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Their number one goal is to keep your communications network up and running and allow you to focus on growing your business. 877-6342638 or meganet.net. >> I don't do that. It is 6:30 and I will call together the town of Felmouth Select Board meeting for Wednesday,
January 28th, 2026. And I will ask you to join me in the pledge of allegiance 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. Okay, I am going to ask everyone to silence your cell phone and please notify the chair if you are making a video or audio recording of this open session meeting. The placement and
operation of recording equipment should not interfere with the conduct of the meeting. So, it's it's been a while. We haven't been here since early January. we missed on Martin Luther King uh on the 19th and unfortunately Monday was
just impossible to have a meeting. So, thank you for your patience. Uh and we are here to take care of some business. Uh I'm going to ask Vice Chair Goldstone to read a proclamation. >> Yes. Uh a proclamation in recognition of
Black History Month. Whereas Black History Month was first celebrated nationally in 1976 during the United States bsentennial. And whereas Black History Month has a rich cultural history throughout the United States symbolizing the enduring strength and significance of civil rights pioneers
including Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Phyllis Wheatley, and Frederick Douglas. And whereas the town of Felmouth must continue to move towards equity or equality recognizing the barriers faced by the black community and addressing structural racism and
social, political and economic inequalities. And whereas Black History Month is an opportunity to recognize the many contributions and achievements by black leaders and members of our community in the town of Falmouth throughout the course of our history. And whereas the
theme for 2026 is a century of black history commemorations, Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson, George Cleveland Hall, William D. Hartgrove, Jesse E. Morland, Alexander L. Jackson, and James E. Stamps institutionalized the teaching,
study, dissemination, and commemoration of black history when they founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History on September 9th, 1915. On February 10th, 1976, during the United States bicesentennial, President Gerald R. Ford became the first
president to issue a message recognizing Black History Month. Then in 1986, Congress passed public law 99-244 designating February as Black History Month. Whereas, Black History Month is a time to celebrate and acknowledge the
significant history and contributions of the black community throughout the town of Felmouth, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the United States, as well as to bring awareness to the challenges faced by the black community and the methods in which they have tirelessly worked to conquer such
adversity. Now, therefore, we, Robert P. Mscali, Heather MH Goldstone, Douglas C. Brown, Colin W. Reed, and Jack P. Richardson. Members of the Falmouth Select Board do hereby proclaim February 2026 Black History Month in the town of Felmouth and urge all our citizens to
observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. We have here unto you set our hand and caused the great seal of the town of Felmouth to be affixed on this 26th day of January, 2026. It is now the 28th uh thanks to the snow, but the proclamation
holds. Thank you. Uh just just a word. Uh as some of you may have seen on FCTV, Mr. Reno and I do a tentatively bi-weekly program uh where we talk about select board matters that that were the the day
or a couple of days before. We will now be accepting questions from viewers. Uh you can use the QR code uh for questions to submit uh or you can contact uh FCTV directly on their website. There is a u
uh an intake form for your questions and as long as they are in by 300 p.m. uh on Thursday uh which is tomorrow which we will be uh having our uh program tomorrow at 5:00. But if you get them in by 3:00 we will take a look and try and
answer as many as we can. >> Only easy questions. Yeah, please. Uh, so, uh, a couple of things to recognize and and and first and obviously, uh, what a wonderful job Mr. Wrenchure, Mr. Johnson Stop, Mr. McCondry, and the whole town of Falmouth
did during the snow emergency. It was really a wonderful effort. The uh, emergency ops was up and running. Uh, people were working, you know, through the night. So, just congratulations and thank you for wonderful,
Mr. Chair. I you you mentioned the DPW and the road the street clearing. Um 36 hours I think straight. A lot of those workers >> who's counting >> I was complaining about today being a long day but uh those folks u just did
yman's work. I mean just a tremendous effort by everybody at DPW public safety in general. But thank you to the road crews. >> Wonderful job. Just just a couple of other things. >> Mr. Chair, could I also I just want to also say um thank you to town manager and I believe human services um for the
warming center that you put together. Um I know we didn't have a ton of takers, but I think just a really important step for the community to have that there. you know, and mentioning human services and human resources, it also is worth mentioning what a wonderful event we
were able to have last week at the uh at the senior center with with respect to uh policy on ICE and uh and and issues around ICE. So, it was a wonderful turnout and uh you know, Felmouth showed its true colors uh and it was really a
very very good program. So, um, just a couple of other things I wanted to mention that Katherine Jansen, who is the chair of our bike and ped committee, has been appointed to the Massachusetts bicycle and ped ped pedestrian advisory
board. Uh, and she will be a wonderful advocate for us uh, on that board. Uh I also you know would like to mention and I think many people know that yesterday was uh the international holocaust remembrance day. Uh we should all keep
that in mind especially in these trying times. And then one other uh one other item uh that some of you may know but uh Eddie Doyle was a guy in town. Uh Eddie was a co-founder of the Falmouth walk
along with Tommy Leonard. Uh, and uh, you know, for those of you who are fans of Cheers, uh, Eddie is supposedly the uh, the model for the Ted Dansen character, uh, in Cheers, uh, at the Bowenfinch in Boston. Uh, Eddie passed
away after a long illness last Thursday. So, maybe just take a moment to think about Eddie and all he did and think about Tommy and all he did uh, for the town of Felmouth, the Felmouth Road Race and the Felmouth Walk. Okay. Thank you. Any other uh
recognition? >> Just have a a brief word I'd like to say. Uh Felmouth, a couple weeks ago, there was a car that crashed and was on fire on uh Schumat Road and a Felmouth resident, David Penora. I saw this on the news and I hadn't heard about it in Felmouth, but uh he just jumped out of his car and ran in there and pulled this
person out of the burning car and I thought that word is worth a little recognition. So, thanks to David Penora for taking action. Appreciate that. >> Okay. Anyone else? Um, any announcements? Mr. Richardson?
Gary. Uh, before I begin, I just want to send solidarity out to the ministers from our Unitarian University Fellowship in town uh for being in Minneapolis at this time. And thank you to the hundreds who showed up to our community forum as well as on the steps just now. Uh, your support uh is is is very important. And
while we are a nonpartisan board, it is crucial that all politicians and people, no matter how small, speak up about the injustices the Trump administration and ICE are committing in Minneapolis and across the country. The imperial boomerang has reared its consequences bare for the world to see. As American citizens are murdered in cold blood by colonial tactics used in Gaza and
elsewhere across the globe, our state and federal partners must do more to stop this senseless violence and also prosecute those who orchestrate the chaos. We must hold those who remain silent, no matter who they are, accountable. It's in the spirit of this issue that I announced I will not be seeking re-election to the select board.
I want to thank the dozens of people who reached out to me asking me to run again. You did not make my decision any easier. In truth, I'm considering several political and professional opportunities that would allow me to better fight for the values I deeply care about, and I feel it would be disingenuous to the voters to seek a
three-year term at this time. The town is in good hands with the people to my left and I've learned so much in my short time on the board. Uh from my colleagues on the board to town staff and our talented committees and committee chairs. It has been an honor to serve a town that has given me so much and I promise you this will not be the end of my service to this
one-of-a-kind community. I will continue to be a voice for the next generation on lowering the cost of housing, a more equitable tax distribution, and protecting our environment. We cannot move backwards in slow progress. In that vein, I hope my seat is filled by an equally bold,
younger candidate. Not than me, though. I don't think that's possible. Who can keep up the fight on the issues that are so important to thousands across this town in this commonwealth. Thank you, Felmouth. You will be missed. >> Goodbyes. >> Yeah, you you will be missed, but we
expect you to work doubly hard between now and uh and May, as I'm sure you will. So, thank you. All right. Okay. Uh, any other announcements? >> A couple of announcements. Um, that's a tough act to follow. Um, I'll just call this in the the spirit of civic engagement and community involvement. A
couple of of announcements. Um, coming up this weekend, February 1st, is um the Super Bowl. No, not the football game. The uh soup and ceramics fundraiser. Um if you are interested in that Google
super sou u per bowl um and register for that event on Sunday um there is an information meeting on uh Monday evening I believe it's 5:00 pm uh with Eversource to discuss um the Sam Turner
tap uh expansion project the expansion of uh the substation on Sam Turner Road um that had to be rescheduled due to snow and I know uh a number of of neighbors have been feeling like they they didn't have all the information they needed about that event. So, I want to make sure people know about that event to show up and learn more, share
your questions and concerns. Um, and then very preuncterary announcement, but I will uh be absent on uh February 9th for our meeting on February 9th uh for family reasons. >> Okay. And I'm sure we'll hear later uh from the police sighting advisory group, but there is a meeting uh on Monday
evening also at 6 6 pm uh in the Herman room. uh and we're going to hear a presentation this evening as well. So, thank you. Okay, now we'll turn to public comment. Public comment may be made on routine matters not on the agenda this evening. Comments are
limited to two minutes. Please introduce yourself and since the matter has not been included on the agenda, the select board may not participate in the discussion of the topic. Mr. Newman, please step up. >> Thank you, Jim Newman.
I'm uh representing tonight uh Indivisible Thalmouth and the Falmouth Immigrant Rights Coalition and all the clergy and lay people who are outside for the vigil just now. I felt it was appropriate that we explain why we were there to everyone. Uh first off, we want to thank the select board for initiating the
community conversation on immigration last week. It was wonderful and for the powerful statement that on immigration that the select board issued on June 30th. As we're all aware, the situation regarding immigration enforcement has changed drastically since June. Our immigrant neighbors, who have committed
no crimes, are being violently abused and ripped away from their families and communities. Some have followed all the convoluted rules that our system imposes on them, and they're still being abducted and abused. It's increasingly dangerous to be a person of color, even a citizen of color, on our streets. And
federal agents are killing protesters and observers who are breaking no laws and not threatening anyone. This is not just a Min Minneapolis crisis. It's currently ramp ramping up in Maine. Abductions continue to happen in Massachusetts and could ramp up here next.
We know the local government does not control federal policy, but elected off officials have a responsibility to speak up and do whatever they can when residents are put at risk. And their requests, the requests of elected officials, uh even local elected
officials carry some weight in Washington and Boston. We plan to ask the select board to consider an updated statement supporting federal guard rails that will bring to an end the lawless enforcement and and an end to detention abuses with
specific requests to the federal and state governments. We're also going to suggest some policy changes in Falmouth that we believe could help us make us all safer and more secure. We plan to for forward more specific suggestions for an updated statement and policies before your next meeting.
Thank you again to the select board. Really heartfelt for taking a positive stand for the people of Felmouth. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? Mr. Gray. >> Good evening. Jim Gray, uh, president of
West Felmouth Village Association. As you all know, the West Felmouth Village Association sent you a letter over the weekend asking you to cancel the RFP for zero West Felmouth Highway. I'd like to spend just a couple of minutes to try to put a little bit of color on our thinking on that particular issue. Uh,
the bottom line is that the letter discusses land use. Uh, how can the town of Felmouth provide the best use of the land and the benefits to the to the residents? This land was acquired nearly 100 years ago by the town of Felmouth to
provide forestation and a border around the the town's water supply. A 2024 warrant article asked the select board uh excuse me as the town meeting uh proposed building housing on this
particular lot. And then in this past uh November meeting uh in 2025, the Warren a Warren article was proposed to use uh place this land in conservation. Although the town has determined this
land is not protected as conservation land by the Massachusetts Constitution Article 97. The town's voters this past November overwhelmingly told the town government they want this land to be put into conservation. Uh at this meeting
65% of the members voted in favor of uh superseding the prior warrant article uh for zero westmouth highway uh in placing this land in conservation. Although the twothirds supermajority was not met uh this particular vote came within 1% of
that supermajority. Why not housing? Um there's an overarching safety concern at this location making it unsuitable for housing uh whether it's affordable or not. Zero West Filmouth Highway has uh
two to 300 yards of frontage on Route 28A and there are two intersections within about 100 yards of each other. One with Route 28 and one with Palmer Avenue. It's important to understand that there are no sidewalks, no crosswalks.
Uh, I'd invite you to go take a walk with me, but I think it's pretty dangerous right now. Massachusetts DOT performed a road safety audit a year ago. They identified serious safety concerns along with the along the stretch of Route 28A and provided details pertaining to
specific vehicle accidents, some with very serious injuries. It's important for the select board to consider the potential negative consequences of a neighborhood here. This is a dangerous location for a school bus stop and for children and adults to cross the road. >> Mr. Gray, you're going to have to wrap
it up. You're over two minutes. Thank you. >> Uh, in our opinion, this is a disaster waiting to happen. Uh, please don't build affordable housing uh or any other kind of housing on this lot. Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay. Anyone else for public comment?
>> Okay, >> Mr. Chair, one more recognition. I forgot. Uh Chief Smith uh retired uh this last week on Friday. Uh and we had a a great ceremony at the fire department uh where a number of uh you know members of of department heads and
firefighters from across the upper Cape were and congrats to Chief Smith on on a great over 30 years longer than I've been on this planet uh career to found the fire department. >> I'm sure he enjoyed his Sunday watching the Patriots play rather than being at the emergency op center uh as well. So
thank you. quite good. Thank you. Thank you. >> All right. So, we will move to consent agenda. Uh licenses. Um discuss and consider a vote to approve the application by 99 Restaurants of Boston LLC, DBA 99 Restaurant and Pub for a
change of manager to its all alcoholic beverage restaurant license located at 30 Davis Straits Felmouth. Number two, discuss and consider a vote to approve an application by Falmouth Hospital for a secondhand dealer license to be
executed at Falmouth Hospital thrift shop, 432 Pomery Avenue, Falmouth. Number three, consider a vote to approve the application by Felmouth Theater Guild for three special one-day all alcoholic beverage licenses to be held
at Highfield Theater, 58 Highfield Drive on April Sorry, 4 to 26, 2026, May 1 to 3, 2026, and May 8 to 10, 2026. Number four, consider a vote to approve an update for the address for the wine
and malt beverages restaurant license for Bangkok Falmouth, Inc. DBA Bangkok Thai Cuisine at 291 Main Street, Unit A. And number five, consider a vote to approve the update of the address for
the all alcoholic beverages restaurant license for Blue Flyn Blue Fins Falmouth, Inc. DBA Blue Fins at 299 Main Street, Unit B. Moving now to administrative orders. Number one, consider a vote to approve a petition by
NSAR Electric Company, DBA, Eversource Energy, for permission to install one new handhole 14/828 and approximately 48 ft of 1 to 3 in conduit in the right ofway of Old Dock
Road. This work is necessary to provide service at 136 Old Dock Road, Falmouth. >> Hold please. Number two, consider the petition of NSAR electric company DBA Eversource Energy for permission to
install approximately 35 ft of 3-in conduit in the right of way of Cypress Street. This work is necessary to provide electric service to 65 Cypress Street, Balmouth. Number three, consider the petition of
NSAR Electric Company, DBA, Eversource Energy, for permission to install one handhole 6/76 and approximately 35 ft of 3in conduit in the right of way of Cypawissit Road. This work is necessary to provide
service at 318 Cypawissit Road. Number four, consider a vote to accept a grant award in the amount of $2,500 from the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod to the Falmouth Cultural Council for Music at the Table.
And number five, consider a vote to accept a donation in the amount of $5,000 from the Katherine Good Goodman Foundation to the Fmouth Cultural Council donation account for music at the table.
So yeah, those are those are those are those are quite generous uh quite generous donations. So do I have a motion to move the uh uh consent agenda except for item number one under the administrative order?
>> So moved. >> Okay, we have a motion. >> Second. >> Second. All in favor? >> I >> I >> Okay, Dr. Goldstone. Uh I would just uh like to take this particular um item and there
are two more in this consent agenda um as an opportunity to um reiterate and emphasize that while we understand um as this item makes clear this work is necessary to provide service, we understand that Eversource's
work in our town is necessary to provide electrical service for all of us. Um, we've been hearing a lot recently from community members about um lack of communication uh communication that doesn't necessarily feel um fully
truthful or honest um and some dissatisfaction with uh the quality of followup um and uh and communication as as projects are finished. And so um want to reiterate that this needs to be a a two-way street. We recognize that
Eversourc's work is absolutely imperative, but respectful communication and community engagement um is also imperative. Um so with that, I would uh move approval of the petition as written. >> Second.
>> Okay, we have a motion and a second with respect to item number one. Consider a vote to approve petition by NSAR electric company DBAsource energy for permission to install one new handhole 14/828 and approximately 48 ft of 1 in 3 in
conduit in the right of way of old doc road the word woke work sorry this work is necessary to provide service at 136 old dock road fmouth we have a motion and a second all in favor >> I okay thank you very much >> we will now move on to committee
interviews And our first uh interview is for the cultural council. Patricia Pinto Dalva Dilva, please step up. Good evening. Tell us why you'd like to be on the cultural council.
>> Um thanks for having me. I'm Patricia Pinto Silva. Um, I'd very much like to be a part of the Falmouth Cultural Council because I I finally have the opportunity to spend a little bit more time contributing to the town um and
being of service. I've recently retired from Noah where I've worked for 23 years as a cultural anthropologist. Um, I've lived and worked in Brazil. My family is from Portugal. I was lucky enough to land in a town with really
deep and amazing um layers of luzafophone roots and I think that's something that I can offer to the council and um I've worked a lot with small grants and maybe most importantly I'm really amazed by the group of people
that's participating in that council and I feel drawn to uh contribute. >> Good. >> Anyone have any questions? Uh >> that's a pretty pretty good answer. >> Um I uh as a a personal longtime friend
um and uh Pashisha's uh sons are also friends of my sons and uh I can can attest a family that is deeply culturally aware and engaged um and just a wonderful group. It would be my honor to move that we appoint uh Patricia
Pinto Dilva to the cultural council. I am having trouble with our new iPad pulling it up. So the term would be for three years. Is that >> so 2028 or 2027? >> There. Thank you.
>> Why don't we do 2027 and then >> see how >> I can do it again. >> So for a term expiring June 30th, 2027. >> Second. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Hearing and seeing none. All in favor?
>> I very much. Thank you very much. >> Okay. And now we have Mr. James Door uh who is seeking appointment to the human services committee >> and energy >> and energy. >> Well, we'll get to that one in a minute. Okay. Good afternoon. Good evening. >> Good evening. Thank you guys for having
me. I appreciate it. So um I have been a Falmouth resident for about eight years uh five years permanent thanks to COVID which I think drove a lot of us here permanently. Um recently retired and as such have been actively looking to find ways to get engaged and involved in the
community um as uh we plan to be here for good. It's our kind of final destination as we plan and hope um human. So as such I looked into opportunities. Um my background has been primarily kind of investment banking
commercial senior executive for um BA and Wells Fargo at at top levels. Um and eventually would love to find my way into the finance committee but as such I looked at opportunities at where there were committee uh openings and found my way into human services which I have um
you a bit of a passion for. I sat on um and actually founded the diversity and inclusion committee uh for Wells Fargo um before E was kind of involved. So, but nonetheless um and found it to be extremely relevant as how we succeeded and advanced um quite frankly to be
successful as a business. And so therefore, um it's kind of something I've I've been involved with for a long time. Um it's entertaining times um as we've already discussed around uh for a variety of uh for a variety of reasons and I think there's a lot of opportunity
to uh to help and kind of uh add what I hope to be a little bit of a unique perspective uh and fresh perspective into the town. >> Okay. Well, thank you. Uh why don't you uh what let's vote on this one. Uh does anyone have any questions for Mr. Door?
Uh yeah, I'm I'm curious uh especially with what you just shared about uh the diversity and inclusion committee that you were involved with and the importance of that. Um the town, as I'm sure you're aware, has any number of committees. You've put your name in for two of those in particular. This one,
human services. We do also have a DEIB committee, um affordable housing, any number of committees um that touch on those those issues um in some way, all of which have vacancies. And so I'm I'm curious why specifically you honed in on
on human services. >> Yeah. I mean, look, I'm I'm getting I'm new to this quite frankly, having been traveling kind of the country and the world for the majority of my time, trying to be settled. Um and um you know, I've been kind of engaged for about the last month as fully retired.
um this weather has not been great for that but um but nonetheless um so I'm kind of learning and tried to do as much as I could to um figure out what would be the best fits um in areas that were open. Um the reason I picked human services because I think it's broader um
at least from what I can ascertain. Um um unfortunately as I said earlier I have and we're going to talk energy in a minute but I have had the opportunity to sit in on energy committee meetings. Um so I have a much better handle on that versus unfortunately I wasn't here for the most recent uh human services. But I just look at that as as an opportunity
as as things are kind of being actively engaged that there's a there's a much broader opportunity there to kind of get involved and add value. >> Maybe that's wrong and there's a you know I'm wrong and in the DEI it would be the better fit. Um so I'm open to
discussions around that but that's kind of >> appreciate your flexibility Mr. Brown. >> I think it's a a great fit for you. uh they have a budget actually and uh there's a a wide like you said it's a big wide scope of opportunity to serve so I wouldn't be second guessing your
choice >> and to add to that the vacancy expires in six months so if you find you want to try something else too >> sure yeah I did see that as well thank you >> so Mr. Brown was that a motion >> I make a motion to appoint Mr. door to the human services committee.
Uh let's see. Oh, the vacancy ends in six months or >> uh yeah, >> it's a short term, but I'll nominate you for it if you're up for it. >> I agree. It's a good opportunity to get to see if it's a good fit. >> Okay, great. >> Second. >> Okay, we have a motion in a second. Any further discussion? All in favor?
>> I I >> So, you are also uh anxious to join the energy committee. It's wonderful that you're willing to be on two committees. So why don't you tell us a little bit about what drew you to the energy committee? >> That one I have had the luxury of being kind of a little bit more involved and a
little bit more engaged as to what's going on if I've had subsequent follow-ups with um Scott who's the chair with Stephanie obviously. Um and you know I think I there I do actually think the finance background can have a little bit of a unique um perspective. I mean
environmental concerns are extremely important especially for areas down here down by the water and what have you not but they're bumping into quite frankly fiscal reality and I do think that having a little bit perspective of of affordability I think uh was referenced
earlier and you know everyone's realizing that things want to be done but people have to put food in the table and how do you balance those kind of initiatives and uh I've actually met with Scott and been exploring PACE which is kind of um got a little bit of a financial element to it. So I do think there I can
add actually not only just a desire to obviously from an environmental perspective but I do think economics is going to become important in in you know how we deliver that as a town and how it's affordable people and how we communicate that and how that's delivered. That's actually um like I
said, I think that is some place that that the current committee doesn't have that perspective um from having met and sat in where I do think there's a real value ad because I think they're starting to bump into each other quite frankly um and there's going to be a need to to kind of have some hard
conversations around that. >> I think that's great. Yes, Mr. Reid, >> I would say your economic and financial background is very very important. I appreciate that you're bringing it to both the uh committees that you're signing up for and would implore you to
keep an eye on um the fincom as well andor the finances of town because we have some challenges coming up. We could probably use your eyes on those. >> Yeah. Yeah. Anyway, and again, as I said, I'm trying to find my navigate my way through as to where I can add value to the town.
>> But, uh I agree the energy committee would do well with your eyes. So I would make a motion to appoint uh James Door for the term ending bringing it up >> also June 30
>> also June 30th 2026. So trials for >> add value quickly I guess. >> Yeah practice >> motion. >> Okay we have a motion and second. All in favor I I >> Okay. Thank you very much. REALLY THANK YOU.
OKAY, our next item of business is a report from Farming Falmouth. So, uh I know we have a presentation, so you step up and introduce yourself, please. >> Now, I had a slideshow.
>> Yeah. >> Okay. Yes. >> Before you begin, I also want to recognize Alise Droo, uh your terrific financial officer who's stuck in Puerto Rico, uh but she has been been nagging us uh healthfully uh on a number of
these issues. So, I appreciate Elise and and all she does for you guys. >> Good evening. I'm Jess Cole, the executive director of Farming Famouth. Our mission is to build a stronger local food system, one that nurtures personal
health, community health, and the health of our planet. Our goals are to preserve farmland, to make land accessible to generations of farmers to come, to spearhead the production and distribution of more
nutritious food grown locally in organic and sustainable ways. To demonstrate and advocate for regenerative agricultural practices that build healthy soils, nourish our ecosystem, and protect water.
Lastly, to build partnerships with stakeholders in the food system such as schools, the government, food pantries, restaurants, and healthcare providers. Here's a snapshot of all of the farming
found programs. We have a community orchard, service gardens, commun community gardens, gleaning, share your bounty, and educational workshops. Back when the town helped save Tony Andrew's farm, one of the key findings
in a community survey was the need and access to fresh local fruit. So, one of our first projects was a community orchard located on Tony Andrews farm. In 2021, volunteers planted 120 fruit
trees. And in 2026, we're planning to triple the size of our orchard. Now, the one important fact of this is that we do this without any chemicals, pestifi and pesticide-free, and it's a
teachable orchard, so people can come and grow and eat fresh fruit right here at home. >> We also sponsor, >> if I could stop you for a second, what what types of fruit are at the orchard? >> Um, majority is apple. There are a couple peach, but we're known for our
apples. And in the expansion, we're gonna add quite a few more peach as well. Apples and peach and some heritage. >> Okay, great. Thank you. >> So, we also sponsored three community gardens, the Marina F. Andrews Garden, Community Garden, Emerald House, and
Peterson Farm Community Garden. Our next big project was the service gardens, also located on Tony Andrews Farm. And now the patch. 100% of this harvest is donated to the family service center and Capen Islands veteran
outreach centers. Last year we grew and donated 9,300 lb of fresh produce. This year our goal is 12,000 pounds. Both of these fields equal about a third of an acre.
And the fields are tended by our farming manager Jenny Christian alongside hundreds of community volunteers. The best part of this is it's a living classroom practicing organic no till regenerative agriculture.
So we realized a that farmland preservation is a huge important issue and this map shows you a little bit that in the 1950s there was roughly about 3,500 acre acres of prime agricultural
soils. In 2016 they had found that there's only 470 and it's been drastically reduced every year. And so we knew that we wanted to purchase a farm and create access to
farmland. The number one issue for new farmers is access to farmland. And so we for in June 27 in June 17th we forever protected um a farmland we call the patch.
The important part of this is that not only is it providing affordable housing to our local farmer. It's also an educational hub where we can welcome the um public. Shortly after closing, we built a field. We held a workshop that we taught people
how to build their own field and 40 volunteers worked with us all day long to build an expansion to our service garden. We also welcomed hundreds of community on our open farm day and plan to have many more this coming season along with educational workshops and
more food grown here locally. This is the field a month after um growing it. And that brings me to here today. So four years ago, one of our board members, Tyler, started the process of
collecting data and surveys and community discussions to help produce and establish a baseline of information that can be used to inform and track change within the food system. That's the food system assessment that a lot of
you received last year. Now, when we launched this, we know how passionate we are about local food. We were blown away that our um launch date had was standing room only. We had over 70 um
participants come to the Herman room and we knew how important this was. So thanks to Alisa Groot and Denise Jay and Tyler, they have put together or they found the five key recommendations
and are putting together um a discussion series. So the fi five key findings from this is that there we need food forward policies for farmland preservation. We need to support and and growers and producers
invest in local food supply chains. ensure equitable access within Falmouth food environments and enhance food education. So out of that was birthed shaping the future of Falmouth's food system.
The discussion series launched earlier this month and again we were blown away. We once again at the uh WOI church had standing room only and we're so excited for our next event which will be
February 9th at the Navigator Club. We invite everyone here there and what we are hoping for is that there's a townwide discussion that enables us to define immediate actionable steps to strengthen our local
food system. This project was made possible thanks to the Woods Hole Foundation, the Falmouth Cultural um Council, Wquite Church, the Navigator Club, the Church of the Messiah, Moto Pizza, and the Falmouth Public Library.
I have the board here tonight if you guys have any other questions. And thank you so much. >> Well, >> let's go. Good food for all. >> Well, thank you very much, Dr. Goldstone and I were at that first uh session and it was uh it was fantastic to see so
many people with such passion and uh really wish you good luck on the next three uh of your uh of your sessions. So thank you >> Dr. We can uh maybe shorten select board reports and and talk about it. Now since we were there um one of the ideas uh Mr.
MScali and I along with uh Tom Mowley and a member of his staff as well as the head of the agricultural commission and uh a few other community members were at the the policy table um that night. It was a very rich discussion. Um, one thing that I thought that was really
interesting that came up as an idea um was to try to um work with the state to add farmers um as uh a an eligible group for uh dedicated housing under the seasonal communities act given that uh farming food production is another
shared uh challenge across the entire Cape and also the Birkers. So, both regions with um seasonal communities designations. There were a number of other ideas, but I thought that was one that definitely falls into that category of like immediately actionable and see if we can get that in there. And I, you know, I love that the um that the food
assessment was funded by the cultural council because I think that was the other kind of thing that was coming up in our discussion a lot was um trying to desilo the idea of um food production and you know with with putting it into the seasonal communities really
recognizing the role um of farmers and uh food systems in the health of the community um as a whole. So um but kudos for those. I hope the rest of them are are equally as vibrant. And super thanks as always uh to the team at Moto for
just awesome pizzas which if I remember correctly were also uh topped all with locally grown food. >> Yes. That um that our team grew. >> Yes. >> It was awesome. >> Yeah. actually that that idea about the uh housing for for farmers and seasonal
community actually was uh was a a comment from the chair of the agricultural commission uh here in town to to the seasonal communities group. Mr. Rich, >> I don't often do this, but speaking as Senator Fernandez's district director, I can assure you I'll bring that up to him tomorrow as he's the chair of Agon
Fisheries and I can guarantee you he'll support that. Um my question, thank you. You know, I attended Colin and I attended uh the groundbreaking at the patch and and Senator Fernandez and I met a little over a month ago with you guys and got to see the the chicken bus, which is great if anyone hasn't seen
that yet. Uh what would you like from us in terms of support uh as as you go through this through this process and and kind of develop what you're doing? >> Participation >> considered other than Monday nights. >> Yeah, that's the one that's the one
thing. Unfortunately, all of your future hearings uh conflict with uh conflict with select board meetings. So, >> you record it. I'll watch it. >> I The last one was the only one that did
not conflict. So, >> yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yes. Mr. Brown, >> I just really appreciate what you're doing and I attend the Emerald Garden uh annual fall harvest gathering and it's really an appropriate name. is a community garden because it really does
enhance community and really brings the neighborhood together. And I'd love to see us take some more of these uh surplus parcels that we've been recently identifying. Some are unbuildable and maybe would be appropriate for community gardens. So, you guys are off to a great start and if you're up for more
challenges, maybe we can come up with some more of those parcels. >> Mr. Chair, >> yes, M. >> And going off Doug's point, um and I mentioned this when Stan the chair of agricultural committee in town gave us a report. Um, I put an earmark in the Fouthouth Housing Authority budget to build community garden space. I'm not
sure if any commissioners pushed for that since, but um, you know, I I think and I again I've said this before, but any properties where town owned properties where it makes sense to have a communal garden space, any way we can partner on that, I think that'd be tremendous. Uh, not only for residents if it's an example like the housing authority, but but also just for
community members across town. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Well, thank you very much. Yes, Mr. Reid. Um, oh, >> you had another statement. >> Just got a >> Ellie Costa.
>> Hi, I'm Ellie. Um, you did a great job. >> Thank you. >> Um, I've just we talked about what do we want to ask for when we come to meet you tonight. We really did want to honor the request to let you know what we're doing. Uh we do feel that this is a
pivotal moment in terms of taking the conversation from our group to the town and uh I'm hearing what you're saying about Monday nights. We got to work on that. But I think what we hope is that we can uh continue to communicate with you and come back to you and hear your
ideas and and and um yeah, just work together. >> Thanks, >> Mr. Reed. Just a question regarding your goal number three, which is to make it more available and new partnerships. Um, one, you know, I was born and raised in
Vermont and there's a lot of co-ops there and I know Tyler tried to get a co-op up and running at, you know, very small, but is there I mean, buyin is the key word here and I think that's the way for the general public to truly help and
buy in to this concept. Is there enough agricultural support locally to start a co-op and or what were the challenges when you tried? >> So, um do you want to speak to the co-op? >> Yeah, go ahead. >> Um uh the co-op, I mean, yes, there's
definitely a desire and a need. Um I think that as farming Famoth, our like mission first is to grow more food locally and to support farmers. And so in the future, yes, I I think that I personally as a person that was part of
that co-op and as a person that like has a deep desire to see a more sustainable food system here, um would love to see that. So that just to want to clarify the idea the the co-op flax um it was about bulk buying uh providing very high
quality grains and other products but in bulk which is different from putting more farmers here on the ground getting more aggra businesses going here on the ground right those grains those nuts those there's they're still coming from far away but the idea of buying in
bulk does address the food system because it's making highquality food more accessible because it's less expensive. So, uh we do think that there is a desire for that here and that could be one of the first sets of actionable
steps. We we do see that we need more than farming phalmouth to make any of these things happen. So, uh, to begin to connect with, uh, people who are interested in starting a new business, that sort of thing. We need to, we need to begin to connect across the town with all sorts of stakeholders in the food
system. >> And as we stated, our goal is for the working groups to be created to work towards these. And I think that those could be done not on a Monday night. Um, so as Ellie said, communication with us. There are definitely a lot of the
community that are interested and inspired and I love that you're going to think of us when there's land available. I would also like you to consider that when you have developments come up to you that it is included in their plan. >> Thank you. >> Okay, great report. Thank you very much.
>> Well, I might just take the opportunity to mention a a non-mon opportunity for engagement. Um the new winter markets on Sunday afternoons. Farming Falmouth I know is always there as are many other members of our uh local food community and the first one was I know wildly
successful. I think I showed up an hour into the market and and heard something like 500 people had already been there or something. It was Yeah, it was um incredibly popular. >> Yeah, it was a showstopper. It was 700 total. >> Wow. >> The most people that had ever been to a farmers market here.
>> So, Sundays at Mullen Hall School um for the winter market. >> 11 to three. >> Oh, 11 to 3. I thought it was 12 to three. Okay. >> All right. Fabulous. >> Noon to 3. Excellent. >> Get there for doors. >> All right. Very good. >> Thank you. So, we will now move on to
discuss and consider a vote to approve an application to the Falmouth affordable housing fund from Felmouth Housing Trust for property located at 28 Cross Road. Mr. Renshaw. >> Uh, real briefly, uh, Mr. Chair, I know uh executive director of Felmouth
Housing Trust is here for a presentation. Um application was made by Felmouth Housing Trust uh back on December 1st for $175,000 for the acquisition of a single family home located at 28 Cross Road. Uh Felmouth Housing Trust is purchasing
this market rate home for $550,000 and then intends to sell it for $380,000 attaching a deed restriction in perpetuity at 140% of area median income. As you all know, um the uh the guidelines state that $150,000 is a
typical threshold. The housing uh affordable housing working group uh met discuss this at length and uh this this is a unique project and we'd like to uh see more of these. Um it's it's an existing home um move in ready, gets a family hopefully in there really
quickly, and it doesn't involve any clear cutting and and and land development. Um so we felt that it certainly justified the additional $25,000. Uh so the affordable housing working group recommended to uh my office approval of the $175,000.
Uh we took that recommendation to the CPC. They also recommended approval and we're here tonight requesting that the select board consider the approval of the $175,000 and I recommend and with that I'll turn it over to Mrs. Moahan for the presentation. >> Thank you Mr. Ranchaw and members of the
board. I'm Laura Moahan and with me tonight is Kate as our development director as well. Um, and we appreciate the support of the working group and the CPC for this project. Um, this is part of what we're calling our home buyown
program where we um are buying market rate homes and turning them into community assets. And this crossroad would be will be the fourth home um that we've acquired and resold. Um, and you can see here the
market price and then the resale price. Um the most recent one at uh Pinerest Beach Drive uh which this board supported was sold at the end of um December, I'm happy to report to um a young couple who were grew up in
Falmouth and work in Falmouth and have two very small children. So that was a great um turn turnout for them and they were in the home before uh the Christmas holiday. So, as you can see from these resale prices that what we're trying to
do here with this program is make these homes attainable for um income levels under 200,000. Um the median income uh the median price of a home in Felmouth is now well over 800,000
and that price is not reachable um for people who are earning less than 200,000 a year um with a mortgage. So this is our missing middle. It's our workforce. These prices at 350, 390, 380, they are
reachable um for these young families. So, this is the house at Crossroad. It's been fully updated. It's a lovely three-bedroom ranch. Um, about 860 square feet, three bedrooms. Um, it's in
WO um across from a larger property um near the village. It's uh here's the GIS map showing where it's located. um 12,500 foot lot within an existing neighborhood, a large fenced in yard.
It's not in a flood zone. So, it's checking off all the criteria that we look for and most importantly the improvements because we want to set our firsttime home buyers up for success. We want them to be have a home that's
movein ready. Um this one is, as I said, three bedrooms, one full bath. It does have an unfinished basement. Um, and here are some photos just showing you the work. Uh, it's a vinyl laminate floor throughout, new paint, uh, new
kitchen. Um, the resale. Uh, here's the kitchen. Uh, new cabinets, new fixtures, appliances, and the bathroom. So, it's all ready to go. Um, new carpeting, um, new windows, new shingles outside. We just put some
gutters on as well. Here's the floor plan showing you uh the kitchen area. It has a side door off the kitchen with a mudroom, which is a kind of a nice feature that you don't often see on the smaller ranches, three bedrooms, and the
living room. And here are some exterior um pictures. It has a highly efficient new heat pump system that qualified for some mass save rebates as well. um all the improvements to the home. These are all in the application
as well. And um we're proposing a resale of this home at at up to 140% area median income, which is um the maximum under your guidelines. This is just a breakdown of the price, um the closing
costs and fees. Uh we are going to replace the leeching field on the septic system because it is in need of replacement. And we have a total project cost at 579778. And then we have the breakdown of the purchase and resale costs. Um we're
proposing to resell it at 380,000. If this board approves the funding at 175,000, the Falmouth Housing Trust would be contributing just under 25,000 which would be um from our generous donors.
And that is the application. And I just wanted to comment a little bit on the um as well on the 140% AMI. You haven't seen one of these before, but Mr. Brown always asks about it. So, um I just
would add, um at at the the 140% AMI level clearly expands the ability for working couples in particular um to be eligible. So, going up to the 140% it's
up to so as long as is uh households with income up to that level can qualify for the mortgage at 380, they they are eligible as well. But what we're trying to do is capture those that are um that are in the slightly higher income level
so they're not getting boxed out. So as an example, a couple uh two wage earners in a family um a twoerson household the income level at 140% is 150 thou 53,000.
So, so two wage earners up to 153,000 would be eligible for this home. If you compare it to 120% AMI, the wage level is 131,000. So, you could see how if you had two
wage earners, both earning 70,000, they earn too much at 120%. But they do qualify at 140%. So, just sort of to give you an example of how that 140% can expand the buyer pool a little bit and
um make make uh these homes eligible for more people. >> So, what happens next, Miss Moahan? >> Well, if the board approves the funding um we would be holding an open house. We're hoping to schedule it for February
February 15th, Sunday afternoon. Um, we would have the home on the ready to buy. We have a ready to buy list. Um, so we would be notifying all of our buyers on the ready to buy list that this home is now eligible for purchase. um we would
hold the open house and um the when the buyers come to the open house if they want to buy the home then we give them a day or two to fill out an election form where they say I want to buy this home and they're required to submit a
pre-approval letter for the mortgage from the bank and verification of their income and then we approve them as eligible if we have more than one eligible buyer um we look to the maximum household
size. So the maximum household size buyers um have preference if there are equal maximum household size buyers then we hold a lottery. So we that's actually what happened on the Pinerest beach and
we contacted um Kim um your housing coordinator and she came to our office and we held a lottery and she witnessed the lottery and we picked the winner of the home. So that's how it works. So the ready to buy list is very effective.
It's very fast. With that schedule we could have um the house resold around the end of March. So, we have a three-month turnaround with these with this home buyown program typically where with houses acquired and resold within
three months. >> Okay. Um, Mr. Brown, >> how's the actual lottery? Is it like a like a raffle ticket lottery where you just throw them in a hat and pick one out or is it something more refined? >> Um, it's we have a lottery machine. Oh,
>> and we have um ping pong balls. Okay. numbers on the ping pong balls. So, we take all the eligible applications, we number the application, and then that buyer gets a number on the ping pong ball >> and then we roll it around >> and um I think Kim last time picked the
winner um out of the or it might have been Addie, I can't remember, but we we videotape it. It's very official um in that sense. So, obviously and but that's how it works. So, little more a little more sophisticated than the lottery ticket, but >> okay. >> Not quite.
>> I like it. I really like the white picket fence. It's a real dream. >> It's really a charming little house. >> So, um I was uh part of the uh affordable housing group that recommended this. We struggled a little bit with it because it was above our uh
stated guidelines that were $150,000. But the the uniqueness of this project, as Mr. Renaw mentioned the fact that it's move in ready. Uh that it's not going to require any disturbance of of of the land. Uh and uh we're going to
get an affordable uh family or an attainable family in there pretty quickly to be able to enjoy uh the the town of Felmouth. So, uh, if there's no other questions, I would be happy to make motion that the select board acting as trustees of the Falmouth affordable
housing fund grant $175,000 to Fmouth Housing Trust to purchase a market rate single family home to then sell for $380,000 and attach a deed restriction in perpetuity at 140% of the area median
income and to authorize the town manager town manager to accept documentation setting forth the terms of the financial award uh to the Falmouth Housing Trust dealing with the property at 28 Cross Road Falmouth. >> I would second that and I like to offer
one more comment. I have been asking for this more diverse uh opportunities for folks but also I'm also asking for the 60%. So like just like to have a wider spectrum of availability instead of always that 80 or 100 because we're only
serving that one little demographic. Thank you though. It's great. Great job. >> Well, thank you. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? >> Hearing none. All in favor? >> I Okay. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Appreciate your support. Thank you.
>> Okay. >> Never had clapping before. Well, you've been around for a long time, so uh people are finally starting to recognize >> slashing my tires in the parking lot. >> Saving the planet, one family at a time. >> Yeah.
>> So, we are uh blessedly four minutes ahead of schedule. So, um we are now going to talk about the police station advisory committee update and I'm going to ask Mr. Reno to give us a bit of an update on that. >> Just a real quick uh preview. Uh so we have our architect from Tektown, Matt
Salad, here. He's going to give a presentation. Thank you, Matt. Um Mr. Chair and Select, as you know, um the uh police facility advisory committee's been working in a feverish pitch um past several months um with this uh design work trying to get us in in uh in the
sites of November Town Meeting and getting a construction real sharp construction cost estimates. What you're going to hear tonight or see tonight, I should say, are two examples uh of site plans or test fits on the uh the site on Brick Hill Road. So, oh, Boyd. Hi, Boyd.
So, with that, Mr. Chairman, I turn it over to Boyd DLA. >> Thank you. >> Um, good evening. Yeah. So, uh, again, appreciate all your support at November's time meeting for the site location. Uh, the committee didn't stop there. We hit the ground running as Mr. Renshaw pointed out and we're back here
tonight to give you a little early update on where we're at as far as getting a building cited on the uh uh 100 Brick Hill Road or the Augusta property as it's become known. So, uh real quick, uh we were scheduled to be here on the 26th, but you know, Mother
Nature had a hand in that. So, here we are tonight. Um we do have a community forum planned for, uh Monday the 2nd at the Herman room at the F public library. Uh we're looking to come back in late February or March of this year for another select board update and we're
going to schedule another community forum in March of 2026 this year and then we'll be back for another select board update in March and April of this year. Um, we're looking at getting the uh design estimate, the schematic design estimate in uh by the week of March 20th
along with the 100% of the schematic design uh in by the same day, same week. Uh design development estimate should be in by the week of June 19th along with 100% design development plans. construction document estimates uh the
week of August 17th and then 100% construction documents by the week of October 5th. Um we hope to have a construction budget for the warrant for fall town meeting in August or September of this year and special town meeting possibly September or November of 2026.
I know uh Mr. Wshaw, Mr. Johnson Stab and others are working on that and a possible ballot referendum question in November or December this year. and we look to go out to bid uh shortly after the first of the year um for bidding on it and looking to con start construction
in March of 2027 if everything goes well. Uh currently uh site investigations uh phase one of the environmental site assessment was conducted on January 15th of this year. There was no areas of concern noted during that uh site assessment
geotechnical borings were scheduled for February 2nd. However, the weather is uh playing a cruel joke on us and we're going to push that off a little bit longer and reschedule that and we have some field scheduled uh work scheduled for February 6, 2026. But again, I think weather may play into how much of the
field we can see under the snow. Um once again, this is the property that was approved at town meeting, the 100 Brick Hill Road site. Uh it's outlined in the red dotted line. You'll note in the uh corner there is a a se separate section where the proposed lift station for the
sewer treatment project uh plan that's ongoing currently uh in the town is going to be located on the parcel. Um, thanks to Peter McConnay over the DPW who, uh, for some historical reference, uh, we had noted during our, uh, site research that this property had once,
long before was a Capequai drive-in was an airfield. And this is an actual aerial photo that was, Peter can elaborate more on where he found it, but it shows the airfield down the middle of the property. And if you ever get a chance to look at the photo closely, um, down in the corner, they actually see a
plane parked on the property as well. Uh jumping a few years forward, this is when it became the Capeclad drive-in. Uh located on the parcel of land there, you can see the concession stand. And then again, if you get a opportunity to get a closer look at this parcel, you can still see the drive-in sign located just
to the rear of what is now and then was found with lumber. >> Could I could I stop you there one second? >> The trail we'd sneak in in the back. >> Yeah. Well, >> I was I was going to ask where was the entrance to the drive-in at that time? And was it off 28 or is it off of Brook Hill?
>> The entrance of the drive would go in between still what is found with lumber although it's expanded the field and where Casey's drapes is. >> Okay. So it's on 20 off of 28. >> You see the road going in along by found with lumber there if you look at it closely. >> Yep. Thank you. >> So you used
>> obviously Suckman Brown used a different entrance. >> Well, we put a couple kids in the trunk. >> Okay. And with that, I'm going to turn it over to Matt Salad from Tecton Architects to uh go over the sight fit. Good evening, Sluckboard. Um, so, uh,
we've got on the screen here, uh, just a couple of of of site plans that we have put together, uh, working with the the public, uh, police station advisory committee, uh, over the past several weeks. There were more options, but we narrowed it down to the two preferred options, and they're very different schemes that you have on the screen, uh,
between the two. And so I want to walk through each one in a little bit of detail and then happy to take any comments or questions you may have uh from there. Um certainly there's some challenges wi with the site. None of them are are you know can't be overcome. But um
towards the bottom of the screen the the south portion uh of of the site plan here you will notice that there's um >> yeah Matt if you use the mouse then the folks at home can see it as well. down down in this portion of the site here, you'll notice these these dash lines. These are these are indicating your
grade lines, the topography there. So, anybody that drives by the site notices it's reasonably flat except for this one portion where it kind of dips down uh pretty aggressively um and then continues down off of the the the property itself. And then, of course, we've got the uh the sewer lift station
in uh the top right corner of the site which is which has been bid and is under contract with with with contractors. So, that construction is starting shortly, but um we believe strongly we can work around that and and we're already talking about how we're going to phase and coordinate with all the different
contractors that are going to be util utilizing this parcel sort of simultaneously once this goes into construction. Um so the the first scheme that I'll walk you through um the the the sort of overriding concept between the two is
one where we were trying to really address address the frontage of Brick Kilm Road and one where we're trying to really enhance creating more of a combined site with the lift station, the police station, public activities and future recreation. So, um, those are
sort of the other components of this project that are that are really imperative that we make sure we coordinate with and and around. So, in this scheme, we were really looking at, you know, creating Brickill Road as as the building frontage, so to speak. This is the main entry. It's like many other
municipal buildings in town. It's off a main road. You come into a parking lot. Here's the front entry. Here's the building. There's a there's a general sequence to how those how those go. And so off of Brickill Road here, we have your main public entry. Um, this drive
is a shared drive with the lift station access. So part of it's actually being constructed as part of that project. We would piggy back off of that, use the same curb cut and create this as a shared drive. That drive then circulates around the police station and would run uh across the site down to Route 28.
Now, this doesn't mean we're going to be clearing a whole line of trees all the way down the site. This is actually part of the source sore project itself. So, there's going to be a shoreline running relatively in line with where this drive is. So, that's already going to be cleared by the time we get in there, adding a little bit of paving or gravel,
and now we have a drive that can be shared for use by recreation fields that may uh come into play in the future. It also gives another access point on the site or off the site for police services should there ever be an issue on Brick Brick Road, they're able to get to Route 28 and respond to to any other
emergencies within the town. Um, so off of that Brickill Road entrance, we have our main public parking area right in the front of the building. This would then be the main entrance to the police station. Uh, for any public that would be going in the police station, use the community room,
seeking aid, filing a complaint, looking for their license to carry permit, things like that. Just down the plan over here, we have another curb cut on Brickill Road, and this would be your main staff entry for for police vehicles. So they would be coming in through this portion of the
site down gradient from the from the main entry um into their secured parking lot in the back of the building. Um this loop road here connects to the sally port. So whenever the the police department has an arrest and they're bringing any of those detainees into the
station, this is a secure garage that they're able to to bring them in to the station and then and then process and book those those detainees. Um, we've got our staff parking in the back. Uh, parking uh solar parking canopy for some of the cruisers. Um, an
impound lot, our out building and uh in an area designated uh for construction of a future modular uh indoor firing range. Um, certainly one of the challenges with this one of the advantages with this layout is that the building addresses
Brickllin Road as the main thoroughfare. One of the challenges with it is one of the things the select board talked about uh last fall when we were meeting with you and in discussing this parcel is trying to find a way to combine parking so that it can be shared with any future recreation. So there we're duplicating
those uses and not having to create so many parking spaces and and overpave the entire property. Right? It's all about conservation as much as we can and and reducing the overall site development impact on the property. So the second option um looked at trying
to take that and and and and really take it to heart and and accommodate all of those requirements within this this site plan. So rather than the main entry be directly off Brick Kill Road, we're going to look in in this one as as this
drive that goes through to Route 28 as the new road. Um, there was some discussions around maybe naming this like John Busby way, something like that, so that it so that it pays homage to uh to an officer who was injured in line land line of duty here in in the
town of Falmouth. Um, so this would still be your main public drive. Uh, again shared with the lift station. We would then put public parking sort of along this new road. Um and the new front entry, public entry of
the police station would be here. Again, addressing this new street, not necessarily addressing Brick Killllin Road in particular. Um this parking would be located, you know, by locating this portion of the site. Any recreation fields that would be installed over here
would be able to be shared. Um it allows for that separation of police functions with recreation. If you look at the previous scheme, if there's a baseball field right there behind where the firing range is is going to go and the out building in the impound lot, that's a lot of things you don't want to look
at when you're out there with your kids playing soccer and baseball. So, it it sort of made sense to sort of reverse where the front entry of the building was in this scheme and and create more of a community focused site development within the interior bounds of the of the
parcel. the police staff would still enter down below uh similarly as they did in the previous scheme. Um but in this one the the staff parking the out building in the impound lot uh would all sort of sit off of Brick Kilm Road.
>> Can I ask a quick question? >> Yes. >> Why um you might address this? Why no parking canopy in the either of the public designs so far? >> We certainly could. Um it's always a challenge to do it along a a roadway in
a sense like this. You know, um what happens, you know, we can do that certainly to get solar capacity, but oftentimes when they're on a roadway, we want to make sure that they're at least 14 ft tall so that fire apparatus can make their way through without any any um impediments. Um and when you lift a
canopy up that high, it doesn't work with snow and rain and things like that. >> Yeah. And it probably doesn't make sense with this one as much as previous design, but >> but but certainly, you know, we're we're showing that yeah, we can put parking canopies in here. We can talk about how much we want to do and how much solar capacity we want to put over vehicle.
So, but it's a great point. >> Um, so again, so all all of the staff services would be would be down here and and and I want to note again looking at those dash lines working their way around the site. Um, we also don't want to have brick kill and road become sort
of the back door to the police station or or something that we're not addressing architecturally so that it so it isn't appealing. It doesn't look like it's a bunch of, you know, pre-engineered metal buildings and and in in old beat up cars and things like that, right? We still want to make sure
that we're taking care of brickill road. So, um, we've actually reworked the grading so that it it sort of pushes some of these staff things sort of downgradient from Brickill Road itself so that it's sort of tucked back. Um, and we create some some uh, you know,
maintain as much of the the existing tree line that's right here so that we provide some screening, but we can also utilize the out building and and this intersection is sort of as signage, right? It doesn't need to be just a basic pre-engineered metal building. we can dress that up. So, architecturally,
it sort of has has a feel to it that that is nice that says this is where the police station is. It doesn't, you know, we don't need to address it through just the the main building itself. So, so I think there's there's ways that we can sort of respect Brickllin Road, but also create a really nice community
experience within this new roadway that we'll be creating out to Route 28. Ultimately, too many clicks. Um ultimately uh the last uh police station advisory committee meeting uh they did take a vote and did recommend this uh the
second option as as the the preferred scheme um for a number of the reasons that I that I had laid out this evening. So with that I'll take any questions or comments you may have. >> Two questions. one is u at this point and I I see you're going to do a lot of community engagement and that's you know
obviously wonderful and in line with with what we want but up to this point have you had any conversations have any of the neighbors on Brick Hill particularly across the street from uh from where the property is uh have you had any contact with them have they reached out at this point
>> um aside from a quick comment or two at the grocery store? No. Uh I personally haven't. Um I can't speak for my other committee member Mike Duffy's here tonight. Uh but you know we're we're listening and that's the most important thing is for us to have these community engagement uh meetings to get the neighbors in the abutters in. We want to
hear from them first. Obviously just like it was with the Hatchville Fire Station project. You know we're moving into the neighborhood. We want to be a good neighbor to all of you. So you know >> we're looking and one thing I'll add to that too. Um, you know, Boyd mentioned on that summary of of upcoming meetings
that on Monday we have a community engagement session. We'll be presenting a lot of the same material for open comment. We're also coordinating later in February another community engagement session targeted specifically to the abutters within this area and but notices will be going up shortly at once
we settle on a date and a location for that. So, do I understand that that in option two if there is um you know a police vehicle or cruiser that needs to get somewhere they're going to be using that roadway out to 28 primarily?
>> Not not primarily, but as a as a contingency should there be any incident on Brick Hill Road that prevents them from from getting out to the >> Well, it's as as you know, and I live not too far away from the property. You've got that stop sign at the bottom of Brick Hill uh and Oxbow and then
you've got another stop sign uh at at 28 and certainly in the summertime and you know busy time during during regular rush hour. You know those both those both of those intersections are quite busy as I'm sure you know. >> I got it just this evening. >> Yeah. So I am certainly hoping that uh
that that >> we can figure out a way to get them out to 28 as as easily as possible. you know, we're just looking ahead to make sure that they have, you know, proper access or egress from the property and stuff. And there, you know, summertime, sure, there could be a reason they have to use the other entrance, >> but that's part of the plan.
>> I mean, and I also know there had been some mention of similar to the fire station, some kind of a warning, stop, you know, red red light when, you know, police vehicles might be exiting. >> Yeah, there has to be a bigger conversation with uh Mr. McConnay and
and Massdot on what may or may not be required. That's a state highway on 28 there. So, we all have to have some conversations. The town will have to have some conversations going forward. Yeah. And that has been discussed in the periphery. Again, this is a preliminary thing we're at. We're not, you know, cast in stone. We're not putting the shovel in the ground tomorrow. So, we're
we're looking at all the options, but thank you for the question. >> Yep. Thank you. >> I I did miss one point, too, that I wanted to make between the two options. And if I go back one slide here, um you you you'll notice um by having the parking out front on Brickill Road,
because of the roadway that we're getting around the lift station and and the topography down at the lower portion of the site, it requires us to push the site development pretty pretty far deep into the into the parcel. So, if you use this as a reference point right over here where the where the
where the grade sort of shifts down and then I go to the option two, you'll notice that our site development pushes significantly further towards Brick Kill. So, we're actually preserving significantly more uh recreation and open space uh in the future with with this option. And that was also another
big selling point that that the committee um took under consideration when they selected to uh recommend this site test fit. Y >> looks like less sight work as well, right? >> Correct. >> Significantly less. >> Yes. >> Number of questions and comments. Thank
you for this. Um thank you for proactively um coming back to us um through this process and and keeping us in the loop. Really appreciate that. Um first question, in our packet, we actually saw five options. This is just two of them. So can you just clarify what the process was to get from five to
to two in this recommendation? I can I can address that if you like. Um so um it was my intention to only put the two in. It was my mistake that I put the five in. Um but just to answer your question, so uh you know the the architect was very thorough in looking
at different iterations given you know the all of the different goals that we set for them. Um and you know I think we with the police station advisory committee along with the project team you know the police chief and and other members of the police department we looked at all five of them numbers the
original number two through four were more sort of more similar. So one and five are sort of the two most different um and we you know we really liked number five the best. So, we we have the others here available tonight if you want to see them, but I we thought it was overly complicated because there
aren't a lot of there isn't a lot of reason to choose two, three, or four versus one or five. >> I think following up on Mr. Johnson's comment, the that option, which is now shown as option two, which is originally option five, uh one of the things for me personally and the committee, it it
brought that property forward as Mr. Salah just noted that it it provided more recreational space or future growth for other things down the road. So it it presented that best also and I was negligent in noting that um not only is the working uh the police advisory committee meeting um regularly on this
project also Tecton and and uh Steve Kirby with Veritex our owners project manager meets regularly with the police department's internal working group on this. So it's it's a multiple meeting multiple couple groups going at this project you know because we're on a tight time frame we realize that and
we're just trying to push it forward and get all the things covered. >> Yeah. If I might Mr. chair. A few more comments. Three three things. I'll do the the what I like, the the what I don't like as much. Um and then a suggestion. So, um I I love the thinking about the the
different uses um that this parcel um both legally needs to accomplish and for our town could accomplish. In particular, seeing the history of the site, those aerial photos really drove home um that this used to be an agricultural area. There is still one
active of farm next door. And so as we think about, and this is for our our board and town management, as we think about the other uses on that site, um farmland, community gardens, um as a possible open space, um use there is is um something I would love to see us consider as well as potentially
recreational fields. Um and and I do like in this version that you've got that that public parking that could be shared use parking um between police or um other other uses there. Um what I'm not loving is just the amount
of parking total. Um like it just seems like a huge number of spaces um for a police station. Um I'm I'm curious the rationale for 88 staff spaces. That seems like that would be even at with
the projected growth of the force that seems like it would be more than half of total staff parked if they to fill all of those spaces and and I'm curious if that's actually a scenario that that happens on a regular basis that you know with with three
shifts and like would you ever anticipate filling 88 staff spaces? >> Uh absolutely. Yeah. Um I I I I think um the chief was here. could he could answer it better than I because he's got a better handle on his his staff and who's who's coming in who's going. But
um you've got to also consider that not all the parking spaces are simply for cruisers. Um there's also so at a shift change, right? There's going to be multiple cruisers, there's going to be personal vehicles, there's uh civilian staff vehicles, there's trailers, there's uh special different types of
vehicles that the that the police department has. And so it's not just a matter of there's 15 cops on duty, so there's 15 cruisers. There's there's a lot more things that are going on at the police station and other staff that that have other other needs. Um so he could
do a better job addressing that. But the the 88 parking spaces that we've that we've got in here was based on the space needs assessment along with future growth and and was based on the count of vehicles um both that the department is using for for work civilian vehicles and and their other specialty trailers and
vehicles that they have. >> Okay. >> I I want to follow up more. >> I did have a couple more, but >> I was going to follow up on that one. >> Yeah. >> Do you and this might be a question for the chief, but what you may know, do you have do you know how many of the current spaces are used? I know it's a little difficult be at the current station. I
know it's difficult because you have the senior center, you have me who plays basketball on his lunch breaks. Um, so it's difficult to measure what activity there for, but do you have an estimate of how many uh staff and public parking is used at the current station? >> On the current site as it sits today,
>> the lot's full. >> Mhm. with between the the vehicles that Matt mentioned, the civilian personnel. That building currently also houses emergency communications which comes with a staff of, you know, three or four people with vehicles also. So, any given
time during the business day, you know, on ours, the parking lot's full and then it's pretty full at night, too. I mean, there's just patrol officers on during the day, there is at night. So, that number doesn't change over there, but the lot's pretty full when you go over there. >> Okay. Thank you.
You know, there's a huge lot out back. >> I'm sure. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> A lot of vehicles >> and there's contractors that work in the building. There's a lot of people coming and going. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Um so, ending with a question and some
more hopefully fun things. Um, am I understanding that the the the lane there would be um a public publicly accessible um route from from 28 into there potentially for future um recreation as well as for access to the
police station. Is that is that an all the way through for public as well as Okay. >> Yep. >> Um great. Um again seeing the agricultural history of the area. um would love to see if if maybe there's some kind of agricultural and
traditional inspirations in the architecture that might help this building fit into that and and kind of recognize um that history. And then last thing is especially as we get to the um the real uh Abutter uh neighborhood engagement um I would also love to join
an actual site tour, walk around and see where this is going to And I think that would be really helpful to >> definitely >> get out from behind the table and actually see where these buildings and this is going to be. >> Absolutely. It it ironically to your to your second to last point there, I was we I was just having this conversation with Jeff Malvy um in my office
yesterday about that outbuilding and and it addressing Brick Kil. And I said, "It almost has the feel like when you when you go to to one of these larger farms that has the big new farm store, you know, where you go and you get apples and produce and things like that, being the main police station building, but
then there's always this old barn right up against the road that has some sort of branding on the back of it so that you know that it's a farm coming in." I could almost see the outbuilding being that sort of thing, which would pay homage to to the agriculture history there. So, I think that's a great point,
>> Mr. Reed. Can you go to the schedule real quick? But first before that, um just kudos to the team. Um you're given a very short deadline to revamp. So awesome job on the um the options including the room for recreation.
There's three different purposes on there. So job well done on that one. Um we have a tight deadline for November and December. Um, in your design, development, construction document, obviously the
town has to come up with the total cost to build, equip, and maintain the station. Are these going to be in there at that time or is that something that we have to discuss separately? And I think mainly the new equipment cost. Is this in there? Will that be in there or is that a separate?
>> Which which new equipment? >> I'm just FFN for the station. FF will be included. Okay. Yes. And then >> allin total project soup to nuts. >> Great. And then ongoing on& and m for it will be a separate line item. >> Right. Because we don't you know it's
not a onetime expense. It's it's an operating expense. So your your point is well taken that we need to identify what those operating budget costs are for informational purposes um for all of the decision makers as we consider the funding for the station. Um, but we
won't be voting. You know, the vote will be to authorize borrowing to build the station and then a year or two later, probably a year later, you know, we What's the plan for the added cost, operating costs in the operating budget? >> And right now we're designing to $50
millionish, >> 65, >> and that's going to be funded through >> borrowing. >> Borrowing. >> Yeah. Do we have an idea of the tax implications on the average household for that?
>> Um, we that that's something we can easily calculate. Yes. >> I'm just thinking as we build this in and we have the community forums. This is going to be really important because it's going to go up against outfall pipes other projects in the future and we're going to have to weigh
this and this is a very important one that we're going to need to get in for November and December. So being upfront and honest and understanding because this could be a 30-year tax increase, you know, if depending on the funding mechanism because I don't think our bonds are being spent down for that
amount of time. So just something to be aware of for the cost because it's going to be a lot and we have a big capital project in addition to this. So um separate than the again kudos to the team. I think that the what you have is
awesome and uh I'm excited to see it come to fruition. >> I think to your concern, Mr. Reed, regarding the cost and the and the projects we're up against and yes, you're right. We're up against several major projects. Um if you recall back to November town meeting, we were there, the committee had already taken a hard look at this project already and made
some reduction costs and that is weighing on the committee at every meeting. You know, we we know we have direction from the town administrator and and his office and where we're at and we're you know, we're staying within those lines right now. you know, but we're in the still in the preliminary design level. You know, we're going to come back either with some maybe a little more cape architecture look or
something else down the road that fits it. But all that's going to come to you there's nothing, you know, that's why we're coming back, you know, a few times to the board to say this is where we're at. >> Yeah. >> Bunch your concerns back to us. >> Much appreciated and I appreciate the abutters or with all the um community input that you have. Are we sending
notes out to the specific abutters about this? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> For the next meeting. Yes. >> Mr. around >> with this new site. Is there any optimism for reducing that budget? You know, it seems like maybe it might be an easier site to work with, sier soils and so forth.
>> Um, >> too early to tell. >> Too too early to tell. But what I will say about the budget is right now we're basing the number that's been discussed on the gross square footage of the main building in the out building and general
similar comparable project costs throughout Massachusetts. in towards the end of March when we put this thing to the cost estimator and run this through an independent cost estimate with all the project specifics that go into this specific project.
>> Repeating myself backwards there. >> Y then we'll actually get the true cost that we'll be assessing this. So, so when we so we fully get that number from the estimator, that'll start to tell us where we actually are. And that number that we're talking about may be way above where we end up, maybe lower. We may have to do some more value
engineering cutting, but I think right now we're talking high numbers. Um, and we're not talking about detailed accurate numbers based on this specific project. We'll have those in towards the end of March. We fully estimate >> and and I urge you to share with us
those comparative, you know, because I'm sure a number of of us have heard, well, geez, well, Tatons did theirs at X and this and that. So I think it would be very helpful for us to have those comp comparative figures >> and and I and I will caution you against looking at other project costs.
>> Everyone's different. >> It's it's not just that everyone's different and the designs are different and the site is different, >> but the numbers that are published may have different things within them. The number you're going to get is the all-in soup to nuts everything that goes into the station. And some of those published numbers might just be the building cost.
That's what you have to explain to the people because they're going to be wondering why it's more than taunting. >> Yep. Absolutely. >> And I'm sure you will. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> And uh Boyd, congrats on your retirement as well from >> All right. Any more questions?
Otherwise, thank you very much. Thanks for your work and we'll see you Monday night. >> Yeah. Thank you very much. >> Thank you >> for the article. >> Okay. We are now on to an update on the longstanding Bourne Pond Bridge project.
Mr. Renaws bridge. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I believe uh Mr. McCanny may have some slides. Um this was a request uh of the chair uh and vice chair that we uh receive an update.
As you all probably know, this is a long time project. It was initially uh approved and appropriated under a town meeting article vote back on April of 2014. Um stuck mired in uh US Army uh core of
engineer uh permit review for years. Um most recently stuck in um the Boston Bridge Division of Mass DOT uh review. I'm gonna let Peter kind of walk us through the timeline of it, but um he's put together a really good update and
I've got an update um after Peter finishes with regards to the uh the Boston Bridge office uh review. So Peter, >> thank you. Uh thank you, Mike. Uh Peter McCanny, director of public works. So I I just wanted to go through an overview of um this project from the beginning to
where we are now. Um so the the funding for the for this bridge replacement um project was appropriated under the town medical meeting article 28 of the April 7th 2014 town meeting warrant. It was this warrant was uh a portion of the uh
the little ponds uh storage area. So it was all combined into one article. Uh the bridge uh design was completed in 2017. So took about 2 and 1/2 years to do the uh the design of the bridge. was 100%. And then because of the uh Menot
West and the erosion that was happening on the beach, we had a second project that was going on for that uh uh for the beach to bring nourishment in and to rebuild the groins and to uh get rid of a couple of foundation the bridge the bridge foundation and another building foundation that was there. So to get um
quantity of scale, we put the both projects together. Um so after putting the both projects together uh into one project it was sent to the Army Corps of Engineers in 2019. It was right before uh the COVID pandemic hit and then what happened is with the uh Army Corps of Engineer
people were working from home. It was that whole getting used to public meetings and virtual meetings. So there was a lot of different things going on at the same time. Um and my understanding is the Army Corps they actually did a remote uh hybrid schedule. So they weren't were not
working from their office and it was hard for them to get their files. We did not receive approval um for the uh for the we did not get an army corps permit until October 31st, 2023. At that time, public works applied to MASDOT for a
bridge final permit. And we were told that during the laps of time between 2019 and 2023 that the the bridge standards changed and we needed to update the scour analysis for the uh for the footings because of the the flow into the uh into the channel. So that
set us back a little bit additional time. And then in November 2024, our consultant revised the scour analysis and resubmitted it to mass uh to Mass District 5 in Taton
um for review with our engineers. The project was sent to Massdot headquarters in Boston. And what we've repeatedly heard for the year and a the last year and a third now is that the plans were being reviewed by Mass Bri section and and it's next on the plate and we're
going we're going to be working on it. We're now in late January of uh 2026 and the town has the only responses we're getting from Mass is that it's in the it's in their review queue. So the project was funded under an omn omnibus article along with other wastewater
improvements. As I mentioned in 2014, the project cost at that time was expected to be 4 $4,500,000. In 2026, the projected cost is estimated to exceed $10 million for the bridge and the nourishment project expected to be
another $2 million. So, if you add the the materials cost and the labor cost of um the general four to six% on a on a project, it averages out about $600,000 a year. Um, and as the time goes by, uh,
this project is going up, and I'm trying to build a I'm trying to build a bridge in 2026 with 2014 prices. So, a bridge consultant has been corresponding with Mass. Um but there doesn't seem to be really any urgency to get the project
reviewed with Mass DOT. Um this is not the first time that this has happened. Uh but it just seems like we we've we've reached out to representatives representative Falmouth representatives have reached out to Mass DOT and they get the same review back to us as that.
It's in review and it's being brought it'll be brought back forward. So because of this whole long time frame around 11 years now, all the permits that we had from the conservation commission, the local permits, the state permits, the Army Corps permits, we're needing to they're usually three-year
permits. We're needing to extend them now because because of this this delay, you can only extend them so many times and before the conservation and the state and the army corps is going to say, "What's going on with this project?" Um, and then once again, you got to start get caught with the design.
is that if the design manual changes and we're still in the review period, you might get caught just like we did with the SCAR analysis. So, typically a bridge design permitting review takes about two to three years. This project right now is going into the 12th year.
So, I I think from public works from the public works side trying to work with the state and trying to work with um some of the local representatives, we're not getting anywhere um with the DOT. who have called them, we've reached out to them. Um, but we're not really
getting a lot of response back to them. And I I think at at this point in time, if if if there was a possibility to bring another department or uh maybe uh Moley's office or Maky's office or someone into a state senator or federal
center to be able to come in and to to be able to work with this. It took Mowley's office back in 2023 to get on top of the Army Corps of Engineer for us to get the permit back then and they finally were able it took them about 6 months and they were finally able to get
that to us. But it just for us it just doesn't seem that there's any urgency on the state level. I will say if that was in Farmouth and that was my name on this I'd be in the town manager's corner office explaining myself what's going why is this taking a two or three year
design taking 12 years. So that's where we're right now and I I think what standing here tonight I'm thinking I'm asking I'm not ready to wave that white flag that's not me. So I think we need to see if we can bring some uh if there's any additional help from the state level that we can bring in. So,
uh, I'll just mention at at the Massachusetts Municipal Association conference over the past, uh, weekend, Mr. Brown and I were there, Mr. Renure, Mr. Johnson Saab, uh, Mr. Wure thankfully, uh, addressed this issue with Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and,
uh, maybe you can give us an update on on how that went, Mike. >> Sure. Sure. It went it went well. Well, I explained exactly what Peter just went through, kind of the outline and the escalation and project costs and the lieutenant governor just wideeyed could not believe what she was hearing and um there was a uh let me get this right,
deputy associate chief of staff um that was in the room and she called him over um and uh I spoke with that gentleman after the meeting, got his business card, and we're trying to set up a meeting for next week. So, we went almost straight to the top um with the lieutenant governor and uh I'm I'm
optimistic uh that uh you know, we explained the issue and where it's kind of log jammed right now in the Boston uh bridge office and uh so we know exactly where we need to go and hopefully with Lieutenant Governor's assistance, we'll uh we'll get some movement to break that log jam and get this project going again.
>> Great. Thank you, >> Mr. Brown. I would suggest we we should follow up with a letter and maybe you go directly to the governor and copy our all of our legislators. >> So that's what I was going to say uh is I I give you my Senate email. Um and I
will the senator uh Fernandez house meeting uh with Lieutenant Governor Driscoll tomorrow and I I'll have him bring it up again. Um so just while it's you know uh topical because and I think we should also consider a future item. Uh it's ridiculous how long privating takes in this state uh for a number of
issues and for how long it takes the state to approve something. As you said, now we're dealing with the cost increase from this and it's it's frankly it's unacceptable and it's a bad rep that Massachusetts has. So I think we should consider a future letter to the legislator legislature about that.
>> Okay. Dr. Goldstone. Uh can I just get some clarity on if through the lieutenant governor or other uh means we got through the DOT review and got approval? What happens then at this point with
this project? We go back to town meeting for additional appropriations and and and restart a three-year permitting uh process. Is that essentially what what would come next? >> That's not what I'm looking forward to do. I I think right now um there's been discussion about this bridge of the
flushing of the uh you know the flushing of the raising the bridge and the addition the the widening of the bridge. Um we went through all of that that was all behind us. We had multiple consultants looking at that as far as the flushing and that was all there was reports done reports presentations made
to the select board. I think where we're at right now is we looking where we are with the current funding that we have. We believe that with the current funding that we have, we can get the bridge done. We're not going to be able to get the full beach
project done, but we'll be able to get the main portions of the beach project. If we're going to have to be able to do some value engineering, it would be on the on the beach portion of the project. But the beach portion of the project is there's uh there's a lot of reet old revetment from the old roadway and it's
because it's the old roadway is scattered within the water. The goal is and and our consultant was successful in passing it through master DP that they're going to take all those reetment that's in the water staged reetment boulders and we're going to um they basically call it a groin swap. They're
going to they're going to take those boulders and reposition them to build new groins so we won't get all the nourishment loss and the nourishment going into the bridge. So, our goal is not to go back to town meeting um because of the efficiency of the
wastewater um the the wastewater superintendent. As I mentioned, this was an omnibus article. So, this bridge was 454.5 million, but Amy did such a good job with her little pond. she had there was money left over in that little pond. So,
um I think where we are right now, I think it's going to be close, but if you know, if we start looking at going into 20 late 2026, 2027, you know, it's we're going to we're going to start running into some problems. Um the goal is to not go back to town meeting because what that's
going to do is that's just going to cause a big flourish of another let's rethink this and um and that's already passed us. So, um, I think what we want to do now is if we can get this permit, we'll be able to finalize it and and get it out to bid. I do want to I do want to
say that just yesterday, we got an email from our engineer. They were waiting for comments back from Mass DOT. They did get some comments back and then they can do some work, but this has been that back and forth for the last year and a half. So, we're
hopeful on that, but um, our engineers are still working on it, too. But our goal is to not to not go back to town meeting >> if we don't have to. >> I suggest we follow up with a letter. >> Yeah. >> Regardless, I mean, it's great that we've had this conversation with Lieutenant Governor and I will say that
the these conversations do usually produce results each year from that MMA conference, whether it's wastewater planning or this bridge. This may be the thing that she worked on this year. But I think a letter would be helpful as well just to reinforce that request. >> Okay. >> Agree.
>> Agreed. I would just say I I would love to better understand the the project maths uh just uh for my own uh personal interest. Uh but in terms of I think the the splitting the bridge from the the beach project makes a lot of sense and I
wonder also um I haven't had a chance to look at the the budget uh from the state yet uh that came out today. Um, but with the environmental uh the environment bond bill and the funding that the state is putting into coastal resilience, there might be some opportunities there to to get some additional funding for
that beach project through a different um avenue. >> Okay, we could be able to look through that into that too also. Yeah. >> Yeah, we want a reimbursement. >> Okay, no more questions. Thank you, Mr. McCconor. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. Okay. Next item is to discuss
and consider the approval of the submission of a mass trails grant in the amount of $400,000 for the repair of route damage along the Shining Bike Shining Sea Bikeway. Mr. Renure. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. You have a lot of information in your packet. Well, a lot
of narrative information about the Mass Trails Grant. It's, as you all probably know, it's reimburseable grants. Um the uh the request was from the bike and pedestrian committee chair who is with us here tonight. And I'm going to if you don't mind, Mr. Chair, in I'm going to turn it over to KJ and ask her to kind
of walk through the needs >> the needs for the project. Um what it what we hope to accomplish with the project and then we'll talk a little bit more detail about DPW support for the project. >> Thank you very much. >> Congratulations on your appointment to the state. >> Thank you very much. I'm so sorry I
wasn't here for that. Um I look forward to bringing uh forward the unique challenges of the Cape to that committee. Um especially with regard to multimodal. Um so the Shining Sea Bikeway is actually having its 50th anniversary this year and you'll be hearing from our committee and friends
of Fmouth bikeways on some events that we have planned. Um there is a uh invasive species known as black locust trees that create massive root bumps because the way these trees work is that they hit a hard surface i.e. the uh bike
path and then they travel along it till they can pop up. Um it seems very innocuous. What's the problem? They're root bumps. So the problem is that they are uh some of them can be four to five inches high. They eventually separate the asphalt. Water gets in. Now you're
getting potholes and you're degrading a surface of a bikeway. This bikeway sees 350,000 trips a year. Um, and not mostly Lyra clad, um, you know, team 711 type folks. Nothing wrong with that, but
mostly kids, um, older folks with walkers, tourists, newbies, people have never gotten on a bike and they're like, "Hey, let me get a bike from Corner Cycle and, you know, ride down to Woods Hole." And those people are particularly susceptible to falling and getting
injured on a root bump. They're not um, they're chatting. they're not paying attention. So, it creates a dangerous situation. Our budget is about $100,000 a year, but at the cost of asphalt and
removing invasive species, it would take about 22 years to do the entire bikeway. So, what we would like to do with the Mass Trails grant is target the worst areas, which are North Felmouth, West Falmouth, um, and then a couple of other
spots. remove the invasive species, root ball and all um repave and then plant native species and we would apply for 400,000. We would apply our budget as the match because they require a match. So it would be a $500,000 project. Um
the work would take place not during the season. So the grant would uh we'd be notified in August. um then the grant could proceed as soon as August, but we would likely wait till September and aim to complete before
May. Um and um it is a reimbursement grant. I spoke to the executive director of Mass Trails who said that we can bill once a month and they pay within 30 days. So we should not be out a big chunk of change, you know, when the fiscal year
rolls around. So Mike, I don't know if that's enough. >> And who who would be doing the work? pardon me. >> Who would be doing the work? >> Um, we have, Mr. McCcony and I have not worked that out yet. In fact, we're meeting on Friday to go through the actual application, the budget, etc. Um,
so it would be up to him to decide whether DPW does it or a contractor. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I guess along those lines, um, uh, I what how realistic is that offseason timeline and doing it all in one season?
Um, if we've got weather impacts, frozen ground, uh, I believe Mr. McCanny, you're the one who I've been in a conversation with in the past few days who noted that the the pavement uh, companies shut down uh, for the winter. So, paving's not repaving is not
going to happen till what, April. Um, for that that may reopen, >> right? Um, we do have the option of doing it over two years, but Mr. McConny and I just haven't had a chance to discuss it. um to speak to your comment about the weather. Uh I was unable to get good
photographs because we also have frost heaves this year. Um because it's been so cold and obviously those will subside. Um so at any rate u we'd want to get it done as quickly as possible given the cost of materials which keep escalating year after year but it could
be done over two years. >> Okay. I have a uh some experience um position I had years ago in the Outer Banks where we had a similar trail. And Peter, you may know this technique. It's a it's a piece of equipment that literally um liquefies the as after you
take care of the cause of the of the of the bump. It liquefies the asphalt and and it just settles again. Are you familiar with the technique? I watched it being done. So, you're not actually relying on asphalt plants to be up and operational. This would literally be and there's probably some time of year restrictions, but it's a it's a
technique that's probably 15 at least 15 years old now, but it was innovative back then when I was watching it being done, but that may be an option as well. It would speed the process up. I think it was much quicker than having to pull up the asphalt and replace it. Um, but anyway, that's something we could take a look at. >> Okay, great.
>> Um, I would I would note that DPW has been very creative in trying to figure out how to do this. So, um, you know, Jim Grady, uh, the excuse me, Mr. Jim Grady, the head of the highway department, has a giant uh route in his office for where they pulled one out.
Um, he's tried grinding down the bumps in certain spots. Unfortunately, over time they start opening up again. He's tried cutting out just a section and then repave just that little section. You then get the problem over time where you've got all seams, you know, u
surface seams through the bike way. Uh we actually held a um conference session at Mass Trails Conference in 2022 where we group sourced uh crowdsourced root bumps for others in the Commonwealth. And basically many people
have the exact same problem. Cape Cod Rail Trail has the same problem. And there is no solution except remove that tree by the root ball and plant the native. Well, I would uh say I love the combination of improving the bike path
and addressing invasive species. It's a complicated project. Um but I also commend you on finding uh non-town budget money to to try to tackle this. So, if there's not further, I would uh make a motion to approve the submission of a mass trails grant in the amount of
$400,000 for the purpose of repairing and restoring sections of the Shining Sea Bikeway as presented. >> Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second further discussion. Mr. Brown, you >> say it's super dangerous for rollerbladers. People see these clips online and think, "Oh, it's going to be
great. I'm going to go rollerblading." And they get out there and they, you know, you really can't do it. >> You can't. It's true. >> Okay. >> We're comfortable with the inind contribution from DPW. >> I just comment on that. So um
hi to >> so uh annually we get our um um uh funding through uh uh um operations. So we have uh funding for the roadways and then we get a 100,000 for the um >> for the bike for the bike path. So the
the the match would come from that 100,000 and then you get the 400,000 on top of it. So you'd be able to to do all that work. It's the we've been doing this section by section for every year. The bike path will be closed down when we do the work. So, it's as we do those
sections, it's just very difficult for the asphalt company because it's not a roadway. It's a 10- foot wide asphalt strip. So, and there's not a lot of access points along the bike path. So, our contractor, it's typically lynched. They're our county bid. they have to
access a point a half mile away, threequarters of a mile away and back down and then move and another truck comes in. So, it's a it's a laborious um project and but it it's it can be done. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> One last question.
>> Sure. little bit unrelated, but it is uh years ago uh maybe 15 years ago, we I thought we got approved for a uh grant funding to widen the uh bike path from 10 to 12 ft. So, in in 2017 under the
environmental bond bill, we were going to look we went for a million dollars or I think it was $1.5 million to uh repay from the steamship up to uh at the end of our property which is behind Wood Lumber and um we had all the plans done
and it was the same technique. It was the same about removing the trees. It just we did not get the bond bill on it. So, those plans they were done by Stantech. those plans are still available and 2017. So, we could we have a base we could go through those and
>> there's going to be another environmental bond bill this year. >> So, we can we can submit we can revise them and submit them back in. >> Might as well try, right? >> Yeah. >> If you have time. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, we do have a motion and a second on the floor. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor?
I. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Okay. Okay, we are going to uh move to the first review of proposed articles for the April 2026 town meeting. Mr. Renaw. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, this is the uh first look, first review um first
discussion >> of uh what you see before you 35 proposed town meeting articles uh for the uh April town meeting. Um as you all probably know, uh the warrant closed on January 9th. Um that was for petition articles specifically. Friday, January
9th, it closed. Um, select board is scheduled to vote the articles and execute the warrant on February 9th. So, our next meeting after this, we'll ask for a vote of these articles and execution of the warrant. And the articles are then published in the uh on on February 13th. Um, we're going to
come back on uh February 23rd, the last meeting in February, and request that the board uh consider a vote uh to vote the articles article recommendations. and uh the uh and the warrant with recommendations will then be sent to the printer newspaper on March 2nd. Um we
published this uh uh town meeting calendar schedule. We have it up on the website as well. Um as I said, there's 35 articles. The first um 14 are um kind of the standard uh financial uh uh articles. I'm not going to uh go through those. The finance committee is
responsible for those um unless there's any specific questions. Um I did want to mention u within those first 14 uh financial articles um article as it's written right now article 4 amendments of the position classification plan I was speaking with the assistant town
manager and the HR director we will be adding um the uh town clerk position as you know that was um now going to be an appointed position so we'll need to add that to the uh pay classification so that will be included um so um with that I'm going to go through again there's 35
articles there's a summary and the agenda report. But what I'd like to do is go through each of these and uh and pause after each and if there's any questions discussion that would the board would like to have. I think that's how we've done this in the past and I think it's probably the most effective way to do it. Um I don't want to breeze through these but I'll try to try to go
to crisp pace. So beginning with uh article 15 and all of this information again is in your packet. Um this uh uh is uh to to see whether the town meet town will vote to accept the provisions of section 50
of chapter 59 of uh Mass General law known as affordable housing property tax exemption. Um acceptance of this local option stat statute would authorize the select board to establish the parameters of the affordable housing property tax exemption which would be consistent with
the statute. Applicants for an exemption must be uh the assessed owner of the property. Um this would be effective uh for fiscal year 27. So it' be effective July 1st of 2026. Um the occupants um and this is all included in the draft
explanation. OCU occupants must uh have an annual household income that does not exceed the amount set by the town and again that's within to be established within those parameters. There any questions on that particular article? Article 15. >> Okay, moving on to article 16. Um, as we
discussed at our last uh, meeting, I believe we talked about um, seasonal community designation and the acceptance of that designation. This would be to see if the town would vote to accept on behalf of the town of Felmouth the seasonal community designation provided in Mass General Law Chapter 23B.
Um, and again, we had a pretty lengthy discussion about the benefits of that seasonal community designation. Um, any questions on that? >> I just want to make a quick plug on that. uh February uh uh Monday, February 2nd, 3 to 4 on Zoom. Uh EOHLC and the
Cape Cod Commission are having a an info session. Uh if anyone has any questions on how the seasonal communities designation works and operates. So there'll be uh municipal leaders as well as state and federal people on there so people can ask questions. >> Thank you for that. I a reminder I think I sent out the link to everyone. I think
we have to register. >> You do have to register to attend. >> But I would I would recommend anybody that can attend to attend that. I'm registered already. >> Yeah, I have two. >> Any other state questions, discussions about article 16? Okay, moving on to 17. Um, this article, uh, short-term rental
article, you have, uh, again, the copy of the text in front of you, um, incorporated within article 17, um, would, uh, would establish a, uh, a very uniform method of regulating short-term rentals here in Felmouth. Um, it would establish a requirement for a license with a term
of two years in an application process that would be designed to help the town to obtain critical information from property owners, create certain prohibitions on noise and nuisance, limitations on total short-term rental occupancy, and certain restrictions on types of commercial activity, all to
protect the quality of life of neighborhoods. It provides additional tools for town staff to enforce restrictions. And importantly, uh, the bylaw attempts to deter large corporations from dominating the Felmouth rental market. Any questions or discussion on article, uh, 17?
>> U, I do. Uh, and thank you. Um, over the weekend, I I sent some some comments to Mr. Brown and and first let me commend the u the committee for their hard work and council's office uh, in in their hard work in in putting this together.
Uh but I did list a number of of concerns and questions. I'm not going to reiterate um you know some of them which are just kind of wording and and and maybe some things that hadn't been uh hadn't really been considered. But I will mention two of the items that
continue to bother me. And one is uh your and it actually relates partly to your comment that it seeks to um to prevent large corporations and yet we continue to prevent under the short-term rental uh the opportunity for a
subchapter S corporation which is a limited small corporation uh from ownership. Uh we allow limited liability companies. I know there has been discussion that you know well so just form a limited liability company and don't worry about a subchapter S
corporation but there are uh very important reasons why someone might want to choose the subchapter S corporate structure as opposed to limited liability uh company. So I continue to have that. I did submit those copies at
Mr. Brown's suggestion to Miss O'keefee and uh and and Eric. Uh I haven't heard back from them, but I'm sure I will. And and the other and more uh important concern I have with this short-term rental which I've expressed before is
that I think it does give and seed too much authority to the board of health uh with respect to regulations with respect to amendments uh and and I think that any amendments regulations going forward that the board of health might recommend
should only be enacted with the approval of the select board. Uh so those are the two main concerns uh that I have with the current draft. >> If I could, Mr. Chair, I'd just like to say I mean we really did solicit your input, you know, prior to our previous
meeting. We did have written comments from Miss Goldstone, which we did address item by item. Uh it was difficult to address your concerns directly because I wasn't exactly sure of what the the questions were. you know, I thought we addressed them in our
we revised our um findings to give a better explanation of it and maybe >> well as I said to you there was a little confusion as to exactly which draft we were were working off of and that was part of the reason but again I'm the the
points I have with respect to some of the provisions uh you know are somewhat word smithing and and well you know for instance uh you know just you know you want to have someone uh on staff to respond immediately to emergencies and
complaints, right? So, you know, I think emergencies is one thing. A complaint may not be able to be answered immediately to be honest. So, it's things like that uh and the term using the term indirectly. Uh but but but my real main concern are the two that I
listed which is the prohibition of subchapter S corporations which I really don't see uh the difference and you know and I never will to be quite honest with you. But more importantly for this board, I think the uh that it needs to
consider retaining some uh approval and uh and and oversight of the board of health as it might go forward uh in the future. So, thank you. >> We're just trying to comply with state law. Nantucket's short-term rental uh law
does provide that uh that its select board will approve any regulation changes by the board of health. >> Thank you. >> If you if you watch our last meeting, you you know it's it's on FCTV on demand. You can see our comments there.
Believe that might explain our position. Miss Goldstone, >> I guess my uh my question and and concern is a process one that the only opportunity that this board has had to actually discuss the content of this
bylaw. Um at that meeting we had uh a draft that was in our packet, a redlinined draft. Um we didn't have much discussion because we were also told that there were going to be f further revisions at the next meeting. Um, and so this this is our first and and I
don't know presumably only opportunity I will there be another dis I would assume not another discussion of this this bylaw specifically this is >> February 9th February 9th yeah and you know and I certainly want to thank you know Mr. Reno for fulfilling his
commitment the last uh uh you know the last town meeting to get us these so that we had an actual first review of them uh and we appreciate it >> that's on the assistant town manager the schedule together >> and we'll have a second uh and we'll have a second as well >> well I'd like to say you know we gave
you a previous draft over a year ago >> we were almost ready to go to town meeting then committee completed its work in October with a draft that was very similar similar to what we have here. Now, I agree that there was an interim draft which was a bit of a
erroneous submission and it's unfortunate that that was adding confusion, but our committee did do its work and uh >> and I just want to quote what Doug said last meeting. Nucket chose to do nothing for a while and look what it's done to their rental market. And I think that
while our board hasn't seen it enough, I think that one thing that Felmouth has compared to other communities is how engaged our committee committees are and Doug sits on this committee, I'm in favor of it. Um, and and I'm and I and I do think that leaning on doing nothing again would would be uh stopping good
progress. >> So, I'm certainly not suggesting we do nothing, Mr. Richardson. >> Yeah. >> I'm just suggesting we do it right. >> Yeah. Well, that's my opinion. >> That's fair, but um >> Thank you. >> Yeah, that's fair. But I mean, I don't want to delay this another 6 months. >> It's not going to be delayed.
>> My understanding of this bylaw is that it would >> not limit the number of short-term rentals, right? That >> not overall, >> right? That there that there isn't going to be an impact on our rental market as a result of this short-term rental
bylaw. This is about registration, inspection, >> regulation, >> regulation, >> safety and >> management is the primary objective in this. >> All of which are wonderful, commendable uh goals and I think we all agree that's
what we wanted to see as opposed to a different type of bylaw that was restrictive, if you will, from a zoning perspective. Mr. Richard, >> the only one going off of your concerns as well that I do share the select and I believe we answered this in our last meeting, but the select board would still I know the board of health would
have the perview, but we would still set the the limits and the parameters. Isn't that still correct? >> I believe so. Yeah, >> that was just my only >> what limits and those I mean we could we could adjust this. We could have comments that impact the the language of
this bylaw. You have the right to to comment. >> Well, that's those are my comments. >> Yeah. Okay. That's That's all. I mean, I don't know if we're going to take comment. Uh it seems Mr. Crane would like to uh to say something. Uh we can give him two minutes. >> Oh, definitely.
>> Yeah. Mr. Crane, if you have something to say. >> Thanks so much. Tom Crane, Juniper Point Road, uh town meeting, member of uh Precinct One. Um, as to the chairman's concern, um, I would just like to say the committee has
worked, you know, very hard on this. I don't think there's a single provision that everyone loved. And just for example, I was originally opposed to the restrictions on corporations. The rest of the committee was fully on
board with that restriction. And so I'm voting, you know, for the full pro product even though there are things everyone has something in here they don't like. It isn't perfect. Just for example, you raised the question on um
the uh 24-hour um um access person uh to respond immediately to complaints. We looked at that language specifically and we specifically insisted that it be there to focus that these short-term
rentals, you are not huge party places, but complaints will be responded to immediately by this person or that then they'll have to find someone else if that person isn't responding. >> Just a few comments. >> As an attorney, Mr.
You know, every complaint has two sides and it may be difficult for anyone to be able to respond to a complaint uh immediately without knowing the circumstance emergencies. No question about it. But in any event that you know,
>> right? So if you I'm just inviting the select board to look at the full package and there'll be things uh certain things everyone won't be happy with, but I really think this is an excellent package. No, you've done a great job and as I said, thank you. Yes. >> Can I ask one question on a a specific
provision um within the bylaw that um I I did make a comment about before um and the the occupancy limit uh remains in place. So, I'm I'm curious about the um thought behind the occupancy limit of two times um the number of bedrooms and
maintaining that because I would say from an impact on our community standpoint um and I'll share my personal uh experience and use of short-term rentals. We're often going with two, three
families and we're looking to be able to put everybody into one house for a weekend or a week. And if that means CS and sofas and camp pads, that's awesome. And that's one house for three families for that vacation, not three,
>> right? And so that occupancy limit concerns me that that we could see increased demand and in response to that, an increased number of short-term rentals if we're really limiting the density that of people that's allowed within them. >> Well, we talked about that. We went through your notes. We had your written
comments and we itemized, you know, went through them one at a time. That was one where we were considering adjusting the parameters, but the uh health agent was in attendance and he reminded us of couple of specific examples of why we
were working on this bylaw. There's a particular property which had when we you mentioned in your email bunk beds for kids. We had a place that had a giant room with tons of bunk beds, but it wasn't for kids. >> It was a big communal party and it was
it was problematic in that way. The health agent said that if a particular property owner wants to come in and ask for variance to any of these rules and show cause, what type of rental he has, and if it's in a reasonable accommodation, he can sign off on it.
It's just that as a rule, we got to have some guidelines in order to maintain uh you know manageability or else it could be a free-for-all. >> So are you are you suggesting that there are provisions in here which would allow the health agent to increase the
permitted occupancy of >> I think he can make exceptions under his I think the language is in there. Am I right about that? >> I haven't. Council O'Keefe, >> I don't recall there being a variance provision in the bylaw. >> Okay.
>> But maybe I'm misunderstanding what he said. There was uh I thought he said that people could come in and show the the floor plan and give consideration to another aspect of the >> So under section 13, it does allow the board of health to promog promulgate
rules and regulations. And if they did, if they took advantage of that, um, a lot of these, uh, they could create a variance, um, procedure to to address that. And also some of the other
comments, some of the um less substantial or impactful but yet still important additions here could always be addressed during um through rules and and regulations. That was part of the discussion that we had. Especially when
you take a look at the section about um minimum license application requirements. I really did press the um advisory committee to um stop adding things because things could always be added later um as
necessary. So um now's an opportunity to add when absolutely required, but there's also a chance to um incorporate additional things through the rules and and regulations. And that does remind me I was surprised not to see a provision with respect to
the requirement to have insurance, >> right? >> A certificate of insurance by the >> that was never that was not um brought up during the discussions. It's certainly something that that can be done. Um >> I guess it was a a false assumption on
our part that a property owner would have insurance, but I guess it's a good good thing we could add. >> Proof of insurance. Sure. >> Yeah. And again, you know, we could part of the issue here is we can keep going and keep adding and adding and adding and adding, but I think what um what Mr.
Brown is getting at also is that this is this is a really good representation of the work that the group put in and we could keep amending it and keep fixing it and keep tinkering with it, but we
need to put something in place. And with this bylaw in place, it may not be perfect. It may not accomplish what what the committee wanted it to do with trying to limit um the corporate infiltration of the Falmouth rental
market, but um I I recommend putting this to town meeting and trying to do something now. It can always be amended and there's always an opportunity to promulgate regulations. When does the warrant go to the printer?
>> March 206. >> And we are tentatively planning to regroup and have another meeting. I think February 25th I think we chose. >> If we came up with a couple of additions to address any last concerns on that
meeting, would that be timely enough to submit? So we it would require a uh a called meeting perhaps after that subsequent to that advisory committee. We're next scheduled to meet well the February 23rd the last meeting in February is the date where the board's to be scheduled to be asked to vote the
recommendations. >> So we might need to adjust our date if we want to be ahead of that. >> Okay. >> Right. So I think if you obviously we you know we always strive to have the article in the warrant be the article that we vote on. Right. So that whatever the language is that's
going to be printed in the warrant will be voted at the next select board meeting. >> So if we wanted to add for instance a variance provision uh under the guise permit you know permission of the health agent or however we want to word it and
maybe take one more look at the corporate provision that Mr. Mskelli is requesting. >> So >> that's why we're here. This is this is why we're doing this review now to to tidy up some I really don't want to, you know, keep hopping on this, but I really
do think this board needs to seriously consider uh giving this uh sole authority with respect to regulations and amendments and so forth to the board of health. Um you know, regulatory agents, regulatory bodies in in in the town, uh you know, they're do what
they're supposed to do, but I think for the most part, people look to us to uh to try and set certain standards and certain requirements. uh and I think we really need to seriously think uh on the issue of at least providing that you know regulation changes amendments and
so forth be done only with the approval of the select board. So >> attorney ke is that something that we can do or are we bound to use the the language because I thought the state law required that it's the board of health has purview over rentals. So, the
sanitary code and the housing code are all within the per purview of the board of health, which is why the decision was made to have this bylaw live within the regulation of the board of health. Um, it it's a choice. I do
not recommend splitting the authority between two regulatory boards because then you're creating um duplicative administrative work for those two departments. It's not just about the regulatory work, but now
you're you're asking for the approval process and the application review to go through two different offices in town hall. And that's that's a lot. this this bylaw alone just as it is for one department is going to be a a big
administrative task and to have it go through two different departments is >> I'm not suggesting that anything administratively has to be go through all I'm suggesting is that regulations that might be adopted by the and and again you know I'm not familiar with what what the sanitary code or or if
there is in fact a prohibition but all I'm suggesting is that the select board retains some authority to uh to to review and approve uh changes to what you know town meeting basically uh
approves if if it goes forward with respect to you know approving the the article. That's my concern. >> It's unusual. I don't I can't think of another example where one regulatory board approves the regulations of another regulatory board. I I can't think of any any other time when that
happens. Would it be legal for the select board to take entire purview of the the >> of the regulations? >> Yeah, >> you could do that. >> Okay. Well, I mean, that was what we originally wanted to do, but I thought we were pushed into using the the state
regulation on the housing with the board of health. >> So, you can do it. The the reason why it's it's designated for the board of health is because that's that's what they do. They do this for housing. This is this is their wheelhouse. Mhm.
>> So, they're used to calling um calling for disciplinary hearings on these very issues. This is within their jurisdiction. So, it would be a whole new um ballgame for the select board to take
it on. Um I don't I can't think of any anything that prohibits it. >> It just doesn't make sense legally. >> And Mr. in addition to be a whole new ball game. Um because the health department currently serves in that role um it would in my opinion result in
having to create a whole other department or division of inspectors. Would it not? I mean >> it's problematic from an administrative point of view. Yes. >> I honestly fail to see that that requirement. But enough said for for tonight as far as I'm concerned.
>> Well, you have an opportunity to have input on it now. Well, I I think I've made my position pretty clear. I I don't think it it it ends up any administrative requirement. All I'm saying is if the board of health wants to amend this this bylaw or if the board
of health wants to adopt regulations that are over and above what's in this bylaw that the select board should have the opportunity to review it and approve it. That's all. >> Well, they don't seem to really want to be involved in it too much. It's been the health agent who's been helping us.
>> Well, I I know and and you know, I've had the same discussion with respect to the licensing commission. I've said that as as well. Uh you know, I I think you know, I think the select board has the responsibility. This is what people expect. The um you know, the regulatory
boards are not elected. We're elected. All right? We have the power of appointment and that's about all. And sometimes people have issues with respect to regulatory uh bodies in town. Uh and but they expect us to uh you know
to have certain uh oversight which I'm I'm saying I would like to see uh that that we would have going forward on this on this issue. >> But okay. How do you want to proceed then?
another last minute fracture. >> Now, listen, it's, you know, it's only one position. I'm not hearing anybody else necessarily be being supportive of me. I just, you know, we do have another opportunity to discuss it on February 9th and and we will want to, you know, beat a dead horse here.
>> Shall I move on then? >> Please. Article 18 is associated with article 17, the short-term rental. Um it uh if proposed amendments to this bylaw are made, it recognizes short-term rentals
would be governed by a unique set of requirements. Um basically um let me see if I get this right. Mora, can you help me out with this? It basically amends the chapter 172 by striking out and removing certain provisions and adding certain text. Um,
>> and very specifically, um, just to add on to that, um, what's added is just to recognize that short-term rentals would not be subject to chapter 172. It would be subject to its own chapter 173. And then the deletion recognize some
significant changes in the law since this chapter 172 was enacted um, under the Fair Housing Act uh, related to occupancy and how it's defined. Any questions? Article 19, housekeeping article. Um, it
uh in essence uh seeks to clarify that fire rescue department may assess penalties for certain false alarms. Right now, the uh the uh language states it is a fee. This would state it as a penalty. >> I didn't see that one in the packet. Did
I miss it? >> It's section 75-12 false alarms. HG16 in the packet. >> Thank you. >> Any questions on article 19 as as drafted? >> Article 20 um seeks uh to prevent problematic or
elicit water discharges into public ways. The first part of the article um generally prohibits those discharges which are safety hazards or nuisances. It has no effect on typical non-nuisance discharges and there's some examples sprinkler overspray or car washing. The second part or section of the article
specifically prohibits discharges for a certain period of time the winter time October 15th through April 15th. What we see unfortunately with a lot of these discharges in the roadways during the winter months as you can imagine a lot of freezing and icy conditions creating a hazard. So this would seek to uh define those that parameter October 15th
through April 15th uh to avoid icing on sidewalks and streets. And the third and final section prohibits people from installing new systems or landscaping uh which will steer liquids off their property and onto public ways. The waiver provision allows for certain temporary approved discharges under very
limited circumstances. Any questions on article 20 article 21 um pedalling and soliciting. Um, the article uh seeks to amend the town's pedaling and solicitation bylaw to basically allow the police department to establish a list of residents who
don't want to be uh the subject of solicitation um and to opt out of receiving inerson commercial solicitations at their homes. The no solicitation list of addresses would be provided to anyone conducting door-to-door business sales within the town and failure to adhere to the no
solicitation uh listing may result in a fine or suspension or revocation of the Hawker peddler license. Uh the amendments are uh also reset the term of the license that all licenses would expire at the end of the calendar year unless renewed and removes the reference to a fee again so that there is no
conflict with the select board fee schedule. Do do we actually have a lot of that going on in town? These doortodoor sales? I mean, I've never I've never been addressed by one >> enough so that the police department requested that this be this be enacted. >> Okay.
>> I have a question. This I this has no impact on political canvasing doortodoor. >> No. >> Okay. Thank you. >> It's commercial. >> Thank you. >> Been a lot of uh I've seen a lot of comments about solar companies going door to door for for instance. Every
time I've run into one, they've always been from Utah. Apparently, they hire a bunch of people to come in from Utah to do Plymouth Falmouth sandwich. Every single time it's been, "Oh, I'm here for two weeks from Utah." >> Don't know why. >> Interesting. >> Yeah, >> they do that. >> There's a few. >> And they do the Latter Day Saints at the
same time. >> Any other questions on 21? >> No. >> Article 22 uh seeks to amend the table in the code of chapter 1 general provisions. uh basically amends chapter one uh by setting forth new fines for false alarms to the fire rescue department, increasing the existing uh
fine for violations of the hawker peddler and solicitation by solicitor bylaws and sets new fines for the proposed discharge of water bylaw and a new set and a new fine for the proposed short-term rental bylaw. And those suggested fine amounts are listed uh in
the uh in the draft article. Any questions on article 22? Article 23 um seeks to transfer the care, custody, management, control, and jurisdiction of the land um located at
uh zero Brick Kill Road, currently known as 484 Brick Kill Road, to the Conservation Commission under the commission statutory authority granted pursuant to section 8C of chapter 40 of the general laws. Once the land is transferred to the commission, it would be afforded all protections available uh
to it by article 97 of the amendments of to the Massachusetts constitution may not be used or developed uh for any purposes without approval of twothirds of both houses of the state legislature. Um and importantly, there's a note that a review of the protected status of all parcels surrounding Long Pond is
currently underway by town council's office. It's intended that any parcel surrounding Long Pond that is not currently protected will be transferred to the conservation commission at a town meeting in the future uh to ensure that land neighboring the town's water supply would be safeguarded in per perpetuity.
There's a lot of research deed research. Um it's an extensive process. The town council is currently engaged in any questions on article 23. >> I have a question. Oh, you want ahead? >> Ladies first. Um, my question is that when we originally talked about this article and
I I believe even a previous draft that we saw included the two parcels that cover the entire top of Long Pond, this is only one. Um, so it would be great to um know why we're we're down to to just the one. >> I'm going to ask town council to explain that based upon some of the research
that she did. She located I think a portion of that parcel. >> Yes. >> Is currently >> um >> as a restriction, >> right? So the it some of the deeds around that um around Long Pond are hard to find and it's very timeconuming. Um I wasn't able to locate the deeds for the
entirety of that larger parcel on the northwest corner of Long Pond. Um only the top half of it and uh the deeds to the top half of that parcel contain um in the language of the recitation a
dedication for water protection purposes. So they're already protected. If we wanted to transfer that parcel to the conservation commission, it would trigger the process that you have to go through through article 97. We'd
actually have to petition the state legislature to get permission to transfer it from the select board to the conservation commission for no purpose because it's already protected. >> Okay. Second question um given that is with
regard to the way that um this article goes about protecting the other parcel um given that it obviously abotss our water supply um we do have trails um access to the water's
edge is necessary for >> water protection purposes ensuring that the water supply is you know is any of that an issue when it's under the care and custody of the conservation commission. >> So, if there's a desire to um
delineate additional protections like for open space or for passive recreation, if you want to if you want more specificity as to what kinds of article 97 protection are available for that particular parcel,
now's the time to have this discussion. you can put that in the deed very specifically um and it doesn't um there's no impact negative or positive um related to the transfer to the conservation commission. The conservation commission can hold all
of those kinds of restrictions. I guess what I'm asking is with the article as currently worded and just with none of that stipulated, >> does that mean by default that that all of those are allowed or does that mean that none of those are allowed by default?
>> Uh I would say that all of them are allowed. So the way that it's written when so the the legal buzzwords in the article are um a a an acknowledgement of chapter 40 section 8C. That is the
section of the statutes that allows the any conservation commission in the Commonwealth to hold property as restricted under article 97. And the other part >> is um
it doesn't say it in here. It doesn't matter for for conservation and water protection purposes. But just the recitation of 8C of chapter 40, it um it conotes every single protection under article 97. So then what I was saying
before is that's a broad implication. You can be as specific as you want in the deed and we can add language into the into the language of the article if you want. If you if this board wants to add for passive recreation or for open
space, then we can do that. I mean, I guess my my uh motivation in asking the question is not that I want it uh not that I want to be more restrictive with this. I just want to make sure that there doesn't end
up being a conflict with the current and necessary uses of access for water protection and passive recreation. So, as long as that's all permitted under this, then then I'm great. I don't need to be restrictive. Just the fact that we're having this conversation will in
goes to ensure that that will happen because when you're talking about um analyzing the status of any particular property, you have to look at everything related to how the dedication of the property came into existence. So the
minutes of this meeting, if at some point we're trying to figure out how the property is protected, we'll analyze this conversation that we're having. And there it's already seen that there's a desire to have it conserved the way that it is and including tail uh trails and
open space. >> Anyone else? >> Yes. I got a question came in at the last minute. Todd Duffany called me just before the meeting to ask, does the uh putting this property into conservation offer us any opportunity to swap out
some other land that may be already in article 97 protection that we might want to have another use for like say the T ticket administration building. We found that we couldn't probably not use the other property around it. Future use may be housing or who knows what, but right
now there's limitations. Do we have an opportunity to combine the conservation of this land with maybe freeing up some other land that might have opportunities for other use? >> So, if you want to do that, then you should take this off the warrant because it's a timeconuming process and we'd
have to go through the state to get them to approve it. It absolutely can be done and it's something that should be considered, but if this if if the board wants to conserve this property now, then you can do it. But once it's conserved, then in order to do the swap,
we'd have to go through the process and get the approval of the of the state. >> I thought it was an interesting question and maybe worth considering. I don't think it's urgent that we do this. I know it's a great idea, but maybe that we can get some value out of it, too. >> So, my intention while I'm going along
reviewing all the other deeds around Long Pond is to isolate properties for that purpose to sort of put them aside. So now you're in a a space in time where um this property 484 Brick Hill Road has
been at the forefront of the conversation and you can conserve it now. You can put it aside for a later date so that we can try to figure out how it works in the matrix that you're talking about. We don't actually have any other projects I don't think in the
pipeline at this moment. So you'd sort of be putting this aside for some later date. that we don't know about yet. >> Well, that's true, but we could get busy and figure out Ticket Admin is a good example, and I'm sure there's others that could come to mind. You know, we're
trying to maximize our effectiveness. I think that might help us. >> Y >> So, I've had multiple discussions throughout the community regarding this, and I'm I side with you on this one. I think it has to be a decision by this board to determine if we want to go that
route or whether we want to honor the spirit of um article 97 which is putting aside new lands I think is the intent um for any flip-flop. For me, I agree that land banking, for lack of better term,
to do this is one that would be smart for us because we only have so much land available in Falmouth. Um, but there is a um I'm just presenting both sides of the situation that I've talked to here in town, which is um there are folks in
in favor of land banking for article 97 transference and those that don't think that that honors the 97 um restrictions and that's something that this uh body may want to um take a stance on or not.
I think the next article also has um implications on that as well and we'll be hearing from them. >> The petitioners article >> petitional article. >> Y uh yes sir you had a comment just two minutes >> please. >> Just one second. >> Sure. >> I don't know whether I'm Dan Walsh.
>> Dan Walsh. Okay. >> If I as I read the petition and I had nothing to do with writing the petition. I just read it. It it literally looks like it's just written incorrectly. So, somebody really wants to look at the language because if you look at it, it's isn't describing the property in words. It's describing something else.
>> It's got east and west backwards. >> That's the next. >> That's the next article. >> Yep. >> Okay. Dr. Goldstone, >> I uh I would strongly oppose waiting to conserve this property and using it as
an article 97 swap. um what we are doing by protecting this land is essentially correcting a past oversight. the assumption of our town has been um for a very long time that this land was already protected and I think it's
important that we formalize that um as we are going through the other 19 parcels if we if there are specific things we want to think about in in those cases in terms of article 97 swap
I would be open to that conversation but I really want to see at the very least I was hoping it would be both so that that whole top of Long Pond um was conserved but at the very least this one go forward as is. >> If we go forward as is what are we swapping? >> No, not swapping.
>> She doesn't want any >> not swapping. >> Oh, just forget about getting any other land back >> just for that, >> you know, during our >> for this parcel. Once once you do it for this >> once you do it with this one, it's it's done. You're not going to have that opportunity. but just for this parcel,
you know, 19 others. >> And we need to be strategic with the land that we have, but one of our goals is also to increase the amount of land in our town that's under conservation and make sure that we protect um green space and open space. And I think it's important that we move this forward in that spirit.
>> So, we have 19 other parcels where we could do the land swap. Is that what I'm hearing? >> It's possible. From the research that I've done so far, um, all of the parcels are already protected. It was just 484 that didn't have complete protection.
>> So, I I'm having a hard time finding all the deeds. I um was very happy to see that the 300 committee is going to help me find the deeds. Thank you. because it is incredibly time consuming and it's a some rabbit holes that are fascinating,
you know, that doing the historical research, but um but it just takes a lot of time and um when going through those when I find one that doesn't have anything in the deed or anything in a town meeting vote that talks about
conservation or water protection, I'll put that one aside and for consideration about conserving it or land swapping it. >> Right. So that's just a that's a hypothetical. >> It is >> this is an actual >> tool that we might use to free up some other land,
>> right? And without trying to weigh in because this is, you know, exactly your alley and not mine. Um, just to be really clear that it seems from the limited information we have so far, it seems like most of those 19 other parcels around Long Pond are probably
already protected. So they will not be swap opportunities, >> right? >> Okay. Would it behoove us to go to the next article that's the petitioners article that's directly related to this has other 19 articles or >> you want to just continue? >> So well so the next two articles 24 and
25 are petitioner articles and Mr. Chair and select board articles 26 through 35 are CPC articles and and those are reviews. >> So you're done with your review. So >> I would be done if you want to move on to uh >> so we'll move on to petition or article 24. >> So we'll take no action on
>> Oh >> yeah. What are we going to come back to? >> Are you going to give us your direction on 23 before tonight? >> Um I don't know if we have consensus on what >> I'd like to wait and think about it a little bit.
>> You know, I I at this point I I tend to agree with you. I think um you know, >> we need it for next meeting. >> I think I tend to agree with you, but >> let's hear Wait, can you guys speak to the timelines of this? We'll need So Peter was just indicating that we'll
we'll need we'll need a a decision a vote uh next meeting February 9th. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> I think >> to the extent that we can get any any issue any remaining issues resolved tonight that'll give us kind of clear direction on on 23
>> I think it would behoove us to hear 24. >> No, which we will. >> Those are going to go on anyway, >> which we're going to hear from them pretty soon. >> Say how they interact. >> They interact. >> Well, they don't. their separate articles. That's petitioner's article that's going to go forward either way. They're going to tell us they're going
to explain their article. This is this one's separate. >> Okay. I was thinking that >> No, no, you're you're absolutely right. Mr. Duffany, did >> he defer to Vicki first? >> Do you want to speak now or do you want to speak on article 24? >> I thought you were I thought you were
calling for >> No, that's what I'm saying. So, I'll let Mr. Duffany speak and then >> we're still on 23. >> We'll hear about 24. I have some opinion on your discussion. >> Okay. >> Why aren't I surprised by that? >> The swamp.
>> Uh, Mr. Chairman, Michael Duffany. Um, >> in in the in the process of of presenting to you the site that we felt was the p the primary site for the police station. Okay. What I want to I want to offer is that we have not had in 50 years a more important public
facility sighting requirement in the town of Felmouth that we've had in 50 years. The last one that I remember was Felmouth High School that was cited out north of Burkillan Road. So fast forward, this site continued to come back to the committee time and time again as to why are you not looking at
me? It was the flat site. It had everything going for it. My point I want to make is that that we didn't get out of out of square one. Okay. So to protect this property to me is shortsighted because I don't know I don't have a crystal ball and know
what's going what holds for the future of Felma. Some of this land's been in in protection now for 100 years. Um and so to to put it in permanent protection not knowing when we are going to go to desalinization because we're going to destroy our water table. I mean, we have
to keep our eyes open here, folks, that we are challenging our water table all the time, okay? We have a summer like we had this past summer. We have increased activity. You heard the 14 beds in a bedroom, you know, so that ignores the two the 200 10 gallon or 120 gallon a
day requirement from the board of health. My point is is that this land is protected and so are all the other pieces around that pond. As far as I'm concerned, I lived it. We we brought the best piece for public service that the DP supported. Okay. After a personal commentation was taken off of their
letterhead, they supported this because it was well within the science of the protection of Long Pond. I want to protect land as much as anyone in the town of Felmouth. I I do so on a on a regular basis, okay? But I also want to be smart about what land we're going to
look at and what land we're going to utilize, what land we're going to enjoy, and so forth. And I just think that to think that we have that crystal ball that says we are absolutely never going to need this piece of property, nor will this piece of property ever be more conducive than it is today when when the
protection of Long Pond becomes a different requirement, something to protect, you know, wildlife and so forth. I just think it's shortsighted and I just think to be straight up about it, it played out and it should stay the way it is. It it played out. What more do you need to do to this is becomes to
me there was and it is an emotional issue. This is not a science-based issue. And so I just would suggest that you kick this one down the road and kick the next ones down the road as well because the point of and and Todd brought this to my attention that this
could be a bargaining chip for the town down the road for something that we don't know. We ran into it at when we wanted to go to the you know to the administration building. We can't. Okay. Well, why not? Why couldn't we take the piece just north of Goodwill Park, the old site of the firing range? Why couldn't we take and do a carbon a
carbon sequestration project there and build a police station there? Well, we couldn't because it's protected. Okay? And so, I'm going to just stop at that. I don't have a crystal ball and I would just let you think about what you're going to do here because it's played out and it's not going to happen.
>> Okay. >> Mrs. L, would you like to comment on this and then go right to the article? presentation. Thank you. >> We'll go back to 23 after. >> Um, well, I mean, I don't know. I don't think we have consensus on where we're
going with 23 at this point. >> You want to just hold it till next? >> We'll just hold it until next meeting. >> Uh, Vicky Lel, Victoria Lel, uh, town meeting. Madame, precinct one. Um, and I'm the first name on the petitioned article, but I'd also just like to
comment, um, the town goal is still, uh, in our official plan is for 30% open space. So, I think uh, there are going to be sighting issues in the future, but we can't be cavalier about saying we're not
going to protect land that we already thought were going to be protected. That's that's my comment. Um, we're still well short of 30% open space and it's precious. Sure, we need new police stations. We need new fire stations. We might need We probably don't need a new school for a
while. We're trying to get rid of one, but you know, um, we've got to It's so easy to say we can build on this is land here free. We can build on it. It's it's valuable open space. It's it's percolating fresh water. It's filtering
water that's going into a long pond. So, and also you do have chapter I mean uh 97. It's it's it's cumbersome, but you can if if it's really really uh fabulous tradeoff, you can figure out ways to to get around it. Um anyhow, so that's not
why that's not why I was >> if you have something to trade. >> Well, I I got roused. I usually, you know, I've been sitting here a while. we were our our time slot was 8:15 and so I had to hear a lot and plus um the
acoustics in here for someone with my hearing isn't that great so I can sort of catch what's saying but you know it's anyhow that's neither here nor there but um >> out of curiosity is it better at the senior center >> I've only been to one meeting there
>> okay >> so um I'm not I'm not I'm not a routine attender let's put it that Um, as you someone I think was going to mention, we had a little geographic dyslexia on our petition article that
you know, west of west, it is west of Gford Street and east of uh, Route 28 is and I think with working with a town moderator, we could uh, he could say that was a politely say it was a scribner's error.
He'd probably change it before the meeting, >> but the the purpose of the article is pretty straightforward, which is to um put the forest of land around Long Pond under the jurisdiction of the conservation commission. And um so we're
going to have show a map of all the 19 parcels. Uh Jessica Written of the 300 committee will present that. Um but I and innumerable others were uh you know as Heather pointed out we just naively
assumed that that land that was town forest land protect protected and so when we were quite shocked when it we was chosen as a primary recommendation for the police station site. Um I I I
appreciate that it would be easy develop but that's the problem with trying to protect open spaces. It's very, oh, it's there. We can we can easily use it. So, um, the goal of this article is just to for the town land to be permanently removed from development by by from
development temptation by having it held and conserved by the conservation commission. In the meantime today, we learned that I wasn't even familiar with this other article you were proposing, but we also learned that it it is complicated that there's that some of
the land is already probably in the deeds designated watershed protection and so that really doesn't have to go to the conservation commission. So we think between now and town meeting we can work out if there's certain parcels that don't need to be included and others
that can be excluded and certainly some will be excluded because they already have some kind of a structure or something on them and Jessica's going to explain all that but I certainly urge that you support protecting this land around wall long pond which as you saw
from the reaction at town meeting I wasn't the only I I was part of a big big majority party that was worried about not protecting that land. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Would be okay to comment or we just listening. >> Um questions.
>> Let's Let's hear from Miss Whitenower. >> Do the map. >> Okay. >> Good evening. I Yes. I'm just going to speak for a minute and I want to make sure that I can open our This was on earlier. Okay. >> It'll wake up. >> It'll wake up.
Oh, yeah. >> Uh, let's see. I think I have the password correct. Fingers crossed. Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah, there's just this one visual that we wanted to share. I'm Jessica Writtenower. I live in precinct 9 and um I'm one of the citizens who signed this
petition. And the information that I'm sharing this evening, um the 300 committee asked the compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts to prepare a map. Um the the parcels that are identified for
this petition are the parcels that are owned by the town of Falmouth in the immediate vicinity of Long Pond. At this point in time, the map shows two categories of land. One category of land is the dark green.
There are only four parcels right now that are shaded in the dark green. What the dark green represents is land that we know is already under the care and control of the conservation commission. There's two parcels. There are two properties that are already owned by the
300 committee land trust and they have permanent conservation restrictions already recorded. Um, so those lands uh are in that we know for sure protected category. The land in light green, I'm going to call that the the land that is
uh it's townowned, it's under the select board. Um we are aware that the deed research needs to be done so that the information can be clearly available for is are these specific parcels u tax title? Are they for watershed
protection? that deed research um is something that the compact of conservation trusts executive director um Mark Robinson is someone who is willing to work with us on that task. Uh the information needs to be clear and available so it can be reviewed and and
studied. uh and that is something that we would like to be able to contribute to the process of uncovering the necessary information um for these decisions. Um once that information is
available then a map like this could be updated to show land that is in the watershed protection category and land that is not. This is in the form that it is now so that we can have a very clear visual. The 19 parcels that are listed by
assessor's ID in the petition are shown in light green at this time on this map. Um I think that concludes my comments. Did you have anything else? >> No, the the tag team is done, I think.
>> Well done. >> Unless you they have questions of us. I just want to comment that my comments earlier were not opposed to doing this conservation restriction. I'm just offering I thought Todd had a great suggestion that we might get some value out of it because imagine our surprise.
How naive were we to assume that we had so many town parcels available to build a police station only to find out that the majority of the ones that we thought we could use had these art article 97 protections. So, I'm just suggesting that some of the land that's already
protected that we were not aware of, here we have land that we thought was protected that it's not. So, it's funny, but we had a lot of surprises that were challenging for us. So, I'd like to free up some of that land that seems like it might be more appropriate for municipal
use, and it wouldn't have occurred to me. So, thanks to Todd Duffany again for coming up with the idea, and it seems like it might be a viable uh solution. One more town meeting might be enough to determine if there's some value to the idea.
>> Just just a thought. >> Well, we still got that goal that 30% and but if you if you think that we could find some land that was had more, you know, every property that 300 committee is involved in, we evaluate
for all sorts of um criteria. And so there obviously some that >> aren't are still in private ownership that would maybe be more valuable as for conservation, but >> you know there's it's hard to predict what will be available and what won't.
And also at some point the town has is going to have to redevelop areas that are already developed. >> Well, that's what I'm looking for. I mean, I'm all for conserving valuable forest and and real open space, but if we have land that's been already developed, like the admin building, why not be able to make more use of that
that property? So, >> I didn't realize that that was restricted that way. >> Yeah, we had a huge surprise when we tried to site the police station with all these parcels that were taken off the list by the article 97. >> So, that's what I'd like to revisit some of the stuff that we thought we could use.
>> How how close are we? >> Preserves park land, too. doesn't have to be just forest space. >> How how close are we to 30%. >> We're at 23. I think
>> the information that we rely upon for that the 300 committee relies upon is actually from the town's open space and recreation plan. The planning department went through a very extensive updating process. I believe it was published in December of 2024
um with the inventory of it was around 20 nearing 23% of Falmouth's land area is considered permanently protected uh towards that 30% goal. The way that the Long Pond
watershed lands are described in that plan, they're described as temporarily restricted. So these lands are not counting towards permanently protected land because they're not yet, you know, classified or categorized in that way. There was an estimated 650 acres of the
Long Pond watershed land in a temporarily restricted category. And that's in the very useful open space and recreation plan. >> And we have the big property by the golf course which is still in select board control. that could come under conservation in the future if we find we
don't need it for municipal wastewater use. >> So we use that for our >> Fmouth country near the Fmouth country club. You mean the >> Dant by the golf course? >> Yeah. >> Another 30 acres plus with the with the redevelopment of the golf course. We're going to gain a lot. I'm not just saying
we don't need to continue. My point is that just why rush when we could get some value. >> That's all I'm saying. >> I'm going to hear article 97 when I sleep tonight. All right. Well, thank you. >> Well, I have one question uh which is in
the the work with um the compact of land trusts, if I got that correctly. Um in in terms of that research on the parcels and in collaboration uh with town council's office, what is a realistic timeline to have that information for
for all those parcels? I I I hope we'll be able to answer that question for you by your next meeting. I don't have the answer right now as to how long that would take. I I can share that Mark Robinson confirmed today that he's willing to
begin that work. And I think when we come back when you have your next discussion, we could try to give an estimated timeline for that. knowing there's 19 parcels and deed reference information that has been difficult to find. Uh so >> I bet >> I would like to answer that question for
February 9th if possible. >> Well, what was that? I think we need to join resources and share the information that we have um along with any additional information from the engineering department which is a huge
resource for us and um we'll have a better understanding of what's missing and then we can we can provide you an answer as soon as possible. >> Okay. Is there any chance that by that time we could put up a map that has a
few more colors on it? Like we know it's protected. We have no idea. We've got some info. >> Yeah. As I was looking at that map there, I and I don't have my research with me here, but um just looking at
that, I did a quick check just to jog my memory and pulled up a deed that I was certain is protected. And it is. And I'm sure we can color in some of those darker. >> Okay. >> Okay. All right. If there's no more issue, then we'll we'll Yes. >> I just have a comment.
>> Sure. >> One of the wonderful things about the 300 committee and the town is they've always had a great partnership of working together. So, this will be another example of that, I hope. Thank you. >> Thank you. So, uh we'll move on to uh the next petitioner's article. Uh is the
petitioner here? Yes, >> please. This regards rights of students as to the personal dress and appearance and discipline of students on matters unrelated to school sponsored activities. You have five minutes. Thank
you. >> My name is Megan Zodily, precinct 9. I'm a Felmouth resident and mom of three boys, two Falmouth public school children and one entering in the fall. In your packet, you'll find page one, an
overview of chapter 71, sections 83 through 86. Page two, full text of chapter 71, sections 83 through 86 for your reference. Page three, the text of chapter 71,
section 82. Please see the last paragraph as it provides defining language for the subsequent sections. >> Last paragraph of which on page three. >> On page three, yep, it's highlighted. >> Page four, I'll return back to page five
is your citizens checklist. And in the back of your packet, you'll find uh letters from the ACLU regarding dress codes in Massachusetts. The purpose of this article, this warrant article seeks to authorize the town of Falmouth to formally accept
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 71, sections 83 through 86, which codify longestablished legal protections governing student access to public education and prohibit exclusionary or discriminatory practices unrelated to
health, safety, or academic integrity. Acceptance does not create new policy or obligations, but formally aligns the town with existing state law, regulatory guidance, and settled judicial president. Chapter 71, sections 83
through 86 provide that students may not be excluded, suspended, expelled, or otherwise denied access to education based on lawful personal characteristics, including personal dress and appearance or familial status.
School committees may not interfere with a student's education for reasons unrelated to safety, health, or academic standards and must adopt rules consistent with guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. These provisions reflect longstanding
Massachusetts case law already applicable statewide. Legal risk management. Formal acceptance clarifies statutory compliance and strengthens the town's position in the event of civil rights complaints, administrative appeals or litigation.
Governance consistency acceptance promotes uniformity between state law and local practice, reducing ambigu ambiguity and enforcement risk. Fiscal stewardship reduce exposure to avoidable legal costs, settlements and staff time
devoted to to disputes. Oversight and accountability signals proactive guidance, governance, and commitment to lawful administration. What acceptance does not do, acceptance does not restrict the school committee's authority to enforce legitimate safety
based or academic rules, does not eliminate discipline for disruptive conduct, and does not impose unfunded mandates or require new programming. It does not eliminate dress codes. It confirms adherence to legal standards that already govern Massachusetts public
schools. Acceptance of MGL chapter 71 sections 83 through86 aligns town practice with established Massachusetts law, reduces legal and financial exposure, and supports consistent lawful administration of public education. This action is consistent with the select
board's responsibility to promote sound municipal governance and risk management. And if you'll turn to page five, it's your citizens checklist regarding this vote. One, is it necessary?
I believe it is. Two, can we afford it? Yes, it's free. Three, what will it cost ultimately? Nothing. It could help save the town in legal fees. Four, how will affect basic liberties? It protects them. Five, it is is it in the balanced
best interest of all? Yes. Six, is it a foot in the door proposition? No, it helps protect Falmouth in the future. Seven, does it place too much power in the hand of one individual or group? No, it helps reduce that risk. Eight, does
it recognize the importance of the individual and minority? Yes. Nine, is is its appeal based on emotional propaganda or facts? It's based on facts, data, and legal recommendation. and 10. Does it square with your moral
convictions? I hope so, because it should. I'm here tonight because I care about Falmouth and the well-being of students in our district. This article is about protecting our students and protecting our town. Without these safeguards in place, we're at greater risk. Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> I have a question. >> Has it been determined, do we have the legal right as a select board to dictate what happens in the schools? I'm not sure that >> that might be a legal counsel question.
>> It's a general acceptance statute, so it does require town meetings. >> Acceptance of the statute that would apply then to the school committee. >> Interesting. >> Yeah, this is acceptance of state law. So, it does require the town >> and you said a majority of Massachusetts
um school districts have this. The majority of school districts in Massachusetts have protective language from MASC. Our school district recently stripped that language from both our policy and our handbooks and the superintendent's reason for that is because she was handcuffed because we
don't have this language in our state >> in our town. I'm sorry. >> Are you suggesting that the superintendent supports this? >> You'll have to ask the superintendent. I can't speak for her. sounded like you were saying she would. >> Uh, based on what I've heard in committee meetings, I would hope that
she would. Yes. I mean, it's only been protective to protect students. So, >> can I ask one more? >> Sure. >> What's the impetus from this? What made you feel like you needed to take action? >> I feel like there's discrimination happening in our school district that needs to be stopped. >> Okay.
>> I do notice there's a trend for people to want to kind of seem to have their clothes falling off. And I wonder if that's what this started from. >> I mean, I find that >> that's not what this started from. >> No. Okay. >> Bagging my jeans. >> Yeah. My
>> clothes are falling off, but for a different reason. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> All right. We will move on to um discuss discuss a request to approve the waiver of building permit fees for the new YMCA
facility. the amount of approximately $169,654. That seems like a pretty definite amount, but approximately. Mr. Ren, >> thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, so in your packet is a copy of a letter uh dated January 16th, uh, which the YMCA Cape
Cod, uh, the executive director, Stacy Pew, who's with us tonight. Hi, Stacy. um submitted uh to my office requesting that the select board consider uh waving uh specifically uh the building permit fees. Uh to be candid, there was a previous letter. I don't recall the date
of that, Stacy, but um the YMCA YMCA Cape Cod had submitted a previous request uh that was more inclusive total construction cost and I think it amounted to about 270,000 uh roughly. This is scaled down and and again um specifically focused upon the
building permit fees in a request of the select board to wave um the building permit fees in their entirety in that amount as the chairman indicated $169,654. Um what I want to do tonight and this is for discussion purposes. Um, you also in
your packet have a copy of the uh uh fee waiver policy um which as I think you all know states that private nonprofit agencies presenting a case for a unique public benefit may seek a waiver of fees subject to staff review and approval by the select board. Certainly this project uh creates that very unique and special
public benefit. Um and the YMCA Cape Cod is a nonprofit agency. Um just basically the YMCA Cape Cod project uh as we understand it involves the construction of about 68,400 square foot two-story building that would include two indoor swimming pools, locker rooms, child
watch room, gathering rooms, exercise studios uh with a running track. Um also some outdoor activities and amenities would be included within the project. I asked uh Gary Street, our building commissioner, based upon this uh January 16th letter requesting the waiver of the
specifically the building permit fees um to take a look um and uh there was some communication between the building commissioner's office and the YMCA at Cape Cod uh following the initial letter because there wasn't really enough information. Um and I think perhaps I'll
let Stacy speak for this. Um that was perhaps the reason the genesis for this the the letter that focused just on the building permit fees. Um what Gary had asked after the first letter the building commissioner had requested was um uh the subtrades um sheet metal,
electrical and plumbing and gas. Um and I think there was some communications back and forth. Ultimately it resulted in this January 16th request just to look specifically at the building permit fees. Um, included in your packet is a uh, and I asked Gary, and again, it's my understanding, and I'll let Stacy speak
to this, is that the YMC Cape Cod intends to come back in the future and make those separate requests specific to sheet metal, electrical, and plumbing and gas. I think that's um, that was explained to the building commissioner. Um, and I'll again let Stacy speak to
that directly. um chairman and select board. Um from my perspective, wonderful project and uh everybody in the community is is just excited um to to have it uh come to fruition. Um having gone through um three finance
committee meetings to date um in preparation for the FY27 budget, I want to preface or put some context. Um we've had a lot of discussions about um budget constraints and revenue shortfalls. There's been a lot of discussion between my office um and the finance committee
and between you and I um with regards to identifying additional revenues. This would be reducing revenues by significant amounts, $169,000. Again, uh not contesting about the public benefit that is going to be created. I just want the select board to
take that in consideration. Um we face very uh challenging uh uh and uncertain uh uh budgetary constraints going forward. We're trying as a group, as a team to identify additional revenues and this would this would be a reduction of
those revenues um and and we we we count on those revenues um each year uh that the building commissioner's office takes in. So all that being said, um I've had some discussions and again this is for we're not I'm not asking for a decision tonight. Um, we've had some discussions
about possibly um recommending a a portion, a percentage of the waiver versus 100% of the building permit fees again in that amount of 169,654. Um, and with that, I'll I'll I'll let uh
Stacy kind of talk about about the need, but again, as part of the discussion for tonight's purposes and going into um I would like a decision from the board February 9th meeting. Um, I just wanted to kind of lay out that kind of framework with regards to the uh the financial situation that we're facing
and my concerns about uh uh uh waving 100% of the fees as the YMCA Kit Kat is requesting. >> And and I think it's fair to say that this board has never dealt with a waiver request in such an amount as this. >> That and I've asked around historically. Peter's been here for longer than I have
obviously, but I've asked the building commissioner. Um I I think there was a was it the ice the ice arena uh uh that uh several years ago I think that there was a there was a waiver but not of this not even of this magnitude. I can't recall nobody knows that exact figure but this is unique uh and but again it's
a very special and unique project. I don't want to take away from that. >> M uh thank you um Mr. Mr. Renshaw did a a fabulous job summarizing uh why we wanted to u pursue this request and why we uh pulled out the subtrades at this time. We don't know exactly what the
subtrade uh permits are going to equal. Um but we will know those in very short order as we are moving through the process. >> I'm sorry if I missed it. Did you already introduce yourself for the folks at home? >> I apologize. Stacy Pew, president and CEO with the YMCA at Cape Cod. >> Thank you.
>> Yes. Um and so um yeah, the you know, challenges on all sides of the equation financially here. We continue to look towards raising another $8 million for this project um to close the gap. And so every penny certainly counts um for us
as we work towards closing that gap um before we get into real heavy construction. And so we really need to try to get there by this summer with those um with those supports and inind contributions such as this add just as much value to our project and being able
to help support um the project fundraising goals as um real money that might be donated by um a donor. So, um that it it certainly is um incumbent upon us to do the best we can to get to
that goal and keep our debt load carrying for the future much much smaller. >> So, you mentioned inind. Are there any other substantial inind donations that are that that that you can discuss with
us and let us know about so we know who else is helping get to your uh your your goal? >> Sure. Yeah, we have gotten um quite a bit of uh play has come out of the groundbreaking ceremony and one example that I could give you is there is one
vendor that helped out with that groundbreaking ceremony um as an inind sponsor and was so excited by the project um they are considering donating all 100% of the landscaping which is significant for this project. you've all
seen this project before >> and that would be a significant savings for the project. We don't have that full commitment yet. Um but we are discussing um that possibility and how those logistics work with our general contractor. >> Mr. Brown, um I'd like to at least
consider like a 50% waiver to show support even if we can't absorb all the cost because it is such a big project. But I wonder if there's any kind of creative other solutions. I know in some of the smaller towns that I've worked in, they have contractors that come and
do inspections and they only charge $50. Maybe we could get some volunteer contractors. I don't know if we're set up for that type of arrangement, but a lot of towns do it when they don't have the staff that we have. So maybe it's something we can consider in the future on a case- by case basis. Maybe there's
a retired electric inspector or who knows what that might still have their certification. >> Maybe they might want to help. I don't know. question kind of along those lines um for um one manager which is um it's very
clear in the waiver policy um that uh essentially fees for service and direct costs cannot be waved. Um, so what portion of that building fee is the direct inspection fee or inspection
cost? It Yeah, I'm just wondering because obviously there's got to be something else in there because there's a waiver policy that you can we can wave the building permit fee, but um >> it's going to cost a lot to figure that out. >> I'll take I'll take a stab at that. Um,
and I'm not going to uh so the reality is that that wording um has not really been um part of the practice. So in in the past when we have waved fees, we have
waved almost everything. the the one exception that I'm aware of that we've made an um that where the direct cost is not waved is where the water department is actually going out and laying pipe, right? So, they're actually providing um
equipment and and labor to install something. Um but despite what seems to be a clear intent of the policy, the practice has just been if the building fees are waved, all of the building fees are waved. Right. Okay.
>> So, based on your initial request or letter, so you're thinking that possibly there would be an additional what, $120,000 uh being asked for with the sub subtrades so forth because the original
request was like 270 something like that. >> Yes. Yes. I'm going to also ask um our general contractor is here um from Delbrook representative and he's got a good handle on the subtrade questions. Okay. as well as um anticipated other inspectors that will be there already
doing inspections which may relieve some of your labor concerns. >> Uh Greg Emman uh project executive for Delbrook JKS where the construction manager so the other subtrades uh as mentioned electrical plumbing HVAC those
those account to about 90 to 100,000 based on our current cost estimate. We're finalizing that cost estimate in the next month. Uh but it will be somewhere in that range. This is controlled construction, meaning that there's third party inspectors for rebar, concrete, steel connections, uh
everything else. Um the typically in this situation, uh I I I heard you about the um having a contractor in some of the smaller towns. I I've been through that before in other projects tend to not work out too well. Um, but there is there's a lot of oversight, control,
construction, affidavit from the all the engineers, architects, structural engineer at the end of the project. So, they they're doing their monthly inspections, writing up reports, um, checks and balances. Really? >> Yeah. It's a little different with the scope of this project. Yeah. >> It's not like building an addition on a house.
>> No, no, there's a lot there's a lot of eyes on it. >> Sure. >> Well, that's true though. That reduces the the workload for the building department. So, maybe there is room for a reduced fee. I mean, at least 50% because a lot of
the inspections aren't really needed. Of course, you need the electrical, plumbing, >> correct? >> But that's, you know, the the structure of the building pretty much inspected by the architect, >> structural engineer will do their report on all the structural steel, light gauge, metal, all those types of things
as well. Um so >> would you be in a position to to only ask for these this I mean following along with Mr. Brown is talking about maybe 50% or some percentage um you know would you would you consider just making
this request as is and not request any further waiver as far as and you know maybe you don't want to give us that answer tonight but that's somewhere in the middle kind of meets what Mr. Brown was suggesting this might be a proportion of it. So just throw that out as a possibility.
>> Yeah, I would want to make >> we all knowing you know how important this project is and how tight it is and I know you've got to go out for more uh you know for more fundraising and it's I know we we all know how difficult it is and we and you know we all know what a wonderful project it is but as Mr. Renua
mentions we are getting you know a lot of questions about revenue and uh the need to increase revenue. So Mr. Reed >> yeah along those lines just a question to town management is this already included in our budget or when these
fees come in they're considered additional revenue at the end of the year. >> Yes. So that's a great question. So um and we talked about this it this by removing this this amount it's not going to create a hole in the budget. We didn't we project a certain amount and Peter stop moving when I go astray.
We're projecting a certain amount and but this by removing these fees is not necessarily going to create a hole but it will I mean in essence >> it's a time delay but >> if I could budget >> if I could elaborate on that a little bit. So, you know, we don't we don't
have the ability to forecast specific projects 18 months in advance, right? So, what we're doing is we're looking at past history and, you know, and trying to make a conservative forecast of what we can expect. Um, so,
you know, sitting here today, the, you know, the past five years of of building fee revenues, past 10 years look pretty good. We we've seen in the last like six to nine months a flattening for the first time because they were going up up up up up for like
a decade and they've started to flatten off. So, you know, the doomsday which is sort of the perspective I try to carry around all the time so we don't get ourselves in trouble. Um is that >> you know that's the role I play. I'm the
dark cloud. I'm the dark cloud. we are, >> you know, if if the economy tails off, you know, we could have a hole in the budget. Not because of this project per se, but just looking at that revenue line item of inspection fees, you know, we could be off a couple hundred thousand there easily.
>> Peter, that Peter makes a great point because we do watch those trends and and and as he's mentioned, it's flattened and uh and we've been watching that for months now. So, that that is a concern. >> I just >> Mr. Richardson, go ahead and start. >> I I just want to say I support the fee waver. Uh I spoke at the groundbreaking
of course and one thing I said was uh whatever we can do to make the Cape uh you know a better place for it's already a place for young families to come here. Um I definitely do understand what you're saying uh Mr. Town Manager. Uh I just think there's other places that we
can target. Um, but I do appreciate you looking holistically uh at uh and comprehensively of how each individual item does impact our budget. Um, that was a request we made and not perhaps ironically saying I disagree, but um, yeah, I I'm very excited for this
project. Um, and and we'll support and do whatever it does to help it move forward. >> It's just like a household budget. It all adds up. >> Yeah. So, take the weekend. >> Got to clip once. Yeah. Um, so I'll say a
brief overview of my thought process over the past several days about this fee waiver from the YMCA. We want to do everything we can to support this incredible once in a-lifetime project. Absolutely saw the number. Oh, that's a big number, right? And we have a lot of
budget pressures. So, how do we get creative um in being able to support this project? Um, and this bleeds into another agenda item um that we have this evening. Um,
and and Doug, I felt like I was channeling you a little bit here. I was trying to think way outside the box. Um we we misestimated or we got unanticipated new growth revenue this past year and we're about to talk about what budget amendments we might make um
for the coming year um that are ways of using that new growth revenue uh in ways that do not further encumber the town um and and help us moving forward. And so I wonder if there's a way to use some of
that funding to offset um a fee waiver, whether that whatever format that needs to be in, whether that needs to be a donation to the Y that covers or whether that's a a shuffling of money within the town or something like that. Because I I
will say the other thing I started thinking about is we have no precedent for this project um because of its scope, but we did just um grant $175,000 um for one housing project,
>> right? And this does not provide housing, but this will provide service to our entire community um for a generation or more. And so that really big number put in context of some of the other ways that we invest in our community to me started feeling a lot
less scary and big >> understanding that yes like that this is we need to be able to to cover costs. We need to you know the the labor that's involved in all of that. But so trying to get creative with with how to be able to grant something like this. So we're justformational purposes today, but in
the next meeting we're going to be discussing so we have some more time to kind of weigh pros and cons. >> Yeah. So Peter, you wanted to mention how that might work, the mechanics of just spending le spending down the excess levy by by by some amount, maybe this 169,000. >> Yeah. I think the simplest way to
accomplish your goal would be to um to not spend, you know, if you know, let's say you're I'll just pick a number. $150,000 was going to be waved. Um, so instead of potentially spending 500,000
of that excess levy from the new growth, you spend 350 and you leave the rest in excess levy, which when we go to set the tax rate, we can either leave it there and not tax it or we can use it because revenues have gone down and we need it. You know, it gives
us more cushion. >> Just one final question if I may. Say you I don't know if you're tracking any and obviously you probably can't disclose this. Say you get another seven or eight figure donation out of nowhere. Is there any way for us to go back on this? I mean I'm assuming you're not
getting a seven figure donation in the next week. If you do, that's great. Um but is there any way that we can work that out where we don't lose all this revenue if that happened or would it be have the answer just be no? >> We'd have to revote it, right? But
you're talking about a clawback of some sort. Yeah, that's I know it's I'm I'm not an attorney as many of my votes you can see, but if there's any way to >> do that. >> Well, I'm in for at least 50% and then talk about it next week. >> Let's uh we will uh discuss it again at
the February 9th meeting and maybe you can think about it on on on that score a little bit as well. And you know, we want to be as accommodating as we possibly can. >> Yeah, absolutely. And I want to make it very clear, we would be grateful for anything that the town can do. Um, this
just helps us get to that goal that much quicker on our timeline. And, uh, if we go over our $42.5 million goal, we'll make a donation to the town. >> Thank you very much. We'll see. >> I heard that you've increased the footprint to the larger size now to
because you've really had so much feedback. Is that correct? >> I'm sorry. We've increased >> I heard that you've increased the footprint a little bit to the larger size model of the building. Is that is that accurate? >> Yeah. Well, yeah, we actually made that decision. um back in August went back to our board when we learned what the um
new construction cost estimates were. was interesting listening to other projects that you know we've watched over time. They just keep going up and up and uh we went to our board and said go big or go home and they said yeah we believe with the success of your
campaign so far at that point we had raised about 30 million um we believe you can get to 42 and a.5 million. So that's why we decided to do the full scope of the project because we really believe this community is going to pull this project in with fundraising and
with amazing people like you who just want to think about how to solve the problem and make it happen. >> Great. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. Thank you all. >> You okay well I don't know if uh the next matter was was in anticipation of the
meeting today with the county board of regional board. Uh I don't know if you want to give an update. I know we all received an email earlier today from uh from the county commissioners kind of highlighting what what did discuss and there's a link to uh to the hearings to
the meeting. Anyway, >> yes. And if you didn't get that email, I'll forward it out to the group. Um so I the intent of this uh when we posted the agenda um was we were still meeting on the 26th. It was going to be advanced. Um so at any rate, it was a great meeting. uh vice chair was there um and uh slight board member Brown was
there as well um and uh >> Jack >> I was there >> Jack was there too >> comments yes he did so it was a great uh discussion um we had an opportunity to share uh the town's priorities some of the issues that we're facing uh up to and including um a recent uh
identification of a um southern pine beetle uh in uh in in a part of town and and that's a huge concern of ours right now Jeremiah Pearson the the tree warden was there to talk a little bit about that. So um it was a great productive meeting um and uh and we just impressed
upon the uh board of commissioners the uh the um our our our gratitude for them taking time to meet and and they're going to take the show on the road as one of them mentioned and meet with the other m municipalities as well. So it was a great meeting very productive. You know, I I didn't go into it today
because we were kind of running over on every topic, but uh we've also got a lot of other invasives that are really prevalent in town that we I think we need to form a a volunteer task force of people and work with the conservation commission to identify these things. We
got English ivy that is everywhere. It's taken down trees, but what's the worst part about it? It creates these berries that the birds eat. And these berries are um they're not native and they somehow inhibit the bug population and
so that's like the bottom of our ecosystem and they the ivy somehow wipes out the other native berry species and takes over that terrain. So we need to eradicate that and we've got Japanese snotweed which is prevalent out front here. We've got a lot of stuff that's
really taken over we need to get busy with. So just as >> as you may know the conservation department has um enlisted volunteers including Americanore to do a lot of that work on conservation land but not that they can keep up with it because it's just too much.
>> Yeah. But I think we got a lot of folks in town that if they're aware that this is a need they would probably coales to that. >> We are talking about developing a volunteer base um specific to the southern uh pine beetle issue. Um but uh the county did offer also uh through their their extension office um some uh they have an entomologist that could
help us identify some other invasive >> Maybe we'll start with the pine beetle and then once we get a handle on that and move on to other stuff. >> I I just wanted to share one thing um maybe they'll say it to every town um when they're in their their towns but uh
it was really gratifying to hear from the commissioners uh on a range of issues that we're confronting. um that they're really looking at the town of Falmouth as leaders. Uh whether that's the immigration issue, whether that is uh wastewater infrastructure, coastal
resilience um on a number of fronts. And I wanted to pass that along to to those who weren't there that that they really made a point of saying that um that that they appreciated the leadership um from town of Felmouth and um that as they expressed in the email, they'll they'll be in touch to continue conversations.
So, I thought it was it was very productive. >> I thought so, too. certainly be nice at some point in time for the upper cape to be represented on the county board of uh of commissioners. Uh we'll talk >> we haven't had one in a while. >> He's running for run seat now. >> Yeah. So yes, we we seem to hear that.
So anyway, >> um and I just want to echo uh what chair uh Forest, I think he's their chair, uh had said where uh how team Cape Cod, select board, county, state, cross political parties is a lot more unified than other areas of the Commonwealth.
And there's been a lot that's been been done and I really appreciate the way that the state legislature, select boards in the county have all worked together on a number of issues. >> Yeah. >> And I you know I expressed to uh Mr. Forest at the MMA. We had a chance to talk afterwards while he and Mark were preparing the agenda for today. And uh I
just expressed my appreciation for the civility of the meeting that we had on Thursday and the tone and the respect that was given to the only one person who really spoke in you know his own uh position on feeling like this is an immigration issue that's been festering
for a long time. And there started to be a couple of grumbles and Mr. Mscali to his credit quieted those instantly. And then the second lady that spoke afterwards speaking and saying thank you to this gentleman for speaking and thank you for the crowd for listening and getting some applause for that. That's just classiest kind of meeting we could
have and that's that's how all meetings should be. >> I got a number of emails from people who were you know very happy that there was that opportunity that was given to that gentleman to speak and air his uh you know his his issues. So thank you.
>> Yeah. All right, let's move on to some money issues here. So, u review and discuss FY27 recommended budget and consideration of amendments. Uh, Mr. Entro, >> thank you, Mr. Chair. So, I I'm going to keep the overview brief, but for the
folks at home that didn't uh I just want to get everybody up to speed. So, if you all recall back on December 1st, I gave my initial budget presentation. Um, we talked at that point about the budget. The proposed budget that was submitted to finance committee uh was uh proposing to utilize 1.2 2 million of excess levy
capacity. Um and that we estimated based upon that figure about a $48 increase to the standard uh single family home in Felmouth property tax increase. Um two weeks later um as you recall on December 15th, the finance director uh indicated
that um we had just um gotten our certified uh new growth numbers and that they were about $530,000 higher than what we had projected and placed into the budget. As a result of that new growth being higher, um the FY27 budget
um that uh that was proposed had a higher starting excess levy capacity and as Laura Citroen explained that the end effect of that is it that we would roll forward a much higher starting levy in FY27 allowing us to reduce the amount of excess levy capacity that we would need
to balance the FY27 budget. Uh at the meeting on January 5th earlier this month, we had extensive discussion about the other opportunity uh with regards to that $530,000. Um there seemed to be some consensus
among the board um to use the full $1.2 million of excess levy capacity and allocate those funds to some other purpose. And we had a bit of discussion about what that other purpose might be. Um, again, spending that on some other purpose rather uh rather than reducing
total spend and reducing that tax increase uh to a lesser amount to $24, cutting it in half. In essence, um the the discussion that I'd like to have with you tonight, because FINCOM is three meetings in to their uh FY27
budget review, um and I'd like to be able to take to them at their perhaps their next meeting um an amended request that addresses this specific amount. um of $530,000. Um as Peter pointed out, and I think this is really really important um and
it's it wasn't in your packet um the previous couple of discussions. Um the present budget as it's drafted and and advanced on to FINCOM did not include a contribution to the debt and capital stabilization fund. Um as you all know and Peter has outlined
it here. um are your the select board's fiscal policy calls for that for an annual contribution to be made an annual percentage of the meals and excise tax of 75% which is a little south a little less than $1 million uh to be uh allocated toward debt and capital
stabilization. Peter also mentions that because over the past several years we've been very aggressive with um appropriations to that uh that that account um we currently have over $17 million balance in that account. um well over the minimum balance of $3 million that's called for in the policy and uh
below the ceiling of 10% of the total estimated cost of the capital projects the um uh $800 million in capital projects. So that that that threshold would be 80 million. Um there was some discussion, I can't remember which select board member it was, maybe there's multiple about um the uh
residential property tax exemption and advancing that. Um from discussion again back in December, I believe it was about FY28 being the very earliest year. We had in this FY27 budget, we have a um an eight-month uh level of funding for a
position in the assessor's office to help us get prepared for that FY28, but I think there's some discussion and select board member Richardson, I think may may have been you now that I'm thinking back. um can we advance that and can we use a portion of these funds? Peter and I did confirm. We had a long discussion with the assessor and the
finance director. Um and they they they're they're adamant that FY28 is the earliest that they could take that on just based on timing. Um and so I wanted to point that out. So all that being said, um there what I wanted to provide the select board tonight were were some
options and there's multiple iterations of this. Um, I do think the best course, my recommendation would be for the board to consider um uh uh appropriate or placing that excess $500,000 in capital and debt stabilization just based upon
um where we're at financially and again that uncertainty and unknown. Um I think it would probably be the most prudent course. Um, I certainly wouldn't recommend at this point um uh uh any adding any additional staffing positions because again I am really concerned about the additional kind of escalating
costs with regards to to personnel those personal services costs. >> Could I just ask a question? Why wasn't that contribution taken into account in the budget preparation? I mean was that just because we had done so well and we were above where we should have been so we
just didn't make the contribution? >> I think it was it was an oversight. but we just didn't include it in this FY27 proposed budget. I mean, we're pointing it out. >> Yeah. So, I um I I think it was um it was part of it may have been partially an over an oversight. Um but I think the
the other, you know, real factor was that we were initially looking at an override for this year, right? So, then we had to revisit and say, okay, how can we avoid an override this year? Part of that was being a little more aggressive on local receipts revenue estimates than
we like to be. Um, but this was another area that we could pull from to get through this year. But, you know, long term that's, you know, that's not a viable plan. So, it was part of buying more time to figure out a more sustainable plan for FY28 and going
forward. >> And and as it stands now, there's 17.1 million, >> right, >> in the capital and debt stabilization fun. >> Capital debt stabilization. So we would >> that's both funds combined. It's one fund. >> Yeah. Yeah. And based upon Mr. Reno's suggestion that we would that would
become 17 six million. Um you know for me u you know I uh I appreciate the comments that were made by by my colleagues with respect to adding personnel and all that
that means going forward. Uh and uh and that made a lot of sense to me. Uh and uh although I was originally uh in favor of at the very least uh based upon DPW's
request for the storm management and storm water management engineer and the need to beef up our regulatory u regulatory uh situation there. uh I have kind of reconsidered uh and I'm fully
supportive of uh having that excess even 500 plus thousand dollars go to the capital and debt stabilization with the understanding that uh you know you look at all of those requests that we were not able to satisfy uh and you cut out
uh after they they requested $2 million or thereabouts. Uh, a lot of that's essential for this town going forward that we're going to have to make provisions for, uh, you know, so, uh, we we know how difficult it is to to to to
cut out and tell department heads that they can't have it, but, uh, you know, I think we're kidding ourselves if if we think we're not going to have to take a real hard look at those, uh, those items, uh, going forward. at the same time, you know, certainly looking to see
where we can cut uh expenses and and increase revenues uh at at the same time. But, you know, a lot that was in those budget requests is, you know, the functioning of of this town, which is uh you know, which is necessary. We all
appreciate that. Yes, Mr. Reid. >> Um I agree. uh the 500,000 to the capital and debt stabilization should be um what we're going after. I would be prepared to make that motion when the time is comes after discussion
um regarding option two with the affordable housing act and the 50/50 split because they have eight 8 to10 million in the fund already and we can go to town meeting twice a year to put additional ones. I kind of think that that option um for us should be off the
table. And going back to the previous agenda item of possible whatifs ands of other pet projects, whether it be a uh forgiveness of of costs for a YMCA or
otherwise, I think that financial outlook and predicament that we're in and you introduced it as an issue, it is a major concern. I think it would be very prudent for us to follow the town manager's recommendation on this one and and in line with what we were saying at
the first meeting which is the full amount but that's where I stand. >> Mr. Richardson >> I will finally concede the resumption but I would like a vote to say that if we can I know I don't know how that works. I would like a vote directing the
town to by FY28 have it available just symbolically. So that is the the stance which I know that's what you're working towards, but I will I will plant my flag for for 27 and I appreciate all you've been doing to to really consider my request. The only thing I will not uh
move on in terms of uh uh funding that I think is a and I don't believe this was reflected but um only thing I won't move on um is and I said this in our last meeting is the need to to the uh increase the number of days that the uh Portuguese speaking social workers
available. >> I have the same same that was going to be my same thing. I think that is a very very small amount of money that we're considering that is not staffing longterm and I would like to at least increase that by two days a week. So currently uh the person who I'm I
forgive me I can't remember >> thank you >> uh is one day a week. I'd like to increase that the funding to be for three days a week. I think that you she spoke at the at our great forum we had about the need and how much that she has been been doing and I think we need to have her here more than once a week.
Well, I think they're asking for one more day and it's $14,962. >> Yeah. And I and I I ran into Susie Hoffman or something. >> Eight hours per week to 14 hours per week. Oh, is that what you're looking for? At a cost of $14,952.
>> That's um the only one that I I would strongly uh I will not support removing that. And I have that I have a wish list with my other ones like with the beach nourishment and the police canine. But I agree that uh I think that's the the one
that I'd like to hang on to as a human services because it's a small number but it's a big result. >> Beach nourishment would be capital correct >> not operating. >> Okay. Well it was in in here as one of the suggestions.
>> Okay. Now, just clarifying, >> I I don't know where where Heather and Doug >> I think it was in the operating budget. >> It has been historically $25,000 I think in the >> Oh, that's right. My recommendation would be I mean to do this properly, we need to consider that
as a capital expense, I believe. Yeah, >> it's been both. I think Yeah, I think there's been 25,000 in the beach budget and then MEES has um had capital requests, >> right? But I thought we were talking about changing from 25 to 100 in the operating.
>> Uh but anyways, I'm going to I'm willing to forgo that all. Let's just do the human services for 14 692 unless you had a different number. >> Well, the only other the only other thing and I don't know Bob and Colin have made their points clear. I don't I would still like to do a onetime
contribution to the affordable housing fund. I'm willing to go even less than 50/50. Um, but if it is possible to do even something small, I still think that we've been talking about our needs to commit to affordable housing. >> You know, I think this town has this
board has indicated its very strong support for affordable housing. Uh, but I think as as Colin has mentioned, I think there's sufficient funds in there right now. Uh and I think I think it's important to send to the to the
residents that uh that we're considering you know uh you know looking a little closer at uh at expense as expenses and and so forth. So, uh, I hear what you're saying, but I think, you know, I think
the motion would be, you know, uh, the the amount of $14,952 for the, um, social worker and the balance into the capital and debt stabilization. >> I I also would just comment, if I could, that we've had so many projects because
of us being close to chapter uh, you know, the safe harbor status, we've had so many projects that are coming online now. I think there's going to be a big a bit of a lull in housing other than the housing trust and maybe I don't know if
has anything in the works but I don't think we're going to see a lot of big projects coming our way right now >> additional hours >> you've already funded the one in north phenomen >> yeah I just think that again this my opinion I totally understand your point Mr. Chair Mr. read. >> I just think that, you know, we have been saying put put our money where our
mouth is. >> I agree. We have >> willing to say, you know, 25,000 50,000. Um >> if it's not budgeible, I'll understand and I'll back off, but um I think it's something that we should do personally, but >> but we're putting money into the
affordable housing trust at this town meeting. There's a petition article for >> 9,000 this town meeting. We are >> right. But then >> the town is still committed. >> I know. But I still believe as an executive still no there's still time like
>> community preservation. >> There's two town meetings a year where we can allocate more. I think this is >> I hear you. >> I agree. It's a symbolic thing but >> we also I think have to have show that we have some restraint >> when we're in a tough year. >> We haven't heard from Dr. Goldstein yet.
>> So um I'm going to do my usual compromise. Um I I would like to see us do 400,000 to capital and debt stabilization. Nice round number. That puts us at 175 um in that fund. Um the
14,000 and change um for increasing the hours for our multilingual social worker. And that leaves us uh by my math with uh >> 83,000 >> with about >> no 115 I think
>> 115 that we would retain in excess levy >> unmatched >> against >> unforeseen needs or the possibility of of the the waiver or >> oh >> we're working off we were working off of 500 but I mean if we were budget is 530
>> 530US 400 400 US 15,000 >> 15. >> So nothing for housing in your proposal. >> Nothing. What happens to the balance for >> it stays as excess levy? >> It doesn't get used, >> right? >> It's such a small amount. I think I
>> Is it worth calculating? >> I would prefer to just, you know, throw it to debt capital stabilization. To be honest with you, it's not that that not that big a >> symbolic. I think it's just more paperwork really to >> than it's worth. But
I guess I was thinking preserving a little bit of flexibility if it's making up for um a fee waiver for the YMCA if it is down the road um allocating to the affordable housing fund. Um
>> I guess that's not a bad idea. >> Is it is it problematic to >> No. >> Okay, >> that's fine. And that would that we're just chatting. uh that would um that 80,000 roughly the balance um would technically be some way to address that
uh some portion of that 169,000 current the current request from YMCA. >> All right. I like that suggestion. >> On housing and I'll support that motion. >> So I move Whoop sorry. Go right ahead. >> Oh, go ahead. You're going to summarize this. I was going to say the motion is to recommend um retaining the full
excise levy uh capacity allocating $400,000 to the capital and debt stabilization fund and $14,952 to the human services budget for uh additional hours for the multilingual social worker. >> 962, right?
>> 962. >> It's an it's an estimate, so we're not going to like put that number anywhere. Mhm. Okay. >> Whatever balance remains in the excess levy. >> Okay. You have a motion. >> She had she made a motion. I'll second it. >> Second. That's motion in a second. Any
further discussion? >> All in favor? >> I >> I >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thanks. >> All right. >> Moving on to our minutes. Oh, no. I'm sorry, >> council. And we have one more matter here to
discuss to vote and approve and execute the petitions to the state legislature for special acts. There are four uh special acts. So >> yes. So I will um just go through them.
The um the four special acts before you for approval and execution have been um voted at recent town meetings. um three of them at the November town meeting and then the licensing
commission one um was voted at a prior town meeting. So um the first one I'll I'll just go over them very briefly. The first one is to uh it's a special act proposing to
offset the costs of of grinder pumps for the um for any of the future sew sewer service areas that are constructed in Falmouth. And um the reason why the special act is needed is because the
town is proposing to reimburse costs for um installation and purchase of the grinder pumps. That would normally be an improper expenditure of municipal funds under the anti- aid amendment. However, um the way
to cure that is to ask for permission from the state legislature to allow that. We have done it in the past. In 2014, uh the town asked for permission to do exactly this for the Little Pond sewer service area and the act was granted.
This language in the proposed special act um mimics almost exactly the language um that was enacted in 2014 with two changes. one, this is not limited to any particular sewer service
area, but for all future sewer service areas. And um the 2014 act um specifically called out money that was appropriated for a borrowing and this allows the town to make a determination about where the funding will come from
to be appropriated at a later date. But but if a if a future select board felt that it did not want to provide the grinded pumps, it would still retain that that authority. This this statute this gives us the ability
to do it, not the requirement that we do it. >> That's correct. >> Correct. >> Yes. >> And how much is a gr how much is a grinder pump, Peter? Do you have any idea? >> Oh, I no seven or 8,000. >> Really? Yes. That much? >> You think so? I think it was 7 or 8,000
last time, wasn't it? >> Okay. >> I don't think it was that much. >> I I'm not going to hazard a guess because I'm going to be wrong. >> Well, just guess. >> I don't mind guessing. >> Yeah. >> Ask somebody ask AI, will you? >> Okay. >> So, that's that one. The next one in
your packet is the um creation establishment of the Falmouth Licensing Commission. And um as you recall, we worked together to to formulate this. This is the language that was approved
by this board last fall. Um and I uh I really appreciate the feedback and how we collaborated on this. So that um this will establish a licensing commission that will provide authority to a
separate commission to um issue alcohol licenses and entertainment licenses along with um common victual and inholder licenses. they all really go together and um to make rules and regulations
concerning the licenses and then they'll have the authority to enforce um the law on any applicable law. Um as you see at the end of this petition, something that we didn't um we didn't
settle on is an effective date. So this petition right now has that blank. the act shall take effect on blank. I'm happy to take feedback on that, but my um thought was to I'm gonna hand these to David Vieira and my thought was to um
get his advice and feedback on what that should be for something like this. He'll have a lot more um understanding about what um what a realistic date is to um have this act be passed and then have us
be able to get this up and running. This is this is an amendment ch this is a a an a charter amendment change also. So it also has to go to the ballot. So there's a second piece to this. But I um if you have thoughts about when um a
proposed effective date for this will be, I'm happy to input that here where it's blank. >> Could you look at something like 180 days from final town meeting approval? you know, give yourself a period of time after whatever the final step of
approval is >> for the final step of approval. No, I think it's a really good idea. You know, something like that. >> So, so we get the the legislature says it's okay and then it goes to ballot. >> So, um this will be uh on the ballot in
May and it'll work in tandem with the approval. Hopefully, this will be approved within this legislative session which ends at the end of June. But that ballot vote will stand regardless of whether they take it up next session. >> Right. It's a two-part approval. Right.
>> Jacket, >> that the state legislature likes to know that either um the election has been scheduled or that it's been done. So, >> I'd say all of these are pretty like So, Senator Fernandez and Rep. Monkley worked together to pass a home roll. It
was on a liquor license for for Bourne, not Rep. Monley, excuse me. It was very quick and I a lot of these are not changing anything insane. So I imagine these would be pretty routine for the legislature to do. >> That's excellent feedback. Thank you. I appreciate that.
>> Um so I can just leave that I'll leave it blank and then get feedback from the from the legislators. >> But I if we can do it with not setting a date but >> and speculating. >> Sure. >> Um Senate Council has recommended I would with uh withstain from voting on
this item. Okay. >> Um I'm just making a note for that. Um Okay. And then the next one is um for the solar array and it is um
the purpose of this is to allow for the town to accept the donation of land and then lease it back to the entity that that donated it. um if we don't get state um approval for this then I I
think that there are implications under chapter 30b under procurement um generally speaking you're not allowed to do that you're not allowed to the key is you're not allowed to start negotiating leases and and signing things that um go
towards the go towards the whole um the whole massive land acquisition deal that's going on without something like this. I um this is styled after similar special acts for similar solar arrays
that I've seen. Um again um I I don't think that this is going to be controversial for the state legislature. Um and then the final one is the um the special act for the town
clerk. And this one is also a charter change. So this will have to also go to the ballot. Um uh this will be submitted along with the the um one for the licensing commission. I'll be sending a red line of our
charter as well to the state legislature so they can see exactly what's being changed. But here the components that are going to be changed is first and foremost that the charter will be amended to change the town position from an elected position to an appointed
position. It will recognize that um that position will be placed in on the um TAM non-UN salary table subject to um town meeting vote on that. Um, and then it
will also make sure to put the town clerk position in with um all of the other appointed positions that the town manager makes subject to final approval by the select board. >> So, >> so our office just did that for sandwich
and it did not take very long. >> Right. It's so good to hear. >> Yeah. And I'm just going to give you people in our office to contact. It didn't take long to pass. >> Good. >> Thank you. >> Very helpful. Much appreciated. Thank you.
>> Good luck reading his handwriting. >> No, I I I was the last iteration. >> Wasn't there for the first few months. >> It's not that bad. >> It's fine. >> Um much appreciated. Yeah. >> So, um those are the four the four um
petitions. Were there any uh questions or edits? Do we uh do we vote them one at a time or do we vote all four at the same time? >> You can vote all four at the same time if you're so inclined as long as there's no opposition. >> I said before I'm not in favor of the
licensing commission. So >> I would vote no for the licensing. >> Then I would vote them separately. >> Do you need four people to approve? >> No, just a majority. >> Okay. Thank you. So, >> so I would make a motion uh to approve
and execute uh the home rule petition uh because it's the first one in the list for the creation of a licensing commission with the effective date uh to be determined in consultation with the town moderator. >> Second.
Okay. >> All in favor? Motion and second. All in favor? >> I abstain. opposed. >> Uh I would move uh to approve and execute uh the home rule petition to change from an elected to an appointed position that the position of town
clerk. >> I'll second that as well. >> Okay, we have a motion and second. Any further discussion? All in favor? >> I abstain. >> Okay. >> I'm on a roll. Um, I would move uh approval and execution of the home rule
petition uh for the use of municipal funds to reimburse uh the cost and installation of grinder pumps. >> I'll second that. I might as well second them all so it's easier for the >> second. Further discussion. All in favor? Abstain. Abstain.
>> And last but not least, I move to approve and execute the home rule petition uh to exempt the lease uh for the ground mounted solar array from the provisions of the procurement act. >> I'll second that as well. We have a motion in a second. Any further
discussion? All in favor? >> I abstain. >> Okay. >> Great. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mora. All right. Minutes. anyone had opportunity to take a look at them? >> Yeah, just for the uh
the first one December 6 the um workshop >> that was our strategic >> just want to mention again that I was advocating for the uh prohibition on using um municipal water for irrigation.
>> I thought we corrected that but it's still not in there. Can we also talk about it >> wasn't like we voted it but I think it was an I felt like it was an important part of the discussion on water conservation >> agenda item >> and I think it's something that at some point we need to think about and I think
we should do that >> I just like you know I don't need to see the minutes actually amended but if we could just make mention that it was a suggestion that I had and I'd like to have it considered >> make that addition Yes, we will.
>> Okay. So, with respect to the minutes for Saturday, December 6th with Mr. Brown's amendment, all in favor? >> I I >> Okay. And then we have the minutes of January 5th.
>> And I have no problem with those. >> Any changes? >> Motion to approve as drafted. >> Second. >> Motion and a second. All in favor? >> I. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Renaw. >> Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. It's late, so I'll be I'll be brief. Uh, this first one is kind of redundant. Uh,
Eversource, the vice chair indicated earlier, had had a brief discussion about disappointment. Um, I'm equally disappointed. Last month, I put out what was an update from an Eversource representative, and this is in regards to Mil Pond and or Mill Road and Surf
Drive and the cable pole and testing phase of this project. separate and distinct from the horizontal boring project that uh a year and a half ago the select board had theou with. This is different. At any rate, I was told a month ago that
January 31st they'd be clear of both parking lots, Surf Drive and Mill. They're not. Um last Tuesday uh I asked DPW to have a meeting with um Ronitz uh with our regional uh representative with uh Eversource um due to operational
setbacks and some weather uh issues. Uh they're now looking at February 13th. I think I pushed out the letter to the select board and to a couple of residents who have inquired and indicated their frustrations. Here's the update. um uh next uh week um February
3rd um myself and Peter McCanny are going to meet with um Eversource to make sure that they're on track with February 13th because I don't want this to creep into February 20th and then we're you know into March. Um I don't want that to happen. So we're going to keep um their
feet to the fire so to speak so that we get this project done. And Surf Drive parking lot as they indicated before still on track to be cleared first um and then they'd come back and finish it up. Um and then we'll do our work with the in the parking lot, the repaving and then followed by Mill uh Mill Road.
>> Uh moving on. Um >> can I just jump in real quickly about that? Um is it would it make sense for us to have the Eversource representatives come to a select board to present so we can discuss our constituent problems as a as a body in
addition to support your meetings with them. >> So Ronits um again our regional uh rep um had offered to come to tonight's meeting. Um I I would ask that you allow me to um proceed with this meeting on February 3rd and I'll report back um if there's any indication that there's any
going to be any kind of further delays. >> And the other mechanism we have is many of the poll requests and other things that happen get done on a consent agenda if we need things done. That's our leverage point. So if we have to pull those we'll >> oh and it's a public utility so we're
going to have to be >> careful. I don't want to hold anything hostage, but that's a point in which we can bring them in if you're not getting your answers. Right. >> So, I've been here two and a half years and and we've had and I think the town has enjoyed a good working collaborative relationship with Eversource. This is I don't this I don't want to see this
happen again. Um and and and it's been delayed and uh and I understand weather happens, but um >> I want them to be straight with us and give us a a realistic timeline for the completion. And I don't think they were that last month that they they are now. >> But it is a huge project, too. >> It is. Um the second update I wanted to
provide um is in regards to the affordable housing RFPs. Um as you know um as you may know um on January 13th um we opened um we um the community development director and the housing coordinator with the assistance of uh
Melanie Bush in the finance office opened uh two proposals uh 21 Fezant Lane and 20 Brigantine. One proposal was received. Um, uh, it was pitched, presented to, I should say, to the affordable housing working group. Um, they're still working on their final
recommendation. So, I don't want to, uh, release, uh, the name yet. Um, but, uh, that is going to come back to the select board on February 9th, the next meeting. Um, and, uh, we will be asking select board to vote to authorize the town manager to issue a notice of award for land development uh, uh, based upon that
recommendation. So, that's going to come back. Um, and I have a note here. Um the Zero Locust Field Road and Zero West Felmouth Highway are scheduled for bid opening on February 10th. So that's kind of where we're at right now. Um the other uh requested me for an update. Um
I think the chair had asked for uh for an update regarding um the Easterly um 3 375 Sandwich Road. Um, as you all know, there's been some, uh, there was an editorial, I believe, in the Enterprise recently, um, regarding the draft groundwater discharge permit that was issued by the Massachusetts D, um, for
the 300 unit housing development at 375 Sandwich. Um, Peter and I asked Peter to kind of dig into this. Uh, we conferred with wastewater superintendent lol and town council for clarification as to what exactly that permit meant for the water quality impacts of of such a large
project. The town and the developer Saxs and Partners reached an agreement which settled Sax and Partners appeal to the Massachusetts Housing Appeals Committee of the conditions placed on the comprehensive permit by the ZBA. As you all recall, in that settlement agreement, the developer agreed to an annual average effluent concentration of
5 milligrams per liter of total nitrogen with uh with best operational efforts to achieve an average annual concentration of 3 MGL per day. However, town council has confirmed the developer is bound by the terms of the settlement agreement between the town and developer
regardless of the nitrogen concentration contained in the draft uh mass D permit. In summary, um there were hard-fought gains um by both wastewater superintendent, legal council, and the ZBA um during this project. Um they remain intact. The town intends to hold
the developer to the agreement, hold the developer to the agreement that was reached and to apply the $750,000 to uh to be paid by the developer for additional water quality protection measures to minimize the impact of this housing on the Great Pond wershed.
Um in a bit of good news, um the lastly I'll close with this. um just received notice uh from Josh Wrigley, our coastal resiliency specialist, that he was uh advised that we uh were awarded a municipal vulnerability preparedness MVP 2.0 grants of $103,400.
So that's very positive. Um which will allow us to compete competitively in the MVP planning 2.0 process. Um so congratulations to Josh Wrigley. Um it's a huge win for for the town. >> That's great. Thank you. >> Excellent. Anyone have any reports?
>> Um, go ahead. >> Go ahead. >> No, you you first. >> Uh, so I just, uh, wanted to, uh, share briefly. I attended the, um, meeting last night, the public presentation of, uh, the updated draft, uh, beach
management plan um, and the proceeding uh, beach committee meeting. Uh, it that public meeting was, I would say, uh, sparsely to moderately attended. Uh there are really only a couple of comments. Um the beach committee did
have uh significant and I think very uh productive uh input to provide on uh the beach management plan. One issue that did come up that um I I hope we are working quickly to try to resolve is
that the consultants preparing the beach management plan had view only access for our drone data. Um and we're not able to generate beach profiles from that. Um it seems like it's a software access issue. Um, and it it seems like it would be a
real shame to have three years of drone data and not have that actually contributing to the beach management plan because of a a software access issue. But, >> um, but other than that, uh, it seemed, uh, like the the process is moving well and and we should have an updated beach
management plan uh, in the near future. >> Anything else? >> Slow week. >> Slow week. Slow few weeks. Only update I had was we had uh a showing at the state house uh that our office showed uh Senator Fett's office uh as with Karen
Alcott, a resident in Woods Hole on the Sea of Shining Sea screening. It was a movie on Kath Lee Bates and really talked about her connections to Felmouth. Uh it was well we had a great panel discussion as well um with some uh Stephen Kzer who's a veterans affairs correspondent and Melinda Ponder who's a
professor at Welssley and it was really well attended and talked about uh Kath Lee Bates and her connections to thmouth. So that was a pretty cool event. >> The museum had aired that like six months ago. So it is a really good good film. >> Yeah. >> I just will report what I mentioned
briefly today during the meeting with the county commissioners. I did receive a email from one of the uh property owners, a representative at one of the uh New Bedford terminal sites and they're reaching out to see what's the
lay of the land here for the they'd heard about Felmouth trying to advocate for a new Bedford freight service and they were skeing up for the wind turbine development and now they're looking for other options. So, going to reignite that conversation and see where it goes.
I I offered to meet initially and give the my perspective as a person who's been involved with it and then see if they want to take the conversation further with the town manager. >> Have you had any outreach to Mr. Krisa since he was appointed? >> Yes, I actually have a meeting with him tomorrow actually. Okay.
>> We have coffee tomorrow. >> Very good. >> Great. >> The only item that I agree with Doug on his item that he mentioned in the in our strategic planning meeting. If we could get that one pretty soon on the water um >> water usage >> water usage one. Sorry, it's 11 p.m. Uh
if we could get that one, I think would be good. Um >> I think it's only a matter of time before it's not going to be sustainable the amount of water that we're pulling out a long pond. >> We're up against the limits sometimes and with what seems to be recurring droughts. >> And I think it's important to have that
discussion before the summer season. >> Yeah. Um, and then I've gotten an update on my everything else I've requested, I think. So, >> just so we understand, Jack, you're you're not going to be at which meeting this month?
>> Calendar. I will be in Taiwan on >> February 23rd. >> Okay. And you're not going to be here February 9th? Yes, I am getting new suits. So, maybe I'll finally wear a suit.
>> Oh, sure. >> What about a haircut? >> So, it was better when I first got it. I I'll show you what it looked like when I first got it. I have a haircut on the 16th. >> It was cut once. >> Which one did you cut?
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