[Music] All right, it is 6:00 on Tuesday, September 23rd. I would like to open the board of selection meeting here for the town of Halifax. Uh, just an
announcement. This meeting has been posted in accordance with provisions of mass general law chapter 38 section 20B and pursuant to chapter 38 section 20F. Notice is being made that this meeting is being recorded and will be posted on area 58 community access channel. The
board chair reasonably anticipates that the following matters listed here will be discussed and or voted on at this meeting and agenda items may be taken out of order for time management considerations. And we're going to start the meeting like we always do with the pledge of allegiance. You can stand. Please do so.
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, guys. All right.
All right. I will start with uh the approval and affirmation of the abatements bill's commitments. Bill, you want to take it away? I move to affirm approval of the following warrants and commitments. Federal warrant number 25 for 277,454 56 cents. Payroll warrant number 26 for
400,53 63369. Ambulance commitments 9125 to 9725 for 56,976 or 40. It was commitments 98 to 91425
for $12,72830. >> Second. >> All right. All those in favor? >> I >> I passes unanimous. >> I move to approve the following warrants. Vendor warrant number 274 20,76 824.76
withholding warrant number 28 for 158,750 cents. Second. >> All those in favor. >> I opposed. Passes unanimous. >> All right, we're going to run down here to A on your agenda. Uh, and we have a special visitor tonight for those that
don't know. Uh, we would like to basically um announce that our town clerk, Sue Lollis, is in for a little bit of an honor. So, Sue, do you mind coming forward here and taking your medicine, please? >> Coming forward. >> Yes. You're going to stand right here in
the hot seat. All right. All right. I would just like to read something that the town received um earlier this month about Miss Sue Laws. It is uh addressed to Mr. Fennessey, our interim town administrator. It says, "Dear Mr. Fenessy, I'm pleased to inform you that Susan Lawless has been awarded the
prestigious certified Massachusetts Municipal Clerk designation by the Massachusetts Town Clerk's Association. And please find the enclosed press release detailing this distinguished achievement. This designation represents the culmination of extensive professional development, educational
rigor, and demonstration of excellence in municipal service. Susan's achievement reflects her enduring commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, procedural accuracy, and civic engagement within our municipal framework. Her continued dedication to public service not only
enhances the efficiency and professionalism of our office, but also strengthens our connection with the community. we are privileged to serve. And then it just says here, please don't hesitate to reach out should you have any questions. Thank you for your support in recognizing and celebrating
this well-earned designation. So, I'm going to do it. Can I ask for a small round of applause here? [Applause] No, no, no, no, no, no. You're not done. You're not done. Stand right there. So, Sue, we've known each other a long time.
We go back to the the friends of Hops days. Uh Sue and I spent a lot of time together raising way more uh spending way more hours than we should have raising money for that playground over there. Um you've been dedicated to this town for as long as I've known you. You were assistant um town clerk. You went
over and helped out when the COA when we needed you over there. You bounced back over here. So I personally would just like to thank you for all you do for this town and uh you're a welcome face for those that come into town hall. Um you make this a better place to come to. So thank you. >> Thank you. I appreciate it. Thank you. Congratulations.
[Applause] >> All right. Next up, we're going to be which is Dave Walsh. Dave, if you want to come on forward, do you have an update on the uh bench of proposed Veterans Memorial Garden? Uh >> we'll spin this Dave so that people can hear you. Gentlemen,
>> thank you, sir. Sir, >> I'm David Walsh and I'm here to just update you on the uh Memorial Garden >> and uh our memorial bench. The Memorial Garden. I think I was speaking I'm a little ahead of myself. I haven't even proposed that yet. >> Okay.
>> Uh I'm going to just read from here. >> Sure. >> Just briefly. >> Sure. >> This part obviously is an update and I'm a Royal Bench. It arrived on the 9 912 of this month. It arrived about 10 o'clock in the morning and we had some help with the department the DPW uh our
our highway highway system of course >> and uh they covered it over and uh it's been put in place as you can see it's it's uh you probably have seen it already. It's uh it's structured facing the back facing Elms uh Hemlock Lane.
>> Mhm. >> And uh that will be dedicated on uh November 11th, Veterans Day that morning. Uh so basically that's pretty cut and dry. We had a long thing. We got it. It's all set. It's ready to go. Uh as far as that goes, do you have any
questions to meet on the bench? The moral bench. >> Were there any hiccups, Dave, or everything was smooth? >> Everything was smooth. It cost it's uh 2 ft. That's 4 ft long. Yep. >> 2 ft wide. Uh, and it's 4 in thick. >> Mhm. >> Approximately 650 lb. Everything went
really smooth. Swinson granite out of Hanova provided all the actual granite for us. Okay. >> They had it uh sent it away to Vermont to have it done, stitch chiseled out. Everything went beautifully. >> Great. >> Mr. W, you did say at one point there was some questions about some ADA compliance. Is that all said as well? We
moved it over to ADA compliance as well. >> We we then with Scott uh >> uh Materna >> Lerna and uh we con consulted him and he checked with us and everything fits. As you can see, a couple of the other benches have moved also. Right. Go
ahead. >> Thank you. >> Uh I I have I have a proposal for you gentlemen if you'd like to consider it. >> Sure. >> Um with your approval, I'd like to see the creation of a and I'm going to change that from 3 to four to six to seven, please. uh
foot garden around the main portion of the patio. It'll surround the patio itself, the main portico, not not the not the runups and not the not the pathways. Uh I went up and measured it as as I did
with a landscaper and with a DBW we real is not really much. >> Six to seven is a little a little bit more. >> Six to seven. Yep. Uh we'd like to we'd like to put that around the patio and we'd like to have this known as the Veterans Memorial
Garden. I think we're one of the few towns that doesn't have a Veterans Memorial of some sort and I think that would be a very aptly uh name for it. It'd be funded by the Halifax VFW in total completely and and and for the
upkeep in the future it would be also provided by the Halifax Veterans Foreign Wars. So this would be absolutely no no uh no no no cost to the town whatsoever. Uh it would be maintained also by the veterans foreign awards. We have people
already have volunteered to maintain. This construction would be done by a local landscaper. We figured since it's a Halifax project, we would use a Halifax side and we selected the Nerellas. They have done so much for the town. We figured we'd give them the BFW, some of the some of the uh uh
>> the business >> work and uh we met with a young man called Naja who a lot of people know. He does a lot of landscaping with his dad and uh he's very very professional, very he would head the project for us. So it
would be Naja Nasarella. Um I talked to him today. He is very enthusiastic about this. Uh, everyone I've talked to before bringing it to you folks has been very enthusiastic about the concept of us having a veterans memorial, especially the town of
Kingston. They said we'd have a nice one. We're very proud of it. We would like for you folks to have something similar to us. So, that's what I'm proposing. Uh, in theory, this will be dedicated on Veterans Day. Also, I think with a little bit of luck, we might be
able to get it done. Uh, it's in my mind, this is step one of four steps. And of course once we accomplish this with your approval we would go on to step two and we bring in your approval for step two and three and four. Step two in my mind would be lining the
walkways with perennials all the way down. Step three would be some actually uh granite uh momentos in back of facing hemlock street uh for each of the services. Step four would be memorial bricks for
all the veterans that have have passed on by their family. Put them in and would actually put them in. And this would be over a period of years that this would happen. But step one is what I'm proposing tonight. And that would be the creation of a buffer zone about 6 to
7 ft wide surrounding the main patio only. In that we would put two trees. Uh they would be small trees 10 to 15t maximum growth. Maybe a weeping cherry. uh Japanese maple, something of that sort. Uh and and that that essentially
is it. When it's over, we would uh cover it completely over uh and we would have set it. Essentially, that would be it for the first for the first stage. Eventually, we would put a cornerstone in here or granite saying Veterans
Memorial uh garden. That would be in step two or three. and I'll bring that before you folks before we even attempt to do it. See if you folks are in compliance with that. So, what I'm asking for you tonight is for us to proceed with step one to put a six or
six to seven uh buffer zone all the way around it just surrounding the main patio. Now, take it out two little trees in there and we would mulch it all in afterwards. Uh and that's essentially it. That's all
I'm asking for at this time. >> Um, >> I'm asking for your permission. >> Yep. Dave, I think it's a great idea. I just had two quick questions. Number one, if we could do we have any sort of rough sketch or plan of what it >> No, this is all this is all in our minds right now. I'm going to meet with a
landscaper which would be Naja Nasarella probably. We will sketch it all out and we'll plan it and and I'll I'll present it to you. >> Yeah, that I mean as as long as I can put some eyes on it. I mean, I'm sure what you guys come up with is great, but of course, >> yeah, it's just tough to give a a cart
blanch yes, you know, when we haven't seen, you know, what the plan would look like. So, I would love to see the plan, number one. And then number two, again, I think it's a great idea. I do get a little concerned with upkeep. So, if you can tell me that your VFW is going to help with the maintenance and the upkeep, >> specifically Kathy Garland and her
husband have volunteered right off the bat to to perform upkeep for us. >> Okay, that'd be great. We have many many members that want to want to be part of this. They want to be part of the construction also. >> Great. >> So they they are going to upkeep that. >> Great. >> So I at this point I can guarantee you it'll be kept up.
>> Great. Yeah. No, that's we have a lot of let's eagle scout projects. You know they they have ideas that they want to create gardens and spaces. Uh but unfortunately a lot of our Eagle Scouts grow up and they move on. Uh and then it kind of puts a little bit of a burden on our resources here at the town to
maintain all these different things in town. So, if you can be here and tell me that not only do you guys have the design work figured out, but also the maintenance over the years. >> And as a backup also, we have a paid consultant with with the landscaping the Nusell that will maintain it if if it
all else fails. >> Fails. Okay. >> So, we have one, two, three. >> Yeah. Okay. Any other you always need a backup plan. >> Sure. Sure. Sure. >> I had one of the same questions. I have one additional one. So, who's doing the work? Is it Na or Nasella? >> Na himself. Is he we have proper insurance for
>> Najger? >> Uh on that part I have I may I even consider sir. >> Okay. >> So my vote would be contingent on insurance whether it's tax factors. >> We have to make sure we have proper insurance for him to to do this. >> Yeah. And that they're insured cuz does
Narella do landscaping per se or I'm not aware of that. They might. >> I'm not sure. I don't know if they have >> He does not do it by himself. Sir the sun doesn't. >> Right. Okay. Okay. >> Terrific idea in theory. I'm on board. Uh subject to insurance and what Jonathan said, the upkeep was another one of concerns. >> Do you want me to uh get the select
before we move forward and start cutting the ground around? >> Do you want us to come to you with the uh with a sketch of it? >> I I would be I would feel a little more comfort again, Dave. I'm sure it's going to look great, but just just to have the board put some eyes on it. >> You tell us what to do. >> No, not even not even that. We're going
to work >> Yeah. Yeah. We'll work together on it. Sure. Absolutely. I mean, I think in theory we're all in board. Obviously, it's a great it's a great thing continuation of an excellent project. I think subject to the footprint like Jonathan said in the insurance for me, >> um I'd be I'd be on board.
>> In that case, if we uh if I bring this before you the next meeting, I'm not sure exactly when it will be. Uh we may not have the time to be dedicated for November 11th, but that's okay. As long as we can we can get it done, that's the big thing. >> Yeah. I mean, worst case we could do,
Dave, is uh if you had any sort of plan or or sketch, you could have it during whatever presentation we want to do on Veterans Day. >> Could do a groundbreaking. >> You know what? We could do a groundbreaking. I don't know if it'd be too late in November if the ground I think the ground's going to be frozen. >> Symbolically, you could do a ground should not be.
>> Yeah. So, we could get a fancy shovel. We could do a nice groundbreaking um to say that this project is up and running now. So, >> and then we could actually do it in the springtime. That's why maybe you >> Sure. And then and then if worst case we could we could look at Memorial Day, you know, to to put a hole on it. So
>> So the concept itself is is generally all right. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Yep. Absolutely. >> Do do we need what do you think, Bob? Do we need a motion at all or? >> Uh no, cuz he's not doing anything. >> Yeah. Okay. >> When he comes back, we need the motion. >> Okay. >> But yeah, >> I'll be back uh a little later with the
uh with the sketch for you folks and then we will do the uh make it a groundbreaking in uh >> I think that's a great idea. work maybe work with Steve Littlefield on incorporating that. >> See, right now the army has him right by the neck. So, okay. And he's gonna be they're gonna have him for a little
longer, too. So, unfortunately, so but yes, all this stuff goes through through Steve. We all work as a team. We have to. >> Yep. And when the planning goes into effect for whatever we're doing for the 11th, uh we can incorporate that groundbreaking in in our uh our event schedule. That'd be great. And if we
could could could then could I suggest that being the chairman of of the of the selectman that you you'd be nice enough? >> Well, we all three of us could work on that. We could we could share the show. >> Three shovels. >> Yeah. >> That would work with >> Absolutely. Be an honor to do it, Dave. >> Thank you.
>> Yep. Thank you. >> Appreciate it. Yeah. Thanks for all your efforts. >> All right. Next up, we're going to go down to C, which is the Halifax Historic Commission. Uh they want to use the town green for a mum sale. 92725.
Uh we have members of the historic commission. Mr. Sheay, do you want to come up and just speak to the audience here? Let us know what you want to do. Give yourself a little publicity for your event. >> Oh, sure. Yeah. Kevin Sheay uh Halifax Historical Commission uh chairman, newly appointed. And uh basically what we want
to do is just have a mum sale this Saturday uh from 8 to 1:00. In addition to the mums, we also have some other things. We've been um cleaning the museum out a little bit. We've discovered that we have like a lot of pottery and so the Afghans and stuff. So part of that we just want to
>> um in conjunction with the historical society, we want to be able to just start to get the historic uh kind of back, you know, items out there just to kind of gain more awareness. I think since co we've been a little bit dormant. So last year we didn't have the mum sale. So mum sale has always kind of
been like a tradition in town that we've always, you know, used the front steps. So, we're hoping that with uh through the commission and with partnership with the society, we just kind of like the first of many things that we would start doing. >> Excellent. >> So, yeah. So, we we're going to be partnering with uh Nazarella. They're going to be delivering. The idea would
be that for them to deliver at 7:30. Uh 50 ms that we just put up on the steps and then if we need to replenish, then we would get more. You know, we pick them up. We hate to deliver them. But just it's great for the town. You know, it's good visibility right out here on 106. It's always been a huge success.
So, not a big fun money raiser, but it's just something great for the community. >> Sounds good. >> Great. >> Um Kevin, do you have what you doing? Any food? You doing any like cooked food or anything like that? Okay. So, we don't have to worry about >> board of health or anything like that? >> Nothing. Great. >> Great. >> So, we already filled out the proper paper.
>> Yeah, we're looking at it right here. There's fancy new iPad. >> Oh, yeah. >> Um so, yeah, I'll entertain a motion to approve the Halifax Historic Commission use of the town green for a month sale for 92725. Uh the setup starting at 7:30, it'll run from 8 am to 1 pm.
>> I moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I opposed. Passes unanimous. Thank you, Kevin. Yep. Good luck to you. >> Best wishes for good weather. >> Yeah. So far so good. >> You guys want to put the sign up there on the front lawn tomorrow? >> Oh, thank you very much. Yeah, we do have a sign. >> They have a sign, you know, says is that
do they need to get approval for that? They just want to pop it up tomorrow because it's like >> it's usually >> How big is the sign? >> About 2 ft high or so. >> Okay. probably about 8 ft long one they use every year. >> Yeah.
>> You'll see it probably the voice put aside out too with the bottle cam. >> Yeah. And where this is where this is a town entity too. >> Yeah. We have our insurance and tough coverage because you guys are with the town. >> Perfect. >> So yeah, >> we may do some other publicity through the uh fire department.
>> However you can. Yeah. Maybe with Caesar to make sure it's on the boards. >> Right. We were just they were just waiting for approval because they didn't work with the cops. Great. >> Great. Thank you. Thanks, guys. Thank you very much. >> Nice to meet you. >> Nice to meet you, too. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you.
>> All right. We're cooking with gas here. Going down to D. We're going to do approval of minutes. Pam, it looks like August 7th. Is it is it done? Is that one not done yet? >> Yeah, it's not done yet. >> All right. So, we'll skip over that. So, I'll entertain a motion to approve the uh selective meeting minutes for August 25th, 2025 and September 2nd, 2025.
>> Second. All those in favor? I opposed. passes unanimous. Okay. All right. I'm going to go through here to E, which is Boy Scouts use of Town Green bottle drive. Um, we all kind of know what this one is. They do it multiple times a year. Boy Scouts have their can and
bottle drive as a fundraiser. They do a great job. Anybody has any bottles or cans that can help out our Boy Scouts. Um, please help us out. So, this one would be held on November 1st, day after Halloween. So, all those leftover cans from your Halloween party, bring them up
to the town hall here. Um, and let me see if I can find out the rest here. Um, >> she just sent it to me in an email. >> In an email. Okay. >> Yeah. >> So, yeah. So, >> at the same time, >> same time. Again, this is I don't want
to say just add water, but um these are these are pretty popular. We do these all the time. So, I guess I'll entertain a motion to approve the Boy Scouts cannon bottle drive for November 1st, and they would be using it uh setting up at 7:00 a.m. They'll run to 2:00 and it's going to be open from 9 to 1 to the
public uh on the Halifax Town Green. >> So, move second. >> All those in favor? I passes unanimous. >> All right. Going down to F. Appointment interim town administrator Robert Fennessy as ADA coordinator. So, as part
of uh being in ADA compliance, we need somebody to act as the designated coordinator for uh basically all of our ADA services, our um ADA grants that come in, all kinds of stuff. Basically, everything ADA related, we need a point
person and we need to officially find one. And I think it just makes sense to have Bob here um be our ADA um coordinator. Um just needs to have an official vote by the board of selectmen. So, I'm going to read here. I have this paperwork. So, I will make a motion to
appoint uh Robert Fennessey. We'll go full name here. Robert Fennessy as an acting ADA coordinator design. Um and it will be on a part-time basis obviously cuz cuz uh Bob is still here part time. Um and it will be for the foreseeable
future. Bob, you don't need to put any sort of end date or anything on it or >> No, it's just ends when I end. >> Okay. I was just going to ask does it transfer to the next on administrator or does it end when Bob's >> No, no, you have to point. >> You have to point the next person first as long as you're you're >> correct and I did this in convers
the experience on it. >> All right. So I will uh entertain that motion. >> So second >> all those in favor. >> I passes unanimously. >> All right. And then finally back from his whirlwind tour we have Mr. Bob
Fennessy with our town administrator update. Bob, take it away. >> Okay, I gotta slow this down. >> Yeah, I know. I know. That's it. We're cooking. >> Yeah. So, okay. First, I also want to commend Sulo um for achieving a certified municipal municipal clerk
status. Um having worked in several towns, I know the commitment that she made to become certified. And having worked with many town clerks in my career, I know what it takes to become an excellent town clerk, including gaining a vast knowledge of applicable laws and procedures, employing a worth
ethic that's above her approach, displaying a congenial and a compassionate personality to the residents and to the staff, and Sue checks all those boxes. >> She's great. >> So, I just want to commend her for for what she accomplished here. It may
sometimes those things go by really quickly, but you know, it's something that should be celebrated. >> Sure. >> I'm glad you guys did that. So, >> I want to note that um rep Representative Linatra notified me we receive we were will receiving a $50,000
earmark in the state FY26 budget for the purpose of updating the Halifax master plan. Unfortunately, right now due to the uncertainty with the federal budget as well as the state budget, all earmarks are being held and they're just
in a hold pattern. Uh this is not related to the MBTA uh lack of receiving grants. Air marks are in the budget. So, we'll eventually get that once they open them up, but all of the earmarks are being held right now. So, I want to let the board and the
residents know that starting November 1st, Eversource natural gas customers will see a new build design that will now show three categories. It have supply, the cost of the natural gas itself with no markup. They'll have a maintenance and infrastructure
investment section. Uh, and that would be the cost to keep the system safe and reliable. and they'll have a public benefit section noting valuable programs such as energy efficiency programs. Uh the tr and according to Eversource uh
they did this for more uh transparency with a goal of making the details as clear as helpful as possible. It just coincides the same day with the annual increases that are going on that works to the to the public. So, so you'll be
seeing that. It might look different. It's still a bill. Um, okay. The next thing is a hydrant flushing. Um, and I know this is always on people's uh mind. The water department will begin flushing on or
about Tuesday evening, October 14th, and will take approximately 3 weeks to flush the system. Hydrants will be flushed Monday through Thursday evening between 8:00 p.m. and midnight. So, it'll be in the nighttime. A notice will be posted
on the town's website, Facebook, the LED signs in town, and through Halifax Notify. That's the town's community notification system. By the end of tomorrow, all that'll be up. A reminder be sent out on Halifax Notify to the
residents a day or two before the flushing begins. Residents are encouraged to check the website for updates and to also sign up for Halifax Notify uh app online. So, it's on our Facebook, it's on our uh website, the town website.
For events, there's a bunch of events going on. Uh this Friday, September 26th, the youth and recreation department is holding a fifth and sixth grade social event at the elementary school gym from 6:30 to 9:30. And that's for Halifax students only.
Uh on October 4th, which is a Saturday, from 11 to 2, the Halifax Fire Department will be holding an open house. You'll get a chance to meet the firefighters, tour the station, try on real firefighter gear, and check out all
the apparatus. There'll be a jumpy house. Yay! >> Popcorn, pizza, and drinks, as well as fire. They'll have fire safety demonstrations. It's one of those events for kids of all ages. Again, the date and time is Saturday,
October 4th, 11 to 2 in Halifax. Also, on Saturday, October 4th, the town's annual cleanup event takes place coordinated by the Halifax Beautifification Committee. It'll run from 9:00 to 4:00 on Saturday, and on
Sunday, it'll run from 1 to 4:00. The meeting place will be the town green. And you know, it's always nice to take part in something for your town and get out there and get your hands dirty, but you'll feel good doing that and come away from that. So, and lastly, the
Halifax annual community vaccine clinic is being held on Monday, October 6th from 10 to 2, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 in the great hall at Halifax Town Hall. This is being sponsored through CVS and all build through and will be built through
the pharmacy. So you need to bring your insurance card and if you're on Medicare to bring your part D card. They will offer the flu vaccine, CO 19 vaccine, pneumonia and shingles vaccines
as well as the RSV respiratory vaccine. So you you should you don't have to, but we're encouraging people to pre-register by calling the Halifax Board of Health. It's 781-293-6768. And that'll all be on our website. So, I
know I'm talking kind of fast because we have it cut off here. No, you you have the form. You have the So, so give them a call and go on our website. If you didn't catch my number, it's 6 7812936768.
And because I was on vacation, it's a short report. >> That that wasn't Hey, that wasn't short at all. That was great. >> That was as long a job meeting. >> Well, yeah, just about. >> Do you know, Bob, and I don't know if you know the answer to this, but uh when we're going to be updating about the flushing, are we going to have street
specific different sides? >> Okay. Okay. So, >> so folks might have a ch, you know, have an idea of, hey, they're doing my neighborhood >> this evening or I don't know if maybe we can update whatever information we're giving out to say, >> hey, we're doing uh, you know, Highland
Circle area this we >> notify be saying that too goes out. But the the first week the intent is to cover the south and west end of Route 58. >> Okay. >> And the second week is the north and east side. >> Okay.
>> Okay. Okay. So, that kind of >> is October 14th a firm start date. >> It's a No, it's on or about. >> On or about. >> Depends on what's going on. >> So, that's why we're still we're still ready to go, but we're still 3 weeks away. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. There's nothing worse. You know,
you're doing the laundry. >> Oh, no. They're doing tonight. >> Yeah. And you want to be careful, you know, on those days putting like light color clothes in a dish in a washing machine or something >> and do your cleaning in the morning and during the day, not at
>> night timeing cuz when it flushes, it stirs up all the sediment on the on the pipes and all that. It could be even a little darker >> than it is generally. >> Um, but safe. It's still safe to drink, so they say. So, >> Yep.
>> Okay. All right. Anything else to come before the board tonight? All right. If that's the case, I will entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> So move. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Opposed? Passes unanimous. The meeting is adjourned at 6:31
p.m. >> I'm [Music]