fctv.org/watchb. Felmouth Select Board Chair Bob Mscali and town manager Mike Renshaw are recapping Select Board Meetings on FCTV's newest series, Select Board Report. Watch new episodes of Select
Board Report Thursdays live at 5 at fctv.org or on YouTube. Have a question about what happened at the last select board meeting? Ask our host by visiting fctv.orgwatchb. Felmouth select board chair Bob Mscali
and town manager Mike Renshaw are recapping Select Board meetings on FCTV's newest series, Select Board Report. Watch new episodes of Select Board Report Thursdays live at 5 at fctv.org
or on YouTube. Have a question about what happened at the last Select Board meeting? Ask our hosts by visiting fctv.org/watchb. Felmouth Select Board Chair Bob Mscali and town manager Mike Renshaw are recapping Select Board Meetings on
FCTV's newest series, Select Board Report. Watch new episodes of Select Board Report Thursdays live at 5 at fctv.org or on YouTube. Have a question about what happened at the last Select Board
meeting? Ask our host by visiting fctv.org/watch/ org/watchb select board chair Bob Mscali and town manager Mike Renshaw are recapping select board meetings on FCTV's newest series select board report. Watch new
episodes of Select Board Report Thursdays live at 5 at fctv.org or on YouTube. Have a question about what happened at the last Select Board meeting? Ask our host by visiting fctv.org/watchb.
Carlson printing 5085487303 Three. Our email address is carlsonprinting@gmail.com. Carlson printing for all your printing needs. Hosting services for fct.org are provided by Megaet Communications.
Megaet offers a wide array of internet services including mega backup cloud service collocation T1 fiber metro Ethernet as well as telephone services such as hosted PBX and digital voice. 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. John's Liquor Store 729 Main Street Falmouth 508548-2287 What happened?
6. It is 6 p.m. Do I have a motion uh to u go into executive session under MGL chapter 30A section 21A3 to discuss strategy with respect to litigation? >> So moved. >> Second.
>> Okay, we have a motion and second. All in favor by roll call. MCAY I >> Brown I >> Goldstone I >> Reed I Richardson I >> Okay, thank you. We will be going to executive session returning on or about 6:30. Thank you.
Felmouth Select Board Chair Bob Mscali and town manager Mike Renshaw are recapping select board meetings on FCTV's newest a series Select Board Report. Watch new episodes of Select Board Report Thursdays live at 5 at
fctv.org or on YouTube. Have a question about what happened at the last select board meeting? Ask our host by visiting fctv.org/watchbr. are recapping Select Board Meetings on FCTV's newest series, Select Board
Report. Watch new episodes of Select Board Report Thursdays live at 5 at fctv.org or on YouTube. Have a question about what happened at the last select board meeting? Ask our hosts by visiting
fctv.org/watchb. org/watchpr. Sorry. Felmouth Select Board Chair Bob Mscali and town manager Mike Renshaw are recapping Select Board meetings on FCTV's newest series, Select Board
Report. Watch new episodes of Select Board Report Thursdays live at 5 at fctv.org or on YouTube. Have a question about what happened at the last Select Board meeting? Ask our host by visiting
fctv.org/watchb. Okay, good evening. Uh, the, uh, board has returned from executive session and I will now call to order the open session of the town of Falma Select Board, Monday, March 23rd, 2026. Please
join me in the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge algiance 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.
>> Thank you. Uh at this point I just would like to remember remind everyone to silence your cell phones and notify the chair if you are making a video or audio recording of this open session meeting. The placement and operation of the recording equipment should not interfere
with the conduct of this meeting. Uh and I'm going to turn to uh member Richardson for a proclamation. Uh whereas the town of Falmouth benefits from the graceful canopy of tree limbs that shade us from the blazing summer
sun, purify our air of contaminants, provide a peaceful resppite from the ordinary world, and general generally beautify our community. And whereas the town has been recognized by a national program and is known far and wide as a tree city. And whereas the Falmouth tree
warden and Falmouth public schools recognize the aesthetic value of the beautiful trees of Fmouth by organizing a day to celebrate the purity and strength exemplified by a statuesque tree and all living green things and thereby honor the trees of Felmouth by
sharing thoughts and teaching more about the value of our trees. And now therefore we Robert P. Mscali, Heather MH Goldstone, Douglas C. Brown, Colin W. Reed and Jack P. Richardson as the select board of the town of Felmouth do
hereby proclaim Friday April 24th 2026 as Arbor Day in Felmouth and witness whereof we have here unto set our hands in a cause the great seal of the town of Fmouth to be affixed this day Monday March 23rd 2026 >> go ahead
>> good evening Jeremiah Pearson park superintendent and tree warden so this year's Arbor Day event will be held at historic Highfield Hall. Um it should be a great day. We're going to hoping to get a lot of um tree and landscape volunteers and do a lot of much needed maintenance and uh I welcome all you all
of you to attend. >> What's the date and time? >> It's going to start around 9:00 on the 24th of April. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Jeremiah. >> Okay. Uh moving on to recognition. There any recognition? >> Do we need to vote that? >> Um no.
>> Okay. >> Any recognition? No. >> Okay. Uh, announcements. Uh, the first announcement I'm going to make is, uh, that I apologize that the agenda is as lengthy as it is. Uh, we're not going to be meeting as a board like this, uh,
until after town meeting, which is April 13th. So, or town meeting is April 6th. Our next select board meeting would be April 13th. So, uh, we needed to put a lot of items on the agenda so that we could deal with them in enough time.
Uh second is that with respect to item 7E which is uh the ICE statement correspondence and policy statement uh we will not be taking public comment this evening. Uh the board will review it discuss it uh but we're not going to
have public comment on that this evening. We will have public comment at a future meeting. >> Are we going to defer that item to uh review the edit? Well, we'll talk about the edits tonight, but I just wanted if anyone
wanted to go home because we're not going to allow public comment. I wanted to give them that opportunity. Uh, and now I have the following statement. The members of the select board have reviewed the final groundwater discharge permit issued to Fouthmouth Southerntherly LLC to operate a
wastewater treatment facility at 375 Sandwich Road and have decided that it is not in the best interest of the town to pursue an appeal. The final permit takes into considerations the comments from the town and incorporates provisions requested by Amy Lel, our
water waste water superintendent. The final permit is consistent with the terms and conditions of the settlement that was negotiated by the Falmouth zoning board of appeals resulting in the modified comprehensive permit for the 40B development.
We have come to this decision in light of the challenges that the town faces both financially and environmentally in seeking to ensure the continued viability of Great Pond. The town is under a legal mandate to systematically denitrify its waterways and embements,
meaning the regulatory standards set out by D to protect the town's natural resources will be a monumental undertaking, one that the town takes seriously. Against this backdrop, the town is also committed to creating affordable housing
and is often constrained by the provisions of chapter 40b in trying to achieve this goal. Here, the zoning board of appeals worked within these significant constraints to forge a sens a sensible agreement that allows for the creation of affordable housing while
still making every effort to reduce the impact that this project will have on the great pond watershed. This issue has highlighted that chapter 40B continues to place ownorous restrictions on the town and other communities across the
Commonwealth, and we encourage our state delegation to take steps to make sensible changes to the law. We hear the concerns of the community, especially the the dissatisfaction with the allowable nitrogen loads in the final permit. However, the limits imposed by
the DP conform to the state's regulations as well as to the provisions of the modified comprehensive permit. At no point will the town cease its ongoing efforts to protect the town's waterways, abatements, and the drinking water
supply. Okay. I will now turn to Mr. Wrench for the town manager report. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. do have uh three items I'd like to uh to discuss with the board and the community. The first one I'm I'm super excited about. I want to
uh introduce our our police chief Jeff Lori. Uh Chief Lori is and his command staff have worked tirelessly for at least a year, maybe longer than that, to develop a canine program. Uh we currently have uh two uh relatively new canines and and their handlers. And Jeff
is here to introduce those uh handlers and their dogs. >> So I I wanted to explain the program to you a little bit. So, after a 25-y year hiatus, uh we've brought the K9 program uh back uh to Falmouth. Um if you looked at the news today, the Enterprise or our
social media page, uh we've been all working since 3:00 this morning. Uh we uh had an investigation. We served a search warrant. Uh we uncovered 150 grams of fentanyl. Um an arrest was made. Um and canines were a part of that
operation. So, we're really proud of the fact. Thank you. That this program is going to make the community safer. So, I'm going to introduce two dogs to you today. I'm going to start with our uh explosive dog, Officer Devito and Ranatada. Um
Ranada is the second explosive dog we had. The first one, Harry, was very lazy, so he went back. Ranata is not. I can assure you there are no explosives in this building tonight. Um, so, um, Ranada is going to be working all our special events in our schools, in our
businesses, in our buildings, making sure we keep FA safer. This isn't just for Falmouth. This is going to be a regional project. Uh, I've approved him to go assist Boston PD at the Boston Marathon this year. So, they've been assisting us every year, and now we can go and we can assist other people. So,
this is a regional asset, and we're able to do this tonight. I'm asking the board to accept some donations. We were able to do this outside the budget. So, um, you're going to see us. We're creating a 501c foundation to raise funds to keep this program going, uh, because we want to add a couple of dogs. And I'm going
to explain that in a minute. Officer Devin Lawler, could you come forward? Keo. Keo is a narcotics narcotics detection dog, but he's also uh dual purpose. He can find he does article searches to find evidence and lost items. And he can
also do friendly finds. What friendly finds means if a person has dementia or they're on the spectrum, he will track you and he will find you uh bring you to safety. The issue is when he finds you, he's going to lick you into submission. So So he he's basically um like I said,
a floppy ear dog. I say that because they're almost like comfort dogs when they calm down a little bit. Um if I could just have Officer Low, Shawn Low, please come forward. Officer Shawn Low is going to be added to the program. So those bad guys, those
suspects that have to be tracked, he's going to have a patrol dog and that's a point of air dog. And that dog will also, we believe, is going to um seek out um guns, finding people, article searches, um as as well as you know
these two dogs. The the fourth dog we're bringing in, Officer Mask, if you could come forward. The fourth dog that we're bringing in is a comfort dog. And this is a dog that'll be on patrol whether it be at an accident scene or something happens in a school or something happens in town where this dog will be available
to the public uh while she's on patrol in. She's our our team leader for our community engagement team and you'll see this dog at all our major events. Again, we'd like this dog to also have a dual purpose. We haven't quite decided what that's going to be yet. Um it could be
uh friendly finds, article searches. It could be they detect uh thumb drives and cameras and pornography cases and different things like that. So, those are the two other dogs that we're trying to raise funding for tonight. There's some gifts acceptance. We're hoping the board accepts that tonight uh so we can
keep going. Um and some very generous people out there um with our vet bills. I'll be putting some some posts out on that soon. Uh he passed a certification today. He's got >> practice. He's got one more certification to pass and he'll be on the road uh this spring into the summer.
So, you'll be seeing these dogs keeping our lovely community safer uh on a daily daily basis. So, I want to thank the board for your support um you know and and thank past board members uh for really making you know this a mandate for our department. So, thank you very
much. >> Thank you, Chief. And that donation item is on our consent agenda. Uh Mr. Renshaw. >> Thank you, Chief. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh so less exciting uh but important. I want to share with the board. If you all recall uh last meeting, March 9th, I gave an update in
regards to Wintertorm Hernando and some of the impacts and the submitt to uh the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency of our uh preliminary damage assessment. that included a category called uh snow removal, uh debris removal, trees, obviously emergency
protective measures. There were probably seven or eight different categories. I learned late last week, unfortunately, and this is the what I want to report to the board, that um about $400,000 of the 797,000 in costs were under the category
of snow removal. That falls under the FEMA, Federal Emergency Management Agency category of snow assistance. Um, if you all recall, I talked briefly about the thresholds of uh number one for uh for the for the Cape for Barnes County, we had to have a cost, total
cost combined, all municipalities of at least $1.2 million. We far surpassed that. Obviously, Felmouth had 700 almost $800,000. Um unfortunately the second threshold that second trigger um that FEMA requires is that the total snow
accumulations as reported by the National Weather Service which our our National Weather Service I believe is out of Norton. Um we just found out late last week that we fell short of the historic or near historic snowfall accumulation amounts uh by 610 of an
inch. So 0.6 in. Um I say it's preliminary. Um, that's the indications that we're getting. I'm still trying to gather some additional information. Um, it it's it's a standard that they use. I'm still a little bit trying to get more information as to how
obviously um the uh the closer to the bridge Felmouth and Bourne were hit significantly harder than the folks um further further uh down Cape um in terms of snow accumulations, but what I'm being told >> preliminarily is that they they take an average of the entire Cape to arrive at that that uh that historic or near
historic amount. So anyway, um with that being said, we're also uh the departments, particularly the uh Department of Public Works is uh updating the numbers that we submitted a couple of weeks ago were preliminary. DPW is submitting some uh some revised costs based on new information coming
in, uh for fuel costs that we incurred as a result of the uh the events, as well as some additional debris uh tree removal and chipping cost. So, we're not going to offset entirely that $400,000 that we're not going to be reimbursed for snow assistance, but we'll we'll get some of that back. Um, and lastly, I
wanted to report, we just found this out today. Uh, town clerk Michael Palmer's office reported that um, as you all know, town meeting is April 6th. Uh, the precincts are, uh, beginning to meet this week, are scheduled, a couple of them were scheduled to meet this Wednesday night and Thursday evening. Um
the uh warrant booklets uh were uh mailed out uh last week Thursday. Um typically, as I understand it, the the uh the booklets, all of them are assorted by zip code and delivered to the local post office branches. Um unfortunately, in this case, they went
to the they were all sent out in mass in in one box and they made their way to Providence, Rhode Island. So that's slowing down delivery. Um so unfortunately, it's looking like some of the precincts are going to have to reschedule. Um I know we sent out that uh about a week and a half ago. the uh the advanced kind of itinerary or
schedule of precinct meetings that could change particularly for this week the the the three that were scheduled for this week. >> And that's all I have, Mr. Chair. >> Thank you, Mr. Rur. Okay, we're going to Yes, Mr. Brown. >> I just noticed today I learned today that the uh Horn Bridge will be closed,
one lane of traffic will be closed on Thursday from 9 to 5 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Just a one day maintenance repair. So, if you're traveling over the bridge on Thursday, might want to give a little extra time. >> Well, following along with that thought,
I'm sure everyone's seen the u the signs that have been posted with respect to the uh construction that's going to be on uh on Route 28 starting April 1st. And you should certainly consider alternate routes starting April 1st. Yes, Mr. Brown.
>> I'd just like to thank Mr. Wshaw and Mr. McConny for opening the leaf dump for brush for the uh residents. I appreciate that. That was very helpful. I think it was wellreceived. A lot of folks were down there taking advantage of it. >> Glad to see a lot of folks using it. >> Okay, we're going to move to public
comment. Now, public comment may be made on routine matters not on the agenda this evening. Comments are limited to two minutes. Please introduce yourself. Since the matter has not been included on the agenda, the select board may not participate in the discussion of the topic. Is there anyone here who would
like to speak to public comment? Okay. If not, we're going to move to the consent agenda. Uh, and I will say that because of such a lengthy agenda, uh, we're going to be very close to the times that are listed on the agenda, uh,
we're going to possibly need to, uh, restrict public comment on various matters going forward. And, uh, Dr. Goldstone here will be keeping keeping time. So, uh, starting with number one, consider a vote to approve an
application by the Fresh Pond Holy Ghost Society for three special oneday wine and malt beverages licenses for the 126th annual Portuguese Festival to be held at 408 Carriage Shop Road East
Fmouth on Sunday, May 24th from noon to 700 p.m. The weekend of Saturday, June 27th from 400 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Sunday, June 28th from noon to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, August 15th from 2:00 p.m. to
10:00 p.m. 2026. Number two, consider the application by West Falmouth Library located at 575 West Falmouth Highway for a special 1-day wine and malt beverages license for a spring wine tasting on April 15,
2026 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for 45 guests. I guess that's for tax day. help people along with the with their spring wine tasting. Number three, consider a vote to approve an application by historic Highfield, Inc. located at 56 Highfield Drive, Balmouth, for three
special one-day wine and malt beverages licenses for Falmouth jazz concerts on Sunday, May 17, 2026, Sunday, June 7th, 2026, and Sunday, July 12th, 2026. all events from 4 pm to 6 pm.
Number four, discuss and consider a vote to approve the application for a secondhand dealer license by Coast Gold Works LLC 261C Main Street, Felmouth. Number five, discuss and consider a vote to approve the application for a secondhand dealer
license by the Gilded Oyster, Inc., 155 Main Street, Felmouth. Number six, consider a vote, and these are lumped together. Consider a vote to approve applications for renewal of seasonal licenses pending issuance of 2026 food service establishment permits and
certificates of inspection. Seasonal all alcoholic beverages restaurant license, common victual license, entertainment license, and Sunday entertainment license, Landfall Inc., DBA Landfall Restaurant 9 Luskam Avenue seasonal all
alcoholic beverages restaurant license. Common victual license, entertainment license, Sunday entertainment license, and pool table license, Falmouth Pier 37 Boat House LLC, DBA Pier 3788 Scranton
Avenue. Seasonal all alcoholic beverages club license, common victual license, entertainment license, and Sunday entertainment license, Se Coast Shores Association, Inc., 7 Fairview Lane. That's going to be held. Number seven,
consider a vote to approve the request by Landfall Restaurant 9 Luskam Avenue for permission to extend its seasonal alcoholic beverages restaurant license to January 2nd, 2027. Administrative Office, Administrative
Orders, excuse me. Consider a vote to approve the petition of NStar Electric Company DBA Eversource Energy for permission to install two new FO-es poles to be labeled 1270/3
and 1270-4 with guide anchor and a new hand hole 127 1270/H4 and conduit in the right of way of standpipe Hill Road. This pole location
is necessary to provide electric service to 27 Standpipe Hill Road in connection with construction of a police radio system. Number two, consider a vote to approve the petition by NStar Electric Company, DBA Eversource Energy, to
remove the existing anchor guy from P323/6 and install a new 36in sidewalk anchor guy in the right of way of Robinson Road. This work is necessary to provide
service to 87 Robinson Road. Felmont have >> a question about they like to hold >> you hold number two. Number three, consider a vote to accept a donation of services valued at $20,924 by team Rubicon for the BB Woods fire
mitigation project. Number four, consider a vote to approve a request from the Falmouth Police Department to accept a donation of veterary services from Deerrun Veterary Services for an amount up to $4,63348
and an anonymous donation of $5,000 for the police department's K9 program. And number five, consider a request from the diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging advisory committee to increase its membership to seven members.
>> Motion to approve uh withholding uh item A6 and item B2. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second. All in favor? I >> I >> Okay. With respect to uh uh 6C, seasonal
all alcoholic beverages club license, common victory license, entertainment license, and Sunday entertainment license, C Co Shores Association, Inc. 7 Fairview Lane. Uh we've been asked to allow, you know, some comments. Uh so, uh the person who wanted to make some
comments, please do so, but hold your comments to two minutes, please. Hi, I'm Dick Keller. I I'm a resident of Secos Shores. Been there 20 plus years. Um I'm a member of u on the board of
directors of Fars Friends of Secures and uh we're a nonprofit group trying to do some advocacy work for the neighborhood. There's a few of us here. Uh we're opposed to the renewal of that license. um the license uh over the years that
only 25% of the neighborhood is receiving a benefit of it. They've uh done a play for pay a pay for play scheme that shuts a lot of people out. As you know, Secos Shores is in an environmental justice zone and uh you
know, it's a very diverse neighborhood, but it's reached a point where it's the halves versus the have nots and u people are really feeling slighted. Uh la Halloween, we hosted a uh a trunk or
treat for the kids of the neighborhood. While we were doing that, they had a a function up at the uh clubhouse and uh they during that time they were running uh this clown show and he was
disparaging our group, you know, calling us uh friends of so calling us simpletons. Um that being said, the the exclusion of 75% of the neighborhood from that clubhouse cuz they don't want
to people either can't or don't want to pay thousands of dollars to buy in. And uh couple of thousand dollars a year to go there and drink and play. Uh I think it's an abomination of
trying to be a welcoming community. Um the the deed I the deed in the charter of sec co shores incorporated when that was incorporated their charter prohibited
sec co shores from hold getting a liquor license and that has become part of the deed. So they the they're not supposed to have a liquor license. Um, what we're asking is for you guys to deny the renewal or at the very least put this
off and have a hearing and let the other side express what their thoughts are on it and give us a a good opportunity to really present our case, what's going on with this whole thing. Um, it's Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Okay. The board have any thoughts or comments? I'm going to direct a question to town council. Are there any time requirements with respect to this particular application? >> Yes, it has to be not on um the license has to be acted on
within 30 days or else it's constructively granted >> and 30 days from when >> the receipt of the application. >> Do we know when that was? >> I don't I think it was it might say >> I don't have access to that either, Mr. Chair. Uh there is a note in here March
4th through March 11th. uh the the applications part of this packet were were received between that wind within that window but I don't have the specific date the school >> the matter can be continued if the applicant agrees >> I don't think the applicant is here
>> what could be done >> and then I have a point of clarity can we uh approve the first two uh in the agenda without um >> well I I I think the first two were included in >> already the first voters on consent vote. So, we're only dealing with this
one at this point. >> And do we have I I guess uh not knowing about this issue, we we don't have all of the the documentation and the um restriction that Mr. Keller mentioned with regard to no liquor licenses for
Sea Coast Shores. That wouldn't be a factor in your decision-making. That's a private matter and the decision of the select board would need to be made based on the application itself without regard to private legal issues that might pertain to just the the the deed. It's
not part of your application. >> Mr. Chair, Mr. Chairman, may I address the board? >> Mr. Oan, go ahead. >> Uh, yes. My name is Patrick Brian. I'm here with a bunch of other my wife and a bunch of other people. Um, I would just say is we submitted this document, this level of documentation. We know it's a
lot and we would ask um you to consider this documentation because one thing and I I can say this from a legal thing. Yeah, there's the there's the issue of a liquor license under the law, but the other thing is you got to have a premises that's licensed and it's clear in the record there. And we also know is
that um the funding of this liquor license, there was an attorney, Steven Mclofflin, that basically represented to the board when it was originally granted that these were donations. And you'll see in this package here that the funding source was different.
Um they raised it from investments to investment shares. I do think it goes to the heart of the license. There's a lot of documentation. I think each of you were emailed this these documents. Um it's a lot and we would ask you it's a serious neighborhood matter. Um and there's a lot of people that are in the
environ environmental justice zone that are struggling just to keep their homes. Now, we all talk about affordable housing in Felmouth, but this is an opportunity for you guys to really come down on the issue and we all believe in affordable housing and just for the record, I was chairman of the housing authority. I was sat on that board for
uh for 13 years. I was also uh co-founder of F Housing Corporation and sat on FE housing trust. This is opportunity for you guys to look at what's going on in neighborhoods and what's going on Cape Cod in general. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you for the time.
>> Okay. What does the board think? >> I I would like to delay. Uh I do not for many of the concern that we've heard, many of the concerns across the community and and for a lot of what just said, uh I don't think we should approve this at this time. I think the fact the applicant isn't even here proves that um
that we should should delay this and and give it a proper hearing. >> But I am concerned about the constructive approval that council just mentioned. I mean, that is a bit of a of a concern as well. if we hold it over without the applicant being here. Mr.
Brown, >> uh, got a question for town council. If we deny this today without prejudice, can they come back with all the information we need? >> They can. I'm not certain as I sit here
whether there is um a time delay for them to come back. I can't remember. Um, but I can look at that. I can see if I can find the answer for that. If you want to >> You know what? Let's hold this off uh until later in the meeting. We can do
that and uh we'll proceed. But I I'm not sure, but I think I may have missed number seven. Consider a vote to approve the request by Landfall Restaurant line for permission to extend its seasonal all alcoholic beverages restaurant
license to January 2nd, 2027. Did I include that? >> I think you did. >> Okay. All right. So, we're going to hold 6C and then move on to B2. Mr. Brown, >> can we um approve 6 A and B or do we
need to >> that was part of the that was part of the consent. We were only holding C that particular one. >> So, the question on my other one that I held is when it says a sidewalk anchor, is that going to impede uh pedestrian
traffic in it? I'm sorry for the last minute question, but I honestly overlooked that note in the consent agenda on my first pass. >> So, Mr. Chair, I can uh provide a kind of a preliminary answer to that. Uh Mr. Nick Croft in our engineering office is
responsible for reviewing the uh the site plans associated with these uh poll hearings, conducting the hearing, but also reviewing and signing off on the plans. And in your packet, you'll see that uh Mr. Croft um approved and recommended approval of this. So I I I I I he looks at the entirety of the
application and and the site plan and if there was any type of access issue with regards to these >> uh >> Okay. So we can we can surmise maybe it's an oversized sidewalk and there's enough room. >> Okay. Very good. Thank you. I'll release my old
>> approval of the item. >> Okay. So we have a motion for approval of B2. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Okay. I have a motion and a second with respect to B2. All in favor? >> I I >> Okay. So, we'll uh we'll wait for
councel to give us some more information on the C coores matter and move to committee interviews. >> Will we to clarify for the folks that are waiting? Will we be going back to that at this meeting >> or will No, I think we want to try and
get a little more information >> at another meeting. >> At this >> at this meeting so we have a better idea of what we what we can do at a subsequent meeting. >> Great. Okay. >> Have to hold on, I guess. >> Okay. Interview and consider a vote to appoint committee member commission on
substance use. Aubrey Wilsy. >> Aubrey, are you here? >> I am. >> Okay. Step up, introduce yourself, and tell us why you'd like to be on the substance use commission. >> How you doing? My name is Aubrey Wily.
Um, I'm also a program director of the Falmouth Recovery Center and I work for organization called the Heron Project as a recovery coach. Someone came up to me and told me about the substance use commission looking for another board member on the committee and I thought I'd be a great fit for it as I'm very
active in the community and when it comes to recovery, right? And um there's a lot of people that are in recovery and found not a lot of people that have an understanding of the continuum of care, right? How do we work together as a community so we can work on prevention and education within the community? And
I feel I bring that to the table of the substance use commission with all the resources that we have at the Falmouth Recovery Center. I've been able to build that place up over the past two years to have a connection with almost everyone that has anything to do with treatment here on Cape Cod. We have great working
relationships with everybody and I can bring a lot of that to the table on the family substance use commission. Thank you, Mr. Chair. >> Okay. Yes, Mr. Richardson. >> Yeah. Um, good to see you again. It was great to visit uh back in the fall with Representative Moley uh the recovery
center. Uh if you could just talk about because it's really a fantastic thing and and that you guys have. You just talk about that more for the community. Uh cuz I think it's a really great resource and you know we can always do more to highlight what we're doing. >> So the Famouth Recovery Center is a safe place in the community for people in
recovery and seeking recovery. There's a little difference about our organization than any other place here on Cape Cod where the easiest way for me to explain is if you think of a pyramid and the CEO is at the top and then there's the director and then there's the staff and then they call their clients are on the
bottom of the pyramid. Our pyramid's flipped upside down where we work with peer-to-peer support participation where our members are at the top of our pyramid. Then it goes down to our advisory board and then it goes down the community and then me as the director last. So what that means is everything
that happens within our recovery center, we give people in recovery a chance to have a voice at our recovery center and run the recovery center. So they can come in there with 10 days clean, ask to be a volunteer and they can start working the front desk. They can start greeting people at the door, showing people the recovery center. It gives
them a sense of belonging right away in their own community. One thing I'm a huge advocate for is that we can recover in our own community. Right. A lot of people get sent away to treatment in California, Florida, all different places, but we have recovery right here in Fmouth. And
>> I'm sorry, but thank you. I mean, you know, we're dealing with you on the Commission on Substance Abuse. >> I I asked him to be, Mr. Chair. >> And I just uh just want to kind of move it along. >> Sure. Uh, is there anything else you'd like to add with respect to appointing you to this commission? >> That's that's all I got.
>> Okay. >> Motion motion to approve uh Arby Willsy to a chair uh to a term ending uh 6:30 20 uh 26. >> Second. >> Okay. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? N >> hearing none. All in favor?
>> Thanks for stepping up. Appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, moving on. Interview and consider a vote to appoint committee members to the diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging advisory committee. And as you remember, we previously uh during the consent agenda increased the membership.
So, uh first is Ocean Eversley. Ocean's not here. >> Um she is, but >> okay. uh she has a bit of a upset and uh she left me her um statement. She wanted to
re be read into the record. I don't know how you want to handle this. >> If u you know go right ahead if she's asked you to sign uh to to speak introduce yourself. >> All right. I'm Alice Cochima. I'm the current chair of the Felmouth Cultural Council. Ocean Eversley is a member of
the Felmouth Cultural Council and she functions as our diversity, equity, and inclusion coordinator. She is a retired social worker of African-American and Native American descent. She brings a deep understanding of the challenges and
strengths within diverse communities informed by years of professional service, volunteering, and business management. Her experience includes working directly with underserved populations such as veterans, marginalized school children, people
with disabilities, the homeless, the LGBTQ, and BIPO communities, advocating for equitable access to resources. Uh she was also a business owner on Marthur's Vineyard and in Falmouth.
In addition, she um has lived at the intersection of multiple identities um primarily both the her African-American and Native American descent. Um these experiences are not theoretical to me.
They are deeply personal to her, deeply personal and have strengthened her ability to listen, lead, and advocate with both empathy and effectiveness. I can certainly attest to that. She has been um really on the forefront of
helping the cultural council reach out to diverse communities. She's been active on the Junth committee and most recently um moderated event at the West Felmouth Library celebrating civil rights icons. Um she's really an asset.
>> Thank you. Uh does anyone have any questions of Miss Cassamba? Do we do we happen to know uh if she would be uh interested in the 26, 27, or 28? >> Thank you. >> term. >> Um
>> she's not here, so she gets the big one. >> I I'm channeling her. I would say let's start with 26 and then go from there. That way she'll be at the >> We have a motion. Uh Mr. Reid, >> I'll make the motion. Yes. to appoint Ocean Eversly to the diversity, equity,
inclusion, and belonging advisory committee for a term ending June 30th, 2026. Second. >> Okay, we have a motion to second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor? >> I I Okay,
next up, Diana Manchester Barrett. >> You're appointed. >> Got appointed. Okay. >> Hi. I didn't come prepared with something in particular, but um I have been uh I've been working in DEI in the
the profession of DEI for the last 15 years. I was the director of diversity, equity, inclusion at an elementary school in Welsley for six years. I've worked at an organization called diversity directions which has gone around and reviewed um different
diversity situations. Um I'm a social worker. I'm very very deeply committed to the work of DEIB. I um think it's really important for all of us to understand and recognize um all of our different identities and um I hope that
you'll give me the opportunity to work with the town. Also, I've been um I've been renting here for 28 years and then have bought a home three years ago. So, I'm sort of new to Felmouth, but sort of not new to Felmouth. >> Excellent. Thank you very much. Um which
term would you like. >> I I'll do whatever is best. >> Okay. Well, we're going to go for 2028 then, I think. Right. >> With this resume. Yeah. >> Okay. Uh, I'll make a motion to appoint Diane Manchester Barrett to the DEIB
advisory committee for a term ending June 2028. >> Second. >> Okay, we have a motion in a second. All in favor? >> I. >> Okay. >> Congratulations. >> All right. Now, I'm going to turn to Mr. Wrenchaw to give us a little background
with respect to the Lawrence school building committee and uh what our role as the found select board is with respect to that committee. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh as you all recall at our last meeting, uh the board appointed a few members to the Lawrence
School Building Committee. Uh state regulation CMR 963, I believe it is. um uh basically uh uh authorizes the select board to be the final appointing authority uh for the creation of members
on the school building committee. Um in your packets is some information in regards to uh to various categories um that uh that the select board um may may uh appoint uh folks to this committee. Uh tonight for the purpose of
these interviews um there were seven applications that were submitted uh to serve uh to be considered for service on the community members with architectural construction uh engineering background or um uh knowledge and expertise and
experience in in in uh school operations. Um and uh I believe each of the seven candidates brings unique skill sets to the table, if you will. um and uh certainly checks most if not all of those boxes. Um I wanted to mention to
the select board that um I do uh uh myself and chairman Mscali have a meeting scheduled with school superintendent Dr. Lori Der tomorrow and I think this is relevant and appropriate that I mention this because it's been my recommendation that we try to um
that the select board um appoints kind of a manageable number to serve on this committee. I've seen it's been my experience over 30 years that often times committees with all good intent um you know 25 or plus members are appointed to serve on a committee and sometimes that's difficult to manage.
Sometimes people get kind of lost in that uh in that shuffle so to speak when the numbers are so large. Uh so it's been my recommendation from the beginning uh when when we first discuss the issue to try to limit the number u to a more manageable number and I consider that to be you know no more no
more than 13 members. Um and I say this because at the last meeting select board um appointed four members. Later on in today's uh tonight's business agenda, you will be considering the appointment of four additional members to bring the total to eight. Um so I just mentioned
that as a reference point. Um again I I wanted to also mention that this state regulation and I did confer with town council on this is silent as to the total number. There is no maximum number. So there's a lot of flexibility to add uh multiple members.
>> Okay. Well, thank you, m Miss Mr. Winter. But what I'm going to recommend is that we conduct the interviews and not make a decision with respect to appointment until we can you know reconvene and decide on the appropriate
number and then we can uh you know appoint uh you know people who have uh uh who have interviewed. So, um, the first interview is Stacy Jason. Jason, is that correct? >> Jason. >> Jason. Okay,
>> Mr. Chair, while she approaches, do you mean at a later date or later tonight? >> Uh, at a later date. >> Okay. Thank you. >> So, I haven't So, Mr. Renuer and I have an opportunity to speak to the superintendent, hear what she has to say with respect to how she thinks the
committee uh may may best serve and then we can make a decision as to how many members we want to appoint. Okay. Hello. >> Hi. >> Introduce yourself. I'm going to ask interviewees to, you know, hold to two minutes. Uh add whatever you'd like to
from your resume and just tell us why you'd like to be on the committee. >> Sure. I'm Stacy Jason. I uh began my career as a science teacher, moved into special education and for the last 20 years um am a school designer. So I work
nationally with schools um really bridging programmatic design with facility design um working through stakeholder engagement uh collaborative decision making balancing that with fiscal constraints. Um, I currently
teach at Harvard Graduate School of Education, uh, learning environment design. I teach community practice at Boston Architectural College and I lead learning environments for the future, um, in coordination with Project Zero.
Um, I moved here about 10 years ago, really, um, you know, had the privilege to raise my children here. I had one daughter who went through Lawrence, a second son who's currently there, and um
am just very, you know, grateful of the opportunity to be part of what could be an incredible transformation, not just for of course our students, but teachers, families, and the entire community. Um especially because of where it is focused um in the you know,
it's site right in town. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Do anybody have any questions? >> I I >> Yeah, Mr. Mor, >> when you refer to uh school design, are you talking programmatic design or building design? >> Yeah, both. So, I actually have a master
of science in landscape and architecture um and so with that, I originally before I moved here had a firm that was working in master planning um in schools. And then really like the tension that I saw was
you can design the most incredible beautiful school, right? You can design, you know, with incredible amounts of money and capacity, but it isn't until that programmatic design, right? like at Lawrence, project- based learning, team-
based learning is integrated with design that you really have something that can be um you know, sustained and uh you know embedded and mirrored what the teachers and administration and students see as best.
>> All right. Thank you. >> Yeah, >> thank you. Anyone else? I'll just say that I I think especially to constrain the size of this um committee, committee members are going to need to wear multiple hats and we've already addressed that with some of the appointments we've made and the
combination of um both the uh formally designated uh competencies in building construction and also school operations and also bringing a parental um lens to this I think is is a pretty amazing
combination. of of things for one person to be able to bring to the committee. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay. Uh Thornton Lewis. Okay. Uh thank you. Um I have been a resident of Felmouth for about six years now. Um
I uh have a daughter who is a teacher at Lawrence. Son-in-law is also a teacher there. and I have two grandchildren who are working their way through the uh Felmouth school system now in second and fifth grades. Um I spend about 10 to 15
hours a week on a typical week uh tutoring at Lawrence tutoring math. So I'm there on a regular basis. I've seen the the uh strengths and the challenges of the current facility there. I'm familiar with the uh counseling staff,
the administration, and um have uh some on the ground experience uh with what the uh this school is is uh like now and perhaps how it could be improved in the future. I also have about uh just short of 50 years of experience in um uh
planning, design, and construction. uh started out in residential then went on to um in industrial and uh commercial uh design and construction and um have uh
also along the way spent uh some years on a board of education in New Jersey. So I have also that angle on the types of things that get involved in uh this type of project. So >> thank you. >> Any questions? >> Any questions? Anyone here? No, I think
that's a pretty pretty thorough explanation. >> Yep. Thank you very much. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Next is Michael Barrett. >> Thank you. Yeah, my name is Michael Barrett. I'm a fairly new resident full-time here in Balmouth, although I
owned a home here for 34 years. So, I've been part of the community for a long time. My kids didn't go to school here, but they grew up as lifeguards on the beaches and so on and so forth. My professional career was largely in financial management with with a strong
streak of construction and in real estate for the Stop and Shop Supermarket Company. Um, but budgeting, financial analysis. Uh, I've also got a lot of experience in program management, change management, running largecale projects
for the company over the years. just wanted to get involved in the community. Uh more recently, my my full-time residence was up in Stoton and I was involved in both the Stoen Redevelopment Authority as chair for 5 years and for the last 12 years or so.
I've been on the community preservation committee running through a lot of projects up there and I just wanted to look for the same type of opportunity to give back to the community here in Fland. So, I thought my skill set would fit in on the school building committee. I I've watched from the side, I guess,
that we've done two projects up in Stoton. We did new high school a few years back and they recently just approved a new elementary school. So, I saw some of the issues that went through that committee and some of the things that happened in the community and I just thought that experience I'd like to
get a little bit more involved and and help the town get through this one. So, that's it. >> Okay. Thank you. Questions? >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> I think that's clear. Thank you >> very much. Thank you. Okay. Number four, Nancy Robbins Taylor.
>> Good evening. >> Good evening. >> I'm Dr. Nancy Taylor and I would like to be appointed to the Lawrence School building committee. I just recently served on the building needs task force which put forward and voted for this renovation for the Lawrence School. And
my history is I spent um a good part of my career at the Lawrence School um as a guidance counselor and I'm very well aware of both the building needs and the program programmatic needs. Um I also served as the principal of the Lawrence
School and also uh ended my career as the superintendent of schools. I think one of the pieces facing um public education today and particularly on the Cape is the community's understanding that numbers are drastically declining
here in Felmouth, not only just in Falmouth but across the Cape and certainly statewide. However, um if you look at the Lawrence School and you look at their programmatic needs and you look at their special education needs and you look at their needs for prevocational training, um you can't equate
programming with the numbers. So, I think that my background um at the Lawrence School, but also as the principal and as the director of student services, which encompasses special education, would give me a really um
unique view on what is needed in this renovation, particularly around the needs of programming and special education program services. So, I'm hoping that you would um consider my application. >> Okay. Thank you very much. >> Questions?
I don't think so. I got I got a good one for you. You mentioned the the needs. >> Um are you saying that in needs versus uh desires? >> Two different categories. Yeah. When I talk about needs, I talk about special education and student needs. So, in
order to fulfill student needs, you have to build programs. And programs need space. I'll just give you an example. Right now, they have the the learning center at at the Lawrence School. The learning center serves students on the autism spectrum. It also serves students
with intellectual impairments. And so you look at that and you say, "Well, the numbers are kind of low." These programs need space. They need space for academics. They need space for sensory needs. They need space for occupational therapists. So, I'm thinking needs. I'm
not really thinking desire. Um, and I'm also thinking about being responsible with taxpayer money. And I think that's another part that's that's difficult when it comes to education. But my particular focus would be on programmatic
needs for serving students in specialized populations. >> Okay. >> All right. Any any other questions? No. >> No. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Benjamin Benjamin Zamore. You're
>> welcome. Good evening. My name is Benjamin Zamar. Um, and I'm a Felmouth resident, soon to be Fmouth parent and I've got a background in architecture and buildings. I started out in um, school building facilities maintenance actually
right out of college and did that for a couple years. I've also worked as a teacher in a early 20th century building and experienced many of the issues that come with taking space in something that maybe wasn't meant for today. And um
I also gained an architectural education along the way. So I'm comfortable reading plans and drawings and if appointed I'd like to help the town get the best building we can get. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Any questions? >> Oh, a lot of good candidates. >> Okay. Yeah. Amazing group. Okay. Thank
you, Mr. Zamore. >> Uh Skip Dandini. Hi, my name is Skip Bandini. I've been the director of facilities and capital projects for 28 plus years. I was lucky enough to get one of the jobs lines like 27 years old. Um, I've been involved
with building nine elementary schools, two middle schools, three middle schools, excuse me. Um, I've been through the whole process. I've done so SOIS. I understand chapter uh 149 like the back of my hand. Uh,
I've been I don't really I don't I want to sit up here and go over everything I've gone over, but you know I think I've built 14 school buildings since in my career. So I think I'd be uh I've been on I don't know 13 building committees. I think it'd be an asset to
the town. I've lived here since 2019. Love the place. Just want to try to give back and volunteer my services. So if you'd like to have me, be glad to do it. If you have any questions, let me know. >> Thank you. >> Thank you for stepping up. That's quite a resume you got there. Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> I'm actually Yes, Dr. >> I'm I'm curious with the number of different um school building processes that you've been involved in, how you've seen um both this challenge of declining enrollment and increasing needs kind of come through in those buildings and
whether you you've seen those the results change dramatically as a result. back when we were building buildings, they're always thinking about, you know, uh, enlarge enrollment because sometimes when you build a building, they're taking down another school, you know, they so they structurally build it for,
uh, uh, you know, a second story, a third third story on the building. So, uh, when you're talking about declining enrollment, I think you want to build a building in case it changes around in the future.
Uh, and I think the MSBA also has square footages related to certain programs and um, uh, in certain size based on population. So, I don't know if I answered your question. I apologize.
>> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Last but not least, Michael Duffany. >> Thank you. Uh, good evening. My name is Michael Duffany. I am very interested in being involved in this renovation. Um, I
have sat on several I've sat actually on all of the previous building committees in town, including the Lawrence when it was originally done. Um, and and I know a lot about the bones of the building. I know a lot about the layout of the building. I have a deep appreciation for the history of the building. uh the fact
that it is one of the one of the jewels in the crown of Falmouth and we do everything we can to preserve this building uh to continue to keep it going you know for the students um as we all know this building needs to be a school it can't become something else uh so
it's very important that we put together the right group to do this I've had a lot of experience in building I've been a building contractor now for 43 plus years um I do not have the expertise nor do I pretend to have the expertise about the programs. I'm a good listener. I'm
open-minded and I I listen to what the experts have to say because I am very fact-based. Um I'm not going to be emotionally driven by even though I love this building. It's going to be facts that are going to drive my decisions on that. So um I would appreciate your
support if I believe I can I can add a lot to the committee. Uh I've been here all my whole life. I actually graduated from the Lawrence School back in a couple of years ago. >> So, I appreciate your consideration. >> Thank you. >> Any questions you might have?
>> And you know what? I will tell you, we had seven applicants, all of whom are immensely qualified, uh, and will make our job a little difficult when we try to figure out exactly how many members we're going to want on this committee. But we thank you all for stepping up and
uh once we uh we'll meet again and uh decide what the composite that what the number of members will is is what the board would like to see and then we'll make some appointments based on the uh interviews and applications. So thank you all.
>> Mr. Chair, questions. >> Uh just a form uh process question. when we have that discussion, can we also include um a uh how the how the select board will work with the MSBA to determine the
scope in the budget um and have that kind of discussion because I'm a firm believer of form following function. We're going to put people onto a board without understanding the role, the budgets, where that comes from. And we have a lot potentially going to go onto
our taxpayers shoulder soon. So, this plays along with the police station, the outfall pipe, and the deficits coming up. I think it would be very important for this board to have an understanding of the process. >> Okay. Certainly have that discussion.
Thank you. Anyone else? I just want to say thank you to all our applicants and I would advocate to appoint them all u after that discussion. >> Okay. All right. We're going to move on to our public hearing. I'm going to ask Dr. Goldstone to read the uh the public
notice. Notice is hereby given under chapter 138 of the general laws as amended that Sound View Golf LLC DBA Felmouth Country Club has applied for an all alcoholic beverages restaurant license located at 630 Carriage Shop Road East Felmouth Massachusetts. A
common victual license application has also been submitted. A hearing on the above application will be held in the Old Silver Surf Drive program room, Falmouth Senior Center, 780 Main Street, on Monday, March 23rd, 2026 at approximately 6:45 p.m. Comments may be
sent to select board atfalmouth ma.gov. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Renua. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I included in your packet uh a bit of a background. I'll read this for the community's benefit as well. As you all recall, uh the lease for the golf course was signed back on December 1st of 2025.
The applicant submitted a complete application for the common victual license back on March 4th of this year. A complete application for the all alcoholic beverages restaurant license was also received in good order on March 6th of this year. The floor plan was reviewed and approved by the building
building commissioner on March 4th and the application was sent to the fire department, police department and the health departments for review and all departments indicated they had no objection or issues to the issuance of these licenses. >> Okay. Thank you. The applicant is here. I believe you want to step up,
gentlemen. >> So happy to see the range opened the other day. It was great news. >> It It's been a long winter and we're we're drawing out. Um uh I'd like to introduce introduce myself. My name is Matthew Calvin. I'm the president and owner of Sound View Golf, which is the
NDAA setup uh to lease Felmouth Country Club from the town. For 34 years, I've been an owner and operator of golf clubs around the country. Originally from Boston, the Boston area and West Haritch and uh uh we've operated restaurants
across the country and in the UK. Uh in my old age, I'm settling down and coming back to home. So, I look forward to being part of the community under our 10-year lease. And uh uh this is Matt Burgess, our general manager who's working on site every day who's serve
safe trained and tips trained and you know we know the whole rig and roll with all of our staff and how to properly operate the the food and beverage operation there and especially the alcohol service. So the uh uh we're excited to be in the community and we'll take any questions.
>> Okay. Well, I I for one am so happy that Mr. Burgess stayed on. uh he was a big part of the former operation and we're looking forward to a you know a new operation. Um just wondering um do you have any plans with respect to the snack
bar the area there um going to fix it up a little bit? >> We are and we're limited because we don't have a commercial kitchen with dishwashing facilities. So that limits what we can do. But we are going to set up we're going to in reinvest in the halfway house which is out in the course
but then also at the clubhouse have an outside grill that you can get a hamburger hot dog. It's not just something that's warmed up in a fancy toaster oven. So we want to expand that option in in a way that's something like grab and go uh for the time being.
>> Okay. Any any members have Mr. Reid? >> Yeah. Um appreciate you being here. Sorry, I had to step out quickly. But, uh, you know, a golf course you have, uh, only so many levers that you can do to make ends meet and then turn a profit. Um, you have total number of tea
times, the cost of tea times, and then, um, food and beverage and events. Can you talk about the role of, um, your food and beverage and events going forward as part of your business plan and and what percentage you're at now and where you'd like to go? because
>> uh many of our constituents have uh expressed their worry that the cost of tea times will go through the roof. Um and we're just trying to get a handle on that. >> Sure. Well, we you know, we realize where we are in the marketplace. We've operated clubs every, you know,
everything from high-end exclusive private clubs to what I call value level community clubs. And Fmouth Country Club falls into the middle, probably in the lower half of that spectrum. And we realize we have to be affordable for the for the public, but the public can vote with their feet. If we don't do a great
job with service and course conditions, they can go elsewhere. And they don't have initiation fees or dues that they're tied to. So, we have to do a good job every single day or else we, you know, it's it's not a guaranteed business. And so, especially when mother nature's your partner. So, uh we have to
make it attractive, price it correctly, understand that we serve multiple constituencies. We have the seasonal visitor that comes in for a couple days or a week and then we've got people that are here year round and and we've we've got to make sure we juggle that appropriately. Um food and beverage is a
relatively small component of that facility given the facilities itself. And actually one of the conversations we had during the whole interview process and the bid process was what does the town want out of that facility? Because
in in in one of the discussions went the we've been involved with towns with huge bankrupt facilities and huge restaurants and the issue there is they're taking business away from the taxpaying businesses downtown and you we don't want to be in conflict with that. We're
here we we see it primarily as a golf asset and an open space asset with food and beverage as an amenity to that. So we don't see it as an alle cart restaurant where people are going to come and you know skip quarter deck or something like that and come you know come to our place instead. So we want it
to be a complimentary to golf. So you grab a burger and you get a beer or a soda or something like that. We're actually putting in a fountain. So water's free. So we you know we can't do the the the aluminum bottles are so expensive. We'd rather give away free water than charge three bucks for aluminum bottle. That's like baseball
stadium prices. I I don't want to do that. Um, so we view it as a as a incorary benefit to the golf side that we're in the golf business first. We're not in the food and beverage business. Even though I do that significantly much more elsewhere, we we have to understand what we are and what we're not. And so
it's it's it's uh you know, they're there for golf first and then we want we want to have the best burger we can, but with our facilities, we're limited. Thank you. Okay. >> Anyone else? Uh, anyone in the audience like to speak to the application?
>> If we could get a dog that searches for lost golf balls, that would >> Okay. All right. Well, then I guess a motion to close the public hearing. >> Second. >> So moved. >> Okay. All in favor? I >> Okay. >> Thank you.
>> Okay. Thank you. >> So, uh, what's the sense of the uh of the uh committee, the board? I'm I'm in favor. >> Move approval. >> Okay. Any further discussion? There's a motion. >> I'll be a second. >> Okay. Second by Mr. Reid. All in favor
to uh approve the application by Sound View Golf LLC, DBA, Falmouth Country Club for an all alcoholic beverages restaurant license located at 630 Carriage Shop Roadies, Falmouth, MA. A common and a common victual license
application has also been submitted. All in favor, Mscali. I >> I >> I >> I sorry to approve both licenses to >> approve both. Yes. Thank you. >> And is it by roll call or is it just uh can we just do it? >> No. >> It's is it a roll call vote? No. You just said your name. >> All in favor?
>> I >> Okay. All right. Can we circle back to CO Shores? Uh council, do you have any further uh advice for us or information for us? >> I do. I have some clarifying information about um
uh the board's responsibilities for the for on an application. So, a failure to act on an application is treated as a denial which triggers an applicant's right to appeal. And under the law, while a lot of communities do have policies about whether or not an
applicant has um a down period, the the Felmouth Select Board does not have such a policy. So the applicant, if you deny the application, could either appeal to the ABCC or they could submit a new application.
>> Okay. I'm sorry. Submit a what? >> So they could just reapply. say so they could submit a new application. But but you said we we could either deny or not take any action. Is that correct? And it would have the same effect. >> If you don't take any action, then it would create a right of appeal for them
immediately within the 30 days. >> So I'm of a mind to not take any action and let the course follow accordingly. That's my feeling, but if someone wants to make a specific motion, please feel free to do so.
Well, I feel like an outright denial is unfortunate and unfair since we put it on the consent agenda and the applicant's not before us. Um, tell me again, if we take no action, they move directly to appeal. Is that what I heard? >> They have a right to appeal. um if you
don't take any action then after the 30 days expires they could submit an appeal to the ABCC or they would have an opportunity to resubmit the application. >> Okay. Or if we deny without prejudice
they would have to come back to us. Is that right? >> They Yes, that's right. >> I would think that'd be preferred than having them appeal to the APC. >> Motion to deny >> without prejudice. >> Without prejudice. >> Without prejudice. Okay, >> I'd second that. >> Okay, all in favor?
>> I >> Okay, thank you. >> All right. All right. Moving on to our business section. Uh, and the first is our annual update on townwide
sustainability projects. And we have sustainability specialist Stephanie Madson. You have 15 minutes. I'm going to hold you to 10 minutes and allow five minutes for discussion. >> Really?
>> Uh two minutes. >> I am going to make this fast. Is this on? >> It is. It is. >> Great. >> Folks in the back, you can sit down now if you want. >> Okay. Good evening, select board
members. I am Stephanie Madson, the sustainability specialist for Felmouth. I'd like to share a brief update on the town's sustainability efforts. Over the past year, we've continued building momentum through energy efficiency projects, renewable energy development, and strategic grant funding that helps
move these initiatives forward while reducing operating costs. You have a robust agenda, I know. So, I'd like to move through my slides as quickly as possible. Um after I talk for 15 minutes um the energy committee will give their presentation followed by um the
competitive energy services who will talk about our greenhouse gas emissions report. Okay. So I am sharing my last slide first. I encourage the select board members to focus on these three takeaways. We can save money while
reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. Two, we need your continued support for bigger projects to reach our 20% emission reduction goals. Grant dollars will also help. Not only do we need the municipal and school decarbonization,
we need institutions and residents to take action as well. My focus with the town of Felmouth includes the following priorities. First, I am focused on green communities projects which we elected to participate in in 2021 including which includes
energy efficiency projects, equipment electrification and stretch code compliance. Two, working to expand EV fleets and charging for public and municipal use. And three, expanding solar installations at schools and town
buildings. I'll dive deeper into the three areas of focus in the following slides. Economics serve as an umbrella over our sustainability efforts in town. Every initiative, whether it's energy efficiency, fleet electrification and infrastructure, or renewable energy, is
evaluated not only for its environmental impact, but also for its financial viability and long-term value to the community. It's a busy table, I know, but I'd like to highlight the savings in the green and the pink on the left. Project rebates and incentives since
they started two years ago are over $1.3 million in the budget relieving annual savings is over $120,000. Now I'll give some more details relating to the focus areas which includes green communities, EVs, and solar.
First, green communities. It's a DOER program which is a department of energy resources. It aims to align communities with the state's goal to be carbon neutral by 2050. These programs prioritize energy efficiency in equipment electrification while the grid
suppliers transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. My responsibilities include annual reporting, utility analytics, municipal and school energy efficiency measures, competitive grants, and the stretch code compliance.
Originally, we received a designation grant which funded mostly LED fixtures and electric heat pumps. North Felmouth Library Police North Felmouth Library Police Department and East Felmouth Fire Station, for example. Our designation
grant was $188,000. And in this chart, you can see that over 400,000 worth of projects were approved, utility incentives deducted in the net cost covered by the GC funds. Money was dispersed after the projects were completed. There was no cost to the
town. After completing the designation grant, we qualified for competitive grant dollars. In the fall of 2025, we received $250,000, which was really valued at close to 350,000 when utility incentives were
added in. The grant funded the following. We converted oil to electric heat pumps at the Chamber of Commerce, which performed really well during both of the storms, the airsource heat pump. Uh we swapped the HVAC unit on Morris Pond's roof for an electric unit with
controls, added weatherization at Morris Pond to prevent air leaks, and we put money towards the enhancing the energy controls at the fire department headquarters. This is all from the competitive grant. Now we have to report annually our green
communities reductions emission reductions. You can see it's a negative 10.8 decrease. Energy efficiency projects funded through green communities grants are an important tool for reducing emissions from Falmus municipal and school buildings. However,
required state reporting based on 2018 data does not capture all emissions emissions reductions such as those from newer buildings. To address this, competitive energy service services, they're here tonight, recently completed a more comprehensive
greenhouse gas inventory for us. This updated analysis will provide a clearer picture of our emissions and help future climate strategies and priorities. Strategies and priorities including tracking energy and emissions data so we can target the buildings that need the
most improvement. electrifying equipment and building systems, expanding renewable energy like solar, and transitioning the town fleet to electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. I'll highlight a few examples of our progress in these areas in the next slides.
Energy efficiency projects include LED installations, building management controls, insulation, weatherization, and electric heat pumps. For example, at Lawrence School, which is going to be renovated, but hopefully they don't renovate the LEDs because they're brand
new. Um, at the Lawrence School, Cape Compact fully funded LED fixture replacement to the tune of $259,000, no cost to the town. >> Nice. We also want to electrify
the the to electrify stationary buildings. We converted North Falmouth Library HVAC gas system to cold climate air source heat pumps with controls. And most recently, like I mentioned, the Chamber of Commerce, we converted oil
burner to electric heat pumps. Second focus is transition to electric vehicles. In addition to improving municipal buildings, the town is also transitioning its fleet to electric vehicles to reduce fuel use costs and emissions. As the slide highlights, I
worked with the fleet managers to add six new electric and plug-in electric vehicles to our fleet, benefiting from the mass EVIP funds, which added up to $40,000. As EV adoption grows, expanding charging infrastructure becomes increasingly
important. Falmouth is continuing to build out its EV network with two fast chargers at the Peg Dune and parking lot next to the library and six level two chargers on depot expected by summer 2026. We need Eversource to come through
though for this to happen. town infrastructure as well as public stations installed by private businesses such as Seafood Sams, Estia, and Cape Cod Winery help ensure that both residents and visitors will have reliable access to EV charging as EV
adoption increases. This is a flyer made by a Felmouth High School intern last year um which highlights the public charging stations around town uh and their respective port connectors. You can find this at the town hall um kiosk.
A small but meaningful step has been adding electric bikes to the town fleet. Two were purchased in the summer of 2025 and are now used by the IT and recreation departments, offering an efficient zero emissions option for short trips between town facilities.
Aiming to electrify landscaping equipment as techn as technology improves, we launched a pilot program with the purchase of battery powered chainsaws and trimmers with the conservation and parks department. This initiative will help us evaluate battery performance, equipment power, supply
chain reliability, and overall feasibility for broader adoption. The findings will provide invaluable insight to guide future decisions. Now on to solar. Along with energy efficiency improvements, fleet electrification, the
town is also reducing emissions and energy costs through solar installations. Our larger existing solar installations are still producing energy. But some of the smaller, older ones are not operational and better suited for replacement. For example, the recreation
center, which I'll cover in a moment. This slide highlights projects we've completed and ones under development. You can see that community uh veteran center rooftop is now energized and working. The Hatchville fire station has a solar installation. East Felmouth fire
station rooftop and the water treatment plant rooftop is completed. We are waiting for Eversource to come and do um the inspection and energize it. Coming soon, really soon, the senior center rooftop. We've already installed the inverters in the basement. March
30th, they're expected to come and put the panels on the roof. Immediately followed the rec center. We removed those panels, the older ones, upcycled them, and installation should happen right after the senior center. And we expect two solar car ports. You guys are well aware of because you approved them.
Uh Falmouth High School Lot C and North Phelmouth Elementary will have two solar carport canopies. Finally, I'd like to briefly update you on several sustainability plans the town has either completed or is currently
developing. Strong long-term strategies require good data and planning. And these plans provide a baseline for measuring progress and guiding future decisions as we continue working to reduce emissions and improve energy performance. The following plans have
been completed. a fleet electrification plan, a townwide greenhouse gas inventory done by Cape Cod Commission, a municipal greenhouse gas inventory which will be presented tonight. What we are working on is a school bus
electrification plan. We're in phase two and updating the climate protection action plan. Let's take a step back and look at the bigger picture. our entire community, not just municipal and schools in school energy use. According to the Cape Cod
climate action plan, carbon emissions on the Cape break down to about 55.5% from transportation and 39 from buildings, which is stationary energy. But when you dial into Felmouth, because
we had a townwide greenhouse gas inventory done, there's a switch. 52.8% 8% of emissions come from stationary buildings, whereas 41.9 come from transportation. And if we dial even further in and look
at those stationary buildings because it is higher for the town of Felmouth, uh if you break down stationary energy, you can see that 62% of the greenhouse gas emissions in Falmouth come from the residents. 35% come from commercial buildings and
2% from the town buildings and schools. The takeaway. Although the town can set an example by decarbonizing buildings and fleets as well as encourage commercial buildings and small businesses and residents to do the same by highlighting rebates,
programs, and incentives. Your actions at home have a great potential to reduce emissions. As we look ahead, this slide outlines practical, achievable next steps that build on the momentum we've created.
These actions focus on projects we can control locally, funding opportunities we can leverage strategically, and policies that will position Falmouth for long-term fiscal and environmental resilience. Our approach is straightforward. Continue improving the efficiency of our municipal and school
buildings. electrify where it makes financial and operational sense, aggressively pursue outside grant funding, and take advantage of state programs that reduce upfront costs. At the same time, we'll keep expanding solar where it's viable and transition
our light duty fleet vehicles. And to wrap it up, the takeaways again, it's only three things you usually remember from a presentation. What I'd love for you to remember is this. We can save money while reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.
Two, we need your support for bigger projects to reach that 20% reduction emission goal. And three, not only do we need municipal and school to schools to decarbonize, we need the institutions and residents to take action as well. Next, we'll hear
from Scott Mueller. He's the energy committee chair. He'll be presenting um about what the energy committee's been up to. Do we want to take questions before he presents or >> does anyone have any questions? >> I just have I just have a comment that uh thank you for this excellent work
that you're doing. It's really you really accomplished a lot in a couple years and I appreciate it. I know when we voted this position at town meeting, people said that eventually the job would pay for itself but it's already happening. So, thank you. >> Thank you. Appreciate your support.
Totally second that. >> Dr. Goldstone, >> um, can you just clarify the 20% reduction goal because you showed the state goals which was actually a 33% by 2025, I believe. Um, but then you were
also showing what looked like at least 10% reductions per year, which means we would have hit a 30% reduction over the past three years. So, I'm a little >> Okay. >> Give it give us the what's the baseline? What in the work that you're doing have you been aiming for? And how are we doing on that?
>> Well, there's several goals we need to achieve. One's the state goals carbon neutral by 2050 and other goals for green communities participation. After 5 years of participating, we were supposed to reduce collectively 20%. Not 10. We don't we haven't reduced 10% every year.
Since our 2018 baseline, we've only reduced according to green communities 10%. I would at least love to meet that 20% green communities goal, but after Scott presents, we're going to hear from CES
and they have all the data for how the municipal and schools have done for Felmouth. And spoiler alert, it's not 20%. We haven't quite made it. It's a little bit better than the 10%. But we want to use that holistic number, the comprehensive number from CES annually
to see how we are performing. We're behind schedule is my point. >> So can I just go back and clarify then and thank you that's helpful. So it's the 20% is what we were aiming to do in 5 years of green communities participation. The numbers you put up
the the chart you showed FY23 - 12.4% then - 9 - 10. Each of those is that year compared back to 2019 >> and so there are cases we reduced more we increased emissions again we reduced again. Is that what that means? >> We performed better in the past and
we're on the wrong path and you'll see from CES also. >> Thank you. >> It's just an eye openener of what we need to accomplish. >> You get yours going. >> I think part of that is because we signed on for the green communities but
we didn't fund taking action >> right away. to the right. Right out. >> Okay. >> Good evening. My name is Scott Bueller. I uh serve both as chair of the Falmouth Energy Committee and also as Falmouth's
representative on the Cape Light Compact Advisory Board. Um and I I I want to echo Mr. Brown's uh comments about Stephanie. Um I meet regularly with other energy committees on the Cape uh and uh the vineyard and Falmouth is the
envy of many of those communities because of uh the great work that Stephanie is doing. Uh the past year has been one of transition for the energy committee. We saw the departure of Alexandra Bonacelli and the loss of former state rep and select board member
Matt Patrick. But we're excited by the addition of four new members on the committee. Paul Scutter, a medical doctor with extensive experience in residential clean energy projects. Miles O'Brien, a journalist and filmmaker whose work is focused on science, technology, and climate change. Jim
Door, an executive with extensive finance and management experience, and Olen Huxley, an energy and sustainability consultant and certified energy manager. They join longtime members uh David Lesley and Ellen Lane, who is here tonight. Uh the team not
only reflects the town's uh commitment to clean energy but also embodies a diverse set of skills and uh perspectives in con um I want to touch on uh just three areas tonight. Uh my remarks will
focus on state and local goals for clean energy 2025 activities and accomplishments and future issues and challenges. In conducting our activities, the energy committee is guided by both the Massachusetts
Clean Energy Goals and Falmouth's 5-year strategic plan. We've talked a bit about the state's goals. Um, in terms of the Falmouth 5-year strategic plan, uh, the first three elements of the town's uh, plan listed here, energy efficiency,
infrastructure for electric vehicles and implementation of renewable energy in town buildings and facilities are really uh, in Stephanie's wheelhouse and coordinated by her. The role of the energy committee is both to advise the select board and
to raise awareness of conservation opportunities and energy issues especially for residential customers and small businesses. We do that by working with Stephanie on our education and outreach efforts and by working with partnering with other organizations such
as Capeite Compact, Eversource and Falmouth Climate Action Network. Terms of strategies for uh meeting in the energy goals uh include analyzing data to divi to identify opportunities for energy efficiency, electrification
of equipment and investment in solar projects and electric vehicles. The energy committee supports and advises on these strategies, but our primary focus in the past year is on educating consumers about clean energy alternatives, how the energy grid works,
and opportunities for energy savings. With many of the federal programs supporting the clean energy transition being curtailed, there's still opportunities to assist with that transition at the state and regional level. Both Eversource and Capeite Compact offer programs for residential
and small business consumers for energy efficiency, upgrades, and installation of heat pumps for heating and cooling. As uh we look at Falmouth's energy accomplishments and activities for 2025, I'll focus on three areas: energy
efficiency, heat pumps, outreach and education, and renewable infrastructure. You've heard from Stephanie about energy efficiency accomplishments regarding the town's buildings and programs. In 2024 and 2025, almost 5,000 residents and
businesses in Falmouth availed themselves of tapeike compacts energy efficiency programs, including over 4,500 residential customers and 280 businesses, representing expenditures by Cape Compact in Falmouth of over $15
million and saving over the last two years of almost 3 million kilowatts of electricity, kilowatt hours of electricity. A large portion of the Capeite compacts expenditures for Fmouth customers supported the installation of electric heat pumps to replace or supplement gas
and oil fired heating. Recognizing the conversion to heat pumps generate results in increases in customers electric bills. Last fall, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities approved a new heat pump rate for Eversource Electric that's intended to promote heat pump conversions and
mitigate the impact of those conversions on customers electric bills. Um, that discount applies just in the winter period. And on a typical uh residential bill, it would amount to a savings of
about $540 or 17% on the distribution side of the bill. A large part of the energy committee's activities in 2025 was spent on public outreach and education, including sponsoring presentations by Eversource
on distribution system upgrades, updates by Capeite Compact on its energy savings programs, and training in the use of the inroads program that allows users to explore the impacts of climate change under various scenarios. Energy Committee members also staffed
information tables at the senior center in Falmouth Farmers Market to answer questions about energy bills and savings programs. The energy committee is particularly proud of its collaboration with Falmouth Enterprise led by Elellanar Ling in
sponsoring a monthly energizing Falmouth column to keep residents informed of energy issues and programs. In the past year, these columns have provided timely information on a variety of topics, including incentives for energy related improvements, the ins and outs of
electric vehicles, and opportunities for using electric storage and landscape equipment. The town's use of renewables resources coordinated by the sustainability specialists working with various town departments to install and maintain rooftop solar and increase the use of
electrical vehicles and equipment. The energies committee's primary role is on keeping residential customers and businesses apprised of opportunity for the use of renewable resources and the programs that support the installation of those resources.
Looking forward, there are a number of issues and challenges in meeting Falmouth's goals for sustainability and energy efficiency. We've already seen a reduction in federal programs supporting climate action and alternative energy. And at the state level, the governor and
general court are considering a variety of measures to reduce energy bills for customers while still maintaining the state's commitment the reduction of greenhouse gases greenhouse gas emissions. As Stephanie noted, the most significant
uh pardon me uh with the reduction in federal support for clean energy and potential decreases in state programs like Mass Save, local leadership will be key in helping residents manage energy prices and keep a breast of opportunities for reducing the energy consumption and fossil fossil fuel and
use of fossil fuels. Um we've taken a lot of steps uh but there's still a lot of work to be done. Um and uh certainly um
pardon me I just lost my Okay, I'm missing a slide. That's okay. Let me just go. Um, a key to helping residents deal with high energy prices and pursue clean energy alternatives will be tracking developments at the state level and
working with a variety of partners to inform customers of how they can reduce energy consumption and deal with rising energy prices. The energy committee is following closely developments on Beacon Hill regarding potential legislative
changes and efforts by the DPU to address increasing energy prices. As an advisory committee to the select board, we hope you will avail yourselves of our extensive experience and diverse knowledge of the energy committee members and use us as a resource on
energy matters confronting Falmouth and its residents. I can take questions now or we can hold it till after the CES presentation. >> Any questions? Mr. Brown. >> Hi Scott. Any updates on what kind of uh energy efficiency improvements can be
available to I know at one point they had uh free energy um you know insulation upgrades for renters. Do you know if that's still happening or >> that that that is still available? Um I mean the through cape capelike compact
is the administer for mass save on the capen islands. Um and um they have three major loan programs. Uh they have a heat loan program. Uh they have the energy
saver home loan program and they have a solar uh it's the Cape Islands uh solar loan program. Um and certainly um the energy saver program uh yes will pay for things such as weatherization uh and a
variety of things. >> Yeah, it's it's a great program. Thank you, >> Mr. Chair. >> Yes, Mr. Lee. >> Um yeah, thank you for the update. Um I guess I have a question. Traditionally speaking, uh our uh constituents kind of
do the hybrid approach and it sounds like from the Cape Cod Commission that 93% is a combination of transportation and residential with residential being a major impact here. On this current slide you have partnering for success town meeting and select board. The previous
uh thing uh slide you had Felma is on the front lines of climate change and soaring energy prices. Um, so my question is to you, what is the role of the select board when energy prices are not controlled by us? What
can we do to help our citizens? >> I I think public outreach and education is is key um to let know customers, particularly low-income customers, that there are programs that help uh to mitigate uh the increases in energy
prices. Um there's also um I I think through things such as uh our our tables at the senior center, the Falmouth Farmers Market, uh we helped to answer uh constituents questions um about their
electric bills. Um and certainly it's been an issue in Massachusetts and other states uh regarding retail electric suppliers. Uh that's part of the uh legislation that has passed the House. um is to put some uh limits and uh
perhaps reeregulate uh the electric suppliers at the retail level because there have been so many uh abuses frankly. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Chair. Go ahead. >> Yeah. Uh two questions. One was going to be on that um because you know uh I was
looking into you know some other states have completely public utilities and their costs are almost half if not more than ours. uh is that a model that the committee has looked at? I know we've had the missile lightboard here fairly recently. Second question, uh that house bill uh includes steps um towards
nuclear energy um on a smaller module basis and I wonder if the committee uh had a position on that or was looking into that. I know that's very new and very early in the works. >> Can you I'm not sure I got your first question. Yeah, just um on the model of you know um what are ways that we can
increase our energy independence uh if that's something we want to look towards as a model that other states have done if is that something that you know the committee's approach or is that probably too big a question uh for this so uh if you want to more answer the second question well on on the first question I
mean we're um you know our default electric supply um on Cape Cod is provided through Capelight Compact. Um, and Capelight Compact has a long-term contract uh with Nexta Energy uh largest
electric supplier in the country. Um and uh we Cape Compact is uh I quite proud of uh how that contract is operated and the cost that they have been able to deliver um for electric supply um and
particularly electric supply with a large renewable content um >> I don't know if that answers your question but um and the second question was >> nuclear nuclear modular our committee our committee does not
have a position on that. Um you know it's something that we'll be looking at. >> I for one think uh you know a future joint meeting between your committee and this board would be uh you know very helpful for us to understand a little
bit better what it is uh you know you're you're advising and recommending for us to do. So we're going to call that the town manager to try and set that up. But I will say u your committee meets Wednesday morning 8:30. >> Correct.
>> Um has there been any thought about changing your time till later in the day? Couple of people have mentioned that you know they'd be interested in attending but 8:30 in the morning is a little difficult. Have you thought about changing time? >> We uh we haven't received that feedback
but uh certainly there's nothing set in stone about the 8:30 start time. uh over the last several months um we have gone to uh returned to a hybrid uh meeting format so that people can participate by
Zoom. Uh I know Mr. Brown uh was a participant um and I know uh Miss Goldstone has attended a number of our meetings. >> Okay. Okay. Dr. um this may be a question more for um
Miss Madson, but um I'm curious whether we have any information about the performance of uh renewable smallcale renewable uh installations in town during the storm. Um I know anecdotally from a few acquaintances who have solar
with batteries that you know they they switched over as soon as the grid went down um and were great through the storm. I don't know in particular with any of our municipal projects solar if we have batteries and if that was an option as opposed to a generator and if we have any sense kind of townwide how
that performed. >> I I don't at this point have a sense for that and uh you know certainly yeah it well it takes a long time you know Eversource will have to be going to the DPU to seek recovery for the cost of uh
their storm response. Um, and that's where I when I think data like that may be available. >> Okay. >> Stephanie, do you have anything to add? >> Yeah, I'll bring CBS. >> Okay, sure. >> Stephanie Madson, uh, the community
veteran center has two power wall batteries and I think they did pretty well, but the snow covered the solar installations so for many, many days. So, they were deemed sort of ineffective, but after a hurricane, a backup battery would be amazing. And I just applied with the schools for a $2
million grant for Felmouth High School for the solar carport to fuel a backup battery, a rather large one, but fingers crossed that we'll get it. We'll find out in May. >> It does definitely offer resilience. >> Okay. >> Okay. It it actually offers a a more
effective delivery of electricity too on rather than relying on a sunny day. You know, it's it's functioning more often. So, >> as Ever Source Oh, I'm sorry. As Eversource always says, we need more of everything, >> right? >> Am I right?
>> So, this is an inaugural annual report, the competitive energy services, CES, greenhouse gas inventory. Mr. Renure, you want to give us a little introduction? just just a quick intro. So, in addition to all the other great things that Stephanie Madison has done as our uh sustainability specialist,
she's uh one of the one of the most impressive things is she partnered with CES. Zach is here uh this evening to give us a presentation on a um study that he conducted. A copy of that report I believe is included. The data set is included in the packet. If not, we can certainly get that. Talking about the
report that we sent out to the department forwarded the slides. >> Okay. >> Not the report. There's a great data set that uh I sent out um to the uh to the department heads that has a lot of great information. I'll send that out to the board as well. But with that, we're running behind, so I'll turn it over to
CCS. I'll just uh thank you very much for the time here. Looking forward to presenting this. Uh definitely the most exciting item on the agenda. Uh so appreciate it. Uh so uh uh my name is Zach Hack. I'm associate manager of energy services at
competitive energy services. It's a mouthful. We're working on it. So, uh, and, uh, Will >> and my name is Will Dickerman and I'm the a senior energy analyst at Competitive Energy Services. A little closer to the mic. >> We'll do. Uh, so yes, uh, Will and I
work on a lot of projects together. Uh, this being sort of one of the highlights of the last year that we've been working uh, uh, with Steph on and we're we're very excited. So, uh, today uh, we're going to keep it in time. We're going to throw a couple terms at you. We're going to tell you why they're important, how
that relates back to the municipal uh impact. So, this is not the everything in town. It's just really focusing on municipal uh operations and the environmental impact of our municipal operations and what can we draw from that. Uh and then we'll cap it off with
some forward-looking solutions, some good ideas uh that I think will mesh well with some of the things that have already been brought up here. So, we're talking about uh GHG inventory uh and really what that means and what it can be broken down to are scope one,
scope 2, and scope 3. We're going to focus mostly today on scope one and two because scope three is not quite as wide. It's basically the international framework is still reworking a little bit of this. Uh what's most important and what we have the most ability to
have an impact on are scope one and two. And so the easiest way to think about it, scope one, scope two, and scope three in terms of how close are they to home. Home being a direct onsite environmental impact from your energy,
you know, basically from your energy consumption. Uh, scope 2 is sort of considered indirect or offsite. Often the way people describe this are when you have onsite fossil fuel usage, and I'll get into a little bit more of what
that could mean, that's considered your scope one uh uh uh GHG inventory, and scope 2 is what you import from the grid. That's that indirect nature. So, for lack of a better term, a lot of
times scope 2 is considered what is the environmental impact of the energy we're drawing in from the electrical grid. And so, that's going to be the basis of what we call scope 2 and scope one. Uh definitely happy to take questions at the end, but that's the real framework
for what we're going to be talking about today is looking at municipal scope one and two. really went over these uh terms before, but again, the scope three is that indirect other source. You know, employee air air travel, if they're
going to a conference somewhere, uh transmission line losses, uh waste or recycling, those are things that typically don't have very much of a data set. And given what we were referencing back to the 2018 baseline, we don't necessarily include scope 3 for the
basis of this presentation. a little nuance with our scope 2, you know, those emissions that are associated with our draw on the electrical grid. There's, again, this is a little technical, so I'll go brief, but basically there's location-based and market-based. And it's all comes down to
the perspective on how you want to uh quantify your emissions. you know, market-based requires really specific uh company specific uh it just really complicates and frankly it's not as widely recognized as sort of a baseline
for scope 2. So the way in which we ran uh this emissions inventory is using locationbased which really takes your regional average power mix uh which is really talking about the state of Massachusetts within the entire ISO New England which is the regional grid
operator. Uh and that's effectively what we used. So happy to get into explaining that more later but uh I want to save time for the actual results of the inventory. Another way to look at it and the reason why we
talk a lot about scope 2 is with the evolving grid. You hear about this changing of the grid, the energy transition. You know, the grid is getting greener. Well, the grid truly is getting greener. 26 years ago, we had a ton of coal uh
and and a ton of oil. And now we're pretty much 50% natural gas at any given moment for the entire regionwide. Now, depending on the time of day, time of year, whether or not we're getting, you know, hydroele electricity from Canada on a given day or moment, you know,
those are the types of things that change. But on an sort of annual average, it's good to know that all of this air moving around, all these lights, 50% natural gas burned to to generate, you know, this electricity. So, it's just really helpful perspective
to have when you think about, you know, how are we encouraging uh good policy, good behavior when it comes to electricity. I'll pass it over to my colleague Will because he really rolled up the sleeves on the actual uh carbon uh tracker and
uh he'll just explain it better than me honestly. >> Thanks, Zach. Uh jumping into the actual results of the carbon tracker here, we can take a look at the overall uh scope one versus two emissions. So scope one again being those uh direct emissions.
In this case, those would be things like gasoline burn, natural gas, ultra low sulfur, heating oil. Scope two here are emissions associated with electricity. As you can see here, we scope one emissions made up the bulk of the Falmouth town buildings and and own
fleet vehicles. Um, jumping into this a little bit further detail. Um, we have the scope one and scope two broken down. So, scope one, more of that combustion was from, uh, stationary combustion. So,
most of that is heating buildings that are town-owned. Um, mobile combustion here basically refers to town owned fleet vehicles. Um, and we also have the same scope 2 value here. Um, taking a look at just a a little bit of our
progress uh from the baseline set which was calendar year 2018. Um, we have we've achieved or the town of Falmouth has achieved about a 13.5 approximately percent reduction um from that baseline
year in 2020. in 2024 compared to the baseline year of 2018. Um that does represent a slight increase, however, from 2023. And I'll get into some of the reasons for that in a moment. Um overall, we've seen higher
year-over-year um emissions from stationary 2, which is uh sorry, scope 2, which is the um emissions associated from electricity. Um, and we've seen significantly higher year-over-year emissions from uh town-
owned fleet vehicles. Looking here at uh some three select locations, we can take a look at the police department, which has that sort of check mark effect that had a more significant increase uh year-over-year. It had been down about almost 26% um compared to 2018, but 20
in uh 2024 it was just about 7%. And the reason for that um is that the town that the police department increased staffing and there were hybrid police cars that were not reliable that were replaced with um cars that gas gas cars that um
met the town's policing needs better. Um taking a look here we have uh emissions broken down by fuel type. Um so we could we show here the uh the fuel use um of of each type. Most of the
town's buildings. So those scope one emissions are from natural gas um with gasoline and diesel making up the majority of the rest and uh distillate heating oil ultra low sulfur heating oil is a very small percentage there.
Um and we can take a look at those uh scope one uh emissions year-over-year. Furthermore, we can take a look at uh electricity. Um we saw increased electricity as I had mentioned earlier uh increased uh emissions from electric
from scope one or from scope 2. So from electricity year-over-year um and we saw higher usage of electricity year-over-year. >> So like things like electrifying buildings, converting from oil to electric, that's where those types of
actions would show up. >> Yes. and increase as the town electrifies, we would see increased scope 2 emissions. So, increased emissions associated with electricity, but we would also see decreased scope one emissions from those same actions.
Um, and over overall here, we've uh experienced about a uh 15.67% 67% decrease um from 2018 to 2023, but we saw an increase from 2023 to 2024. So
overall, that's about a 13.5% decrease relative to our baseline year of 2018. >> So I think in a prior presentation there was a question around that. I think it was 10.8%. I would say that's quite equivalent to our was it 13 >> 13 and a half%
>> 13 and a half% uh just how we ran the numbers slightly differently incorporating a different data set. >> Sure. When you're calculating the emissions that are attributed to our use of electricity, is there a a metric for figuring out if we buy from Capeplay
compact and it's more renewable, do we have less of a do we get more credit for that because of the source or is it just aggregate? >> So it it would be aggregate for um whatever the grid that you'd be buying
it for here under locationbased. Uh there are ways if the town is retiring wreck, so uh entities called renewable energy credits from solar production for instance, um that you you could account
for that, but uh this would be broader uh regional level grid um emissions. >> Okay, thank you. We'll cap it off with uh some carbon reduction options uh just to sort of walk away with like what are the types of things that help quote make progress
on our scope one or scope 2 emissions. You know, heat pumps, VFDs, EV infrastructure, these are things that have already been brought up. Uh but some of the simpler stuff that you might not think about, reforestation is also a great way to do it just on a longer time horizon. Uh and then as you know what we
typically talk about are renewable heat sources uh to move away from the dirtier fossil fuels. And then for the scope 2, the state's going to do some of your leg work for you, but there's still things that you can do to support policy to res uh to to still work on those efficient
technologies. Uh still definitely all contributes to the right direction and anytime you can use utility incentives. Absolutely. So uh a lot of times we'll work with you know large end users and uh this is a common graphic that we end
up showing people as there are ways to reduce your carbon but also you're going to have to focus on your scope one your actual onsource or on-site uh carbon emitters. So you know at the end of the day uh this is just a nice visual to show that over time there are many
levels to this. So happy to cap it off and and take questions if there are any. >> I have one more. >> Sure. >> I hope we're doing well as a town in comparative to other towns in Massachusetts, but I'm sure there's others that are probably a little ahead of us. Can you cite a couple to what
towns what we might look toward to see what they're doing and maybe take some initiative from their actions? Uh yeah, I I would say some so I I've been living in Somerville for about nine years now and I would say Somerville is a pretty solid town to look to. Now
Somerville certainly has um some luxuries that come along with it being neighbors to Cambridge being right in the backyard of Boston. Uh there's, you know, city and town ordinances that are coming out. You know, Berto is a common term that's being thrown around. Boston energy reduction ordinance. Uh there are
policies that are coming out statewide. Uh something that's come up in the last year is LBER, large building energy reporting that says any buildings over 20,000 square feet have to well there's actually not really a defined glide path yet from the state but there will be a glide path uh to reduce emissions for
those large buildings. So I think you know not to add more complexity to uh building renovations uh commissioning retrocommissioning things like that. I mean that's an easy way to help ensure that these buildings are looking ahead at from an energy consumption
perspective. Um yeah >> thank you. >> Yes Dr. Bolts now. >> Uh two questions and one is a repeat of Mr. Browns because I want to make sure I understand this as I understand scope two as a like as a resident I can on my
bill choose to purchase only uh renewable energy right check the check the box if the town were to do something like that such that we're purchasing only renewable energy from the grid our scope 2 emissions should essentially go away at that point right
>> yes exactly if you currently uh take like a a standard third party supply agreement or supply via uh pay compact. Yes, it will be the the state uh mandated >> currently 40 something% uh I think 43 this year and if you wanted to you could
definitely elect to uh green that uh electricity supply product and basically bundle it with renewable energy credits that that uh supplier would be obligated to make sure that they've got the receipts that our electricity is
certified green. So, it is definitely something you can do, but uh it comes at a cost. And >> I guess my second thing is probably more of a comment than a question. But what we're aiming for is net zero. Absolute zero would be fabulous, but we're aiming
for net zero, but nothing in this is actually taking into account the what the t town's land is doing for us in terms of carbon capture and storage. So, we don't actually know what our net is, right? We're just looking at what what our emissions are and obviously those need to come down. Um, but I would love
to see an analysis that actually takes into account not only what are our buildings and our facilities and our activities um, putting out in terms of carbon pollution, but also what are our lands and our uh, wetlands taking in and storing in terms of carbon so that we have that complete picture of of what
we're doing. >> Good point. >> Okay. >> That's not that's not currently in the picture though, right? >> Yeah. Yeah. We don't necessarily account for carbon sequestration would be the term for uh for carbon sync. Uh we do we
don't account for that. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I think the and correct me if I'm wrong. I think the Cape Cod Commission um report was looking at that. Correct. Did include lands. >> I don't know if it did. Okay. >> More of a challenge to quantify the
carbon sequestration. It would would have to probably hire someone to do it. There's a tool, there's a tool called the learn tool that's specifically designed for municipalities and counties to get a pretty good estimate. So there are freely available online tools to to start working in that direction at
least. >> Okay. Well, thank you very much. Any more questions? No. Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you very much for the time. >> All right. Uh now we're going to move on to uh an update on Eversource Falmouth
tap expansion project on Sam Turner Road. Uh we've allocated 20 minutes. We want to leave some question time for questions. So Mr. Renshaw, thank you Mr. Chairman. As Eversource is working their way to the podium. Um I want to thank them for coming tonight. We we asked
Eversource to present an update on the uh the TAP project. um specifically talk a little bit about some of the community engagement outreach activities uh that have been underway um and uh talk about perhaps some of the uh alternatives and options that they're exploring as a result of some of the uh
community engagement exercises. So Ronit, thank you for being here. >> Hi. I just want to do a sound check. I've never been told that I can't be heard, but um good evening everyone. Um uh Chair Mscali and uh members of the board, Mr. Renshaw uh town council
really appreciate um the time to speak with you and share some information about an important project in town. But before we dive right into the project, I did want to start first um and I do see Peter McCanny in the audience, but I want to start by thanking um the town for its um significant collaboration
with Eversource, I should say. I'm Renique Goldstein with Eversource Energy uh community relations manager u in in the state. Um, and I've been before you many time I think uh on several projects uh especially with hug on the board, excuse me. Um, I do want to start by
thanking the town for its collaboration um, uh, in the most in the recent uh, blizzard. It was a pretty significant storm to remember. I I appreciate um, on behalf of the utility all the work that your first responders do. I want to call
out uh Chief Lori and Deputy Chief Abston, Peter McConny, your DPW director that helped the crews to to get around and restore power. Uh so just wanted to say thank you and thank you to the community for their patience. Uh second, I did want to provide before we dive
right into this project, a very brief update on the Martha's Vineyard Reliability Project. So that's the two new cables. Um the land portion of the cable uh comes from the substation uh right near the downtown um on Stevens Lane all the way to the shore. Uh I know
it's been long awaited for our source to complete that project and get out of Surf Drive and Mill Road parking lots. I'm happy to inform that we are completely done at the Surf Drive parking lot. There's no work that remains relative to that project at the
Mill Road. Um, it's my understanding that we've taken a lot. We've reduced the scope of the real estate that we were taking up. All the fencing is down. All the equipment will be out of there. And all that remains in that parking lot in the next couple weeks is um work at the manhole, which is not uh no
permanent equipment or or material needs to be uh needs to remain. So, we'll be we're right on the end of that and we'll be out there shortly and very much appreciate uh the patience both from the staff and from the community. So I'm here joined uh by a number of
colleagues. Uh behind me is Lisa Paloan Clark who is the project manager for this project and a couple of us are going to be uh cycling through and then we'll take um some questions at the end. We have some subject matter experts that are engineering department um both on the transmission and capital projects
that I we can have them introduce themselves as they come up uh as needed for questions as well as project engagement Steven Dudek who helped us put this slide deck together uh with with support from our colleagues. So I'll go to the is it just how do you go
to the next you just cycle it down this way. Okay. So, a little bit of level setting um in advance of the project. And I'll zip through this because I know we don't have much time, but um we're here to talk about a new uh substation at uh what we have filed with Department
of Public Utilities. It's called the Falmouth Tap Falmouth Tap upgrade project. There's an existing station um on Sam Turner Road and this would be a new station, a new substation. The current station is a switching station and my colleagues will get to that um in
the next couple slides. So just to level set sort of how the power grid works um that uh corridor where uh there is a station on Sam Turner Road is a corridor is a rightaway. It's a transmission corridor. There's some distribution as
well. Um but the transmission is a what we like to call it's high voltage. It's a super highway of uh energy. So it takes uh energy at a high voltage across long distances. And um typically when you have a substation, it can step down
or reduce the voltage and then send it out to for the benefit of the the residents and the businesses in the town. So it reduces the voltage to a lower voltage that's more appropriate to go into homes and into businesses. So what this is kind of showing is is
quite honestly that's the your traditional right where you go to transmission substation to distribution. We've now got solar, we've got um battery, we've got wind, and uh the the grid of the future is looking a little bit different and and not only
Eversource, but all utilities have to upgrade the system to accommodate the power going in multiple directions. So, that's what this slide um kind of speaks to. And I'm going to pass the more specific information about this project to my colleague, Lisa.
>> Thank you, Renee. Uh yep, I'm Lisa Palone. I'm the project manager for the Falmouth Tap project. Um, so slide three just gives you a little bit of background information. Um, Falmouth Tap is currently a high voltage switching station. It's a place where four major
transmission lines connect. Um, electricity passes through the site, but there's no equipment currently there that can send power to the local distribution system. So, Felmouth Tap, the area that we call it now, it's an important regional role, um, but it
currently doesn't serve local customers directly. So, as the area has grown, uh, and demand has increased, it's become more important to strengthen how electricity is delivered to the upper Cape and the the project upgrades that we're talking about, uh, would step down
the voltage and supply the local area. So, it would give the system added capacity and flexibility. So that's a little explanation on the background. I'll scroll down. Um, a question we've heard a lot is why
um, this specific location and so I'm going to speak to why this location matters. Um, this site is one of the few places where four major transmission lines come together in the upper Cape. Um, it makes the that particular place very important
for the regional grid. Uh because these four transmission lines already meet there, upgrading the site lets us use the existing transmission network. Um using Felmouth TAP, um we wouldn't have to clear potentially new transmission
line corridors at a different location. Um the station itself was built decades ago when the upper Capees electric needs were smaller. Um, upgrading the location brings it up to today's standards and it uses property that we already have and transmission line access paths that
already exist. Um, so the key point is this. Since the four lines already meet there, staying at this site avoids extensive construction and land disturbance that we would create if we tried to build the station somewhere else. So, next slide. Slide five. That's all
right. Okay. Why upgrade the substation? So, as we already said, it's currently a switching station. So, I'm going to talk about why we're upgrading it. First, the upgrade lets Falmouth tap become a point where the regional transmission system
can feed the local distribution lines. That gives the local area grid more flexibility. If one path of electricity has an issue, we can move power uh another way and potentially keep more customers online. Second, serving the area from this location will shorten
some of the distribution lines that run through the upper cape in this area. Shorter lines mean fewer places where potential problems can occur, and it also leads to faster restoration when outages happen. Third, this project helps prepare the region for the future.
We're seeing more year-round residents, more electrification, as you've heard at length today, and continued growth in electric demand. So the upgrade helps make sure the system can support those changes. And finally, moving this
project somewhere else wouldn't achieve the benefits of shorter distribution lines. Another location would require longer extensions uh which potentially could add greater cost, more environmental impact with clearing rights of way. and um using um the
existing site avoids a lot of those larger impacts that would come with building new corridors or clearing new rights of way. So that's um my speech in a nutshell. I'll turn it over. Could >> Could you identify some of those other
locations? Have you identified them and just disregarded them? Can you share that with us? >> Uh we could probably take those questions at the And I just wanted to get through the slideshow first if that's okay. >> We have a couple more slides. >> Sure.
>> All right. >> Uh not sure who was next. >> Refresh my memory who we're passing to. Which John? >> Mr. Ziko. Okay. >> I believe it's me. Is it okay if I do it from here? >> And we can >> Everybody can hear me? Yep. Sure. Okay. Uh yeah, my name is John Ziko. For the
record, the spelling of that is Z Ko. I'm a director in the substation and transmission line engineering group at Eversource. Um, this is a a 40,000 almost literally 40,000 ft view of what we proposed to do on the site. You can
see there's a there's a large um square that's in the that that's there that has some uh blackened pieces of equipment and that's the proposed new uh substation location. We what we plan to do is to relocate the
existing switching equipment that's in there outside of the existing fenced area and that would be on the red in the red square to the right of the black and then on the right of way uh it's on this slide to the left of the station the two
red squares there'll be a couple of manually operated sectionalizing switches everything in the red squares would be temporary during during the period of construction would be removed following construction and what would be left is in in the black square. It would
enhance the amount of switching capability on the 115 KV system to kind of break the lines up into shorter pieces. It's almost like when you have the whole second floor of your house on one circuit and the fuse blows, the whole second floor is gone. Uh this will
allow us some flexibility and um you know short circuits in one location will have less impact in others. um as well as provide as as Lisa said a distribution supply of in the area to shorten the length of some of the
distribution circuits again you know with with the location again without without reading the slide you know we look at we look at a number of of um factors we look at the from a technical perspective we look at the you know transmission supply where
is the distribution need. Um and then of course from the community side we always look at you know visually mitigating to the maximum extent practicable. Um minimizing the tree removal and trying to limit the construction hours to you
know kind of times when people would tend to be awake to be respectful of the needs of the surrounding community. >> Great. >> Next slide. >> Yep. >> Yep. I think that's Stephen. Thank you, Stephen. >> So, I'm uh I'm Steven Dudek. I'm the
supervisor for project engagement. What that means is I handle the community outreach for the Fmouth TAP upgrade. Uh so, as John was mentioning, the community concerns, if we could just go back to that slide a little bit. >> It's not slide. >> Uh we engaged the community. So, we had
uh an open house uh that was snowed out. So, we moved it to February 2nd and was well attended. uh we had between 30 to 40 residents there and they expressed their concerns. One of their major concerns is the substation location. Uh their concern is as we get expanded
coming close to the Sam Turner Road, uh as you heard why that location works, we're still evaluating if we can push it back further to the property. They want it away from the road as much as possible. We're evaluating that. Visual mitigation is also a big concern. If you
have this big infrastructure, they're concerned of their property estate, their property values. We are working on the plan to both mitigate that visual on site, whether that's a fence, whether that's uh vegetation, as well as work
with a buddy for visual mitigation on their own property to restrict the view of the substation. Also, tree removal. We're also re-evaluating see if we can keep any trees that are designated to remove as well as con construction
concerns. Uh Eversource, as John mentioned, we're working Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Uh you can go to the next slide. Ultimately, we're in the beginning of the process and we have to follow the energy facility sighting board process. So, we
filed that petition back in November, as you can see on the board. November 17th, we have the open house this May 14th, 2026. The EFSB will actually come to town. They're going to hold a public comment hearing at the Lawrence Middle School.
We don't know the time yet. Uh but probably that'll be in the evening so everyone can commute uh and share their concerns with the project. From there, then they have an evidentiary hearing where they have all the subject matter experts pepper us with questions, ask us
alternatives. Basically, pick up every lock, look under it, see if this is a adequate project, and then they decide if we move forward with the project. The biggest thing to know is we can't do any construction on this project until we
get a order of approval from the EFSB. So, there's still many more opportunities to be able to get involved in the process. We do have a monthly email that we send out to uh the abundance. We sent our first one just a couple of weeks ago. Uh we anticipate to
have another one probably the first or second week of April, updating them on their concerns such as visual mitigation, uh substation location, tree removal, and continue to engage and work with the community. Uh up on our website, we also have an opportunity to
sign up for that with serve as well and a project hotline. And uh for anyone who is interested, I'm also available as well as uh my team to come meet oneonone and discuss those concerns, their concerns as well as update them on the status of the project.
>> Great. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> So can in terms of the uh chair, I know that we we have to circle back to your question. So this would be the opportunity and I think maybe Keith would be helpful in that. So if you'd like us to take that question first
chair, Mr. Chair, >> I appreciate it. Thank you. >> Uh could you repeat the question please? >> Or just what other locations have you uh identified as possible placement for the substation? >> Sure. Um as alternatives for the Falmouth Tap substation, we would have
to revert to uh upgrading existing substations in the area. So uh the upper Cape area is is served by Eversource out of four uh bulk distribution substations. Uh there's Falmouth substations off of Steven's Lane which serves Falmouth and Martha's Vineyard.
There's Otis substation which is in Bourne which is north of the Otis Rotary off of uh MacArthur Boulevard. There's Hatchville substation off of Sandwich Road. Uh and there's Mashbby substation off of Orchard Lane and Mashp. There is um a large gap between existing
substations uh between Falmouth, Hatcheville and Otis where we have a pocket of about uh 20,000 customers on very long uh distribution feeders. Uh the existing Falmouth tap switching station uh happens to be in the middle
of the gap between those three uh existing substations. So it is the company's proposed project to expand FMA substation and convert it to a bulk distribution substation as Miss Palone previously previously described. The alternative for doing so is to upgrade
existing substations including expanding the Otis substation off of MacArthur Boulevard and Bourne and expanding um the Hatchville substation off of Sandwich Road in North F. Um so we would have to expand both substations with uh
additional transformers and additional circuit breakers to make um that alternative work as effectively as the Falmouth tap project would have. Um what it does not do is incre improve the reliability uh for uh the full 20,000
customer pocket um in the in between the substations because we have would have to run a large number of additional feeders in order to be able to gain uh the reliability improvement that the Falmouth tap substation project would have offered. These feeders that uh
serve the 20,000 customers are extremely long. Um, one of the feeders has and if you would add up all the wire on the feeder, including every side street, um, has 82 miles of wire. If you would extend it from end to end, it would reach from Falmouth to Worcester. Um, it
does not, um, it is not a recipe for, uh, reliable service to, um, electric distribution customers. Um the proposed project of building a substation at Fmouth TAC uh would allow us to completely refit configure uh those four distribution feeders so that uh
distribution circuits will be much shorter uh with um a much lower customer count. >> Okay. >> Okay. Thank you. Yes, Dr. Goldstone. >> Couple of questions. >> Sorry. Couple of questions actually following on that. So is there
additional work after the project that you're currently presenting to upgrade the substation that's needed to then reconfigure distribution to the the Hatchville area? >> Um the uh reconfiguration of the distribution system is part of the Falmouth TAP project. So um cut overs of
uh into the new substation are included as well as whatever reconfigurations including um installation of two new tie switches in order to reconfigure the distribution system so that uh the majority of that pocket is now out of served out of Felmouth tap. So it is all
included as part of the substation upgrade project. So, I appreciate I mean, especially given the presentations we've just heard, um, and the storm that we just went through, um, I think we can all appreciate the need for additional capacity and increased reliability in
our grid. Um, and I don't think anyone's debating that, but as we go about this project, um, I think we need to be very cognizant of how we do that. And in particular, I'm really concerned um about what I saw at the open house about
the plan to clear uh close to 2.7 acres of trees for this when there is already and it's been said that one of the the benefits of this is that it's already in a transmission right of way. Um and so it seems that there should be some way to reconfigure to stay within that right of way or much more within that right of
way and limit that those multiple acres of clearing in order to accomplish this. And then also just making sure um that the stewardship of that site is as good as it can be. Um I've gone over to visit recently and and drive past there on a
regular basis, right? And there's a a whole lot of equipment that's sitting there that's not necessarily part of what is on paper as what needs to be at that station. And so just ensuring that um that again during construction and the stewardship of this enhanced um
infrastructure that that's that's really being as responsible as as possible. So you've you've said that you're working on some responses to community input and I guess the question is when might we see what uh an evolved or different site plan might might look like?
>> You want to take that second? Yeah. So, um, we're in the middle of a feasibility study right now on moving the, um, I know I think Steve just mentioned this, moving the, um, station back and it's just going to take some time. So, we're
hoping to do this within the next few weeks, maybe a month or six weeks. Um, weeks, not months. Um, but we are in the middle of that right now. It's it's actually kind of complicated. Um I
prepared a short answer assuming that I was going to get the question. Um so it's actually very challenging um because we do have to set up a temporary station off to the side. So there's an existing switching station now. We can't take that out of service
because it it's an important point. So we have to build a temporary station off to the side in a way that doesn't affect the current uh operations of the switching station as it is. So it has to be off to the side and some clearance to build this temporary facility. And then
we demo the existing station and rebuild a new station, a larger station on the footprint of the old station, expanding it. Um but the way we have to do it is um when we build the temporary station,
we have to cut over the um four transmission lines that are there into this temporary facility and we have to allow uh safe work zones around those uh transmission lines. So
you have to have the safety around the existing station, the cut overs, and then to have safe clearance around where we're demoing and rebuilding the new station and then cut over those lines again at the end. So it creates a very
large area um to for safe work. So, you have to have, you know, room for the guys to park. You have to have room for the equipment and there's also um as some people know that there's an existing um driveway through the lot that neighbors are using and we need to
leave that available as well. So, when you look at the lot, we end up having to use quite a lot of it in order to get all the work done. Um so, that's kind of the answer to that. Uh but in terms of the feasibility study, we're ongoing working on it and we're hoping to have
it done sooner rather than later. >> Okay. So just the reason I pulled up my phone was to look at weeks. So 6 weeks from now if that's when it comes through would be somewhere around May 4th and May 14th is the EFSB public hearing. >> We'd like to have it done before that.
That's what we're we're working on that to try to have it done before that. >> Okay. >> So we have something to >> Mr. Brown. Yes, sir. In the blue upper source jacket. >> Sorry, I didn't mean to. Didn't mean to interrupt that. I was just going to just to add a little bit to what um Miss Palone Clark said. This is also, you
know, it sounds like this has taken a long time and yeah, I get it. It been a while since the open house. Uh but this involves a number of engineering specialty, substation, civil transmission line, distribution line, etc. So, there's a lot of there's a lot
of like lack of a better term cats to herd on that. But uh this does have my attention um as a director in the substation and transmission line engineering group. So I'm I'm kind of keeping on the group to make sure that it moves forward. And the goal is to get it sooner rather than later.
>> Okay. Mr. Brown, you had a question. >> So really I I wish you guys been able to come to us first and talk about this and get some community outreach before you went to EFSP. That would have been ideal. I know you triggered a timeline now and it's going to be uh you know
trying to keep up with it. My first question is um Mr. Dudek said that until he has full approval from EFSB, he won't do any construction. Does that include land clearing? Because I'm very concerned about losing the trees. His >> We can't do any um civil construction
beforehand. Uh we can do things like I think we're going to do some survey staking, uh things like that. We did some geoteex soil borings, but we're not doing land clearing until we have EFS. >> I saw the stakes out there. My next question is, um, of course I'm just a
carpenter, but why all the temporary stuff? Why not just build the new station behind the existing station and then move the wires over? >> I might let John answer that one. >> Thank you. I think Oh, can we actually
can can we go back to the site plan? >> Whatever slide that's on, I apologize. I don't >> That's the one. So the lines generally the line generally comes down the right of way from say the one:00 position on that slide.
>> Mhm. >> And then it it transitions into the station that's under the proposed location for the new station and then the line it goes through a single circuit breaker in there and then it exit generally at what I would call the
7:00 position of the slide. Um, we if we were to push the station back up the right ofway, if if I'm understanding what you're asking, it's probably like maybe towards like where the 3:00 position is. >> I I hope so. I you know, honestly, I
can't really tell because we don't have the overlay of the existing station. So, I'm kind of guessing a little bit. >> No, that fair enough. uh if we were to move it there, it would um it, you know, could potentially interfere with the driveway that that we need to keep in service. Plus, we would have to to make
to make a clear space to build the station. We'd have to spread the lines out and that would, you know, probably result in about the same amount of tree clearing. I haven't done the analysis of that yet, but uh just kind of looking at it and having done this for the last 40
years, I can kind of guess, you know, into it from the slides. I I I agree with you. It's going to be more tree clearing. It seems that's an obvious first problem, but what we have now is such a tight encroachment onto the the neighbors and the living space. And if
you could get a little closer to the golf course, I think there would be a lot less disturbance with the temporary structures and, you know, that the clearing of the trees, which is actually the buffer between the neighbors, and that's where you want to put that drainage swale. And I I hope all of that
trees in that side could stay intact because, you know, they have little enough buffer now. So, I just wish we could, you know, find a way to move to the back. >> I I was going to say just to clarify, when you say all those trees, you mean the trees that are on the Sam Turner road side. >> Correct. But the red circle where the
drainage is indicated. I know that whole thing. >> I'm calibrating myself then, >> right? Um, and move the station, you know, kind of into the trees that abut the golf course. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Because there would still be probably a
fair buffer, but you know, they're golfing. They're not trying to live there. >> Understood. >> That's the feasibility study we're doing right now. >> That's what That's what's in study right now. >> Right. Okay. Okay. >> Mr. Reid. >> Yeah. Uh, I do appreciate I'd like to uh
jump on board with what Mr. Brown said. Um, I do appreciate that you put in some um, nice words, especially on this site and the other ones, tree clearing line limit. Um, but I do have concerns
regarding the squishy words um, used uh, here where it's committed to evaluating the feasibility, committed to providing reasonable and feasible. I get it. worry is from our constituents and our residents is that is going to be
zero because you're going to determine that it's not feasible because it's not cost uh productive and I think we have a responsibility to take care of our residents. I do agree with um Mr. Brown as I wish we had a chance to have this
discussion before going to seek the waiverss um elsewhere cuz you can you are seeking potentially zoning bypass special permits, wetlands, road openings, building electrical, tree removal, scenic road protections, noise
visual and setbacks, any any combination thereof or all of them. Sorry, my battery died. Um, so I would just like to hear uh a more I guess verbal commitment beyond just we're going to look into we're committed
to the feasibility check because that's not really enough. >> Well, a as it as it's an engineering study, um I'll take the liberty of speaking to that. So, we have a we have a proposal in front of us now. Um good, bad, or indifferent. It's the proposal
that's in front of us. Um, it's the one that got filed. When we look at, again, I'm trying trying to avoid the squishy words, but at this point, that's all I can use. When we push that back, that's going to
have some positive impact. It's going to push it back further from the Sam Turner Road, but when this goes before the sighting board, the three the three major things that they're going to look at are the need, which, you know, Mr. Jones spoke about um the impacts which
is multironged. It includes visual uh that's going to be heavily probed uh during during um discovery and during the evidentiary hearings. And then the other thing that they look at is cost. So as a company we're going to have to
you know uh construct our arguments so that we get what balances those uh those items and that the final arbiter that is the mass energy facility sighting board and
the decision is only going to be as good as as our case is made. >> I I appreciate that the costs are what it comes down to across the board. I think we're going to have probably stemming from this storm uh additional costs and then we're going to have costs
associated with this. So, it's really taking it in. So, I appreciate that you say that, but this is kind of where community relations can jump into the engineering. We don't question the need. It's where can community relations help bump and say this is actually important.
We should do this. Um, I do I don't want to take it away from the original points of the uh of the talk. I think the town did a great job. DPW and Mr. McCconer's team did a great job and we appreciate what you did do to help us with one of our generators. So, I don't want to take
away from the success of the storm, but at the same time, this is very important to um a critical uh set of constituents that are actually here. No. And this is the matter that's in front of you now, >> right, >> Mr. Chair? >> Yeah. One more question then I I do want
to hear from >> That's that's all I was gonna Yeah. All I was going to say was we have a number because number of talented uh board members here who you can tell Colin works in community relations. Um but I I just wanted to pass over to I see a number of the abutters here and uh you know they've you know been been very
good about this. So I just wanted to to give them an opportunity to speak. >> But I just have a question for council. It's my understanding that the town does have or can have standing before the EFSB and how would we go about doing that? Um, the town does have standing. Yes.
And there are opportunities for input and to participate in the in the proceedings. So, I'm happy to take a look at that. >> Yeah, I think that's certainly something we're going to want to want to take a look at. So, um I know there's a couple
people here in the community, uh at at Sam Turner Road. So, uh um is there one person who would like to speak and kind of tell us what's uh what your concerns are? I think most if not all of
us have been there. We've seen the uh we've seen the neighborhood. We've seen the the construction and uh like to hear from you. >> Yeah. I I'll start by saying thank you to everyone here who came to talk about this and also thanks for setting up this agenda. I think we saw a fascinating
series of talks on a lot of energy issues in town. >> Just identify yourself. >> Oh, sorry. I'm Nathan Miller and I live just to the north of that plot there um in the woods and that's my road crossing the site there. Um so I'm familiar with this site. Um,
yeah. And so we saw if we started with these talks and seeing what energy improvements look like from town, from Main Street, and now we're seeing what that looks like in Hatchville. You started by talking about, you know, finishing up the Martha's Vineyard project down Short Drive and getting all
those sites nice and cleaned up. Well, during those projects, this is the site, one of the staging sites for those projects, and it's been a mess for eight years. Um, and we've we've dealt with that. We've lived with that in Hasheville. And now we're talking about building expanding a 0.6 acre site to a
2.6 acre substation 100 ft from someone's front yard from multiple people's front yards. That's not a small thing. We're being asked to bear the burden of a massive project in this town. It's a $98 million project put on by Eversource. Eversource is one of the
biggest utility companies in this country. I think they have the resources to do better. It's shocking that this is the plan that was put forward. They've been working on this for a long time. They've reached out and talked. They've met with me and the other neighbors, a couple of the other neighbors before this plan went forward, but they went
forward with this plan anyway without any input. They didn't talk to the select board. Um, and so I I don't think it's been handled especially well. I'm really happy that they're listening and at least acknowledging that there are concerns now. Um, but I fear that they're trying to rush this process
through the EFSB um, uh, proceedings as fast as possible, get through with the lowest cost project. Um, and then we're stuck living with this thing. You've heard about all the other demands on the electrical grid earlier in this evening. Um, Eversource also stated that this is
a critical site uh, for the grid in this area. That means this site will continue to be a critical site for the grid in this area. This is a 2.6 acre substation. Now, the site reserves space for an additional substation. Uh what does this thing look like 10 years from
now? Is it built out all the way to the uh to every property line? And what are the neighbors doing then? You know, this is not a small thing. So, I encourage everyone here to slow down, think about what this project means in the long term and do it right. There are other options. Talked about other sites
further away. The town has a great spot for this on 151. Uh and so I encourage you to consider that option. um it would solve a lot of the problems here with the temporary construction. Go ahead and build that other site, switch it over um and give this this site in the center of
one of the critical uh working-class communities in Falmouth um back to the town. That's a real option. >> Thank you. >> Would you uh explain the 151 property just uh I think most of us know what you're talking about, but I'd like to hear you say it.
>> Yeah. So, there's a there's a large parcel on 151. I'm not sure the total acreage, but it's well in excess of the 12 or so acres of this site. So, that site, that parcel could be potentially divided. It's further up the power line, about a mile up this rightway. Um, I understand that would require running the other all the lines that come
together. There are four lines, I guess, further north, but seems like a utility company with the skills and uh and engineers of that source could figure that one out. Um, and so, yeah, that that site has previously been considered by the town for the police station, for a pickle ball noise study. So, um I
think there are a lot of uses in mind up there, but it is on 151. It's one of the larger roads. Um it wouldn't have any impact on residences up there in my view. Um and it solves this temporary staging issue. Uh it solves the resident conflicts and I think it's a a valid
thing to consider. Um and again, this isn't just about what gets built in the 30 months of construction for this project. It's about what does Hatchville look like 10 years from now. What does it look like 20 years from now? And we have a decision to make starting tonight. uh do we want this giant industrial uh complex in the middle of
of a residential community in Nashville or do we want to take action to um to build something better and to do this right? >> And yeah, as Heather and others have pointed out, I don't think any of the residents that I know of, any of the neighbors that are on that map have said, "Don't build this thing." They
just say, "Don't build it like you're talking. Don't build that." >> So, I'll stop there. Thanks. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, does anyone else I mean I'll give you an opportunity uh to to to speak if if anyone else wants to. If not
uh do you want to wrap up Renee? I just >> Yeah, I'd like to thank um is there someone else that want to speak? I did I >> Mr. Brown has one question one more thing. Sure. I just hope that um perhaps there might be a value in constructing a
new facility adjacent or to the north and maybe that reduces the cost of the temporary structures and maybe there's some cost benefit there. >> I don't know if that's true, but I I would hope so. >> I mean, I'm not I'm the first one to admit I'm not intimately familiar with
the layout of the town of Felman. So, if we can get the location, we can certainly, you know, look at it and and opine. Okay. Thank you. >> I I won't slam the door on. I'll say give us a location and we'll look at it. >> Okay. Great. >> Thank you. >> Okay, Renee.
>> Yeah, I I do want to say and I and I recognize uh the request having gone before the board in advance of filing. I will say and and I don't want it to be unnoticed that we did uh do multiple presentations to town staff. Um, so I think you know perhaps it was a misstep
uh in the late fall uh to not have come before you, but I did want uh folks to know and they might not be aware. Uh we appreciate uh the time tonight. We appreciate that many of you were at the open house, your level of interest. I think it just speaks to the opportunity to take part in the public process. Um
and and I know the neighbors feel that it might be a foregone conclusion and my hope is that they don't and that they will continue to participate uh and we will continue to inform them of these opportunities to participate as well um in the the public and adjudicatory process. So with that, I thank you all
for your patience uh uh in hearing this tonight. >> Thank you. And we appreciate tonight and as was mentioned before, we appreciate all your efforts in helping us through the storm and with generators and just a great job. So, thank you. >> Thanks. Thanks.
>> All right. Mr. Chair, >> um related but separate for future uh uh agenda request. Um, can we do a posttorm report and get a feeling for whether there's going to be any proceedings at DPU and or what the um outage impact on
Falmouth was during the storm? Um, I think that would be very helpful for us. I know you're the town manager is doing a afteraction review, but this is actually the outages and associated costs that could come to the tax bill or to the rateayers. And then on top of
that looking at um uh this was a great layout of multiple energy related things. So I appreciate that allin-one. I know you've been working hard at that. Um I guess the the big question we have is we're about to put a big solar project in at a uh another golf course
and what the grid would need in order to meet those energy needs as a future agenda item as well. That would be helpful. >> Okay, we'll do that. Thank you. Okay. Uh, one thing un completely unrelated. I forgot to do this during announcements. Um, but, uh, shout out to the
Enterprise. Uh, they won 10 journalism awards this year at the New England newspaper and Press Association. Lynlin, I know your hands are very busy this meeting. So, just want to give a shout out to the Enterprise for the great work they do covering uh, politics here in Falmouth and all the great things in our community.
Okay, moving on. Uh so we are going to discuss a revised ICE and immigration enforcement position statement letter to the congressional delegation and a policy prohibiting ICE from utilizing town property and
facilities in their operations. And as I said at the beginning of the meeting, we're not going to have public comment at this time. Uh I do appreciate the efforts of uh chair uh vice chair Goldstone and member Richardson in in
drafting the uh uh the pol policy statement revision and correspondence. Uh but I'm going to ask uh town council to start us off with the policy with respect to ICE utilizing town property.
>> Certainly. Um, so you have before you and in the packet a proposed draft policy for the use of town property for civil immigration enforcement. Um, this policy
is grounded in the fact that the select board is the steward and custodian of town land owned by it. So it has the ability to decide how that land will be
used and that authority is is broad. Um here uh the policy specifies um that there are certain restrictions on the use of town property. when we're
talking about ICE enforcement and the ability of that federal law enforcement agency to use any town property for their operations. Specifically, the policy would restrict
um restrict ICE from using any real property for a staging area, processing location, operations base, or any similar purpose in furtherance of simil civil immigration. Um, it would also prohibit
any civil immigration officials from entering non-public areas of municipal buildings um for any purpose without a court order or judicial warrant. Um I it is important to note however that this
policy um carves out uh certain exemptions from the scope of its application so that the Falmouth Police Department can conduct operations of the police department. And that means
that the Falmouth Police Department must be able to use town property. Certainly the the police department and the um not just the building but um perhaps the parking lot of uh the police department
in order to um execute court orders, lawful judicial warrants or in the enforcement of any federal or or state criminal law. they do not have authority to enforce
um civil law and that includes civil immigration enforcement. So, the policy does cut that fine line. And then the last piece of the proposed draft um policy allows the town manager to enforce the
policy. And that is included here. Um because if there is an issue and um my office needs to go to court to enjoin the actions of um any um ICE officers or
or um border protection from using town property that needs to be done in the moment and we wouldn't have time to come and seek select board approval to do so. So that just uh recognizes that if something needs to be done, it needs to be done immediately and that action
should go through the town manager at his discretion. >> Okay. Thank you. M Mr. Retro, do you have some some thoughts on this as well? >> I uh I I do I had an opportunity to speak with Chief Lori um today and uh and last week um when this was being
drafted. Um I uh I agree with council um with regards to uh section five um that scope that carve out or exemption allowing um those the activities that council outlined uh to be to be allowed to be continue. Um I also believe that
as council mentioned um these potential violations occur real time. So it would be important for my office to have that discretion to be able to uh direct council to take appropriate action. Anyone have any comments or questions with respect to the policy? Mr.
Richardson? >> Yeah, I just want to thank uh town council, town manager and um the chief of police Lori uh for one, how quickly um this was done and and two really how clear this is and that um you know there is an exemption for if there is a valid judicial warrant, you know, we are not
stopping someone and if there's someone who is uh committed a criminal offense, alleged criminal offense, that they will be allowed to be pursued. But I think that's important to point out that we're not preventing that. Um, but we are we are doing is protecting the the dozens uh of families who've been directly
targeted in our community um by this uh you know mostly unlawful organization. Um so I'm really appreciative of of the work of town council and our town staff on this policy and really glad we're we're taking the steps. Um one of the first municipalities outside of Boston
to to lead on this issue and I take a lot of pride in that and our position as a board and standing up for for our residents. Uh so Mr. Rancher, do you do you feel that u that the policy before us this evening I mean has Chief Lori comfortable with this policy? Does it
need some more discussion between council and chief and and yourself? >> So I I can speak for my office um and again having some communications with Chief Lori I believe yes. Um, I'm
certainly comfortable, uh, as it's drafted and I believe, um, Chief Lori had adequate opportunity and cons consultation with town council to, uh, to address any issues he might have. So, yes, I I to be most responsive, I think this is ready to go. >> I do have one other comment, Mr. Chair,
if I could, and I it may come up with regards to perhaps the uh, the uh, potential letter to the the federal de delegation. Um, I want to commend town council because this happened almost a year ago. Um we we had some specific training um the town council developed
um for the uh for the management team um department heads, division directors uh to um to to train us how to respond to when a uh an attempt to an unauthorized attempt to access one of these private spaces, non-public spaces I should say.
Um so um staff has been trained um and uh and that training is have going to have to be ongoing obviously as we onboard new staff. But I just wanted to point that out to the board that uh we saw this as an issue a long time ago and started taking proactive steps to get that training uh completed so that
people uh within each department uh throughout all of the town buildings um have that have that training to be able to respond appropriately. >> Thank you for clarifying that. That was one of my questions. I appreciate that. >> Mr. Chair, >> Mr. Ralph.
>> So, I did submit some comments that I would like to uh some an edit that I would like to be considered by this board >> on on the on the policy with respect to town property. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. >> And it takes it restores a little bit of the language that was removed from the
previous policy from last year and it was regard to paragraph 4. >> I I believe that's a different document, not the the policy on the use of town property. >> Oh, excuse me. Yeah, we haven't added. So, if we're all on board, can we just do a first motion to clear that away? The
>> I would Yeah. >> Uh move approval of the policy for use of town property for civil immigration enforcement as uh drafted. >> Second. >> Okay, we have a motion and second. Any further discussion? Hearing and seeing none. All in favor? >> I.
>> Okay. Very good. Thank you. >> Uh so now moving on to the uh >> statement >> to the statement. Uh I had submitted some some edits uh that u I sent to the town manager this uh this morning uh and
I believe I sent a copy to uh >> and I apologize with my work commitments today. I've not had a chance to make any changes to the draft. >> Okay. So, I mean, I I think tonight, you know, we just wanted to kind of set the stage with respect to the statement, uh,
and get get some thoughts and and and and where we're going to go with it. Uh, we've got the statement and we've got the correspondence. So, uh, Doug, do you want to just make >> Yeah. As far as the statement, um the only thing that I'd like to reiterate is
the concern for the exclusionary language where um in paragraph 4, I've inserted some language that I'd like to just read that paragraph the way I would edit it. Paragraph 4 starts off with we do not dispute the rights and
responsibility of federal officials to enforce the laws of our nation. We encourage the traditional collegial sharing of information between law enforcement agencies to ensure that safe effect to ensure safe effective operations. The town of Felmouth recognizes that legal judicial warrants
should be effectively administered with cooperation of local and federal officials and then goes back to the original language. However, it's essential that this be done in ways that uphold constitutional and civil rights to freedom from unlawful discrimination,
freedom from unreasonable urge and seizure. I should say search and seizure, freedom from self-inccrimination and access to do to due process under the law. So, it's a small edit, but I think it's important because there are times when we should be
cooperating with federal officials if they're coming to town with a judicial warrant and looking to remove a criminal that might be in our neighborhood. >> Well, um I'm going to take the liberty of at least reading what what my thoughts were with
respect to the statement. Uh and in particular, honestly, I had a little uh trouble with the third paragraph. I thought it was uh possibly a bit too strong. So uh what I have proposed and and sent along and we can certainly u
you know think about it going forward but it would read in contrast federal immigration and enforcement officers operating here in Falmouth and around the country have at times acted in a manner that is inconsistent with their legal mission and have in the course of
their employment violated certain individuals constitutional rights and put many in fear of their safety. These actions have resulted in an atmosphere that runs counter to Fallon stated mission and values. And with respect to paragraph 5,
uh I would re I would suggest that it read, it is our belief that federal enforcement officials should be required to adopt a uniform code of conduct, use of force guidelines, deescalation training, and body warn cameras to ensure the safety of all of our
residents. And in paragraph six, I would read that. Um, let me hold on a second. Let me hold on one second. Here
it would read, we believe that federal officials behead to be held to the same. No, I'm sorry. We have in the letter. >> That's the five, right? Uh it's a little difficult to I'm sorry. I apologize. >> Um >> no, you're you're right. Sorry. Um >> it would so
>> paragraph 1 2 3 4 5 >> It would pick up in paragraph six, I think. Let me just see. >> Yeah, it would read, we have also taken steps to safeguard the Fmouth community in accordance with Massachusetts state
law. Falmouth's municipal resources including property and staff time are not used to perform the duties of federal sim civil immigration enforcement and will only assist when in furtherance of a valid criminal
enforcement action specifically. So uh those are are my my comments with respect to the current statement. >> Thank you. >> Okay. um if there's further discussion of those um from the board obviously um but uh
barring that um Jack if you wouldn't mind uh the two of us can come back together with those suggestions from the rest of the board and come back with uh a revised draft for our next meeting if >> that's great. >> Yeah. Okay. Thank you and again thank
you for your work on this. Um so in terms that's the so we've got two down that's the um public statement uh the language in the correspondence to federal legislators
uh uh a lot of that was similar with the steps that we're taking uh kind of paired down and summarized and more of a request to uh federal legislators
uh to continue uh to um to work to uh in establish and enforce uh a code of conduct um and other uh standards for federal
immigration enforcement officers uh similar to what is is in place here um in in Falmouth. Um, and I I will say again, similar to um as with the the policy and and the conversations that
the town manager had with Chief Lori in in drafting both uh the public statement and this um letter to our legislators uh to ensure that I was describing what our standards for Fmouth Police Department are um and what the the standard
practices are. Um, I did reach out to Chief Lori and so, um, all of this language, um, he he has has seen and has affirmed as being an accurate description of, um, our practices and expectations. Okay. >> All right. Um, so uh, if people uh, if
the public has some suggestions with respect to policy, would you entertain those uh, as well? >> Certainly. Um certainly if if members of the community um have thoughts about these drafts which are um available in the public uh publicly available packet
for tonight's meeting um please feel free to email those directly to me heather.goldstonefalmouthma.gov or to the select boardfammouth.gov uh email and we um Jack and I will take those into consideration as we're um
>> jack.riichardsonmouthma.gov of and then in addition to that also additional policies that we can do actionable measures like the one we took tonight that we can put into place uh would be another thing that we would be interested in. >> I would are there are there I just want to ensure is there additional feedback
from the board on the correspondence to federal legislators? >> No. >> No. Excellent. Thank you. >> Okay. Well, uh, now we will move on to a presentation from Mass Development concerning the master planning initiative on Joint Base Cape Cod. And I
am going to turn to Mr. Reno to give us a little introduction on this item. >> Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, Mass Development, as many of you know, is the state's development finance agency and land bank, which works with businesses, nonprofits, and communities to stimulate economic growth across the
entire Commonwealth. Um, back on July 16th of last year, Mass Development announced the selection of VHB Incorporated, a Massachusetts based civil engineering and design firm to lead a team of consultants to support the development of a master plan for the approximately 7,000 acre uh conteonement
area at Joint Base Cape Cod. And Eric from Mass Development is going to going to go over um some of the initial preliminary plans, show a map of that area that's going to make a lot more sense when he shows the map. I want to thank Eric uh for for joining us tonight. Um I had an opportunity to meet with him for the first time uh back uh
maybe six seven months ago at Joint Base. Uh did a presentation there for the uh military civilian community council. Um so uh with that, Mr. Chair, introduce uh Mr. Eric. And Eric, I always mispronounce your last name, so I'm not going to try. >> It's okay. I appreciate the the effort,
the introduction. Uh you did steal some of my my lines, but I'll let it go. Um good evening, Mr. Chair, members of the board. Thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight about the uh KTO area master plan at Joint Base Cape Cod. Um I'm Eric Hokinson
uh senior vice president of real estate and director of mass development's uh military and defense sector initiative. Um a little bit about Mass Development is the uh Mass Development is the Commonwealth Development Finance Agency
and and Land Bank. Um as Mr. Renshaw said, "We're committed to stimulating business, driving economic growth, and helping communities thrive." Uh, in addition to supporting hundreds of projects each year that generate billions of dollars into the economy. Over the past 5 years, Mass Development
has granted $7 million uh to Barnes County communities and provided financing for uh over $200 million as well. Uh, Mass Development is also the local redevelopment authority for the former Fort Devans in North Central
Massachusetts, which was a US Army installation and is now a thriving mixeduse community of more than um or nearly 100 businesses and 7,600 employees. Mass Development is also a leading partner of the Massachusetts Military
Asset and Security Strategy Task Force, which coordinates the Commonwealth's efforts to enhance and strengthen military installations, Pentagon agencies, and the defense sector across the Commonwealth, including at Joint Base Cape Cod.
So, as many of you are aware, Joint Base Cape Cod is a full-scale joint use base. Um, in total it's about 22,000 acres. 15,000 of those are in the northern training area. So that's above the red line uh across the running left to right on the map there. And the remaining
7,000 acres is the contoone area. And that's an area for administration, mission support, uh, conservation, and a number of other uses as well. It's an incredibly complex area, not because of all the different uses, but because of the different leases and
permits and users throughout uh that area, and it really underscores the need for a conto area, master plan to coordinate all of that activity. I'm happy to refer back to the map at at any point as I know it is a complex
area. >> Everything that's not in written, is that what you said? uh everything below the red line. So this area here is the cone area or what's referred to as area. Um
the main goal of this initiative is to uh optimize the use of Joint Base Cape Cod and increase its organizational efficiency as it relates to uh the real property in the cone area and by doing that we'll support current missions as well as accommodating future needs. Um
through that process, we may identify excess property. It's no longer needed by the military or other uses in the cone area. And we expect that through this process, we'll be identifying potential um uses um for that addition or excess land.
Um we have a number of plans that we'll be developing throughout this initiative over the next 18 months, which I'll get to in a minute, the the process. Um but I really want to emphasize what what the goals are. I don't want this to be viewed as strictly a housing initiative,
though housing could be something that results if there is excess property and that's what's determined to be the most appropriate. But the goal here is really to support the base um and the installation. So, as I mentioned, it's a it's about an 18 from now 18month planning process
that we're looking at. And we're currently in the uh discovery phase, which is the first of the four phases that we've broken this initiative up into. Um we're working with BHB, Sasaki, RKG, uh ENZ, Land Strategies, Goulson
and Stores, and the Cape Cod Commission. Throughout this, we brought together this really incredible team to make sure that we're being thorough throughout each phase and listening to and working with the communities as we go. Uh we do have a a website that we've um recently
relaunched. Um and we will be populating that with uh content including this presentation. Um but over the next few weeks, you should expect to see a lot more activity on that website and you can subscribe for future updates, notifications about events. uh
opportunities for the public. Uh later this spring, we'll also have our first survey um which we're really looking forward to um launching. Um so with that, I'm I'm happy to take any questions um but really look forward to hearing from the public and and working
with all of you um over the next 18 to 24 months developing this plan and then beyond toward implementation. >> Thank you. Could you could you give us an idea of what type of uh engagement there'll be with the community? Will you
be uh holding meetings? Are you looking for people to be parts of committees and so forth? Could you just give us an idea? >> Sure. So um through each each of the phases we have what we intend to be different structures for the community
engagement. I think over all of it is we expect there to be a mix of online, asynchronous, hybrid, as well as in-person events. Um so I think we're we're trying to really capture uh as many points of engagement as possible
through this first discovery phase. It's a lot of um smaller facilitated discussions with subject matter experts as we better understand the base, the uses, um the abutters and all the neighbors and then working with the communities. I think as we go we'll
expand that circle out so we're more inclusive of um other stakeholders, general public. You know, we're also very cognizant of the fact that the Cape is a unique place with a large seasonal population and recognizing that the base plays um a significant role in the the
land use of the upper Cape, wanting to make sure that we're um as wide ranging as possible in the community engagement. >> Okay. >> Um I'm just noticing the the small timeline. >> Yes.
>> Notes under there. And we're uh days from from Q2 2026. >> Yeah. So that's through Q2 2026 I would say. So the end of Q2 2026, not the >> Okay. Yeah. >> So you'd say kind of uh
January, February, March, April, May, June. >> Yes. >> Will be what? Kind of overlapping continuing with discovery phase and getting into to framework phase. >> Correct. Yeah. >> Okay. Um, yeah, I guess maybe if you
could go back to the the map and say a little bit more about the uses and those groups that you're you're thinking about. Are there specific questions, specific changes in use or um, you know, scenario phases later? But are there specific questions or is this truly just
a wide openen discovery phase? >> Right. So right now um I would love to say wide openen discovery phase but um I don't want to give the wrong impression not knowing exactly what you mean. The small um facilitated discussions that we're
having are are typically topical. So we're looking at uh you know for example um transportation networks that are on base. So who manages the roads, who maintains them, who plows them, how do they work together? because every command has their own system for doing
that because of the diver diverse ownerships. Another one is natural resources. So there's a really robust natural resource management program on the base. Um but that interacts with the abuing uses too crane wildlife um and then working with the um you know
adjacent communities as well who manage other natural resources that have that interconnectivity. So again here it's again trying to be topical so that when we go and have a public meeting or discussions with the general public they're really well informed about what
is here and what's what's possible frankly rather than saying we'd love to hear every single thing you want to do promise the moon and um that's not what we can deliver realistically. I think that's helpful. And I'll just say from
my perspective for town of Falmouth, um, you know, I'm I'm interested in understanding and being part of that conversation where the base might help us and the base redevelopment might help us address some of our largest
challenges that are probably best addressed in a regional way. So, wastewater, solid waste, housing, transportation, right? all a bunch of those things that you already mentioned and are and are kind of underway, but just ensuring that we're we're doing our part to to stay up on
the conversation and and be active in that conversation. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Colin, Mr. Reed, >> I might have to double team this with um my colleague, Mr. Richardson, but housing is near and dear to our hearts. It's a major need on the Cape,
>> let alone Falmouth. Um I know you mentioned it very quickly um but you know we need workforce housing um at all levels. Um we have a major crisis in the missing middle as well. Um there's been
various models presented to us throughout time and ones that we've self-discovered. One being like the Champlain Housing Trust where it's a community land ownership model. So my question really is in the world of expensive coastal towns aka Cape Cod the
cost of land is high. >> Have you discussed is this too early in the process to discuss a like housing type model of how we can keep housing costs uh attainable for workforce at all levels and I don't know what you want to
piggyback I on more on the regional point of the Dr. Cold Stone. Uh this came up uh at a meeting with the chair of the Mashwanog tribe the other day. I know they're very interested in being involved but in an official way where they want to be be in touch. So just recommend reaching out to them and keeping them you know formally involved
in this process. >> Uh and shouts out my mom works on Bank Cape Cod. So shouts out my mom. Uh, I I mean I don't I don't I don't think I'm alone in thinking when this was announced whenever it was a year and
a half or so ago that we expected that there was going to be some real discussion about how this property could help alleviate our housing crisis here on the Cape. So, uh, I I certainly join my colleagues in in urging you to, uh,
to focus on, uh, on that particular need and certainly, as Dr. Goldstone mentioned, storm water and so forth, but housing is really the big, uh, the big issue here. >> Yeah, understand. >> Thank you. >> All right, Mr. Brown
>> how how um are you thinking of divesting any of the actual land or just offering it for uh various uses? >> Uh so the the majority of the the contoonement area about 6,000 acres is already owned by the state and then it's
leased um to air force army um and then there's typically another layer on top of that where it's effectively subleasased. Um uh basically when it goes through the the process to be declared excess, it would return to the
state. Uh so that'd be the the commonwealth through its um decam. And uh by virtue of legislation, mass development can directly receive that land without an act of the legislature as it would typically have to do. Um and so I think at that point if that's what
is decided to be u the appropriate course it's not not required uh we would then you know identify the the use and how to best uh realize that that outcome. Um but I at the same time know that there are other um you know
priorities that maybe can't wait for the completion of this process whether it's the regional composting facility that's being pursued. um you know that's something that can certainly happen in advance of any um you know master plan completion or other process. >> I have another one if I could on that
same train of thought. Are you anticipating any relocation of guard checkpoints and opening up more of the land to access by the general public? Uh at this point I think it would be premature to
speak to it but I think that realistically as we go through uh process if there is excess land that might uh require or at least significantly benefit from the relocation of certain gates. uh that's
something that we have to ensure that we work very closely with the guard on to ensure that you know their force protection requirements are are met or enhanced by that. So I I think it's something that uh we'll be exploring throughout this process. >> And one last question, do you have any
old hangers we can use for pickle ball? >> I'll I'll I'll write it down as a as an idea >> and we'll see if that gets a lot of stickers at one of the meetings. >> All right. Good. >> All right. Um I'm happy to go back to the housing if I would love to talk more about it.
Um I think it's something that we definitely want to make sure that we're you know pursuing um both capital A affordable and then lowercase A affordable attainable housing um open to different models. Would love to to learn more and have a a robust discussion about that.
>> Thank you. Does anyone in the audience uh have any questions or comments? Uh if not we will move on to our next item. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Uh and that is a report of the conservation commission.
>> So you have 15 minutes. >> Oh, I'm not going to need that long. >> Oh, good. Glad to hear it. We don't have Mr. Johnson Stab here to uh help out with the uh graphics,
>> but we do have Mr. Wrenchaw. >> Where is Sorry. No, it's okay. Just need to find the Absolutely. >> And uh just the up and down arrow. >> Perfect. Okay. >> Thank you. Uh for the record, Bill Duffy. I'm the new chair of the
conservation commission. Um been there since January now, so I'll keep this short. So basically what we do regulate land under jurisdiction through the Massachusetts Wetland Protection Act and
the Falmouth wetland bylaws and we uh own apparently a lot of the land in Falmouth over 2,000 acres and you guys keep trying to give us more. So appreciate it. Um the staff is highly knowledgeable and they're really
great to work with. Um you can see them here. We've had a lot of members and a lot of turnover in 2025. Um and we have a since I think October almost
seven new members. So this um which is pretty good. The commissioners have a range of expertise from agriculture, a lot of uh builders, some science, law and you can read it here.
Um we meet almost every Wednesday via Zoom. Um we had 36 meetings last year, two and a half hours average with about 90% attendance. So we always have a quorum. So our highlights, we had 83 notice of
intent, a lot of uh requests for applicability, eight enforcement orders, and over,00 permits. So, this is all of the area. Give you a second. There you go.
Um, so some of highlights in 2025, some seasonal employees. Tucker here. Um, a big project by Mark who just retired. Uh, the prescribed burn for Kunames Fields. Um, this was a big project and, um,
his efforts were really good and, you know, they had great success in this project. Um, the Kunameset Greenway, one of my new favorite places to walk a dog. Um, thank you to Dr. Betsy Gladfelder um and
all of her work and whoever she worked with uh to make that a pro uh that project um the way it was. I remember what it looked like before the restoration and what it looks like now is commendable.
Uh the little pond conservation area the upper Kunameset restoration project and uh the retirement of a long and dedicated servant, Mark, who I think we're going to try to get back and help out with a new guy every once in a while.
And we would like to thank the following. We work really well with other people in Falmouth, the public works, engineering, and so on and so forth. Any questions? I told you it'd be short. >> Yeah,
>> thank you very much. Um but but one question and um you know it's a number of uh residents have questioned >> why the conservation commission continues to have its meetings only on Zoom and doesn't uh hold meetings uh in
public. Uh can you answer or give us an idea where the commission stands on that? >> The commissioners like it. Um and from seeing how some of the the public meetings um and what's going on, the
engineers um have a much easier time presenting their material via Zoom. Um they all work off Cape. um you know so there's some locally but a lot of people actually have to drive you know further
in it's easier to control um the meeting and so on and so forth so while we have the dispensation to do it and I think we'd like to continue it um it's been favorable for the people that are in the process I can understand how the public
might have an issue with it but you know they're welcome to log and they're welcome to ask their questions. I don't know. >> Okay. >> If we met every week, we might want to do it, too. >> Yeah. Mr. Chair.
>> Yes, Mr. Reed. >> Um, can you just talk about the separation of duties between the commission and the department itself and then kind of the relationships there in because to your point, um, there has been a lot of turnover. So, I'm just wondering what the board should be
concerned about with regards to that. And also a special shout out to both Mark Casresik and and Dr. Gladfelder, who I see is in the back. >> I'll let Jen I think might want to take that. She's been doing for a while. Um,
>> I can assist. >> Yeah, I've been a commissioner for less than a year and in January they needed a new one and they asked people to step forward and everybody stepped back and I missed it. So, >> can you repeat the question? >> Well, if you can keep your meeting or
meeting to five or 10 minutes, we want you to stay at the chair as long as you possibly can. >> And I'm messing that up for us. Sorry. um more of just the the the separation of duties, what the commission does versus the department staff, but also
the relationships therein because one one of the points is uh speaking to the turnover. There has been a bunch of uh appointments that have finished, some new appointed seems to be a balance, but just making sure because we have the power of appointment. We're we're trying
to fill needs, but we're just I just want to know about the relationship between the two and you know how it's going. So the staff ba uh so Jen Lincoln conservation administrator the staff basically is the technical support for the commission we review all the
projects we do all the heavy lifting prepare all the staff reports for the board provide all that information for the board because most of the board members do work full-time they are volunteers so it's our job to to review all the materials that come in make sense of it all outline the different
regulations specifically for our newer members where they can look in the regs um and just provide general guidance on reviewing uh applications. We have a good relationship with the commission. We have an open door policy. They can
always come in and ask us questions. Um and I mean turnover is it there was a lot of turnover. Uh I think we have a really great board right now. Newer yes, but very enthusiastic. They seem very
passionate about um being commissioners and are really um coming to us willing to learn and and asking our advice and guidance on specific projects. Does that answer your question more or less? >> You have a very tough job. So,
appreciate the intel. >> Yeah. And I'll just follow up. It's, you know, you use the knowledge of your people and they're very experienced. Um so we rely on their their work and their detailed staff notes and projects. So um
it makes things very easy for us. Um but we also will go out and see the sites and take a look and facilitate the meeting and make sure um you know that we we're separate but we do take the work that they do seriously. So it is a
very good working relationship. >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. Any other questions? Mr. Brown, I >> I have never done it, but I understand that there's also a specific sort of a training program for commissioners. Is that something that you've looked into? >> I have not had the chance to take care
of it yet for my other job, but at some point I'm going to start taking um the the MAC courses for that. So, I have a background in conservation and work for the government for Noah. So, um, when I can get those sort of times off then,
yeah, >> thanks. Appreciate it. >> Anything else? >> Okay, I think that's it. >> Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Excuse me. Okay. Yes. >> We want to take um item I out of order
while we have conservation commission here. >> Uh, yeah, we can certainly do that. Uh consider we are being asked to consider a request by the 300 committee and the conservation commission to name the little pond conservation area after Mark
Casperic Casper. >> Okay. Good evening. Um, I'm Jessica Rittnau, executive director of the 300 Committee Land Trust. Um, Jen asked if I could make a very brief introduction um before I um turn this over to her to
explain uh this request. Um, the reason why Jen asked me to make the introduction is because it was the 300 Committee Land Trust that initially approached the Conservation Commission um with the idea and we asked them if they would consider co-sponsoring this
request. um to the select board um for this naming opportunity at the Little Pond Conservation Area for Mark Casper. Um just a little bit about the background. Um the Little Pond land purchase was 10 acres off of Spring Bars
Road behind the uh Trade Center Bowling site adjacent to the 11 acres that's now Little Pond Place Apartments that were developed by Falmouth Housing Corporation. The 21 acre site itself um was purchased by the town. There was a
number of community partners that were involved in the acquisition. There was a ground swell of support from the TT civic association, the Save Little Pond organization, community preservation committee and town meeting. All of the partners acknowledged at the time of
purchase that a significant restoration was needed for the site. um we needed to turn the parcel around and improve it for conservation and public access. Um so there were certainly several leaders, community heroes who helped make the acquisition
possible, particularly Taivic and Save Little Pond. Um and as far as the restoration was concerned, as time unfolded, we learned that the success for that aspect of the project was going to require something very special in
terms of dedicated energy. Um it was really once the town reached the point when Mark Casper got a hold of the project as the project manager working in the conservation department. Um there was no turning back once Mark was
appointed as the project manager. The on the ground progress for the actual restoration needs of the site um really started to take off. The site work was visible. It was meaningful in terms of the invasive plant species that were
addressed. the implementation of the concept plan that many um committees in town had worked to develop accessible trails. We had plans and concepts, but we really needed someone to help oversee the overall on the ground effort. Um so
we would say that Mark's role in his oversight for this project, it laid the groundwork for success habitat restoration and the public access improvements. This project is really the latest of his many accomplishments throughout his
career um with the town. We know he's been an ardent supporter of conservation in Falmouth throughout his career. Um so with the conservation commission support and with the endorsement from the ticket civic association um we did want to reference that endorsement that came
from uh prepared by Mary Little co-president of the Ticket Civic Association that was provided to the conservation commission and I believe it was included in your packet. Um we ask for the select board's consideration of the Little Pond Conservation Area um
Mark Casper Preserve Jen. Yes, thank you. I don't know what I can add to um that. Thank you, Jessica. Mark spent 27 years as a dedicated public servant to the town of Felmouth. He um for all of those years, he was
passionate about protecting the natural resources of Felmouth. Um as Jessica said, once Mark got a hold of this project, we did see meaningful results out there. It took one man um to just be
able to see it, focus on it a and make it happen. And that was Mark. He did a lot of the project oversight himself. Spent countless hours um pouring over um our materials lists, our plant lists, plant counts out out in the field,
saving the town thousands and thousands of dollars from a uh from a project um management standpoint. Um when the 300 committee approached the conservation commission, it it was unanimous. We
absolutely support um naming that Little Pond Conservation Area after Mark who uh retired in November of last year. >> So thank you. Just to clarify, the request would be for us to approve this,
which would start a one-year period. Uh after which uh that one-year period, then it would be uh the select board would designate someone to look into it, make research, and come back to a recommendation to the select board. >> Correct. Thank you.
>> So, um any discussion here? Anybody have any questions? We all think we know Mark. We know the great work that he has done. So, I'll make a motion to approve the request by the 300 committee and conservation commission to name the Little Pond Conservation Area after Mark
Casper and to initiate the one-year waiting period as required by the approved facility naming policy. >> Second. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? >> I just want to say I think it's a totally deserving honor and thanks to
Mark for all his service. Okay, >> I do want to point out a procedural flaw that we found on the green pond naming is that the cost of it is going on the requesttor. Correct of anything that's placed or made?
>> So, Mr. Chair, I can attempt to answer that question. So ultimately any type of uh uh monument marker uh plaque that sort of thing typically um is not uh it it the cost associated with that fall back on to the requester because this is
a a town project. Um I'll work with uh the DPW and and we'll make that happen. >> Great. Thank you. >> Okay. So we have a motion and a second. All in favor? I >> I Okay. Thanks for bringing us forward. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.
Okay, we'll go back to uh I'm M our annual update from the found affordable housing fund. We have our very wellqualified housing coordinator Kim Fish. >> Let me just hold that.
Oops. Oh, I got the wrong one up. One second. I apologize. >> It's all right. >> I know it's late. I'm sorry, >> Mr. Chair. Kim is uh getting the presentation loaded. I want I asked Kim
to prepare this presentation uh for a couple of reasons. It is like you mentioned an annual report but we're getting uh as you all know very close to uh April town meeting. Um and uh part of your packet there's actual Kim I think this is correct. There's a copy of uh
the the annual report that we intend to distribute to town meeting members included in the packet. So, I thought this was going to be a great opportunity for us to kind of get an early jump start on educating the public, the community, uh, as as far as the great work that the Kim does. Certainly, uh, talk a little bit about the, uh, the,
uh, significance and the impact of the film of the affordable housing fund. >> That's what I had pulled up first. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. So, I apologize for that. Yeah, that was in the packet and it has
the most current the year um the year what we had approved this last year year in 2025 and that will be distributed at town meeting. Again, I'm Kim Fish, the housing coordinator for the town of Falmouth and I'm here tonight to talk about the Falmouth affordable housing
fund. The Falmouth um the select board are trustees of the fund. I'll do a quick introduction. current funding funding projects um from 2021 to 2026 anticipated applications and just a
a brief summary. So as an introduction the Felmouth affordable housing fund was created in 2011 by session law acts of 2011 chapter 29 for the promotion expansion andor retention of affordable housing the select board of trustees of
the fund. It is funded by community preservation funds, general fund appropriations and donations. Current funding Falmouth affordable housing fund unencumbered balances. So
these are balances that have not been awarded to anyone yet. Um community preservation funds, the CP funds are just shy of $2 million. The non community preservation funds, the nonCP
funds are about 270,000 for a total of 2,252,000. Um just for public, we have um one it's one affordable housing fund, but there are two buckets. One is the community
preservation fund and the other is the non-comm community preservation fund and they have to be spent in a different way. The CP funds can only go up to 100% area median income, but the nonCP funds can go to that higher area median
income. The contrib contributions on article um no seven of November 2024 town meeting the room excise tax and the community impact fees was 950,000. Article 10 um also from well from 2025
and another 950 and then article 37 of 2025 were um CP funds in the amount of uh 1.5 million funded projects from 2021 to 2026.
Um there there's a QR code on here if anyone wants to go. It will bring you with your phone. It will bring you directly to the funds website and give you a full list of projects from 2016 to uh 2026. The ones we've approved in
2026. Uh they all couldn't fit on here. You wouldn't be able to see them clearly. But as you can see, in 2025, we did uh 30 34 affordable units on 545 Main
Street. Four Sandwich Road is another 10 units of affordable housing. And 85 Brick Hill Road is 25 affordable units. Um 545 Main Street and For Sandwich Road is still pending, but 85 Brick Hill Road
is under construction right now. And just to go back, we uh total affordable rental units from 2016 to 2026 is 226 units. Those are rentals. These are home
ownership. In 2025, we did um Pinerest Beach Drive for 175,000. That was one house. Um and that one already has someone residing in it. And just they these were
pending last time I had reported. 419 McCoy Highway. I just want to say that project is completely funded and done now and 48 Benjamin Nane is just um they they were getting their permit at the zoning board of appeals and that just
closed and they expect to get a positive um comp permit at the next hearing. And Alderberry Lane was a market rate house that Fmouth Housing Trust had purchased just like Pinerest Beach Drive and then they sold it and put a deed restriction
on it. Um for a area median income, Aldberry Lane was 100 and Pinerest Beach Drive was 120. So those are they were moved in within three people were moved in within 3 months. And then for a total units um for home
ownership from 2016 to 2026 is 39 units. Anticipated applications. So the town owned land projects 21 pheasant. We did receive proposals. So these are actual numbers. They're not estimated numbers. We do know what will
be requested. 21 pheasant lane they are requesting 175,000. That's 150 and then 25,000 for pre-development fees. 20 Brigotine Road is 150,000. Zero Locust Field Road
4,950,000. Zero West Falmouth Highway 325,000. Uh then um for money coming in April 2026, town meeting articles if they are approved by town meeting. Article 33 is
CP funds. They were very generous this year with 2 million. That is way beyond what they are required to give by state law. Article 10 the is um 950,000. There's also um money pending with it
there. It sits with the Cape Cod Commission. It's for Cape Cod Commission redevelopments of regional impact fees. So, if all of the town owned land projects go through and the town meeting articles are approved, this leaves with
the with the current balance unencumbered balance that we have of the $2.2 million. It leaves us only with $112,3 $112,35 for the fund for this coming year until
the next April April town meeting of 2026 2027, excuse me. So in summary, the Fmouth Affordable Housing Fund has invested in many affordable housing projects over the years. We hopefully will have many more
opportunities to assist with the subsidi with subsidizing more projects provided there is money in the fund and they meet the requirements of the enabling act. Thank you for your continued support in creating affordable housing in our community. I'll take any questions.
>> Mr. Brown. >> Is it possible that the Locustfield Road might be able to get by with a lesser subsidy? Cuz gez, we're giving them the land and we still need to put up almost 5 million. How many units is that? >> Uh 46.
>> It's a lot. >> And it's all not it's all deed restricted, all affordable, and they're both um all two entities, which we would get to at the at the next topic um are nonprofits. >> Yeah. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome.
>> Yes. >> Um, and apparently my microphone is is dead now as well, so I'll talk loudly or so. Um, I I guess I was going to make a similar uh point slashquest to Mr. Brown with the town owned land projects given
that we are already subsidizing those projects with land. Um, wondering if the review takes that into account in any way. if there's a an altered uh recommendation or cap on additional
subsidies for for those projects. >> We felt that it was fair where they're nonprofits that are doing them that it was fair to also subsidize the projects as well, but that's going to that's a recommendation that's coming down the road. They haven't even filed the
applications yet. So, that's what they'll be requesting. It would be up to the board if they actually award them those that amount of money. Okay. >> Yes, Mr. Reed. Uh couple question uh
questions for you. One is a plug for uh the Falmouth EDIC. Um we might be able to be a partner with you to think about housing and land management in different ways. Um I'm specifically referencing the Champlain Housing Trust model out of
Vermont. Um, I don't know where we can begin those discussions, but that's a very interesting way. Um, I think to, uh, Dr. Goldstone's point, um, land is equity and being able to leverage that the way that they have, they're able to
keep housing costs low and lower. Um, the land is still owned and the houses just transfer. Um, I have a question about safe harbor. Um, where we need to be to get there and stay there. But then the other one is a pointed note maybe
it's towards the state which is um AMI >> um EOHLC obviously controls that definition but it's regional includes our retirees but also our high uh highwealth households
and not necessarily our local workers. It often overstates our local workers. So is there any way that you know of how we can calculate things a little bit differently or is that you know more directed at my associate over here and his connections to the state? I think it
would have to go to the the state would then have to somehow get to the federal level to change what the area median income is for Barnstable County because if we EOHLC requires us to use the area median
income from Barnstable County and those numbers are set. So if we how do we how do we then we could get creative with what the higher area median income is because they don't recognize that what attainable housing is um lowercase
affordable housing missing middle whatever you'd like to call it. We can set that what we want but if the state already has 80% how do we do that? We have to then work off of what their cap is at 80% to then get the 100 120 140.
It's the Barnstable County area median income that is the problem. $124,100. That's excessive. And then that's what dictates what all the numbers are. >> Yeah. We have higher average property value and lower average income. Mhm.
>> We probably need a home rule petition to to change that >> some wage benchmarking just to understand what our teachers and firefighters and everybody are actually making. >> Yeah, I'll reiterate if we're going to >> uh start talking with our state legislators
and others about what that needs to be. We need to understand what the earning potential in our community is. um not what people who have already figured out how to live here and potentially work anywhere remotely are able to make. We need to understand what the the actual
earning potential here in town is. >> We're getting a little off topic though for >> and the Cape the Cape Cod Commission does have those numbers loosely, but the problem is how do we do that when this when the federal level sets that at 80%. It's diff because I mean we
can then everything would can go lower but we're still missing that middle. It's very difficult. It's something that causes huge frustration in the housing in my cohort other cohorts in the housing community.
>> I let these questions take away from the great job that you are doing and that the town is doing to attack this. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. And I also just want to give you a special shout out for the work you've been doing to help other communities. I know you've been a great help to Plymouth and a number of other towns and this is tremendous >> tremendous work. So, you know, you're
really a regional leader and thank you for your work. And >> to to kind of Colin's question, I think the state should uh >> you know, in the more immediate, you know, can maybe address some of this housing hub housing Jesus Christ, excuse me. >> Whoops. >> Housing subsidized inventory list. I
think there's ways that they can and should be able to change that percentage and the way that works out. Some of the things that don't qualify that should qualify. Uh I think that is something more immediate without needing the federal government that you know our state delegation should certainly be pushing for. >> I do feel that somehow maybe we can get
that um where seasonal communities does recognize the higher area median incomes. Those should then be recognized on the subsidized housing inventory and EOHLC is working on all of that. So hopefully that can be the catalyst to push it to be recognized on the SHI.
So, >> okay. >> To summarize this though, uh we're not going to be able to really fund any projects this year. >> Uh not very much, >> right? >> Unless we somehow um get a massive donation by someone. That would be
great. >> And and interesting, >> how usual are donations to the fund, Kim? Are there >> extremely rare? >> Extremely rare. That's my understanding. Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. >> But but you don't really You don't
really market that so much. >> No, we haven't. And that is some part of the HPP. One of the goals is to marketing the good that we've done with the Fmouth Affordable Housing Fund and how we could try to, you know, up the the amount there. Um and one of the
things too that um is working the Fmouth Housing Trust people that are selling their properties at assessed value as opposed to what the what the market rate is and they can get the tax benefit for that from that and then Fmouth Housing
Trust puts a deed restriction on it and sells it. >> Club Valley uh >> Exactly. So, there are other ways to do it or go directly to Felmouth Housing Trust or another entity that could sell it um without having to do the commission and just to lower lower the price of it. Then they can flip what
we've been calling a backflip. Instead of making money on it, they're reducing the amount and putting a deed restriction on it. So, there are we have been doing these creative ways to to to create housing, especially when it's pre-existing as opposed to new builds.
And one last thing if I could go ahead. Sure. >> Um I know I seem to recall I think our housing production plan says we should hopefully be making 80 units a year, >> but we're averaging closer to a little less than 30. So but we're yet on the
verge of maintaining safe harbor, right? So I wonder if we should be rethinking that. Maybe that's a little too ambitious in the long term. 80 is um to get us in temporary safe harbor to comply with the housing production plan.
>> It's different than trying to get to our 10%. >> Yeah. Just seems like >> it's more regulatory than statute than statute. So >> we've had such a rush of housing building just seems like the 80 is never going to really be practical,
>> right? and and again that that is to certify the housing production plan and separate from the subsidized housing inventory. >> Right. Thank you. >> Okay. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you. Moving on. Um so we're going to discuss and consider a vote to
authorize the town manager to issue a notice of award for land development to Felmouth Housing Corporation, Affirmative Investments, Inc. and Felmouth Housing Trust, Inc. to develop the land located at zero Locust Field Road for affordable housing. Mr. Renaw,
you're gonna turn it over to >> I'm gonna turn it right over to Kim. >> Okay. >> Hi, I'm Kim Fish, the housing coordinator for the town of Falmouth. Nice to meet you. Um, so I am here this evening as a matter of procedure to request that you vote to authorize the
town manager to issue a notice of award for land development to Falmouth Housing um for H to Falmouth Housing Trust Affirmative Investments and um Falmouth Housing Corporation.
Just to briefly bring you up to date in the this particular RFP process. On November 5th, 2025, the RFPs were issued. Jed Corno, director of community development, and I held a pre-development a pre-proposal meeting on November 19th. We had about six
people in attendance. The proposals were due on February 10th. Jed Melanie Bush who is the assistant to the town treasurer and the finance director and I opened the proposals and confirmed all the required documents were included.
There was one proposal received. It was submitted by Falmouth Housing Corporation Affirmative Investments and Famouth Housing Trust collectively. The proposal consists of 40 rental units in two structures. Of the 40, there will
be a mix of one, two, and threebedroom units. There will be eight units with project base vouchers, 28 units restricted at 60% of the area median income, two units at 80% of the area median income, and two units at 100% of
the area median income. There also will be three duplexes, six units total for home ownership. Of those six, there will be five two-bedroom units and one three-bedroom unit. Two units will be deeed restricted to 80% area median
income, two at 100% area median income, and two at 140 area median income. On February 26, 2026, the townowned land for affordable housing RFP review committee met to discuss the proposal.
On March 10th, 2026, on their behalf, I issued a memo to the town manager recommending Falmouth Housing Corporation Affirmative Investments, Inc. in Fmouth Housing Trust be awarded the land for development. The memo is in your packet
along with the evaluation form. On March 10th, the town manager sent you a memo requesting that you vote to authorize him to issue a notice of award for land development to again Felmouth Housing Corporation, Affir Affirmative Investments, Inc. and Falmouth Housing
Trust to develop the land located at zero Locust Field Road. Um so that's why we're here tonight. And just to quickly say tell you what the next steps are for this in this process. The notice of award letter will um if if if you
authorize the town manager to sign it will be sent out. Then um we will file the required forms in the central register and DAM and all the other things that need to be done and uh we will um the land disposition agreement
um will be drafted and sent to town council's office for review and that's the document that lays out the terms of the dispos disposition of the land. >> Okay. Thank you. Questions? >> Yeah, >> Dr. Goldstone.
>> Um, >> um, is there any ability and maybe this is as the project works its way through process with the affordable housing committee and and and others um
to is there any ability to shift kind of the bedroom count? And what I'm thinking is especially with a development that is this close to the high school, um we heard from the uh school uh committee's
consultant last year who analyzed um housing and the potential impact of housing development on enrollment in our schools that they literally don't even count units under three bedrooms as potential family housing. And so to see a project of this scale with the number
of three-bedroom units being less than five, >> um it's great that we're bu building housing, but I don't think we're bringing families in >> with with this project and would love to see that need addressed a bit better with this project. >> That can be addressed through through
the process. Um and I do know though that Valmouth Housing Corporation uh when they when they came up with this proposal it for them it was in a thoughtful way based on what because they have so many housing housing as there is. It's based on their waiting
lists too and what they're seeing. So that's why there's one two and limited three. We did hear from the school what they need, but it's what the handson people on the ground. Felmouth Housing Corp is actually seeing what the need is out there based on who's applying and
who's on the waiting list. >> I just worry that we're maybe not capturing that need because families are simply leaving. >> Mr. >> Duly noted definitely. Is there any uh opportunity to uh take advantage of the timing here for the um potential for
passing the seasonal communities act before we actually uh engage this project so that we may have more um local option >> that can come down the road. Um we can we can start this process and if
seasonal communities is um if town meeting accepts that there is still a process that will have to come back to town meeting with the changes in the bylaw. >> Um but it can be addressed. This this process will take a while the permitting
process for a project of this size to go through the zoning board and everything. So even when it's at that end until they do the lottery we have that time. >> Okay. Good. And then also I note that as potentially they could have a more costefficient design or make some
changes to the project along the way. Maybe the subsidized amount would be potentially less. I don't know if they're listening. >> I'm sure they are >> a chance to review it when they come before us asking for it. So,
okay. Any more questions? Um, yes. Oh, I was wondering like on the point of the price of the property and stuff like is that going to be introduce >> yourself? >> Oh, sorry. This is Eric of West Fallon. Um, yeah. I was wondering like if the
select board it it seems like the the town is not going to allocate enough in a given year to meet that number. So, like is that going to be part of the disposition agreement or like if the money is not produced, what happens to like the the shape of the proposal? like
could they suddenly have less affordable units in it or something if there's not enough money procured from the town? Just that's my question. >> They um they could come up with other options, but they would not go forward with the project if they didn't have the
the right amount of funding. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Mr. Chair, I I move authorization uh move to authorize the town manager to issue a notice of award for land development to Famouth Housing Corporation, Affirmative Investments, Inc. and Famouth Housing Trust, Inc. to
develop the land located at Zero Lopest Field Road for affordable housing as recommended. >> Second. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor? >> I Okay, thank you. >> Thank you all. All right. Now, um we are dealing with
uh discuss the affordable housing RFP review committee's evaluation of the proposal for the development of the town owned parcel at zero west Palmouth Highway and the town manager's recommendation. Mr. Grenaw. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm going to try to get through this before my
microphone, which I think is the only one on this end of the table is working. Still green. So, uh, similarly to the project that, uh, Kim Fish just described, on November 5th, of last year, a request for proposals was issued for the disposition of this town owned land for affordable housing on the land,
which is located, as we know, at 0 West Fmouth Highway. Also, similar to the last project, proposals were due and were opened on February 10th. Uh, Mr. Mr. Chair, select board, there was one proposal uh received for this specific RFP. On
February 26th of this year and March 10th of this year, the town owned land for affordable housing RFP review committee or the review committee met to discuss the proposal. Um, importantly, the proposal was submitted by Felmouth Housing Trust Incorporated, um, local uh, incorporation that's done fantastic
work here in Felmouth. Mr. Mr. Chair, select board, this proposal includes two homes for home ownership in one duplex building, one two-bedroom unit and one three-bedroom unit. One unit deed restricted in perpetuity at 80% of the area median
income or AMI and one unit deed restricted in perpetuity at 140% of AMI. The proposal was complete and uh after review and evaluation against all of the criteria and completing the evaluation form, the review committee came to the
following consensus and again all this is included in your packet across all of those categories. Um developer experience, affordability, site design, sustainability, building design, financial feasibility, references and site visits. The results out of those
seven categories, five were deemed to be highly advantageous and two were deemed to be advantage advantageous. Mr. Chair and board, the review committee issued a memo to my office on March 12th advising uh the same that the
propo proposal meets all of the requirements of the request for proposals and uh that and has demonstrated that Felmouth Housing Trust's ability to carry out similar projects. as I mentioned their history working in the community. Importantly, Mr. Chair and board on March 12th, town council and the
assistant town manager provided a recommendation via memo. A copy of that memo is included in your packet. Mr. Chair, select board um importantly um at town meeting uh last November uh we learned um of a town
meeting vote 1931. that vote was taken um which referenced certain water resource protections. Um also importantly um and and this again is included in the memo that was prepared by town council. Uh there's been recent case case law um that opens
up some room for interpretation raising the question as to whether the town of Felmouth at present could convey the parcel at zero westmouth highway with clear title for the purposes of affordable housing development. Um based upon this new information that
came to light again at the November 2025 town meeting uh with regards to this 1931 uh vote um and this recent case law town council uh has opined and I concur um not to recommend the select board go forward um with an award of the land
under this RFP. So again uh Mr. chair and select board. My recommendation is that the select board not proceed with awarding the land under the request for proposals and I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have. >> Um question for for council. Um what
should this board decide to go along with Mr. Reno's recommendation? What does that uh have to do with the vote at town meeting where it was uh approved that we would dispose of this property or direct us to what what what would be
the uh situation with that vote? >> Anytime uh municipal land is conveyed, it's a two-part process. It requires not only a town meeting vote but a vote of the select board to effectuate the conveyance. It's not complete with both
votes. So essentially the vote of town meeting is simply a reflection of the will of town meeting but it doesn't have any impact with the second part of the process. Um the select board is free to
um to refrain from conveying the property if it so wishes. >> Okay. Any questions of any of the board members? >> Mr. Richardson, >> pointing to Dr. Goldstone.
>> Oh, well, thank you. >> Okay. >> Uh, so >> um, >> fun and games on a long night. Um so this parcel yeah that just
was town meeting voted once to say yes convey then with the information that came up at the last town meeting uh just missed uh a twothirds vote to uh in fact uh reverse that and place it under conservation.
um the the questions around and the the complications which we've also experienced with the other parcels around Long Pond um very much understand the desire to um not run a foul of of of
those complications and also understand that there is um you know appreciation from the West Fmouth community for the the conservation value of this land. At the same time, the proposal that ended up coming in um
is not a large-scale proposal that you utilizes that full 2.7 acres in any way. Um it is asking to utilize like 10% of the land and place the rest of it under conservation. And so I'm wondering if there is a way um I think we can can
extend the window to do some more due diligence and see if there is a way to be able to carve out that 10% while placing the remainder under the 90% and and essentially find another win-win here analogous to a lot of other pro well a growing number not a large number
but a growing number of projects in town where we have been able to pair modest and appropriate affordable housing with conservation um on some of these larger parcels. >> So, are you suggesting that we not take a position this evening?
>> Uh, I I think what we would need to do is uh with the consent of the uh bidder, correct? To extend the award deadline. That's my understanding of the act would
need to take action. >> Um but the the uh award deadline could be extended um with agreeance of the the bidder um in order to allow time to figure out what the the pathway to doing
something. Well, in in an email today from Miss Moahan, she indicated that she would agree to an extension, but she was talking about uh clarifying the state of title and uh and and asking that we uh that we consider an extension at this
point so that the issue of title and whether the town could convey clear title would be able to be u you know researched and and a decision made. So, um, but but the applicant is not here.
Uh, so I'm not sure if we can say that she would definitely be willing to or the Falin Housing Trust would be willing to uh to delay or extend. I think we had 60 days from the uh from the right 60 days. I believe we had
>> I I'm not aware I'm not familiar with that aspect of procurement law and um I would need to consult with the finance director for to get that clarification. But um I think that there is certainly room to work something out especially if
everybody's friendly and these are are friendly requirements and amendments. Um the pathway forward here however to pro to provide clear title is to seek and obtain um waiverss from the state under article
97. We'd need to contact um the department of energy and environment. They keep changing their name, but the um state agency in charge of overseeing article 97 land to work with them to
make sure that we can convey clear title without running a foul of article 97. >> Um is if we don't act, is there any question of some type of constructive approval with respect to this application? >> No.
>> No. Okay. So, we don't have that concern. Okay. Any other members have anything to add to the discussion? >> Uh, I made my position clear on the town meeting floor in November that >> Why don't you make it? >> I'm not done. I'm not done.
>> We're still talking. Everyone knows I talk. >> Um, yeah, as I said, I think that in the previous town meeting, prior to last town meeting, it was one of the last items we discussed. >> Um, in terms of uh, you know, it was very, very long. That was after 11:00. I
don't think we gave its real due diligence. Um and I think that uh you know in this November town meeting u putting it in conservation uh I think it was three votes short of a 2/3 majority. So uh I have said that I don't think
uh we should move forward with it but uh you know I'm open to hearing what other board members have to say. >> I guess I'll jump in. Um I'll second the comments by Dr. Goldstone. Um, I think
missing the vote by two for the majority to to pass is interesting and worth noting. I think our work with the police station sighting uh opened up a lot of uncertainty into the lands and titles and deeds of those surrounding um not
only Long Pond but generally around town. Um at the upcoming town meeting, we're having a vote on um setting those aside in perpetuity officially um within the confines of the roads. Um but I also
agree with and so there's a legality question that I have in my head and I appreciate the memo by town manager and by town council. Um and but I also appreciate um what Dr. Goldstone just proposed in
terms of trying to um thread a very delicate needle here. Um because this does this all right at a high level. Uh the housing the we voted to dispose of three
properties. Two out of three ain't bad. Um but what would it take this to get to the third? um it would be agreement amongst the parties that are here and that are going to talk about this um and others. But I just worry that this is very similar or smells similar to
Davisville where we have a little bit of um not in my backyard um based on precedent and I can't get my head around the precedent. So extending I think might be good to get the
official um title indeed or whatever the the correct legal words are um would be appropriate. Um, I'm a h affordable housing advocate, so I'd like to see that thread the needle, but I also don't want us to undo
deeds and titles um for a topic duour cuz what's what's the need going to be in 50 or 100 years? Um, and we'd be undoing something that was voted. So, that's that's the conundrum in my brain. Sorry if it was a ramble. So, um, you
know, I just want to say with with respect to the comparison to the Davisville Road, uh, application and the, uh, neighborhood opposition, uh, I don't I don't think this is similar at all. Uh, I think there are some really
valid, very valid, uh, concerns raised by uh, by a number of of of people, by many, many of the residents at West Falmouth, by by council, and and by uh, and by Mr. Wrenchaw. So I think any any
discussion or suggestion that uh that this is a nimiism uh situation I I think uh the facts and the law militate against that being uh a concern. Um uh I was I I was prepared uh
to uh to go forward with the town manager's recommendation uh with respect to this pro this project because I I see a long drawn out road uh a lot of uh a lot of hurdles to uh to
overcome and while I am an affordable housing uh advocate as well as you Mr. read uh you know this is uh relatively small two two unit development um so I would support the the town manager's
recommendation based on town council's uh opinion at this point >> I appreciate your stance on uh Davisville and I will stand corrected >> so I I do agree Mr. Uh, Mscali, I don't think it's worth it to have the town
attorney spend a lot of time trying to wrangle this out of article 97. Whether or not it's explicitly included or not, it seems like a similar process. And for only two houses, I don't know. It's the best use of time. >> You want to make a motion, Mr. Brown?
>> I would make a motion to uh Well, I'd have to go back and find it actually. >> Then we can have Okay. One. Option one. I se the select board accepts the town manager's recommendation not to proceed with an award
and no vote required. What? What's that note mean? No vote required. Oh, just go ahead and agree. Seems funny. So I I guess the uh >> there there's no affirmative vote that's needed uh to uh to to adopt or go with
the recommendation that was made. That's my understanding. We've done it today. >> Okay. So it's sort of no action. >> U well not to award the yard. >> Greg, that's the motion. Well, I think
that requires some type of a vote because there seems to be some members of the board that don't necessarily agree. So, um, with all due respect, I think, uh, I think it should be a motion, uh, on behalf of Mr. Brown to accept the town manager's recommendation
and not direct the town manager to sign a disposition of land. >> So moved. >> You have something to say, council. So, you should always put an affirmative motion on on the floor. So, you would
vote whatever makes the most sense to you, but the vote should be to award the to award the RFP and then the vote would be the vote would be voted down. >> Motion to award the RFP.
>> Okay. >> Okay. So, a motion to award. Who made that motion? >> Mr. Richardson. >> Mr. Richardson. Okay. >> That's a motion that we've all all five of us have essentially said we're not on board. >> Yeah. Well, we're going to we got to vote that. >> He likes to vote that way.
>> Cor is that my understanding, council, that we should all should not vote it. >> So, right. So, the the motion is to award the RFP, and if none of you agree with that, then all of you would vote no. >> Okay. Is there a second?
>> Yeah, I'll second the >> Okay, so we have a motion in a second. >> All in favor? >> No. >> Okay, >> Richardson. No. >> Okay. >> No, it's all no. >> Okay. So, it doesn't pass.
>> Okay. >> We're not awarding the the land disposition agreement. I think the only thing I add is is thank you to the work of of our incredible team uh you know with affordable housing and and with this project in particular and it is unfortunate outcome um and this does not
deter uh our support and our spirit for affordable housing and we do need to do more and we will continue to to fight to do more. Um I would Okay. So um setting aside still some confusion
about what just happened. um to create closure on this particular process and this parcel. Um we are putting before town meeting votes on the other parcels around Long Pond to place
those into conservation. Um part of what I was proposing was a pathway to get 90% of this parcel to conservation and also get some affordable housing out of that. Um, shy of that, I would like to see us take some steps to actually affirm the
status of this land. And I think the first step to do that is actually to figure out what the current status is, whether it is actually subject to article 97 and and still do that work to understand what the status of this parcel of land is um as townowned land
so that we can understand what steps are needed or advisable moving forward. Okay, thank you. Are we finished with this discussion? I think we are. And I think it's, you know, clear that uh that the consensus
of the of the board was that uh Mr. Menure not uh signed a notice of award for land development for this prosperity. So, okay, we will move on to report an overview of the trash
and recycling curbside contract. Mr. Renro, >> thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, is uh Peter McCanny, our DPW director, is working his way to the podium. I just wanted to provide some context about eight months ago. Uh we uh I believe we uh presented to the board uh the fact that uh uh
acknowledging that the current uh waste management contract with NSET Waste Connections uh was going into us last year. We're prepared to uh >> Excuse me. Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Town Manager. I just received a text or actually came in a few minutes ago. The front doors to the senior center are locked.
>> That was me. Thank you. >> Okay. Are they unlocked now? because for for open meeting. >> So they've they've automatically uh they've they automatically lock at a certain time. So at 10:45. So I can probably post somebody at the door.
>> The doors are set. That's a modern technology. Go figure. They they they locked at 10:45. >> Sorry. >> If you don't mind, let's just do that. Let's just get through this. Okay. All right. Just to make sure that there's no one standing outside. So, Mr. McConny has been working for the
past eight months um uh uh also in consultation with the solid waste advisory committee uh towards uh looking at options with regards to perhaps extending our uh contract uh agreement with uh waste connections NSET. We've
been I wanted to make a point to the board. I think you've all heard me say this before in the two and a half years that I've been here. Uh, NSET Waste Connections I think has done a very good job. They've been very responsive. Um, at any rate, I want Peter to kind of go over a general overview of the major
provisions and conditions of the uh contract. U, this is a town manager contract to execute, but there's a lot of important inclusions in this um, and the addition of, I think, a very beneficial component with regards to a new uh, MSW municipal solid waste tote
or container. So, Peter, >> good evening. Thank you, Peter McCannady, director of public works. Um, as town manager Michael Renshard had mentioned, we've been working with the contractor um on the solid waste curbside collection contract. Um, I
would like to I know we're running late, so I'm going to try to keep it contained and I did write some notes down to make sure that I did keep it succinct. Um, first of all, I'd like to um give the thank you and kudos to the solid waste advisory committee. Tonight we have our
chair, Alan Robinson. We also have Richard Merrick and um working with Scott um Peterson also and we also have our solid waste um recycling coordin coordinator Mary Ryder here tonight. So we'd like to thank them for work for
their hard work and effort in assisting the town and providing the contract some of the contract items for the uh for the for the contract that we're talking about now. So, the town met and worked with the solid waste advisory committee during the duration of the contract negotiation. And I'd like to provide a
couple of minutes at the end for the solid waste uh advisory chair to make some make some comments. So, about a year ago, we talked about contract negotiation versus an RFP. So, the town is looking for a new 5-year contract that'll begin on July 1st,
2027. It'll end on July 30th, 2032. the town manager's office, public works, and the solid waste advisory committee began uh contract discussions around August of 2025. We compiled all the necessary items that
we wanted to see in the future contract. Public works incorporated the changes into the contract and was preparing for the next steps of going out for an RFP on negotiating with the current contractor. In preparation for that, Mass D had a six-month workshop. It was
a uh a one day a month workshop that they uh provided for all cities and towns across Massachusetts. There was about 15 um cities and towns in Massachusetts that enrolled in the workshop. I also enrolled in it and it was bas it was best practices for and
negotiating topics for um providing a new trash contract. In discussion with the current contractor, I mentioned that the town was contemplating going out with an RFP. contractor stated that they could provide the items that the town was looking for to incorporate and could
help the town with additional curbside collection matters. They also did not want to lose the contract. They have been a good provider to the town so they wanted to work towards that goal. The town started meeting with the contractor in no approximately November 2025 to go
over the proposed contract and after multiple meetings the contractor and working with town council the current contract lang language was completed. So the contract was in for is for 5 years 20 27 to 2032. The portions of the contract that were
changed from the previous contract are roll out of the tra of trash carts. This is something that the town's been looking at for multiple years. In 2021, we went to town meeting and did a uh an article for uh recycling carts. Um that
worked out very well. There was a little uh back and forth during the rollout stages of it, but it worked out very well. We're looking to follow the same procedure and mimic the same roll out for the trash carts. The trash carts were looking at through advice through
the um um solid waste advisory committee is they wanted to go with 64 gallons. However, a 95gallon and a 32gallon container could be available by request if it's uh approved by the public by request and approved by the public
works. And the reason for that is some um there are some uh residents in Falma that would like a smaller container and there are some residents in Falma that have a larger family and that the trash would not fit into a 64gallon container. So they'd like to go to with the 96.
The goal is to stay with one trash container. We don't want to be having multiple trash containers on the side of the curb. So, we're we're looking to um to to work it with that way to with either a smaller container or a larger container. Through multiple negotiations and
conversations with the contractor, the cost of the cart came out to be a 75% contractor and a 25% town cost split. So, it started out as the the um the um containers being $1.2 million. Back and
forth with the contract. It went down to $900,000. Then it went down to 750. Then it went down to 500 and then finally it went down to 300. Um, and the contractor was very amenable to be able to to to be able to work with that, but the
contractor also has to make the money back for the town's portion of that for the 5-year contract. So there is a clause in the town that the town has the right to purchase the cats at the end of the contract if there's a contract termination or proposed uh or at the end
of the contract or contract um termination and the cost for the pro prorrated card is approximately 15% of their value. The ownerships of the carts will remain the maintenance of the carts will remain in the contractor's responsibility. The contractor will be
responsible for maintenance of the trash carts and the recycling carts. At this time, public works is responsible for maintenance of the recycling carts. We have been for approximately three years. And it's a weekly responsibility for the highway division to keep inventory parts and have crews available for repairs.
That's something we did not um we did not expect during the original roll out when we went for the for the grant and went for the um original article for town meeting. So it is a a uh cumbersome on top of the highway department and public works to be able to maintain
these cuts and keep them uh in good working condition on a weekly basis. So the roll out will be prior to Memorial Day in the town. The solid waste advisory committee and the contractor will coordinate the public notices. The roll out will be managed by the
contractor but we'll have input from our solid waste recycling contractor uh solid waste recycling coordinator and we'll use the same system as the recycling cut roll out in 2023. The contract also has a section for municipalities right for other
collection and what that is is for specifically for is the town and the state has been looking at uh compost pickup for future uh future initiations of compost pickup. So, we wanted to have that in the contract so it wouldn't be a reopen on a contract. It's in the
contract that we'd be able to negotiate it at a future time if that does uh come out between 2027 and 2032. Those are the highlights of the contract and I just wanted to go over that with an overview, but if there are any questions, glad to
answer them. >> Mr. Brown, >> Mr. McConny, I I'm I just don't understand the concept of giving away the the the recycling bins. I mean, you guys did a great job to get them. I know
it's kind of a pain to to fix them. You know, I just I feel like the contractors should be buying those instead of us giving them to them. Or we should just let the residents own them and if they have to fix the wheel, they can fix it themselves. I just I don't understand that part. And the other
thing is with the trash cans, I've noticed a lot of people in town have already gone out and bought these big trash cans with the flip lid. That's, you know, seems like it would be acceptable. And so I'm just wondering know, are they going to just throw those away? And, you know, it seems like we're
maybe I don't know. It just I I hate to see wasting any money at this time. And it just feels like no matter what it looks like on paper, it feels like we're we're just giving something away there. I I just can't get my head around that part of it. >> So, the first thing we talk about the
trash carts, it it it makes sense from the public works perspective that the contractor is going to be responsible for the trash carts and fixing the trash carts and repair of the trash carts. Public works, we don't want to be going out on a weekly basis fixing trash carts
and keep on purchasing pots and wheels and lids for the trash carts. So, for us, it made sense. If they're going to be doing the trash carts, they might as well take over the recycling carts. And it was actually when we were talking to them, they mentioned it and we concurred that it would be it would be better for public works for them to take over the
carts. So, if they break a cart on the side of the road, they'll be replacing the cart and we won't be getting phone calls to public works saying, "We got a broken cot uh recycling container. Public works owns that." Or, "We have a broken trash container. the contractor
owns that. We wanted to put it all together under the contract. >> I understand the contract. >> I understand that from the management point of it. But the other thing is when we get to the end of the next 5-year contract, we got nothing. Now we got to start from scratch over again or else
deal with this contractor who's kind of holding these barrels over our head. >> So the in the contract that the town there's a clause that the town has the right to purchase those. if the town at the end of the contractor chooses to at the end of the contract chooses to go with another contractor or if there's a
termination if something happens and there's a termination that there's a clause in the contract that has a percentage of is actually dollar figures I saw that for for the uh for the barrels. So a current barrel a 95 gallon barrel right now is about $70. So if
something happened during the contract or at the end of the contract, we'd be getting those barrels, those cards for approximately $12, between eight and $12 depending on the size. So we thought about that and we didn't want to get stuck as a town to say, "All right, we went automated. Now we don't have the
carts. What do we do?" So that's why we put the clause in there that the town has the right to purchase those CS. >> So how how much money is that? 22,000 times $24 or >> $10. >> Well, 12 for the >> 108
to10 8 to 12 >> I guess depending on the size. >> Depending on the size, >> correct? >> Say $10 time 22 would be $220,000 >> times two because the the recycling so almost a half million potentially, right? I mean, I guess we can do it, but
just if >> this the second item you mentioned, the second item, >> well, the recycling bins, we'd have to buy those back, too, after giving them to the contractor, right? >> The recycle. Yeah. Read the trash in the recycle. >> I understand there's a value to having them maintain them. But they seem pretty durable. Have they really been breaking
that much? They they are durable and they do break because what happens is the automated arms come down on the trucks and they they either bang them on the ground or where they're picking them up and they're shaking them into the truck the lids break off on them. Um they are durable containers but the wheels and the lids are the most parts that get broken.
>> So it is a real maintenance problem. >> It's it's a maintenance problem for public for us for public works. >> Mr. Chair, I apologize. I don't have a microphone but I'll talk to my battery. We're down to one. >> So, so I I would rather the deep heavy
roads crews uh be fixing potholes and maintaining our roads than putting wheels on trash to that's that's my perspective. >> I agree. >> I've watched it for two and a half years. I just don't think that's a very effective service of that. >> Now, we want to hear from Mr. Robinson.
Um but I have a question. So, it it seems like we're not really u required to to approve this. This is something that is totally within the town manager's domain.
>> Yes, it's a contract. Yes. So, number one, it's 30B, which I think everyone knows, but yes, this is a contract that's my office. >> Okay. And can we assume that your office intends to go forward with this contract? >> You you you can assume that. Yes. >> Okay. Very good. Thank you.
>> Can I ask a question? >> Sure. >> Um, Peter, do you have any concerns about the Borne landfill at all and its capacity to handle the amount of tonnage that we're shipping up there? Because there's obviously a lot of hearsay about it's filling up and they're taking contracts from offgape.
>> Yeah. So, recently the Bourne Landfill um expanded their facility. Um, the town of Falmouth, we we updated we uh renewed our contract. It was over in 2025. We renewed our contract for another five years. So our new for our contract, it
goes till uh December 29th uh 20 2029. So it's until 2030. So um I'm I'm not concerned about the amount of trash going to Bourne. Um in the next contract uh when we go up to the renewal of the
uh the Bourne uh integrated the solid waste facility, we might want to be thinking about it at that time. But I think during during this time right now, I think they can they can take the town's trash. So they take the they take the town's municipal solid waste and the recycling goes over goes over the bridge
to their facility uh in Rochester. >> And one other follow-up question, I had the benefit of sitting in the finance committee as we're looking over the budgets. A question was raised about potentially saving the town some money by converting this to an enterprise type of contract. This one's signed for for
five years. Would that would that would we have to do a whole new contract at that point? >> No, we would not. So other >> Thank you. No, we would not need to uh need to redo the contract because this is more of a funding mechanism. I
understand and Mr. Robinson can knows more of the history than I do. It was looked at once before um shifting from a you know where the where the where the uh revenues adequate to fund this come come from property taxes. Most communities I've managed in the past
there is a fee and it's run like a proprietary or enterprise fund where residents pay a certain fee uh for that for that service. something that we can certainly look at. But to answer your question, if we ever go that direction, um to basically free up $3 million in in
in in in in uh uh funds that we're using to fund this out of the general fund. Um that would be a whole other discussion not involving this contract. It's just it's just how how it's how the contract was is funded, what what bucket of money
it comes from. Thank you, Peter, and thank you for this opportunity to to speak with you all. My name is Alan Robinson. I chair the select boards select board appointed solid waste advisory committee and just if I can start with point to Mr. Reid's question with regard to the board
landfill. They are the born landfill is working on their expan their state permanent expansion that will carry their capacity into the 2040s. So we are in very good shape. We have a very good contract with them very fortunate contract.
I think I can speak for our entire committee that we are delighted to have this opportunity to tell you that we are quite pleased with the support and quite pleased with and support the terms and conditions of the draft contract for the collection and disposal of solid waste and recyclables.
We applaud the administration in their efforts. We thank them for considering and incorporating the recommendations developed and submitted by our committee. This morning, our committee submitted to Peter a short list of minor suggested edits to improve the clarity
for the public and for minor changes in the terms and conditions. None of these, if accepted, will meaningfully alter the terms of the contract draft made available last week. This contract, when agreed to by NASA
disposal, will be a win for the town. First is that it is on target to be signed more than a year before their current contract ends. Second, the contract will bring a quality trash cart for each household with a choice of
size. Third, it recognizes that there will be opportunities to pilot innovative approaches to trash and recyclables collection during the term of the contract. And fourth, it acknowledges that during the course of the contract,
the town may opt to add food scrap compost collection. The state has mandated every town reduce trash tonnage by 2030 to levels 30% lower than in 2018.
This contract complemented by trash reduction initiatives already underway and with more to come and with the support of every household in Felmouth will help us achieve that 2030 goal. Our collective work I'm talking about the collective the
collective here everyone here really uh has just begun. We need to get the message about the new CART program to the entire community and there is no time to waste to do that by Memorial Day. We have a number of ideas
and we'll be teaming with the select board, the administration, NSET uh and many others on this in the weeks to come and beyond. Finally, we invite members of the community with interest, ideas, or concerns about this program to attend
SWAK's next monthly meeting, Tuesday, April 14th, 7 p.m. in town hall. Thank you. >> Any questions? >> Yes. >> One question for the two of you. So, if we were to reduce our trash tonnage by
30% by 2030, that's 3 years, correct? three years into this contract which goes through 2032. Would we be in a position to drop our curbside trash collection to every other week in line with the recycling? And if so, would there be any flexibility within this
contract which currently calls for weekly trash collection um to to make that change? >> Uh one with respect to um well actually let me turn off to Peter to answer that question. Current currently the uh the trash is
weekly and the recycling is is bi-weekly. We're we're trying to set up the the cart situation so the recycling's 96 and the um trash is a 64 or lower. You want
to get that offset. Our preference is not to have a 96gallon cart. Um, so the intention, we're not looking at making it a bi-weekly trash. We're looking at keeping it weekly. At some point in time, if the compost gets taken
out of the trash, cuz the compost is it degrades and that's the stuff that starts to smell. But typically in the summertime, residents want to get that trash out of their house or garage or driveway and get that picked up. So, our intention is to keep it weekly, but um
to be able to remove the the to lower the trash or to be able to move that compost, I think removing the compost, as Allen has mentioned, that's about a third of the weight of the trash. That's going to that's going to make a big difference for um trash volumes and costs at the ban landfill.
>> To achieve that 2030 goal, you'll have to make progress on the food scrap compost. um whether at some time in the in the future um it could result in reducing trash which can the trash which can be
just in earth really um to once every two weeks that's a great goal to strive for. >> Yeah. >> The one thing noticeably missing is what is the actual cost? I don't see that in
here. I I could see a one uh daily value, but I didn't see total number unless I just I don't see how I missed it. >> So, the the the thing about this contract is um and Allen had mentioned to it is we did it a year before. So, the cont the five-year contract
extension starts on July 1st of 2027. We're still in the fi we're in for year four of the contract now. We'll be going into year five on July of this of this year. So, um, I have the town meeting book and in the town meeting book, we're
about 2.5 million for the trash and about a million for the, uh, recycling. So, it's like 3.5 under the contract. It can only go up that by the CPI, which and it's a maximum of 6%. They can't go over 6%. Over the last several years,
they've been 5.2, 4.8, 5.2. So the the the cont contract for this year we're looking at approximately for the trash about 210,000 per month starting in July to the following July. What the CP does what
the CPI does in 2026 that's will determine the 2027 rate at July 1st. >> No. So the cont the contract stays the same. The contract from 2022 to now stays the same. And we're not the CPI is the CPI. They can only go up.
>> What is CPI? I'm sorry. >> The consumer price index. >> Okay. >> So, actually what um the finance director did do this year was rewrote the CPI because it's on a rolling annual average and they were doing the annual
average couple of years in May, couple of years in June. So, we refined it to be in in May. That seemed to be the better average. not all not you don't always get the um the indices out on in June. >> Peter, let me just to to be directly responsive to the we talked to Laura
Citroen, the finance director this afternoon and uh thank you for the question. So currently uh this current FY26 um we're projected to to uh expend $3.8 million combined. Um the MSW I call it
the municipal solid waste and the recycling combined. 3.8 Um assuming we go forward with this contract um adding the totes and the consumer price index increase um that we're projecting again south short of 6%
because that's the cap we're looking at about $3.9 uh million um for next year uh July 1st 2026. In other words, the start of our FY fiscal year 27. So 3.8 million all in
this year FY26. If we go forward this another $100,000 in effect, it'll go to 3.9 million. That gives you kind of a >> I guess the carts are a pretty small part of it then actually, aren't they? >> They are. >> Thank you. >> Well, thanks to these two because they
could have been a much larger part because Peter mentioned it was like 1.2 or 1.3 million to add the 22,000 cards initially and through his negotiation and working with SWAC, they got it down to $300,000 for 22,000 cards. >> All right. Well, I appreciate that.
Thanks. >> All right. Well, thank you. Thank you, Alan. Thank you, Peter. >> Thank you. >> Okay. We will move on to discuss and consider a vote to designate a member of the select board to seek input on the request for the naming and the placement of a plaque on the shining sea bike path
honoring Patty and Leonard Johnson. Mr. Renshaw. Hello, Dr. a a quick in a quick intro. So, uh we we've passed the one-year wait period. Um as as you may recall back on February
11th of last year, um a formal request was made by the friends of Felmouth Bikeways to initiate the naming process according to the uh naming policy adopted by the select board. Uh just for background, uh Patty and Leonard Johnson are longtime Felmouth residents who
advocated relentlessly and tirelessly to make the Shining Sea Bikeway uh extension a reality. And without without all of that hard work and effort and dedication, the project would never have been possible. Mr. Chair, select board, the request is for the placement of a plaque along the bike path near the
great ciphet marsh between mile marker 6.4 and 6.5. Um, at the March 24th uh meeting last year, select board voted again to initiate the naming process outlined in the naming policy. And as I mentioned earlier, that one year uh has passed. So
now in accordance with the board policy and after that waiting period has now officially elapsed, a member of the select board um in accordance with the policy should be designated uh to seek input and advice from whichever department, board, committee or commission oversees the public facility
or place to be named. And uh Mr. Chair, after the designated select board member reports back to the full board their findings, the board would then advertise and conduct a public hearing to seek input from the from the community. I think that outlines the process. We certainly hear hear what you have to say. You've waited a long time, but I
think uh really all that needs to be done here is to designate a member to uh to do the research and come back to the board with this recommendation. But if you want to tell us a little bit about Leonard and Patty Johnson, you know, go right ahead.
>> Oh, that's that's fine. I'm I'm content and okay, >> I'm sure they would be not offended. So, >> okay. Well, everybody knows knows Leonard and Patty. Okay. >> Yes. >> M Mr. Brown,
>> Mr. Mscali, I think it would be great if you would accept the challenge to investigate this matter. So, I nominate you to do the investigating. >> I I'd be honored to. So, thank you. >> Okay.
>> Motion in a second. Any further discussion? >> All in favor? I >> I Okay. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Brown. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Now, back to the school building
committee. Consider a vote to appoint members to the Lawrence School Building Committee. School Committee members Susan Augusta and Margaret Susa. select board member to serve in the capacity of a
representative of the duly authorized of the body duly authorized to construct school buildings in the town and that I would nominate Dr. Goldstone for that position and Mr. Paul Dart, director of
the finance, director of finance and operations for Fmouth Public Schools to serve in the capacity of both a local budget official and the local official responsible for building maintenance. Mr. Renro,
>> thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, you sum that up quite nicely. Um, I just want to uh bring the board's attention to the fact that um again back on March 9th, select board had voted to appoint select board member Doug Brown, school superintendent Dr. Lori Dur, uh the school principal,
Mr. Tom Bushy, and myself as the town manager to serve on the committee um this evening. Uh you heard us from some applicants with regards to the community membership, folks that wanted to serve on the committee. Um also importantly, Mr. chair and board. I wanted to point out that uh on March 10th uh the school
committee had met voted to recommend to the select board the appointment of school committee members Susan Augusta and Margaret Susa to this lower school building committee. Um Mr. Chair, as you indicated um I'm also recommending in addition to appointing the two school committee members uh which have been
recommended by the school committee I'm al also recommending uh Mr. Paul Dart, who currently serves, as you all know, as the director of finance and operations for Felmouth Public Schools, uh to serve again in that role of the local budget official and wearing the second hat of the local official that's
responsible for school building maintenance. >> Okay. So, motion to approve the appointments of the following members to the local school building committee as indicated by the town manager. Motion in a second. Any further discussion?
>> Yeah. Y um because I did not specifically mention um uh and I think you did um that other the additional select board member uh to serve in that capacity of um and I'm going try to get the wording correctly
um to serve in the capacity of a representative of the body authorized to construct school buildings in the town. And I believe you had recommended uh Vice Chair Goldstone to serve in that capacity. I wanted to make sure that was part of the part of the motion as well.
Very well as amended. There's a motion and a second. All in favor? I. >> Okay. Very good. Thank you. So, uh, our next item is to consider a request from Indivisible Falmouth for a waiver of the special event permit fee
and a request for an appeal of the condition on the permit for no amplified music on the village green for the no kings protest rally. Mr. Renoy, want to give us a some background here?
>> I will take take you through the process. We we will we will so a summary of the process Mr. Chair and board uh Invincible Felmouth contacted the town manager's office regarding no kings rally which which is
planned as you all know for March 28th. The No Kings 3 rally on Saturday, March 28th is expected based upon the application to draw a much larger crowd than usual as this is National No Kings Day. Because of the large crowd and for the safety of pedestrians crossing the
sidewalk to the green and due to the fact that an applicant the applicant expressed safety concerns related to the event during the meeting with the special event working group which was held on uh March 9th, the town manager's office requested an application for special event be completed. Again, due
to uh concerns with regards to public safety, community safety, as well as the safety of the participants, Indivisible Felmouth submitted uh an application for special events back on February 27th uh for the No King Rally protest on the green again on March
28th. Um I wanted to point out, Mr. Chair and board, the typical requirement that applications be submitted uh no less than 60 days in advance of the event uh was waved. The special events working group, as I mentioned, met on March 9th. Um the event organizers who
submitted the application uh were were invited to this particular meeting uh to discuss share um uh with the uh town staff uh details with respect to the special event that's planned. Um that special event working group included
various town departments. The assistant town manager tends to lead that effort. Uh the police chief was present for this particular meeting. fire rescue, department of public works, building, health department, recreation, and beach, and uh town council has also been attending these uh meetings for the past
probably eight months uh to provide her input. The working group um back on March 9th discussed public safety concerns and uh issues with the organizer. Um and as a result of that conversation, um the recommendation coming from the review
working uh review group was uh that the organizer uh hire two police details including two cruisers for the safety of pedestrians crossing from the sidewalk to the green. Um it's my understanding because of the significantly larger anticipated crowds. Uh they wanted uh a
a couple of police details to ensure safe passage, if you will, uh along the north side of Main Street uh uh across to the green. Um the second condition was that no signs were to be hung or nailed to trees. And lastly, that no
amplified music recorded or live uh would to be played at any time during the event. Um amplification was to be allowed for speakers uh folks that are speaking at the event only. Um, Mr. Chair, as you mentioned, indivisible Felmouth submitted a request
to the select select board for both a waiver of the uh standard $200 permit fee and also uh specifically a request to appeal the condition on the permit with regards to no amplified music on the green. Um, town council um has provided an opinion, well, a memorandum
I should say in your packet um uh considering the subject of requiring a special event permit for the use of the green for protest and placement of reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions or conditions on the permit. And uh it's my office's recommendation uh that select board
maintain uh the uh condition for no amplified music recorded or live be played at any time during the event. And with that, um, I understand the applicant is here to address the board as well, but that would be my recommendation. >> Just just one question, M. Mr.
If the speakers are allowed to have amplification and the applicant has indicated that uh in correspondence to the board and he's here this evening uh that uh he would be
they would be agreeable to uh the same type of amplification for uh songs. Uh, is there really an issue if if we're going to allow it for speakers? Uh, why are we going to not allow it for for for
music? >> So, I I think I think there is a diff I think there is a difference a distinction between speakers being allowed um for uh folks that are are are speaking literally and uh in in a in a
live musical performance. And I and I'll phrase it this way. Um because of the large anticipated crowd and I I did consult with uh Police Chief Lori um last week and again again this morning on this point um because I I was
wanting to kind of illustrate our concerns with regards to the safety of the public. Not only um those that are gathering for the event, but people that are driving past it. um conceivably with a lot with a live band playing um
there could be um in in large amounts of people uh congregating and crossing over uh again that north side of Main Street, there could be a potential uh for a vehicular vehicular accident, distracted driver, somebody kind of rubbernecking and looking at hearing the music with their windows rolled down. It's a nice
day on on Saturday and and they hear the music and they they're distracted. So there's that potential and I think it's real. So that would Mr. Chair would be my distinction and kind of the difference between somebody that's just speaking in a rally using a megaphone or even an amplified speaker versus live
musical performance which it's my understanding I think this is a a point as well I wanted to make. It's my understanding that traditionally there's not been amp amplified music live music I should say has not been permitted on on the green.
Okay. Can we hear from the applicant on this on this? >> Newman. >> Thank you, Jim Newman. Uh, Indivisible Falmouth. Um, I I do appreciate the the opportunity and I do appreciate all of
the various waiverss that have been offered to to us as part of this process. Um, I do also feel really strongly that music as a uh first amendment protected form of speech
should be considered uh very favorably um and not treated as as different from from speech. We have uh tentatively a folk duo uh lined up to to to play if
the temperature is warm enough that their fingers can handle it. Um, this is not going to be something that that people driving by are even aware of probably. Um, we we also would like to play recorded music um from a playlist.
The playlist uh includes songs that are um composed by a local person specifically in support of our um protests on the on the green. um protest songs, but they are local and um and
written by this this um local guy. So I um I really find it a little hard to understand why this is a safety issue. Um we we hear song we hear music coming from the cars going by that's very loud sometimes. Um and there's also a um
there are events at the um St. Barnabas Church with with with amplified music, which is is at least as loud as anything we would do. Um, and that that's that's a weekly event in the summer, I think. Lobster on the lawn. Um, so anyway, I
would I would uh I'd really like to ask ask the board to support this. >> I think you had also indicated that uh that in the past there has been amplified music at the green. Am I correct in that in that that you've said that
>> that our amplified music or other others? Yeah, the the we did we did find uh uh something on Facebook showing a Christmas event on the green with um a singer uh like this with a microphone um
with a band behind her that probably wasn't amplified but but with Yes. with amplified music um for the Christmas. I think it was the the the tree lighting event. Um >> so two two things. Um one I' I've been
to a number of your guys' events. Uh and I don't think uh the level of music you're describing is even louder than the speakers. I've spoken at your events. I know I've spoken louder than this the music. Um,
but uh I do understand the town manager's concerns. Does the fact it's a folk group like change like I know I'm trying to thread the needle here between safety and >> can I throw in one one other issue? >> Uh I'd like to town manager first and then go back to you.
Does the does the genre of music >> like >> No, no. It it's literally again it's kind of I'm trying to look holistically and I and again I I I know all of the previous um uh rallies, protests have been just superbly well managed and
done. Here's what's my concern. um any amplified live music um in combination with the the crowds that um that the the applicant is is projecting. That's a that that's the concern. And I I I I tried to illustrate a scenario that I
thought was was very real and you know perhaps it was a reach. Um but that's my concern. It's not the it's not the type of music, the genre of the music. Um, it's the it's the combination of having such a large gathering and crowd and and
and and I'm just going to say this out loud in the crazy world that we live in now. Um, and and all of this kind of factoring and coming together. Now, we're having police details to help marshall folks across the street safely. Um, but also to have the cruiser presence as a visibility to
unfortunately we have to do to protect the participants in the in the rally. Um, again, I'm I'm looking at this um uh with with um the lens of protecting the town and making sure that the event is safe and uh whatever I can do to kind of
mitigate the risk and and and in my opinion, professional opinion, the the the addition of that amplified live music band, I didn't know it was going to be um that type of music. Honestly, I just heard amplified music uh in combination with those other factors
just makes it become a whole a completely different thing and and it caused a lot of concern. >> Just a point >> both myself and and and the police chief honestly >> just a point of clarification the example you brought up um the tree
lighting the roads are actually all shut down for that. So if there is any amplification the the traffic shut down. >> True. I got to say I I support your event and the right to free speech and certainly that's it's great that you have this
opportunity. I just don't like the concept of the music. I don't want to turn this into a party. I think you're there to make a point about political activism and that's fair. But if we start having music and you know it's
it's it's too much for me. I just think that it should be a political statement and not a not an event per se as making a making a big event out of it, you know? I mean, it just doesn't doesn't seem right to me to make it like
that much of an event. >> Well, with with due respect, the the music is part of the protest. It's not it's not entertainment. Um it's um it's there's a message in the music. Um, I
also want to point out that with our um the with this system we're using the amplification, it's barely barely audible at the extreme ends of the of the green. This is not something that's that's blasting out. Um,
the Mr. Renshaw has has specifically cited live music as part of what he's concerned about. We also want to play canned music. Um, and if that was was all we could do, we would we would um we we would work with that. Um, but it's
not, you know, this isn't a rock concert. The music is the music is alternating with our speakers as as we're as we had it planned. >> I just feel like it sets a precedent as well. And what's going to be next week? Some other group that wants to counterprotest your protest or
something. I just I can I just don't want to I don't really want to go there with music on the on the green. Honestly, >> that possibility exists and that's because of the our free society and the and the protections for for free speech
and free expression of speech. So, I understand your concerns uh and and that may very well be a precedent, but that's, you know, that's the way our government is and what our rights are. I will say, yeah, I'm I'm deeply
uncomfortable um with putting the town in the position of treating a first prot first amendment protected uh activity subject to permit by the town and
picking apart how that first amendment protected activity plays out. um we need to ensure that that public safety is cared for and the group has decided that the police details um are
sufficient for public safety. Um and with that I I would like to see this board um grant both the fee waiver and the appeal. Um, I I don't want to be making these choices for any other group
as well. To your point, like I I don't think this sets a precedent for having a concert on the green. That's not what we're talking about. And I don't want to be in the position of this board regulating how and what trying to because constitutionally we
can't regulate how or what any group is is trying to exercise first amendment. So, Mr. Chair, uh, I do agree on the music waiver. I actually disagree on the fee waiver. Um, because I, you know, you're technically
a nonpartisan group, but this is a very partisan activity and I think moving forward, and I've talked with a number of my colleagues about this. I think we need to have discussion about our fee waiver policy given the fiscal scenario we're in. Um, so I actually do not want to grant the fee waiver. I don't know how other board members feel, but I do
want to grant u like the vice chair said the the music waiver. Um with respect uh to the town mayor's recommendation, I I do really appreciate what you're saying, Mike, and I really understand that you are putting safety first. I do feel with having two officers, police details there, I think we should hopefully be
well covered. >> It's late. I'm just going to make I'm just going to make the motion um motion to uh grant a fee waiver and uh grant the appeal of uh the prohibition on amplified music.
>> Thanks. >> I'll second the motion. Okay, there's a motion in a second. Any further discussion? All in favor? What >> you want to vote them together? >> Uh that's the way the motion was. Do we
want to separate them? We we can separate them. Uh if if that makes you more comfortable. >> I was just saying >> we've got a motion in a second. >> Yeah. >> Motion in a second. All in favor? >> I >> I Mr. Reed is indicating I.
>> Mr. Brown. >> Mr. Brown. No. But I do want to have a hopefully our next meeting if we can discuss fee waiverss because I think we we should uh as a fiscal policy. >> We we can certainly have that on a
future agenda uh for discussion. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Okay. All right. Moving on to our last matter. Consider approval of a letter submitted by the short-term rental advisory committee. Mr. Brown, would you care to
uh give us a little background here on behalf of the committee? >> Yeah, the committee is trying to do a little public outreach um with the short-term rental advisory committee's uh draft bylaw. So, we crafted a letter
which is in your packet and we felt uh on advice of associate town council that it might be best to have the select board approve the release of such a a letter. So, that's why I submitted it to the board and I hope you've had a chance to read it and if you feel like it's
something you can endorse then we'll send it to the editor for publication in the enterprise. You know, I I for one have some uh some questions about uh the select board authorizing a committee to uh to to
submit a letter to to the editor. Uh so I'm not in favor of uh of the motion. So I my question is why does the select board have to approve it? Can't you just do it as a committee? I'm ignorant to this, but >> well, that was the advice of the
Associated Town Council who was at our meeting. So, >> we want to heed the advice. >> I think all >> I mean, honestly, I I I would resist committees being able to submit letters to the editor on the on their own as positions. >> I kind of disagree.
I think that's kind of the point of committees. I know they make recommendations to us, but you know, town meeting is a separate body than us, and I think they have a right to make a recommendation to said bodies. >> They could certainly write letters as individuals, but that's just my feeling.
>> Uh I'll say specifically with regard to this letter, um it it implicates the select board by saying that we have said to vote as drafted. Um, I personally expressed this earlier in the process as well. I
personally, um, have a lot of reservations about this and would not be in favor of sending this letter to the enterprise. Um, that's just one one of five. >> All right. So, we need Colin. >> We seem to have lost >> Mr. Reed.
So, we got a two vote. >> I hope the batteries hope. need to be the deciding vote on an issue. We have a two two board right now. >> So, the short-term rental advisory committee wants to send a letter to the board. Uh to summarize, uh I believe
they should be able to because I just think boards they should be able to. Doug agrees. Uh Bob and Heather did not agree that the that should be the the stance for for different reasons. So all you if anyone else wants to repeat what they said, please feel free.
>> And really the I don't know. >> Go ahead. >> You phrase it as an endorsement of the bylaw, but it's really just permission to state our case in the paper. So it's not like >> the the case as stated implies that the select board is in favor. >> I I would have to agree. And and in
particular, it does mention although we're not going to parse it that the board of health is uh is is on border. it seems to imple imply that they are and we certainly know that they're not by uh by by reports that we have heard. So, um so anyway,
>> we don't know yet. >> No, we don't Monday. Yeah, I'm I'm just I'm just saying um >> Mr. Reed, >> I'll vote you. >> It's up to you. Both sides make really good points. >> Can't vote both sides.
>> Cannot vote both sides. >> Maybe you should have stayed in the bathroom. >> I know. All right. Uh, Mr. Chair, would you please just um uh consolidate your and Miss and Dr. Gold
Stone's um point for me? Well, I I I'll certainly consolidate my point, which is that I don't think it's advisable for this board to be permitting or allowing committees to send letters to the editor. It's more a
process thing. I mean, I've made my point well known as to where I have a problem with the short-term rental bylaw, and it's really only with respect to one one specific provision. So my objection is not necessarily the same as
Dr. Goldstone's. My objection is more just the process of this board, you know, allowing committees to send letters to the editor. If they want to submit letters on their own, you know, obviously they're they're they have done
that in the past. We have had letters uh from Mr. Crane and and and Miss Harris on this very issue uh that they sent letters to the editors. So that's my my feeling, Mr. Reed. >> I'll make mine very short. I'm uncomfortable with both the process and
the content. >> Process similar to chair mscali. >> This this process >> this Yeah. >> Um and Mr. Brown, uh I'm sorry. I'm just we're gonna review everything. Sorry.
>> Um >> it's another 10 minutes. >> Yeah. I'm just Yeah, why not go longer? Let's go to midnight. Um, >> yeah. Uh, Mr. Brown, why
why not have a committee member just send this out on their own with the title of their name and being a a member? >> That's certainly an option. I'm just we felt like we wanted to do it as a committee, so we thought we'd give it a go. >> I appreciate that. I think given the
fact that Miss Harris was in the last um paper, you know, doing it again with the same information is fine. Just probably I will side with um the chair and vice chair on this one. >> Okay. Also, we do need to vote on it
though. So, uh based on earlier advice, I'll make the motion and we'll have the vote. Uh motion to uh approve sending the letter as drafted by the short-term rental advisory committee. >> I'll second that. We have a motion and a second. Any
further discussion hearing? Seeing none, all in favor? >> I >> I votes. >> Nay. >> Motion is not >> Is there much support for reviewing the minutes of
>> approve? >> Should approve the minutes. >> Table all further items. >> Actually, I do I do actually have one question. Um for Mr. Chair and town manager, I know I had made this request and I know we've had a lot happening. Um but if we could, given my time on the
board is expiring soon, review the um cannabis uh license before I'm off the board, I would appreciate that. >> I've made that commitment to you and we will some of my stuff too. >> Pick up the microphone.
I second it. All in favor? >> I Yeah, Carlson printing 5085487303 Three. Our email address is carlsonprinting@gmail.com. Carlson printing for all your printing
needs. Hosting services for fct.org are provided by Megaet Communications. Megaet offers a wide array of internet services including Mega Backup Cloud Service, server colllocation, T1 fiber, Metro Ethernet, as well as telephone
services such as hosted PBX and digital voice. 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. John's Liquor Store 729 Main Street
Falmouth 508548-2287 Felmouth Select Board Chair Manager Mike Renshaw are recapping select board meetings on FCTV's newest series select board report. Watch new episodes of Select Board Report
Thursdays live at 5 at fctv.org or on YouTube. Have a question about what happened at the last Select Board meeting? Ask our hosts by visiting fctv.org/watchb. org/watchproud.