It being six o'clock, I'm calling to order the select board meeting of June 2nd, 2025. If you join me in the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the stands, one
indivisibley for all. And this meeting is being telecast live by Chelmsford Teledia and being recorded for later viewing by the public. And first we'll do public service announcements. Okay. Thank you Erin. Um so we'll start
with the health department. And there's always lots of news coming out of the health department um every meeting. though. Um, sharp disposal June 9th 9:00 a.m. to 400 p.m. where Chelmswood Health Department details residents of Chelson
can drop off their sharps in an approved hard plastic container. Registration is not required, but you must show proof of residency. Um, they have a walking group and the dates for that are June 10th and 24th, 9:00 a.m. to 9:30. Meet at the 110
baseball fields. Join them as they walk on the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. This is a great way to get in your 30 minutes of exercise, socialize, and learn about some interesting health topics. Please wear comfortable and weather appropriate clothes, and bring water. All ages and fitness levels are welcome. Uh they do
not meet in inclement weather. Sober karaoke on on June 13th from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the Chumsford Center for the Arts. Join them for some sober, free fun, and free pizza. Um, there's NAN training on June 25th, 3
p.m. to 3:30 at the Jonesford Town Hall, room lower level 06. And that's all the information on that community CPR June 17th 3 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Chser Town Hall. Join the health department for a comprehensive
4-hour training session where you'll master CPR techniques for adults, children, and infants. You'll also learn how to respond to choking emergencies, understand AED basics, and cover essential first aid procedures. Every participant will receive the American
Heart Association's Hearts Saver CPR AED first aid certificate valid for two years. Don't miss the opportunity to gain vital life-saving s skills. The cost of the class is $20 and it looks like you need to pre-register. Uh, community CPR for the
youth. June 26th, 12 to 4 jumps a town hall. Join the health department for a comprehensive 4-hour training session where they'll master CPR techniques for adults, children, and infants. You'll also learn how to respond to choking, understanding AED basics, and so on.
Every participant will receive the American Heart Association's HeartSaver CPR AED first aid certificate, which is valid for two uh two years. Um, again, don't miss the opportunity to gain vital life-saving skills. Cost of the class is
$20 and you need to pre-register. Moving along on the health department business. Uh, blood pressure screenings. Uh, couple of different dates. June 5th from 9 to 12:00 p.m. Chumswood Health Department. June 26th from 8:30 to 10:30 at the Chumswood
Senior Center. drop by the health department office located in Chumsson Town Hall or at the senior center for a free blood pressure screening. Registration is not required. They also uh are involved with the Massachusetts behavioral health
helpline. Uh details are that it's a free confidential service available 24/7, 365 days a year. It connects individuals and families to mental health and substance use treatment services across Massachusetts. You can call or text
8337732445 or chat online at masselline.com. Um the uh the group offers real-time support, initial clinical assessment and connection to appropriate care regardless of insurance status. Uh in the employee spotlight for
the health department, the council health department is proud to welcome Alyssa as their new public health social worker. She'll be joining them the first week of June and brings with her a strong background in both social work and public health. She's excited to support Chsford residents with a wide
range of needs and will be a valuable asset to the department and the community. Please join them in giving Alyssa a warm welcome. And Chumsford Health Department's fall festival on September 27th. That'll be from 11:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. We are still or they are still
accepting sponsors and vendors for the annual fall fest festival. They expect more than 3,000 attendees this year. Food trucks and free activities such as face painting, balloonists, petting zoo, hay rides, pumpkin painting, and much much more.
Um, and what they've been up to lately is, uh, they're involved with the Massachusetts Alliance of Public Health Nurses Conference. Public Health Nurse Darcy Beal recently helped plan and attended the 2025 Massachusetts Association of Public Health Nurses Conference. The event featured expert
speakers including Dr. Christine Hearnen, emergency physician and medical toxicologist, Dr. Stephanie Shalupa of Worcester State University, Dr. Dylan Tanny from the Bureau of Infection Infectious Disease, and Dr. Todd
Allerin, director of infectious disease at Southshore Hospital. Darcy's involvement uh reflects her leadership and commitment to advancing public health in the community. Way to go, Darcy. Okay. And if you need to contact the health department for any reason, you can reach them at
978-250-5241 or tang t angel at chfordmass.gov. Town of Chford 2025 Independence Day program. Okay. So, Thursday, July 3rd at from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. is the arts festival that'll be held at the CH sponsored by the
Chumsford Arts Society and will be held at the Center for the Arts. From 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. the country fair sponsored by Chsford Lions Club is at the Center Common. From 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. There'll be Kitty train rides sponsored by Chford
Rotary Club and those will be at the rear of the public gardens. 7 to 8:30 there'll be a band concert. Um, and that's um going to be uh put on by the Chumps Community Band and that will be at the Center Common. On Friday, July 4th at 8:00 a.m. Pat, if I can
interrupt you for one second, on Thursday from from 5 to 7:00, we're having Jill Martin and a country music band with musicians from Nashville also performing. And then during their break, the uh suburbanets will do their their
show dur in between sets of the country band. And then as soon as that's done, the community band will do their traditional 30 July concert. Awesome. Thanks, Jeff. Okay, so on Friday, July 4th, at 8:00 a.m., the country fair opens up sponsored by the Chsford Lions
Club, and that's on the center common. 8:30 a.m. there's a flag raising um by the police and fire departments and that will be held at the center common flag pole. 8:30 to 1 pm is an arts festival uh put on by the chumset art society and
that will be for the at the center for the arts. 9:30 a.m. is the annual John Carson 2-mile road race. And at 10:00 a.m. is the annual Independence Day parade which you'll see all of us at, I guess, if we're lucky. All right. Uh a
couple of proclamations. Township proclamation uh concerning lesbian, gay, bisexual, transit, trans transgender, and queer pride month June 2025. Whereas the town of Chelford is a welcoming community in an exceptional
place to live, learn, work, play, and raise a family. And whereas Chelford recognizes the importance of equality and freedom. And whereas the nation was fond founded upon and is guided by a set of principles that includes that every person has been
created equal, that each has rights to their life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, and that each shall be accorded the full recognition and protection of law. hand. Whereas the town of Chelmsford, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer
community are a vital part of all fields and professions and contribute to a stronger community. And whereas the town of Chelsea is dedicated to fostering acceptance of all its citizens and preventing discrimination and bullying based on sexual orientation and gender
identity. And whereas Chumpset is strengthened by and thrives upon the rich diversity of ethnic, cultural, racial, gender, and sexual identif identities of all its residents, all of which contribute to the vibrant character of our town. And whereas the
Center for Disease Control recognizes that LGBTQ teens are all at higher risk to be the victims of violence and have increased suicide rates. And whereas it is imperative that young people in community in the community uh regardless
of sexual orientation or gender identity feel valued, safe, empowered, and supported by their peers, educators, and community leaders. Now therefore, we the select board and on behalf of town of Chumsford hereby proclaim and recognize
June 2025 as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer pride month in the town of Chumsford and urge citizens to recognize and celebrate the contributions made by members of the LGBTQ community and to actively promote
the principles of equality and liberty presented this second day of June, 2025 by the select board and another town of Townswood proclamation in recognition of Flag Day on June 14th,
2025. Whereas the national flag is a symbol of our great country, our heritage, and our place in the world. And whereas the flag represents the highest ideals of individual liberty, justice, and equal opportunity for all.
And whereas the flag is a precious possession deserving the reverence and respect of all Americans. And whereas the citizens of Chelmsford recognize the flag as a living thing emblematic of our great nation. Now therefore, we, the
Chford Select Board, do hereby recognize Friday, June 14th, 2025 as Flag Day and demonstrate our support of the national flag at this ceremony today presented this 14th day of June, which today isn't
really the But I wanted to mention a couple things on that. The the reason it's presented this day is because um I was invited to a couple of flag day ceremonies and I always bring a proclamation and I just wanted to mention that they are public. The first one, they're both on Saturday, June
14th, uh 2025, not Friday. Uh shot, sorry I didn't catch that. Uh first one is at 2 o'clock at the Garrison House. They always have a nice little ceremony there with refreshments afterwards. And then at 5:00 pm at the Jumps with Large of Elks. Again, a very uh very nice ceremony about the history of the flag.
So, if anybody's interested, they're both open to the public. Thank you, Pat. Okay. All right. The next item up for bid. Um celebrate Junth, a commemoration of freedom and unity where on the
Chelsea common Saturday, June 28th, 11:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. Check it out. There'll be local food vendors, music, keynote speakers, and performances. Um, sponsored by uh Chsford Together Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. For more information, please contact Chsford
um diversity, equity, inclusion committee at www.chmass.gov854diversity, equity, and inclusion committee. Carly Connor Ryme at um or see Connor Rhymegmail.com. And it looks like there might be
somebody here to talk about these the next two. I I don't know. Maybe the flea market. I think the flea market is the next one. Sure. All right. Let me uh give a quick read and then I'll turn it over to say a few things, Vivian. Okay. So, uh, Chelsea
will be, uh, sponsoring an outdoor flea market. Treasures await at the Garrison House, 105 Garrison Road, Chelsea, Mass. Dates June 28th, July 26th, and August 23rd. Vendor setup is from 8 to 9, and it opens to the public from 9 to 1.
Vendor spaces are $25 for a 10x10 outdoor space for one day. All three dates are $60. Cash or check payable to the town of Chelsea. Uh proceeds will benefit the Chumpset annual holiday prelude and treelighting celebration on
December 7th, 2025. Free admission to the public and vendors can contact Vivian at um sq kes 601 atyahoo.com or
978-973-9596 for space reservation and other questions. And uh with that, I will uh a little bit of Vivian to say a few words about it. Um basically what I'm trying to do with all the fundraising that we do is uh support the holiday prelude that's held in the first
week of December. Um a lot of the funds we raise will be going to um replace equipment that we need in case the lights break or things like that. Last year we got really lucky and everything worked. We're able to Frankenstein one little pole light and all the snowflakes
worked and yay. Um if we can get a couple more years out of all that that would be great but when it comes time to replace them there will be a cost. So we're just trying to build up a little nest egg so we're ready for that. Um plus on the night of the event we have a couple of um events that do
require funding. Um, a lot of it we we find other sources for funding, but we still got to pay for the DJ and the town takes care of the stage and um the horse and wagon is probably going to be over $2,000 this year. So, uh, anything we
can do to help pay the bills is great. And, um, I also have another one that you'll probably talk about next and we'll let you run with it. Oh, yep. So, the holiday decorating committee are sponsoring a calendar raffle for the month of August. Proceeds will benefit the annual holiday prelude and
treelighting event being held on December 7th, 2025. Still a few spaces left for sponsorships and calendars are $10 each. Calendars will be available at the Treasurer Collector's Office in June and July. And thank you uh for supporting the holiday prelude. And um
and again, get in touch with Vivian if um you need more information. Yeah. The only other thing I got to add to that is tickets are now available at the collector's office. We'd like to thank them for all the help they give me with that because it's a nice outlet. People like to come to town offices and um they
they'll have the tickets there. I'm trying to get additional locations to sell tickets. I don't have any yet. So, if you're a small business owner and you get a lot of foot traffic, by all means, give me a call or an email and um I could set you up with with a collection bin and some tickets and things like
that. And um there was something else I was going to say about it. I can't remember right now, but it'll come to me. It's okay. Any questions, like I said, give me a call or an email. And life is good. And I'm sure we'll be hearing from you again before the end of the summer and by the
uh prelude itself. Gift that keeps giving. Yeah. All right. I know. Thanks for Thank you very much. Okay. Our final notice tonight is a notice of a special town meeting to be
held Monday, June 23rd, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. at the Chumsford Senior Center at 75 Garten Road. A special town meeting will convene at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, June 23rd at the Senior Center at 75 Garten Road. A copy of the special town meeting warrant is available now on the
town's website. Any resident of the town who is not an elected town meeting member may attend sessions of the town meeting and participate in question and answer and discussion portions of the proceedings. Links to the town meeting presentation document in the finance committee's warrant book will be found
on the town meeting web page at least one week prior to town meeting. And that's it, Madam Chair. Great. Thanks, Pat. Um, next up we have general public input. So, I don't know if we have anyone here for no one on Zoom. Okay.
Um, next, committee vacancies. I'm glad this is a short list. Um, committee vacancies as of uh June 2nd, 2025. Agricultural Commission has one unexpired three-year term ending on June 30th, 2026. Commission on Disabilities
has one unexpired three-year term ending on June 30, 2025, one unexpired three-year term ending on June 30, 2026, and two three-year terms ending on June 30, 2027. Council on Aging Board has one
unexpired three-year term ending June 30, 2025. Historic District Commission alternate member has one three-year term ending June 30, 2027. Historical Commission has one exp unexpired three-year term ending June 30, 2026.
Holiday decorating committee has two unexpired one-year terms ending December 31st, 2025. And the parade committee welcomes all applicants to one-year terms and uh this year's term ends on July 31st, 2025. If you're interested in
serving on a town board or committee, please complete an online application available at the town website. For more information, please contact the town manager's office at 978-250-5202 or TM office at chelmswoodmass.gov. Thanks, Bob. Okay, next on our agenda, we have
licenses and it looks like we only have one here. It is a one-day all alcoholic beverage license for the American Legion at 90 Graten Road. Do we have someone here for the Legion? Welcome back. You guys are busy up there. Good evening. I'm Phil Hamilton,
senior commander of the American Legion in North Shford as we are looking for a one-day permit for our block party. Public is invited. um outdoor cooking, outdoor music, planning to block the road from
Graten Road to the Legion property with no drive through there, but um same as every [Music] year. Al Richiel, general manager of the American
Legion. And more or less the same what he just said. Yeah. Okay. You remember this from last year. Does anybody have any questions or concerns? They've been doing this for a few years. How many years you've been doing this?
This year I want to go a long time. Okay. I'll take a motion then. Okay. Motion to approve the uh application for one day all alcoholic beverage license for the block party to be held June 7th, 2025 at the parking lot of the American Legion at 90 Grten Road and across
Willis Drive. Second. I get a second. I'll second it. All right. And we do not need to do a roll call vote because we have Pat Maloney in person. So, I'll just do a once over. Uh, all those in favor? I
opposed. None. Okay. All set. Thank you. Good luck. Thank you. Have a good evening. Okay. Next up, we have reports and presentations. Hi darling. First we have Darlene Lucier Tana Cowen. Hi. Good evening madam chair, members of the
board. Um giving you an update on where we are for our revenues for fiscal 25 in expenditures. Um can't believe that the year is over or almost over. We're just this is it going into last month. Um
this the revenue I'm going to be talking to though is actually through April 30th. um we didn't have um any revenues posted for May for me to give you a final report. So these these numbers here, the revenue numbers are through um April 30th, but the expenditures I'm
giving you, the expenditure report I gave you actually uh ran through uh that first week in um through the middle of May because we we ran the warrants through there. I could give you those numbers. Um, but just talking about the revenues, uh, collected through April,
uh, we're at 91.7% of our collection rate of the of our 162 million. Uh, that's great because it's really our benchmark number would be like 85%. So, we've exceeded our benchmark number there for total
revenues. Uh, local receipts though, our largest line item in the local receipts is a motor vehicle excise. Uh, the collection is 92.8%. 8% of our $5.9 million. Um, that's that's very good. To date, uh, we've collected the 5.4
million. Um, year to date, our fiscal 25 commitments are running a little bit higher than our fiscal 24, about $25,000 than the fiscal 24. Um, we do have one more uh commitment that was expected in May. Um, and so I don't see any reason
that we're going to not hit that $5.9 million. We should be exceed actually exceed that number, our budget number. So that'll be that helps out on the bottom line for our local receipts. Uh, the other items that are that we look at is our local mills tax
um in room tax on the local options mail sales tax revenue distribution for third quarter was 231,777. This is a a little bit of an increase, just a little under $3,000 from the same period of time last year.
Uh year-to- date meal tax revenue for all three quarters actually are down versus uh what we were in 24. So unless the mills tax really the revenue weakens uh further, we we should though still be able to make our number
of the $850,000. So I don't think and even though we're running a little bit behind from last year, I don't see any any problem why we won't hit the number that we budgeted for. Um in our hotel mills tax, hotels rooms tax revenue for all three quarters total
483,000. This is like about 4% increase from our prior year. Um we've already collected almost all of our budgeted amount about 97% of our $500,000 for rooms tax there. So, what we're kind of losing out on the males tax, we're kind of gaining on the room
tax. So, it's kind of a bit balancing that out. Uh fines and fees, both of those line items are exceeding the current year budget amounts. We did have a fee struct we had the departments look at their fees and fine structures. Some of
the departments did increase some of their fees. So, I think this is where we're seeing the that those that has helped even though that we didn't um increase them largely, but the amount that we did increase them is helping out with these numbers. Um, so they've both,
like I said, they've the fines have exceeded the budget just by just a little under $1,000. Um, like I said, and they've these the towns have the departments have looked at their fee structures and we did increase some of the department's numbers. building permit. That's our one number
one another large number that's in our local revenues. Uh it's actually declined from a year ago, but in fiscal 24 we did have that lodge permit that came in for um 225 um Princeton Street. In this year, we're just not seeing any
large projects that are on the books. We should be receiving those. Smith um David Herson is going to probably pull a permit before the end of the fiscal year for Smith Street. Um, so that will help out the bottom line. We're only about 3% away from that number um for the 1.6
million. So we really don't see any issues with getting with not hitting that number. We just won't have um last year we had like over a million dollars because of that lodge permit from um Princeton Street. But this year we'll be able to either make the number or go over a little bit of that number once um
we see that permit come in from David H. Interest earnings u that's this line item is doing great. We're actually 40% over what we were the period last year. This is really due to a strong bond market. Uh strong um and we're we've
exceeded our $450,000 by over $500,000. We've exceeded that number. So hoping the bond market stays strong for the next month and uh that's really going to help out our bottom line. Um, and with that that increase that help with that bottom
line. I just to let you know, I'm not don't quote me. Just looking we're going to end this year in the black. Um, I'm expecting at least $2.5 million for free cash. Could be a little bit more. We haven't finished. Um, revenues haven't closed, so I really haven't seen
everything yet, but just kind of looking um from where we were from last year to this year, um, we'll be able to have a nice cash number. uh real estate and property tax always. Um we're always remain strong with collection rates there. We're at 94% of our collection
rate. We usually we don't collect it all, but we're usually at right 98.9 or 99% collected by the end by June 30th. Um so even though we're just so revenues right now, we're slight a little slightly higher than the than the
u previous year of 24. Um but we are within our 85% and again like I said we're going to we will um have a positive um position when we close out the books on June 30th for revenues. Any questions before I move on
to expenditures and revenues line items. Okay. Okay. expenditures. Like I always say, departments do do a good job with their um maintaining um good good budget
um and stay within their their line item budgets. Um but so we did um fiscal 25 budget expenditures remain on target with only one month remaining. I don't see any any concerns in any of the department line items. At town
meeting though, we did approve and make an approved and make an adjustment of about $347,000. Um that's just less than 0.2% of our our budget from overall and that came from the reserve fund and those were for budget adjustments that need to
be due because when we when they set the budget a year like when we just set the budget now things change. Um departments need may need additional funding. They were just small small most of it was for um public safety and general government is what those budgets were for. But I
don't see I have no concerns with any of the departments. They're all within their benchmark number of 85%. So I don't see any issues there at all that need to bring to your attention. Um I'm just I've gave you some of the
some of the um enterprise funds. I didn't do all of them. I just did kind of the larger ones. Sewer enterprise, storm water. As you can see where we're at to date, revenues exceeding their expenditure level. So, they will be ending again. They'll be ending with a
positive free cash number. Don't see any issues with um with any of the sewer enterprise. Uh the revenues are stay coming in strong there and they're staying within their their expenditures. So, um, at this point they actually have
about a $745,000 positive what would I consider what they call a reserve. That would be what their um their undesated amount or their free cash amount. Uh, storm water, same thing.
Their revenues are exceeding their expenditure amounts. Again, we still again, we're still one month into um one more month for for expending, but again, they should end the year in the black, too. They'll have a little bit of a free cash
amount. The other accounts that I like to just show you is just all of our special revenue accounts, our COA lunch, our school lunch, all the revolving accounts that we have. We have some reserve and appropriations that are done at town meeting. Um other trust or trust
funds and then other revenue donation accounts that are specific um they that for donating for specific purpose. Looking at the COA lunch um they're they always their balances always are small. Uh they don't they don't carry a large
balance there. They just they run pretty nil. But um they're doing fine there. they just they have a small balance of $16,000. So they revenues comes in and then expenditure they have to buy um buy some food in under there and they
also um have some salary cost in there. So it's it really it's not a money-m um profit. They don't make a huge profit over there, but it's a nice little lunch program that they run. School lunch on the other hand, they have a nice um $3.5 million balance
in their account. Um this this may change a little bit next year because what they've doing is um in the past years they've been paying their salaries for their for their school lunch out of their general fund. I think they're going to change that up and start taking
salaries out of the school lunch program. Um so that will draw down on some of on their large balance that they have in there. Um but at this point that's it's pretty hefty. Um again they they taking in a lot of money through the school lunch. They also get um
subsidized through the state for for for free lunch because they have the free lunch program. So they also get a large state funding. Um just some of the revolving accounts as you can see that that we have um we have some insurance accounts
sales weights and measures. Uh we have a dog revolving account. Most of them are we have a day daycare transportation. Um this is where our circuit breaker money the school's circuit breaker money library has like a lost book account. Just small um what we
call revolving accounts that money is collected. They're in there. They're used for for those specific purposes under insurance. The town insurance accounts. Those are if a town vehicle was in an accident or a police car was in an accident or fire truck. These are
where the the um when we get the checks from the insurance companies, we dep we need to deposit them in here and then we have the vehicle fixed and the cost is comes right the money goes in and then the money comes out for the cost. So those are those are just some revolving accounts there under the child care, the
school department, out of town tuition, summer school. These are just some of what we consider call um school choice and civic activities for revolving accounts and they all have good balances. There's never there's no deficits or anything there reserve for appropriation. Um
those accounts most of them are sewer betterments. Those are the things we we vote at town meeting. We have to take out some of the sewer betterment pay the debt for sewer. So those these are what they call reserve appropriation and these what you see on town on the um at
town meeting cemeteries um lots and sales. You see that they'll be transfer money out of here to um pay for some of the stuff over at the cemetery. And then other donations. These these accounts are uh revenue and donations.
They're basically donation accounts um that are given by some by an individual but it's has to be used per that specific. So um I know like we have the military covenant and things like that though these are they're donations but
they're you have to be used for a specific purpose. They're not just miscellaneous. Can't be used for for anything. they have to be used for what they've been set up to to be used for. Uh, a lot of them are for planning board. We have um for for traffic mitigations and things like that. And
the account those accounts I'm I monitor those accounts pretty closely making sure that there's money in those accounts that when we have to pay out that the money is there to pay what they what they're used for. And there I have several of these accounts. There's a lot
of them. Sales for cruisers. Um, the COA has a lot of it. It's just a lot of um those donation accounts. Um we have the um ATF ATF that's um for the arts um
technology that's for the school that's donated that you can pay that and when you pay your um taxes you can actually donate a little bit money there. We have an athletic account and some gifted donations. Uh and then the last thing is our trust accounts. Um, and these are
all under the custodial of our our town treasurer. Um, and you can see a list of all of our we have um our regular stabilization account. We have an affordable stabilization account. We have our constru sewer construction
stabilization account. There's also a new a new a school special education stabilization account. So, we have a couple of those stabilization accounts. Uh, library has several trust accounts. one will be uh John will be speaking about one when um after after myself and
then then cemetery has several trust accounts and then the last one that we that's under the trust account um is of course our oped um where that money is invested under the oped um and you can see how with the balance there and the
the money come we're doing again the re the rate of return on there is very good um got about uh two $2.6 million there of money coming in. Um then there's a $28 million balance in that account. So all the accounts there look good. I
don't have any issues. If you have any questions, I'll happy to answer them. 25 looks like it's going to be good. We'll see what happens moving forward into fiscal 26, but we'll end 25 strong
and we'll have a good free cash amount. For anyone have any questions, too? Okay. Can I can I ask a question actually? What's going on with um the Best Western? I'm just curious about the hotel the occupancy tax. what we kind of if we see any impact there because
that's a good chunk and I know that at one point it wasn't going to be funded anymore and might not be full and I I don't know what's going on. The governor has announced that she'll be be ending the sheltering program in hotels um this summer um probably by the end of this month. Yeah. And so that we expect that
that will result in a decline in our hotel rooms uh occupancy tax. Um, so what may help offset a little bit of that is that the um former Rison hotel is scheduled to open later this month. And then I would expect that probably
the the Best Western the former Best Western will probably be undergoing some renovations once once you know all the sheltering is completed and then hopefully they'll reopen uh you know in in the near future because not only is that vacant but as you know the former Moonstones in front of it which is all
one parcel is also vacant. So, we'll look to see what the property owner does at that site. But, yeah, we are we are cautious and uh and we're on the budget for the upcoming year about the room occupancy declining because of the end of the state sheltering program. Yeah.
Okay. Okay. Thank you. Thanks, Darlene. Okay. Next up, we have a report from our finance director, John Souza, an acceptance of and an an acceptance of bequest for the Chumsford Public Library for the estate of Angela Matthews.
Good evening, Madame Chair, members of the board, town manager Cohen. Tonight, I'd like to discuss a request for Chson Public Library. Um, for some background, library director Leslie Kimell contacted me uh back in late April after receiving a letter from attorney James Dangora uh
representing the estate of Angela Matthews. Attorney Dan Gor explained that uh Miss Matthews left a bequest of just over $13,65 in her will for our public library. And he requested that a release document be signed. So, we contacted
town council regarding this matter. We were advised that the process that we should follow is to ask the select board to vote to accept the bequest um from the from Miss Matthews and then authorize the board of library trustees to expend this gift in accordance with
its terms. And I just wanted to say um you know our public library greatly appre appreciates this generous donation. Um to facilitate this donation moving forward, I'd respectfully request that the board vote to accept the donation this evening. And I provided
some sample language for the motion. Okay. Does anyone have any questions? No. No. Okay, I'll take a motion. All right, I'll make a motion that the board votes to accept the request of $13,6543 from the estate of Angela
Matthews and authorize the board of library trustees to expend said gift in accordance with its terms. I'll second it. We have a motion and a second. All in favor? I I approved. Thank you. Thank you to the
the Matthews estate for the generous donation also. It's really nice. It's wonderful. Okay. Next on our agenda, we have select board approval of the new collective bargaining agreement with the library employees union. Yeah. Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the board. Um, as we
discussed in executive session at the end of your last meeting, the town has reached an agreement with the library union on a new collective bargaining agreement in advance of the uh commencement of the agreement which will start just under a month from now on July 1 of the upcoming fiscal year. U
very similar to the U three agreements that were uh approved at spring annual town meeting for the police department. This agreement with the library union covers the upcoming three fiscal years. Um and so the it um again moves us
forward there there in the brief summary of the memo of the agreement which I'll pull up on the screen. Basically there were some minor language changes. We asked our new library director and the union to go through um go through the um current agreement page by page, line by
line and they removed some you know basically extraneous language that was not material such as there was language in there referencing the library construction project which as we know has been quite some time since then. Um and um but more substantly there there
were um you know language regarding um you minor changes that a question come up about if a library had questions about working conditions it said it would be can can be discussed and we added the words with the library director even though it was sort of implied but again it was just sort of
good uh um tidiness in terms of the language. Um we did we did uh for example the union requested that we add language regarding the minimum staffing levels for the library which we're we're certainly agreeable to because we we couldn't foresee any time that the Adams
library be open without a department head uh and having the circulation and and children's and reference specialists and a custodian in the building. So we agreed to that. Um the on the issue of vacation leave uh we cleaned up language and and and actually slightly
accelerated vacation acral. How it was is currently under the current agreement is for the first five years of employment they get two weeks vacation and then upon hearing the fifth year they get they get an extra week. Uh and then the same thing happened um you know after the 10th year and then the 20th
year when you went you know three weeks and then the fourth week and so forth. So what we did is we just said,"Well, why don't we do this? Take out this extra one week bonus and we'll just accelerate your vacation by one year." So basically how it'll work now is for the first four years of employment, they'll get two weeks vacation. Starting with the fifth year, they'll get three
weeks. And the same thing with the 10th year, you would get the extra the extra week. Um, and then same thing on the 20th year, you get the 25 days. So it it eliminated this peculiarity uh of having a bonus week when you hit a
milestone. So again, it it served the effect of cleaning up language but also accelerating it. Um which was fine. Um and then it was a question about uh when they could use vacation for a new employee. Um right now you couldn't use
it until six months and we thought that was a bit harsh. So we we did it for 90 days which which is a little more reasonable. So, for example, we hired somebody, you know, this week they wouldn't be able to take vacation until the holidays. And it's just like, no, it's a bit harsh. You know, 3 months you
you're in a routine. That was fine. And then also the issue of vacation carryover. Um, right now we limit to five days of carryover and so we increase that to 10 days. Um, which again doesn't cost the town really anything. It will only it just because
it doesn't increase the cap. It just increase your carryover. The only time would infect a town any materially would be upon retirement that somebody could theoretically cash out with 10 days instead of five days. But you know that assumes somebody works till they retired in the library at that time. So again it wasn't didn't have a significant
material impact. Um and and then we another language thing we retitled the word from you know donation you know. So anyway the key part of the agreement is it's a three-year agreement. The wage schedule was increased by 3% for the upcoming fiscal year and three and a
quarter for the final two fiscal years. And then we increased the longevity schedule by $250 over the current level. So that it would read after 10 years when you've completed all the steps in the pay schedule instead of having 1500 you'd go to 1750 and then 250 for all the other levels upon the fiveyear
anniversaries. Um and then um basically the we obviously changed the duration late rate and date in the contract and so forth. Um and then again we added language that applications we submitted to the director and we added or the director's designate. So you can
see a lot of it was was you know working on the fringes but other parts were some such substantive. The important thing is the unions ratified the agreement. I'm asking you to ratify the agreement on behalf of the town. and then we'll bring it to town meeting for funding on the
23rd of this month. And I guess the big summary is it's a fair agreement. Uh it's in keeping with the town's financial condition, but it's also keeping with the market for comparable communities uh who employ librarians. So with that, I'll answer any questions
that you may have and and respectfully ask for your uh ratification of this subject to obviously the final step being town meeting having to fund the first year in accordance with state law. Anyone have any questions? Yeah, I notice they just have an appendix B that
basically list with everybody in the union. Are they going to continue doing that? Yeah, believe it or not, we we do that because it it avoids any misunderstandings. And you're right, we don't do that with all contracts, but it the library is a little different and
and meaning that they are the only union in the town that that represents part-time 15 hour and above employees. Uh, and then they also have pages and other. So, in order to avoid confusion about who's covered and who's not covered, the town has traditionally provided that schedule. Therefore, it's
real clear who's who's covered by the agreement. And it's worked. So, they didn't request that we eliminate it. Our feeling is is anytime you have specificity and clarity, it's a good thing in terms of what positions and who's covered and who's not covered. Um, and it's worked well. So, so if somebody
is hired during the term of this contract, are they added to this? Well, yeah, we can do an internal add it, but more more importantly, it's the position that we find, not the person. Okay. Yeah. Thank you. Anyone else? I'll take a motion then. Okay. I'll make
a motion that this um select board approves the agreement and authorize the town manager to enter into this said agreement um with the town of between the town of Chelmsford and the Chumsford Federation of Teachers Local
3569 American Fed Federation of Teachers Massachusetts and AFL CIO as presented. I'll second that. Okay, have a motion and a second. All those in favor? I I any none opposed? All set. Thank you.
Okay. Next, we have up the select board's recommendation on the June 23rd special town meeting warrant articles. Yes. And we're joined this evening um by Christine Clancy, our public works director. As the board may know, we have the five I know the board knows, but for those watching, we have a five article
special town meeting coming up on the 23rd of this month. Um the primary purpose of calling that town meeting was to advance in a timely manner the replacement of the South Elementary School partial roof replacement which is a project that we're going to receive over 50% reimbursement of eligible costs
from the Massachusett School Building Authority. The reason is that a special town meeting is the cost estimates and schematic design was not completed in a timely manner for spring annual town meeting. And the reason not to wait until the fall is we need to advance this to the state for formal approval
and action in order that we can bid it in a timely manner because obviously with the school roof project the the the optimal time and really practical time of doing this is in the summer and in order to hit that schedule we really need to be bidding it you know in November and we and doing it at town meeting wouldn't give enough of a
turnaround time for the state final approval and the procurement process. So that's why it's here and that's the real primary reason for the town meeting. In addition to that, there's four other articles. One having to deal with an elevator project for the high school,
McCarthy Middle School, and Westland's Community Center roof uh elevator replacements. Um Christine Clancy will present upon that. And then the third article is an article regarding the um perimeter survey for the uh restriction on the coolest property which is
required for to comply with the state law regarding a preservation restriction uh on the baseline survey for any uh open space land under the community preservation act. The fourth one is what we just spoke of was the library collective bargaining agreement. And
then the fifth one is approval of regulations for by the cemetery commission for private family mausoleiums. So with that as intro, I'm going to turn the podium over to Christine Clansancy, our public works director, who can give you the detailed presentation regarding the South Row Elementary School partial roof
replacement. So sorry my I'm losing my voice, so I apologize if I take a sip of water. Um, thank you. Good evening. So the first article, as town manager Cohen said, is the South Row roof roof replacement project. Um this is MSBA project. Uh what you see before you is
uh the aerial view of the Southro school. Um the hatched areas are part of this project area. So it is most of the school. Um the roof section that you see on the bottom of this of the slide is the white section that was installed in
20 um 20. Um and then also one there's a the modular unit roof section number five. um is estimated to have about 11 to 15 years of remaining life. As you I think we talked about this at great length last year. We're coming upon a time where we have a lot of roof replacements ahead of us. So, it's great
to have this as part of the MSBA program. Um we do an annual uh roof inspection across all of our school and town buildings and so that way we can try to plan for roof replacements. So, you know, look at work McCarthy, the school admin, this other projects. Um, but this is one of our largest current
projects and like it's great to be able to be part of the MSBA program. Um, so these sections highlighted here or h in the hatched areas are noted in our annual report as sections 2, three and four. Um, and I will get into greater
detail as to the the um scope of the work. So next slide please. So those sections um as presented uh have reached their end of their useful life. um 26 years, 33 years to be eligible for the MSBA. The overall
estimated cost of this is quite substantial. Uh the amount that we are requesting at this special town meeting is exactly just over $4.5 million. um significant amount of money and I think honestly first when we looked at this we were how how can this how how do you
work into this number $4.5 million um because when we looking at if you carry about you know $35 $45 a square foot um and this whole roof section is about $38,000 square ft you're closer to like the 1 to2 million um what here is and I
I wanted to show this cross-section I think it's important to show um this cross-section sorry I have my slide I just jumped. Um, is that the existing roof structure is a is a builtup roof and it is composed of two roof sections. I just I thought it was important to
show it here because when we remove the roof, we're not just removing we're not going over the existing roof. Um, we're removing two sections of roof down to the steel decking. Um, it is a built-up roof system. So, this was the original decking installed in the '60s. Above
that there was a cold tar pitch builtup roof and that is still intact from the 60s. And then above that is a tapered um poly cyanide insulation. And then above that is the perlite insulation adhered with asphalt. Um this is all embedded
into the steel decking. Above that is the asphalt builtup roof. So this top piece was probably installed about 20 26 years ago. Um and then on top of that is the aggregate. So all this has to come down. And when you also remove that cold tar pitch, sometimes it comes up quite
difficult. Um, so it might have to also do some patching of the steel decking. Um, this was all as part of the schematic design. So we've done test cuts, so we're pretty confident in that we see this cross-section that was part of the investigations that led us to this $4.5 million estimate. Um, see if
anything. So this whole this is a picture of the roof. Um, so scope work removal removal of two roof systems. with that. We did the um cross-section, we did some testing. There is some abatement um as part of that work. So, that is also included in the cost
estimate. Um we have solar panels on this roof. All of our schools have solar panels or just about all of them. And with those solar panels, they're 10 years old. We still have 10 years left of these solar panels, but solar panels today are much more efficient than what they were 10 years ago. And the idea of
taking the solar panels off of the roof and putting them back on. Um the thought was could we put on and I know it was discussed before um I think on some of the other roof projects is is it worth buying new solar panels. Um what MSBA will pay for is the cost to remove the
solar panels and put them back on. They will not pay for the purchase of the new solar panels. We're estimating about $200 $300,000 to buy those new solar panels and I it will so that is included in our estimated cost. It is an ineligible expense. Um but it is
something that you're putting new panels on a new roof so that we don't have to in 10 years go on this roof and start ripping off panels and you know putting um putting new panels on which could you know potentially compromise the the integrity of that roof in 10 years. So
isn't so it's $300,000 for to for new solar panels. That's we're still working. So I think we've Isn't the cost to remove them and put them back on like $300,000. So I have the exact breakouts will pay for it. Yeah. So we we actually broke it
out. The install I think is 150 to 200 if I'm remember correct. I have it right in front of me. And then we have a placeholder for I think we have right here. Let's see. exact amount. We broke it out purposely so
that MSBA would would remove that expense. The exact amount is I want to say just looking on this I think it's about 250. It's either 250 or $300,000 where we ended up in that. Yeah, I think it was like I
specifically remember it because I was like, "Oh jeez, with the install and the replacement, you're close to $500,000." So the install 150 200 because there's also contingencies that roll up into this and about 250 is ineligible. So I can confirm the exact number, but and
and there's contingencies, so it's hard to pull the exact number right here, but it's about h half like 40 6050. um the in the removal and the reset would be eligible the purchase the new P and also with that is the um the panels
there are 800 panels on there right now and um which also is stressing the decking just slightly. So it would be great to be able to relieve that that stress on the decking. So the proposal is to remove 800 panels and put back 500 panels. But those 500 panels are more
efficient than the existing panels. So we'll still receive the same um you know the same solar um you know solar uh receive the same energy um with that. So that is included in the cost. Um also
with the MSBA if you do hit a certain threshold of the cost of the project and the assessed value of the school which is a 30% um and we do because it's assessed at uh just over $10 million um we do have to do some ADA um ADA
improvements. So, in the initial assessment, the front does have some ADA improvements that are necessary and also one of the restrooms, the faculty restrooms off um off to uh towards the cafeteria needs to be upgraded. So, that's about $350,000 too that's been
worked into this cost estimate. Um and then just other all the HVAC, we're not proposing to replace it. HBAC, the electrical, those are more just a remove and re reset. um drainage, you know, if they have to do some drainage um in the immediate, but there's no plans to, you
know, it's also kind of just reconnecting the drainage um that exists as the roofing. So, that is the overall scope. Primarily, the cost is really that second. It's really you're removing two roofs. Um we going back with on this. So, it is
sorry uh PVC. So, we're going back with the PV. So, it is white. So, it will match what you see here in the front. And are we doing anything special with the panels to gain some of that reflection of the white roof or there's nothing proposed right now to gain that?
No. Um I guess we also haven't we're only at schematics so it's something we we are going to try to maximize it but we haven't looked at seeing how we can maximize that yet. Right now we're just putting in based on the cost for new panels. So we'll we can look at that. I mean, they are proposed to be balanced
or put back in um less panels. Um I mean, we'll definitely try to maximize. Okay. I just want I I happen to know that they make panels that you get the reflective. You can get the reflective off the white roof as well as the sun reflection that gives you some
additional power. Yeah, we can look into that. That would be worth looking into it to see. Um because we do have some solar panels on some white PVC roof, too. So I can see we can look at but that's a good idea to look into it to maximize that if we can if we can afford it. Um what do we do with all the old
panels? Is there So that came up I know last specially have to do or um I mean so the one question that came up is could we resell them and there's still 10 years left on them. So potentially some type of resale. Um so right now we're just removing I mean we we haven't
figured out exactly what to do. We're not putting him back on the roof. We probably wouldn't want would not want to put him on another roof. Um so hopefully we can sell them is is potentially you know is there some credit from by or or some credit by selling it. Um worst case
would have to be disposal but I hope we find some opportunity to if someone wanted them um to sell them whether it be municip that was the that was brought up last week at the finance committee too. So our our current plan is to um
see if there's any resale value um with that cost. So, anything over 1 point um $1.5 million for procurement is required to have OPM. So, that's also included in the um project. This includes the construction cost. Also, we
are allowed to carry a 5% conter contingency cost. So, that's also included in this number. Um and this number, this $4.5 million is important because that number is presented as part of this MASBA process and really locked in. So if when we advance towards
design, if that number is above 4.5, we own those costs. So that's why we wanted to make sure that we could put um cons enough conservative costs into the the cost estimate. Um and we're capped at only a 5% contingency for the owner. Um and then with the
reimbursement, MSBA uh is 52.26% um of the eligible items. It works out to be about uh estimated $2.1 million because I said there's some ineligible items really the solar panels in the general there's a a calculation
they do and take some of the general condition related work general conditions as it relates to those solar panels out of that eligible cost. So $2.1 million is anticipated to come back to the town. And as manager Cohen said this is
planned for summer 2026. So goal goal would be to bid this this fall and have us lined up to begin uh as as soon as school gets out next summer. But we are talking about does it make sense to remove the solar panels earlier um you know like spring. So that's something we're still looking at to see if there's
any benefit to for the project when we start to look into potential construction timelines. Are there any questions on this project? And the finance committee unanimously recommended this with five members present, two absent.
Do you want to do these one at a time tonight or do you want I think so. Yeah, we do it while while it's fresh and the people are here. Sure. Okay. Ready for a motion? Sure. I'm ready for a motion. Thank you. Unless Yeah. Nobody has anything else. No. Okay. Sure.
Um, I'll make a motion that uh the board approves the town to appropriate um well approves the um South Row Elementary School partial roof replacement as presented. I'll second.
I got a motion and a second. All those in favor? I thank you. So article two two is a request for additional funding for the school elevator project. Similar to the roofs,
we do have a lot of elevator projects upon us. We have some school schools these this is the school elevators and we also have town elevators. Um so just to give a little bit of a history of this going back to 2022 we had a study performed by elevator engineering that
performed an assessment of um school elevators and through that they made some recommendations and I will get into that in a couple slides. Um, from those recommendations, we recommended through FY24 capital $325,000 for the community ed building um for elevator elevator replacement
work and $480,000 for replacement work at the CHS elevator. Um, also for FY25, we with from that same recommendation, we appropriated $325,000 for the McCarthy elevator. Um, all of these were
appropriated very close together. Um and so we decided last last summer, last fall to put together one project. So we had to procure the designer services that went out as RFP. Um and that was that was issued was October or November last year to BLW engineers. So it's one
project the three schools the CHS. So from the elev associated um elevator so elevated engineering report um this is what their assessment this from their study was in 2022. The CHS elevator is 50 years old three floors. They recommended a buried
hydraulic cylinder that should be considered for replacement being buried often is um can become deteriorated. So they recommended that be replaced and they had indicated all of the major components are beyond their useful life. the McCarthy and Community Education
Elevator. Um the essentially they're the same elevator, very similar, 35 years old, two floors. There's one additional stop at Kameed. And the the comment made in that assessment was overall in good condition, but with dated components. And because they're dated components,
they recommended some replacement um of the elevators. Also, they noted the buried hydraulic cylinder um that could should be considered for replacement and replacement of the car and hall buttons in the controller components. So, with that information,
with the appropriated funded um funding, we you know, this past wter, we contracted with BLW engineers um and they did a very detailed assessment. I have it right here. a very detailed report looking at um all they looking at all three elevators to see what was
recommended for replacement also looking at the the stretch code to see what was necessary for um replacement um or upgrades and then with that you know building the schematic design the plan is to then build their next steps will be DD and then we'll be looking toward
for construction um the goal is to have this constructed next summer just given the lead times and that's also why we're here tonight is because we were looking at could this be a town meeting in the fall? Um there's significant lead times on elevators. So the goal would be to get this procured this
summer. Um so with that detailed assessment um that was completed by BLWS, they recommended this is their recommendation extensive replacements recommended at each location essentially relocating all control mechanical, electrical and cab components.
additional electrical infrastructure upgrades at the elevators for are required to make those upgrades. Also, there was some additional code requirements that they had noted. Um the code requires that the mechanical room be heated and cooled and they are not right now. So, that is something that we
would have to to do to bring it up to code for both for all three um elevators. And I'll get into the cost in the next slides, but also with a recommendation of exceeding $ 1.5 million, now we have to bring on an owner's project manager and that is
required by mass state uh mass procurement uh requirements. So that's also been factored into this budget request. And then also just looking at the overall cost, there's other just industry escalation I think that we're seeing. when I was putting together the costs and the capital requests um other
neighboring towns for two floor elevators were budgeting about the same that we had. So I think there's also industry um cost associated with some of these this request. So next slide please. So this is the the estimate that
was from the BLW report. This is the estimate that they built in. This is the estimate that they came up with with a 30% schematic design and after their very detailed assessment. So what they came up with is the Chelford High School elevator is 565,000, the community education
elevator 570, the McCarthy Middle School elevator 545. It's very similar cost spread out among the amongst the three, but different from the the previous um estimates that were provided in 2022. That brings it to $1.68 million. Um,
here we're factoring in an estimate uh $75,000 for an owner's project manager, an owner's contingency. Um, and then that brings a subtotal subtotal to $1.83 million. The original funded through FY24 and FY25 capital is 1.13. So that
net um that that net funding that we need is the $700,000. And that is this warrant article request. And this breaks it down a little bit further to show the um each elevator comp the components of the replacements
of each elevator. And then on the right, it was the original amount that was budgeted or recommended from um the study performed by elevator engineering. So for the Chelford High School elevator, um the conveying systems 345, the general construction conditions
estimated 70,000. Mechanical upgrades, we talked about the heating and cooling in each room 50,000. the electrical system upgrades required 60,000 and then the design which is that design's already funded that's the design we're moving forward to $40,000 so 565
comparing that to the uh 2022 it was essentially re for pure elevator replacements it was $120,000 recommended by in our uh the study performed and we had carried $480,000 to factor in design owners contingency and other general
constructions components Um, and moving further down, community edi breakdown comes out to 5 $570,000. Um, and both community ed and McCarthy in the 2022 assessment had very
similar um replacement replacement recommendations, also cost recommendations. So, 177 $17,000 recommended for pure elevator upgrades. Um, and we had a overall construction budget of
$325,000. Um, so that it's it's I guess really the evolution of how we went from a study 2022 and then when we redid the a further study also bringing the code compi code requirements with the necessary electrical mechanical um those
costs really escalated and that's why we're here here tonight in for a special town meeting to ask for the additional $700,000. Um, are there any questions? Christine, I have a a couple and depending on the answers, I can probably
keep them brief, but is there a general Just remind me if you've said it before, is there a general life on elevators? I know usage probably drives that, but usage does drive it. So, I mean, we have one that's 50 years old and 35. So, I think we start to look at I mean, 35 50
years, I would say, is what we're I mean, we still have some that are 50, but typically we start to look at replacements. we get to 30 35 years and and so we're really at this is not just the any maintenance delayed or deferred. This is truly we're at end of life
regardless. We're so we're at end of life. There's I mean fortunately these have not broken down or anything and that's why I think the 2020 report was saying that in good condition for for two of them at least because there wasn't in a history of breakdowns but there were older components and these being in schools that you really have to
have that redundancy especially at the McCarthy and the community eds because there's no other redundancy. I'm good then. Thanks. Thank you. Yeah I have one question Christine. How often do the codes change for these? So when codes are updated annually but we
went back to look at the specific so first thing I thought was okay stretch code recently changed so it must have been a very recent code change that specific code change for the venting spaces I think it was 2018 or 19 it just wasn't noted the no one really when the study was done it wasn't looking at the
in-depth electrical mechanical it was just looking at the elevator components um so it could change I mean every year there's always some updates but that change was going back a few years ago so You're confident that the new ones will meet any upcoming changes? Yeah, I
mean yes. Well, no, it's impossible. I mean, we just up adopted the stretch code, so I don't see any significant other I mean, I guess a code could code changed, but right, we're designing right now based on the current code right now and that and that's what the engineers look BLW is looking at is the detail looking at the current code.
There's also was a a venting component um as well that we're um vent the vent where we're venting. So that's look looking through the entire code. Thank you. Anyone else have anything? Finance
committee recommended five to zero with two absent on this article. Okay. Nobody has anything. I'll take a motion. I'll make a motion that the select board recommend approval of article two at town meeting as
presented. I'll second that. A motion. A second. All those in favor? I. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Christine. Thanks, Christine. Right. They get a lot of they get a lot easier at this point. Article three is
as I mentioned at the outset is for the perimeter survey for the coolest farm property, open space property. Um, this, as I mentioned, this is required as part of the baseline survey to in order to place a deed restriction on the open space land. Why this is expensive is is
that it's four separate parcels totaling 41.91 acres and it also the work will also include the staking of the property lines. Um here's the GIS version of those four parcels. You can see there two on each side of Interstate 495, one
being the main parcel. Um which obviously it's not, you know, like most it's not a straight border. Um and so they have to go out there and we can't rely on GIS mapping and so forth and and so we have to do as we've done in previous open space lands conduct the
perimeter survey that gets submitted to the survey uh conservation restriction holder and then gets recorded and then it's used for future years followup for the property. Um this does not pertain to the use of the property. It's just that no matter how the property is used, you have to have a perimeter survey. So
that's what's requested under this article. And what happened was the working with the conservation commission they obtained a few cost estimates and the at the lowest responsible cost estimate was 336 and that's the request under this article and again as I've said earlier
um on other articles finance committee's recommendation on this article was also five to zero with two members absent. We have questions. Well, this gets done on any type of open space that we purchase, right? This is normal under under the community preservation act
because the state requires it as part of the condition and we have to have the restriction held by a third party. Yes. Okay. I'll take a motion. Okay. Okay. I'll make a motion that um this board votes to
um recommend approval of article three as presented. I'll second that. A motion in a second. All those in favor? I Okay. Art. Thank you. Article four is the library collective bargaining agreement. Uh as you just voted earlier
this evening, it's the three the uh three-year uh bargaining agreement. Um, and what what happened is when the agreement was finalized, the library director, Leslie Kimell, worked with the town accountant, Darlene Lucier, and as kind of Pat noted, you got to go through employee by employee to cost this out
the first year. And that total sums up to $55,388. Uh, and also, finance committee unanimously recommended this as well, five to zero with two members absent. Any questions? Well, I'll take a motion.
I'll make a motion that uh this board recommend approval of article 4 um as presented. I'll second that. A motion and a second. All those in favor? Thank you. The final article is article five, regulations for private family
mausoleums. And I I put this as the final article because not only was the last one submitted, we thought it was pretty ministerial that state law requires the uh board of cemetery commissioners to obtain town meeting approval um for cemetery regulations and in this case for private family
mausoleums at burial grounds. And so what what I provided to the finance committee and provided to you and what will be a Friday of the town meeting is we'll put in the final version of the cemetery commissioners regulations so that way they have them distributed uh at the meeting and we'll put them
online. Just so everyone knows this is and of course Jeff knows but this is a private family mausoleum because what's a mausoleum? As you can see, it's an above ground structure. And fortunately, we have not only Jeff's expertise in the room this evening, we have our cemetery director, David Bohill, and we have a
cemetery commissioner, Nancy Souer, in the room this evening. Um, this is what is, you know, is um is being advanced as regulations for private family mausoleums. And as you've seen the regulations, they go on for a few pages. Um, and they cover things such as your
lot size being a minimum of 400 square feet with three-foot setbacks. uh design has to be approved by the cemetery superintendent. The landscaping would have to be returned to its pre-existing condition. They much like any other cemetery uh investment or
placement of monument you have to have a 10% perpetual care agreement in this case 10% of the mausoleum construction costs and for intunements and interments only one casket inside each crypt of the mausoleum structure. Um so that's what
we're dealing with. I don't know the the there's anything need to add David or Nancy in terms of there you know there there there were some questions at the finance committee the finance committee approved it by two members absent one abstaining three in
favor one opposed and I and and they had questions like well what about the height of these is there regulation on height and what about adornments on it and so forth and so that's why we asked Nancy and uh and and David to come this evening if there are any concerns that the board had or to address concerns on
this article. Um, who has control over the aesthetic and size? The Yeah, cemetery commissioners and through their superintendent and that's how it's specified in the regulations. Again, we're not the first cemetery to do mausoleum. So, this is No, we've had
this request for a couple of years now. Exactly. Go ahead. Good evening, Dave. Yeah. So, so basically, um, I've had a I've had a few requests for the for the ability to put up mausoleiums. When we re when we developed the area in the
back of Pine Ridge now, um, I set up a specific area for mausoleum lots. They're all they're already marked. They are all, um, mapped and they have specific sizes to them. So, um, obviously the minimum
is the 400 400 square feet. It goes up to like 450 square feet. So, as far as the sizing, um, the width, the depth, they're they're set they're so to speak set in
stone. Um, as far as the height, we will we will come up with um a the minimum maximum height, we'll come up with a uh, you know, probably within 6 in. That's the way we do our MOS, that's the way we do our monuments. you basically have,
you know, between anywhere from uh three foot plus or minus a couple inches. So, that's what we'll do for the mausoleiums, too. Uh again, it'll be myself, the commission, we'll review the we'll review the the drawings and so forth and approve it based on that. Uh it'll be a
maximum of two like you see there. Uh, as far as um the cost of them, they can be anywhere from 75,000 up to 150. It it's as high as the people want to go
basically. Um, and like Paul mentioned, 10% of that would go towards into a perpetual care fund. So down the line, if there's ever any, you know, ever if there's any upkeep that we need to do, we have it. We have the funds to take care of that.
So, I have a question. You you said that that you're planning now on having these in a new part of the cemetery. Yes. Would they be all separated from like a traditional there? So, they're actually not when you look at the lot when you look at the plan of Pine Ridge, they um it's actually technically section O and
there are two grave lots that go right up to that area. There's some separation with some maple trees. Um the plan is we'll do some specific landscaping in that area to kind of show off that area as far as we'll do some um arrivites and so forth. And it
it's a like the niche walls I have. It's a it's not a huge area. So it needs to be I like things neat, clean, you know, no mess, anything like that. So, I mean, that's basically
what we're, you know, what I'm looking just like you see there. You know, you can do some you could you could do some um you know, flowers or anything like that. As far as the uh questions in regard to statues and so forth, it is specific in the rules and regs right
here um that the only other the only other structure I mean the only other monument or memorial that'd be allowed would be the uh a flush 2x1 marker. And that's if there was a cremation burial in that lot. So, and as far as the cost
and so forth, we're not building anything. All I'm doing is selling the lot. That we're selling the lot and then, you know, the family will incur all the costs. So, and basically the cemetery won't be doing any part of it. We'll be monitoring it, but not we're
not going to have any part of the building of it. We're not going to allow for that monstrosity like they have in conquered now, are we? No, no, no. That's that's that's what I don't want. Exactly.
So, how were the names placed on on So, the names can be just for this for this particular one here, the names can be etched on the on the black granite there. Okay. The uh last name could be put up on the roof there and the specific names on the black.
Um, so I mean it's all up to the it's just like any family going into the monument. You know, they they design their own monument. Once they sign off on it, the monument company sends it to me. I approve it and approve it or disapprove it. So, but obviously
something like this, this will be a cemetery commission decision. They could also adhere bronze plaques to it like we do with the niches. Wait, so is it a is it a commission decision or a superintendent comm decision? Well, it'd be joint. Yeah, I
mean what I would do I mean I have there's enough there's I think there's all total I have 15 15 uh muslin lots. So and and like I said, I've had maybe a half dozen people inquire about it. So,
um, but that's all you have. That's all the inventory. Yeah. That's all I have, you know. Yeah. Oh, yeah. So, there isn't going to be a never- ending No. chain of No. No. This is going to be It's a smaller, like I said, it's a it's not smaller, but it's a it's a compact area where they're going to go. Um,
and and what's the maximum number in each? Two or four? Yes. Two. Two. Two. Okay. Two. But you'll be able to also do an earnment. Mhm. So, and then like I said with the with the lots here, some of the lots are 20 by 20, some of the
lots are 20 by 22 to maximize to maximize space. Like I said, we'll offer cremation interament there also ground burial. So, use every drop of space I can
use. And so if there's a design that that you just don't approve of for I'm sure sound reasons, um kind of you and the the commission of the final authority on that. If somebody doesn't like your answer, it's it is what it is, right? It is
basically like I said, we we will come up with a height with with a height. I that's the only thing I didn't have in there. I'll come up with a height and um it'll be a plus or minus 6 inches or so. And uh from there that's what it Yeah, that's what
it'll be. Conquered recently allowed what about three eye is that one? I think so. Yeah, it's huge. Yeah, it's not. We just don't have the space for that. It's not something we want to see. No. No. So, can I just ask on the the article?
It's So, we're voting to approve regulations made by the board of cemetery commissioners. So are they are they is it a cemetery reg is it a zoning regulation? No, it's a cemetery commission regulation. Cemetery commission state law state law requires a cemetery regulation to be approved by
town meeting. Okay. So is this I mean is this the actual language of the regulation or it's yet to be drafted? No, it's the draft is there. It's multiple pages. Uh and again they're going to amend it to the add the Yeah, they're going to add the they're going to add the height restriction on it. So
we'll we'll circulate that. Okay. I was looking for like regulatory verbiage here and I'm not seeing it. Okay. Yeah, we'll post that in advance of the meeting. Okay. Okay. Does anyone have any other questions, comments?
Okay. I'll take a motion. Okay. I'll make a motion that this board recommend approval of article 5 uh as presented. I'll second that. And a motion and a second. All those in favor? I Thank you. Thank you. Thank
you. Um, okay. Next up, we have um Paul, we don't have Do we have anything on the agenda that anybody in the audience needs to Okay, I know of. Okay. So, then we'll just go. I just didn't know if there was anything that I should maybe take out of order before we go down our
very specific list here. Um so next up we have establishing the select board and town manager fiscal year 2026 goals. Yeah based upon the discussion at your meeting last meeting I took the 25 fiscal year goals and then updated them
to what I understood the discussion to be uh at your meeting last week. So I don't know this you know hopefully I captured accurately what you were looking for. And then once once you adopt them, then I'll distribute them to department heads and then we'll come in with quarterly
reports on these goals. I notice there's a few in there and I think I've mentioned this before that seem to be just part of your regular day-to-day um responsibilities um maybe like grant opportunities and legislative funding. I mean we do those all the time. I mean do they really need to be
an actual goal? It's up to you. I mean I don't mind reporting that that to me I'm always looking at the reporting mode. Does the board want me to long report on a quarterly list? Anyway, I feel like we have this convers this conversation comes up every year though where you're like, "What is actually does it belong on a goals list or is it just actually
part of your job description?" I guess at this point, yeah, whatever the board's preference is, it's fine. I mean, I guess we can leave it on here. I think we can probably just leave it on here as a as a shout out to its importance, I guess, given our
budgetary concerns, right? To always be looking for that stuff. I don't I'm okay with leaving it on there if nobody minds. I have no sense either way. I'm fine to take some because some of them really are just go to daily job description.
Yeah, I mean I'm going to come in with collective bargaining whether it's a goal or not because I've got to bring and likewise, you know, if you get a particular grant, right? We're going to report it. Report it, you know. So, so are there any ones in particular that you guys think we could knock off of? Those were two I would say, right? You
know, the grant on the first section, the grant opportunities and legislative funding. I mean we talk to the legislators twice a year and Paul is always in touch with them about I don't even where are you seeing the first one under the fiscal management and visibility number oh yeah I'm sorry I
was looking at the end okay yeah collective bargaining seems right even well collective bargaining I mean there's nothing special about it we think we have to do it yeah yeah I don't know that that's a goal that's more of a yeah
right so there's three okay we can pull those three out. Yep. So, we can mix collective bargaining. Sorry, before we start just taking things off cuz I understand where you guys are going with it. Um, but there are, you know, I
I supported all the discussion the other day and, you know, I didn't come in here tonight with any, you know, major thoughts on this particular list because it kind of captured that. Um, but, you know, I I think yes, legislative funding opportunities is part of Paul's
day-to-day job. But I don't want it to just be part of his day-to-day job that he just does and now we don't get to be a part or hearing of the discussion. So if there's a different way to to make sure we're getting the report out on that, then that's fine. We get a report every every
week on and almost anything that that happens in that regard. Yeah. So, you know, like I said, if a grant opportunity is there and Paul seizes it and executes it, then he's going to come report it to us and say that you got a grant just like uh any of the other items, legislative funding
opportunities, you know, our time is probably limited on that. But, you know, um you know, we take part in that and then, you know, um Paul kind of guides us. Well, the 40B safe haven, I mean, if we hit that, OB, that's a fluid situation that would probably come back to us. And if it does, then obviously
we'd have to be updated, right? That would be one. Yeah. Well, that Yeah, that one's done because it it'll stay till the next under the current rules and right till the next federal census in 20. You won't have to deal with that till 2032. So, yeah, we could pull that one off if you wanted to because we attain that. Should we just start at the
beginning and walk through these perhaps? Sure. Do we want to just go down the list and anybody want to just call out if they if they think it's one that we could possibly remove or expand upon here? So, early notification of financial issues. I think since that is, you know, pretty
critical over the next couple of years, leave it as a priority. Yeah, because some of these are priorities, right? Goals, priorities. Okay. So, I think I'm good with that. Uh fee structure evaluation. We just did that, but are we going to do it again? Well, yeah, we
leave that on here again. I think you have to um grant opportunities, like I said, I feel like that kind of goes on in line with the free structure of like looking for for income opportunities, right? I mean, as a priority, I know you're already doing it. Every we're
already doing it, but to kind of prioritize it, I wouldn't mind leaving it on there. The grant opportunities. Yeah. I have no sense either way. Um, legislative funding
opportunities. We leave that one on there. If we're just going to leave everything on there, why don't we just leave everything on there? I mean, it's the same vein. We're looking We're going to look everywhere for money. Marijuana and other revenue options, the same. Operational saving options, it's the same. Yeah. So, if I was Paul and I was
looking at this list, it is a little daunting, right? Because there's a lot of TM next. So I I guess yes this cap this Paul this captured everything I think we all said. Yeah. So is there anything on here that you're like this is part of my day-to-day job. I'm going to report out on it anyways. This
document isn't necessarily a place to call it out. So I feel like collective bargaining jumps out at me. But other than that Yeah. Yeah. I mean we could scrap the collective bargaining. I mean it's going to happen. you know, I'll be reporting
to you as as necessary anyway, right? But we can scrap that one out, you know, but if that's the same with these other ones, like Pat was saying, for legislative funding opportunities, I assume you're doing that dayto day and as long as we're going to be, you know,
as long as you're going to report out on it, then I would agree it's taking up a line item. But well, some of it I need your input on like when we do the earmarks, they come to you and say, "What should we be asking the delegation for?" Um, you know, so it's and most of the department heads are
very good at the grant opportunities. I mean, somebody like Gary Ryan is constantly searching stuff, the police chief and and those guys. So, I mean, it's it's it's not just Paul, it's Paul, the reporting mechanism, I guess. So, uh, but it's just part of daily. I mean,
it's always been part of what we've done for 25 years, as long as I've been involved. It is something that we do, but I do think there's always more opportunity there and having it on a goal list keeps it at the top of people's minds to some extent that looking for more opportunities for those
grants and more opportunities for funding opport is a priority. Wouldn't that kind of be rolled into revenue options, you know, just a little bit further down there? I mean, because that's what it is, right? Yeah.
Marijuana and other revenue options. Yeah. I mean, yeah, maybe that should be just more generic to just one line revenue options. Revenue options. Yeah. Okay. Because you have operational savings. So, you know, when you don't have anything specific there. Yeah. Still be
nice to get a report at the end of the year when all the other talents are raking in the past fiscal year or two. Yeah, it's nice to see that. Yeah, I'd like to see that. So, so we all agree though collective should do we think collective bargaining can come off because that's more of like
an operational Yeah. Okay. So, let's let's I'm fine with wrapping those three into something more generic too. Okay. If that's was still on the table. I mean that's Yeah. The legislative stuff is revenue options too, right? Yeah. Yep. There you go. Yeah. It could
just be revenue options, grant options, legislative options. I mean that's all going in revenue. Yep. That covers it. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. You okay with that? Yep. That's okay. So is it it's going to be grant legislative
comma and other revenue options or just explore just other revenue. Okay. Re revenue option. Okay. All right. We'll do that. Okay. Wait. So which which ones would you like to roll into other revenue options?
marijuana legislative funding grant opportunities. Yeah. So they just become revenue options. What about free V structure evaluation? I mean then you're these are all about generating revenue. So
I think fees are pretty specific. We go line by line on those. So and that's almost a project in itself when the time comes. So, so we leave that one separate. Yeah, I mean that's Yeah, it's really done a little bit differently by, you know, comparing what other communities do and what we can and
we leave operational saving options as a separate line and we just roll in grant opportunities, legislative funding opportunities and other revenue options as a line. Correct. Okay. So, those three it's just going to be called other revenue options. Okay. Additional revenue options. Additional additional revenue options. Okay. Yeah. or grant.
You could even call you could even leave it in there and say grant funding and other revenue options or whatever, right? If you want to leave it a little bit more specific, but also leave it open for other revenue options, but then it's one line item so it's not Yeah. It shortens your Yeah. Okay. So that every
doesn't have to be put on all all those things, just the ones that have changed. Yes. Yeah. I like that. Everybody good with that? Yep. Okay. So, under sewer, storm water, drainage water, is there anything here that anybody Well, the first one we we get that
report every that's the one we get every month. Correct. Yeah, we need to keep that. I mean, and it's that's flow. We may be we maybe continue to look at other ways to do reductions in terms of you know the pilot program
that we offered in terms of the connection to the storm saint drain and so forth. So hopefully it goes beyond just reporting. I'm good with this. Yeah, I think each one is important to leave it.
Okay. Um, under infrastructure. I think that's it's pretty good. Yep. I mean, roads, sidewalks, construction, and planning, that's always going on, too. But I guess that's kind of a that's when we get the most calls. Yeah. So, it's got it's a priority. because we want visibility on that. Yeah. I was
wondering, you know, when we start talking about them, if we could have a more comprehensive, I guess you could say, report about when a uh a road is going to be done, not just one or two years out, but five or 10 because people always wonder. I know it's the problem is they change. I know they change, but
and then people will be pulling old ones and be confused and say road was on drive was on for this year, but because it had deteriorated, it got pulled and it's going to be a total reclaim a year from now. And that's where it gets because you really, you know, it doesn't they don't weather the same target.
Yeah. And budgets get pulled back. That's a moving target. Exactly. Yeah. Well, anyway, we can talk about that. Okay. So, we'll leave that. Um, what about town government focus [Applause] areas traffic with all those
This looks good to This looks good to me. Y traffic it would be under infrastructure or town government focus areas. I don't know. I guess but often times they're not infrastructure solutions. They're they could be signage. They could be you know those
type of matters. So that's that's really the traffic safety it's really a traffic safety committee you know coming periodically when needed. I'm okay with these if you guys if everyone else is. Okay. Um board and committee initiatives. Like I said, I think we can scrap the
chapter 40B safe haven because we're there as we officially we officially got there. So I think we can Yeah, we can pull that one out. Um yeah, that's great. Um, everything else. Well, does the pet cemetery belong here? I didn't know
where else to put it. Yeah. Yeah. All right. It's kind of a I didn't Okay. Yeah. And what about the ADU's planning board? I mean, we just wanted to see the reason to see is because it's another board and that's why it's board and committee initiatives. It's the idea was it's a is
to periodically review the impact in terms of what are we getting for ADUs? Does the bylaw working? to be changed and altered. So that was why we we got it there on ADUs and housing. Yeah. I think at least for this year to see what what effect it does have. And then so there's no real goal here. But it's
oversight. It's oversight and monitoring. Monitoring. Yeah. Yeah. Just like the like the open space. Yeah. Because the open space um has already been submitted and it's been approved. So it's just
implementation now. So I'm okay. Other than the 40B safe haven that we can take off, I'm okay with everything else. Anybody? There's no reason that would change, right? They'll do a housing count at 20 unless the state changes the rules. The current
rules, it only gets updated every 10 years. So shouldn't change until 2030. They'll do the census in 2030. They won't get the data till 2032. You probably won't see it effect till 2033. And I don't and I don't think once something
is under a 40B for the most part they don't change ever. Right. No, they perpetual. Yeah, they're they're some of the older ones did have an expiration date, but not not in the next. So, we don't have to worry about falling out compliance is my
point. No. Okay. Uh strategic plan. That one seems pretty straightforward. Yep. Yeah. process improvements. Anybody good? Uh policy updates minutes policy.
Yeah, these are all new. So, yeah. Yeah. Okay. Some of some of the the timing on them, you know, maybe. You know, I remember the town accountant hiring process mentioned that since since we have the town council and town manager, I figured since those are the
three major people that makes sense and it's it should be pretty easy. I should just so that we have all three. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Okay. Um volunteer appreciation. Those are good. And does anybody have the charter update?
I'm good. This looks okay to me. Has anything else? When is the next um scheduled time for a charter review? It's every seven years. I think it's 27. Yeah, we have a couple more years. Yeah. All right. You can do it anytime. That's
okay. No, I mean you can you can submit a charter up a charter change anytime, but the study committee is every seven years. Yeah. Now, do we want to vote to adapt these tonight as as amended? Yeah. Okay, if everybody's cool, we can I'll
take a motion. Okay, I'll make a motion that this board approves and accepts the um fiscal year 26 select board town manager goals um as amended and presented. I'll second that. A motion
and a second. All those in favor? I. Next up, we have discussion topics for upcoming meeting with the town state legislative delegation. Yeah, man. We we originally were scheduled to have the delegation meeting Senator Barrett, Representative Aiierro, Elliot, and uh
Catalo this evening that they weren't able to do that because of conflict. So I've asked them to come in two weeks from tonight. Um but when I spoke to Representative Elliot and Representative Catalo, I think we saw them at the um Memorial Day observance, they said, "Well, could you give us some of the
topics?" And I said, "Okay." And so when I thought more about it, the the most recent correspondence we had which was dated in February um which was dated to all them was sort of the um came from the this the select board at the time it basically pertain to the municipal empowerment act. Um some of them have
been addressed such as the co era meeting guidelines but I thought this would sort of be this departure point in terms of what you know what would we want to discuss with the delegation when we see them on their every six-month visit. So that's why I put this letter in in your packet. Um because I think
some of them are still concerns, you know, elderly exemptions for, you know, property taxes. Um you know, um didn't we do something about that at time or not? I know we did the veterans one. We did the veterans one, but there is they they haven't sort of enhanced there's been talk about it,
but they haven't enhanced for for elderly exemptions. Okay. Um, you know, like you said, the first one's already been done. Yeah. So, and the first one's already been done. And the coal increases for veterans with
for veterans. We did. So, the first one's already been done. Third one has already been done. Oh, no. Is that right? Yeah. We we did that for senior and uh so the first, second, and third. Yeah. Well, the second you said is
there's been talk about expanding senior exemptions, but the legislature hasn't they've done a a number of home rule petitions, but they haven't done anything. I think it's something we can talk to them to see if there's some movement on that. the collection of motor vehicle excise
taxes. Is that um I remember Yeah. John Souza talking about that before. Did they Did they do that? They haven't done that. No. Okay. Yeah. Because they Yeah. If they notify the RMV, the RMV can suspend their
licenses, right? But that's currently not a thing, right? I think the concern there at the legisle was you'd be discriminating from those who were of lower means and therefore that that might prevent them from getting employment to then solve.
Yeah. So it became this sort of circular which is kind of part of the the discussion. Yeah. Yeah. That Yeah. How can they get a job if they can't get to their job? Yes. Removed for the non-payment of their taxes. Yeah. Pretty that's pretty cycle of poverty. Yeah.
Classic classic stuff right there. Huh. So, is that even a conver If it's not a conversation you want to have with them, we can I won't put it on the list. Is it um is it going anywhere in the same I don't think it's going to
happen in the next six months now. It's probably not a huge priority. They're going to recess at the end of July and as you can tell we're already into June and all they've been really dealing with is budget um so far and but so we don't see any movement on this at this point
and Rodney's on ways and means so we would have a lot of information about the budget I'm sure. Yeah. I just don't see what the what the benefit to us is really. Well, it was something that John Souza had mentioned that would be beneficial to him. Okay.
And would it be It's revenue because we're miss we're missing taxes there. Well, yeah. I mean, it was just an easier way to report it, right? Right. Um and and at at the time we we just went through the whole list of what was on the Municipal Empowerment Act and that's and we picked these things out.
Okay. That's why they're all on here. The double pole enforcement. We've had that. Didn't we have that conversation with them last year again? Yeah. Yeah. I think everybody's got the issue, right? So is that why do we and there is a hearing
going on right now about this by the state DPU but it yeah you know we I I got the report today which I'll report in next meeting and we're still at 41 because Verizon did some work but yet Comcast didn't. So now 20 20 of the 41
are being held up by Comcast as next to go and then and then there's 17 that are third party carriers meaning neither Verizon contact or Comcast or National Grid. It's these fiber companies that are stuck on the polls and you can't move the poll, remove the poll until
everybody's off. And so I actually wrote National Grid today saying how do we get part how do we get action on these third parties because literally 25% of them are basically of you know of the 47 I think it was like 13 of them were third parties. So it's it's frustrating
because they don't care that they don't they don't have any they don't come before the town. But anyway, but I think the double pole thing is it's there is some movement on that because it's I mean that's something and and it's time and why it's time is because the utilities want to increase the electrification which means they want to
put new poles in. And so the last thing the cities and towns want is to have double pole issues as the utilities come in and increase the pole height and new poles because of because of the because of the uh demands for electrification. So, I think that's why that you're
seeing this hopefully some movement on this because something's got to happen. And the last one, the um the OPB Yeah. to form a commission to at least look at it because it the last time it was looked at was Governor Depal Patrick was
governor and and that's when it the last time it got serious and it fell apart at the end. So, it's been obviously over a decade. So would would Medicare cost be part of that conversation the way that it's written right here? I don't know. Do we
It's really for the op it's really for the the benefit itself in terms of you know the fact that people get this benefit for working 10 years uh and it's not prrated. So whether you're a 10-year employee or you know 25 year employee
you get the same benefit unlike the pension you your benefit is based on your tenure of service. But so in looking at that like I I think about like our oped um liability liabilities and how how much our Medicare costs went
up this year. Is there anything going on at the state level to kind of I mean is that even on their radar at all? I mean is that something worth asking them about? We can there was talk today about prescription in the Senate about prescription drug caps and so forth,
but it we don't see any evidence that this is going to get rained in. Well, maybe we should ask because that's a huge I mean that was a massive massive part of our budgetary concerns this year. You know, I mean, I know it's more of it's a federal issue, but obviously
that's what our state reps are. Well, hopefully by the end of June, we'll have a clearer picture of the federal thing. I mean, if they can get the bill passed, I mean, we don't know. Yeah. You know, the state's going to be reliant on that, I'm sure.
I mean, do you think that would be helpful to Yeah, I think it's helpful and hear what they see see what they're hearing because obviously they're concerned as Jeff noted about what's going to happen from the federal level push down. But they know Yeah, they know better than they're our connection, right? their liaison so to speak. So
there's been some environmental ones that we've talked with them about before that, you know, we could bring up again like the uh the expansion of the bottle bill, which you know I I think I think should be you know and that seems to almost you know be the one of the last things they remove from an environmental
bill these days is but they still do they still do remove it. Yeah, that and the nips was the other one. nips and and maybe even statewide plastic bag, you know, some of those things. The nips the the nips thing failed and never came back. Is that right? That's off the They're not talking about that anymore.
Yeah, we can ask them about it. I mean, there might be something like somewhere they could put that in somewhere. Okay. Yeah, I'll mention it in the letter I sent to them. Sure. Okay. Does anybody have anything else that
they want to add to the list? I think I'd probably add more value the next time we do this now that I kind of understand a little bit better. And I probably should have asked you earlier as to but but I think you know just in general I you
know we only get to see them a couple of times to kind of voice these are the things that we'd like to see or answers questions that we'd like to have answered and and you know unfortunately that you know the stuff that's on the top of my mind at the moment is going to
be you know again any revenue or or cost issues. You know, we know at some point trickle down's going to happen and money's going to go away in places. So, you know, well, they've all made it clear that we can feel free to contact them on our own at any time. I
understand that. Well, I think the issues change every year. Like last year, all of our a lot of our conversation with them was around housing because we had the ADU thing coming in and we had, you know, so it depends what's what's the issue of the moment, right? So, I it's just not a really busy time right now. There isn't
a lot. See, I think housing is an issue that's going to be around for a while. I think yes, you know, for us, sewer and water is gonna come around for a while. I think that's a problem for the whole state, not just Chumsford. You know, this idea of MWA for us is not just Chumsford. Other cities and towns
are going to get there. So, yeah. Can we I just don't know if this is the kind of the appropriate um forum for it because I don't know enough about the empowerment act. So, well, I mean, it doesn't have to do with that. Paul just brought that in because that was something that we thought it was it was
critical that we did let them know and and we can also always write them a letter about something you know we did we did one for the ADUs we did approve I thought a pretty strong letter regarding that when that first came up so if there's something that's going to really impact us but I wonder since we are
looking into the MWR stuff I wonder if we could ask them um if they have any update because I remember last year part of the conversation was where did They try to do it on the southshore. Yeah. Speaker of the house tried to do it on the southshore and it didn't didn't make it through conference committee. Yeah.
Yeah. So I wonder if we can we can ask them what what they are with MWA expansion. We can ask them. Yeah. We just don't want them here for two hours. I mean it's on our it's on our goal list. You know what I mean? So we might as well I feel like we might as well while we have them here see if they have
anything to say on the subject maybe. Okay. It's kind of aligning with our Mhm. Okay. with our goals. Anybody have anything else? Not a bad list now. Actually, we threw some Okay. Uh if we have nothing else on that
subject, we can we can move on to the town manager bid awards. Yeah. Uh just one item this evening. This is the DPW various parking lot improvement projects. Um the uh estimated cost was
$767,000. This has to do with the um police department parking lot, the Adams Library parking lot, a portion of the Forum parking lot, and the addition of a new parking area in front of the McCarthy school adding 43 parking spaces. Um we want to get this done by summer, late summer, early fall. Four
bids were received. Uh the lowest responsive and responsible bidder was no no seller landscaping and paving out of woven mass and the bid amount price was $700,755. Um so again I'm seeking your confirmation as you can see and this is this is the stuff that is crazy. I mean
look you got that's the lowest bid. You had one that was 10% higher at 777 and then you had one that was 100% higher. the prices, the differences are so wild and you know so obviously this is good. came within our budget, but this is, you
know, this is the market that's obvious like that. But a lot of them are like that. Like the the gap is so wide. It's always shocking to me like how can they I mean costs are costs, right? And contractctors would tend to try to take a big swing that nobody else could
really do. We live it every day. Yeah. Exactly. And these are it's the lowest qualified bidder. It's not the lowest cost, right? And this is why we But this is also why we want to bid early. So, when you hear us talking about we want to build the bid the elevator early, we want to bid the roof product early because you want to get people while
they're lining up for work because if you come in late and then people have their work, then you're at the higher risk of getting these then they don't need the money. I'm going to make sure I'm going to make sure it's my while. Yeah. Not just Have we ever gotten bids
that we just said are too wild to do this project and pass all together? They don't come They don't come to you. Yeah. Yeah. Or like we only have one bidder. Yeah. Well, unfortunately, there have been cases like school bus contracts and other stuff where you only get one bidder, you know, because that's all the market and you know, we had the same
problem with elevators and some of the school projects way back when and um so yeah, it's Yeah, it's a problem. So, where's the new parking area at McCarthy school? If if you go to the front entrance, they they'll basically cut into the burm
there. That's where they would put it. They would add some spaces in the front of McCarthy. Um, so that's that's how they would add additional parking spaces in that area that center over there. Yeah, exactly. Okay. And and they they really do need that.
Oh, yeah. Dr. Lang's behind us, isn't you? He's been asking us for some time, can we get this done? The additional parade space is going to make me happy. Wait, they're going to do it like they did it at center where it's like another little U. Yep. Oh, that's interesting. Well, yeah, they have all that lawn
there. The lawn just Yeah, but the lawn's kind of nice. Anything that helps with the parking and the traffic flow up there. Yeah. Um Okay. If does anybody else have questions? And we are going to vote to approve these, right? So, I'll take I'll
take a motion for this. Yeah. I'll make a motion that this board approve DPW bid award recommendations for various parking lot improvement projects as presented. I'll second that. We have a motion and a second. All those in favor? I I Great. Next up, we have town manager
reports. Yeah, thank you. Just three items this evening under my report. The first one um it pertains to the East Chamson water district meeting regarding water district consolidation. I happen to notice in the posting board that the East Water District posted a meeting. I
think I sent out a notice to you saying that, you know, they're posting a meeting on cons uh on discussions on that at 8 a.m. Yeah, at 8 a.m. That's when they always meet. That's traditionally. Yeah. Um because it doesn't conflict with any of their work times because I
don't think any of them are in are at the age where they still work. Um and the so I I attended the meeting. Uh I was glad I did. Um I think they were glad that I did. Um the purpose of their meeting was they invited their legal
council which coincidentally is the same legal council for the Draket water district. Um and Draket like Chsford has multiple water districts although they only have two. They have the Kenwood water district which is private meaning non-governmental uh municipal but non not the town of
Chsford of Draket and then they have the town of Draket water district. And so they were there so they were familiar with the idea of multiple water districts in a community. Um and they they actually conveyed that the Kenwood water district was kind of looking to buy water from the Drake water district
and was kind of looking to get out from under the operations. Um and again there are some issues in that community but more importantly here they I I explained to them the the idea was what the you know the com the East Chswood Water
District Board of Commissioners is looking at the PAS solution and at this point they have a proposal to into D for a $4 million treatment system and then their other alternative is to purchase water from the low waste low water
utility. which is basically the water that serves the city of l. They have an interconnection to the city of l as well as an interconnection to the chood water district because D requires water districts to have interconnections for obviously emergency and other purposes.
And so they were looking at well what's the what's the lower cost for their water takers of how to provide you know portable drinking water. Uh and so what I said to them was well shouldn't you be looking at a third option which is consolidation
of the districts because if your concern is the lowest cost you haven't exa exhausted all the options because we have a president in the community when there was a south Chswood water district and they decided that it was beneficial for them to be consolidated into the
Chswood water district and that happened in 1984. Um so they basically yeah that would be helpful but they basically much nobody nobody wants to f do the study meaning nobody wants to fund the study and they kind of said well if you
get some information on that share it back with us and I think that's the a concern that I have is you know I've had discussions with cha water district I've had concerns now twice with east of water district I think they understand that the town is not interested in
taking over i.e. municipizing, meaning the town taking over the water districts, but yet there's there's no initiative on their part to look at consolidation. Uh, and so I think that's sort of where we're at at this point is, you
know, what do we do if we do nothing? Um, the cons the concern I have for East Chad Water District is they only have about 765 accounts. uh and they don't know what funding they're going to receive it at, you
know, even if it's at 0% interest or some grant funding from the state. It's not only the purchase and installation of the treatment system, you also have to operate that treatment system for POS. Um and obviously this is extraordinary uh and in terms of you
know this POS issue didn't exist 10 years ago. It's and I think there's been anything unlike it. So that was so the way we left it was, you know, I I thanked them for their time. They thanked me for coming and and I told them that I'd report back to this board
that that that the board, meaning you had not made any decision on whether the town was even going to venture into this or not, but I just told them that I would inform you and I know we adopted a goal earlier this evening about looking into this. So I guess at this point in time, I'm sort of at looking for your
direction in terms of whether and how to proceed. Um because what we do know is Chford Water District is exploring a $40 million project. We granted them the easement, you remember, to convey water from across the school property at the
school admill building and and and at uh McCarthy um so they can move their water for flow. We know the North Johnson water district is looking into some kind of a pilot program for PAS. And then now we know and we know obviously that East
Jumpsuit is looking into um the PIA solution available to them. But as I pointed out to them and I'll point out to you, it's been 35 years since the issue of consolidation has been examined. Um and I guess the only
reason I raised it is I'm not interested in taking over the water districts. In fact, before this issue ever gets resolved, you know, many of us will not, including myself, will probably no longer be seating at this table because it's not an issue that you do in six months or even a year. But I guess the
question I have in terms of the rate payers and water takers of Chsford is, you know, should it be looked into and what's going to best serve them in the in the long term? And so that's why I've been, you know, placed this on the agenda and been exploring this issue is
is is my genuine concern and and I would and I would apply it to anything we do. And that's would kind of that that's in the context of this is if somebody came to me today, if the city of L came to Chelston today and said, "Look, we think we could provide a solution to your
sewer capacity issues and we could do it as a sewer district that would went beyond the town borders." I think we would sit there and say, "Yeah, let's look at it." I guess what's frustrating to me is, you know, and I said this to the east commissioners. I said, "Please don't listen to rumors, particularly by
those who have a vested interest in the outcome of this, meaning people who are employed by um water districts and so forth." But I said, "So, please come to me if you hear any concerns." I said, "Look, we are not going to there's been no legislation filed." I said, "If legislation were filed, it doesn't move
quickly. We know the legislature doesn't move quickly and we know that any legislation that would be filed because that's how it would change. It would have to take an act of the state legislature that obviously there'd be solicitation of input you know from the community from the district rateayers.
So I said there's nothing sinister here or something that's going to be done in the dark of night. But I guess the question I have and and have have had is, you know, is this something that that we we want to further pursue or is it just something saying, "Hey, Paul,
you you did your part and thank you very much and, you know, we got enough else on our plate. Let's let's move on." So, I guess that's where I'm at at this point at the beginning of June. I I thought at our last meeting with the legislator the legislators that um they were going to look into um what has been
done and what can be done. Did anything ever come of that? I thought it was I I've never heard anything from the legislative delegation. I'm not aware that they're doing anything okay with this. Um my experience over the years even even with the congresswoman's office in terms of looking for sewer
capacity is they hear you and then they've heard you. uh and I don't think that there's any readil readily available solution. Um you know and so I just don't I I don't have any any any response or feedback or any inclination
that the delegation is going to take this on because I think if they were it would be a it would be a statewide issue. they would be and this is something that's a little bit disappointing is that the state keeps you know pushing some of the issues in terms of consolidation particularly of school districts in the western part of
the state and and so forth and providing incentives for regional dispatch um but yet there is no we don't see any concerted effort and I did reach out to the mass D uh and he's telling me that don't expect
this he's not aware of any action by the state to incentivize or fund analysis in terms of, you know, consolidation of this and and as I pointed out to the East Chao Water District, you know, somehow we're we're we're we're served by and you may like
them and not like them, but we're served by utilities such as National Grid and and you know, gas and electric that go beyond the town boundaries. And I said, "Here, we have a housing authority that serves the entire town. We have a fire department that serves the entire town.
I and we have we have a townwide sewer system. I don't know why it's such a difficult question to say, you know, should the town meaning be better served either by a consolidation of districts. And I said basically if you did the study, you would go wherever the
study took you. But at this point, I'm not seeing any enthusiasm for anybody to meaning the districts to take on the study. So is that because the process is like what is what is the process to get approval from the state legislator and who would would the town look for
approval from the state legislator to consolidate the district? The district could do it on the districts could do it on their own. They don't need the town process. Is it an application? Is it it's filing of legislation probably through a in their case a district vote and they but they would do it? Yeah, they could do it. Yeah. They don't need
the town and and and I'm saying could the town do it without them theoretically? Yeah, theoretically, I mean, for example, everything is public record, right? We could hire a consultant who could just do a public records inquiry in terms of show us your plans for PAS treatment. What have you
submitted for grant applications? It's all there. And then you could then go beyond that and say, okay, what what give us the public records of the investment that you've made in your infrastructure in the last 10 years, right? And say, okay, what you know, what are you doing in terms of replacing your your your water manes, you know,
and so forth. Um, and then they could come back with a report, I'm sure. Um, but again, you don't want to do it in, you know, and in a confrontation in a confrontational manner. But that's what that would be. Public records
inquiry would be a confrontational manner. Yeah. Um, and that was what we would do if we were going to pursue approval by the city. And what what concerns me is we have an inter relationship with them in terms of DPW. And I you know I can tell you that there are sometimes
eyebrows raised at by DPW in terms of you know what what's what's being done or not being done out there in terms of operational stuff. Um and I'm not I'm not criticizing or faulting anybody. It's just you know I'm sure their rivaries raised by some of the
stuff the town does. I'm sure. But the but my point is is if there are issues you you know and I said to them I said if it comes to the point where you as East Chsson Water District were to buy your water supply from the city of LOL then what's the
point of the district other than you're a water you're a water conduit um and then maybe you'll still maintain and flush and and replace your lines but you're now going to be you know basically at the discretion or whatever
charge the city of l wants to put on for a search charge to provide you with water beyond their normal yeah the water utility in l provides beyond their cost so you're losing money and then the residents are therefore also and the problem and and the problem that I've had with the discussion with the cha
water district was well yeah we we we'd be willing as a good steward to look in at these cho water district but one is we don't know what we don't know and and so that and therefore they everybody's protecting their own subpocket of rate payers, right? You know, water taker
payers in this case, you know, in other words, the the residents in who and the water takers in the CHS water district don't want to take on a financial burden that they may not know if they were to take on the east district. Uh and then vice versa, East looking at it like, well, we want to provide the lowest cost
for our rateayers. So, we're we're concerned about change and and the unknown as well. And and you can just see it's just going nowhere. So and yeah, so our responsibility for this board is to the entire town, not to each of the individual districts and rate
payers. Right. They may say you have no responsibility to the water takers. That mean technically that's that's their sort of push back is that it's not your domain. Yeah. But the disparities there and they're only going to get worse. We also are their water takers.
But I'm just trying to tell you the the other side of how they're pushing back. So, so I understand that, but I also I also think right that um that u we need to it seems like there's maybe a little concern about you know what the
impact would be and and nobody wants to take on the project or the funding individually to go do that. So I you know I I would think the responsible thing to do in a collaborative not a combative by any stretch of the imagination. Uh collaborative um process
would be to to put forward this idea of doing this in a more formal fashion. you know, this is how may we come up with something on how we can we can help support it to at least get these studies done to see what it will cost because I tell you what, if all of a sudden I'm
paying part of $40 million in center and east can't afford to put a PAS system in. So now they have no PAS protection and then North comes up with something different. that to me just sounds like everybody pays more to to get clean
drinking water and and I just don't I feel more of a responsibility to not take over but support at least seeing what it would be to consolidate them. What are the benefits? What are the cons? What are the the unintended consequences we could
expect from that? Um I just don't know how we'd go about doing that. But I think I feel a responsibility to the 36,000 people that live here to to support an answer. I'm not sure you can do this without getting confrontational quite honestly
because everybody's going to be protecting their ground and you know I mean if you if you speak of nothing but freedom of information you know that's the most important thing that we all need you know to see where they've been where they're coming from where they're
going and nobody's going to be free with that information you know upfront. So and I'm not saying we have to be you know nasty about it. Nothing needs to be nasty, but but there's going to be push back and and and I think the town needs to take on the burden of, you know,
forming a committee and getting a consultant to do just that and look at, you know, um different remedial situations down the road. Um you know, the disparity only gets worse the longer we sit on our hands and do
nothing. I mean, it really, you know, because everybody's going to be paying different rates and and, you know, one part of town might have good drinking water and another part of town may not and one, you know, they may be paying more or what have you. Um, you know, one
town here, you know, um I I just think that um we need to start looking at that. I think if you put the information out and there's a lot of very smart people in town that could go uncover this kind of information, we would need some assistance with some, you know, budgetary assistance for a consultant or
two. But, um, but I don't see this going any other way. It's it's not going to happen by having nice cenial conversations. I just don't see that happening because nobody wants it. Um, at least from their perspective. Um, and I'm not sure that the the uh water
takers and the taxpayers understand the um the depth of where we are in town right now when it comes to water. And uh and I just believe we're a derelict in our responsibilities. And I've said this before by not tackling this. I um I just
really feel like we need to come up with a solution. and uh you know maybe it's not this board but it's this board's initiation of some action to start driving it in the right direction and um that's my two cents on it. A decade
ago, Pat knows this. Pat was there used to be joint water district meetings, you know, you know, where the council water district would have a quarterly meeting with the east and and and and north. That hasn't occurred in 10 years because
they can't, you know, should we try and coordinate get together? Um, so no, it just hasn't happened. you know it. Um, so but I guess the question is is before we embark on this, should we invite, you know, the the three, you know, the three
districts to come sit with us and have a discussion on this just, you know, to hear from them directly in terms of I I don't know. I don't, you know, I'm saying I don't want to be confrontational, but but I did because let's get everybody on the same page. Let's get every ask them to come and and
I think you know I I I guess I would be hesitant given the financial situation we're in to to start a study like this which is not going to be inexpensive and I think we have to be cognizant of that but if we could get some you know not even buyin but just you know a few
nods of the head from a commissioner or two that said well you know maybe we can do some kind of you know joint report or whatever and see where it leads to. I mean, maybe they'd all say no, but you never know. I mean, maybe I would love to hear their feedback because it
doesn't sound like they're adamantly oppo. Like, it doesn't sound like East is saying absolutely not. You know, it's I think there might be some there might be some wiggle room here for some Well, to Pat's point, I think if we if we, you know, ask them to come sit with us,
might bring some awareness to the water takers. I don't think a lot of them realize how many different districts there are in town because I get my water bill, I pay it, and I don't think twice about it. And it it'll only take until this person says, "Oh, well, you're
paying this. Well, I'm only paying that." I mean, I don't think that's going to happen on its own. And so, if we take the action of having some kind of joint meeting and getting the awareness out there, I think that'd be beneficial. Have to start someplace. I I think And I think that's a good starting
point, right? because I think that's the the non-confrontational approach, like let's have the discussion um and put it together um and and at least get everybody's feedback during and and postmeating. But, you know, to to Pat's point, right, none of this stuff is
free. It's not going to be easy or or inexpensive to get the answers. But I but here's what I know is reality. PAS is not going away. We're going to have to start treating it. people are going to have to start looking at the costs to
go do that. And I don't want anybody going forward with any of those costs without getting some sort of input on is there a way to consolidate these down. And again, I I want to be very clear. I I don't think that we have too
much going on municipally to take these over. The sewer runs itself. I think the water can run itself. Um but again, as one, not not as three. And and I again I think you we look at all the constituencies that are involved here. Um and I think everybody stands to
benefit from I think everybody would benefit from a consolidation but I can't say that without data. So I think everybody would benefit from getting the data and I think we need to move forward. Yeah. So I'd like to hear from them why how they think they might benefit or not
benefit or what their concerns are over any of this conversation. You know but even to the point of I don't mean to interrupt, but even to the point of um understanding where they want to go down the road because, you know, I read stuff every day and it's so
conflicting in many cases, you know, so I, you know, I'd like to make sure that all three of them are pointed in the right direction so no one part of town gets the raw end of the stick, so to speak, or and not that anybody would do that intentionally, but people look at
problems and solutions in a variety of manners and I just think I'd like to understand what their approach is and what how they feel about PAS. Is it controllable? Can we ever get clean drinking water here? Because I'm not
convinced that we can. um which I hate to say that but you know I just some of the stuff that you read and I'd really like to hear from the um the only experts we have in town right now are are the three water
commissioners. So I'd like to hear from them as to what they see the future is. You know can this be cleaned up? Can you provide suitable drinking water 50 years from now for the town of Chumpsford? You know because that's that's where my line of thinking goes. It's not, you know, 5
years from now or 10 years from now. It's, you know, 30, 40, 50 years old, you know, what are we going to have here, you know, and that's where I why I think we should be addressing this head on. So, how do we so how how can we attempt to do that? I I mean, I can
extend an invitation to them to to the three and the whole select board or do we want to focus on center and east because that is I'd invite all three. I think you invite all three. Don't break it up. Yeah, you can't break it up. I think you invite all three and then they I mean they can either send a member or
or if they're going to come as a whole they can into the select board meeting. Yeah, I think that's yeah publicizing. Yeah, I think everything's going to be transparent and public. I mean you you know you might almost want to have a special meeting just for that because that'll be several hours. Yeah. And it
will generally I mean if it's publicized well enough it'll there'll be water takers that will come and give their viewpoint. I think that's and and that would almost be a good thing because then they could actually hear Yes. what people don't understand and maybe they'd be amazed at what people don't understand about how the districts work.
Yeah. Yeah. So I guess the question is when given that it's June 2nd today like when do we have such a meeting and where I think I think we're going to invite with some things we'd like to have as agenda items. Right. So we need to give them time to prepare too. Right.
Exactly. So you're talking July, August, like what's what's I mean the conversation isn't going anywhere fast, right? So it doesn't I think July or August is appropriate if we have Do we utilize the police um training room? Do you think it would I think you can do it
right here. I mean, but then now this is summer, right? Summer's tough. So are we Yeah. Are we pushing till September? I mean, then you're we're three months out. Yeah. for having as a separate meeting. It's well, you
know, for me given that they they meet at at most once a month, right? East doesn't even meet. I I don't think that often. I think you like you say, you do have to give them time to prepare. So, I think if we said something for even July, they might say, "Well, too soon."
Yeah. Too soon. So, maybe maybe August or September is Yeah, I would be okay. August, everybody's away. That's I would be okay with September, right? Like you said, it's not going anywhere anywhere fast. Nobody's building a PA fast plant in the next in the next two months, right? So like
Well, but there's there's appropriations. I mean, where's center at and they have appropriations. They've already issued they've already issu Yeah. They're they're on their way. Well, yeah, I do want to get ahead of that because, you know, if they are going to if they are going to if we are going to have conversations with them about what it looks like in 50 years,
you know, I mean, they're building stuff that has the capacity to potentially, right? It's not going to be one one flow, one system. You could have the different plants and you know but the whole idea of having consolidated oversight you know management and so forth and efficiencies
inefficiencies. Yeah. So how do we do it? Is September too late then? Do you think I don't think so? I don't think early September I think. Yeah. Well the Labor Day is the first so it's not going to be the first and then we would meet the 8th. Do you want to do September 15th because Yeah. I mean that's three
months out. I mean it should avoid conflicts if doing it on a Monday night. Okay. All right. So, do September 15th. Yeah. And you think we can do it in here? Do it in this room? Yeah. And we can just make sure that it has a Zoom component. Okay. So that people
traveling on the 15th. I'll be on the West Coast. Okay. Okay. All right. All right. But if if you were concerned about, you know, a meeting getting too crowded, I mean, the police station's fine, too. I think we would want it to be live if we could. And the police
station can't do live. police police station can't do live, right? So, we can always go in here. We'll just open up the other door. Okay. All right. So, we'll just do but um before we just move on to another subject, um publicizing it is very important. Um just getting the
word out repeatedly. Um um and I don't know how we do that but um well it's you know a lot of people read Tom manager's newsletter and you know if you have it on the on the website you know it's a month in advance people will
have you know they still have an excuse but they'll have no excuse. Yeah. Okay. And you know well and it's also just a conversation right. I just want to get everybody. Right. We're not going to make any decisions for sure. So I mean Right. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Um, thank you.
Next item I have is the um subsidized housing inventory. As we mentioned a couple times throughout the meeting tonight, we we did receive um on on a report dated May 22nd the executive office of housing and livable communities uh chapter 40 subsidized
housing inventory and they now list chumps as 10.02%. So that means we have 1472 units of of subsidized housing inventory out of the 14,696 yearround housing units based on
the 2020 census. So that bas that basically means that now the board of appeals can declare safe harbor if somebody submits an application. the board has already done that because on the um Crosby village and I expect they're going to do it um for the 243
Riverneck as well. Um and and again, but clearly it's indisputable now with this document that um that we we were at the 10% and as as you can see Erin on you asked a question about will wind units expire. the meadows at Brick Hill on 82
Brick Kill Road is the only thing you look in the the column that says affordability expires. That's 2029 and and I think we can continue to work with David Hison to see if that can um get changed because obviously that's a significant number of units. That's 180.
How so? How does it expire? Because back back in the early days they used to do 30-year restrictions. Oh. On the 40. That was one of the first ones. Oh. So, okay. So, that's where we are on on 40. And this just means that we can safe
harbor out. If there was a if there was a 40B development that somebody wanted to bring forward that made total sense, right? You can still do it. Yeah. Still do it because you still got to build this just gives you it basically prevents the undesirable or Yeah. And
then the last one speaking of that is we did since our last meeting on May 19th the board of appeals did hear receive an application for a comprehensive permit at 243 Riverneck Road and that's been circulated to the committee and they're they're have to schedule a hearing
within 30 days unless the applicant agrees differently and I think they're trying to settle in on the date because typically the board of appeals meets the first Thursday of every month as we know they're meeting this Thursday. you know, three nights from now to deal with the
Ledge Road issue, but the first Thursday in July is July 3rd. So, they're not going to meet there. They're going to meet July 10th. And so, I think they're trying to trying to schedule this for July 10th um to, you know, again, like they did with Crosby Village to act upon it and ask the applicant if they want to
proceed or or not. So, that's concludes my report for this evening. I do I do have uh two appointments this evening. Okay. We have one first. You have one first. Yeah, exactly. Which is more important than any of the ones that I have. Oh, yeah. So, first up under
appointments, we have the select board appointment for town council. Um although it's it's spelled differently than what it shows there. Oh, CEL. Jeez. Um that's how council spelled C O U N S
E L. Yeah. Did Did we decide on a one-year term? No, we did not. And I was going to mention Yeah, we didn't decide on the term. So, I think that was I don't know who put that. I think that we can make the appointment tonight if we're all we can if we're all in agreement on the term. And I think last week or two weeks ago, we talked about a
two-year term possibly. I don't think we said that. I don't think we I don't think we really discussed it. I'd prefer to see a three-year term just knowing the turnover that's coming in town and and such so that we have some stability that way. Yeah, I'd be okay with that. You know, I think a three-year term is
definitely appropriate and they they're always there for us in in any capacity we we've asked and uh I just think at this at this juncture where the town will be going over the next three years. It's important to do the three years. Yeah. I I did an MMA
meeting thing that they had too that KP Law was the the presenter of it and it's very comfortable with their knowledge and their discussion and I wholeheartedly support the continuity piece at this point. Well, I would say one year you're just kind of getting a feel for what you're
doing. So, second year you start getting your teeth into it a little bit and third year you kind of run with the information you have in front of you. Yeah. I mean, I look at it in terms of like the kind of turnover that we're going to have in town over the next, you know, three, four, five years. And I
just think, you know, where you can build in stability, it's important to build in stability, you know. And we won't have to do this again for three years. Yes. Would you like that, too? Yeah. Um, okay. Well, with that, I guess I
I'll take a motion. Okay. I will uh make a motion that this board approves as town council um KP Law uh for a term of three years expiring June 30th, 2028.
I'll second that. Okay, I've got a motion and a second. All in favor? I. Wonderful. Thank you. Next up, we have town manager appointments. I have two appointments this evening. One is for the conservation commission. the first one. Um there's a three-year term
expiring June 30th, 2028. Um I had four applicants for this position. Um two of them who are familiar with uh and two of which I was not familiar with. So I interviewed the two people that I was not familiar with. Um I'm pleased to present to you for
confirmation. Alexandra uh Hayden for the conservation commission. Um, I don't know Ellie that well. She was recently employed in the clerk's office. Um, I was surprised when I saw her application. Um, but myself and
David Coons interviewed her as well as another applicant for the position that I did not know as well. The other two were Charlie Wess who I knew well and Henry Parlay who I know well, so I didn't need to interview those two. I think we all know those two individuals and their contributions to the community
over the years. But I as as a philosophy I know we're trying to bring in new people to get them involved in the government. Um my position with uh an employee you know serving on a commission I think we have precedent for that. I mean certainly your predecessor
Harrison Mayot served on the board of assessors and as you know in the school district we we you know we have our town finance director who serves on the planning board uh and so forth. But my feeling in this is I don't think that employment by the town should disqualify
somebody from serving on a town board. It doesn't disqualify you from serving as a town meeting rep. Um when when I looked at their backgrounds and interviews and how I thought you know they the town would be best served I I and David Coun who who accompanied me
our conservation in the interviews both agree that Ally Hayden would would best serve the community in terms of her background her her passion and her commitment to the to the position. Um, and so I'm seeking your confirmation of
that appointment for a three-year period going forward. Um, I held off on this a little bit because we are at, as the board knows and the public may know your next meeting, you're going to have the annual appointments and so I wanted to see what the status was of the commission coming up, but it appears
that our current conservation chair will be uh has has indicated his willingness to continue to serve, interest in serving. I intend to reappoint Carl Bishoff uh to the commission and so I wanted to look at this in the in light of the configuration the entire
commission. Um so with that um I think I'm seeking your confirmation I think for the appointment of Ellie Ellie Hayden uh to this position. Um I like I said I don't know her that well but what I am impressed by is you know when I
talk to her work colleagues but but more importantly I just I just think that you know she she will um serve this town well and can provide uh some of her back background and legal uh interest uh to this position in the community. And also
I I did check with um Chief Spence who work who knows her as well professionally and you know he he speaks very highly of her as well. So um I I think the town is going to be well serve with with her presence on the commission.
Questions concerns? Oh, I'll take a motion. I'll make a motion that this board approves um the town manager selection of Alexandra Hayden um for a three-year term for the Conservation Commission expiring June
30th, 2028. I'll second that. Motion and a second. All those in favor? Hi. Hi. Hi. Thank you. And then for the recycling committee, Gina Lannon um is is would be appointed for the same thing. Unexpired
term in this case, basically going for another year on the recycling committee. Um and again, she's looking to get involved in the community. she um you know in in her sort of cover letter said she wants to get involved
and she thought this would be a good place to start and get to understand how the town works and and and her interest in recycling. So I'm seeking your confirmation for her appointment to the to the recycling committee questions. I certainly support it because that was my gateway committee.
Really? All right. I'll take a motion. Okay. Okay. I'll make a motion that this board would accept and approve the um appointment of Gina Lannon um to the recycling committee for an unexpired three-year term expiring June
30. Is it 2026? 26. Yeah, 2026. I'll second that. We've got a motion and a second. All those in favor? I I Okay, next up we have meeting minutes.
We have some minutes from May 12th and May 19th. Did anyone have any comments on May 12th? Corrections? Ah, nothing. Nope. You look okay. The eagle eye. Okay. Um, if nobody has
anything, I'll take a motion for the May 12th minutes. You want to do both at once or Sure. Nobody has anything on the 19th either. Okay. Yep. Okay. Uh I'll make a motion that this board accepts the meeting minutes of May 12th, 2025
and the meeting minutes of May 19th, 2025 as um as presented and drafted. I'll second that. A motion and a second. All those in favor? I. Wonderful. Okay. Okay, next up we have
um select board liaison reports and referrals. So I guess we'll start with Pat. Do you have any? Okay. Um yeah, just a couple of things. Um um a little over a week ago, a longtime member of the community, Eugene
Gillette, passed away. He was very active, especially in North Chsford, but he also s served 32 years on the planning board. I didn't I did not know he had served that long. That's a that's quite an accomplishment. Um so uh condolences to to his family.
Uh yesterday Nishoba uh Technical High School had their graduation. So congratulation to all the all the seniors who were on to the next chapter in their lives from the show. Um yesterday uh Aaron and Paul Cohen and I
were at the dedication at Sunny Meadow Farm for um a memorial for Richard St. an who was a Westford firefighter who was killed um performing a mutual aid um in 1970 at at
Sunny Meadow at a at a barnfire. Uh there's a very impressive sculpture there that shows that um his jacket, firefighter St. Orange's jacket and helmet on a granite bench. It's it's very impressive. You stop and and look at it at some point. And lastly, this
afternoon or earlier today, there was a ribbon cutting at Hairspace Salon in Central Square. All your hair needs, you can have them all taken care of right there. Is that Brendon? Is that his name is Brendan or Brandon? Oh, yeah. He's a nice guy. Yeah. He cut my hair like a year or two ago and he was telling me he
was looking for a space. He found one. That's all I thought. So, thanks, Pat. I have nothing this evening. Thanks, Jeff. Yeah. Well, I'll start with my favorite committee. And since the cemetery already left, I'm not offending anybody.
Um, I'm sure by now most of you have seen the banners up, which I think look fantastic. And, um, you kudos to Paige Gillette, Jean's granddaughter, and his legacy will live on. Pat, you kind of beat me to the punch on that one.
Um, you know, it's not easy. We got to come up with two diff two new designs every year. and Paige and her team always give us nice options and I think this year they knocked it out of the park. Um the other thing I'll touch base on is the conservation commission. I was
out of town at the during their last meeting, but I did go online and watch it the next day. And then um I've also had some correspondence with Carl Biskov. And um I had a chance to go back and watch Mike Rayback's presentation of
the coolest farm task force, I guess. And one thing he emphasized besides going through all the possibilities for that property, he saidnone of this can be forwarded until we go through the pro the proper process which you know with
this warrant article we're going to begin that. And um I know there's been a lot of chatter around this and I think it would be inappropriate for this board to try to move that in any other they're doing exactly what we did with Warren P. Correct.
Um and that you know anything that anytime you go to the state and people don't know this the reason we have to go to the state is because we use community preservations fund which is partially funded by the state and anytime you use state money for anything you have to
have an accountability for it. So, in order to do that properly, we have to send in the application for the preservation and um wait to hear back from them and we can't move on anything over there until we get that done. So, to do anything
before that would be completely out of line and so I think the commissions they they've told me they have a plan and they're going to reveal it when the time when the plan when the time is right. But as Mr. race back said you can't do
anything until we go through the proper channels and people need to realize that take a breath and understand that the state doesn't move fast on anything and that's just the way it is you know so to come into this board and kind of I hate
to use the word demand but to ask us to overstep conservation I think is completely inappropriate that's about it thanks Aaron. All right. Um, I can be pretty quick tonight. Um, we, uh, there was a planning board meeting. They had a
couple of, uh, things on their agenda. There was an administrative review for the old Westford Road project that, uh, that got deferred. Um, and they continue to do work and and wrap up their uh, zoning work related to Kate's Corner. Um
and uh and then uh Paul, myself and Budre had an opportunity to um have a a lengthy and um critical discussion around the the managed growth strategy that the the strategic plan committee um
you know asked the planning board to step in and lead. um especially with their kind of involvement and management of the master plan uh from 2020 that you know some of that managed growth strategy is going to come out. So that that was a pretty lengthy meeting and we
had a lot of time and and got to discuss a lot of important things and um and the the planning board is is going to move forward with that. They're working on some grant money that's going to help with um some studies um uh related to that. So that that's to be continued.
Um, and then they are, you know, in parallel to all of that, um, I think working diligently on some fall zoning, um, articles where we see a lot of that stuff come up anyways because it's past spring. So, I definitely encourage folks to participate in those planning board
meetings, ask questions, um, watch them online, um, because they're an extremely busy group and that they're working pretty diligently, um, every day and between every meeting to, um, ensure that that zoning is is meeting the needs. So, um, the other one I get to do
is one of my morning ones, um, the age friendly implementation committee. Um, and Deb and Fred and the rest of the team are uh there's a I mean I love when I get on I see the chief is there too. So um there's a lot there's a lot going on. I'm excited that they're continue to
work to align their strategic plan to the town strategic plan. And again the the age friendly and and the the um and all the folks working up at the senior center are doing really a great job. And then uh I didn't get to attend the finance um committee meeting. I I let
Jim know. Um but you guys already know the results of all of that. Um tonight I was at a very important um rugby playoff game for Chumford High School Rugby um that I had to attend. Um so I appreciate Jim giving me a pass on that and uh Paul reporting out tonight on the results of
that. So that's all I got. Okay. Thanks. Um, and all I had was a reminder about the ZBA meeting that we already discussed um on Thursday night this week to discuss Sledge Road um and it is at the police
station in the training room. Right. Um and that's it. That's all I have. So, if nobody has anything else, I'll take a motion. Motion to adjurnn. I'll second it. Thanks. We have a motion, a second. All in favor? I
I remember this.