated correctly. Um so I think that's important and it's long overdue. Um and I think it would help with some of your staffing uh whether it be at a personal care center, whether it be it can't just be the seal people. There are enough people up
there. um we have to branch out into uh uh this building folks and downtown and and and wherever else. The um so the other the the other thing is so when we're doing these surveys and we do them
internally um and I'll be a little facicious but you know we do internal surveys and we we really have to reach out to our customers. The customers are the public. The customers are not the people that work here. Uh although they have a great deal of knowledge because
they're working in the event, but part and parcel to that, it's important that we um so we can understand what the general public's concerns are, what their criticisms criticisms might be, and then we have an opportunity to
react, respond to that. Uh either they're they're not founded or maybe some of them are founded. And um I think that that would be a healthy uh a healthy event. And um and I think for the moment
um well lastly and this is important. you mentioned it, but I want to reiterate it is that and this is, you know, different families and homeowners can do have different abilities and different but you're right, people need to be prepared. You know, they just, you
know, we don't have enough town staff. We don't have enough town resources to uh to deal with every single person in this town individually. And you know, there's 6,000 people here. Um, and some
are more capable. Some have generators, some don't. You know, if maybe you have a, you know, kind of a neighborhood um, uh, uh, plan with your neighbors as to, you know, somebody has a generator, you could reach out to those people. I've I've done that. Um, so that sort of thing is in is, uh, encouraging. You
know, I think would be encouraging. Maybe we do a forum on that, you know, a public forum on on how they how people might uh, engage in such a thing. Um, I'm going to uh I'm going to continue to advocate that
um although I'm very happy to see uh uh that an alternative shelter is being looked at um we have the resources and the and the structure facilities here to to uh provide one. I don't believe that uh in all cases Haritch is the right
alternative. Um, we've seen these buildings fail routinely in Wellfleet and East Ham and and Harwitch and um, we can do it and it's just a matter of will and if uh, I think we should take the lead in that. But um, I certainly appreciate this. It's a lot of work.
That's a lot of work and um, uh, I I think it's been a healthy uh, exercise. >> Thank you, Stuart. Any other comments from the board at this time? Shireen, >> I I just want to say, you know, that this was an excellent, thorough report and and very helpful. I communications
is really important to the community to better understand and it does reflect the the dedication that your teams had showed during this storm. That was a challenge. 5 days. That's I mean exhaustive for emergency services in this town and um and for DPW and the uh
police and Sefell and all of you that that I really appreciate you and what the work that you did and I I give you great credit for for keeping us all safe. Thank you. >> Thanks, Jeff. Yeah, I I totally uh echo Shireen's comments. you guys did a great job in with this document, you know,
very comprehensive um and all the different facets that you analyzed and and uh you know, the the regional thing really gets me going because um I I thought that the tech school was going to be our regional shelter and and I think if you can pull Yeah, I I really did. I was I was I was surprised to see
NASA being used. I was actually out of town, believe it or not, but I was surprised to hear that NASET had opened and then had to close. And I think you're getting the tech open so quickly as kudos to you and and the hockey team and anybody else that that that was involved. That's that was a very good move. But this is a very challen as Shar
noted this or everybody noted this is a really challenging storm. Four days of nastiness in response a lot of folks didn't get their power back till Friday. So, so and this is the type of storm that will stress our systems and but we'll learn from it and the debrief.
You've highlighted those areas for improvement in the debrief and those are the areas we had to focus on. But I thank you. I thought you guys I thought the town did a great job and our partners did a great job as well. So, I thank you very much, >> Corey. Now, I'm going to chime in also. Very good report. It's really the an
exercise that we really really need to do for these events because to say it bluntly, it wasn't our first storm and we know it's not going to be our last. So this is not just an exercise and theoretically what what could happen. We're going to be experiencing this. So
let's work out all the mechanics and prepare ourselves for the next uh five day stretch of fireplaces and uh you know snacks. Jeeoff, you had one last but the cost of the uh system that uh monitors the generators. You said it was
expensive, but the first time out, you know, you you have to come up with a number now, but just I don't want to forget about it. >> Capital is up there. >> I think I I don't quote me on it. Um I'd have to go back and pull the information, but >> I just don't want to forget about it because I think >> I think the upfront was somewhere in the
tune of about 25,000. >> Okay. >> But then the annual was was pretty short. >> Yeah. Yeah. I'm familiar with them, but they're useful and generators fail all the time and they're so important when you need them. >> I have some comments, but I'm going to reserve them until after we hear from
anybody else. So, Elaine, uh, this was one of your you were one of the requesters on this. Did you I see you're still on. Did you have anything you wanted to add? >> Uh, yes. I appreciate it. Thank you very much. It was a very extensive report. I did have one question first and then
some comments. Um the report says that Cape Cod Tech on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday had 50 residents, but in parentheses it says unknown how many were Cadam. I do know people have to sign in there. Do we not
Am I understanding that correctly that we don't know if any of those people were Cadam residents? >> I I I do know that some of them were Cadam residents. I don't know how many. I did I did request that information from the Red Cross. uh and they at least
at the time when I requested it were unable unable to provide it. >> Okay. Um I think that data is really critical because I think what we see here is human nature that is going to drive a lot of the decisions. Um
99 people used it on Tuesday, 76 on Wednesday and Thursday 30 at the community center during the day. Those are substantial numbers and as you said some may have been families and there may have been a lot more than that. Um no one even though they were told they
could go to the fire department uh or CPD or CFD overnight didn't do it and even the anchorage people rather stay in a dark facility than go to Cape Cod
Tech. So, I would hope we get more data on that because if we're partnering and make it Capecloud Tech and go through all of that and find out that nobody's willing to leave town, I think that's the message here. People would rather stick it out because they want to watch
their property, make sure nothing happens to it, and they don't want to be out of town for two or three days. Um, I think you did a a great job working with different organizations on uh and prioritizing the high-risisk groups and
vulnerable groups, uh, Liberty Commons, the Victorian assisted living, uh, Parkplace, um, the Table Cooperative, and using local hotels and churches. And I think that's great, but what we're missing here is what to do with the
missing middle. And I would define the missing middle as people who are healthy individuals, young families who don't have neighbors or or family in town, have lost power, uh and can't afford to
check into a hotel indefinitely. Um they're the ones that are very resourceful, but they simply if they lose power, a house gets dark is dark,
incredibly dark and cold uh with a lot of issues uh that they have to get out of. And so I would go back to saying now that you have taken care of all of the vulnerable people in that if you have people with health issues,
medications, whatever, they can go uh to Broadreach because it sounds like they have the space or the churches, etc. But for those other people, uh, they simply need a place to get warm for a while and to
charge their phones and to get out of the cold for a matter of hours. We're talking 5 hours beyond what you're normally opened. If you close at 9, you can open at dawn. And I know you can do it because you can say it's a local state of emergency so that you don't
need showers and all that kinds of things. and and you don't need the medical staff because you've gotten taken care of all those people and if you have one you can transfer them somewhere else. I hope you reconsider that if we go forward and say okay it's
going to be Cape Cod Tech I can guarantee you no one's going to go. They do not want to leave Chadam. We have to have something here and we can do it uh ahead of time so that people know it's going to be open for that period of time. We don't need showers. you don't
need food, you can have assigned liability uh waiverss. Uh but the board of selectment can do that without having it be a full-blown shelter. And I think it would be very simple to detail uh simply across the street from the
fire and police department uh two or three members of personnel to be there and in the event of emergency someone comes in for an hour or two and leaves. the need is there with over a hundred people using that facility cape the the
the community center every day that is a substantial need and it's clear that they want to stay in town so I know I've been redundant and I know I've brought this up for 5 years but I seriously hope that you will put in this equation human
behavior and what people want they want to stay in their own community we need to have something and we've learned from the shelters that Chattam gets different weather from everybody else. We're at the end of the line for restoration because of the Haritch connection. We
get stuff right in from the water and it's conceivable that nobody else has the problems we have. We're on our own and we've got to start acting like we're on our own to help our own people in town because it's conceivable no
shelters would open and we're we're going to be here and we're going to have people in the dark again and in the cold. So, thank you for your time and um I think it's a great report, but I think that that missing middle is something you have to consider. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Elaine. Any other comments from the public? Uh uh thanks Mr. >> Mr. Chair if I may. Uh thank you Miss Gibbs for your comments. I appreciate it. Um I will say >> um one thing I I didn't really get into much um uh I didn't get too deep into
the report with um was the opening of Monoy Regional High School on uh Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Um that's something that Superintendent Carpenter and and um principal police did um on their own. Um it just so happened that they were on street power.
um they weren't on generator power, so they were able to open up um they were closed anyway um for school operations, so they just opened up their doors. Um and in speaking with with Superintendent Carpenter um on our Town of Chattam calls um response calls uh which he
participated in, uh a majority of the folks that utilized that facility was those those families uh people with children and uh one of the biggest things that that they were grateful for was just a place to go take a shower. Um, so it worked out fantastic that that
they were able to offer that. They used the food that they had available in the cafeteria. Um, kids were able to shoot hoops in the gym and and get out of the house for a little bit somewhere warm um where they could kids were excited to charge their phones so they could go home and play their games again. Um, and
get out of the house for a little bit, but mostly just to get a shower. >> Thank you. >> But that wasn't that's not that wasn't overnight. Correct. Correct. >> That's that's the personal care center. Yeah, I'm talking about overnight. those five hours that are deadly for people.
That's what we need to be able to offer the town. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you, Chief. Um Kim Buren. >> Yes. Hi. Um I appreciate this report. I
think it was very well done. Uh I do think there are two things. One, the survey to the public would be very helpful. The survey to the staff clearly is going to show you what you need to do moving forward, but the public is going to tell
you a little bit more about what they experienced and what could be done moving forward. Secondly, and a little bit more um uh removed is there's a lot of still debris
from down poles, wires on the side of the road. And I think that Eversource did what they could at the time to restore power
as quickly as they could, but they left a lot of debris, uh, wires, poles just off the side of the road in many of these areas that had significant poles
or trees. And what is the status of that? Who is responsible for that? Is anyone going to be pursuing cleaning that up
prior to next year? Because leaving this all on the side of the road is just going to become a um possibility for next year. another level of stuff that are in the way of cleaning
up another power outage or another down tree or another downpull. >> Do we have a >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Do we have any response? I'll just say I know in it it may be helpful if if residents see something like that,
they contact the utility company. There was a downed wire behind my property. I assumed it was not an electrical wire, but I called Eversource. Um, it took them a while, but then I saw an Exfinity
truck come and and deal with it. So, um, I think in the first instance, uh, it might be helpful if if you see something to call, contact Eversource. Um, Chief, did you have anything to add to >> Yeah, we can certainly follow up with Eversource and, uh, and see if they can
have crews do an assessment of the town. >> Okay. Um, but I I will reiterate a little bit to your point, Mr. Chair, that, you know, um, if things are on the ground and detached, that's one thing, but if you see a wire that's just hanging from a pole, um, don't assume that it's deenergized. It could be in
contact with primaries or secondaries above and could still be energized. So, um, resist the urge to pull it off the sidewalk, uh, call it in, call the utility. um that's going to be the most direct pipeline to get to getting them out is um when customers see it, getting
an exact location and calling it in themselves. >> Thank you, Stephen Buckley. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Steve Buckley. Uh I I I wanted to I guess echo some of the things that I've heard or I think I've
heard about uh being resilient having a system set up so that if plan A doesn't work and you have a fall back to plan B or even as you said plan C.
Um, and part of that should be u I would think that people everybody shouldn't have to go to one location if their needs are not dire. So, if you just need to warm
up or a get a cup of soup, hot soup while you charge your phone and talk with your neighbors about what's going on and what have you heard and so forth and so on. Um
that that to me should be the the what whatever you can get from the closest person or location is better than going to northeast and uh or or even closer. So I said you
start with who's the closest person who can help you and then go up from there. And I think that's what the system needs to be set up. Uh, I have some suggestions, but I didn't I think I would like to know if if the before I go
any further, does the emergency team take public feedback? I mean, we don't have to if if everybody told their story tonight, we'd be here all night. So, I'm wondering if there's an opportunity for the emergency
team to like many advisory committees um allow for public feedback, allow for public comment from people to tell their stories about what happened about things that they might not know about. you know, even though they've done a really
good job, u there are still stories out there that people need to share so they can do a better job next time and understand what the needs are. Just like uh Select Board Smith was saying earlier,
if you can understand the who you're serving, then you can do an even better job than what you think you're doing. So anyway, uh that was that was one, but I would just point out that for instance, his one thought that could be explored by the emergency committee is that uh
South Chattam has a village hall. I don't know. Do they have a gen I mean I don't need to know now. Do they have a generator there? Could that have been a place instead of going all the way downtown in South Adam all
the way downtown to charge your pump? I mean there's there's a there is there is a fire station in South Chadam. So and I would expect that you could even use that fire truck to power
an inverter. So even if the South Chattam village hall doesn't have its own generator that there could be some setup where you run you pull out the the fire truck from the South Chattam uh fire fire house and run it for a
while or whatever just there are number of things to be explored and that's why I was asking um if yes it'd be interesting to know if if there's a way to provide feedback in in a more open way then just send us an email. And by
the way, um the in as regards north east, uh the Penrose property up there, right probably a mile from the uh Naset Regional High School has uh as
part of the project there, they had a uh administration building with a generator and a community room. So everybody from there was able to go all 60 families
were able to go to that location. They could walk. They didn't need a fire truck to get to a place where they could go and warm up and get something warm to eat and charge their phones and see what's going on. So, I just want to
point out that unfortunately the uh property that Penrose has proposed for Main Street Cadam, the zoning board of appeals convinced them to take out a community room that could do the same thing
that they want to put in for free, but the zoning board of appeals convinced them to pull it out of the proposal in order to come to an agreement. So, thank you very much, >> Chief. Did you want want to respond to the inquiry about >> Um, yeah, I know you mentioned something
other than email. Um, I will say that's, you know, I I answer several emails a week, um, in regards to fire department operations and emergency management operations. So, uh, my phone number and email address as well as marks are are on the website. Um, and we are very
responsive to to any information. We did get um several emails from the community um during the storm and after um a lot of it very positive and thankful for services that were that were provided. Um but you know we but that's why we're
here tonight too is to you know to get all the feedback. Um not just looking for good we want to look hear what we can do better as well. >> Thank you. I don't see any more public comment. I just want to say let me one one sort of um side point. I know Stuart talked about the 4 to1 vote I think it
was a while back on on the shelter on the plan that you presented. I it was I think the understanding of the board when we endorsed your plan a few months ago that you were going to look at uh the possibility of the Monoy Middle
School as a as a shelter and um sounds like progress is being made in that direction. So I I'm glad Stuart, you know, raised that point. Um, I just want to say overall, um, first of all, um, I think that the
response of your entire team headed up by the two of you, uh, was remarkably competent and efficient both in terms of preparation and in deal dealing with the impact of the storm. Um, and I our
thanks go to all of you for the really first class job that you've done. Um, and I note that some of your partners are here, the DPW directors here. We have the chief and deputy chief of the police department here. And I think Captain um,
Clark is on I saw him on online from the fire department. So, uh, we're very appreciative of it. Um we have first class people handling this. Um your report as others have have suggested is
incredibly thoughtful and exhaustive. Um and it includes areas of improvement and these like everything else uh is um this is a process for continuous
improvement. Um we do that in everything we do in life. Uh and um this uh document the public who haven't read the report this this uh document which is about I don't know 25 pages or
so it's in the packet for this meeting I would commend them to read it. Um, and I just going to ask, is it posted on the fire department web page or on the town? >> It's it's not, but >> we should put it up because it's it's
extremely well done. And um, those are my comments. We thank you for the time. We spent a lot of time on this, much more than I thought we were going to, but I think it's been very very helpful. Um, we've covered a lot of ground tonight and um, um, this has been a very
useful um, meeting on this, but >> Mr. shar if I can just say a couple of words please as town manager >> it was really excuse me it was really a collaborative effort to not only put the report together but to put the afteraction report and there's a lot of
a lot of staff members who participated who may be silent partners in this room but certainly loud voices when it comes to advocating for the public community members all community members we've had I think up to 20 staff members on our
storm calls, our prep calls, and our during the call. During the the storm calls, um I know that Chief and and I uh Chief Tavano split our time where I would go on the governor's call and he would take another call and there were other staff members that were able to
participate. So, um it it was very challenging because many of our key staff members were basically stuck at home because of the same road conditions and the storm. But I I public safety and I don't want to diminish your role. You do a great job, but there's another
support staff and and another support system within town government that really is the backbone to have a successful storm response. So, I just wanted to mention that and thank uh both you um Mark and and Justin for your leadership. And I would add that from
your office, our communications director, Shauna Neely, who was very active during that storm is was here uh was involved and um is here tonight. So um I guess that's it on this particular agenda item. Thank you very much everyone. >> Thank you all.
>> Thank you. >> Okay. Um hope we can complete this meeting by 9:00. We'll see. Next is a Chattam 365 initiatives review. This is a referral to our referrals to the economic
development advisory committee. This was an agenda item request by Shireen Davis who uh prepared a memo for us and I know I have some comments on it but Shireen we'll start with you. >> Sure. Thank you um Dean. Um so you know
the purpose of the 365 committee was to you know identify some of the problems and help shift town's policy and planning to help preserve um the character and heart of the town. And um and we've if you look at the matrix in the back you'll see that there's many
many um uh goals that we have accomplished which we all should be very proud of but there's still some work to be done and I in talk I I met with the economic development committee and I know Dean you did and I think maybe Jeff did and then of course Stuart's the
leaison uh to them >> uh to give to provide them with some feedback and they had asked um for a little more I gave them an overview of the 365 and and they asked me to come back because they'd have some questions. So, you know, this has been as one of
the parts of uh moving forward with uh a a sustainability goal for the town. Um we know that uh we have hired a housing and sustainability director. Uh her focus has been mostly on housing. Um but there is a there is a lot of work to be
done within looking at you know um what are some of the bigger pictures. So, um I thought it would be behoove us to like look at the idea that the economic development community has the opportunity to build on the work and help move forward the 365 sustainability
concept. um they're they're they've been meeting and um I think the direction would be poignant for them um to have that sort of focus and it would go go back to 365 and look at the idea of having a more sustainable year-round uh
community to better and in it I think what we could they could start doing is um better understand the trends in in our residency and our workforce and how how all of these things that are happening within the town impact impact our local businesses and overall
community life. Um, some of the some of the things that we've seen happen is the finance committee take up a a working group and the finance committee itself has its own role and responsibilities in town government. It's not policym. >> Yes.
>> And we are the policy. >> We maybe need to send them a letter to >> We might have to. We might have to >> or um and I and in in doing that um we have the tools in our toolbox to be able to do that work ourselves and that would
be through our own committees and that includes the economic development committee. I mean they should be looking at the RTA. They looked at the the um transfer um transfer uh station fees. Um you know, there's a lot of things, but
they also need to understand that there's this bigger community picture um that we have to be aware of. Um, so some of the things that I was thinking about uh, initially was to um, look at our
short-term rental program and and the and I'm not I'm not talking about the fees. We went through increasing the fees the last time we met, I think, or two meetings ago. I think they could be higher than they are personally, but
there's other things here within that short-term rental world is that could be impacting us that we're not addressing. That could be, you know, the corporatization, the ownership of of properties of by corporations that are doing short-term rental, but also this
co-ownership model of almost like um you know, people are buying pizzas and parts of a of a very wealthy, you know, um expensive uh property and then turning it into like almost like time share. Um, but interesting enough, I was
talking to somebody um on a um I'm on an a board of a a local catch network and and people from all over the country and one of the executive committee members was really excited because he lives in Boston and he just bought a cooperative
home with two other couples and that it's not technically a single family home but it's a multif family home but it's one residence and I thought wow I really want to understand how that zoning worked for Boston and so we're going to talk about it and I'll send
that stuff around but that's something to you know that could be co-ownership in that style and that's not family those were um cohorts um the other thing is our sewer connection costs are you know for all of all over the Cape and
this is a problem for everybody is it's expensive and and we sit as I've always said in our privilege thinking everybody body can go ahead and do this. But when you talk about some folks looking at 35,000, 20,000, 15,000, that's that's a
lot. That can be a lot for for folks. And I think that's the biggest reason why we're not seeing successful sewer hookups. um that um and and the in the bigger picture those those those those simple couple of things um you know we should
be looking at how it's impacting housing availability business operations and long-term sustainability. The other thing that I think that the committee can do is to you know start to or we can or you guys can um is to you
know work closely with aligning the efforts and streamlining the goals um where possible like if we are looking at zoning with the planning board is the economic development committee looking at have we made recommendations and and getting getting them more engaged into
the process of feedback. Um also the idea that they have the time and energy for grant opportunities and partnerships where we might not look at private public partnerships and in particular. Um, so these things are more like looking at what we haven't achieved
already that's still in the matrix that needs to move forward, making recommendations on that, but also to to look at some of these bigger picture pieces and see where they can start to dig in, study it, look at some of the trends and and what impacts could be and
then bring it back to us. They did it with the water and sewer rates back. Um they did a great job with that and this is an equally talented group as that group was. So that's my recommendation. I don't know if Stuart has any more. We
did talk about this by phone um >> on the memo too. >> Yeah, he was. And um we had a a a conversation about this and and um and so I'll I'll just turn it over to him. uh you know Shireen you've you've covered this uh thoroughly and um you
know we've talked about and about um and I'm f I'm mainly focused on enhancing yearround uh employment um that is uh that's just going to be it's it's so important that's we're losing we're
losing our year- round folks and um it's partially due because certainly it's expensive to live here. Uh, and the second thing is there just aren't those higherp paying jobs that are going to support uh, you know, home ownership and things of that nature. So, I'm excited
to I'm glad Shireen brought this up. Um, we had a chat about it and I think the economic development committee is uh, well suited for it. They're pretty astute group. I've listened to them and um, I think there's a lot of talent there. Um this is a heavy lift but um
it's certainly well worth the uh you know the endeavor. >> Thank you Jeff. >> Thank you Dean. Yeah super. I think this is an excellent document to get to them. We Dean and I had a great meeting with them. Um uh they are a talented group.
The there's some firepower there and there's some willingness to roll up their sleeves and do some work there as well and to communicate with other entities. uh committees and they understand how, you know, how integrated getting this stuff done is. So, I think
this is a great start. I I I love reading the 365 uh document. Again, I'm so happy you included it in the package so we could take a look at what we've accomplished and what's still on the table and what their recommendations u what recommendations they made that are not yet in place. Um uh including the
RTE and and a joint beach sticker and some other good stuff. So, a community pool. I mean, who you know? Anyway, so I just was tickled to see it again. I think it's a great document and I think the um economic development advisory committee absolutely agrees that this is
a great place to start. So, um to totally in sync with providing more year-round opportunities for for our citizens and um I think your memo said it so well. The goal would be to come back with practical coordinated recommendations that support a stronger year-round economy and community.
That's exactly what we'd like them to do. Come back to us with recommendations that and this is a great place to start. And they all have other ideas as well. And they did do a great job on the water rates even though I think they were a little taken aback by our assigning. >> You mean the transfer station rates? >> Oh yeah, the transfer station rates. >> No, the water rates were reviewed by the
economic development committee like years ago like correct. >> Oh, most recently. Most recently it was the transfer station >> but most recently was the transfer transfer fee. Well, maybe when >> Yeah, because I think Luther made a presentation from the economic development committee. I >> forgot. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. And I thought
they did a really brilliant >> I thought you were referring to the most recent water. >> No, no, no, no, no. >> Yeah. No, but they they did do a very good job and and Stephen Steen Daniel help with them help them as well in their analysis. So, he did. He did. >> But they're they're a talented group. So, I I'm expectations are high for good work from that group.
>> Corey? >> No, I was just going to say it is, you know, very supportive of sending this over to them. They're they're a qualified group. We put a we reestablished that group after a little bit of a a lapse. Um you know so this is something right up their alley. I guess my only question is um are we giving
them a more of a broad scope of of this? Are we asking them to look in any one or two items >> more particular? Um sometimes that's been a criticism that we don't give you don't give enough direction. I mean that obviously they're educated and they have
their own minds to kind of review some of this stuff but what is what is what is our what is your thoughts of what our ask is? >> I I have some thoughts but Shireen why don't you go. >> Sure. Um we if we look at the Cape uh in itself um there's four communities that
stand out that align in with where we are. Province Town, Orleans, Nantucket and Cadam. I really think that there's a lot of similarities and strengths and and we in in what we're dealing with. Um and you know, Province Town's doing a
lot of proactive work. Nantuckets, it's doing it. So, we really align closely with Orleans is how we look with the same sort of demographics. Um you know, same sort of challenges uh go hand in hand. I think the committee could look at
other towns like Orleans, see what initiatives they're putting together. Um, I think they've been kind of forward thinking and some some some really idea good ideas and they've hired an an economic development director who's also
their communications director. Um, and in I know her personally, she was a former uh founder of Love Live Local. So, she's got that real, you know, she's really tied in and keyed in. She's I mean, there's other I'm sure there's others in other towns, but I think if we
look at um you know, community what other communities doing, is there community partner opportunities, anything like that, I think um it's going to help down the road. Um I believe when we start to look at well, if we have any budget challenges or
resource challenges um that this is part of it as well. >> Yeah. I just wanted to say a couple of things in response to what Corey was inquiring about in a moment, but my understanding is that our director of housing and econ and sustainability does
have a significant background in economic development. I was told that. So, that's that's a plus. And you know, Katie may have something to add in a moment. Um, I applaud you both for bringing this forward. And I just want let's not sell
ourselves short on what was accomplished on Chadam 365 because if you look at that list there's really just a handful of items that we're not done and for various reasons like the RTE because the position of the board at the time was
different than it is now. Um and the swimming pool you know we we considered Adnazium a pool over at what is now uh Fins Finn. What's it called? Three fenced >> three. >> Yes, which seems to be a very successful place. If you drive by, there are all
these cars there. >> Um still there. >> Yes, that's right. >> But so I I I I think I just really wanted to get that point across. It isn't as though and no one was suggesting that here, but we we had a bunch of recommendations and we vetted
them and we several times and the town manager, town staff, the select board, you know, helped implement them in large part. And I think it's important for for the economic development committee to have that as an historical piece of information and they can proceed from it. Um
>> I did um do an overview with them uh to about a month ago. I think in March, beginning of March, uh Katie and and Lucia, the chair had asked me to come in and and give them an overview of the 365 accomplishments and whatever. So they've had that
>> grimmer um so far. And um and yes, you're right. We shouldn't lose fat uh uh lose sight of the successes. I I'm really proud of what >> No, I know you you were one of the co co-leads on that. >> What I was saying is towns evolve, issues change,
>> you know, and we we see what some of the things are. >> Yeah. I mean, I I Jeff quoted one of the sentences from your memo that I was going to quote, but the other sentence I was would quote, it's in your first paragraph. The focus would be on supporting a more sustainable year-round 365 community by better understanding
trends in residency and workforce and how they impact local businesses and overall community life. This includes taking a closer look at challenges such as short-term rentals and sewer connection costs as you mentioned and how they affect housing availability, business operations, and long-term
stability stability. I I I would just note that when um they asked me to speak and I invited Jeff to come with me um and essentially what we said to them, they wanted to know how restrictive should we feel? We have a charge. They're working on a committee charge.
Uh we'd like to get going on something. Um the the trash hauling was a bit of a challenge for them, but they they did uh step up and give a report on that with the input of the finance committee. Uh, and we said to them,
we want you to be as imaginative as you can. Don't feel overly restricted by the language of your charge. Um, be creative and come up with some recommendations and bring them to the select board and if we think they go too far, we'll we'll tailor them accordingly. So, I I think
it's uh, you know, appropriate to refer this to them. Um, I wouldn't necessarily say, you know, work on this, this, or that unless board members want to do that, but just take a look at this document. Um, and take it from there. Um, and
get whatever inputs you want. I know Stuart is their liaison. He'll be monitoring what they do. Um, so that's those are my thoughts. I don't know if that answers your question, Corey or Shireen, you have a question. >> Yeah, that um I've been invited back because they did have questions on the 365 and we had a time constraint at the
last meeting. So, I think it might be one of my last acts before I leave is to have that meeting. So, >> Katie, did you want to have anything or Joe um to add to this? >> No, thank you. I'll I'll defer to Katie. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, so one of
the things that um when we when Shireen was um at the EDAC um one of the things that came up that I thought would be a really great place for them to start is looking at the community sustainability plan. That was a recommendation um by
the Chattam 365 group. So, um, we had at a point in time identified, um, some funding potentially to work with a consultant to bring them in to actually work us through a community sustainability plan. And, um, working with Gloria, I think that that might be a great place to start because it's
going to identify not just the issues that were identified by Chadam 365 back in 2018 2019, but, you know, kind of updating the issues as they are today. And I think that that might be something that might might be worthwhile for them to start working on because it's going
to encompass all of these issues, not just one or two. Um, so that would be a recommendation that I would make. It's something that we could potentially look at moving forward. >> Okay. I see we have a public comment from Steven Buckley. >> Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
>> Yes, >> Steve Buckley. Uh, yes. I um uh nine years on the economic development committee and uh so I have a little uh hindsight with respect to
what's working and what's not working. Um before that I was on the long range planning committee that came up with the long range comprehensive plan for chap which of course is exactly the the bigger picture
lens that uh Shireen was talking about and Stuart. And uh it had always been my thought as you know over the course of serving nine years on the economic development committee that we weren't
looking enough at the big picture. A lot of the chairman's uh agenda had to do with fees like uh you know transfer station fees and
water fees and this fees and to me which are certainly important and certainly relevant but they're not big picture things. And I can remember one time uh we were talking about the water fees um water and sewer fees and um
one of the people came in from the town I forget the gentleman he was with the water and sewer commission. Anyway, uh he was we were talking and he we said, "Well, you know, our charge is uh not just economic, but we're supposed to consider
uh social and economic uh environmental as well and balance those." And he says, "Oh, I thought but your name is the Economic Development Advisory Committee. What? Why?" You know, and that to me is
exactly the problem is that, oh, we're all about money, making money, but there are other aspects to life besides making money. Just ask Ebenezer Scrooge, right?
And so so I had and I had suggested a number of times to various people present here today that the committee be expanded or evolved into a community development committee. So that and change you must
change the charge. You can't have a community with a particular charge and then tell them oh don't pay attention to that. Do whatever you want. It's like, no, no, that's what's written down on paper. We can't refer to a remark that was made at a select board meeting on
thus and such a date. So, change the charge, have it evolve to a broader committee, maybe even have subcommittees, but to me, economic, environmental, and social community development. They're it's all it's one
big vin diagram three circles and they're all overlapping on each other and if you don't you know and that's what was in the previs to the 2003 economic development I mean I'm sorry long range planning comprehensive plan for the town of
Chadam that was adopted at town meeting at 2003 but um so hopefully after 23 years we'll finally get to a point where go, oh, there's a big picture to this and all these things are related and we need to
talk about them in an interrelated way and not just few fees cut here or there to make things a little cheaper, a little there. So, that's my thought. I appreciate it. And um yeah, I was always wondering why the Chattam 3 just showed that the
Chattam 365 committee or tax group had all this energy that should have been focused within the existing structure and it shouldn't have popped up all by itself. I mean from a structural point of view and so I hope I hope you can
incorporate that energy and thought into a but rename the committee. Please don't just have it be the economic development committee. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Stephen. I know the committee is working on its charge. Um, with that, I was going to ask if anybody wants to
offer a motion. Oh, Stuart, you had a question. >> I just had a question. Um, so obviously I wasn't here when the economic development committee was formed. Do they do they have a charge? >> They do. Um, I don't have it in front of me. It's just they have a charge. It was
formed before I got on the board. I I think when Sean Summers and others were around >> and >> I think they were I think they were looking at what you were talking about earlier, jobs, >> employment >> employment >> and that's you know that certainly will
be an aspect of this I assume. Um but >> so they're working on their charge uh and then what is the charge comes back to this board. Is that right? >> But here it is on the board there coming up I guess. So, um, well, I just wanted to ensure
it's actually coming back to the board. >> It would come back to the board. We discussed that a little bit when I was there with Jeff and and, um, it's their current charge, I think, allows them to entertain what we might be referring to them tonight, but they do want to they're they're fine-tuning their charge. >> Yeah.
>> Okay. >> Anybody have an emotion they want to offer? Well, well, I want to I I will, but I'll take up Katie's suggestion as the broad stroke because I think that that's, you know, in consideration of the move in consideration of the 365 analysis and
report that we um charge the economic development committee with um creating or or starting to work on a community sustainability. What was it, Katie? It was a community sustainability plan
>> plan that would uh incorporate the concepts and ideals of the 365 task force. >> I I think it should be broader than that though. >> Yeah. No. And then well >> and I I was add would add to your motion and provide
>> um >> recommend additional recommendations back to the board that would support a viable and sustainable year round chatam. >> That's great. Perfect. That that's fine. >> You want that in place of the reference to 365. >> Yeah, that's fine. In place of 365.
>> Okay. So, we're the motion is to refer to the EDAC um a charge or instruction or direction direction that they come up with a uh community sustainability plan and the
additional language that I just added. Is there a second to that motion that Shireen just made? >> I'll second it. >> Okay. All right. I'll ask Okay, I'll ask for a Corey, you're laughing. Is there anything I missed here? >> Nope. >> Okay. Um, I'll call for a vote. Miss
Davis. >> Hi, >> Mr. Dykins. >> Hi, >> Mr. Meadows. >> Hi, >> Mr. Smith. >> Hi. >> And the chair votes I. >> Thank you. Thank you, Katie. Thank you, Shireen. Thank you, Stuart. Um, I'm going to take one item out of order, and that's the appointment of the HBDC, and
then we'll go back to F. So, we had a um uh we had an interview today uh for an alternate position on the HBDC uh Mr. Robert Vath. And um I would entertain a motion to appoint him and I
would suggest that the term be June 30th, 2027 rather than June 30th, 2026. Um is there a motion to make that appointment? >> Mr. Chairman, I move to appoint Robert Bath as an alternate member of the HBDC
until June 30th, 2027 unless sooner revoked or a successor is appointed. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. I'll call the role. Miss Davis. Hi. >> Mr. Dyken. Hi. Mr. Meadow. Hi. >> Mr. Smith. Hi. >> And the chair votes. I Okay. Now, I want to come back to
sort of a continued discussion from last time on the committee reappointment process. And as you will recall, we asked Kathy, who has been working very diligently on contacting people, um to come up with the list
of those non-advisory committee members who are up for reappointment, some of whom don't want to be reappointed, but this is the entire list. And we have indicated them
by name. And we've indicated also whether there are other folks who have applied or whose names are in the talent bank for these commit several committees and the numbers of those additional candidates and in some instances these are people who have checked off multiple
committees. Um so um whether this is their first preference or not we don't know. So the question is, you know, we've already instructed um Kathy to prepare a list of the advisory
committees. We will have a list of them and we would vote them on mass, the ones that want to be reappointed or who have responded. And now we have to decide what are we going to do about interviews with these folks. Um we can see their names. A lot of them are people that
we've interviewed several times. Um, I know Corey, you had expressed the the thought that we should continue to interview anybody who was on an non-advisory committee. We've used the term regulatory, but I want to be all-encompassing to include committees
like the airport commission and the affordable housing trust board of trustees. um if they're up even if they're not being challenged. But so I throw it open for consideration because we need to give Kathy some instructions so she can schedule
interviews if we're going to do that. Um I sort of lean in the direction of the uh I'm sorry to use his name, but the Frank Msina model. Um tired of interviewing Frank Msina. He's not on this list but this year, but he will be
at some point again. Um, but anyway, throw it open, Jeff. >> Well, I I think that if we don't have new candidates in the talent bank and it's the position that we've interviewed one, two, or three or four times, that there's no reason to bring that person
in. >> So, that's just categories. >> So, I would say cemetery commission, park and wreck, and and uh there's another one CSC comp. I just I don't know. >> I wish there were some candidates. >> I I wish there were candidates for
Congressman too as well. I know. I agree. >> But I mean, >> are you saying we should interview the others? >> That's the other side of >> Well, you got to interview if we have new new candidates. I think we it's our responsibility to interview them.
They're interested in serving. I mean, >> yes, the new candidates. >> Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. >> But what about those are in who are in >> Well, I think we need to make sure that like for the affordable housing board of trustees that you know that Bruce and Lesie still want to be there. I'm not sure Hannah does. I don't know if we've heard from everybody, but
>> Kathy, do you want to just go down the list and tell us which ones you've have responded or said no or you haven't responded at all. >> So, the list before you tonight, um Hannah Smith is still an unknown. I have no response from her. >> Um Carol Gordon, I reached out to her
with the understanding of her current candidacy and I assume that the board would be okay with waiting for the election results before moving forward with that one. So, I have her marked as an unknown, but I I imagine that's because of >> that's on the board of health. >> Yes. For the board of health.
>> We do have another candidate in the queue. >> We do. Yes. Um >> suggest we wait. My suggestion would be to wait on that till after the election. Obviously, I figured she's not going to be on this board of health. >> Yeah. So,
>> excuse me. That's a That's interesting. I don't know. I think all of our candidate It's interesting. All of our candidates are on a board of some sort. >> They are, but she's the only one that's actually up for reappoint. >> No, that was >> they would have >> Well, that was my question.
>> Yeah. I mean, I prohibition was on the when we were elected, Corey was on the um vice chair of planning board. I was vice chair of the finance committee. We had to resign that the >> And where is that prohibition? >> I've never seen it. The only reason I ask
>> Well, >> it's not in the charter. It may be somewhere else. >> No, but there would Well, there's probably there's possibly something in chapter 268A, the conflict of interest law that >> I think that's probably where it lands is right there in the conflict of
interest >> possibly in that statute. >> You cannot have two >> can't site to a section right now, >> but it doesn't exist for uh um an elected board. Somebody could serve on two elected boards. >> Well, I don't think they could. Well,
Um the only other elected board is a school board which is not a town board. So I I guess technically you could be on the school school committee and the select order of selectment select board. >> Yeah. I I just had never uh seen that on the but it could be in the conflict of interest. Uh
>> yeah and and it's even apart from the statute you just sort of look at it structurally if you have someone serving on a board that's quote answerable to the select board. Although in some respects the regulatory boards are not in in in terms of their decision- making
but on on applications for permits and so forth. But if you have someone who's on the economic development committee and that person is on the select board is there's a bit of a conflict there I think structure >> if certainly if they participated it would be a conflict. >> No question. >> Yeah. I don't know if they didn't.
>> Um >> I'll look curious. Okay. Just never had seen it. I did my third year paper in law school many years ago on dual office holding in in Massachusetts and that that's >> so you should know this answer. >> Well I I I was yeah I was very
>> knowledge that's perishable >> very restrict it is perishable but it was very restrictive on what people could do but I think that's there's probably something there and there may be some ethics commission rulings on it cases. >> Thanks. I I suspect they wouldn't look
kindly on select board members serving on other boards. >> Yeah. >> So Kathy, so we've talked about two. >> Yep. So jumping down to the historical commission. Um I've not heard from Peter Dunovan and Sandy Porter has confirmed
that she will not be seeking reappoint. >> Yeah, she's she's stepping down after many years. >> Everyone else on the list has indicated that they are interested in seeking reappoint. >> Okay. So, um, we'll have to, um, you you've followed up with everybody. I
can't imagine Peter, who was just re just appointed, isn't seeking the appointment, but we'll have to. >> Yes, >> you've talked to Mr. Msina about that. I can call him. >> I have not spoken with Mr. Msina about Mr. Dunovan. Um, but he was copied on the last round of the stragglers that I
had. I copied the committee chairs as well as the staff liaison. >> That garnered quite a response from almost everybody. So, I've heard from >> almost every Peter was we just appointed people. >> Yeah. I'll call. >> Yeah. And I just ran into him. He told me how much he loved his committee. It >> it might be the mis a lot of times with
those people who are as an alternate. They don't necessarily know it's you know or if it was recent within the last 6 months they assume it went beyond. So and I had that conversation. >> Didn't we put him on for till 27? >> No I double checked because I thought the same thing and no we hadn't made this. This tonight was the first one
where we went to next year because we're close enough. So, we just have four CA instances here. >> Correct. >> Um, Carol will wait. Anna we haven't heard from. Um, Peter we just talked about and Sandy we
know is is not >> correct. >> So, um, we could move um there's just one alternate on that. We would probably move Peter up to or consider moving Peter up to the um yes moving him up to
the regular position to succeed Sandy. >> She is on the on the very first column of the chart you have. It says what seat they hold currently. Members are full member seats and then alternate and associates are also listed. >> She was a full she was a full-time but she she she went down. Exactly. She's an
alternate now. >> Okay. I I had that wrong then. >> She's leaving. >> Okay. So what what do we want to do? >> Well, I mean and and I guess the question in my mind is you want to meet with folks from the conservation commission even though there's no other anybody else
interested in you want to touch base with Janet or Karen or Elise? I mean other than that there's no there's no I mean >> and interview them. >> Yeah. I I don't >> I have no interest in that. >> Yeah, me neither. So maybe there's no >> Well, why don't we go through these commit body committee by committee? >> Okay,
>> we'll start with the conservation commission since she brought that up. We have three members. We know that commission is really hardressed for >> for sure. We wish he had more. These folks >> work really hard. They've said they want to be reappointed. I would just say we
don't interview them. But or you have a >> philosophical philosophically I just think regular non-advisory committees. >> Um we just do due diligence and because and I'll tread lightly on how I want to
phrase this. we've this this body has decided that for one reason or another maybe certain people have should not be reappointed and we don't interview them and then we vote yay or nay and we vote against them sometimes and remove them. Um I just think the non-regulatory I
mean the non-advisory committee member board members should be interviewed once you know you know during their cycle update what's going on what what do you guys need for recruiting what do you especially like conservation like what do you guys need from us to recruit more
people so I just find it there is some benefit in in in touching base periodically with them um >> what what if we were were to have as a as a practice asking them if they would like to be reinterviewed. Okay.
>> And if they say no, I don't really feel I need to come in and spend an hour with >> I'm not going to fall my sword on this one. But I just I just philosophically I I I I I a little I have fear that as this travels further down, you know, years, you know, we're going to drift
away from where we're our responsibilities should be. um you know with new membership and everything but you know if we want to invite them in for if we want to ask them if they want to be interviewed fine I mean I'm I'm not you know d put my line you know draw
my line in the sand but um it just just more of a philosophical thought >> I remember being interviewed for a particular body many years ago >> and it was clearly there were three select board members
present I won't say who they And two of them weren't paying a single pay any attention to a single thing I said. >> We listened to everything you said. >> I know. I'm just telling you. And I didn't get the appointment. Boy, am I grateful because I didn't want to be on that committee. But >> was this in
>> I'm not going to say and I'll tell you >> in this town. >> In this town. Yes. >> This town. >> Anyway. Anyway, so what do you want to do? What do we want? >> I I just I'm sorry, but >> go ahead. I think I think your suggestion is is excellent. I would
approach them and say that we have no candidates that are interested in serving on the cons. Would you like to come in and for a moment with the with the select board and ask them Janet wants to come in and or Karen? I mean >> and and vice versa. It's it's if okay uh
>> Peter >> uh Janet Williams I know Janet. Okay. Yeah. uh if if somebody doesn't want somebody reappointed onto these commissions, well then that that select person says, "I want that person to come in and do an interview." Uh so we can
have a vote on it. Uh I mean, that's how I would handle it. We kind of handle that on these other consent uh calendars. So, if there's an issue with that, then uh I can I can >> Well, is that consistent with your with the idea of inviting of asking them if
they want to be interviewed or do we just call them in for an interview? >> Well, for those uncontested seats, I'm not sure I know the purpose of the interview. that there's nobody else for those commissions that there's no one else who's interested in joining the
airport or the uh conservation commission. I'm not sure that I don't see the point. I >> I agree with you. If they wanted to touch base, they could do it by email through the liaison, but they could call us uh >> through the chair >> through the chair. >> So, >> so well there were three in this
category. There's the cemetery commission, Mr. s the um consom as Jeff's pointed out that has three members. Um um >> Park Elise Gordon, Jenna Williams, Karen
Laden. She's the chair. >> And then there is the Park and Rex, David Malers. >> I mean, I know we all know David. I mean, >> yeah, there's nobody. >> That's the point of there's no one that >> there's no one else interested. >> Interested. David, you're it.
>> Sorry for What do you think of this? Well, I I'm I'm going to abstain from voting on it, but I because I'm not going to be here and I think it's up to you guys, but uh I I think the most efficient way is is what Stuart had made the recommendations about, you know,
like like you know, just because we know all these folks, unless somebody has like a questionable thing that they want to ask a point of question about, I think it's great that the option would be to through the chair
touch base and and uh >> so so so not even to invite them just just we're not going to interview. >> No, I mean the only fall back is that if there's a perceived issue with somebody who's and there's no other candidate, you know, if we if if there's anybody
feeling like they need to interview that person, I think it's important. But >> so are you are you um applying that across the board to all these committees or just the three that we've been talking about? >> All the committees. >> Yeah.
>> See, I I we end up sometimes just asking softball questions as a matter of courtesy time. >> It's like, >> oh, do you have the still have the time? Well, >> and and we're supposed to start we're going to start interviewing in May >> as soon as I get direction. I'm going to
be booking interviews because um yeah, >> with the advisory committees and with these, you know, there there are some advisory committees that have candidates. Uh cultural council, I've got a request from their chair to there there's interviews I'm trying to schedule for them. Um there there are a
couple other committees that will have I think it was cultural council There is an airport commission. Well, that's the airport. Um, council on aging, ECAC, ECAC, waterways advisory, and summer residents. >> Mr. Chair,
>> and there are 13 13 people who have applied to these committees that we're going to have to interview. >> I understand >> new people. >> I know >> that want to get on. >> I know. So that's why I'm suggesting that if there's nobody interested in these and we familiar with the with the
folks that are there that are that are are going to be reappointed and we're familiar with them and pleased with them and there's no reason to call them in to interview them, then we shouldn't waste their time. >> Let me ask you, I'll get you in a second, Corey. What What about anybody who's on this list that we sort of that
someone might have a sense they might not want to reappoint that individual? >> Oh, I can think of a few. I'd like only because I don't know them really. I'd like to call and you got to >> um you know I can look at a few on the list thinking
you know I don't want to pick them out at the moment but I'd be interested in having them come in and I would make that request. >> Okay. Um and how would you make that request? Publicly here tonight or >> or at another or or >> individually?
Um I can I >> I mean I don't want to >> I haven't studied I haven't studied the the list but you know a couple jump out at me like >> we could come back next week. >> Yeah. I mean for instance the uh the HBDC. >> Yeah.
>> Um you know I know Robert Burns. I know uh but I don't know uh I don't really know Mr. Cybert very well or Mr. >> I mean I do know Daniel Sler but not I'd be interested in interviewing them. Okay, maybe they don't even Oh, they do
want to be Do they all re respond saying they do? >> Yes, they've all responded. >> You know, Robert Burns, I don't think he's been on there very long, so I wouldn't be interested in interviewing him. Uh, Timothy Gilmore. >> He was he was just advanced to a full member.
>> Yeah. So, that I wouldn't be interested in that. Um, but um, as an example, the HBDC, Mr. Cybert and Mr. silver. Yeah, I'd be interested in interviewing them. >> Okay. >> And the, you know, I could probably look at some others. Um,
>> you know, the I'd be interested in in talking with the two uh incumbents on the planning board. >> Okay. Um, well, Corey, I >> was just going to say when I first
decided to run, you know, back when was leaving the planning board in 2015, someone told me one of the most important duties you're going to have as a select board member is to do a committee appointments. So, I have a certain philosophy on this, but the one thing I will point out is this body can
change the policy to adapt to their to the board's needs. So we are very comfortable with amending these candidates and I understand that but I don't want it lost for future boards that that you know maybe we do need to interview everyone. So we have a certain
mechanical policy of of doing our due diligence and doing our duty to to interview people. This particular body we have a lot of familiarity with a lot of these candidates. So, I get the redundancy and it's kind of a I hate to say waste of time because I don't want
to categorize it like that, but we do recognize we're not going to ask them deep questions. >> Correct. >> Um, so I understand this body's perspective, but I don't want to have it lost for future bodies. >> Shireen, I have a suggestion. I'm just going through this process with um with
the board I'm on. Um, you know, some people are really great at interviewing, some people aren't. But what about a a written interview, you know, a series of questions that we would form, you know, that could be formulated that sort of like, you know,
um what as far as being a like a a member on a board, what is some of the challenges you're feeling? You know, what are some of the work that you've accomplished or you know, showing showing effort, showing challenge, showing opportunity that sort of just gives them the sense that they're
interviewed. It's not um them coming in, the board coming in, but they're already there, you know, just like almost a survey, a check-in kind of. >> You could do that and then because some won't respond and then I guess you can dismiss them and say, "Well, if you're
not responding, you're out." >> We're not. I mean, I I guess I'm just trying to figure out the balance. trying to I I appreciate what you're saying >> and I'm I'm just looking at 27 additional pieces of paper I have to read.
>> Well, would you rather do um uh softball interview >> people on the finance committee that don't think we do enough work? >> Go ahead. I'm sorry. Go ahead, Shireen. You continue, please. >> No, I'm just, you know, if we're softballing interviews as we tend to sometimes. No, >> I'd rather
thoughtful suggestion. I would just There were 27 people on this list plus the 13. That's 40 interviews. >> Former committee. >> Well, they do in Haritch. >> Yeah, >> they have a sub they have a subcommittee and the subcommittee makes the
recommendations to the full board. The full board doesn't do it. >> Well, that's the pro that's the process I'm in right now. I'm on a subcommittee to make a recommendation to a full a full a full committee. >> Yeah. >> So, yeah. And so it >> No, I didn't really I didn't know. I
mean, in fairness to in fairness to Stuart, although you probably know a lot of these people, you haven't >> interviewed these historically correct other than this past year. I mean, my feeling is that
we don't interview the incumbents and we but we interview except those that members of this board want to >> invite in for an interview and we would >> interview the new >> invite our members to make that our
board members to make those names available next week. We can think of go through the list. Unless you want to do it now. We can do that now, too. >> I'd like to see all the zoning board people. >> Oops. I'd like to see all the zoning board people. I'd like to see the planning board. And I'd like to see the
two members of the HBDC just off the top of my head. The airport, I think. >> Nobody vying for these positions either. >> Well, there's one interested party for the airport. >> Oh, who? >> I don't know. >> Oh, Mr. Hobbeck is not is a is not is is
not res is not re re-uping. We left that one out. Kathy, there's a vacancy on the there will be a vacancy if he hasn't already resigned. He's not looking for reappoint reappoint. >> That is correct. >> So he's he's off. >> Okay. So we got an opening really.
>> So we got an airport opening. >> We got to interview that candidate. >> So So Stuart, you you selected out the zoning board, the four people on the zoning board. >> Yep. the planning board. >> Uh the two people on the planning board. >> Two people on the HBDC.
>> Okay. Did you have an anything else? >> Um And just for the board's knowledge about the airport backing up for a second, that application, that talent bank form was just submitted on the 23rd of April. So, it's a relatively new.
>> Yeah, I I saw the emails about Mr. Hobe. >> Um, is does anybody have any want to identify anybody else they want to or or does anyone want to um sign on to Shireen's suggestion? What was your suggestion?
>> I think maybe if the suggestion had come in at 7:30 this evening, I might have a >> I know >> that's looking at the clock. I >> I don't think it's a bad suggestion. I just think it's it's homework for some of these folks who are very familiar with their >> their duties and and it's just kind of giving it's like throwing a softball
verbally. It's like this. Anyway, I I think I think what we've mapped out for this evening is we don't interview the folks that are have no no but no interested applicants that we have. We're very familiar with the people again cemetery commission park and wreck. We do not need Dave Mal or Peter Gaines. We don't I mean we just don't.
>> So, okay. So, so let's try to summarize and >> Yep. >> So, we'll start with that. >> Yep. the the the three bodies that have >> no >> no no other applicants, the cemetery commission, the park and rec commission
and what was the other >> conservation commission, no interviews. Um >> someone interested >> unless somebody wants to pull somebody and I don't hear that. Okay, so that takes takes care of them. Uh then the then we go back to the and we do have to
interview everybody else who's a new candidate that has applied. >> Yep. >> That's 13 what I say 13 people. >> And then of the list of those incumbents does anybody just because it would be helpful if we could get going tonight I
guess. Um Stuart has identified what what did I say? Six people or was it eight? >> Uh eight. >> Eight people for interviews. And does anybody have any other names they want to >> extract from this? >> Karen's the chair of the conservation
commission. Yes. I think we ought to have her come in for a chat >> just to get caught up. That's all. Well, doesn't that doesn't that take place when she gives her report as a committee? I mean, why do I have to haul her in for an interview?
>> Well, you don't. >> I'm trying to keep those processes separate. >> Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I'm good. I'm good. >> Okay. >> Good. I can watch the meeting. Yeah. >> I don't see anybody else. And if somebody has does not respond, they're out. No interview. And I won't
vote to reappoint them. If they don't Yeah. If they don't respond and we know Jesus, >> we're going to have to get you what puts one around your neck. >> Yeah. Exactly. Um if they don't respond and we are certain that they've received the message. >> Yes.
>> And uh as as I mentioned before, also from the uh chair of the board, that's the person in charge. >> Okay. Well, all right. I'm going to contact um Mr. missing it to and if anybody sees Peter Donovan around they
can remind him. I don't know about Hannah Smith um who um >> I will get a hold of her. >> Yeah, somebody will need to >> the staff leaison also h helped connect some of the people as well because like
I said that list of my unresponded >> people um went from what it was last week which I think was in the double digits to single digits. >> Yeah. good >> based on that. So, um I know the staff leaison and the chairs both actively
reached out to all >> uh so we I don't know if we have if we have reached a consensus on this but >> yes we have >> but I is there an understanding that this is the way we're going to go. Okay, >> great. >> Thank you. >> You have your direction? >> I do. Thank you.
>> All right. Um the last item on the agenda is the town manager monthly report for the month of March. Chill. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, so the the first part of the report talks about our annual town meeting and annual town election. Uh, the deadline
to register to vote for both of them is Friday, May 1st at 5:00 pm. It's also the deadline for people to pay their taxes. And they can do it online or they can do it in the town clerk's office. Um, we have the annual town meeting that's going to be on Monday, May 11th
at 6 PM in the gymnasium. There's opportunities for um, child care as well as rides through the the seat foul. Um, but we do want to note that there is construction going on at the middle school. So, we're working internally to try to figure out the best way to
maximize the available parking spots, but encourage people to carpool and also again call the seatal uh to register for a ride to and from town meeting. And the uh annual town meeting warnings you might have saw has made it to everybody's mailboxes. And we have also
uh completed our annual town meeting preview show and that's available on demand um through social media and it's really um a nice compilation of town staff talking about not all of the articles on the warrant but certain articles on the warrants that that are
of high interest. So I want to call everyone's attention to that. And then the annual town election is on Thursday, May 14th at the community center. polls open at 7 a.m. and they go until 8:00 PM. And as you know, we have two town precincts. Both of them actually vote at
the community center as they do usually. And absentee uh ballots or and voting is available until 12:00 noon on Wednesday, May 13th for those who are unable to make it in person on election day. And then just a note about uh voter
registration. Uh though you don't have to re-register to vote. only those who have not previously voted in a Cadam election who need to check their registration status. They can do it through the town clerk's office and also um online on the secretary of state's office. Uh then I threw in a a graphic
here for our open space and recreation plan survey. Um this is a surveying uses of all town open space and recreation facilities to get a sense of the amount of use, what people's preferences are. So I'd encourage people to fill that
out. I did it. It it literally took five minutes at most. So it was and any questions uh for that Christine O'Grady is working with Amy Hal directly and there will be a open house and public information session on Wednesday May
20th at 5:00 PM. Um in followup to select board u either agenda request items or status report u we stuck in here the um the updated volunteer park. Um, it's looking really great. Everybody likes a makeover. Uh,
these images are from April 22nd. So, it shows the work that's being done by DPW and that they um will have schedule maintenance maintenance actually regularly scheduled. So, I know um Vice Chair Duckets was interested in that.
>> Super. Thank you. >> Thank you. And then we're looking for uh anyone who wants to volunteer to put flags on veterans graves. They're going to be doing that on Monday, May 11th. And then removing the flags on June 8th in the cemetery division. Um, call
Adrian. She can hook you up and where to go. >> Where did the flags come from? They donated. >> We have them in the We purchased them. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> That's actually really interesting. They've done it. It's really >> Yes, we've had a really great turnout from volunteers to assist, too. Um the
Eldidge Public Library safety and accessibility site master plan project began this week. We're we're really excited. Um especially li the library director Amy over there. So work has begun and just note that there's no parking behind the library in the
library lane and parking lot, but there are there will be arrangements for people to pick up borrowed materials at town hall at the town offices of 549. Um, so that's something new and it's noted in here. It'll be uh Friday mornings from 10:00 am to 11 am they'll
have uh a person on site possibly like possibly Amy herself and um that will begin on May 1st through the 22nd. We had a new online portal for our sticker sales. I'm not sure if any of you have seen it. It's Sorry, I keep
moving this. It's very easy to use and mail-in options are available. and I wanted to do a shout out to Steven and Donna D'vor. They were the first persons to use our online uh sticker portal. So, congratulations to them. And then uh
Lieutenant Harris had uh wanted to put an update as a followup to the nuisance dog livestock claim and it looks like that um still compliance is is pending. So, uh they as of April 21st, uh the
enclosure was still not built and so citations um regarding the case have been issued but not yet paid. So, um they're looking to file a criminal complaint with uh Orleans District Court. And then employees years of service as I
do every month. um range Dave Ready fire captain 36 years uh with Chadam FD Bill Delane uh just behind him at 26 years and then Lieutenant Harris also a police uh lieutenant for 26 years Ron friend 19
years and Shawn Ryder has been a currently a police sergeant and has been with the town for 17 years and then there's a sort of a gap uh of the newer uh hires um beginning with Crystal at five years and certainly a lot to note here any with Marshall Burke our deputy
harbor master one year recruitments are are listed on the town's website here's an infographic u we did actually post for the um I think it's called an exemption uh clerk position for the board of assessors so
uh that's up and um project updates as we normally note Kathy is a really good at uh curating this so you know exly ly what page in this monthly report to find those updates and um happy to answer any questions. >> The one thing I was going to mention um
is it just occurred to me as you're talking about the the assessing position the the uh if you're a property owner in this town, you should have received a mailing from the board of assessors explaining the residential tax exemption process and so forth. If you haven't,
you should contact the accessing department >> or look online. And they're asking for all property owners who have Chattam as your primary residence to submit the application. And so staff is ready. And they got quite a few this week already.
>> I haven't got mine in yet, but I am going to file for it. >> You haven't have until April 2027, but the earlier it is the um the the easier it will be for us to process when the final vote is taken in September. >> Okay.
File early and often. Yes. Just I'm sorry. Any other comments? >> I I just had one. The letter that went out uh regarding the residential tax exemption. Um was that reviewed by town council? I mean, are we certain that that was that
information was accurate? >> I would have to check with Candace if I don't recall seeing a town council request for her. I thought he someone reviewed it, but we can check for you. I saw the I think I saw a draft of the letter, but I I don't know about the
answer to your question. I know that she gets a lot they get a lot of their information from the Department of Revenue written guidance. >> Maybe they reviewed it or talking with the Department of Revenue. >> Yeah, she did consult in there, but I don't I don't know the answer about town council on that.
>> Is there a particular area you want to mark it up and just drop it off? >> Yeah, maybe I'll do that. That might be easier. >> Okay. Okay. Any other comments on >> motion to adjurnn, Mr. Chairman? Good report. Um, is there a second? >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Miss Davis. >> I. >> Mr. Dykins.
>> I. >> Mr. Meadows. >> Hi. >> Mr. Smith. >> Hi. >> Chair votes I. We are adjourned at 9:24 p.m. Good night, Chadam.