The town of Dyton's board of selectman regular meeting. Today is Wednesday, May 27th, 2026 at 6 p.m. We're meeting in person and via Zoom at Old Town Hall. 1111 Summerr Sav here in Don, Mass. Public input may be
provided using the following methods. You can contact our office aboard of selectman dyon-mma.gov. Join us via Zoom or in person here. And you can watch us on channel 95 and on
YouTube. This meeting is being recorded. The listing of matters are those reasonably anticipated by the chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be
brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law. Could I have a call to order >> and monster chico present? So we're going to say the pledge of allegiance and after if you could remain standing um for a moment of silence.
Ice to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> So we we lost some neighbors since our
last meeting. Kevin Allard, seven Bulli, Roseanne Costa, Peta Ganeski, Joseph McDonald, and Maria Mauricio. >> Thank you.
So, first on the agenda, we have our police chief Nicholls for appointment of part-time safety 911 communications personnel. Oh, good evening. Um, can they hear me? There's no microphone
here. >> Yeah. >> Oh, is it okay? Okay. Thank you. Um so um as as we all know, we've discussed before um trying to maintain some part-time membership on the communications um in the communications division has been a little tough. We've
appointed a few in the past and they've not chose to stick around because of all the full-time obligations and whatnot. Um so we put a post on Facebook. We had we had a few we had a few good applicants. We vetted them, did all our background checks, and we did our interviews. and the three here tonight
are the three that stood out the most to us. So, um it is my recommendation that the board of selecting consider appointing the following candidates as part of as part-time public safety 911 communications dispatchers. The first Julia Duzan who resides at 71
Plain Street in Middleboro, Lady Hana Martina Silva, but resides at uh five Lakeshore uh centers say five uh Lakeshore uh center in in Bridgewater. And last is Jake Jake Lant who resides at 46 Avalon Street in Tom. Um the above
uh named applicants must pass to complete all training included state mandated training uh to require certification. Should either candidate not complete retired certifications, their offer for employment may be withdrawn and a new candidate will be named.
Um soon as the uh if the board appoints tonight, we'll be looking to start training um ASAP this month for the the main training in middle and middle bar. >> Fantastic. It's nice to see some um
younger candidates who are interested in serving um our police and fire as dispatchers. And I think that's awesome. and you know, thank you for submitting your resumes and and meeting with our chief and um going down to the police
station and staying through the process. That's great. >> That is absolutely. Any comments? >> You guys part time now doing something else. What do you guys do? >> Waitress. Oh, cool. How about you, sir? >> Um I own a landscaping company. >> You own a landscaping company, sir? This
is going to fit in with what you do? >> Good. How about you? Um, I'm a stay at home mom currently. >> Awesome. >> I used to work in dispatch and I >> Okay, so you come with some experience. >> Uh, one of the things that what happens is you get paid to train, but we get nothing in return while you're training
other than you're learning the system. Um, so I I hope your part-time jobs don't interfere and you guys stick around for a while. But it's nice that you came aboard. We appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Couple questions. I'm curious about your your last level of education.
>> I have associates degree in criminal justice. >> Oh, excellent. Good. >> I just finished graduating high school. >> Okay. >> Oh, I'm graduating high school on June 6th. >> All right. Just out of curiosity, does do any of you speak any other languages at all? You do? What language?
>> I'm fluently in Spanish. >> Okay, great. That's going to be helpful. >> Absolutely. >> Excellent. >> Any motions on the floor? >> Make a motion to approve. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? >> I
>> I Congratulations. Welcome to the team. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you, gentlemen. Congratulations. >> Thank you. Welcome. That's awesome. >> Welcome. Thank you. Thanks for coming. Welcome. Thank you. Thank you. >> Good luck with your training.
Okay. Next, we have appointment of Jason Lawrence as a member of the conservation commission. >> Is Jason here? >> Yes. >> Hi, Jason. >> How we doing? >> Good. How are you? >> You can come up to the foyer if you'd like.
>> Uh, so we have your letter of recommendation from the Conservation Commission. um if you want to tell us a little bit about yourself and why you applied. >> Um if you'd like. I um my wife and I moved to Denon in 2014. Built a house on
Brook Street. Loved it there. Outgrew the house um on a piece of property that we could build a you know little bit more investment in Don. >> Yes. >> Bigger garage, pool, everything we wanted. >> In that process, I got to meet the conservation commission. It's a piece of
property down on um the three mile river. It's um 418 Old Somerset out. >> It's an old farm. >> Awesome. >> So, I I think that they just kind of watched what I was doing there and cleaning it and and working with them um they asked if I'd like to join them and
I feel like I could help them out a little bit. >> I noticed your um in your interest that you have open meeting law experience. So, um, I've worked in Tahoe the past 25 years. >> Oh, Mhm.
>> I served 12 years as the union president from 2010 to 2022. >> Awesome. >> So, >> fantastic. I believe he that'll be very beneficial to the conservation commission. >> I feel like I can help them out with that. >> Not that they need it. >> No. No, but it still helps. >> Absolutely.
>> Yes. >> Absolutely. >> Awesome. Yeah. I think I feel like I can help them out a little bit and help Titan and >> Yes. Yeah. >> Contribute my peace for for enjoying the the talent you guys have governed so well.
>> Thank you for putting your name forward. >> Any other comments? >> Uh it's a tough job. >> Is it? >> Yes. >> Sometimes you're a bearer of bad news. >> Uh are you prepared for that? >> I am. >> Okay. Um, so I think I can bring a lot
of light to the situation because I don't think it's as bad as a lot of people think it is. >> Owning that property, I I'm learning a lot. And I think if you just learn the rules, they're not that tough to follow. >> No, they're not. But when it gets bad, it gets ugly sometimes, right? And I
think it's just >> everything from angry citizens who owe thousands to telling somebody they can't do something on their own property. Uh, that's the negative side. The great the good side is you get to help people which is which is awesome and you you'll do more of that than you will the
negative >> enjoy the the land and sure not cost them a lot of money doing that. >> What would you say your philosophy is that you're bringing to the job? What are your what are your priorities going to be? >> I honestly have no agenda to help the team.
>> Honestly, I mean I really don't know that much about conservation. I bought the property. I started to learn a lot and I had probably a misconception of it. >> I thought that it was more like restrictive and you know authoritarian tell you know what to do. I don't think it's like that at all. I think that
>> if you do the right thing then >> they'll they'll actually help you do it. >> So philosophy yeah just help helping people do the right thing. >> That would be a great attitude to take for sure. >> Any motions on the floor?
>> I'll make the motion to approve. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? >> I >> I Congratulations. >> Thank you. It's nice meeting you, gentlemen. >> Thank you. Welcome with you. Same here. >> Thank you. >> All right. Next, we have announcements.
>> Okay. Um the one thing that uh is not here is uh and maybe it's intentionally left off, I don't know, is the culture festival this weekend. And um but it's not part of the announcements just it's a big thing.
>> We can make the announcement do it Saturday and Sunday. And is it Thursday, too? >> Sunday. >> Do you want me to shine? >> Oh, I I got to read from it if >> Yeah. >> And Glenn didn't do the announcements. You're the uh Are you the warrants?
>> Yes. >> Okay. I'm sorry, Glenn. Thunder. >> No, that was good. >> Not at all. No, I'll I'll I'll start with it since you brought it up. Uh Dyon Lions Cow Chip Festival is May 29, 30, and 31. Uh on Friday, it's 5 to 10:00
p.m. Saturday is 12 to 11:00. And uh I believe that's the day I will be uh judging the cow chipping. I'm new to that, so it'll be it'll be fun. Sunday is 12 to 5. Um I won't read all of this. I think I'll keep it to
that. Uh Sunday there are carnival bracelets for $35 uh for the rides 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. Uh you can purchase your $10 cow chip contest ticket or your $18 chicken barbecue from any Dyton Lion.
And uh I think that's probably sufficient. Other announcements, we have the Dyton Historical Society presents their historic home and garden tour on Saturday, June 27, 2026 from noon to
5:00 p.m. with a rain date on Sunday, June 28th. Ticket price is $25 and can be purchased at uh Arujo's on William Street or by calling Chris at 774872 uh 30008.
The Dyton Historical Society is having their 9th annual Dyon Strawberry Festival on the on Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will take place at the Lions Pavilion at 11:11 Somerset A. There will be craft
vendors, live music, children's activities, and of course, Strawberry Shortcake. Titan Lions Club Food Bank will be held next Saturday on June 20th, 2026 located at the town hall, 979 Summer Street at
Somerset Avenue, lower level. >> Great. Thank you for that. Next, we have public input. Is there anyone here for public input? Anyone on Zoom? >> All right, moving on. Selectments reports. Any reports?
>> I don't have anything this evening other than the couch. Thank you. Appreciate that. Any any reports today? >> Uh nothing from that. >> Okay. I'll just say that I was able to attend the Memorial Day ceremony on Monday here at Old Town Hall. And I
wanted to thank our veterans agent, Ray Haye, for the great job that he does and Tom Ferry for helping with the setup. And it was really nice to see such a great presence from our first responders and our veterans and the
community as a whole there. I think everyone's speeches were very moving and it was nice to see the community taking a moment to remember
um remember our heroes who we have lost. So, I I think it was a was a very well put together um ceremony and it was nice to see everyone go out in the rain and and place the wreath outside as well. So, uh
that's my response. >> Town administrator, >> can I add one thing? I'm sorry. This is something that just occurred to me. I uh received uh a message from uh president on hot street. Uh I'm just very close to Hot Street
myself. And what had been noticed is right along uh 138 there, there was a lot of uh foliage. I think it was bamboo growing up and really causing an impediment to being able to see around the corner, pull out of Hot Springs safely. Uh I was actually planning to
call Tom Ferry and his crew myself, but somebody beat me to it and he got there very quickly and and they took care of it. So I just wanted to say thank you to him and his team. >> Fantastic. Thank you. Town administrator report. >> Thank you. Uh
quick report tonight. Uh first and foremost is the annual town meeting is Monday, June 1st, 2026. Uh the warrants went out to all uh household. Uh again it is at 700 p.m. at the Regional High
School Auditorium 2700 regional road. We have I believe 31 articles and again this is important for people to go ahead. This is where we determine
vote on the budget and um really as the selectman always say this is your town. Um you know you have um it's your obligation to go and vote and choose the way you want your money to be spent. So
uh so I would encourage everybody to um go uh to the annual town meeting again Monday June 1st 7 p.m. Thank high school. Uh secondly, as we do every year, we uh put out the recycling memo.
Um I put out the recycling memo uh to encourage all town employees to buy um recycled products, minimize waste and uh to conserve natural resources uh as best as we can. Uh so again in the packet is
just that memo. Just wanted to uh put that out as we do as we do. That's all I have. >> Thank you. >> No old business. So moving on, >> if I may, I I apologize. Again, just as a reminder to the selectment, we have a
joint meeting with Berkeley, the Berkeley selectment, next Wednesday, June 3. >> What time? >> Uh 6:00 at at uh Bris. Thank you. >> We look forward to that. Um new business
board of selectman July through December 2026 schedule. Has everyone had a chance to review? >> Yes. >> Any comments? >> Um, just that we're not going to meet
the night before Thanksgiving, which um we've only done for the last couple of years, so before we used to. So, I just want to point that out. We're done here. All right. But, um,
It's one thing that's out of the ordinary. >> Thank you. >> I support that. >> Yeah, me too. >> Um, we list Thanksgiving, but we don't list it as a meeting.
>> I miss hear you. >> No, no, you okay. >> I support that, too, as well. >> All right. If there's no other comments, I'll entertain a motion. A motion to approve. >> Is there a second? >> Second.
>> Any discussion? All in favor? >> I. Motion carries. >> So, next we have appointment of Ashley Dagno as department manager inspectional services. I see Ashley is here with us tonight. >> Uh if if I may. Uh this is a as as board
knows, this is a is a new position. Um Ashley has been employed uh with for the town of Nike for two and a half years. She's been an exceptional employee. Um this opportunity came up and um as you
recall uh actually um stepped up over at the board of health. Uh once this opportunity came up um she put in her resume. Um she um she uh interviewed extremely well. Uh we think she's well
suited for the for the position. she's done very well in in her role uh working treasurers, collectors and and and the clerk's office. So um we look forward her we look forward to her taking this position.
Thank you for your interest and you've um definitely taken on um get to being able to work at town hall and our old town hall and having that experience from now all of these different departments is going to I think be a huge benefit to the residents. So um
thank you for your continued flexibility and interest and um I know it's a new position as well so that um balance between all the departments will be challenging and I I have full confidence that you will manage that very well. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Thanks Ashley. The um it's new like Ralph had said and Mark just said the u so it's going to be one of those things where you have to feel your way as you go along. Uh there is no right and wrong way as long as you're following the law,
but uh we're going to look for you to uh to give us some guidance too with uh how the position holds whether it's we made the right move or rough suggested that we we go this route that um uh it's
it's not subject to change, but uh really looking for input from you like I said just to make sure that we're doing it the right way. But thank you. >> I have anything to add, but I I like what Peter said about, you know, staying stay in touch with us, keep us advised.
>> Thank you. >> Awesome. I will entertain a motion. >> Move to approve. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> All right. Any discussion? All in favor? >> I >> I Congratulations. Thank you. >> Absolutely. >> All righty. Um, next we have appointment
of Heather Napora as department manager for the sewer department. >> Hi Heather. >> Hello. Good evening. >> Good evening. >> Again, big position um opened up. A longtime employee Diane Curtis is is
retiring. Um, and as a result, the position has opened up. Uh, Heather uh put her uh put her resume in. Again, she's been a very good employee, an outstanding employee for the town of Dying for seven years, it looks like, in
the in in the highway almost seven years. She's worked in in the highway department and she's done a lot of work in the highway department, you know, keeping those boys in line, helping helping mom with the budget. So, um I think all that work was great training
for uh for for her role um for her role here in the city department. Um, again, outstanding outstanding interview, outstanding uh outstanding resume. Um, we were impressed. Um, Heather went the
extra mile. Sort of went went to a few sewer sewer department meetings, asked on really got to know the position um before uh before she put her put her her hat into the ring. So, we were very impressed impressed with her, you know,
with her work ethic and and then what she like which she to bring to the table. >> I agree. I think your work ethic, I've seen all you brought to the holiday committee and all of your your drive and ideas and I I know you're doing that at doing at the highway department and now
at uh with the sewer department. I think you'll take it to the next to the next level over there. >> Great. Thank you. Thank you for your interest. >> Why do you want to move? >> I just I'm ready to start a new chapter and these opportunities do not fill up. Are you prepared to get dual phone calls
from the highway department and Tom saying, "How do you do this? How do you do that?" >> What's he going to do without you? >> You've been his right-hand man, so to speak, all these years. Um, I mean, he'll be fine now. We're saying he'll >> be fine.
>> We'll find somebody to replace. >> I mean, we go along to uh no matter what happens, it doesn't stop. But um thank you for doing this and um I think you're going to have a good time. >> I won't have anything to add but uh
can't imagine a more glowing uh recommendation. So u my support. >> Any motions? >> A motion to approve. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? >> I >> I Congratulations. Could we have Could we have a picture with Heather and then
one with Ashley for their new um appointments? >> Yeah. >> If you don't mind, Ashley, I'm sorry. >> With baby or without >> Yeah, this is a big moment.
Just in case. >> Thanks, guys. >> Thank you. >> He's going to take over. Oh, good. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Thanks again. Congratulations. >> Thank you. >> All right.
Next we have a job posting and description of office manager for the highway department of Heather's appointment. There's there will be opening uh for the uh for the office manager in the highway
department. So um we're presenting uh the the job description and and posting for your approval. the job original job descriptions 2023 um was reviewed and and and Karen and other
so I just want to point out that uh we were fortunate to say that in this budget cycle as you know it's a difficult budget cycle when we're looking at some looking at force
reductions fortunately as a result of attrition and and staff we have um we're able to uh reduce uh reduce positions but not reduce personnel. So this is sort of a as as a continuation of that
answer any questions regarding what what comes first the Heather for example um does she stay until the job is filmed or she move on >> yeah so we uh we're working out the
training schedule so um so we we're looking to post internally first so hopefully uh we internal posting the candidate uh fairly fairly quickly. So we're we're um sort of looking at how do we how do we juggle positions to um to make sure that
everybody gets uh gets trained properly. I know um you know in the position over in um in highway you know Tom you know Tom is available and we'll have Heather available for us as well.
>> That's all I have. Thank you. >> Okay. I will entertain a motion. >> Motion to accept the job description as as presented. >> Is there a second? >> A second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? >> I motion carries. Thank you. And next we
have if you could just include the posting as well. >> Oh, sure. >> Have that. >> Uh make a motion to uh approve the posting. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor?
>> I I motion carries. All righty. Right of first refusal. Zero William Street. >> Uh um a little bit of background. Zero William Street is um designated as as a chapter. Uh typically when something's
designated as chapter 61, it's for recreational or or agricultural. um they get a bit they get a tax break and as a result the state goes um uh because of that if the town wants to continue to keep it under that we have the right uh
we have the right of first refusion right of first refusion this property is approximately 80 acres uh they received an offer of $1.35 million uh for the property um and part of the right of
first refusal was reviewed by planning. It was reviewed by conservation. It was reviewed by assessing and all three uh made the recommendation to wave the bike. >> I have no comment.
>> I don't think we should. >> I agree. Uh I would agree. Um I'm curious about the author. we know what the planned use of the property is.
>> Uh no, >> it does fall under a residential zone. So I they have not indicated what they have not indicated what they what the use of the property will will be. So >> could it be built on then for >> well
under that designation? >> Sure. it it doesn't affect it the the short answer is it could um so right now it remains in in chapter land. So um what if they want to proceed with that they would have to do a fiveyear look
back on the taxes and make good on make good on that tax money and then it will be um then it could be develop old plan >> that goes back five years. It's not just from that date forward. No, there there's a you're right a fiveyear it's a
fiveyear a fiveyear rule. >> I'm ready for motion. >> Uh motion to um wave wave the first right of refusal. >> Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? >> I. Motion carries. Next we have approval
of the warrants. >> Okay. Today is uh first warrants paid by May 21st, 2026. 47A-26 for $125,8641. 47- uh 47B-262 $268,221.13.
Warrants paid by May 28th uh 2026. 48 A-26 $132,1827 48B-26 $183,281.31 and 48 C-26 $169369
$33943. Is there a second? I second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? I I motion carries. Thank you. Next, we have a letter from uh fire chief for the appointment of six
new members to the call personnel ranks. So, it says, "Dear board, I'm writing this letter to inform you effective on June 1st, 26. I'll be appointing six new members to the call personnel ranks. The new members names are Megan Burray, Kyle
Arangelo, Ian Vieira, Cameron Sik, Logan Estis, and Dylan Cumbus. Logan is a Massachusetts certified EMT basic and is already firefighter 1 and two certified from the Massachusetts Firefighting
Academy. He is currently working for the Swansea Fire Department. Cameron and Dylan come with yet another product of our junior firefighter program and are very familiar with our department. They will be enrolled into the next available Massachusetts call
um volunteer academy to become firefighter 1 and two certified. Megan, Kyle, and Ian are all Massachusetts certified EMT basic and want to work in a 911 system and learn more about the
EMS system in all are interested in the fire service and want to assist our community. They will be enrolled into the next available Massachusetts Call Volunteer Academy to become firefighter 1 and 2 certified. We look forward to
working with Megan, Kyle, Ian, Cameron, Logan, and Dylan in the future. Any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. Christopher McGee, chief of fire department. All right. Uh, next we have approval of
the minutes. Just a question. Sh. Um, who pays for being trained? >> I believe the chief of the state paid for that training. Okay, that's all. >> Thank you. Sorry. Any other discussion? I should have asked. All right. Thank you very much. Uh approval of the
minutes. Make a motion to approve uh board of second regular meeting budget meeting minutes of March 3rd, budget meeting minutes of March 5th, budget meeting minutes of March 10th, and the regular meeting minutes of March 25th.
>> All right, we have a motion. Is there a second? >> Any discussion? All in favor? >> I. Motion carries. >> Second. Public input. Anyone here for public input. All righty. I will entertain a motion to
adjurnn. >> I'll make that motion. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Discussion. All in favor? >> I. Motion carries. >> Thanks, good night.