I aliance to the flag of the United States of America to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you.
Okay. This uh this meeting of December 1st, 2025 is being broadcast live by Chford Tele media and being recorded for viewing of the general public in the future. So our first agenda item this evening is
election of officers. Um, for those that aren't aware, we did have a resignation of our chair um at the last meeting. So, um, we need to reorganize the board um
and, uh, and we'll go from there. So, um, election of officers, um, Jeff, we'll start with you. >> All right. I'd like to nominate Pat to be our chair and Pat Wo just to be our vice chair and let Aaron finish his year
as as clerk. >> Okay. >> So, we have to we're voting on all positions like a brand new reorg. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> We can do it just like you proposed it or we can do it individually. So, >> that's debatable.
>> I'll second that. >> Do you have anything to >> discussion? Well, I wasn't planning I was planning on just that we were going to do a new chair and I figured we were all in our positions. So, um I was going to nominate Pat to round out the year and
finish up as a prior chair. Um so, I don't know if anybody else has any other opinion on that. Otherwise, we can vote. >> Do we have >> Is that a Are you doing a nomination?
Well, I guess is that So, >> we have one nomination with a second. >> Okay. But he just did the whole round. Are we going to do one at a time? >> Like I don't >> How would you like to do it? >> Well, I thought we were just going to be voting on a chair and I was going to
nominate Pat to fill in the position since we all had positions already, >> right? But if I move up, then we need to vote my my previous position. So, which is kind of what he just did. So, >> okay. So, do we have any debate on that or we vote on that and if that doesn't
pass, we do something else. Again, we haven't I've only done this one other time and it was >> right. Is there any discussion? >> Um Erin, I appreciate the the sentiment. Um I think we should just do what what Jeff did because um I think if we do the other, we're going to end up with a tie for the chair and that would not work
well. >> Okay. >> Any further discussion? >> Done. Seeing none, all in favor of Jeff's motion? >> I >> I >> Okay, it's 31. Um, all right.
>> I thought it was 4. >> All right. I didn't hear you. I'm sorry. I thought I thought you said no. Okay. >> So, Pat is now the vice chair. I am the chair. And all other positions are equal. Okay. Thank you. >> All right. um discussion with the town
state legislative delegation to discuss legislative priorities and we have a a letter here that went out and we have Senator Barrett with us here this evening if you would come up and join us at the table and Paul do we have anybody on the line
from anybody else Mr. Mr. Chairman, we have Anna O Sullivan who's the aid for uh Representative Catalo because he's unable to join us. Representative Rciro is unable to join us and Representative Elliott is running a few minutes late, but he said to start with Senator
Barrett, which he would have done anyway in deference to the senator's status. >> Well, traffic is pretty bad. >> Yeah, exactly. So, >> especially if they're going down north. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Welcome, Senator Barrett. Appreciate your attendance here tonight.
>> Yes. Um I'm not sure if you um received a letter from Paul Cohen about a week ago talking about some of the items that we wanted to discuss this year. >> Yes, absolutely. Yeah, he's Paul's a good communicator. We hear from him frequently. Yeah. >> Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. So, why don't we uh we'll just go right down the
list um and we'll start and if uh Representative Elliott shows up, we'll uh we'll backtrack a little bit. So, um the first thing that um is on the list um to talk about is the Chelse Home Rule petition to allow the town to adopt a bylaw to prohibit or restrict the
application of second generation anti-coagulant uh rodent rodent sides. Um >> pretty close enough. >> Yeah, something like that. Uh well, I I I think there's a great deal of support
uh for uh such an idea. I there is a statewide bill of which I've been a co-sponsor for quite a while. The home rule bill um is a good plan B because there's always a cue in the legislature
and even ideas with significant support sometimes get caught up uh in traffic. Uh the home rule bill I would think has an extremely high likelihood of passing. Home rule bills in the end tend to be
honored as they ought to be uh but never in a very timely way. So, we're in a two-year session uh one that concludes next June 30th. And uh sometimes, despite our best efforts, slew of home
rule bills are approved near the end of the two years rather than in sequence as they're submitted by communities. uh all of us are both understand why there's a delay and we're also impatient about the delays. The good news is that is very
likely that the home rule bill will ultimately pass if the statewide legislation which says the same thing uh does not. Okay. >> So I can't give you much insight into timing but I'm I'm consciously
optimistic about the final result. Okay. Any other discussion on that item? Okay. Uh we'll just move right along. Um, so one of the big things and and we're we're certainly um uh starting to
suffer from this and we're looking at the cost of health care across the board and it's getting to be uh almost unbearable to a certain degree and especially with town health premiums going up um for for health care of employees as well as uh health care of
retirees. So, um we're uh we're just looking for any help or ideas or anything that could uh help us along uh on the way because it's going to be a huge budget >> uh constraint for us. >> I think we're u in some significant
difficulty with no with relatively little short-term relief. I can tell you what's happening at the state level as well. um our tax collections, even though the uh economy has been iffy and and sometimes turbulent, the state tax
collections are actually coming in just above projection despite all the uncertainty occasioned by everything from tariffs to to a New England and Massachusetts wide factors. But our expenses like yours are going up
beyond projection. And uh there we spend a great deal of time in the legislature trying to figure out why costs have gone up. And I'm sure you've read of the reasons that have been identified to some extent. It's a nationwide problem, but it's a very significant one in
Massachusetts. A lot of it has to do with these with these u weight loss these uh I think it's what GBT1's >> GLP1s. So they are very significant and totally unexpected. The the latest data it's it's really remarkable. Uh and it
has some positives. It's first of all it's costing healthurers an incredible amount of money uh which results in our premiums. Uh something like 12% of all Americans are now on these drugs. Um the the good news is that uh the uh
percentage of Americans now determined to be obese is actually gone down and and the data has indicated increases for years for all kinds of reasons. But um we have fewer people who are overweight.
Um retailers are now telling us that they're there's it's a good news bad news stories. convenience stores stores and the snack aisle in grocery stores seeing very few sales because significant numbers of people have
appetites that are satiated and under control. Um, so we're we're hearing from our retailers that they're changing up the offering of of goods in the aisle, more high protein stuff because apparently there's an impact on your
your appetite also dampens your consumption of things that are good for you as well as things that aren't. So, it's having a chaotic effect. But to return to the topic at hand, um we don't know what to do about the
unexpected popularity of these drugs. Uh I I think it's it's something that everyone from the president of the United States on down is grappling with. I wish I could give you short-term reassurance, but
>> has u any discussions with um the insurers um say Blue Cross uh Blue Shield or TUS or any of the have you had are any to discuss? >> Uh we have them in all the time. I I should mention Mr. chairman that a
second issue that's very uh number issues number two and three that are very one is our hospital systems are in incredible stress again I don't need to tell you because we've all got family members who are experiencing this but uh we have very significant um difficulties
uh keeping hospitals open uh very few are running in the black the the third issue of course is the shortage of physicians uh I have family members who can't find PC CPS very significant numbers of folks in my district cannot find primary care physicians. They're
actually on waiting lists waiting to be assigned in the case of Mass General Brighgams. But Mass General Brigham as you might have read is having difficulty recruiting physicians because of the high cost of living in Massachusetts. So between um a shortage of physicians and
we can talk about what Massachusetts is trying to do to address the housing issue. I know Chumsford's familiar with the transit oriented development law and some of those uh efforts. Um then we've got this the difficulty with the hospitals and primarily and unexpectedly
we have the difficulty with weight loss drugs and their popularity. I don't have a good short-term answer to offer either at the state level where 50% of our budget is now uh mass save um
uh the connector for folks who make a little more money than those who qualify for mass save and state employee >> mass health mass save but mass save is your energy program mass health >> I'm sorry thank you mass health thank you >> I know you love mass safe you don't want to speak badly about mass safe
>> thank you no you saved me. So, so this is a very this is a real uh problem and um we spend a a lot of time dealing with it, but but no no short-term solutions. >> Senator Barrett, um I know we don't have a huge sample size at this point, but
aren't the GLP1 drugs limiting the amount of people who need assist health limiting health issues down the road? >> I'm sorry. Yes, there is that positive side which is people uh after years of of troubling trends, people are now
healthier and uh and so that is the upside of these enormous health care bills. Is that what you meant, Jeff? >> Yes. I just I got cuz I am you I use the GLP1 and I get >> How's it going? >> So far so good. My my doctors are happy
and and my I'm on a trial drug with my thyroid and all my all my uh blood tests are all come back positive. >> Oh, that's fantastic. >> So that's um >> not not positive in in the sense of of good. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. All my all my all my blood levels
are great right now from what they tell me. So, but I understand that we don't have enough data to really offset the benefit to. So, I did get a letter from because I'm on Mass Health Brigham as well and I did get a letter saying at the end of the year they're no longer
going to cover the drug. >> So, they're going down to zero coverage for you. >> Yes. >> Whoa. That's upsetting, too. >> Yeah. It's a little bit frustrating, but you know. And what and what what do you imagine is the annual cost um to your
>> my co-ay is like $75 a month. >> And what do you think it will go to? Uh >> over $200 easy unless we can somehow negotiate the drug companies to lessen that burden, which I think might be the ultimate Yeah. um
resolution in this. You know, something that get into national politics, Jeff, for a minute, something that was approved during the last months of the Biden administration and implemented since by the Trump administration. So, this is a bipartisan thing is that Medicare, not just Medicaid, but
Medicare is now negotiating as a group with the drug firms to get premium pricing. That hadn't that a reform that had been called for for 40 or 50 years. >> Sure. But the drug firms managed to prevent the feds who run Medicare from
having this negotiating power and Biden managed to get a breakthrough there and Trump has followed through. So let's hope that with respect to GLPs they can do something but but you know it is it is worth uh emphasizing the the upside
because uh it's it's extraordinary the uh the changes in personal behavior habits that none of us thought we would be able to change about ourselves uh actually prove amanable to change and that's that's a remarkable thing. How are you representative
>> Senator? Nice to see you. Sorry I'm late everybody. this point, I'd like to uh welcome Representative Elliot. >> Good afternoon, Mr. >> Thank you. Thank you for coming. >> You're very welcome. >> And I'd like to to just So, you were good, Joe. >> Yeah. >> And I just take that follow up. So, thank you again, Senator Bear, for that
information. Um I guess some of the things we've been hearing, I'm not surprised to hear that, you know, number one was GLP1's. Um I I've said several times. I I'm a little reluctant to sit behind this desk and play doctor and say whether they should be covered or not.
Um I have to trust that the physicians and the patients are having the appropriate conversations. Um and I'm glad that you followed up with the the other things which is shortage of doctors which again if you have a shortage of something it makes it more expensive and and the consolidation
which which I think when you talk about the hospital systems those consolidations and those problems have I mean to be honest have been driven by privatization of those organizations and I I think it was AEP that did a couple of interesting uh series of articles um
on that and I think all of those things um have to be discussed. And again, there's no short answer. Um and and I think that that's fair. We're going to every town and municipality is going to struggle with that. But um I think that the state can only control what they can
control. So things that we can do to to foster a a better uh environment for doctors and for businesses to, you know, I think some of this is some of the problem has been self-fulfilled prophecy by the insurance companies. I've had some of my best doctors leave because they don't want to deal with the
insurance companies anymore because it's so hard. Um, so I think there's there needs to be true structural reform there and none of it's going to be easy, but we're we're all in this boat together. So I appreciate you bringing up um those points, but but I do I get concerned
when we start talking about the the cost of GOP ones being the number one biggest problem. I think they're they're probably all co-equally problematic. Well, um I'm all for GOP one GOP ones. I
was but I'm citing the data. Our reports are that that the unexpected unpredicted factor are the GLPS and that they are they're currently driving increases that weren't predicted. >> But um but I take your point and I take
Jeff's. >> These are important breakthroughs. Breakthroughs cost money. The the other thing that's going to happen a couple of months is they're going to be released in a pill form. And what they're concerned is they don't know how that will drive demand because there's many people who won't want to inject themselves, right,
>> with a with a with a GLP-1 drug, but they're much more comfortable taking a pill. And therefore, that's that's the concern is they just don't know where that cost is going to be driven because come February or so, they'll be available in a pill form. and they know there's more in the pipeline in terms of future drugs and and and I think that's
the uncertainty is >> nobody likes uncertainty whether it's economists uh drug companies legislators and so forth and that's the concern is what will the demand be because right now if it's 20 some odd percent does it go up to 40% 50% and then 70% and what's
the cost >> isn't that part of the problem these drugs were initially >> formulated formulated for diabetic and diab diabetes >> and yet they found another useful another benefit of them. But it seems to
me there should be a balance somewhere that um you know I mean the di a diabetic person should not suffer you know by by not getting by not getting that but by the same token >> you know what's the tradeoff of of the person that um
>> um is not diabetic but has >> well you know Jeff's report of his insurer is is very upsetting because uh I don't think doctors are going to deny their patients these drugs. if if patients ask for them and and uh a lot
of us struggle with our weight and it's been a trend in the negative direction for a long time. To see it improve, to see uh our ability to control our weight actually get better is such a remarkable turnaround that I don't
think, Mr. Chair, you're going to see us restricting access to the drug. The problem is providing access but but charging people an arm and a leg. Now, my doctor has already said she was going to appeal on my behalf because she's seeing she's
seeing a positive result from it. So, >> we'll see. We'll see how that goes once we get there. >> I think what the state can do for us and what our legislation reps can do for us is they can work we can work towards those long-term structural forms. They
can work with um uh the insurance industry. they can work with the medical industry to to solve those real structural problems that don't go away in better budget environment. Guys, those problems don't go away, they're probably going to get worse, right? What I think the state's going to struggle
with is um telling who, you know, suggesting who or trying to control cost of these of these breakthrough medications. Nobody's going to know the real impact for 20 years. And we've had people tell us that we don't know what the impact's going to be of weight loss drugs 20 years from now when you know
heart health is better and diabetic health is better and all these things. So, so that's where you know my from my chair here that's my ask of our legislators is legislators is what can we do to support them in working on uh
insurance reform um you know business reform and and um you know getting doctors and nurses licensed in a in an appropriate and efficient manner to backfill those things. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Cunningham. I appreciate that.
Representative Elliott, I don't know if you want to. We're on the uh controlling the cost of health care item that uh we had sent the letter on. I don't know if you want to add >> I'm sure the senator gave a thorough explanation, but what can I I can tell you from my perspectives. Uh I'm a member of the committee on house ways
and means and we did have the governor before us and she has filed legislation to to address you know certainly the issue of of the way controlled drugs that is it is a driver and it's a big driver in this you know in this factor
Massachusetts uh budget consumes uh it was 46 maybe 47% of of the budget goes to health care I mean across the board. This year we saw a $2.8 billion increase um in the cost
of um in the budget. So, you know, that's not sustainable. One of them is the weight reduction drug. The other the other uh significant drive factor are the costs that the the state has to absorb um when people go to the emergency room. It's three or four times
more expensive to to uh to get services and medical treatment at an ER than it is an acute care facility for instance. Um so I think there there has to be some shift in the way that uh treatment is is
triaged and as well as you know and again substance abuse, mental health, the these you know the big factors of no surprise to anyone um are driving those costs up but it's also not sustainable from the state's budget perspective. A
$2.8 billion increase in one fiscal year is not sustainable. So I think you'll see the legislature this will be um it will be one of the major issues in my opinion that will take up because we'll be before we know it will be going into the next fiscal year um you know
developing of the budget and um some of these reforms will have to be in place uh you know before that. So I I you know it's it's it's a long discussion um but the committees are are addressing it and uh we'll we I think we'll see some of
these reforms as we move forward. >> But just to accentuate another positive point trying to find some silver lining here. Uh improvements in health are the the s the most silver of linings. But another is that Massachusetts remains a state with the highest percentage of its
population covered by some kind of health insurance. You remember Romney Care preceded Obamacare. So we got an early leg up. We still in the end wind up extending health care coverage, insurance if you will, in some form to a greater percentage of our
population than than any other state in the union. So people are getting some access. That's why this physician shortage in part is driven by the fact that everyone is in the hunt. everyone uh is able to almost everyone 97% of us
have some sort of coverage. So uh the physician shortage is worrying but there's a sense in which it's a function of of our success in giving people some financial help. >> And you probably know this but you're not the only community. I mean it's uh
between ed reform formula chapter 90 and healthc care costs on communities those are structural deficits that you know I I've been traveling around to some other communities and it's the same concern we can't do it I mean we do have some
communities now that are self-insured going to the GIC that helps by the economy of scales it brings you know the more the more communities and and individuals in it it does help, but it there's still real reform that has to
take place out outside of that. >> Of course, you also had to bail out the GIC, too. >> And we had to bail out the >> by a quart of a billion dollars. Yeah. >> Nicely said. >> Do you have anything to add to the healthcare? >> Okay. Okay. Um why don't we move on to
chapter 70 funding allocation methodology? And uh if I'm correct, we're going to take another look at chapter 70 funding. >> Has to because you've only got one year left of the student opportunities act for the funding formula and right >> us and others want you know want a more
equitable methodology uh because right now as was noted by the representative it's you know $150 a student isn't isn't cutting it. And that was a good year for you know and and that's the concern going forward is the the cost of education
it's now you know it's just growing same thing at at levels that are far outpacing it um inflation and and with towns like us that are 77% funded by the property tax certainly out growing two and a half% per year.
>> Yeah. Um uh go ahead. Senator, >> I I uh I do want to observe and I and I and I echo the representative here. Um could be a senator elect soon. >> Don't change me. I'm still going to work
with Chelsea. Let's make that clear. >> We'll be working together. Um, we do have the situation where what what we're hearing from our chairs of ways and means, the House and Senate both are the difficulties we're going to face
because of u all while the turbulence in the economy. It's amazing that state tax collections have held up and that we only have a migraine going on the spending side because we all thought that there were going to be problems on the revenue collection side as well.
uh we're really keeping our fingers crossed. If anything, if we start bringing in tax collections under projections and we use these projections at the beginning of the budget cycle to set our spending levels, then uh our problems will get worse. So, um this is
this is a very very dicey season that we're entering. Uh we'll know more, but not until April or May. The next time we're before you, I think, is in June. Um and then we will have gone through a budget cycle. We will have set local aid
amounts. Um uh of all kinds, chapter 70 included and let's hope that we manage to dodge a bullet and see revenue collections stay stay up. >> Is there specifically um or will there be discussion on the methodology of
chapter 70 funding? The reason I say that is because >> um >> you know there's there's been inequities and especially to Chumsford. Chumsford's been in an inequitable position for years. Um and there's a lot of uh other
uh cities and towns around us that uh um are wealthier than Chumsford that uh do much better than Chumsford does when it comes to chapter 70. So, uh, I'm specifically interested in method, you know, your thoughts on the methodology of bringing, uh, equity to all cities
and towns when it comes to chapter 70 funding. >> Sure. >> Well, I've represented you for 12 years and this has been this has chafed at Chumsford for the entire time. uh and you guys have been very clear there and we've pushed this issue a lot and been
unable because Chelmsford is isolated because there isn't a critical mass of communities in Chelmsford situation demographically we haven't been able to muster the votes you were asking me very specifically whether I think in the last year of increased funding under the
student opportunity act we're going to see a reconsideration of the formula that will impact let's say the next budget cycle I honestly having lost the fight in the past, I honestly don't think we're going to win it. Um, now what do you think?
>> Well, um, again, as we we heard loud and clear and, uh, I won't forget the day the ways of means travels around the state. We had nine hearings. We go to all different sections of the state because we want to hear from everybody. And we were in Amherst, I remember very clearly. Um there were uh protests
around this, call it what you want, from many rural communities, school comm school committee people, select board members. Um and they made it loud and clear of the inequities that Senator um that that we're speaking about here. And
so what we did this year, and let's say it's a band-aid approach, right, Senator? We we doubled the um student reimbursement per pupil um reimbursement. We doubled it from uh $75 to 150. Um you will also know know that
we increase because the other factor was the cost of reimbursement. It costs rural communities a lot more money than it does people in this you know communities in that have city school. >> Yeah. For school bus transportation. So we increase that to 150 million. Uh
again knowing that it's a band-aid approach. the governor has started these let's say their listening sessions because I think we heard after five or six or seven hours of testimony at that particular hearing alone and it was strictly on education something needs to
be done so the message is getting clear um and it's penetrating uh and maybe the senator has a has a good point if it's you know it's not this year I personally feel I'm trying to be we put a positive spin on I personally feel that it's coming because there needs to be a
change. Um it's it's it's an old for formula funding. Times change and communities, rural communities um and smaller communities need help. So I believe there was uh there was the first one was in Hville. Uh I think there was
one recently maybe up in the Fitsburg area. I'm not 100% sure, but the governor, you know, these listening sessions on uh hearing from communities, they're going to continue and I I believe they'll come back with a recommendation, but let's say there's some light at the end of the tunnel. Um
it probably won't be as fast as we would like it or you would like it, but I do think at some point that reform of that funding um uh of that funding formula will will change. >> Thank you. Any uh anybody have any comments? I think those are fair.
>> Can I jump in? >> Sure. >> Um, so Repldo is on the education committee, so he'll be part of any conversations on alterate uh altering the formula. But the focus right now has been on trying to raise the foundation of the budget because that's probably
what would help Chelmsford the most without then accidentally hurting Chelmsford because there's a risk that reopening the formula would end up preferencing lower income communities over Chelmsford. So it's like we could go into it expecting that Schumford would get a bump, but in reality like it
could happen and it looks probably likely that it would end up actually hurting the amount of funding that Chelmsford receives. >> I think I I think this is a it is a tricky proposition. Uh both representatives are correct that there's
a lot of tumult, a lot of discussion, but I find that they don't all move in the same direction. uh you know Chamsort has about 34,000 folks uh 34,000 people. It's um it is actually middle to upper income.
The rural communities that are also in their pitching especially in Amherst are in a different place uh in terms of their demographics. So I just uh I hate to be pessimistic. It makes one uncomfortable, but I'm trying to be realistic in terms of
planning. What we've got to do is hold the line on on local aid in general. U at a time when the budget could wind up being severely stressed. Uh one thing we haven't talked about, perhaps we'll get to it this evening. I I I don't have
your agenda in front of me. Uh for example, our ear marks, which have been helpful to Chelmsford in the last couple of years. Um those are always precarious in tough budget times. I hope those are maintained because as I do my counting for the town, you know, we've got a good
in one way or the other from um uh street maintenance to the council on aging. Um and a number of earmarks I know that representative Catalo and representative uh RCORo have have done as well as the two legislators you've
gotten before you. We want to make sure those things aren't endangered and they could they could be imperiled. So, this is going to be a tough year, not a not one where we likely can can expand help or assistance.
>> You know, the positive news is we do, you know, that uh the Thrive Act, the the millionaire tax has provided an unex unexpected um boost in revenue for for certainly public transit, but also for education. uh to fund things like the
student I think it was 100 million for the student opportunity act. In fact, we just did a supplemental of one point 1 1.2 billion. Um you know the expectation the first year was going to be about a billion three and it came in as two billion4 I think. So, we don't know if
that trend is going to continue, but like Senator Barrett said, we're hitting our benchmarks, keeping our fingers crossed, and we're pretty financially stable with that 9 billion uh in the stabilization fund, but you know, a lot of uncertainty out of Washington, and we'll see what happens with uh with
midterm elections because Medicaid, if that goes through, that is um you know, that's that's going to be a big hit to our budget, but we'll see if that actually materializes. >> Yeah. Anything else on chapter 7 funding?
Okay. Uh the next item um on our list is inadequate funding of unrestricted general government aid. And >> I just repeat my message. This is going to be a tough budget year and I'm very concerned about uh what we're going to
see. >> That would be a ditto. >> Appreciate brutal honesty. >> Yes. Thank you. All right. Um the next item is um general discussion of some of the elements of Governor Mara Healey's uh
municipal empowerment act. And um the first uh first bullet is make permanent the flexibility to hold remote and hybrid meetings. Um, I being someone that has very much
used Zoom meetings while I was sick, um, appreciated the fact that I was able to fulfill my duties um, by being able to zoom in. And we wonder how the um, legislature feels about uh, uh, making this a permanent uh, solution. I
>> I think there's you you correct. I know that Rod's on top of this. I I I think um I think there's a great deal of support. Uh the the provision in the governor's bill, if I'm not mistaken, would extend hybrid meetings through 2027. Um
>> people I I I think my colleagues and I we would like to make it permanent as well. My hope is that the entirety of the governor's bill, because as you can see, there are many uh sections and segments to the Municipal Empowerment Act, I'd
like to see the legislation as a whole finally move sometime before the end of this two-year session. And I think there's a a a realistic possibility. Uh I don't serve on the relevant committees. I'm not close to that issue in a granular way. Um maybe maybe
someone else on this uh conversation is, but it would be good since we can't deliver as many dollars as municipalities need if we at least gave you administrative flexibility and I think that perspective is going to
carry the day. >> Great. Excellent. >> By next June. >> Okay. Um the next uh bullet uh increase chapter chapter 30B threshold for advertised um procurements to 100K for
all municipal purchasing not just school procurements which would be helpful to us. Um >> well all these are different parts of the same bill, >> right? >> Uh they are likely all to move. Maybe you you one might imagine u uh a house
or senate ways and means committee stripping out one or two because there's some sort of significant push back from a sector that we don't know about yet. But fundamentally all these bulleted points should probably be moving together.
uh they're all going to be up or they're all going to be down by next June. So, we could go through them for sure, but I can tell you that they're traveling at the moment of a piece in one uh piece of legislation. >> Okay.
>> Yeah, I know the I've had conversations and even meetings with uh the inspector general. uh we have them over the housing authority where I'm uh the chairman of the board and um as Senator Barrett mentioned that it's kind of peace meal and there were some there
were some pieces included in the FY26 budget which were beneficial um and communities do appreciate it. So uh I I mean I agree with Senator B. It'd be nice to see these in a comprehensive manner. Um I I personally received kind
of mixed um responses or emails if you will on some of the local option revenue proposals that are in here. But um you know I think as this as this goes through the you know the committee
process um >> it'd be nice it would be nice to get a a full package. I don't know Senator has a lot more more experience and seniority than I do. I don't know what the likeliness of it of it is. We'll be taking up some pretty big bills, but some of these things like, you know,
modernize the procurement contracting rules to me as a contract officer. It's a no-brainer. It it doesn't mean that you're going to sacrifice competition and best price. It just means that it it's more it'll be more efficient. So, I
think we will see something exactly to what extent. >> I I agree. Uh the revenue pieces, I support them myself. I mean quite explicitly I think you should have a local option to increase the lodging tax on hotel motel and other rentals and I
support the local option to increase the meals tax. It would be a chumsford decision then >> and I think given that we not giving you significant amounts of general local aid. I think you should have the option
to uh match revenues with expenditures a little more than you do. Are there any other possibilities for local options that have been considered? >> I I I think this is the vehicle, >> Pat, that uh these are either going to
travel with this package or because of push back from different quarters, they'll get dropped. And I'll tell you the push back that could happen to be perfectly candid. U if we can talk politics just for a
minute. you have a you have um a gubanatorial election coming up next year. The polls show that the incumbent's doing pretty well, but but uh she doesn't have a lock on her job any more than any of us have a lock on ours. So,
if the Republican candidates for governor come out against those local option taxes on the grounds that uh they'd be um they'd be bad for residents can't take any more taxes of any kind, local or state, then we're in
trouble. Uh we the governor could decide to drop her advocacy uh if well if the polls show that her position is unpopular. I u applaud her for doing what she's done. I believe she should
stand her ground. I think all of us should take the heat. But Rod's absolutely right. Um you you get mixed messages in your legislative mail on the local option taxes from folks who are just, you know,
don't want to be taxed anymore. So this then becomes a little dicey and a lot will have to do with whether the Republican candidates come at her on those revenue questions specifically. I don't know whether they've articulated public positions because you would hope that they would also be friends of local
government. But if they do start criticizing those elements of this municipal empowerment act, then they're continuing presence in the stat in the
law or in the bill become more open to question. Okay. Yeah, I mean I agree with you. I mean I I support the ones that are here. Also, I was just wondering if there are any others that are in there or that also could be considered for local options
because I mean as Paul has mentioned right now over 77% of our budget is funded by real estate tax. We need other sources of revenue. >> Well, well, well, something I I don't you guys know uh your your local politics very well. So, so I I don't want to get into an area where I'm
hardly an expert, but I there's an interesting question. No, actually a low a home rule bill uh profered by a particular town to give it the latitude to uh increase these taxes is actually a strategy that's been tried for years.
And those those are the home rule bills that don't do too well. The sometimes they pass, but a lot of times they don't. So, um I had expressed at the beginning of this meeting optimism with respect to other kinds of home rule bills because we respect town meeting uh
and the select board's decisions and these things. But once you get into taxes in an election year, it becomes harder to handicap the outcome. >> Understood. Pat, I'd like to expound upon
Representative Elliot's position on the uh procurement law. As somebody over the past 20 years, in my professional career, I've had to deal with this and we've seen our costs have gone up, but the law has not. So, what comes down to the city and towns are no longer getting
the best deal. They're getting the cheapest bid, which is not always the best for the cities and towns. Um, it needs to move with the I mean, obviously costs are going up. I mean, you can't stop that. That's that's reality. And if the state doesn't allow the cities and
towns to recognize that and give them the ability to work within that parameter, then you're handcuffing them to go to the, you know, the worst the lowest bid and not quality. >> So, that's just that's just my personal opinion. >> Yeah. And I think one uh one element is there's a requirement for combis which
you know in its at its face value fail it makes sense but you know it's um I think you someone mentioned it's a cumbersome process to uh become eligible and to apply and get on combis. So I think that's that's one
element here that goes away and and and it does there are some very good parts of this in the procurement to to streamline the process make it 100,000 because you know the cost of goods these days is we need to increase that threshold.
>> I I agree and and to a term you just used streamlining which is what a lot of these are about which is really helpful. I mean, um, if you talk about, um, increasing bond terms from 30 to 40 years for school construction projects,
that would help us. We we're now, uh, embarking on, um, a new school project. Um, it would certainly help the constituency to, you know, be able to bond that out over 40 years instead of 30 years to help bring in taxes
somewhat. Anyway, so things like that um you know are very important to us. >> Um you know uh things as simple as um you know being able to um impose a financial pen penalty for you know utility companies that just refuse to remove the polls and
>> you know and we have more polls tonight for 24 years on the city council. >> Yeah. You know so >> we had like 400 at one time. Forgive me. We're doing much better these days, but um but you know, we could certainly use some help to just, you know, try to move things along and and really just help to
to um take care of business the way it should be taken care of here in town to to say, "Okay, you've had enough time. Let's let's get this done." Um um you know, uh things like eliminate the requirement to publish legal and public hearing notices and print newspapers by
allowing online only newspapers. um that would help us. That streamlines, it saves time, it saves manpower, it saves all of those types of things. >> I think there's widespread support for all but the revenue pieces. Uh and and I hope those remain in the package as well.
>> Okay. Okay. And then the, you know, the final one that we're looking at is, you know, establishing an OPED uh commission to examine opportunities to address unfunded liabilities from non-pension employee benefits. And and again, this is another one that um you know, we're
looking down the barrel of of of that as well. And and it's a it's a serious consideration for us. So um >> thank you. Thank you for reinforcing the message. >> You're welcome.
Um, if I could just bring up one thing that's not here, one thing that I always uh remind you about and ask about having to do with deposits on on bottles and cans. Um, how that might be going as far as increasing the deposit andor applying
it to water bottles, other >> nip bottles. And and nip bottles. Yeah. >> So, it's um the Senate did it. The Senate did it including NIPS. >> Okay. In 2024, um the the House, we're talking about the uh the CL the climate
bill. The House begged to differ with the Senate and it did not survive uh the the conference negotiations. Um so I'm I'm totally with you. I'm totally with you. I'd like to see the nickel go up to a a dime. I'd like to see um I'd like to
see uh energy bottles and and water bottles covered as well as cans. Uh there are actually provisions in in what the Senate in put into its climate bill that would help the middleman, the the processor uh and the recycling centers
uh do their thing uh and and cover their increased expenses. So I thought we were pretty pretty good and pretty comprehensive in thinking about the entire supply chain but but uh we failed to make the sale to some very smart
people in the house and uh >> it wasn't me. >> We'll have to take another shot. It was that's right. No, Representative Elliott was was not uh was not giving us uh fits, but some of his shrewd colleagues
were and and we have to uh >> No, and I agree. I mean, I I you see everywhere it's it's lit. How do how do we address it? How do we help the environment? How do we um you know, not have people be more responsible? You know, we all know that the recycling
market is completely fallen out. Uh that doesn't mean that everything goes into the trash. So, um, especially those NIP bottles th those we see them I see them all over the place in the city sometimes and it's u it's pretty frustrating but
so I I I I support both of those bills. >> Okay. I guess all we can say is just keep >> I will well Pat I will mention one thing. We did get a compromise uh of kind or I should say we got a um a consolation prize not so much a compromise. The consolation prize was an
extended producer responsibility commission which is preparing its final report right now. I've taken an active role. So extended producer responsibility is a is a different way of making sure that there's less litter, less trash, more things are
repurposable, recyclable because the the burden is on the original uh bottler to absorb a cost uh if it doesn't figure out a way to ensure that the downstream product is reusable and recaptured for
additional uses. So extended producer responsibility has been a big success in the state of Maine and we've heard from the folks up in Maine and uh that's the way we're currently approaching the reduction in prochemicals, the reduction in wasted
plastics. uh we're trying to see if we can go up the chain toward the bottlers and uh impose a kind of carbon tax on their activities which is really what extended producer responsibility is. Uh so we'll
see uh if the commission report which isn't completed yet has some traction. >> Was the recycle paint? >> Right. We we talked about the the paint option for the from the extended um >> producer responsibility. The which option did you recycle paint
on paint is one of our focuses. We've had we've heard a lot about >> paint which uh which which as we all know piles up in our garages and our basement because it's it's uh difficult to dispose of safely and all of us uh have our towns have hazardous waste days
for example but you have to remember to take advantage of it when it comes around. So yes, we would like to uh work with the paint manufacturers uh and reach upstream towards them. If they were faced with absorbing some
expense when they sell product in Massachusetts, uh they might find a way to to make sure that there is less waste at the outset. >> Okay. So thanks for your efforts and I guess just keep it up. >> Yes, please. >> Thank you. Any other board members have
comments or >> my only concern with that paint situation is you're putting the burden on the retailer which I don't think is fair to them. >> Well, and that and that's yes, we have had the retailers in and uh the problem here is is the same problem at the
outset that the groceries faced when we needed to create a special area where you return your your u your cans, right? uh you need to talk to the retailers and see if they have the physical space to handle some returns because that would
be a part of it. Although as I say with EPR you're putting the pressure you hope on the wholesaler and on the manufacturer but at the end of the day there's no question that the retailer feels very vulnerable. So these
solutions and supply chain questions do become complex >> of course. >> Okay. >> Anything else from our >> you spoke about the home rule um on the second generation anti-coagulants
earlier and I know Senator Barrett is filing it on the Senate side. I did speak with Senator uh Representative Catalo uh right before this meeting or before meeting I had earlier and he's actually the vice chair of uh on the committee of um environment natural
resources. So I'm going to file that um in his place so it won't be awkward or uh Anna probably just doesn't know this unless she just spoke to uh >> we actually spoke like five minutes before I hopped on this. So, >> so, uh, I'm going to file that on the
house side. Um, LOL, by the way, LOL has, um, we filed one a home petition in Lowel, um, for the same thing, and I'm, as I mentioned, I'm on the housing authority. We've taken measures working with the Loves Wildlife group to, uh, we put a contract in place, and part of the
the contract is to track and to reduce the use of, um, of these anti second generation anti-coagulants. So, you know, good news. Uh, we have to continue to to do our due diligence with our with
the with the rodent issue that we have in the housing authority complexes, but we're moving in that direction. So, just an update. I as soon as I get that information from the clerk, either co-iler or or co-sponsor, but considering he's a vice chair, you know, I thought it was a good idea if I take
the lead, I'm h I'm happy to do it. Um we testified the there are a number of bills uh including sort of the the comprehensive bill was it a couple weeks ago senator that it was heard a lot of support. I testified uh on behalf of of
you know our bill and um let hopefully it's going to pass this year but we'll file a home rule as well. >> Excellent. >> Okay. Anything else from our representatives, our delegation? >> Thank you for having us.
>> Thank you for for attending. Thank you for coming and thank you for some straightforward answers. And uh we'll look forward to next time for better news. And hopefully the uh >> we won't be dipping into the snow and ice budget tomorrow night too much.
>> Starts Yeah. starts tomorrow. >> Thank you, gentlemen. Thank you, Anna. Thank you. >> Okay, the next item item on the agenda is public service announcements.
>> Okay, we have several this evening. Uh first up is the uh public notice of the spring 2026 annual town meeting. Uh town of Chancellor will convene the 2026 spring town meeting on Monday, April 27th, 2026. and articles to be included on the warrant must be submitted to the
office of the town manager uh prior to 4 pm on Monday, January 5th, 2026. Any citizen petition articles must carry the signatures of at least 10 voters. And for more information, you can contact the town manager's office. Um this Saturday, the uh Val will have a
tree lighting from 4 to 6:00 p.m. at uh in Vinyl Square. There will be special visits from Santa Claus. There'll be live music and a fire truck that's going to bring Santa to the tree, hot cocoa, food, and festive treats and crafts and activities for the children. So
hopefully it'll be a nice day for a tree lighting in Final Square. And then on Sunday, December 7th, uh from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. there will be the holiday annual holiday prelude in the center uh around the common. Um there'll be many activities there including tractor hay
rides um face painting, free goodies, performances, and of course um Santa will be there. So we look forward to seeing you there. Uh the board of health is still providing free inhome flu vaccines for homebound residents. You
can just get in touch with the board of health uh Darcy Beal at the board of health at 978-250-5241. Uh, a couple of meetings ago, we heard about the new Chumsford Civics Academy that will be launching um next month now. So, applications are being received
through December 23rd for participation in a town's first civics academy. This program will seek to strengthen civic engagement by providing residents with a deeper understanding of town government and operations. It's an 8-week program that's going to take place on Tuesday
evenings beginning January 27th through March 31st. The sessions will take place at various municipal buildings across the community and the online application is available on the town's website. The child memorial tree program um has
been launched. It offers residents a meaningful way to honor loved ones while adding beauty and shade to our community. You can sponsor a tree that will be planted in a public space around town and that's going to create a lasting living tribute. For more information about this program, you can
also check the town's website um and to get an application and and fill out your request. 2026 dog licensing is available now. Every 2025 dog license expires on December 31st. Um licensing, as I said,
has begun. You need an up to up-to-date rabies vaccination uh which needs to be the certificate needs to be uh presented at the time of licensing. For renewals for license renewals, they can be renewed online by mail or at the town clerk's office. New dogs have to
register by mail with the check or in the town clerk's office. The fee is $20 for a spade or neuter dog and $25 if unaltered. And just a reminder that late fees go into effect on March 1st and
citations go into effect on June 15th. Uh and lastly, the the um there's a notice about the select board and the school committee will meet on December 8th, 2025 to appoint one alternate representative to the NHoba Valley
Technical High School Committee to fill an unexpired three-year term that runs from December 9, 2025 through March 31st, 2028. Applications are available on the town website and they should be forwarded to the town manager's office
by um this Wednesday, December 3rd at uh 2025. That's all I have for ESAs. >> Thank you, Pat. Um Paul, uh just a quick uh question on that. Uh that's going to be done during the tri board meeting. So there'll be one agenda item just to fulfill. >> Yeah, we'll actually post a separate agenda because that involves the
moderators, select board, and school committee. And then we'll do the tri board with the finance committee right after that. So, it'll be first thing um next Monday night. >> Understood. Thank you. Okay. The next uh item on the agenda is general public input. Do we have anybody here in the audience or on Zoom um to looking to
provide uh public input? >> There's nobody on Zoom for public input. >> Any general public input here 15. Congratulations on uh being our new chair. Thank you for stepping up for that. Um just a quick quick um couple of comments. I was sorry that we couldn't
address our state legislators are really hard to get a hold of um ourselves. Wish wish we had public comment before their meeting because it was quite a quite a list of things that you asked or Mr. Cohen asked them. Um I would also have added something like um auditing the
state legislature. Um the voters voted in April, I believe it was April, for 72% of the voters said we would we want the state legislator uh legislation folks audited. The um state auditor actually came to a meeting in front of
the state house and with a petition to add that as a law because she can't audit the state legislature. We probably should ask our folks why that wasn't done. um municipal empowerment act. I heard comment about that. Um that
sounded like a tax increase to me and uh as much as you all talked about um the expense healthc care expenses um for our employees. Um I think you forgot about the retirees in
town. Um when Obamacare came along after after we did our own state version of health care, um we we actually um went from 30 million um folks in the country that had no insurance to 47 million
today. Obamacare is a total disaster. And we've seen all of our small hospitals from here to Nshoba, if you look, hospitals from here down into town getting cancelled or merging. That's terrifying to me as an adult. um now
over 65 who lost my permanent health care because of Obamacare. I worked for a $3 billion company and they said, "Well, you got Obamacare. You don't need healthcare anymore. Medicare will take good care of you." I have no PCP. No PCP. Um I have to manage it all on my
own. It's horribly expensive. My expenses are going up $100 a month between my wife and I on Medicare. Um it's marginal insurance. My doctor canceled me because she didn't like my kind the kind of insurance I had, Medicaid if you will, for three months
until I turned 65. When I turned 65, she was already gone. Forget it. Can't get one. On the other side of the fence, handicapped accessibility. We all hear about that. My son has been um in the COVID cave since March 13 of 2020. No
services for Matthew. No services. That is um I think I wrote it down here. That is um 1439 days that my wife and I have been taking care of him full-time 24/7 365.
No services. We had services out of Wuburn for Matthew for daycare daycare facility if you will. Six hours a day, an hour here and an hour back in the van. Four hours uh care. If I guessed that that the state paid $20 an hour for
the contract, you should all laugh. Um, they this the state saved $172,680 as of today for not taking Matthew taking care of him. So Kathy and I have been taking care of him full-time 247
365 for for um 2008 days since January, I'm sorry, March 13 of 2020. I'll throw that back at you. If if I give up my guardianship on my son, state of Massachusetts has a great
program. They'll pay me $25 an hour to take care of him if I give up my guardianship. We have a lot of people in the community that can't afford the $1,000 tax increase that you folks are going to vote on or have already voted on uh my
tax increase this year. Having no income, having been laid off at the end of 2020, it makes a little stretch. It's a little bit of a stretch. As long as I die by 75, I'm I'm in good shape financially. However, you got to look at the residents that live here today and
the folks that have lived here for the last 30 years like me, and think about us as well, not just increasing taxes or making Proposition 2 and a half, three and a half, which is what we really have. Um, another percent and then charging me more to go to the um grocery store. Had benefit of going to
California, 12% tax, 12%. They put parking meters every place. I missed one at six o'clock on a Sunday night. $65 fine. Consider it. Um, finally, I I'm thrilled to be assist that you didn't stop me at
three minutes. Censorship. We don't have an opportunity to talk to our legislators anymore. The representatives that were here didn't um allow us to speak them directly during the shutdown. my congressman, no
call back. One of my senators was available through their third party person. The other one was not available. You know why? She wasn't running for for this current year. We have a big problem with that. We have a two or three minute talk that we can
do at at the U sele at the um town meeting and hopefully you'll let us come in and speak to you when we have problems here. For the record, Turnpike Road has finally started to get a sidewalk. I asked Bernie Lynch, predecessor to our town manager, years
and years ago, "How come we don't have a sidewalk there?" We put half a million dollars in the state grant there. We we put about I'm going to guess 300 yards of con of um what looks like padded marking area there and granite curbs to
nowhere. It goes from a housing project that we stuck in there in 2019 down to a warehouse completely worthless and a waste of state money. Half million dollars. Anyway, we we need to do better than
that and we need to say do some cost savings both at the state level and at at our local level as well instead of just raising taxes and saying trying to figure out ways to do it. I'll give you a $20,000 idea. Kinlock has $20,000
worth of cars that have New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Florida plates on them. $20,000 a year. Since 2019, I'm going to guess that's about $100,000 you guys could have collected. We don't seem to care. Go to each one of these new
housing projects and take a look at license plates. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Okay. The next uh any other um public input? Seeing none, uh the next item is uh committee vacancies.
>> Okay. As of today, we have the following uh vacancies. Uh the agricultural commission has one uh seat available. Bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee also has one unexpired term. Board of seleers has one vacancy. Commission on Disabilities has five openings of
different uh uh different term lengths. The Community Preservation Committee has uh one one vacancy. The Council on Aging Board has three vacancies of different terms. Historic District Commission is looking for an alternate member. The holiday decorating committee has one
unexpired term. The parade committee welcomes all applicants and a final final square strategic action plan committee is looking for a business representative to fill the one seat they have for that. If you're interested, you can fill out an uh application online on the town website or contact the town
manager's office. >> Pat, I'd like to follow up on that parade committee. Many of us are aging out. We've been doing this for over 20 years. We need new volunteers. We've got some young blood that have picked up the chairmanship and we're excited about that. But if we don't get new
volunteers, we're not going to have a parade. I mean, that's as simple as I can put it. Thank you, Jeff. Okay. Um the next um item on the agenda is um a couple of public hearings for
National Grid and Verizon poll petitions. One on Galloway Road and one on Middle Sex Street. Is there anybody here for the um Galloway Road pole petition? Good evening. David Buché, senior designer, National Grid, 1101 Turnpike
Street, North Andover. Before I get to this particular petition, we have two tonight. I want to address the fact that you mentioned double polls earlier on. Um, after I've done these two petitions, I'd like to give you a a little bit of
um help with that if I could, but let's get back to the petition first and then after we're done the petitions, I could just speak on that if you'd like. >> Okay. >> Um, the first >> uh let me just mention that we're going to open a public hearing for this. So, this is a public hearing. Um, but please
go ahead. >> Okay. Um our first petition is to place a new pole number two on Galloway Road as we've uh provided the drawing for. You've got that up on the screen. Um on this poll, we'll place a pole top topper
closer um in our neverending effort to continually bring power back uh and isolate outages and minimize areas uh when power does go out. Um this is this is part of it. placing the new pole
would enable us to put the pole topper closer uh in that part of town. Um and as I said, if if when the power goes out, it basically if we've got a thousand people out in a particular area and then we're closures one closure opens in another, we do switching and we
can isolate maybe 200 people out while we restore power to 800 people um and um work on the outage and the reason why it's out. So if if the town of Joneswood goes forward and passes this petition,
it would enable us to place the poll as shown. >> Okay. Is there anybody in the audience that wishes to speak for or against this poll petition? Seeing none. Um
>> so so just to note that from DPW there was a um a memo from them noting that uh you have to maintain a the clear width of 48 in on the sidewalk for ADA requirements. Okay. Aware of that. >> Any um
discussion deliberation from the board? Seeing none, I'll uh entertain a motion to close the public hearing. >> I'll make a motion to close public hearing. I'll second that. >> I have a motion and a second to close the public hearing. All in favor? I opposed. That's unanimous.
Okay. Um I'll entertain a motion to approve the poll petition as presented. >> I'll make a motion to approve poll petition number 31213061 um as presented. >> I'll second that. >> Any discussion?
Seeing none, all in favor? I opposed. That's unanimous. Okay. Um, at this point in time, we will open up a new public hearing for um the a new poll on Middle Sex Street in Chilsford.
Again, Dave Buchet for National Grid. Um, as shown on the diagram at the corner of Edward's Place and Middle Sex Street, we're asking for a new poll number 42-50. Similarly, this part of town, we'd like to place a pole top topper closer there,
uh, enabling us to do switching and restore power uh, in a better fashion uh, going forward, creating better reliability and restoration uh, for all the customers uh, and residents.
>> Okay, this being a public hearing, is there anybody in the audience uh, or on Zoom that uh, wishes to speak for or against this um, petition? Uh, just because I'm here, state your name. Brian Latina, 15 Jesse Road, Ch Street. Um,
>> our our polls in front of my house happen to have a a nice connection um solving problems from from years ago when the power goes out in one section of the neighborhood. So, I'd highly recommend that you approve this one as well with the side comment that maybe we
can make a deal with National Grid. when you put a poll up, could you take one of the double ones down for us? Thank you. >> We might get some light chat on that yet. Um, okay. Anybody else um that wishes to speak for or against? Seeing none, I'll entertain a motion to
close the public hearing. >> Make a motion to close public hearing. >> I'll second it. >> I have a motion and a second to close public hearing. All in favor? I opposed. That's unanimous. All right. Any um discussion or comment by the by the
board? Seeing none, I'll entertain a motion to um approve the poll petition as presented. >> Make a motion to approve petition number 31199671 as presented. >> Second that. >> I have a motion in a second. Any discussion?
Seeing none, all in favor? I opposed. That's unanimous. And um yeah, we'll spend a we'll give you a quick minute or two to fill us in on how you can enlighten us on how we can take care of all these uh polls that we really desperately want to get rid of.
>> Absolutely. And you're not alone. Um all 18 towns uh in the Marramac Valley prior to approximately 5 years ago had National Grid in in the electric company installing uh in nine of the towns and the
telephone company installing in nine of the towns. If the if the electric company set the pole and it's a particular town, they remove the poll. When the telephone company, which is the last party off, um uh we would remove the poll. Telephone
company sets in a town, uh the telephone company removes the poll. 5 years ago, we came to an agreement between the two companies where now we set all the polls in all 18 towns and cities. telephone company when they're done with their
their wires which are on the bottom and the last to come off remove all the poles. That being said, it's not always the telephone company. Could be the it could be the cable TV company. Could also be the towns who sometimes have uh fire wires that are um fire department
wires that are still on the poles. Your fire department has access to the system we have that talks between the utility companies. It's called engines NJUS. Um, if you're not familiar with it, your fire chief should be. And if he's not,
um, he should get in touch with our our liaison. I believe the liaison is uh um Curtis Davis. >> Curtis. >> Curtis. >> Great guy. He he knows uh I spoke with Curtis about two weeks ago about a very similar issue in one of the other towns
right near here. Let's just say it doesn't matter which one, but it was the same thing happening there. Uh, and he's he's um he's on that one. So I I I would suggest that you maybe have a conversation with him and or and maybe
see where the problem is and what you can do is probably focus in on the ones that have been there the longest. They it'll say how long it's been. So um certainly we the the other utilities deserve a certain amount of time, but
there's also a point where it becomes not uh okay. And I and we understand that um and we definitely want to see if we can streamline the process um for you uh and so that you can see where where it's happening. You can
monitor it. I don't know how how you would be able to um dole that out to people to walk to to see on the on on the council or not, but at least the fire department might be able to give you an idea uh which ones are the ones that have been there for the longest and
and u and who's on them and who needs to do >> we have a list that uh we go over monthly, I think. >> Oh, you do have it. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Um so >> I don't know if that helps, but >> yeah. No, I appreciate Yeah. I appreciate that. >> All right. >> Okay. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. Yep. Good luck.
Okay. Uh, next item on the agenda is licenses. Um, the first one is for a one-day bear and wine license for the art society reception to be held December 10th at Chelwood Public Library. Anybody here for that? >> Leslie Kimbell's on Zoom. Our library
director. >> Leslie. >> Hi, everybody. >> Hi there. >> Could you give us a brief description of what we're looking to do. >> Sure. Um, so the Chunsford Arts Society
holds a few receptions at the library each year. We have wonderful um, exhibit space in our meeting room. And so a couple times each year they like to do something special um, to have a little bit of wine with the art and um, so
that's what this is. >> Okay. Any questions from the board? comments? No. Um, >> you ready for a motion? >> Seeing none, I would entertain a motion
to approve this. >> I'll make a mot I'll make a motion to approve a one day beer and wine license for the arts society reception to be held at the Chel Public Library in December 10th, 2025 as presented. >> I'll second that. >> I have a motion and a second. Um, any
discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? I opposed. That's unanimous. The next one is for a one day all alcoholic beverage license for St. John the Evangelist at 115 Middle Sex Street
for December 21st, 2025. >> Hi. Uh, good evening. >> Good evening. Could you state your name and address for the >> Yes. My name is uh the address of the where the event is going to take place. >> Yes. >> Yes. Uh my name is Peter Jamina. The
address is going to be 115 Musk Street at St. St. John the Evangelist Church. >> Okay. And what is the event for? >> So it's a it's an annual Christmas party. Uh we host event year around but
this one uh because it's an annual Christmas party we are trying to make it a little bit special. So there will be alcohol involved. Uh unfortunately the person who is going to be responsible the manager Mr. George Foyer he couldn't
be here uh he signs his apology but he was actually issue a license um on July 25th of this year for another event and he's the one who is going to be responsible for making sure the alcohol
will be served responsibly. So, he's the uh he's the tip certified. >> Yes, sir. >> Person. Okay. Okay. Any other questions from the board? >> Seeing none, I'll entertain a motion to
uh approve the license. >> Make a motion to approve the uh one-day all alcohol beverage license for the annual Christmas party to be held at St. John the Evangelist Church on December 21st, 2025 as presented. >> I'll second that. >> Okay. We have a motion and a second. Any
discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? I >> opposed. That's unanimous. >> Thank you. You're all set. >> Thank you very much. >> All right. Um Paul, help me out on this next one. So, we've got a whole list of uh alcohol licenses. Do we do these all as one
>> major uh motion? >> Yeah, the license renewals. Uh the comments are in are in the um the the material. What I would note is that is as of the date that this was put in the packet. And in speaking to James Gity who handles the licensing in our office, many of the items such as payment and
other stuff have been submitted. So the simple thing would be to approve the renewals as presented subject to any contingencies being satisfied. Um and that would that would do it. Yeah. We do it as a blanket because otherwise we'll be here till quite a while going to every unders and most of them as you say
and he he did a great job of sort of pointing out what has changed since the prior year and who has dropped and who's come on and so forth. So yeah, this is this is very well um >> yeah, there's some that have even dropped off totally by notice. So >> okay. >> All right. Um
>> so so I I do have some questions. Um on on the first page, the one right in the middle, the junked wine and spirits. Um we've been doing this now for this will be the what fourth time with no building. >> Um any status? >> Well, we know there's a building now. um they are they are before the planning
board and we have encouraged the applicant to come to this board even informally um because they're going to have to amend their liquor license they have chosen to instead to uh complete their work at the planning board then they'll come to this board. So, as you opposed for many years where
there was nothing going on, they are they are now um seeking formal planning board approval mostly having to do with the wine tasting uh room on the top floor. Uh and again, that should be resolved within the next several weeks and then they'd be coming before this
board for a license modification at that time. So, that will be separate than the renewal that we have at this point. >> Okay. Um on on the second page, uh the the fourth one down. I think it's fourth one down. Tai Jasmine. Um that no longer
ex exists, right? There is no longer a Tai Jasmine. >> Oh, >> well, you knew that. We >> just Yeah, we just approved. I >> don't know how it made. No, I'm I'm kind of surprised that it made the list, >> right? So, can we remove that? >> Yeah, you can remove that one. I'm surprised that you must have passed over
that. >> Okay. Okay. And then on the on the last page, there's two Chancellor Pizza and well and Dodies, both of which are no longer uh doing their beer and wine. So why are they not under CVL? >> He's got in the footnote where I call him dropped alcohol license dropping beer and wine license.
>> Okay. But they're not in the the CVL one. >> Yeah. >> And that's what I would I would have expected them to be transferred over to the CVL. >> I think it's because the intent of the parties is to come, but you're correct. he should have placed it into the se into the common dictionar and not on the
al alcohol list but I think he was trying to keep track of who had licenses you know what what locations had licenses and which didn't uh and I think but that's the reason but you're correct you know they're and they're we're expecting that they will file shortly um >> so tonight we're only we're only
renewing their CVLs not >> yes that's correct not their no because they don't have a license to renew >> um that's correct Okay. Um, and on the CVL's, yeah, I think I'm all set with those. On the auto dealer
license, the second one, the mom's middle sex, um, that was one we just transferred and I I thought that was a class two. >> In fact, they know it was. I believe I believe you're correct that they were a class one, but your your my recollection is correct. They the new license is a
class two. >> Okay. >> That's the recollection I have. >> Okay. All right. So, we want this to be a class two. >> Okay. I think that's all I had. >> Okay. So, do we want to um
do alcohol um common victer and auto um dealer separately? whatever you prefer. And you also have an auctioneer license as well. >> Oh, okay. >> I just want to go back to on the um ch
for wine and spirit that Pat brought up. >> So, if they have to come back to us, >> is it appropriate to renew it as it stands? >> Because they haven't opened. Yeah. We haven't given them the occupancy permit. They they would they was called a pocket license, which meant they had the
license because they need it for financing. oftentimes with the lending institutions. So that's why you've got to provide the renewal because it enables them to maintain their financing because obviously a lender would would be hesitant to issue the license if they
didn't have a license in hand. >> And so at one point we got an extra license and the board previous board voted to not issue one. But >> no for now that's for on premises versus off- premises consumption. We have an extra license for off- premises consumption. We have plenty of licenses
for onrem. >> We don't know anymore. We we gave it to North Chswood. >> Right. No, but that's for off- premises. Right. >> Right. But I'm saying is we have plenty of licenses available for on premises. That's the difference. But in this case where again, this would be on premises. You off premises. You want Yeah. You
want to maintain that spot. Yeah. That's why they keep renewing the license. >> Yeah. No, I I I understand that. But the the not to debate it, the question that I asked was answered, so I'm good. Okay, >> I think we can do these all as one
major. Um uh motion. So I would entertain a motion to um approve um all of the licenses as presented um with contingencies and such. >> Okay. Hey, I'll make a motion that we
approve the all alcohol renewals, the um alcohol restaurant renewals, uh CVL's, auto dealer licenses, and uh lodging house and auctioneers permit as presented with um with
contingencies and amendments as as noted. >> I'll second that. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any discussion on any of these? Seeing none, all in favor? I opposed. That's unanimous.
>> Thank you. >> Okay. Um at this point, um the next item on the agenda, we will um continue the public hearing for tax classification that was started um two weeks ago. Um
welcome Mr. Chase, our assessor >> and chief assessor Reagan Lay. >> Chief Assessor Reagan Lame. Thank you for coming. >> So, uh, for the record, Sam Chase, chairman of the board of assessors and chief assessor Reagan Lmé, representing
the board, who also consists of another member, Mike Donahghue, who was, uh, here in the audience. And, uh, I think we completed the presentation last time. We're here really just to answer any questions that you or the public uh,
might have. >> Okay. uh being with us is a um public hearing. Is there anybody in the audience or at home on Zoom that would wish to speak far or against um the classification hearing?
Seeing none, um I will entertain a motion to uh close the public hearing. >> Uh motion to close public hearing. >> I'll second that. >> I have a motion and a second. Uh any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? I opposed.
That's unanimous. Okay. So, this is the time where we need to um decide how we want to proceed based on the information presented to the board at the last meeting. Um so, at this point, I will uh we'll start with Jeff.
>> Well, you may all be surprised, but I do have some things to say on this issue. Um, after uh taking two weeks to digest the abundance of information that the assessor's office gave us and looking through everything and thinking back,
this town has done what four different reports on this issue. I think more than any town in the Commonwealth of Mass. I know the first one was 1990. The most recent was 2019. Is that correct? The first report was done uh in the late
90s and then there was a second uh report done in uh 2004 and then there was the department of revenue report done in 2004 and then there was a review of the 2004
tax classification report by the select board in 2005 and the last report was done in uh 2018. >> So obviously we have looked at this thoroughly. So I'd like to take a second and refer
if you guys will indulge me a bit. I'd like to refer to the first report that came out and said now none of the reports came out and said yes or no to do to classify or not to classify. There was no recommendation. It was just there
was some data points given and some concerns and red flags. And the first report said if you split the rate over a over time, you're going to see your commercial um base deteriorate. So since this board
split the rate in 19, we've seen our commercial base gone from 20% to 15% which is 25% loss. Now is that directly a result of the split rate? I guess we can debate that. I guess one of the issues would come back would people say,
"Well, more people are working from home." I agree. So, does that should that allow us to make their homes commercial property or should we ask if they if they deduct their home offices on the personal taxes, should we require them to submit expense and revenue
reports like we do businesses? I know the assessor's office, that's the last thing. I'm just saying this rhetorically just as a point of of discussion. And um I'm not saying I support such such a thing, but well, let me go on. I'd like
to uh also take a moment to recognize the incredible contribution that the business community does for this town. In fact, last Thursday on Thanksgiving, Center uh Brick House Center Pizzeria donated 70 Thanksgiving dinners. And I'm
not talking Swanson frozen dinners. Talking full turkeys and all the fixings. 7070 to needy families with and they didn't advertise this. It wasn't big. They didn't ask for fanfare. They didn't ask for anything returned. I think it's incredible what they did. And I know the
incoming vice president of the Trump's business association. Jacob La Point has established a foundation in his mother's memory to supply gifts for underprivileged families or families who need resources. And he does this on his own. He
volunteers this time. I mean, it's amazing. It's If you can go on to uh laointfoundation.com and see everything that he does and it's phenomenal. And I could sit here all night and tell you story after story and I don't want to do that because I really
want to go home and watch the Patriots, but I digress. Um just a couple weeks ago, Aaron and I had the opportunity to go see Oklahoma, the um high school guild presentation, and I think you'll agree it was fabulous. I mean, we have
so much talent in this town. But I was looking through the uh play bill. If you look in the back, it's all supported by small businesses, KJ's Cafe, the dance companies throughout town. And like I don't want to get too lot but I'd like to go back to the uh reports and I
believe it was the 19 2018 report that said they didn't recommend splitting the rate or not splitting. They said if you are going to split the rate you need to do it incrementally not 27% at a time like this board did 5 years ago which was
completely in my opinion. Um, so that being said, I' I'd like us to consider maybe rolling back like 3 to 5%. Um, and I I'll I'll stop talking now. I want to hear your input,
>> thank you. Um, you know, Jeff and I did have an opportunity to go see that show. So again, congratulations to the to the high school theater guild and all of our talented um candidates. I I see that every year because my kids participate
and it is and my wife works diligently even though she's busy being a teacher in the PTO's and I can't think of a time when a business local business didn't when we approached them for something didn't offer to support the schools and again they don't
necessarily doesn't get advertised in play bills you know uh Zesties was amazing in supporting the rugby team last year in terms of uh making it easy for us to support the team dinners that they have after every match. So both
sides have to get together and have dinner. Um made it very easy for us. Um showed up on time, did what they needed to do. Um and and so I am and and being a former small business owner um I can appreciate it. People think that just because you own a business means you
have plenty of money to to give and that's not that's definitely not true. Um, but then I turn and I put on my resident hat and I have to think about, well, if we change the rate, now we're asking
residents to pay more. And we all know that just like the town is struggling, personal budgets are struggling. So, um I I do wholeheartedly agree with um with Jeff in terms of these things need to be adjusted and and reviewed as as we do
here and you know when appropriate um we should make the appropriate adjustments. Um so I you know I'm definitely in favor of of considering an adjustment tonight. How much I'm not quite sure yet. Well, Erin, you make a great point because any
decision we make tonight affects the four of us directly as well as our families. I mean, my dad's sitting here tonight. He's lived in town over 60 years and he has a home and whatever we decide tonight will affect him as well. >> It's just important for us to consider
when we talk about doing this um you know, it's we're talking about spreading a certain dollar amount over a huge portion of the town and versus the smaller portion. So I I just I want us to I want us to think carefully on the impacts of both of those sides things
because a vibrant community includes their commercial and business base. Think about all the things that wouldn't happen if businesses couldn't survive or couldn't pay their bills and move somewhere else or went out of business altogether, right? What would we see in that play bill? Um
but again, I'm going to ask that same question on the resident side. How do I ask somebody that's struggling with paying all their other bills to contribute even if it appears to be a small bit more? So, I just want us to be that that's what I've been thinking about these last couple weeks. And I don't honestly have a good answer, but
um I'm hoping through some candid discussion tonight, we can we can agree on something that'll work for everybody. >> Okay. >> So, thank you. >> Thank you, Pat. Um, yeah, I mean, I agree with um with what both Jeff and and Aaron have said, and I've been saying this for pretty
much since I've since I've been on the board, that the business community in Chsford is a a wonderful friend and neighbor to so many organizations in town. And when when there is a need, they they always step up. Um, and I I always also note that the U businesses
are often uh subject to other fees that residences are not. um including the the worstly named thing ever, the personal property tax, which basically is all the the equipment they use in doing business. I don't know why it's called the personal property tax. Perhaps we can figure that out sometime because
it's so misnamed. They also very often are subjected to higher storm water and sewer fees from the town. So, I think they they they pay extra for having their business in town, and we're so glad that they are in town. Um, I'm not
ready, as as Jeff mentioned, I'm not ready to reduce the the level back back to to one to equal par, but I am ready to reduce it, um, two or three percentage points today. >> Thank you. Um, so for my part, um, and I
echo what Pat just said, um, I know myself, we pay, um, many more commercial fees for water, for sewer. When it was time to tie in sewer, I needed a grinder pump and we had to, you know, the the business paid for that grinder pump that
the grinder pump and sewer was not provided as it was for residents by the town. So, we pay more fees um, in general. Um, but I also note, you know, what Aaron and Jeff said, and I recently heard that, um, there's been a large
outpouring from the business community to help the food pantry, um, who's, um, you know, um, been, you know, there's a lot of people suffering these days from food insecurity and so on. So, and I know myself, um, I'm one of the people that donate regularly to them, uh,
around this time of the year. So, um, when you look at all of that and, uh, and you drive through the center of town and you see all the business flags up, um, and these are all people that are supporting the parade, they're supporting productions, they're
supporting the food pantry, they're supporting numerous entities in town that, uh, without that help, um, what would happen to many of these entities and what would happen to um, you know, some of the programs that are offered
So, I too it's unfortunate that um some previous boards bought us all the way to 27%. I'll just say that. I think it um was um I think it maybe hurt the town more than it helped. So, um and I agree
with Pat that um we can't just um it would be detrimental to go 100% the other way. >> That would be too wrong. And mom says you can't do that. >> That's right. So, we know we can't do I think we all agree that we can't just
wholesale bring it back to zero. Um to Jeff's point, I think anything in the 3 to 5% range is acceptable. I think 5% is probably, in my own opinion, I think is getting
out there just a bit. Um just and when I look at this chart here and and see what the uh the increments are um you know my sense is you know four or five% I think
may may may hurt some people. Um but I'm certainly willing to talk in that uh in that mid-range. Um um so um that's my two cents on it. Um >> God, >> I think the responsible thing is for us
to walk it back slowly like like the 19 report said, >> we should listen to that advice and and follow it. My opinion, >> I agree 100%. >> So we're at we're at 17 1.17. I I would propose going back to say 1.14. would
everybody >> I think I think that's a fair I think that's a fair uh position. >> I I think I you know I think it was a little less. I was looking at the but again you know the discussion is I'm
looking at it this way. That's about a $50 average increase on residents, right? I'm not doing great math up there with my and but but on the other hand for businesses um you know that's that's
pretty significant um you know savings and I think meaningful at um at getting us back to something that's um a little little equable. So I could I could get on board with the with uh with that roll
back. >> Okay. If there's nothing else, um, I'd entertain a motion. It sounds like we're all in agreement to move towards 3%. >> Yep. Okay. Um, uh, I'll make a motion to adopt a residential factor of N7.
Let's see. N7 >> 068. >> No, >> did you say? Oh, I'm sorry. >> 1486. >> Correct. >> 0.97586. um with which equates to a levy shift of
uh 14% for fiscal 2026. >> I'll second that. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second. Uh any further discussion? >> Seeing none, all in favor? >> I >> opposed. Thank you all. 3%.
>> Thank you. >> More votes. >> You have three more votes, Mr. Chair. >> Okay. So, uh, the residential exemption which was explained to us at our last meeting, uh, we have never adopted that. So, unless anybody has an objection,
I'll make a motion to not adopt that again. >> I have a motion. Can I have a second? >> Okay. Well, yeah, my motion is not to adopt the residential exemption then. >> Okay, I'll second that. >> Okay. Um, I have a motion and a second.
Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? Hi. >> Okay. >> And then the small commercial exemption. Um I don't know if you want to have some discussion on that or if you just want a motion.
>> Um I I I wouldn't be in favor of changing the exemption for commercial at this point. >> If if that's traditionally what we've done, I support that as well. >> Yeah. >> I would keep the same. >> Yeah. Okay. I don't know if
>> Yeah. I think this was the one I was asking about why the the numbers haven't changed, but they're dictated by the state. So, >> okay. >> I'd like to see more smaller businesses get swept up. I I'll support it. >> Yeah. I'll uh make a motion to adopt a small commercial exemption for fiscal
2026 to uh to commercial property class at a rate of 10%. >> I'll second that. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second. Um any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? I >> opposed. That's unanimous.
One more. >> Okay. >> Open space. >> Do we have many? >> We've >> I was going to say I I can't imagine zero. >> It sounds like a great discount open space. >> Yeah. Yeah. But I can't imagine we don't we have anybody that really. So, you
know, I'd be happy with leaving it as it's written. >> Okay. Okay. I'll make a motion that no open space discount be granted. >> I'll second that. >> We have a motion and a second. Uh any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? I >> opposed.
>> Mr. Asexa, thank you very much for your time and effort. And Reagan, thank you very much for your time and effort and >> very welcome. >> Mr. Donahghue, thank you very much. We appreciate your efforts. Really, thank you.
>> Okay. The next item up for bid um reports and presentations. We have finance director John Souza uh request for the select board decision to sell or retain the property located at 315 Littleton Road
um Chumsford. >> Good evening, Mr. Chairman, members of the board, town manager Cohen. Um, tonight I'd like to discuss the property at 315 Littleton Road. And uh, I provided the board with a u memo just to give you some of the background information explaining that my office
um, filed a foreclosure case back in 2022 on this property. Um, and the town is currently owed about six years of property taxes. So, we're pursuing that with legal counsel through land court. Excuse me. But my reason for discussing with the board tonight, this is similar
to other properties that I brought before the board in the recent past is that um under the changes in state law, a town is now required to make a very quick decision should a judgment for foreclosure come through the land court and only gives the town about 14 days.
So, um, legal council is recommending that towns, uh, approach the select board to ask them to make a decision on whether we should retain or sell the property, um, in my capacity as tax title custodian. And so, um, just
looking over the property, it's a commercial office property. Uh, you see it has an assessed value of just over 1.3 million. And since it does not appear to have many uh you know uses for municipal purposes, my recommendation would be to direct me as uh in my
capacity as tax title custodian to sell this property should the town obtain a foreclosure judgment in the land court. It's ultimately the decision of the board. I did want to explain that should the town obtain a foreclosure judgment on this property, it does not necessarily mean the property is sold.
the property owner can uh redeem this property at any time by making full payment to the town even if a foreclosure judgment is entered. They still have the um ability to come back and then I would come before this board again and if they pay all outstanding
taxes and fees that are owed to the town. I would then approach the board about vacating or reversing the foreclosure judgment. So, I just wanted to explain for those that may be watching or if you receive questions from people in the community that um when the when if the board decides to
sell direct me to sell this property should that occur um it's not a you know one and done or absolute final that people have property owner still has rights to come back and pay the taxes at time. Um, at what point does that entity
um forfeit that right to come back and make good on the um on the back taxes? >> As long as the property is not sold to a innocent third party, uh really the the um the property owner could come back to us through through the legal council and
ask the board to vacate the foreclosure judgment or essentially reverse it. So, okay. Uh but by doing this, this helps us out because we have a very short window of time once we re once we receive a foreclosure judgment to the land court. So that's my reason for
asking the board to >> consider this this evening. >> Okay. >> John, could you tell me what that property used to be? >> It it was it's to the best of my knowledge, it's always been an office building. Um it's there there have been
various tenants over the years there. >> You know where it is? It's on Littleton Road next to the, you know, where the plaza is, where the retail plaza is with the dog wash places and the small liquor store. It's that next parcel. If you go to Westford has a sign in front that says ABS, uh, business services. Okay. Sure.
>> That's the one. That's That's the one that's there. It's that twotory brick building that you see. >> It's an office building. >> Office. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Any other questions for Mr. Souza? Seeing none, I'd entertain a motion.
>> Hey, I'll make a motion pursuant to Mass General Law Chapter 60 section 64A to directed to direct the treasurer tax title custo custodian to sell the property located at 315 Littleton Road, Chsford upon entry of a foreclosure judgment by the Massachusetts Land Court. >> I'll second that.
>> Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? >> Seeing none, all in favor? I opposed. It's unanimous. >> Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Um presentations.
Okay. So, uh the next item on the agenda is an update to the select board's mission, vision, and guiding principal statement of April 14, 2025. And I don't know a lot about this one, but I understand it's from Mr. Cunningham. So, we'll uh we'll let you uh go ahead and explain what you
>> So, I I think this is pretty quick. This is a little bit of um housekeeping that we need to do both for our manual and for um some of the other documents that the town clerk puts out. So, um right here. So, um, you know, a few
years ago, as you guys might recall, we did a a visions and values committee and had some public meetings and came up with visions and values, um, that we posted around town and put on our website, put in our manual. Um, and we have since completed the strategic plan
um, earlier this calendar year. Um, and those documents now needed to be updated. So the visions and values documentation in our manual are out of date and more appropriately we should be replacing that with the um mission vision and guiding principles from the
um strategic plan. So a little bit of housekeeping. I'm not sure if you have any questions but um you know some of these things will look familiar. So the I think that first step and the visions and values um you know was part of the foundation for um the strategic plan
this year. Okay, thank you Aaron. Any uh discussion on Aaron's presentation? >> Does that need to be posted again anywhere? Anything like that? >> Yes, anywhere where we have vision and
values should be replaced. Thank you for that. With um with the uh this uh the document that's in the package, the mission vision and guiding principle statements. So yes, not just in our manual but any buildings where we posted it, it should be replaced. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Okay. Um I will entertain a motion to update the um mission vision and guiding principle statement. >> Do we need a motion for this Aaron or does it
>> this doesn't physically go in our in our you know policies manual from what I recall? I mean, it says it needs to be updated every 10 years, but I don't think it's physically. >> I thought there was a section in the manual and then on the on our website, it's both are actually posted, so one's got to come down. >> Okay.
>> Yeah. I don't think we needed to vote on it, right? >> Okay. All right. Thank you. Um the next item is update to the select board's liaison and voting member assignments.
So this goes back to um the previous chair resigning a couple of weeks ago. So there is some open slots um for liaison and such. I think um the most important thing we need to do here
is address the voting um membership. But um I I guess I'll just put it forth at this point and ask if anybody is interested in in filling in any of the blanks that we see here on the U member assignments for 2526.
>> I mean I I would I would take that that voting one if nobody else wanted because I am the leazison to the housing the housing authority but so >> I was actually going to suggest that I think that that would be excellent if you would if you would do that. I think that's um that's an important one. That
one needs to be filled. So um I would um be happy to um assign that one to to you, Pat. >> Okay. And um I'm also willing at least temporarily to take say the tree committee and clean energy if unless somebody else wants wants those.
>> I have a pretty full plate with the different boards and stuff that I'm on. So I'd be happy to have you do that. Um unless um somebody else wants >> No, I agree >> any of that. >> Agree with that. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So um you know that that leaves a
couple of liaison chips open. Um but I think we all attend enough different meetings and pay attention enough in town that we can um certainly pick up the slack on any of those things. So, at this point, um, we will, uh, we will go accordingly and and Pat has assumed
those three positions and, um, if there's nothing else, we'll leave the others vacant for now. And, uh, >> media makes it really easy on us. >> Yep. >> So, we can go watch the meetings the next day and get caught up. >> That's it. That's it. Um, so I I I think this is good. And by the way, we we
really didn't we haven't had a discussion, but I'll just quickly put it out there that um there is no will of this board to um have a special election or anything like that to fill the vacancy for the couple of months that >> Exactly. So, you'd have somebody here
for a week, right? >> Just wanted to put it out there to make sure everybody was okay with that. So, okay. Thank you very much. So, um that'll take care of that item. Thank you. Um uh the next item is reschedule select
boards January 5th 26th meeting to January 12th. That's just a um scheduling issue. So the January 5th meeting 2026 will be moved to January 12th, 2026. The next item beyond that um is approval
of easement at Northfire Station, 35 Princeton Street for electric vehicle charging station. Um and um there's documents to that. Yeah, this this is just a follow up from town meeting where we had to grant the approvals for these utility easements and this is the one
for the for the um electric vehicle charging station at the North Fire Station. So it's Yeah, that's it. Pretty straightforward. >> Any discussion on that grant of easement? >> Any anybody can use those, right? >> Right. Exactly. They're open to the
public, but because it's their equipment on our our property, we have to grant them an easement. >> And And you have to pay for that now. It's >> Oh, yeah. No, they pay for it. Yes. >> Electric vehicle charging. >> We weren't charging for them. >> No, no, no. We don't charge it. >> I think for the first year we did make >> Right. For the first year, but now we charge.
>> You do charge. Okay. Okay. >> So, at this point, I would take a entertain a motion to approve the grant of easement um for the charging station at North Chood Fire. >> Make a motion that we approve the
easement at the North Chood Fire Station to Verizon New England and Massachusetts Electric Company as presented. >> I'll second. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? >> Seeing none, all in favor? I opposed. That's unanimous.
All right. Um, next item is town manager reports. >> Yeah, real brief one item this evening just to inform the board formally and the community the state has released its fis it's November 2025 community preservation trust fund distribution for this year. It the state match this year
is 16.9%. Um, and so that results in the town of Chelmsford receiving a total of $257,959 in matching funds from the Commonwealth. And so again, that's just that money is
unavailable for appropriation at future town meetings. >> Paul, can I just ask your opinion on something? Um, >> this has been declining annually. Um the percentage um has been declining annually since we first signed up for
Community Preservation Act some years ago. >> Um we were one of the first ones in so it was advantageous. Um we uh I think we're at uh one and a half% is that >> Yep. One and a half%. um at at any point is the I my guess is
it's because there's more and more towns getting in to take advantage of whatever funding they can receive through something like this. But is there at any point in your opinion that this becomes diminishing returns? Um >> there's two things that have happened. One is other towns get in, notably the
city of Boston got in and that took a big chunk because proportionate. The other thing is in in some recent years the legislature would put funding from their end ofear surplus towards this fund. They did not do that this year and so that's why you see the amount almost
to be about half what it was um three two years ago. Uh and and the other thing is it's based on the deeds excise tax. So when you don't have for um a lot of real estate activity at the registry of deeds or uh refinancing that's what
that hinders this fund. So the good news is if the you know the housing market and the real estate market goes back to a more traditional type of activity then this fund would increase uh and we again we'd hope that once the state's finances stabilize that
they would also contribute. So again um you know the community preservation fund has really been paramount in terms of uh open space acquisition and preservation in town and certainly housing production. Uh most notably the ones coming up would be at 255 Princeton
Street and over at um Smith Street at you know at Corner Smith Street and uh Steman Street where those units are going to be raised down in a few years and then reconstructed with an additional um um 50% more units going
from um 64 to 96 units. So I think there's still public will and sentiment and good use of the funds. Um, we'll just have to monitor it yearbyear to see how it goes. But like I said, you're right. It is disappointing that we're we're now at 16.9%
as opposed to prior years where it was almost a third and and in the initial years it was almost a dollar for dollar match way back when. Um, so again, we'll we'll have to see what the legislature does. probably as you heard tonight from the delegation not much probably going to change in the next 12 months but you
may see it within a few years hopefully if if things sort of go back to some kind of a whatever the new normal is >> well can I make >> sure >> um if if we were to eliminate it what would that happen to the things that we have obligated to pay from it >> oh you you still have you're still on
the hook for the debt service so even if tomorrow the town said we're not going to assess a community preservation fund we won't get any state match you still have to roll out the out years of your debt service through that search charge to pay that debt service. So, for example, the one that I mentioned about
the housing units at Smith Street and and um Steman Street, that is a 15-year debt service period. So, you would still see a slight amount of sir tax over that 15-year period to pay off that debt service. >> Oh, even if we were eliminated, we still would be >> unless you use whatever cash reserves
you did to pay it down. But yeah, you'd have to um >> even like Pula's farm. right? Because it's a legal obligation of the town and therefore you can't get out from under it by eliminating the tax collection. >> But yeah, it's something that I know Pat has been alarming to a lot of people is again the state sort of,
>> you know, enticing you to get in and then as time goes on that their their commitment waines, >> but we'll see where it goes. >> One more dumb question. Um, can you use funding for debt service? >> What do you mean? Yes, that yes, we do. Every year at town meeting in the spring
we vote first item we vote is the debt service obligation for the prior approved projects and then new projects come in after that because you have to pay that debt service. >> Yeah. Gotcha. Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um
okay. The next item on the agenda is meeting minutes and the first set of meeting minutes is from the tri board uh joint meeting of the select board school committee and finance committee on November 10th, 2025. Any uh comments or corrections to those
minutes? Seeing none, I'd entertain a motion to attend to uh approve the uh meeting of the uh joint meeting of the select board, school committee, and finance committee on November 10th, 2025. >> Make a motion to approve the November 10, 2025 uh trio board meeting minutes
as presented. >> Second. >> I have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? I opposed. That's unanimous. And the next item um the next set of minutes is from uh the
select board meeting regular minutes of November 17, 2025. >> Any discussion or comments or changes? >> I'll make a motion to approve the regular meeting minutes for November 17, 2025 as presented. I'll >> second.
We have a motion and a second. Uh any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? I opposed. That's unanimous. Okay. Um, select board member liaison reports and referrals. Um, Pat, we'll
start with you. >> Okay. Um, I just have one thing this evening I want to uh chat a little bit about. Um, remember at our last meeting we um signed a certificate for Stacia Volage. >> Yes. >> 100 years old. Today, in fact, is her birthday. 100 years old. yesterday she
had a birthday party and I was invited. So the the downside to it was that that I think I was the only one there who didn't speak fluent Polish. So I had to kind of fake my way through it. But it was it was really interesting. I heard more about her story. Her and her
brother were, you know, they they they worked um against the Germans when they were occupying Poland um doing all kinds of secret things and getting into a lot of trouble quite frankly. I mean, you know, Sata herself had been tortured and and just beaten amazingly.
>> And the only reason she was not killed was um when they when the Germans occupied Poland, very often they would send a um a senior military officer to live with civilians in their homes. And so there was a medical German medical military medical doctor who lived with
with her family. And when he found out that Staca and her brother had been captured, he sent word to the authorities that these people are innocent. They're not doing anything wrong. I can vouch for them. So, they let them go. And I I I was afraid to ask if the if the this military guy actually
knew that they were doing nothing wrong or if he was just covering for them. But whatever way she lived to be 100 years old instead of dying when she was 16 or 17 years old. And that's that story is amazing in and of itself because you never know who you live next door to,
you know, and and if we just all took the time to understand and >> like you know who are who are they, >> you know, who are, you know, the people in our community and so on. It's just it's such a great story and uh and again, you just never know who you're living next door to. So um pretty
amazing. >> Yeah. So >> pretty amazing. >> That's it. That's >> Thank you, Jeff. >> A couple of quick things. I know Aaron and I already touched on it. I mean that I can't get over that presentation of Oklahoma. I mean, the amount of talent we have in this town, these kids, the
singing, the dance, the musicians are incredible. It's If you get a chance to see one of the high school um guild presentations, go for it. It's It's worth the time and you'll be pleasantly surprised the amount of talent we have in this town.
Um, beyond that, I'll just mention the parade committee again. You see the new banners are up. I think they look fantastic and I and I thank all the sponsors because without them, we wouldn't have a parade. It's that it's all I can say to that.
>> That's it. >> Thank you, Jeff. >> Yeah, I I think I'll continue with a little bit of the good news, too. So, again, um it was it was fun seeing Jeff there and sitting not too far from him. Well, we enjoyed that show. Um, and it's just a reminder that that uh Chelmsford
supports our students and the arts and taking my son back to school this week and finding out some of his friends are are in school doing some of those things today. These kids have put on these productions that are that are really good for high school level. Um, you know, and arguably above that level. So,
uh, they some these kids are continuing on too. So, it was exciting to hear a little bit about that. Um and we went over to the uh City of Lights parade again to support the marching band um which is always a always a good time and the kids from all the bands um you know
dress up their instruments and stuff like that and uh it's just it's it's a nice time out and uh had the opportunity to to run in front of uh Chris Ferrer's truck which I think got most festive >> this year. He was all dressed up. He's he's everywhere. not only does he
decorate his trucks with characters, um, but, uh, you know, he participates in that parade and the kids love it. Like, and there's a lot of people that come out for that. So, that was, uh, that was fun to get to go do that this weekend. And, and as much as I want to be able to attend, uh, Saturday's tree lining up on
North Chumsford, um, I'll be doing a a family event that day, but I will see all of you on the green uh, on the 7th. So, that's all the news I got. >> Thank you, Aaron. Uh for myself, um I'll be very quick. Um we have a I believe
the final capital planning uh meeting this Thursday night, the 4th, uh that will be televised and we'll be making the final decisions um on that. Um and then um recently about a week and a half ago, we had a
our second visioning session um for the um school building committee uh related to Parker uh middle school. Um that went well. It was well attended. I I counted about a little over 50 people in the room. So um so we did good. Um and um so
we will continue that work. Uh the next meeting of the school building committee is on December 18th. Um so that's capital planning. That's the school building committee meeting. And uh that's all I have for that this evening. So
>> when when's the next uh kind of town meeting presentation? Do we have something we're going to be voting on in the spring? >> Well, the the visioning session the final visioning session is the 16th. The night before the December 16th is is for the Parker School project. Um,
it will then go to the school committee in January and then be submitted to the MSBA probably for approval in April if memory serves me correct. >> Um, you're you're looking for a town vote probably early 2027. So, probably 12 to 14 months
from now. >> That's the vision. >> A little quicker than that, but >> No. So the the actual town vote that what Paul speaks of is is um we have to notify them every step of the way of our um pre-programming and then our programming
and then our educational studies. So everything gets approved by MSBA along the way and they approve us to move to the next step >> to where we um we you know we get into um um you know a little bit past the programming. We'll get into design
development drawings and they'll approve those us to move to that stage based on our educational program and uh preliminary design and then from there we would move from design development into even more design as 20 26
progresses on and then there would be one large meeting with MSBA towards the end of all that probably late 26 very early 27 7 is my guess. And what happens is once they approve all that, then we
have all our final budgets together and then um probably I'm guessing um you know Springtown meeting we would be looking to bring the vote for a new Parker Middle School. So there's there's a lot more work to do. We're looking at
three different um uh grade confi configurations which we'll start to figure out over the next couple of months um and along with the educational program. So uh once we get past that then we can get down to some real brass tax and and start a lot of design work.
But there has been an awful lot of work going on by all the consultants in as much as um surveying the existing buildings because what they do is they make us go MSBA math school building authority makes us go back look at the existing Park Middle School to see what it would take to bring that up to code
to make that a workable school. They also they added a option to us that we weren't expecting which asked us to go look at McCarthy to see if we could put merge two schools in by bringing that up to code and which we all know could
never happen but um they insisted upon it. So it's something that we need to do. Um we are not being charged any additional uh funds by our consulting teams. So that was good news because that was I think we both asked that was one of our first questions, you know, is
this going to cost us? Um and uh everybody has stepped up and taken taken it uh taken it uh forward. So um so we're in good shape there. And uh other than that, just a quick reminder, Saturday night um North Chsford uh
common lighting um Christmas lighting and Sunday um on the common here in the center. So, uh, looking forward to those. And, uh, that's all I have this evening. So, um, with that, unless somebody has anything else, I'd take an, uh, entertain a motion to, uh, adjourn.
>> Okay. I'll make a motion to adjourn to executive session to review executive session meeting minutes for approval for July 21st, 2025 and August 18, 2025. Second. >> Okay. I have a motion in a second. Um, all in favor?
>> Oh, bro call. I'm sorry. Pat Wes. >> Yes. >> Jeff Hardy. >> Yes. >> Aaron Cunningham. >> Yes. >> Pat Maloney. Yes. >> We're open session. >> We're adjourned. >> Is the door closed?