Good evening, Holliston. It is October 6th and we are the select board and having our weekly meeting in advance of a town meeting coming up in a couple weeks. And we have a bunch of items on the agenda, so we're just going to get started. Um, the first thing on our agenda is a joint meeting with the
assessors to discuss and approve the senior means tested exemption. I know we have the assessor here. Is anyone else? >> Uh, the chairman of the board was calling me a few minutes ago. He's stuck in traffic somewhere. >> Okay. Well, I think we could probably
get started and talk a little bit about uh what we're asking for. So, if you could just identify yourself because of people. >> I am Kevin Rudden, the principal assessor for the town. >> Excellent. Great to see you. >> Thank you. This is the second year that we've been offering the senior circuit breaker
exemption, which is built off the state's circuit breaker income tax credit. Um, part of the bylaw that we uh, actually state law that we got passed says that once a year the select board
picks the percentage of between 50 and 200% to match the amount of money people have received. Okay. last year. Um, given it was the first year and your board was concerned
about the impact with the on top of the override, you guys voted for 50%. Which was the recommendation of the board of assessors. This year, the board voted on September 19th unanimously
to recommend that you do it 100% um to get closer to the real intent of the law, which was give some meaningful relief to the seniors. Just a few statistics. Last year, the first year when the
governor signed the bill in in u May, we really didn't have a chance to publicize it. We had 12 people apply and 11 qualified. Uh this year I don't well you're not seniors but we did mail out a letter to
all 200 let's see 2252 people over 65 in the town. We had 32 applicants all 32 qualified on the sheet that I believe Frank sent to you. Um we listed them the amount of circuit breaker they received from the
state. The total of which was 73511. And if you match that at 100% the amount of 73511 uh would be granted as exemptions and would be spread across all residential taxpayers.
>> Is it 73511 is the number? >> 73,511 >> and that's a at 50%. >> That's at 100%. >> That would be at 100%. >> 50% would be uh 36,75550. >> Okay. >> 75% would be 5513325.
Gotcha. >> And then 100% of 73511. On the sheet I gave you, I just listed what effect it would have had on those applicants property tax bills from fiscal 25 had it been granted in those amounts. So you could see Got it.
>> And uh just some thing, the average annual property tax to 32 applicants paid in fiscal 25 was $8,45341. uh according to the social security administration um those property tax equal 24% of their
annual uh social security income which I will tell you the great majority of these 32 people that is their income and 100% match would reduce that down to 17% of their income.
So, it's really up to you. And then the next step is when you do the percentage, then we lock in the numbers when I come back to you a month from now with the >> tax rate sitting info. >> Okay. >> Tina, >> two questions. >> Yes.
>> That 75 73 511 spread over all property tax bills. Yes. Means what for the average tax bill that we usually use in calculations when we're talking about impact on >> I don't have a big average bill but I did divide it by the number of uh residential taxpayers.
>> Okay. >> $14.14 for the year. >> Okay. And when we first adopted this it was through town meeting action. Just correct me if I'm wrong. And then it was >> we we petitioned the state legislature to enact a bill. We have this is our own special exemption granted by the state
legislature. It follows the criteria for the senior circuit breaker which I put in the little box for you. Um and after three years town meeting uh votes. So
after fiscal 27 town meeting would vote to keep it or or get rid of it. >> Keep it at any percent not necessarily >> 50 to 200. >> Okay. You ba you basically the idea the idea was the people said yes when it
went up to the state legislature that's almost three years ago already. >> Yeah. >> And after three years of being implemented it goes back to town meetings. So the people say we want to continue this exemption or we don't. >> I'm just making sure there's no obligation for the select board to
present this to town meeting. This meeting the obligation and that three-year window ends for when select board needs to bring this back. It would be after fiscal 27. >> Okay, >> thank you. Almost said >> David Tina question con sorry I covered
the question I had. I was more concerned about uh when we'd have to reauthorize this. So got it. >> Yeah, it's it's the the idea behind it Damon was was people had a say in saying we want this. It goes through the legislature, but then you give them
three years of implementing to say we don't like this or we love this uh or we're getting the numbers up or get rid of it. >> I'll I'll tell you of the towns that have it around, most of them have that have hit three years have renewed it. >> That's my understanding as well. Um, and
in the towns that have it, um, that are larger than us, um, it hasn't added more than a penny to the residential tax rate and spreading that out amongst people. Okay. >> And I know last year it didn't add anything. I don't I don't really
anticipate it to add anything because uh the values are still climbing because we're believe it or not back in year we're in calendar 2023 and 24 for the values for this year. >> I have one more question when you're
>> sure. >> What was the re the recommendation unanimous from the board of assessors? >> Board of assessors asked it be a 100% match this year. >> What was their justification for increasing from 50 to 100? Did they provide one? They might not have uh >> um they actually adopted my recommendation. >> Okay.
>> And it was my recommendation to increase it because I understood last year's concerns. It was the first year. >> Okay. >> Uh there were three things that were brought up. Uh quite honestly, Travis didn't want a split tax rate if it affected it. Um it was the first year.
Let's try it at a low percentage. And the m the major reason was the override and not wanting to burden people on top of the between 150 and two whatever it was for the override costs. >> Okay. >> I advocated 100 this year because the
override is now unfortunately baked into everybody's bills. >> Okay. >> But the original intent of this was to provide relief to the seniors. >> Thank you. >> Um you know I'm not going to push it above 100%. I don't know towns that are higher than that.
Okay. I just wanted to >> live up to the intent. >> Got it. Thank you. >> Yeah. I don't have any questions. I just I think it's a it's a good program and I'm uh happy to support it. I think it makes sense and if it can help some people with their tax bills.
>> Yeah. Just just so >> he is here. Just so the public knows at 100% um >> Do you want to come up, Jeff? We're chatting. The amounts range from a low of $230 to the state limit of 2730. >> Yeah.
>> So the majority of the people would actually qualify for $2730 exemption on their taxes. >> Okay. >> But we have, like I said, we have one here at $230. We have one at $890. That's what they get off their taxes. >> Gotcha. Okay. And uh we have the uh
member from the board of assessors. If you're just going to because your backs to the uh the camera, if you can just identify, you don't have to turn. I just just have to identify yourself. Uh, I'm Jeff Marshall. I'm the chair of the board of assessors. >> Okay. We were just talking. Uh, we're just kind of going through a couple questions. I think we have most of our questions answered, but wanted to give
you the chance to if you wanted to make any statements about it. Um, one of the questions just came up. You know, uh, the the Tina just asked what's the justification for going from 50 to 100%. Um, and it sounds like, you know, we're kind of in we're in year two. We're
we're moving ahead and the intention is here to get to 100%. Uh the first year we had an override so we had a little bit more fluidity with taxes and we didn't want to add this to the uh to the mix and so the second year we were thinking it'd be 100% but I wanted to give you the chance to
>> speak to it and have any comments that you might have you might have. >> Yeah, I would agree that that was the that was the logic last year to start at 50%. It was our first year. We just had 11 I think uh >> 11 people >> citizens last year who um qualified and
Kevin's put uh some effort into communicating this more broadly in forums where eligible citizens would be able to hear about it and that's why we've ramped up to 32 33 >> 32 >> 32 this year >> almost three times last year
>> and and we thought that 50% to start out that was the bottom limit it's 50 to 200 uh available by the state that we thought that with the override there was already you know a burden on the taxpayers. Even though this is fairly small, it's still it's still something
that they're having to contribute extra. So, yep. >> Um, we've been able to triple the number of citizens we are able to help here and, uh, you know, the the total number, I think you've already talked about that, you know, $74,000 or something like that, which translates
to $14 on the average tax bill, >> right? >> To help our residents who have been here a long time, who are, you know, in a situation where their income is maybe >> and they want to stay >> and they want to stay and we want to encourage that as much as we can. And I
think this is a valid and uh good community purpose for this. >> Also add one thing. The state exemptions for the elderly start at age 70. This starts at age 65. >> Okay. >> Which is a big difference. >> Yep.
>> Yeah. That's that's great. >> And eight of the people who got it eight of the 11 people who got it last year have qualified again this year. >> That's fantastic. Um, >> do either of you have any questions for uh Jeff? >> No, I'm I'm glad you're here to present on behalf of the board. Thank you.
>> Apologize. >> No, it's okay. We know it's sometimes >> coming from need behind a >> Yep. >> contractor truck. They going real slow. So, >> totally okay. >> Staring at the moon probably. >> Yeah, that's what we decided. >> Exactly. >> Or howling at the moon. >> Damon, you got any questions?
>> No, I mean it's it's a wonderful program. I have no questions about >> Yeah. And I I don't have any questions. I do appreciate you coming and rushing. >> No, no, it's okay. And you know, Kevin's again, Kevin and the team has put a lot of work to this. Um, >> yeah. >> Promoting it and making sure that it's a
viable program and, uh, >> I want to thank him. We, the board unanimously agreed with the recommendation. >> I actually take pride in those. I've written the same law for three different communities. So, I >> love it. >> There there are there is a town in Franklin County, a town in Worcester
County, a town in Middle Sex County. >> Yep. >> Helping seniors on this. I feel really, you know, people think assessors are the bad guys that raise your taxes. We're actually pushing this to go statewide. >> Yeah. Great. No, I think >> and the legislature I says, "Wait a minute. Don't the assessors raise taxes?" We're going, "No,
>> we're trying to help people make sure everything's okay." >> Yeah, we are. >> Um Okay. Um I think I think we're in agreement. So, I think I will take a motion to uh to approve this. >> All right. I will uh move to
accept the senior circuit breaker exemption recommendation from the board of assessors unanimously voted um for 100% for fiscal year 26 >> seconded. Um all those in favor >> I >> I >> I think we're good.
>> Thank you very much and >> thank you. >> We will see you sometime in November to do the classification hearing and you'll find out the >> net effect on >> when we get I think >> the tax bill. >> Yeah. Um, actually one quick question while we have you here. Do you know how much is in the overlay account? We're talking about that for the for the
warrant for $50,000 for >> It's actually Oh, it's 100. Okay. Yeah, my bad. Um, >> no, that we're originally talking 50. >> Okay. >> Um, we have always underfunded the overlay, just so you know, because
the more money you put in the overlay, the less money there is for everything else in the town because it's funded out of the two and a half cap, >> right? At the beginning of uh fiscal 25 there was $568,891. We have processed $254,8968
of fiscal 25 uh property tax exemptions. I cannot give you off the top of my head the number of abatements. I also need to subtract the number of uncollected fiscal 25 property taxes which does not lie in my jurisdiction.
And uh we also have to put in a reserve for the two outstanding uh appellet tax board cases that we have. We can do the transfer if the appellet tax board cases we lose were in the in the uh red. Okay. So I don't expect to lose them but
if we do uh full disclosure our exposure uh it's the same building for fiscal 24 and 25. if they got what they thought our exposure is $311,745
in tax payoffs to them. >> Okay. >> We're not going to lose though. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I think the data is pretty clear that >> the um the landlord, it's a tenant landlord and the tenants responsible for the taxes. The landlord is on our side
and uh basically um they're not going to win. >> Okay. Okay. >> Kevin, just to confirm. So we um the amount that we want to release now is 100,000, not the 50,000. >> No, it's a it's a hundred because
um we have one bill in and I don't know the full amount of the other one and you know it's going to be a special article and we'll literally know within a week or two after the article
what the amount is and whatever is unspent. for cash out. >> Yeah. Right. Okay. So, >> but I'd rather go higher than lower. >> Sure. >> And the contract that we haven't got a bill on yet has a max of 81,000.
And they're cranking people on this right and left. I mean, this is our first reertification year in five years. And just so everybody knows, um I had uh put in the budget here and there
um what I thought was an adequate amount and the bids came in almost two and a half times higher than the last time around here. And this is a necessary evil of hiring consultants that the department of revenue expects us to do >> because four out of every five years
they trust my work and then the fifth year they want consultants to verify that my work is good >> right >> and we have to uh >> we have to do that. >> Yeah. They won't approve it unless we hire outside experts to do it. So, >> okay.
>> Um, I've also talked to Frank and we'll talk to the finance committee when we get to the next year's budget cycle about a way of not getting hit with that once every five years. >> Okay. >> The the benefit is is that we're fully caught up with our
with our cyclical reviews at least on cycle for meet making meeting making meeting making meeting making meeting making meeting making meeting making meeting making meeting making meeting making meeting meeting those. >> Well, I I will put it this way. for the first time in in more than five years. Everything that was you're supposed to inspect once every 10 years. Everything
10 years and up is done. >> Right. >> And we're halfway through the 400 for this calendar year on top. We've done over a thousand inspections this year. >> Okay. Right. >> So I just say that one of the recommendations from the fincom when I
first joined the board was to flatten out the >> we've done that >> the the and we've done that so that we can project on a regular basis the cost of this without having to deal with the ups and downs where we have to go back
and ask for more money. Right? >> So we've kind of flattened out so that we're on a cycle of doing a routine amount every single year. Depending on homes are built, you might have 900 due one year >> and 200 do another. I can tell you in calendar 27
there's only 257. This year there's 452. We've we've flattened it out. >> So we're staying ahead of the numbers. >> Yeah. >> But more predictable. You know, there's a chart on my office wall of the next 10 years. >> And so basically you look at that and
say how do we manage this >> at a consistent level? So, you know, we don't have to hire eight people one year to supplement office. >> Well, the budget the budgeting process makes it a lot easier. I mean, deal with budgets, you know, you want it as flatlined as possible and not the
variances should be an anomaly and not a regularity. So, that's what we've accomplished also over the last five years with Kevin running. >> Great. And I'll also point out when the new CAMA system that town meeting approved last October is up and running by April 1st, it has a lot more
management functions to enable us to manage these numbers much more cleanly than me handcounting them. >> We like that. >> Yeah, that sounds good. >> Okay, >> thank you very much. >> Thank you so much for your time. >> Really appreciate it. Appreciate your time today.
>> We got a couple things going on here. Yeah. Um I think we can start like we have somebody here from the Mass Autobond. Um take them out of order. It's not going to drastically affect things, but we can move this ahead before our first public hearing. If you
want to come forward and uh just uh >> welcome and just identify yourself so we know who we're talking to. >> Liz Stson. I'm senior director of capital assets and planning for Mass Audabon. >> Okay. >> Thanks. Nice to see you all. Good to see you. And can you So we're we're talking
about some signage that we're going to be putting up for a new location. >> That's right. I'm here um regarding a request to install three directional road signs um for the new Broad Hill Wildlife Sanctuary um located at uh 300
Highland Street. Um and there's three signs that we've proposed. Uh the one located directly across from the entrance. Um a second um which is a little further or maybe you can go to the second. Yeah, the second one uh
located near the high school. >> Okay. >> And then a third which is a little further north on Highland Street. Um >> Okay. >> And our hope is to open to the sanctuary later this month. So we want to get these signs in place to direct residents
and visitors there. Um and I've reviewed all three locations with Robert Walker. I think he was so okay with them. We met on site to review this okay high school location in particular. >> Is there is there hardware installed? Like is there something they're putting it on or we're putting it on or do we
have to install anything or >> I don't believe that we're um there's any hardware that we would need to be involved with. >> I mean we we're happy to have DPW install them if that's our preference or we can do it ourselves. >> I mean I just was curious if that if it needed to be done or if it's going on like an existing
>> it would be going on new a new post. >> Oh yeah. Yeah, >> new post. That's what I mean. Okay. >> Yep. They're 24 by 36 each sign. >> Oh, okay. >> Great. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Let's see if the board has any questions. Tina, >> who will be who will be doing the installation?
>> Um, likely our property management staff who've maintained Broad Hill and Broadmore and other regional properties. >> Congratulations. By the way, when is the grand grand opening and when can I get a t-shirt? >> T-shirt might be a little buy a t-shirt.
Yeah, um I think the official date is October 23rd, I believe. And we'll be that we're doing kind of a soft opening to begin with and we're going to have a bigger kind of event in the spring, I think. >> This is very exciting. Congratulations. Is
>> a better place for Massavon moving in this direction. So, no other questions. Thank you. >> Okay. Uh David. >> Oh, yeah. Sorry, tactical question. What what what materials are the signs made of? They're um like a PVC plastic material. It's printed on. Yeah. I think
there's an image maybe on the last page of this of what the signs look like. Yeah. >> It's an example. >> Right. Great. And those are resistant to solar fading and >> what we've seen those deteriorate. Yeah. >> All right. That's all. Thank you. So, >> no, it's it's very exciting. Uh looking
forward to seeing them up and being able to uh go visit and >> what are the what are the animals that are most common in that that space? There's great bird watching there. Um, of course, deer and, you know, rabbits, all kinds of things. Yeah.
>> Ben, you grew up in Holling >> 16 into NITC and you see the Broadmore signs there. It's very exciting to have the signs here and trails. I mean, our property team has been building the trails for some months now and they're really beautiful and I can't wait for you all to to get out there on them.
>> No, it's it's very it's very exciting. We're uh we're happy you came in and uh excited to to see it coming forward. I don't have any other questions. Um I think I think we just need a vote to um approve the request to install those signs and it's just Dr. Robert. I'm
comfortable. That's my be my main thing. >> Okay. You Frank, just technicality, you're looking for a motion that um permits Mass Ottabon to install. Okay. Move to permit Mass Ottabon to install threeformational and directional signs in the locations discussed this evening. Presented.
>> Seconded. All right. All those in favor I >> I >> I >> Thank you very much for coming in. >> Appreciate it. Have a wonderful >> look forward to seeing you all there. >> Absolutely. Have a wonderful evening. >> We have a couple minutes. >> Um
I think the committee appointment might take a minute. Um but um I think we should just move ahead with the back to the regular part of the agenda. Uh for the policy advisory committee appointment, is there anyone in the room for that? Okay. Uh why don't
you come on up? I know there's two people. One is not able to make it this evening and then we have one other person. So we might have a couple questions. So just to introduce this uh Frank, if you could just kind of give us a little background on
what this uh opening is and what we're seeking to put someone on a board. Um and just uh that what the board is and what's >> sure. where where they are at this point. >> So, um there is a vacancy on the policy
advisory committee uh which I think was sort of a um uh result of the strategic plan a group formed to look at all of our policies and procedures in town to make sure um all of those are um the policies and procedures are uh inclusive, equitable in the way that we
interact with the public um and the way that they affect our residents, business owners, and other members of our community. Um so the select board currently has one vacancy on that on that uh on the committee. Uh there is another vacancy that the school committee I believe is responsible for
appointing. Um the polic as I understand it the policy advisory committee has is still sort of in a a formative stage. They're still trying to get um some additional information and really try to put together sort of a for lack of a better term a schedule of work together uh before they start delving in into
some specific departments and uh policies and procedures. Uh so this would be a great time I think for for someone to uh to join and so we received the two applicants letters of interest. Um and that's sort of where we find ourselves this evening. >> Excellent. Have the have the schools are
they planning to appoint somebody uh in the near future? >> So the the chair of the PAC and myself had let um the chair of the school committee know and I think that they are are looking for applicants as well. >> Okay. I mean we could always you know if there's we have two applicants here we could always forward them the second the
other applicant and say this person is also interested if that >> if that is suitable for them because it doesn't have to be a school committee member that participates in this particular >> just like with your appointment it could be doesn't >> obviously could be member of the public. So, um, so, uh, if you just want to
introduce yourself, um, and, uh, tell us a little bit about yourself and why you'd like to be on the policy advisory committee, and we can go from there. Maybe I have a couple questions for you. >> Sure. U, my name is Amanda Lroy. I have lived in Hollist for most of my life. My family moved here in 1993, graduated at
Hollston High School in 2006, left for a bit in my 20s. So, I came back a few years ago, actually living in the house that I grew up in now, which is very exciting. Um, in my day job, I'm the chief of staff at the Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office. So, we work
to make public procurement more equitable and increase the participation of diverse and small businesses. So, it's kind of what I do every day is in the DEI space, for lack of a better term. Um, I think it's really important
to have policies that reflect um the makeup of of where you live and reflect the needs of everybody um in the community. You know, a lot of people think of DEI and they think race, they think gender, but it goes beyond that.
Language access, ability, socio economic status. Um, and I just like to make sure that, you know, the policies of our, you know, town boards and committees are reflective and inclusive of the people that we serve. So, I just kind of thought that this would be a good
opportunity for me to assist and and help my community be a be a better place. I think strong policies make strong communities and I would be very excited to join this board uh committee rather. >> Wonderful. Well, um, thank you for putting your name forward. We really
there's a lot of opportunities to volunteer in Hollist. So, it's uh wonderful to see uh new faces and people wanting to participate in these things. So, I think there might be a couple questions from this board if you don't mind answer. So, I'm going to hand it over to Tina and see uh if she has any questions. >> Well, welcome. Thank you for coming in
and thank you for putting your hand up to volunteer. Um I my only one question, your resume speaks volumes. The work that you do is is clear. It's publicly available on the mass.gov website, of course. um as an office of the state. Um have you served on an appointed or
elected board before? Is this work familiar to you in some other capacity? >> This would be my first time serving. >> Well, thank you again for volunteering. Thank you. >> Yeah. How did you first come to hear about the potential appointment? >> Um I've just been kind of
uh keeping tabs on on the town of Hisam website. I don't, you know, attend every border committee meeting, but I do read minutes for most of the meetings and I saw that there was an opportunity and I thought I'd throw my hat in the ring. Um, I just thought it would be a great a great way for me to get involved and
meet new people in the town. I've lived here for a while. I'm planning on living here for the foreseeable future. So, anything that I can do to help it make a better place for me to live in as well as everyone else, I would like to do that. >> That's that's really great. Are there any specific policies or areas of policy that really excite you to get into or is
it more just kind of broad broad take? >> I think it's really I mean any anything would be really interesting to me. One thing that I have been um really cognizant of is I know I know I
just said that DEI goes beyond race or gender but removing gendered language from policies. There's a lot not necessarily from Holl but in general like he or she are used a lot when that does doesn't necessarily reflect
everyone and also um language access is really important. A lot of a lot of uh documents from the state in particular because that's where I'm I'm familiar with are only available in English and not all of the people that live here have a comfortability with English when
it's really important papers. Um, so those are kind of two areas that I'd really like to focus on. >> Great. Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Sure. >> Wonderful. Um, no. Well, thank you so much for putting your name forward. >> I know there's uh, um, one other person and one person wasn't able to make it
this evening. So, um, I think we'll discuss and I think what I would recommend is that we put that person the other whoever we don't pick, we suggest that to the school committee as an opport as a person that is an opportunity. And the other thing is I did notice that um Envisioning Future
Hollison also has a spot for a DEI representative on on that board as well. So there's a couple opportunities within this DEI space and then also there's also other opportunities within the community that we're always looking for volunteers, but I know there's those
three openings we have for uh DEI. Um, so I guess I'll, you know, I'll throw it open to uh to Tina and Damon to sort of say like what do you guys what do you two think or I'm saying guys while we're >> I I apologize. I realize I just I just
what does everyone think about um about this particular appointment? >> You raised a very good point that there are two other open positions on appointed boards committees in town. Uh I have no doubt that if not chosen for this policy advisory committee that uh that individual whomever it may be would
be directed promptly and hopefully sign up. Uh the work is similar and equally valuable. Um >> in one case that's actually the same >> PAC. >> Sure. Sure. >> So it actually literally be the same board from different uh >> right. Um I I'm I'm impressed by
Amanda's resume and the work that she the body of work that she had does so specific to this area. Um, and for that reason, I'm I'm prepared to to make a motion if you're open to one. Dam >> very comfortable with that as well. Amanda's background is very well suited for this. Obviously, I don't see any reason not to move forward. >> Okay. All right. I will take a motion.
>> Okay. Move to appoint Amanda Lra to the policy advisory committee to serve as the board select board's appointee. >> Seconded. >> Um, >> effective >> October 6th. >> October 6th. Okay. >> Through is it through the end of the year through June? >> Uh, sorry. Yes. June 30th, 2026. Yep.
Okay. Just wanted to make sure that >> effective October 6th through until June 30th of 2026. >> All right. All those in favor? >> I >> I >> And then if we could just let the other candidate know and um try to uh you know communicate that to the schools and then
if not >> maybe see if the visioning future could be a potential as well. >> I'll reach out to Barbara as well. >> Barbara P. >> Yes. Awesome. Well, thank you so much Amanda. appreciate you coming in and uh volunteering to serve. >> Thank you very much. Have a good night.
Um I think you have to get sworn in by the town clerk. Okay. >> Um so when you have a chance to go see the town clerk, they're open late. Uh town hall's open late tomorrow. So just get >> sworn in before you can participate and then um they can give you a packet and information and things like that so you can get an email and stuff like that.
>> Awesome. Thank you all very much. You too. >> Good to see you. >> All right. So um it is 7:34. So, uh, we have a hearing, a public hearing for an alcohol license and, um, we want we
why don't we move forward with that public hearing, that 7:30 public hearing. If we could read the notice of the public hearing and >> notice and then motion. >> Uh, yes, please. >> Okay. Notice is hereby given under chapter 138 of the Massachusetts uh general laws of Massachusetts that a public hearing will be held by the
Hollison Select Board on Monday, October 6, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. in the select board meeting room at town hall room 103710573 Washington Street to consider an application from JHQ Incorporated Gardino's Italian and sushi to apply for
an on premises all alcohol beverage license located at 414 Washington Street Holl Mass 01746 Ben I move to open the hearing >> wonderful second >> all right uh we'll take a roll call vote uh Tina >> yes >> Damon >> hi
>> and I vote yes so the hearing is now open. Um if uh I assume you were here uh who would like whoever would like to come forward and come and just identify yourself and speak uh for on behalf you might have some questions but you can certainly introduce yourself um and talk
a little bit about um what we're what what a little bit about the business and um so as my understanding is the 414 Washington Street that's where Brticis was >> correct. So, um, so what I'd like, you know, just sort of understanding, um,
the things that we will ask about, and I think we would want to know, so I'm just I'll throw it out there to you before you get started is, you know, hours of operation. Um, any changes like are you opening a bar or anything like that or is it going to be like Bruisi's had alcohol served sort of to the table? Is
it is there going to be a bar or anything like that? and just tell us a little bit about the business and we can uh we might have a few questions for you and then as it's a public hearing we'd also open it up to the public if there's any other questions about this particular moment. So if you want to introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about the uh the business.
>> Okay. Um my name is Alex Bourgeoa. I work at Democus Law Offices in Lynn. Um I'm here representing the applicant JHQ Inc. Um who is opening a new Italian and sushi restaurant at 414 Washington Street in Hollist. And yes, uh,
Bertuchi's did used to operate there. Um, but it has been vacant since they left. Um, so this will be a great use of the space. Um, this is, um, Cing Hang. She's the proposed manager of record, the treasur, secretary, and a director
of the corporation, and she's also 20% shareholder. Um, we also have have Joseph Gad here. Um, he is the president, director, and 30% shareholder of the applicant. And we have Sam Solomon who is a 10% shareholder of the corporation.
So, uh, Cuping Huang has experienced waitressing and bartending since 2018. She is a citizen, TIP certified, has never had a violation. Um, and she'll be at the restaurant full-time overseeing operations. Um, Joseph Ged and Samara Soliv Solomon
have successfully operated another fullervice restaurant in Bellingham um, since last year. all alcohol restaurant license there as well and they have had no problems or violations. Um and as you mentioned the applicant will be doing some work on the premises
prior to opening. Uh they plan to add a sushi bar um which is for the preparation of sushi not serving of alcohol. Um they will also be adding a full service bar um which will be full dining alcohol um alcohol will be prepared behind the bar and it will also
be served at tables. Um they'll be removing most of the floor tiles, two wooden counters, and a 2x4 wall in the restaurant area as well. Um so they're just going to be revamping the space really. >> Okay. >> Uh so and the seating capacity and
occupancy number will not change. Okay. >> So that will stay the same. The I think the seating capacity right now is 123. >> Okay. Um, so the applicant is seeking um approval of the new alcoholic beverage restaurant license, approval of Qing
Hang as manager of record, and approval of the buildout of the premises. >> Okay. Uh, the buildout I don't think is us. I think we would be just making sure. I think we would approve you as the manager and then the uh we will uh we handle the alcohol license.
That is our domain of things. the the buildout would have to go through um I would assume the planning board or at least the building inspector. >> Yeah. And I'm happy to connect you with our economic development coordinator as well if that's be assistance her and I can usually try and triage a little bit of it.
>> Okay, that would be great. >> Um I think a couple questions uh before I open it up to the rest of the board here. And what would the hours of operations be? The hours would be 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday and then 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on Sundays. And
I believe that those are the hours for the other restaurant um that's currently operating in Hollist. >> Uh Casey's >> Yes. I spoke with Donna this morning on the phone and she said that to keep the hours consistent that that would be the the hours. Okay. >> Could you just repeat them one more
time? I was writing something else down. >> Yeah. uh 11:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday and then 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on Sundays. >> Okay. >> All right. Um and um do you have a
planned date of opening yet or are you still kind of it's still a little fluid right now? >> We don't know yet because we haven't go through the construction yet. So, we hope we can open as soon as possible, but >> Okay. You hope it open this year or you think >> I probably would say next year.
>> Probably in the spring. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. I'm going to open it up and see if there's any questions from the board. Tina, do you have any questions? >> Yeah, a couple. Um, so f first to Frank, and then to you, Alex, and to you, Miss
Wang. Um, so there was an alcohol license with Bertui's. It's not being this is a new license. We're not transferring the license over. Okay. >> So, they surrender. Sorry, I'm going to cut you off. >> Okay. Yep. They surrendered their license and then we which is a dramatic
term I recognize, but they surrendered their license and then so we're issuing a new license to a new entity. >> Okay. Next steps were they just get approval tonight. They go to the ABC to file an application or is that already in process? >> Uh they would go to the ABCC and then they there are additional steps that they would need to take with the
building department and others to planning downstairs to make sure that all the boxes are checked. Okay. And then if the a if and when the ABCC approves the license, it comes back to us, we hold it until we're like per if there's business uh sorry construction happening at the business, most likely we hold it until that is completed.
>> Yes. >> Okay. Does that sound reasonable in your understanding? >> That sounds very standard. Yes. >> All right. Thank you. Uh and then the second question is in terms of hours of operation, the 1 a.m. is unfamiliar to me. I don't spend a ton of my time looking at hours of operation for um
restaurants unless they're before us for business. A quick look on the internet has me seeing Casey's is actually open at at uh until midnight until 12 a.m. So, I'm just want to just push a little bit on the 1:00 a.m. Is that a hard and fast for the business? is that uh we are
a bedroom community and by that I mean I I just don't know what traffic is going through Hollist at 1:00 a.m. but um so I just pause on that because I'm not familiar with that in terms of typical hours of operation for business um serving alcohol in Hollist. I'm not saying that's a good thing or or a not a
good thing. I'm just pointing it out as something that I believe would be unique to Hollist. So, I I wonder if there's any background on Donna's comment that that that's consistent. If was something lost in in interpretation of that or do we am I missing something in terms of other other
businesses serving alcohol in a restaurant format? >> I can check with Donna. I um I also did the same thing. I just checked Casey's website and they are open until midnight. It could be that they are permitted to open until 1 >> um but I can double check on the hours. Um, I can check double check what their
license actually permits them to do and and >> yeah, >> reconfirm with the board. >> Yeah, I'm just really noting it. I I don't know that it's we can discuss whether or not it's a cons a consideration in our um deliberation tonight, but just wanted to call that out as it's not something that I'm
familiar with. Um, could you give a a dollar amount to the investment being made in construction and improvements and repairs to the building? >> The cost is estimated at $75,000. Okay. >> And Frank, one more question for you. Are there any outstanding items we are
looking for from the applicant >> as of this evening? No. I anticipate there will be, >> you know, as they progress through the process >> through the building inspectors, correct? Most likely. Okay. >> Thank you. Almost. >> It's exciting. By the way, welcome to Hall. Thank you.
Business proposal. Yeah. >> And I I do want to add that I think it probably is pretty common. I mean, I I do these hearings all the time for for um restaurants to be permitted to sell alcohol till 1:00 a.m. or something like that, and then they only actually stay open until 11 or 12. So, usually
>> I I just always go for whatever the the the greatest hour is allowed by the town. Okay. Um and not that they would always I think plan on open till 1:00 a.m. on Sundays. Um but I just asked what um was permitted at the other restaurant and went from there. >> Okay. >> Sure. All right. Thank you, Alex.
>> Of course. very exciting to hear about. Uh you will probably bridge a feud in my family. I have a son who loves Italian food and a daughter who loves sushi and this will probably help us be a peaceful coexisting family once more. So, a lot of excitement. Out of curiosity, um is
that is this a an Italian restaurant that happens to have a sushi bar or is this a itameshi uh like Italian sushi fusion concept like we're starting to see in in New York and whatnot? Or just two separate micro venues? Do we know? Um as I know um like back to the before
the pandemic uh nearby the Winchester area like Burlington town um my friend told me one of the cafe which is open like 40 years already they come from like in Italian restaurant. Okay. >> So they add a sushi bar like 10 years before because I think people realize new generation like sushi and um you
know the other generation like Italian food. So which is a great idea bring everybody together. So we don't have any problems go one restaurant we all set for that. This is my idea come out. And I love Italian food, too. Also, I love sushi, too. >> This is great for me, too. You know what I mean? Yeah.
>> I love the idea that I could go get sushi when my son is eating pasta and and he's going to look at the sushi and go like, I don't want that. So, I do want to go. >> So, it's great. >> So, more tactical question. Uh, do you plan on having any uh live performances? Is it going to be used as a venue of any
kind? Any live entertainment uh in that space? >> So, I'm sorry. What's up? >> Music or Open Night? Oh, no, no, no. We don't plan anything right now. Yeah, but I'm not >> Oh, love to hear more
about that. Uh, that's great. And then as far as the um the parking goes, um I forget is that area a shared parking with all those businesses down there or do you have your own space? >> It's a it's a shared >> It's a shared >> It's a shared parking space. Okay. Uh and I know Tina, you pointed that out
about the 1 a.m. I'm I'm We can talk more about it. I'm personally concerned with this one. It's close to my house. That place is a ghost town at that hour. So, um, yeah, great. >> I I can say something about the park. I own the building since 1999 >> and it was too there sometimes very
busy, but we do have exo park in the back of the building. >> Yeah. Right. >> And most of the business in the property. It's kind of like a more like a daytime. >> There's a physical therapist like 5:00 like the physical therapy, the hair salon, all the book. So most of the
parking will be will be okay by by 5:00 crazy times. >> Okay, that's good. >> So just uh I'm just going to say it out loud. I'm going to repeat what you said just because you're not at a microphone just so that way people because not everybody's going to be able to hear what so I'm just going to he would uh the gentleman just said he's the owner of the building and he said that you
know a lot of the uh businesses in the building are during the day and would be >> leaving you know five six o'clock in the evening. So then there would be certainly open spaces for people to um to to use the to come to this uh this particular venue for for food.
>> Yeah. So uh >> that is all very exciting. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um I don't really have any questions. You answered the questions that I had that I presented and um so um I think that before we do anything else because this is a public hearing, we're going to give the opportunity for the public to
chime in. And so I did see somebody in the back raise their hand. So, I'm going to ask them to come forward and um to to speak up and then um we'll close the hearing and deliberate and talk about um about the uh the license. So, if you do you want to you want to come forward um just come on up. Um if you don't mind,
could you just move like to the side, please, just so we can make sure we want to make sure somebody has uh access to a uh microphone. >> Appreciate it. >> And if you just give us your name and address and tell and uh you can give us your comments, your questions. >> Good evening. I'm I'm Richard Boland. I
live at 21 Conquered Street. I am one of many abutters to the property. This is my wife, Shelley, with me. >> I also live at 21 Conquer. >> Yeah. Okay. I'm I'm sorry to come in uniform um at the scout meeting across the street tonight. >> No worries.
>> Um and I I just want to say that that you know, as you're well aware looking at the property, you have a bunch of residential abuters. >> Yeah. And on a summer night when the windows are open, we are privy to all conversations in the parking lot of uh
of of Bertuchi or >> somebody having a conversation in front of Bertui. We can hear what they're saying in our living room. >> Okay. >> Um it the the sound just carries right through that intersection. 1:00 would be horrendous for us. Not I mean not not
just you know the conversations but traffic cars pulling out you know screeching around all of that any kind of >> yeah we understand that you know you you ask for a 1:00 a.m. license but you may not actually stay open that late um but
>> but just the possibility is is is difficult for us. >> Yeah. Okay. And yeah, but the others on Curve Street are even closer and so I can't imagine that they so >> so your concerns about uh noise in the evening and the hours of operation.
>> Hours of operation really because it's it's not that people are yelling or screaming. Sure. >> But if they're coming out at 1:00 a.m. and they're having a conversation and they're saying, "Hey Joe, you know, see you tomorrow or whatever." Sure. And we're trying to sleep. >> Yeah. We're privy to that. And the other question I have which is really outside
the liquor license is what kind of signage do you plan to have? >> We I can answer that. >> Just come to >> please just come to the table and you can just identify yourself so people can hear you. >> I'm familiar with the property. We probably we probably going to have the
same exact what has before same same place same design. Our concern is neon because already there's a lot of neon in the in the East Hollist storefronts and there are rules about neon but they're not um really um
>> yeah the town has bylaws about when signs are supposed to be off >> and they're not. So it's really important that there not be any flashing neon or big neon or anything that that um sort of flashes into our living room. >> Okay. I don't think this is going to
help. Yeah. >> All right. >> And that's something we can >> address with the building inspector because that's really the where the building inspector would have to >> to come in. >> Are we done? >> Other than that, I'd be happy to have a new restaurant. >> Look forward to to >> We miss because Hey, we can walk across
the street and get >> I miss Walter's dairy, but >> All right. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Thank you very much for for coming and asking. Does anyone else in the room have any questions or comments about for the public hearing
for Gino's Italian and sushi restaurant? No, nobody in the room. Anyone on the Zoom call have any comments or questions? Somebody could just hit the okay there just to make sure I'm not missing anything if you don't mind.
No comments or questions for the public hearing for Gardino's Italian and Sushi Restaurant. Okay. All right. Um I will take a motion to close the public hearing at 7:50.
>> Move to close the public hearing at 7 p.m. 7:50 p.m. >> Seconded. All right. I'll take a roll call vote. Tina. >> Yes. Damon. >> Yes. >> And I vote yes. The hearing is now closed and now we um will deliberate a little bit. It sounds like I think the
area that is a little bit of contention here is the hours of operation. Um I think I would be interested to know what Bertuchi was um permitted for. >> Okay. Um, I mean, I'm not saying, you
know, you want to be just careful about that. And I would also even mention too, like I, you know, I'm surprised it would be if places are super busy that like late in the evening. But, um, I think that would be a question that I would particularly have. Tina, do you have any comments or thoughts right now?
>> I'm looking at the the business before the board, which is to approve the request for an alcohol all alcohol license and to accept the manager um, >> in name here. And so I I understand and I would like to know the process by
which hours of operation are addressed. I don't believe that's through this board with the action that we have tonight unless we were to go to an extreme step of >> not issuing an alcohol license over hours of operation. And so my question is really to you Frank is uh the role of our economic development coordinator to
work with any business any restaurant for that matter not just this one to establish hours of operation that are amendable and fit within the character of the town which I believe is the um applicant's best interest and also their desire. So um the role in which Melanie
Hamlin, our economic development coordinator, I don't mean to name her by name, but our economic development coordinator has in this process. I believe there is a role there and that you would continue to work with her um as you develop your business. You're obviously looking for the greatest success and are going to partner with
the town. Uh um would expect nothing else and I'm sure again that's your intention. So could you just talk that through next steps for a business uh once you receive your ABC license ABCC license, you have your occupancy permit, um the role in which our economic
development coordinator or others would work with any business, any restaurant over hours of operation. >> Yeah. So it even begins even before the the occupancy permit is uh is issued even you know if you're in the formative stage or if you're somewhere in between opening and thinking about opening a
business. Um, uh, I can connect, Melanie and I can can hop on a call with you all and and we can sort of figure out who the the players are downstairs where all of our land use department sit um and figure out who you need to speak with and and in what order or you know what order would be most beneficial I guess
or most expedient. Um, so I can um tonight before we before we leave tonight I'm happy to send an intro email. Maybe we can set up some time either later this week, next week, whenever works for you and and go through some of the next steps. >> That would be great. Thank you. should be amendable to that. >> Yes. >> Okay, I'm all set then. And I just want
to say I I love the idea of an investment in the property. I think that's wonderful. That's significant and worth noting. It's a it's a good good thing for the town of Hollist. Obviously, the business idea is wonderful. I think there's strong enthusiasm for both more Italian food and more sushi in the town of Hollist. Um and just want to thank you for
bringing your application forward. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> So, I think we'll take we'll take uh two votes. I think we move one to to manager. >> Okay.
>> Do I have that right? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Sorry, I'm looking for their email address at the same time. >> Okay. So, >> separate motions. >> Yes. So, two separate motions. All right. So, the first would be um um make a motion um I'd like a a motion to
um give an alcohol license, an all alcohol license to Gardano's Italian and sushi restaurant. Uh, also JHQ Incorporated at 414 Washington Street. >> Okay. I move to approve the all alcohol
license for Gardino's Italian and sushi restaurant at 414 Washington Street. >> Seconded. >> All right. All those in favor? >> I I >> I. >> Yes. So that's that piece. And then the second one would be to um for the manager um is that Ping Pong?
>> Correct. >> Okay. Apologies if my >> uh so we um accept a motion to um accept Cuping Huang as the manager of the Gerardano's Italian and sushi restaurant
and um and in charge of the alcohol license, if you will. >> Okay. Move to accept Queing Huang as manager uh at Gardino's Italian and sushi at 414 Washington Street uh to hold the all alcohol license. >> Seconded.
>> Uh all those in favor? >> I I >> All right. I think you have what you need from us. Uh best of luck to you. um the town manager will get in touch with you about some of those next steps and get you in touch with um the economic development coordinator and work with
you to um whatever process and whatever things that you need to be able to be successful. So wish you the best of luck >> and uh Frank will be in touch. >> Yes, I will probably tomorrow. >> Thank you so much. >> Have a wonderful evening. Nice to meet you as well. Congratulations and thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you very much. >> I will see you next time. Good night. Cheers. >> Have a good night everyone. >> Have a great night. Thank you. Give them a second to >> Oh, you want to? Yes, that would be great. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Have a nice night.
>> All right. Excellent. So, we've got a couple more minutes before our next public hearing. So, I think we can have a moment to talk about Mark Tree Robin Hill Road no parking designation. Um, we're continuing the public hearing. Do we need to take a vote to continue the public hearing or is it just continued?
We do not know. We can just continue it as uh >> Okay. Because I think we did say that we were continuing it today. >> Yes. >> Um Okay. So, we're continuing the public hearing. I guess the question becomes, what new information do we have to update on this, if any?
>> Sure. So, uh Chief Stone and I met with Dr. Kusca and Dr. Jordan on this a couple of weeks ago at this point. Um, I think Chief Stone and I both discussed uh the topic of or the idea of having sort of a resident only sticking sticker
program for neighbor or resident parking and had some some concerns even just outside logistical just sort of the precedent that that would set. Um, and so uh we discussed the the issue with Dr. Ken and Dr. Jordan, like I said, and um you know, for now, I think that
they're they're certainly open to identifying spots that could be open. Some some spots right now that are reserved uh that could be open for for general parking. Um we really delved into the question of why this has been such a phenomenon that just started
within the past couple of years. And uh the reasons that um it turns out that it that it started were first um the introduction of a reserve parking program. So get your assigned spot, that's where you can that's only where
you can park. If you are running late to school and um if Damon's coming to school and Frank is out sick, Damon can't park in Frank's spot. He can only park. >> He's not out sick. David's park sick. It's not outside. Yeah.
>> Um so usually, you know, if you figure you just round figures, if you figure on any given day 5% of the student population is out sick or vacation, whatever, there's always there was always that sort of a buffer that was available. That buffer no longer exists. >> Within the past two years, there's also been the introduction of um or in
addition to the introduction of the reserve parking system, there's also enforcement. So there are active monitors who are out there making sure that no one is parking in a spot where they shouldn't be. Um, and then there's also folks who just don't want to pay for for parking and just end up parking
somewhere else. Um, and so I think the the immediate takeaway from that meeting was that Dr. Jordan and Dr. Kusco were um going to identify some spots that would hopefully alleviate some of that pressure and overflow that ends up on Mark Tree. um that I suspect if it continues uh would not pick up until
sometime in the spring as the year as the calendar year or the school year progresses and more um students are getting their learnings permits and and uh driver's licenses. Um so that's sort of where we are right now. Um they were that Dr. Costa and Dr. Jordan both were
uh more than willing to to partner on this and they understand it's a problem. Um you know the chief and I were explaining that um you know when there's 40 50 60 cars on a residential road that is not that is you know the streets is then blocked. Um you know they certainly understood and agreed with the gravity
of the situation. Um so they're working on that and so hopefully you know in the coming weeks we'll have some additional spaces that they've identified. Um >> what's the order of magnitude of the number of spaces like that are available you think? >> Oh that uh they're working on. Yeah. Um,
I'd say not enough. Probably not enough to solve 50 to 60. Wondering. >> Can't imagine more than like 10 or 12. >> Yeah. I mean, I would Yeah, I'd be hesitant to like call them out for a specific number, but I wouldn't say more
than maybe more than 20. >> Um, but um, you know, they're making a good faith effort, I think, to to try and relieve some of that pressure. >> I think I think what's hard about it, too, is it just seems like the you know, it's the schools need to be dealing with the the situation and yet the residents
in the area are the ones who are having to contend with it. They're the ones who and in in some ways the ramifications the the what we're suggesting and talking about impacts them almost more than the students
themselves that are that are really the ones that need to be taking ownership of this and things like that which sort of it just >> you know I understand conceptually what we're trying to accomplish. you know, we want it's it's a public safety issue at the end of the day, but at the same time, I think it's it's sort of, you know,
it's using a sledgehammer to put in a nail. It just feels like it's kind of a little bit a little bit much in in in in the approach. >> I think the other thing that we talked about was about um sort of a recommunication of the um
recommunication to students that parking on mar tree is is not acceptable. Um so I think there was some discussion at the board one of the board's meetings that we discussed this topic about um that the students were under under the understanding that they could >> park on retry and I think that >> they were told they were
>> I think they were actually according to to yeah the stories we're hearing yeah they were told specifically to do that. >> So I think um Dr. Jordan and Dr. Kusco were going to work with the high school administration to make sure that that was uh recommunicated or >> properly
>> properly communicated. Um, so hopefully, you know, that's sort of half the battle there. >> Uh, we did briefly talk about sort of some alternate parking sites off campus that maybe we could open up. Uh, the only one that we discussed uh, really at length was Pinerest, but Pinerest is a,
you know, that's a good hike away. >> Um, so then you'd either have folks, you know, you'd have folks walking from Pinerest, which is obviously much further than Mark Tree, so I'm not sure how much of a better alternative that is. Um, but that's sort of where where we're at as of as of late.
>> Or they could start to carpool. Also also true. >> They need to provide incentives. >> Incentives for car pooling. We'll figure it out. >> Anyway, um, uh, Tina, do you have any comments or questions about this? just the intent tonight whether we're going to close the hearing, bring this back as
a later agenda item or >> Well, I think the first thing I want to do is because it's a hearing is I'm just going to open it up and see if anybody had any comments from the public um to see where that stands because I I mean my inclination is just to continue to put it off um and not do and kind of
work with the communication, but I also want to hear from the residents to see sort of where where they fall if that was the uh the intention here. >> Um are you here for the park tree? Okay. Uh, do you have any comments that you'd like to to make? Okay. If you want to come forward, this is a public hearing.
So, if you just give us your name and address and you can give us your comments. >> Jonathan Parker, 290 Mark Tree Road. So, if this topic is going to be pushed off and until the spring maybe
um, you know, with some some kind of addressing going on. Now, I just want to be clear. So that means that the the idea of of a no parking zone is being deferred. Correct. That the original proposal that that's not going to happen.
>> That would that that's kind of what would the intent would be by the by deferring it. Sort of, you know, I I think the the concerns that I heard and the reason I'm sort of thinking that is because residents like yourself were just concerned about like, well, what if I want to have a guest or I park on the
street? I don't want to punish you for something that's happening at the schools and seeing if we can fix it through other means before we do something like that. >> Right. Fair enough. And and and that people did bring up the topic of some kind of resident exception and it sounds
like that's been dismissed. Is that true? >> Well, I think is I'm not sure it's entirely been dismissed, but I think as Chief Stone and I were talking about it more, I think we had some hesitation about how that would logistically how it would be enforced. um you know what justification would we have then for if
another neighborhood would like a resident only sticker program for lack of a better term you know how would we do it for one neighborhood and not do it for for another neighborhood >> so there are just a few different things that um you know as he and I discuss it further we thought we'd mention it to the board um as the public hearing
process continues >> okay so continued continues to be discussed anyway it sounds like >> um also Um, did Chief Stone indicate at all that that the police department would
continue to monitor the situation? >> Absolutely. >> Complet, you know, continuously to at least head off some of the worst that has happened already last year. >> Yes. >> Um, >> has it been so far?
>> So far, it hasn't been bad. It feels like the school might be already communicating. >> Okay. >> Um certainly it's nothing like it was last spring. There there's some cars there every day. >> Okay. >> I don't know if even the ones that are
there if they continue to be there when we get snow that could still lead to the safety problem, but for now at least in terms of the uh you know our our general feelings of the situation, it hasn't gotten bad. But >> okay, >> if it could happen as as we saw last
school year, it could happen at any time. I mean, it it really escalated fast. >> Okay. >> Was that like like March, April kind of in during the year? um more like January because that that was when I witnessed a school bus having to back up.
>> Oh, >> from all the way from the end one end of Mark Tree Road all the way back to Sparrow and back in in order to get out of um Robin Hill Road. Okay. >> Because of the snow banks and parking on both sides.
>> Okay. All right. >> So, that was January, I think, when they because they um had just >> or December, they were just about to go on break, but anyway. Yeah. So, >> okay. >> That's um >> Yeah. But then the other things I guess
you're aware of which we already covered are blocking driveways and mailboxes and whatnot. So, that >> could escalate quickly too. >> Yeah. >> One other comment just you mentioned um the golf course. There are there are students I see them they that already walk from that
distance in the neighborhoods, you know, like around Fair View and all that walk to the high school. So, >> I don't think it's that far. Maybe they they would disagree, but >> only on cold days probably. >> Yeah. Pro especially. Yeah. But I would say that that's not if if the golf
course is willing to entertain that, I would say that's not something that should be ruled out >> because um >> mental refresher. I know that there is sidewalk at least along part of that. Is it fully sidewalk? >> I think it's I think it is >> fully I think it's fully from Pine Crest all the way from Yeah. >> And then there's a crosswalk actually
for cross uh Highland as well. >> Correct. >> There's a safe way to do >> Yes. >> Right. >> I mean I I think you know if I I we could look into that to see if that makes any sense. I think the challenge can be like when golf season opens then something can be a little bit busy or it
have to be particular designation but that could be an opportunity for you know for an overflow if people if there's no spots they could go like in the back by the uh the public gardens or something like that that might be something that we could try to
>> I think just to address the I I just don't want to forget u the comment you made about the ongoing sort of u the police department's monitoring of the situation the School resource officer, Officer Keef, is really really aware of obviously of the issue and I can assure you he's still monitoring the activity
on Mark Tree. >> Okay, good. Yeah, he was very helpful last school year, too. >> We uh we we actually witnessed him turning a kid around who were parked right across from somebody's driveway who had a a medical issue person there.
He just told the kid, "Get back in, move your car." So, yeah, he was he was on top of it. >> Okay. All right. >> Thank you. And keep us keep us surprised if there's if there's like anything else that comes up or if it if it changes that the situation gets like that we can
bring it back up um very quickly to make sure that it you know it doesn't get out of hand. But I like I said I don't want it to necessarily be punitive on you and your neighbors while we're trying to solve a problem that's not Yeah. Right. >> that's not of your making. >> Yeah. No, we'll we'll be keeping an eye on it. Uh >> yes.
>> And as last last spring I was out there every morning. Well, I'm out there every morning walking the dog. >> Yes. >> Was is a concern, but I also in the afternoon when everybody is leaving, I'm at the end of my driveway doing the the universal two-handed slow down
>> thing. So, I'm sure that we'll be doing that again. >> Okay. >> Too. >> Okay. Well, thank you. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Appreciate it. >> Um, >> do you want to speak too? >> Sure. >> Come on. Come on forward. Not that I would disagree with my husband in a
public forum or otherwise. So, >> wow. I'm just going to give us your name and address. >> Lois Parker, 290 Mark Tree Road. Um, I just wanted to comment that um since the actions were taken that um you've spoken about, it kind of feels like we have our
neighborhood back much the way it was before the disruption that we experienced. And um so in a fall with all the nice weather we've been having, it's just been really nice to have it feel like it did before, which is sort
of a typical Hollist neighborhood as I um described. Um as John mentioned last year, it really became worse as the school year went on. And a lot of that was because um as we noted, more students um you know get their license
as the year goes on. And so by spring it had really escalated and um lunchtime was particularly difficult and as officer Keefe pointed out to me one day um they feel like they can get to Chipotle and Milford and back in 20
minutes um which is not really possible for any of us. And so, um, often when I walked the dog at lunchtime, um, on Robin Hill Road, I could hear them coming down Robin Hill Road before I could see them. So, um, as you noted,
this is really a public safety issue um, in addition to one that impacts the aesthetics of the neighborhood. So, um, and my only concern, and I appreciate everybody's willingness to work with us and to continue to monitor the
situation, um, but my only concern is that given that this is still going to be designated as a public road in Hollist, even if the school administration and officer Keefe um, advise them or tell them that they can't
or shouldn't park on Mark Tree or Robin Hill Road, whatever language we're using, there's technically nothing to stop them from doing so. Um because it's a public road. Um so that's really my concern is just hoping that we don't
experience the kind of creep um with that that we experienced last year. Um which again was challenging for everybody. So >> Okay. And I I think that, you know, if if it if things escalate, I I think this
board is willing to take action. I think we want to try to use communication and other means so it doesn't become incredibly disruptive for your neighborhood by doing something like that because then it turns into to your
point enforcement and then you get caught in that if you have somebody there and things like that. So it becomes much more challenging. So, we want to try to find a way to do this that's not that's least disruptive to you and that still works. That's that's kind of the way I'm looking at it, but
we can step in anytime to >> appreciate that because as I noted um in the email I sent, we've been on that street for 33 years and we never experienced the problems that we experienced last year. I mean, one day a year when the fireworks are at the um
high school, there's a lot of traffic on that street and we fully understand that and can live with it. But what we were experiencing daily during the school year last year was really um untenable and and so my concern is just putting that genie back in the bottle um is
often more difficult than not letting it out in the first place. >> That's fair. That's a fair point. So thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you very much. Is anyone on the uh Zoom call uh have any uh public comments about the Marry
Robin Hill Road no parking designation um at this time? Oh, uh Lori, I see your hand raised. If you could just unmute yourself, give us your name and address and your comments. >> I'm Lori Marov from 280 Mark Tree Road.
I just want to thank the board for your thoughtful consideration of all the options before we do something that will be more um I don't know what the word is but a
stronger intervention that might affect the life of the residents in other ways. um like my concern is of course people visit me and park on the street and um and that happens in the daytime. So um I
don't want to end up with that being a problem and I understand why you wouldn't want to start the process of there being resident stickers. Like I understand that that as a precedent could lead in very negative directions.
Um, I used to work in Cambridge where you couldn't park at all, um, if you weren't a resident because there wasn't any parking. So, um, I appreciate you're trying to find other solutions, um, before we go any further and I hope that there is a way to take care of it
without that and just appreciate your thinking of both sides of that issue. Thanks a lot. >> Thank you, Lori. Anyone else um for the public hearing on Mark Tree Robin Hood? All right. Um hearing none. I think um
probably could just close the public hearing at this point, right? I mean that that probably be the best course of action. And then if I mean my my feeling is is I I'll ask you to if you agree with me is that we close the public hearing tonight and we uh basically try
to continue to solve the problem through proper communication by the schools to the uh the students see if Pinerest could possibly be an overflow solution and as the year goes on. Um and um if
but if things escalate again, we would reopen the hearing in and would take action. But unfortunately, I don't want you know I I think that that action will have more of a punitive effect on the residents in the area than is really intended. But it is a public safety
issue. We may have to take action if things continue to get out of hand. >> That sounds good. And we can, you know, but as the year progresses >> and I'll be letting um the school administration know that obviously if we technically close the hearing, but >> yeah, >> at a staff level, we can obviously keep
the communication flowing between the police department, school department, our office >> and any residents who bring >> because they I mean they want to they recognize it's a safety issue too, not even you know just for the residents but for the students as well. >> Yes. >> Um so they recognize that uh >> they want to be part of the solution.
>> Tina Damon, I I'm talking a lot. Are you comfortable with that approach? Uh, well, do you want to close the hearing and then deliberate or deliberate then close the hearing? >> Well, I want to deliver it because if we close the hearing, um, I I I rather continue the hearing. That's kind of what I'm asking. >> Okay. Uh, I would I have a couple comments. >> Yeah. Go ahead.
>> Uh, I definitely think that having Officer Keefe out there doing enforcement on a regular basis without a tool by which he can enforce is is um an unnecessary challenge for a school resource officer where we have a tool that we could use. Uh, so I I I think
I'm concerned about that. Uh, I understand. I think the residents on Mark Tree have been very flexible and um um uh appreciative of each other's uh different opinions and views on on what should happen and so I think that's great. I am all in favor of a temporary
parking restriction. We did one down on Front Street when we moved to one way. It was not so much a parking restriction although it resulted in uh parking restrictions. Um we moved to a temporary oneway for six months. we tried it out and then we came back with resident
feedback on how that went uh and we then made a move to make it permanent. Uh so I see that as a very legitimate path forward. Um but I am wide open to the voices in the room and they they seem patient and willing to have the schools do their best. I just think it's a it's an unnecessary burden to put on
residents if a day comes in the near future or distant future where things change conditions on the street. the SRO having to respond and having residents having to experience that again when, as you all know, I am an active transportation advocate. I think that
anything that um could be planned by way of the school's communication and um overall um circulation planning, anything that can be done should be done and would love to see that happen so that cars were not encouraged and this
problem didn't exist in in the first place. That's just me. So, I'm putting my cards on the table. So, I hear the I hear the voices in the room. I think your your um suggestion works, but I would just want to say I'm wide open to a temporary parking restriction and
would very much look for the schools to solve the issue through um promoting active transportation and a better circulation plan and parking plan. And it sounds like they're working on that. I just think that it's a lot to ask of residents to wait for it and um need it to be effective before they feel a
burden or um an impact on their neighborhood. Okay. >> But uh I'm glad to hear conditions are better and I'm sure it is from the collaborative work with the schools. So thank you Frank and Chief Stone and Dr. Kuska and Dr. Jordan. Um but I remain wide open to something more in more um
significant weighty in terms of enforcement. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Uh, I think we're in more concurrence than you might believe. I'm definitely a a velvet glove with an iron fist kind of guy. So, I think you play nice until people don't play nice and then you play really tough and then maybe they back off. So, my point of
view is pretty similar. If things are auspicious right now and they're working in the right direction and we think the communication part will have a lasting effect, I'm very happy to let things kind of, you know, sit and see how it goes. Um, but should the trouble reoccur, I mean, there's public safety,
not just the lifestyle of those who live there, it it's something that we should take very seriously. So, I'm also quite amendable to pursuing something that's a little bit more draconian should that be needed. >> Yeah, I mean, I I I certainly I hear that approach is that, you know, being
able to have some sort of enforcement tool. I think, you know, as I've stated, sort of one of my concerns is sort of being a little more punitive towards the residents than I think is necessary. I feel that the no parking is a bit draconian in the sense that in in doing
so and in part because this, you know, if this had been going for 10 years or something like that, I probably have a different response, but it sounds like it's really only been like the past year that it was really significant. So to me that something happened and it sounds
like it was communication from the schools to the students that this should that this is what they could do. Um and I believe I I certainly share concerns of putting the genie back in the bottle as uh one resident put it. But at the same time, I also feel that it can be
done and the population does shift. Like those kids who were probably parking over there didn't have parking spaces now probably have parking spaces and it'll be a new group of kids and we can just we can work towards that. So I I personally do not feel want to do that um close down the um the parking uh with
no parking um to sort of protect the residents in that area. However, if it does escalate again, as I think we step in, it is a public safety issue. We have to make sure that that is taken care of. Um, >> point of order, Ben, if I may, there.
This board has made decisions in the recent past to install no parking for the purpose of public safety in residential neighborhoods. Uh, I think that that's probably to Damon's point, our most important priority. Um, so reiterating my point, remain wide open. >> Okay.
Did you want to make one more comment before we close the hearing? Sure. Come on up, Loris. >> It's quick. >> Okay, go ahead. >> I was told um I think during this school year in a conversation with Officer Keefe that the upcoming sophomore and
junior classes are quite large and that if we don't nip this in the bud this year that we're likely to have a bigger problem down the road. So, um I just thought that that was probably relevant information to share. >> Yeah, it's good information and I think
um yeah, and I think we if if it if it happens, I I think we >> we nip it in the bud and we keep it there. >> Schools are a wonderful partner for communicating effectively to the students. So, I'm sure they will do their their best and their part um and >> to make sure that they that that that
doesn't happen again, >> right? >> Especially if they see it coming. Yeah. >> And we are not opposed to having a parking restriction on the street. Um I know the neighborhood is um somewhat mixed on that, but I'm just saying that we >> Okay. Okay.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um I will um if you both are amendable, I will entertain a motion to close the hearing. >> Okay. Uh move to close the hearing at 8:23 p.m. No action from the board. >> Seconded. >> All right. All those in favor? I
>> I >> roll call. >> Oh yes, Dina. >> Dina. Yes. >> Damon. >> Yes. >> And I vote yes. And we and I would like I I don't think we take any action at this time. >> Okay. Sorry. Jump the gun on my motion. >> That's okay. No, that's that's okay. Um I don't think we take any um any
anything at this time, but if it does escalate um Frank keep us apprised. And um I'm in favor of reopening the hearing and we'll velvet glove and an iron fist. Take the glove off. Gloves are off and uh >> sorry for the make sure that we're
protecting the residents and keeping things safe for you. So >> thank you. >> Thank you. Appreciate you coming in. Thank you, Lori. >> All right. Uh we have another public hearing. >> Busy evening. Um >> so if we see it escalating,
>> tell him. >> Yes, tell him. He's getting a business card. >> He's going to give you a business card and you can call, you can always call town hall as well >> and just say, "Hey, you know, just identify yourself and let us let us know that it's happening and your your neighbors can do the same
>> and we will step in and you know, we'll we'll we I think we we're willing to do it quickly, but it, you know, we want to make sure that we're we're sensitive to you and your needs as well. But when it does become a public safety issue, we're going to have to do it.
We're gonna have to do it. >> Like to avoid it, though. >> I'll try I'll try to avoid colorful phrases in the future. >> Your your metaphor had a lot of was a robust metaphor. >> It's a robust metaphor. >> Well, there was a sledgehammer in there, too. >> I know. I know. I know. Sledgehammer for
a nail. Yes. >> The 16-year-olds don't know what's coming. >> Let's try to avoid that. Thank you. >> All right. So, uh, could we read the notice for the, uh, hearing for the full alcohol package store transfer >> and then I'll make motion >> and then make a motion to open the public hearing. >> Notice it's hereby given under chapter
138 of General Laws of Massachusetts that a public hearing will be held by the Hollson Select Board on Monday, October 6th, 2025. was posted at 8:00 PM. It is now 8:25 in the select board meeting room at Town Hall, room 105, 703 Washington Street to consider an
application from Depot Package Hollist Incorporated uh for a transfer of a liquor license to Premod R C contractor um located at 110 Church Street, Hollist, Mass 01746. Motion to open the
hearing. >> Um, >> seconded. >> All right, I'll take a roll call vote. Tina, >> yes. >> Damon, >> yes. >> And I vote yes. And I appreciate everyone's patience who are here for this hearing. Um, well, we had we've had three public hearings tonight. Um, is
there anyone here um from the uh uh for this particular transfer of the alcohol uh alcohol package? >> I do see Mr. Contractor. >> Yes. Good board. Can you hear me? Okay, >> I can. And if you could just identify yourself and um >> yeah,
>> I would be happy to. My name is Matthew Porter. I'm the attorney for Depot Package Hollist, Inc. Along with me on the Zoom hearing this evening is uh Mr. Primmont Contractor. Uh Mr. Contractor is one of the principles uh of the applicant depot package Hollist Inc.
He's also the proposed license manager, meaning that he'd be the individual on site 40 to 50, I'm sure, if not more hours per week. Okay. Um this relates to the sale of depot package store at 110 church street. Um there's a little uniqueness to the application in the
sense that it is a transfer to a new entity. Uh but Mr. Contractor is already an owner of the store. Uh he currently is one of the shareholders of Bapasai Inc. which operates depot package store. They are now selling to Mr. who of the partners in the store are now selling uh
to Mr. Contractor. So it's a transfer to a new corporation. But there is one carryover of Mr. Contractor who's been there since they purchased the store a few years back. Um, he's also going to be taking over the day-to-day operation. So, it should be very seamless. There's
no changes to the hour. There's no changes to the structure of the business whatsoever. Um, so it with that um there is a request for a pledge of license and inventory to Rockland Trust. um Rockland Trust when the current owners purchased
the business um requested the same thing which was granted by the board. Um so here Rocklin is financing uh this subsequent purchase. Um so in addition to asking the board for an approval of the transfer of license, uh we'd also be asking for an approval of the pledge of
license and inventory. >> Um >> and and we have all that documentation in front of us >> perspective that there are really no changes to the operation of the business. Certainly with that I can for any additional questions the board may have or Mr. Contractor can as well. >> Okay. I have I have two questions here.
Uh the first is we have all that information from Rockland Trust uh that that we need to uh approve. >> Correct. So within your application you would have a draft promisary note, a draft pledge as well as a commitment letter from Rockland Trust and then the
ABCC what they do now is they've begun to realize that it's not conceivable that somebody would sign a promisary note before they own a business. and we can't close on the business until ABC approves it. So, what you'll see in your package there in front of the pledge and the promisary note is a cover letter
just stating that those documents will be signed upon the closing of the business and the ABCC has accepted that. >> Okay. I'm just have the the clerk is just uh looking for because there's a lot of documents. Um while she while the the clerk is looking here, um my only
question for uh Mr. contractor. So, I I understand that you are currently a part owner of this of the existing um uh license and the the the corporation that's that's in charge of that license. Um and you are just taking over for the
other uh individuals who um are were on the original um the the the previous uh lensure. Um my question just for you is that um are you you're you're currently working in the facility or are you just an owner of the facility? Have you been
working in in the in the um in the store? >> Good evening everyone. I am just owner of the owner of the business. >> Okay. >> So you're just going to be the owner of the business. Okay.
>> And you're I I'm sorry. I think there's just some language barrier there. He think he was he was just the owner of the business. He's now going to be the owner and the license manager. He was not the current license manager. >> That was kind of what I was trying to ask. No, I I I thank you. Thank you for
for for helping and clarifying that. I just wanted to sort of understand that particular piece. Okay. >> Yeah. Sorry. >> No, that that that's okay. I I apologize, Mr. Contractor. I didn't I didn't uh want to put you on the spot with in a in a in a public setting like that. Um, I'm gonna open it up to the board and then because this is a public
hearing, we're also going to open this up to the public to see if there's any other questions as well. Uh, Tina, do you have any questions here? >> We have the assignment and uh, and pledge of liquor license and alcohol inventory in front of us. Uh, I hear no hours, no changes to hours of operation,
>> correct? >> Um, I'm all set for now. I might come back with with another question, but I am all set for now. It might be to Frank, actually. Okay. >> I actually have no questions about this one. >> Yeah, I don't have any um I don't have any questions, especially as he's a part
owner. It's uh and it's existing hours, so it's >> not quite a clean transfer, but it is uh somewhat um within uh something reasonable. Um because this is a public hearing, there's no one in the room, so I'm not going to open it up to to the
room, but I will open it up to the Zoom. Does anyone on the Zoom call this evening have any questions or comments about the full alcohol package store transfer um at depot package store from BASAI to Fman Contractor at 110 Church
Street? And does anybody have any comments or questions at this time? >> Just one one clarification there and and I I thought that I heard that prior to but the the transfer is not to preod contractor. Mr. contractor is one of the principles. The the transfer is to depot
package Hollist, Inc. That's the applicant here. >> I That's my >> I just want to make sure that >> Thank you for that. >> Yeah. No, no, thank there's a there's a lot of language here. So, uh but no, I appreciate that. No, that that that's a that's a good uh a good point to make.
Um but does anybody have any comments uh questions uh uh for this public hearing at this time on the Zoom call? You can raise your hand using the reaction button. I'm not seeing any at this time.
I'm going to come back to the clerk and see Tina. Do you have any comments or questions before we close the hearing? >> No, I have no comments. No questions. Thank you. >> Are you comfortable with uh >> My only question is, do you want one motion or two? So, we have the approval of transfer of license and then we have
the pledge of license and inventory. >> Yeah, we'll need we'll need uh uh Attorney Porter, we need to have two pro I would assume we need two motions, correct? >> Uh yeah, I I done both ways provided that that both are included. Um I I
don't think it needs to be two separate motions, but that certainly ups the board. Okay. >> All right. I I don't mind doing I I actually sometimes I like it's a little cleaner to do two separate motions and be a little easier for us to to keep things straight. So, uh, well, first thing we'll do is we're going to close the public hearing. >> Got it. >> So, >> move to close the public hearing at 8:32
p.m. >> Second. >> All right. Uh, roll call vote. Tina? >> Yes. >> Damon? >> Yes. >> And I vote yes. So, the first vote we're going to take is for the transfer of alcohol license. >> Okay. And, uh, attorney Porter, I have a stack of papers I'm going through to
organize this motion. So, I'm going to just ask you please, sir, to confirm the motion is correct. Uh the motion will be to approve transfer of license from BASIA Incorporated to the depot package store. Is that what you're looking for?
>> Yes. So DB depot package Hollist Inc. would be who it is transferred to. >> Okay. >> Package Hollist Inc. >> Thank you. All right. I will make a motion to approve the transfer of
license from Bapasai Incorporated to depot package inc. >> Holliston Inc. >> Holliston Inc. Thank you. >> Second. >> All right. I will um all those in favor >> I >> I >> I >> All right. That passes. And then the
second part is for the um >> I move to approve the pledge of liquor license and alcohol inventory to Rockland Trust. And please correct me, Attorney Porter, if I did not get that right. >> That was perfect. Thank you.
>> I like hearing that. Thank you. >> Seconded. All right. All those in favor? >> I >> I >> I All right. I believe we have everything. You have everything you need. I believe >> appreciate Best of luck to you and uh thank you very much for coming in this evening and have a wonderful night. >> Excellent. You as well. Take care.
>> Give clerk a second here. >> I'm all set. >> You're all set. Okay. All right. We're going to move on to public comments. So, we have public comment this evening. There's no one in the room. Oh. Oh, Mr. Mr. Cass to read.
>> Would you like to come forward? And >> Chief Cassidy. Chief Cassidy, would you like to come first or >> No, we don't. We have We have our own uh >> Yeah, we have our own opportunities to do member updates. >> So, you just identify yourself for those uh watching at home.
>> Thank you for recognizing me. Uh Chief Cassidy uh from the fire department. Uh fire prevention week has been observed since 1922, making it the longest running public health observance in the United States. The National Fire Protection Association
has sponsored it annually with President Calvin Kulage establishing it as a national observance in 1925. The week commemorates the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which started on October 8th. This year's theme for fire prevention week,
which is October 5th to 11th this year, is charge into fire safety lithium ion batteries in your home. So, if you think about it, at the table right now, there are probably 10 lithium ion batteries. And yes, because each one of our phones
has it, each one of our tablets has it, not even to mention what's behind us here. Um, but the National Fire Protection Association when they established this year's theme really wanted to emphasize that there is a serious problem with lithium ion batteries in our society, uh, with
consumers, in the households. Um, and so the main messages of this year's theme is to buy only listed products, to charge devices safely, and to recycle batteries responsibly. And so I'm just here to amplify the message that this is
fire prevention week. Please make sure that folks are only buying listed products, charging their devices safely, and recycling batteries responsibly. How uh where does one recycle a lithium battery responsibly? >> Oh, that's an excellent question. So,
the uh National Fire Protection Association when they launched this as this year's theme, uh they partnered with a nonprofit organization and you can go to fpw.org as in firerepreventionweek.org
org. Um, and there will be a link there so that you can find if you enter your zip code the nearest locations where you can recycle your lithium ion batteries safely because we do not want these tossed in the normal waste stream. So,
if you enter 01746 uh in the search bar, uh you will find the closest locations in our area to where we live or where you work to where you can responsibly uh recycle those lithium-ion batteries so that they do not create a hazard, specifically a fire
uh in the waste stream. >> Wonderful. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you for letting me amplify the message. >> Thank you very much for uh for your public comment. >> Absolutely. Since he's the only one in the room, we will now open it up to the Zoom. Does
anyone on the Zoom have a public comment this evening? Raise your hand um please and uh use the reaction button to raise your hand and you can make your and you can be uh acknowledged and you can make
your comments. >> Mr. Chair, I believe someone is using the applause button and perhaps is meaning to use the raise hand button. Uh Liz, are you trying to raise your hand or are you applauding fire prevention week? >> You can unmute. Just just unmute and
just sort of say like are you do you want to make a public comment this evening or are you >> I do I do want to make a public comment. >> All right then. Uh uh although it is nice to applaud the uh fire prevention week. Um could you uh just name an address and you can make your public comment.
>> Sure. Okay. Um Dr. Liz Tyler, 17 New Orleans Street. Um my comment deals with the um 40B um proposal. How much this affects um our groundwater
is clearly shown with the the fact that seven of the 13 waiverss that the um that were asked deal with water. Um the applicant is proposing structures
within 9 ft of a natural pond where normally this is a waiver where it normally would be 200 ft. The um they're asking for a waiver regarding
the storage overflow which is 46,420 gallons per day. This is a um a large amount of sewage. The affluent
the question remains where is the effluent going to go from the treatment plant? Um they're asking for a waiver with regard to um the art the discharge of um
water from imperous surfaces. They're asking for a question of uh a waiver from earth removal in zone two and they're asking it to be four feet
from historical groundwater levels. I think that's really an important point because the um it's known in the past and considering the previous use of this um land, it's known that in disturbing
soil that contamination can be found. Um it's asking for a privatelyowned wastewater treatment plant. It's asking for a waiver for all local wetland requirements. And it says that
the applicant, this I found interesting, the applicant will meet local regulations to the maximum extent practicable um that seems to be a big loophole. It's asking for a waiver for all local storm water requirements.
I think that the issue here In in addition to that, we know um that this is on the zone two for three of our public drinking water wells and those
three water those wells combined provide 70% of Holliston's drinking water. Unfortunately, um uh I was unable to obtain that zone 2 m
for well 7 from the water department, from the conservation commission, from the planning board and um it raises concerns as to who is really protecting our brownwater.
uh considering also that the swap report from D in 2002, re recommended the development of a um wellhead protection plan and also recommended that the board of health
develop industrial um develop a system for um checking industrial and commercial buildings. things in the area. I think that there are a number of concerns and
this is not the right place for a 40B development and I'm hoping that you've seriously considered all of the groundwater concerns. >> Okay. Um thank you for your comments, Liz. I
know you've sent some of those emails concerning some of those issues and we have a letter um that incorporates a lot of the information that you're describing um within it um that we're going to go through in a few moments as well. >> We did receive Dr. Tyler, we did receive
public comment that you requested to be read into the record, which I can certainly do at the at the chair's uh direction unless you'd like to read it yourself. >> No, you can read it. It's Thank you. >> Okay. Yep. Please. Uh this is from uh Dr. Liz Tyler. The
suggest received October 5th at 9:24 p.m. The suggestion was previously made that public comment should always be the last item on the agenda. I am writing to second the suggestion. Do you want residents to participate in their town government? How can residents express their opinion if you place public comment before you address a topic of
interest? This is essentially shutting off public comment on issues that you do not want to hear the public public's opinion, not democracy and action. Please read these comments in their entirety to Sluckboard at the Sluckboard meeting. Liz Tyler, PhD. >> Thank you. >> I have one other public comment as well.
>> Okay. >> Um >> Um All right. Uh Liz, thank you very much for your comments this evening. Appreciate it. >> Um does anyone else have any public comments tonight on the Zoom call that they'd
like to make? can Oh, Lori, I see your hand raised. If you could just give us your name and address and your public comment, please. >> Lori Marov, 280 Mark Tree Road. I just want to agree with um Liz about public
comment coming at the end of whatever is being presented by the select board. I feel like that really is a more equitable way to do public comment so that people have the opportunity to comment after things are presented. So I
just want to add my voice to Liz. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Any other public comments? All right. Hearing none, we have uh >> an announcement. >> An announcement uh we can make it at this time.
>> Trash and recycling will be delayed by one day all week next week for the Columbus Day holiday. So delayed on Monday and for one by one day for the remain remainder of the week. >> Okay. Thank you very much.
>> All right. Okay, moving on to the next item on the agenda. We're going to talk about the upper town hall rental policy. Um so, um we have a policy at this time
um about how upper town hall is utilized and um we put that into place. I don't remember how long ago it was, a couple years. Um and um partially to
protect the space. We redid the space. Um and also um thinking about you know make sure we have proper use and um giving people the opportunity to use the space but doing it in a uh in a way that makes sense and that does not um create
challenges or issues. Um part of the policy that is in place within the uh for upper town hall includes um the language the facility is not available for commercial activities or promotions.
Um, and I think the the reason we're sort of looking at this is that there was a request made by uh Celebrate Hollist to open up Upper Town Hall for vendors to be able to sell things. And
um I know last year they did they had some other locations. I know there was one it was at the horse farm on Washington Street. There was a barn that was used for that particular purpose. um for for the uh the event of celebrate hall. uh it's the uh the uh holiday
stroll and um and they were asking about using upper town hall for this particular purpose and um I I um I had said that I'm interested to sort of hear uh your both take on this um sort of um
I'll put my cards on the table just sort of say and you know it's just my particular opinion but where I run into trouble with some of these things is I you know probably most of you know I process and I like rules and I like to follow them. And um I'm not saying no to
them being up there doing something. I would just say that this is the policy and if we want that to take place, I think we have to change the policy, not break make an exception to the rule. That's my personal opinion and that's how I sort of come to this. My wife says
I'm too rigid at times with some of these things, but that's that's kind of how I'm wired. So, I'm just putting that on the table and I'm interested to hear from Tina and Damon what your thoughts are about this to sort of what you think. Basically, what I'm asking is like, you know, present this here.
Are you interested in um entertaining just giving an exception or are you thinking we should change the rules or we saying flat no to celebrate homicide? and and and I'm just saying that I'm I
would be more interested in changing the policy or saying no than in making an exception. That's where I stand with this. >> Okay. We have an application before us, a request from Celebrate Hollison to use upper town hall. >> There's no application currently. No, it
was more of a we're interested in doing this. We know that the application doesn't currently allow for this type of activity. So, we're interested in discussing um you know, the possibility. The intent of the policy is to not allow people to make money in upper town hall regardless of who the applicant is
because in this case we have celebrate Hollison would be the applicant on behalf of the vendors that they would gather to attend. >> Right. >> And we we the policy is is intended to prevent the selling of um goods in Upper Town Hall
>> commercial uh >> regardless of the applicant. >> Right. Yes. Yes. I mean, you know, we we can we can sit on it. We don't have to necessarily, but I'm I'm telling you, I'm I'm asking you,
are you open to reform, changing the policy, or are you where where do you where do you sit with >> gut reaction would be that if the applicant is a non-commercial entity, so it's an organization looking to to raise
or raise money or promote. Okay, I'm I'm seeing that differently. Uh and my second gut reaction is I would I would look for council to tell us the pitfalls of of that decision to say that um a non-commercial entity may be the applicant uh looking to host an event
that has commercial activities. >> Right? So I would look for town council to say here's what you would want to consider in that. Uh I wouldn't look to precedent. Have we received applications in the past that are similar to this? I would not look to pass precedent. I would uh just look to understand what should the board be informed on in terms
of pitfalls to that. I I don't fundamentally have an issue. Um we have all sorts of organizations that um you know work directly or indirectly. Well, I say that I'm thinking of the scouts, but maybe that's not a good
example in my mind. Anyway, I would look for counsel to provide input. But I I I understand we would not want a commercial entity to come in to rent up town hall. I just see a distinction here and would look for town council input. >> Okay. >> Open to the idea.
>> What are you thinking? >> Um very similar mind to where Tina's coming from. I think that the nature of the applicant matters a lot. Um I think that if I if I'm going broad here, I think it's within our purview to
make exceptions, but I prefer exceptions that then lead to policy changes. So if we're going to make an exception, I would like that to be as part of us kind of informing ourselves about well, if we're making an exception, that means that the rule itself is in question. So I would like
to then follow up and perhaps change the rule to your point. So for me, if if we were going to entertain an exception, I think it calls into question the original premise or the need for more clarity on the original premise and then I would like to fast follow with a change to clarify that premise or that
rule. Um, that's my my gut reaction. >> Okay. Okay. Um, yeah, I think, you know, I'm open to what Tina is suggesting. Um, we could revisit this on after town meeting on
the 27th to talk through um, advice from council. Sure. >> What what's going on? Um I would probably ask uh a representative from if celebrate Hollison wants to pursue this because it's would be for them that say have a representative sort of coming
forward to sort of speak to what is what is what would it look like exactly like you know um that that they're asking for. You know it's it's one thing like if you know there's a lot of commercial entities and all the money that's collected is going to be donated to a
charity or something like that versus Yeah. versus it's going to the business and the business is, you know, is making money on on the on the process. >> Is it business promotion or is it a >> fun? I think we need a little more clarity on that from Celebrate Hollist.
And I I think um I my uh how I would characterize it, it was it would be like a a market where celebrate halls when we're >> have a number of vendors in town who would be selling their goods and wares upstairs from you know such such and
such a time on you know during the holiday stroll. >> Yeah. I I I think I think we need to sort of like understand particularly like what does that look like and um from them um either probably in person to be able to ask them questions but at least something in writing that can sort
of say like this is what we're asking for this is what we want to do so we can fully understand that because you know we're you know to to Damon's point we're talking about making an exception or or that would lead to a policy change and
I'd like to understand what that looks like um before taking a next step. And to Tina's point too, uh checking with council, what does that look like? You know, you know, any
if there's any research we can do too to sort of say like this is what other towns do like you know the other towns have something and this is how they handle that policy or they they just blanket say no to those things. We want to be good partners with Celebrate Awesome, but we also don't want to open Pandora's box where we're suddenly like putting forward, you know, businesses
that can come forward into upper town hall that it's not really meant for that kind of particular purpose as we understand. >> Sorry, these were local businesses only. >> Uh >> because that's part of what we would want to >> I would assume. Yes. I would assume like
I'm assuming you know like national chains or anything like that wouldn't be running the booths from >> Celebrate Holl. I guess it would be like um uh probably of the of the sort that we saw at Celebrate Hollston on I guess
>> um that's sort of the the vibe I got. >> I don't want to get ahead of my skis too much here and I know this is a preliminary conversation. Part of the feedback I would look for from town council would be liability because this is a town municipal building. uh if
celebrate Hollison or any I don't want to name them because it it would then apply to any organization wanting to do this if we change the policy. So the organization would be doing the vetting of the businesses to select or not select them to to sell here in upper
town hall. Does that run the town into a a situation where we are discriminatory towards some like is there mass general law that applies to the use of a municipal building for the purposes of commercial activity? I think that's probably the number one question I would
have for council. >> Okay. And I think to date a lot of the questions so we've had sort of preliminary discussions with Jay Talman and Liz about this. The chief concern that they that they've raised is um mainly around procurement, which in this case it would sort of be a one-day thing
and not a we're renting it to, you know, the Home Depot for, you know, 5 years or something like that, okay, to run a storefront. >> Um so that I think that part mitigates that concern. I think the second concern would be >> some sort of lease or licensing
agreement or something that we would need to develop to protect the town from that type of liability. Okay. >> Um so um you know we can certainly get some more concrete language from >> Yeah. I think we need to understand that like if it is it you know is it >> too complex to be able to handle you
know or is it something that you know before we could we could do that but I think let's let's look at this after town meeting and our meeting after town meeting just to sort of revisit and understand exactly what we're what we're being asked to do and then we can um go
from there. I'm hardressed to believe it is from a lack of space because I'm thinking back to the fall fair that the >> years ago was sponsored up at the the high school, right? Like they would open up the gymnasium, the the Yeah. the vendors that come in and sell love going
up there for that. So, it can't be for a lack of space. >> And there's and there's other, you know, there's certainly other places and things that can be done to, you know, there's >> like we we there were some private venues that things, you know, are there, you know, could there is it an outdoor
type of event? I mean, it could be good too cold for do something like that. We have done things like that in the past, right? Allow people to set up booths like on Central Street, things like that, >> but school property is still an option. Yeah. >> Nothing's changed on that end of things. That would make >> No, this is this is just >> No, I understand that. I understand
that. Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. I don't know if maybe proximity was a part of this, the walking. >> Yeah, that makes sense. >> I think they probably want to sort of have like the the trolley on Washington Street and this is just something a landmark Washington Street to be able to partake. >> Yeah. I mean, the other, you know, the other issue, too, is, you know,
accessibility and things like that for people want to get upstairs and things like that. It's not always the easiest. I mean, we have an elevator, but it's can be a little challenging for some. Okay. So, we'll revisit this on the 27th and see what we can and we can make a
decision at that time. Okay. Great. All right. Next up, we have uh comments from the town for 194 Land Street. Um we have a letter here that we've been sort of working through.
We've gotten a lot of wonderful feedback from residents, department heads, um a variety of people who put a lot of information forward in this letter um um on behalf of the the town. Um, and just so we kind of
understand too, my understanding of this is, and please correct me if I'm not thinking about it correctly, is that, you know, the the 40B process, the select board has a limited, very limited role in this, and a lot of departments do because basically the process is
meant to sort of streamline, you know, as one of the public commenters had made that there's lots of um waiverss that are being requested for particular local ordinances. However, that being said is that we also recognize that there's
certain things that like uh state uh state law does come into play like so when we talk about things like you know zone 2 wetlands and things like that that is a D designation. So therefore that understanding it's not something that we're necessarily we we we don't
necessarily have an involvement there. D and D looks at that and and and looks at those kinds of things. Is that am I kind of on the right track there when I'm when I'm thinking about some of this stuff or >> Yes. And so that streamline streamlined process I think streamlined is a great word to use. Um that streamlined process runs through the zoning board of
appeals, >> right? >> Um and so that the the process with the ZBA hasn't even begun yet, >> right? >> Mass housing is still reviewing the developer proposal determining if it's eligible, >> right? >> Um and we're making these comments to the state in in preparation for that for
things that we want them to consider. Correct. And the other thing to keep in mind here is that, you know, we have certainly got public feedback for this, but the ZBA process is a public process. It's at least six months and there's going to be many touch points for residents to be able to make public
comment about projects that are going through the ZBA. >> Yes. All those meetings uh are public. Um, I think in in reviewing some similar massousing materials, and I don't want to speak for mass housing, but just from what you can sort of glean from publicly available documents, a lot of times mass
housing will respond to the applicant saying, you know, I guess one poss one possible outcome is you are ineligible. And I'm assuming that would be the end of the letter. that in the case where the developer or the applicant project is uh is eligible to move forward through mass through that the
comprehensive permitting process um they'll typically pass along the the comments and concerns that the host community uh noted in in its comment letter. >> Okay. >> All right. And of course, I mean, obviously the ZBA will have a a copy of
this and right and and know that, you know, these are sort of the the town's uh concerns. >> Yeah. The town's concerns about about uh about about water, about effluent, about um disturbance in that particular area. The fact that the infrastructure is
insufficient in that particular part of town for to especially that road to handle what is being proposed here. And then furthermore, actually the proposal itself looks like it is it even sufficient for what they're actually proposing with 250 units with 425
spaces. Is that even enough to handle what what they're proposing here with multiple bedrooms in many of these with many of these locations? >> Um if I think before we get to the the letter itself and get into the details here, I just sort of look to the board for your comments and sort of you
weren't here when we sort of introduced this and Yeah. >> When uh originally we talked about Oh, yeah. Because one of the things like um I I I I felt like I was channeling my Tina energy in some ways because I was talking about things like sidewalks, you know, and infrastructure in this particular case. But I'm interested to
hear your comments um about uh what the town should be saying and what the town um can what the town what the select board should be saying in in in the town in general about this particular project. Uh well my first two questions are is
this a protected letter and if not so protected in terms of being a public document for folks to review if not can we update well if not and also please can we update the website town's website
under the zoning board's committee page uh we have 40B projects housing projects can we update that with a landing site for this 194 land proposal And again, if this is not protected, can we post this letter after the board votes and it's it's finalized and sent?
Would that be uh doable? >> Uh I am under the impression that it is not a protected letter. I can certainly confirm that. >> Okay. Um, we had actually talked about internally, um, starting to upload documents to, not this one yet, um, but
other do the applica applicant information, things like that to the landing page, uh, the ZBA's landing page, but we weren't sure if that would confuse folks and, uh, give the impression that the the hearing process had already begun. >> I know. I wondered that because we don't have the project eligibility letter,
right, back from Mass Housing. So, it's does that need to come first? So we were talking about again internally we're talking about well should it fall out of the select boards page for now but then again that might create further confusion about how the process actually works. So we really want to get as much of uh up there as as as much up there as
possible. We're just not sure of the best way to do it yet just so we don't cause any any confusion. >> Okay. No, it's a that's good thinking for sure. >> But I mean certainly if anyone wants to you know reach out for I like I said I'll double check with council that this is that this is not protected. And I get, as I said, I think um Mass Housing
tends to release the contents of the the letter at some point anyway. >> Okay. >> Um so, you know, if if folks want individual copies or folks have questions about it, I'm happy to to to pass it along. >> Okay. If you're looking for comments from the from the board members on the
letter itself, um I I would say that uh looking at this letter was looking at it through the lens of our strategic plan. uh because ultimately I believe that's one of the board's biggest roles is to make sure we are >> putting forth the values of our
community in correspondence like this. >> Uh and so I see the four corners of the strategic plan with good detail in here and I just want to thank the collaborative effort of of department heads and staff uh here in town hall but also over at the schools because this
letter really touches on all of the key areas within the strategic plan. And I appreciate the traffic comments particularly as it relates to the policy we already have complete streets. I appreciate the school's feedback and the incorporation of that in terms of the school enrollment uh impact and their
capacity to handle an increase in students although probably an unlike likely a small number. It's still valuable uh input to be providing. I appreciate through conservation the wetland protection language. I appreciate through the planners and land use department the the density comments,
wastewater management, parking. Um I definitely appreciate the focus on ped pedestrian and bicycle facilities infrastructure. I think that's great. But what I also really like is uh language in the letter that addresses uh preserving our industrial park current
use. That we're not wanting development that limits the businesses that we have. We have four industrial parks and we need them to be operating optimally and I I think that was captured really well here. So I would say job well done. Um
happy with the letter. I've certainly heard from a number of residents. We may hear more tonight. I'm not sure. Uh I feel like this letter is a very strong representation of the values as they're expressed within our uh strategic plan. uh and as this board knows through multiple public forums and hearings and
public comment as we understand uh residents to care about issues, I I do believe this represents the full range. So again, job well done. >> Um I I think before I uh turn it over to Damon, um could we just could you just
review like who like from the town um um put help put this together? I know probably Karen Sherman and um you know I did see Chief Cassidy and Chief Stone, but who like some of the town employees that um chimed in and and put some put some thought into some of this language. >> Sure. So um I guess just to take a step
back and I'll I you'll have to forgive me. I forget the the date, but a number of town department heads, Chief Cassidy and I and a number of others all attended the site walkthrough with Mass Housing um on site um and we all sort of caught we've all caught up sort of intermittently between uh now and our
then and now. Uh but Chief Cassidy, Chief Stone, uh Dr. Jordan, Dr. Kusca, um our conservation agent, um Tyler Karen Sherman, our town planner. Um and those are probably the the folks that uh
have caught up on it the most. Um but we had a very strong presence of our department heads on on on site for the for the walk and very appreciative of their time. Okay. And were there any other boards and committees that pro contributed any language besides us?
>> Uh I think that at a at a at a st it was sort of through staff. I don't know if any of the other boards and committees officially, you know, voted on language or or anything like that. >> Okay. >> Um >> did the did the board of health participate or the health agent? >> So I uh checked in with Scott. um his um
he was a little uh he was he had some questions about why they hadn't contacted contacted him to date on the percolating tests percolation test I'm not even sure what the technical word is uh but other than that he didn't he didn't have any comments as as of right now
>> and um we got some did we get we got comments from our DPW our highway superintendent and DPW director >> yeah so a lot of the comments that came from um from DPW and and uh public safety, but we're about access uh
roadway infrastructure, pedestrian infrastructure, access to Woodland Street, uh through Fawn, uh access to the rail trail. Um and that sentiment, I think, was also echoed by the schools um who obviously, you know, view that, you know, that that site is so close to the
Woodland Street campus. um access to things like the actual Woodland Street, but also uh the rail trail were were very important. >> Sure. >> And also, you know, if there were to be a bus stop there, >> right? >> Um you know, having some sort of enclosure, which I think is fairly common if you you know, drive through
some of the new newer developments in in surrounding towns, you'll see something similar sort of at the the entrance of the uh of the development. Um so, I think a lot a lot of our departments were on the same page about infrastructure. >> Yeah. and um you know making sure that
um commuters of all modes I guess would be yeah would be safe whether it be bikes, pedestrians, drivers. >> Is there um uh you know I know we're we've applied to we and we we've gotten some a grant to help us with the Washington and Whitney intersection
through the the tips program. Is there um because I I I see this language here about Washington and Whitney and I think you know the town has invested in the in design changes but I mean I want I don't I almost want to beef that up a little bit with Washington and Whitney um
because um ensuring that sort of like that that this is something that the the state is looking at and needs to address as part of this project I think is important to make sure that they're not um that that they're sort of you know
they're they're they're making sure that it's you know um in in the forefront for them and on the state level uh so that mass thought isn't you know kind of sitting back and sort of saying like oh we can you know wait on this it's a few years it's sort of like look we need some answers and we need to understand
like what can happen in this particular intersection because that infrastructure is inadequate for what this is proposing and you know we you know our concerns here of course you know I mean our concerns are that we want to make sure that there's lots that the conditions
are, you know, met to ensure that that if, you know, if this does go forward and sometimes these things, you know, these 40Bs can go forward sort of without as much town influence as we'd like. And that's sort of kind of the way they're designed, >> but also making sure that, you know,
whatever conditions we can make sure are applied so that way we're they're not neglected in this process, um, I think is important. Um, you know, we've talked about a lot of those other things, but I think we have to I think I'd like to see that language a little bit beefed up. >> Sure. Um, you know, what that section I
just sort of make sure that you know, hey, this is going through the state tips program. They're looking at it and, you know, if there's any language that we can put in there to make sure that, you know, the state is addressing that and aware of that as this application process inevitably moves forward. >> So, I will mention that and we can
certainly uh adjust the language. I will mention that um we have kept uh the team at Beta fully in the loop as this has I think they may actually been at the sidewalk >> and Beta is the ones that were doing our road Yes. they were they were inventoring our roads and helping us to
give us information about um what roads to update when and things like that and keeping up with that. So you act at the sitewalk for unrelated reasons obviously we had won and Samson and Beta. Y >> um and so we've kept Beta in the loop
about all of this as it's been developing. >> Are they the are they the contractor for Washington >> for Washington? Oh, great. I should have clarified that. Okay. >> Um and then um we actually Beta Town staff and Masto actually just had a call with >> um or with Masto, excuse me, about the
Washington Whitney redesign and uh we updated them on this proposed 40B, the obviously the the implications that you know if it were to move forward, what that would have on the intersection. Um so they are fully aware and um you know I think they've sort of
>> that sort of um perked their ears a little bit. >> Y >> um but we can certainly adjust their adjust the language in here to you know ensure that should the project move forward the developer is a willing partner in that in that effort. Is is there um I'm sorry I'm taking all the things away from you and I should
>> No, it's all right. I'm actually doing mental notes of what's already >> um but one of the um is there value in including um comments from the EDC or from the um economic development coordinator in this as well because the
the the reality here is is it's consideration in a place that's already zone industrial >> and then the implications on the businesses around it as well and like what is their you know do they have any >> you know I had mentioned mentioned
previously that there was, you know, I had some concerns about, you know, certain like like the dock for one of the particular businesses. I'm not going to say it out loud, but just making sure like, you know, that there's not like blocking traffic and things like that for extended periods of time. Are we talking to them and is there any any
value there and sort of talking >> through some of you know their concerns are certainly valid in in in this case as well, but just sort of do we have any feedback from them in this? So, uh, Melanie was on the sidewalk. Okay. >> Um,
>> the only hesitation that I would have about further feedback is that we did ask for an extension for sure. >> Through October 6th. >> Okay. >> Um, but that said, I'm not sure it's a huge I think there I mean Massousing is still reviewing the application. Okay. >> So, I'm sure
>> maybe we can like put it as an addendum or something like that. Absolutely. I mean I you know I I think like you know just thinking about this too because it's we're not talking about an industrial park you know what are the some of the you know the businesses in that area do they have comments or not necessarily the businesses I mean but we've certainly got it from residents
but certainly like the EDC at the very least to sort of get their two cents on sure what they what they think about this particular thing at the at the at the very least I think. >> Yeah. >> Um and you guys can chime in if I'm out of bounds with any of these comments too. Um but um yeah,
>> I see it addressed uh on page three, second paragraph, page three. Not not as specifically as you're calling out right now, Ben, but I do see acknowledgement of page three. Wow. Second paragraph. I I do see it addressed uh
>> services public transport >> towards the end there. >> Okay. A little bit. Yeah. >> Yeah. Not not as specifically as you're saying. >> Yeah. Well, I just I I think, you know, getting a little bit more feedback there. I mean, I I'd like to have a little bit more understanding and, you know, if we're going to I think we
need to make sure that we're touching all the bases here and as many as we can. And so, throughout this process, you know, we have we talk a lot a lot of those things. And to Tina's point, if we're going to talk about the um uh strategic plan, one of them is economic development and things like that. And how does this impact development in the
in in the town? >> Sure. Yeah. So, I can follow up with Melanie and see if maybe the EDC would like to set up >> if they want to set up if they want to add um even like a follow-up or something like that. >> Their own letter. >> Yeah, their own letter could as their want to do. Um uh that might be something as well.
>> Okay. So, can and I'm assuming mass housing would be open to us sending that along as part of the I >> Yeah, this is no disrespect to the EDC. I don't know if that letter would determine the eligibility or ineligibility. I don't think I I mean
but if there's considerations that I think we need to take into mind in mind with as these projects go forward I think it would be behoove us to especially given the location >> to to you know they can always decline to make a comment but you know uh if
they if they have comments to make I I don't I think we should be as comprehensive as possible in in in that >> in that regard. I'll stop talking let Damon ask any questions there. It's a great relief to have all the major topics taken care of before I speak. So,
I appreciate that actually. Um, I did want to say thank you. I do recognize here that there's a big kind of a an if then format. So, you know, should we have this go forward then there are implications infrastructurally that we really need to take care of. One thing that is probably not necessary for the
letter, but that I'd be curious about is if a large housing development goes into an industrial a zone, do the businesses currently occupying that industrial zone now have increased liability in terms of rules and regulations pertaining to proximity to a housing development that
they did not choose to have there. So noise, safety, pollution, any anything like that. So I would imagine, you know, if someone puts a house right next to a warehouse and that warehouse is operating in the middle of the evening with trucks coming in, do they now have to change their hours because there is a
housing uh development where there used to be another industrial area. >> You rais a good point because there is a cannabis cannabis cultivator in very close proximity and certainly odor um was addressed through the post community agreement for that's a good point. Is it? But isn't the one not
>> I thought it was I thought it was the one that was approved was a um was manufacturing. >> I'm talking about is it ever >> and I don't want to get into the specific that's the general flavor of what I'm worried about which is like do we now make the industrial park
untenable for certain industries because there's now housing there. >> Well then and then honestly like it also blends into a master plan. The importance of having a master plan. Now granted the the challenge with something like a 40B is that it would y
>> supersede a master plan regardless but at the very least having that would be able to um inform other types of businesses that are not going through a 40b process or other types of zoning or or usage. So just an open question I'd love to have, you know, be informed
about. I know it's not critical to this particular letter. Letter itself does an excellent job of I think describing many of the worries that we've had that constituents have had. I I think it's as good of a letter as we can expect and a couple of changes. I'm sure it'll be solid. >> So through the chair that would you like
me to just um Ben and I do you want me to catch up with you about some of the language on Washington Whitney? We can try to get out tomorrow. You want to do it? Yeah. Um uh yeah, let's I don't want to waste everybody's time about that, but I I Yeah, let me um I can It's due
in the morning. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> You want to get in? All right. Yeah, let me let me put something together for for that. Um >> I'm happy to take a crack at it. I just I want >> Yeah, I think I mean, yeah, if you want to take a crack at it, send it to me in the morning. I'll take a look at it and I'll tell you, you know, what I'm thinking. I just I just think it just needs to be beefed up because it's just
so town is invested in the intersection which is true but I think we should also indicate that this the mass DOT is involved in this process as well and making sure >> that um you know I I understand Beta is involved in that but I want to keep that loop closed as much as possible because
that intersection >> um would would be uh critically impacted by this by this project moving forward. >> Yep. Um, and I would want to make sure that, you know, I again I come back to, you know,
making sure that the conditions that we have the conditions applied um to to to ensure that we're not missing something if if this goes forward. >> Real quick question then. Uh it's the MOO, the Metropolitan Planning Organization that's driving right now
this, no pun intended, this uh Whitney Washington redesign, they have not done Beta has not done a traffic impact study. >> Not not yet. No. >> Okay. Because when they do a traffic impact study, one factor they will bring in is what's proposed. So
>> that's Yeah, that's absolutely. >> But I don't know. So I don't know that it I understand what you're saying about it needing to be in the letter, but we're covered. the town is covered because when the MO moves forward in their design process for Washington and Whitney and they do a traffic study, they will have to factor in this
proposal even though it's just a proposal. So, it's a two-way It's Here we go again with the pun. It's a two-way street of communication. So, this is a tool, but the traffic study will be a very significant tool. I think yeah I think I I want to make sure that you know I I hear you and I I think that
that is that is reassuring but I'd also like make sure it's in the letter too to I'd like to have >> um I'd rather say it three times then then hope someone says it once. >> Got it. >> Um okay. Um any other comments Tina
Damon about this? I know we've gotten a lot of feedback from different people and I'm seeing a lot of that information in here but do you have any other comments before we send this on? And I will also emphasize too that this is a letter at the beginning of the process. There are multiple other touch points that we will even have
>> in this process for both residents >> um any other stakeholders and um certainly uh this board um as this you know as these these things are complicated and there's a lot of um there's there's you know there's going
to be a long process um with the ZBA that will um I'm sure be looking for more solicited information from various sources as well. So that's not that's not like this is the only thing that's ever going to come forward and this is you know a do or die type of document.
>> I would just do another rejoinder on I know I've said this before and I'm beating a dead horse into a pulp but I think we have to be really cognizant about a communication strategy. Um this is a complicated issue and many people think that this is a directive that we are putting into place or something that
we are trying to do. I've seen that on social media. I've heard it in conversations with very very smart people who are otherwise incredibly well informed. You know, this seems like, hey, why is the town doing this? And it's, you know, >> the town doesn't have a lot of the town's trying to make sure that
everything is being said that it can to to impart some of these things. So, >> I think we're just going to have to bang that drum very often so people know what their what their alternatives are. >> And if we can release this letter, it should be I want to see it released as soon as possible. Frank, it's a it
really is a great example of all ores rowing in the same direction. So, nice job. >> Yeah, really good work. >> Um, yeah, it's good. There's a lot of there's a lot of information here and I I'm, you know, I'm happy to see um the participation and the feedback being uh
implemented in into this document. >> So, I'll touch base in the morning and then >> yeah, touch basic like let's yeah, send me the uh the language that you want to change and uh like a proposed language and then I'll just take a look at it. probably. I mean, it's probably going to be okay. It's probably not I mean, it's not going to be I don't need it a ton.
>> Probably a sentence that just says it's going currently going through the tips program at Masto or something like that could be probably >> sufficient on that particular piece. So, >> okay. Any other final comments from you? Anyone here at the table? >> You looking for a motion or just a
direction to the town min town manager, excuse me, to uh this chair fighting all night with it. I think um I think we need might need a Yeah, I think we probably should have a motion to approve the letter um with >> nonsubstantive >> nonsubstantive changes and like as
discussed or something to that effect. >> Move to accept the lang the letter as described discussed this evening with non-substantes. >> Yeah. >> Um >> seconded. >> All right. Um all those in favor >> I >> I
>> I um Yes. So that I think we're good. I think the thing I I would ask here is should we have ourselves on the signage? >> Uh yeah, we can do that. I >> us fine but I think we add us because then
you know it's okay. But I mean, I think we we can say like, you know, the the we're sending this on behalf of there's a lot of different organizations that participated and a lot of different residents and we appreciate all that feedback to be able to get something
together that discusses the the ramifications of something of this magnitude and hoping they take it into account. Okay. Thank you, Frank. >> No problem. You mind if I just grab my charger very quickly?
>> Go for it. Talking that one quickly. Okay. >> All right. >> Now we're finally telling you. >> What was the fire safety tip? >> Charge safely. >> Charge safely.
>> Gas station. >> Really? Why? Just making sure that's an approved device for charging purposes >> and and make sure to charge safely. >> Safely. >> Okay. >> I don't know if that counts as safely.
Put that on a flat surface where there's not a lot of tension on that cord. >> There we go. >> You're welcome, Chief. >> We are at 9:25. >> Noted. Four wheels on the bus still. That's good. >> All right. >> Yep.
>> Okay. >> So, next item on the agenda here. We're um >> So, all right. Next item is uh review and approval of the October 2025 town meeting warrant. Um Frank had sent out comments
>> for a number of um articles. Um and so uh before we do that, I will ask um one uh one thing I would like to ask is um
I had a conversation with a member of the school committee and they had requested that we reintroduce the roof for the elementary school um to the capital article. Um I had sort of
explained our position that you know we feel like it's the money is not necessarily going to be spent right away anyway and potentially could be superseded by an MSBA grant, but he had requested that and I um was I
said I was willing to bring it forward and ask if people are open to reintroducing that to the capex excuse me article in some form and um interested to hear your thoughts. I'm
honestly like kind of agnostic here. I don't really I don't have a dog in the fight, but you know, I did um feel that it was something that um I should at the very least um bring forward for discussion. So, okay. >> Um I'm interested to hear your thoughts
and I know, you know, I don't expect you your your opinion to change, but I just wanted to hear what you what you thought about uh that proposal. >> I have no comments on it. >> No comments? >> Yeah, no comments. Okay, Damon, >> uh, if you're opening it up. So, I, you know, I think that we've had some
irregularities in the past with kind of last minute budget asks, etc. And so, I I understand where this is coming from. I also spoke with member of the school committee, so want to be cards on the table on that. I'm not super religious on this one. I think I understand the position that we took, but I'd be okay
with with changing it mostly along themes of clarity. Like I feel like it's it's okay for us to be above board on that and we can always during the meeting should new information emerge I think we can you know change what we're going for. So like I just I'm not
strongly opinionated on there either. I just I could go with like sure like I I don't think that we need to be stuck on this per se. >> Yeah. I think I think where I I sort of get stuck a little bit is the idea that I don't I' I'd rather have something printed in the warrant
than introduced on the floor, especially of that size. I have a little bit of concern about that. And part of where I was coming from with it is that it was introduced by another board, um, not by us. And that's where I kind of I have a little bit of trouble
with it. Um, but you know, um, I'm also kind of a little bit agnostic here, too. I just I don't I don't want to I don't want to talk about this long, but I recognize that it's um you know, if I did put forward a um a motion to
reintroduce it, um would I get a second? >> I would second it >> with the proviso that I think our initial reasoning is sound. This is more This is me trying to be a good partner to other boards >> and to the town, which I think can
always use clarity. I also I I deeply respect the original position that we took. >> Yeah. >> I just It's one of those things where it doesn't seem like we're going to gain a lot from it. So, I'm okay with a revision. >> All right. Well, I I won't put it on you to make a motion.
>> Yes. And happy to take punches on that very weak position that I'm taking. Before you move on to to that cons to >> uh to that piece of this agenda item >> in terms of the comments that were reviewing as well
>> in for number nine it's called out quite clearly. So, uh, Frank, you had suggested language for the board, uh, that goes like this. One, one expenditure not proposed in the warrant above is the 1.35 million for
replacement of the Plantino Miller school roofs. Goes on to explain the MSBA, Massachusetts School Building Authority, is currently reviewing a grant application funding uh, to partially fund the project. goes on to say that an official decision of the
MSBA is expected um around the time of town meeting to inform town meeting. What it does not include however and I so I'm not talking about what you gentlemen are are discussing a moment ago >> in this draft comment there is no
mention of facilities management and the role that they have played in advising both the capital subcommittee the select board and also um the school administrators and school committee uh indirectly I suppose uh to the facility
management view of the need for a new roof. So we have aspects of the request within this language but we don't have all aspects of this request. Uh so I just note that uh if we're going to have if this discussion is going to be
ongoing, I would then ask for the language in the draft comments to pull in the facility management perspective on the need for a roof uh and the planning that has gone on and is advocated for by facilities management
in terms of repairing that roof. So, I feel like that's a missing component to this language to fully inform in the name of transparency and uh whatever fully informed town meeting. So, just point that out here within the draft language. Uh continue.
>> Um uh yeah, I think we can ask James if he's if he can contribute any language >> to this. Uh, so not to make a motion for the board, but it sounds like the consensus might be to add it into the >> warrant, but in the comments point out
that the facilities director has >> um recommended that this um >> funding could be delayed. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Exactly. >> Sorry. >> If if if James is comfortable including that I don't we don't want to speak I don't want to speak for him. I mean, I I
I share Tina's interest in that, but I also don't want to put him, you know, if he I I would rather he write his own, you know, you know, the facilities manager has said stated blah blah blah if he's comfortable with. >> Sure.
>> Um All right. Um I will make a motion to in to reintroduce the $1.35 million for the replacement of the flat sections of the Plastentino Miller school roofs to the capex appropriations. there in addition to the comments part or separate? >> The comments will be separate. This is
just introd. >> Okay. Second. Uh all those in favor? >> I >> I >> no. >> Okay. And um I will make a motion to reintroduce the 1.35 million for the replacement of the flat sections of Pino Miller school roofs to the capex article
article nine. >> And seconded >> and all those in favor >> I >> I >> no. >> Okay. And I will make a motion to close the town meeting for October.
>> Second. >> All those in favor? I >> I >> Okay. So, all right. We opened it, put it back in, closed it. We're going to make those we have make uh some slight changes to the comments to uh indicate that it is in there. It's it is proposed
and that the and if we get facilities manager to add a sentence or two. >> Yep. >> Okay. Um All right. So, that was the only thing I I had there. Um has and I I assume everybody has reviewed the other
comments in the for the for the document. >> Yeah. I just wanted to take one more look while we got it here in front of us for >> Yeah. >> the DPW one. >> Okay. >> As that will generate a significant amount of comment, I'm sure.
>> Yes. While we're on the topic of DPW, I did um >> I just want to make sure the board is is comfortable with the way that I laid out the the actual warrant itself. >> So, there is an estimated cost in there for roughly $3 million. >> That is basically um a rounding up of
the estimate that Wesson and Samson had given us >> like 2.96 or something. It's pretty close. >> Yeah. >> To to that. Um and then I also included um just in case there was any question about it, I included that um environmental assessment would be added as uh an additional allowable
expenditure. >> Okay. >> Um that being for the for the art street site. >> Okay. >> As that would >> it um Okay. >> I think if you looked at the May article, you could probably argue that that was an allowable expense. >> Yes. But I just wanted it to be
>> No, I think we I think we need to be as transparent as possible as possible. >> Um I had submitted some comments to Frank to make some changes. >> Um the changes that I had put in from
his original bunch of stuff Um I for article 4 there was language that said self- sustaining and I felt that that was a little misleading. So um for that's the um programmatic
stabilization. Um it's not necessarily self- sustaining. It's just certainly that you know um expenditure the the expenditures are intended to return revenue to the fund in some way. That's sort of the uh intention there. But it's
not necessarily a self-sustaining fund. Um I had also mentioned about um asked a question about the overlay balance. We heard a little bit about the overlay today from the assessors and they can make comments about those general. Um I had clarified a little bit
on article six the uh town clerk's salary adjustment uh that it should have been included in May of 2025 but we pushed it off until October um because the intention was to include uh salary adjustments in other departments. Um but that salary adjustment was to be made in
May of 2025. Um and um the um the other salary adjustments have decided to wait but because uh the town clerk is an elected official. It sort of puts things in a uh different kind of situation in this particular case and they should have
been made last May and we're talking about doing them now in October. Um I had asked if there's finan impact. >> Uh I had asked if there's if article uh seven the uh change from 500 to 600 for
the assistant uh accountant had financial impact. >> Mhm. >> Um and you said it's not a lot but it is something. >> It is roughly I think uh in the neighborhood of $1,800 and >> and and they can cover it within their their existing pay. Okay. >> Um
>> um and then >> can I just add something really quick? That was just be uh that's because where that this person would the person who currently roll holds that role um is sort of at a top step right now, right? Where they would be be sort of in the middle of a a new step and so when their work anniversary comes up,
they would be moved to the next step. >> Okay. >> Um and then um I had a question about um doing the uh Washington Street uh the uh the water manes on Washington Street. I mean, I know
cognitively why. I understand why, but I wanted to make sure that it was in the comments because the intention was to go from Norfol to central, but because the state wants to do the paving, we need to make sure that we put this kind of expedite this because we want to make sure that we get this done so that way
we can get the road paved because the state is looking to do so. >> That's my that's my understanding. >> Uh yes. So the uh the state actually doesn't So for Washington Street um the reason it sort of jumped the line is because of a couple of issues we've had
recently. One over the Independence Day holiday and one a couple of weeks ago. >> Oh some with some uh >> yes >> uh water mans. Okay. >> Yes. And so Sean >> not speaking out of turn. Sorry about >> No, no, no, not at all. And then so um but I did check with Sean today about the ownership of the road. So 126 uh on
126 the state doesn't own 126 until you get past Baker Street on Conquer Street. Um so this portion of the road uh is actually town owned. Okay. >> So we would be doing all of the paving. Okay. After that disregard my you got my attention when
you said DOT was going to be doing paving. Well, they had talked one of the things they had talked about doing was conquered street and they were waiting for us to do um to do water manes and I had conflated that project with >> um with this that was where my brain went to and
>> now that makes sense my my apologies and I didn't mean to confuse that's where my brain went that's why I'm asking the question I guess >> um another thing uh for article 11 um I I I thought the um I don't remember which article that is um that is the uh
the PAS POS um the original language for the comments indicated that it was coming from a particular account and uh and I think uh town meeting doesn't worry about the account it's worried about um the because it's coming from the I I assume it's like the general fund I assume that's going to go into the general fund is how it works and
then the account is just an accounting the the accountants looking at those kinds of things. >> Yes. So it's called a a special revenue account that the town accountant can just create. Right. Um >> because there's no there's no reserve like we have like for example we had like a can uh like we've had like the
opioid settlement correct fund the town meeting town meeting has not created a res a fund >> right >> for this >> uh settlement >> so therefore it I just wanted to make sure that we weren't saying like it's coming from this account it's like that's that I don't think town meeting would understand what that means
>> right yeah so um we can't spend from that account unless it is this is per the state's guidance we can't spend from that account unless town appropriates from it. >> Okay. >> Um, so I tried to clean up the comments a little bit >> and that that that that can be helpful. I just because when I read it originally, it just sort of read like,
you know, like that sounds like we're doing accounting and town meeting and if it if if that spec is indicating that it has to be >> um town meeting has to appropriate from this >> particular um from this fund then or this that's this this revenue source
then we can say that. Okay. Um, one of the other things was uh, article 14. Um, the select board I don't believe has the authority to use school property. So, I don't necessarily think that >> we should be in that article. That's the the the lease for the schools uh, for the solar project.
>> I I have one about that as well, Mr. Chair. >> Sure. Go ahead. >> Um, I don't know if we need to put it in the comments, but similar to uh, what we were just talking about with Mr. Kee, I think everyone's got a solar panel and this is bicycle shed politics. People are going to ask why lease. So, we can of course address that on the floor, but
it might be worth adding into comments that we we assess that it would be financially better for us to not lease. >> Well, I think that's the schools the schools can do that they can make that comment totally fine because that's that was that that was their >> just want to make sure it's in there because again, it's one of the everyone's going to have that opinion because they've always >> and yeah, then and and to me it's sort
of like, you know, that's >> they that's that's on them. They can do that. They just tell they need town meeting authority to to go into that. We have some I think perview because of the legal >> some of the legal constraints that we have. >> Yeah. So so the the the the
um excuse me the lease authorization is is literally just that authorization. >> Yep. Just the authorization and the school committee I think is still waiting on some of the analysis to make that decision. >> The the three boards that have uh sort of purview here are the school committee
because it's their property. uh the town the the select board has to sign off on the power purchase agreement and then the board of assessors has to sign off on the pilot agreement. Pilot standing for payment and move taxes >> um that actually taxes the uh solar
facility itself pass through. >> They're all just getting involved in this. >> Everybody gets involved. >> Yeah, everybody has a multiply. >> Okay. >> Um I had also made a comment about the about number 15, article 15. uh just to rewrite something that the select board
is committed to utilizing as much of the existed appro creation of the DPW facility project as possible in order to minimize the full projects tax bill. I just rewrote it a little bit and then lastly with the uh uh citizens petition I said that the select board would make comments at time. >> Yeah, I was going to ask if we had
gotten any further with trying to sus out what is actually doable and needed there given the the bifurcated nature of our meetings. Um we haven't I mean I think we can um have a conversation about that. >> Okay. >> Um >> need be now. >> But I I I I think we can you know we can
kind of finish up and and figure that out and just before town meeting when we meet I think we can >> finalize like what we want to we want to say about it. >> Yeah, we would love to do it. >> Um and uh so that's what I had. I just wanted to sort of throw that out there. So, as you're looking at the comments, those are the comments that I had made
>> and I'm h you know, and I, you know, if you guys had I didn't have to go through them all, but if you have any other comments or anything else that you want >> um to change on those comments, I'd love to hear. >> I'd also just like to point out I think that the the initial draft of the
warrant had $50,000 in requests for the the release of overlay. Y >> I think the assessors have since updated that request and now it's 100,000. So, I will update it in the warn if the board's open to that and just try to confirm the details with >> make sure you keep the finance committee.
>> Yep. And they'll they're meeting tomorrow. So, I'll I'll give them a heads up in the morning and then uh get more details from Kevin. >> Okay. >> Tina, do you have any >> on 15? I I I do believe it's worth calling out that uh the action taken through the article is in in the name of
transparency that we said we would return to town meeting with a site selection if it were not to be cross street and that's the second intent one of two intents within this article. So I just feel like that's worth calling out more specifically.
We're not changing anything other than returning to update town meeting and and ask them for their continued support. Uh to that to to that effect, I would look for language to be changed there to just better call out that this has always
been our intent. We're following through on that. >> Sure. >> Because I think if you're checking in for the first time, >> Yeah. >> you don't know what the existing appropriation refers to. >> Um >> I I like the word prior, but uh word smithing it's not important.
>> Yeah. And I I think you know for that one um I fully plan to have slides to sort of talk about that. >> Okay. >> Um and a a skit >> skit. Great. >> Interpretive dance. >> Interpretive dance about the DA. But I mean I you know just like a couple quick
slides because some of the questions >> uh are inevitably going to come up and just being able to sort of say like you know quick bullet points. We're moving on from Cross Street. We don't own the land. You know blah blah blah. We can we can go through it later time, but to to to your point having some of those in
front of you as well. >> Anything else? >> Nope, that's it. >> I gave one comment and Frank's incorporated it here already. So, >> perfect. >> Good to go. >> You're good. >> Yep. >> All right. Um I will take a motion to um approve the comments from the select
board as amended. >> Seconded. >> Um >> can I just ask one before there's a motion? Of course, >> for the posted warrant. >> Yeah. >> Um it's based on the conversation we had at our last meeting. Traditionally, it sounds like the the select board's
comments are not included in the posted warrant. Or are they? >> Yes, >> they are. >> I think we are. >> Okay. >> Definitely. And we actually we we have a letter from us too or from you. >> Okay. >> About you know, this is the warrant. This is what we're doing. This is what's going on. We can we can work on that. >> Okay. >> Um
>> what is the post date for the warrant? >> We're coming up on it. I know. >> Yeah. So it's uh it would actually it might be I think it's tomorrow. It's tomorrow. >> Ah okay. >> All right. >> All right. >> Well I mean we already approved most of the like the warrant. So if you want one is fine. The comments we can we have a
little more flexibility. >> Um should sign it. >> Okay. >> Tomorrow. >> Okay. And then you know if we're around >> but the the signed version doesn't need to um I think I asked my question
correctly. The signed uh version that goes over to Fisk Supret whatever. So that in that version incorporates the the comments. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yes. >> Yes. We want the comments included in but I mean we can sign it and you can
>> you know I mean that's part of that is just for the constable and the clerk to be able to acknowledge that and like those get over >> you know on uh >> I apologize it's not tomorrow it's seven days so that would be next Monday. >> Yeah I thought we had a little more time than that. Do we I mean I >> do you want a motion if we if we're
still working on it because >> Well, the thing So the thing is is like next Monday doesn't count though because next Monday is a holiday >> sort of. >> True. So it would be >> so right. Let's let's step back. So do we Okay. Um we can approve the comments.
Um I think we need a letter. Um, you know what we could do is we could say like we could approve the comments as amended this evening and then we could I could ask for a motion
that we um allow the town manager and the chair to write a letter and >> you know and you could always solicit from them feedback and then from that would be you doing it >> and then we could say that and then have
something. So, we could have something this week and then we would have to meet again. Yep. To approve that. Um, if the board is comfortable with that. >> Yeah. I believe the only motion we need is to close the warrant and then >> we already close it, >> right? No, I understand. I just mean I I think that's the only thing that we need
to do because what we publish is an is a working document until we publish it. I don't think we need a motion to publish it. So, >> well, I'm just saying finaliz I'm just saying like you know that then we could u but the fi if we don't have a motion to approve those all those pieces
>> if um if it's coming from the board if it's coming from Frank we don't need a motion you just say it's actually coming from Frank and then we he could just send it to us and get >> any feedback and then you can just publish it and then you don't need a motion from us >> yeah but okay
>> sounds good >> let's do a motion for the comments and approve the comments as amended Okay. Move to approve you. Well, we have a motion on the floor, so I think you just need to call for the vote. >> Okay. Uh, all those in favor of the comments of uh approving the comments as amended for town meeting more in October
2025. >> I Okay, so that's all set. Frank, if you could write a letter, um Travis had done some previously. You probably just kind of look at what he's done and then just >> circulate it to us and let's try to get it out by the end of the week. And then
um you know when you have it into a point like you can always just get the signature page ready tomorrow and then just tell us come by and sign it and then we can have the rest of the pieces in place before >> Sure. >> end of week and then um post it.
>> Sure. >> If that works for everybody. >> High comfort. >> Cool. Awesome. Anything else about the warrant? >> I'm good. We move on.
>> Okay, great. Awesome. >> Frank, warrants. >> Our warrants, we met last week, so I have but one to report. Uh, one warrant for 1,794, $199.50. >> Great. Thank you very much, Frank.
Appreciate it. Comments from the town manager. >> Sure. So, as uh the clerk mentioned, uh trash will be delayed one day next week for the holiday. Uh but as always, feel free to reach out to the town manager's office for questions on all things trash collection. Um a reminder that we have a
number of public meetings this week. Um tomorrow the finance committee, tomorrow evening, excuse me, the finance committee is meeting as well as the conservation commission and envisioning future Hollist. Uh later on the week on Thursday, the school committee and zoning board of appeals will be meeting
as well. Um we have a number of uh community events that are ongoing this week. Um the last couple weeks of the Hollist Farmers Market um take place I think this week and next week. Uh so be sure to enjoy that if you haven't had
the chance to do so already. And as a reminder, town meeting is October 20th. Child care will be available beginning 15 minutes beforehand. So, please uh we look forward to seeing you there. If you have any questions about the child care or any other uh town meeting logistics, please feel reach out to the town
manager's office. I'd also keep an eye on HCAT for a number of um town meeting town meeting, excuse me, related um information videos. I know that uh John Cronin has been uh recording a couple of different ones. One with myself. I
believe there's going to be a separate DPW focus just thinking. Uh, so I'd encourage you to uh keep an eye on their YouTube and then for HCAT's uh website for additional information on those. Um, the postcards in the mail that uh have the QR code on them will be going out
shortly. Um, directing everyone towards uh the town, excuse me, the town's website, the town website, town meeting page. Um, so we'll be loading that up in the coming weeks and we anticipate on linking all the different videos available through HCAT uh there as well
to make it sort of a one-stop shop. So that is what I have for this evening. >> Sure. >> Frank, do you intend to go to the school committee meeting on Thursday? Are you attending it? >> I Yes. The I caught up with um Dr. Jordan and Dr. Kusca. They've invited me to attend the meeting on Thursday
evening and uh myself and potentially James Keith will be there as well. I'm trying to encourage him not to attend because he has some more important things going on, but uh one of us will be there. >> Okay. >> Awesome. Okay. Uh, select board member updates. Tina, do you have any updates?
>> I have a a couple. Um, Frank, circling back around, I know I've mentioned it in the past few weeks, looking for a date for a mass DOT meeting so that we can wrap up or not wrap up, but have some ongoing conversation on um
items related to traffic management, particularly on Washington Street, but we also uh have a number of other locations. So, just looking for a date. So, um, yes. So, Sean and and, uh, Robert and I caught on that. We went through it in some of the other streets that we had talked about.
>> Um, we're sort of figuring out who the right person was, but yes, we are working on a date as well. >> Okay. Uh, and then in terms of the school committee, thank you. In terms of the school committee meeting on Thursday, they are looking to vote on an item related to the statement of interest that the select board submitted
in March of 2020 of this year, 2025. It's related to the process that they're going through with the M the town is going through with the MSBA program. Um I asked the chair today uh to keep the board updated on what the school
committee votes. It is related to I believe um priority areas within that application that they drafted for us to vote on. So, we we approved the application back in March, and I believe they're considering um an amendment to
that application uh related to uh new developments here in town. So, Frank, if you could just report back to the board if there's action for the board to take or if the board needs to be updated uh after their their vote. um you know, we signed off on the S soi and so we should
just be as the chair graciously agreed, you know, understands um that we're just kept in the loop as to changes to that um statement of interest. >> Absolutely. And then last um had some conversations with a member of Envision Future Hollist about uh
comment I made last week the desire for the select board to move in the direction of an aquifer management um review process um particularly given the comments we heard from the land industrial site um land industrial park
site that we were considering for the DPW. So, just wanted to check back in if there had been any progress. I believe there's some conversation with um the town clerk >> related to how a subcommittee or working group could be formed. So, I didn't know if there was any update for the board for a future agenda item.
>> Uh I know there's some interest from envisioning future Holliston to tackle this. I certainly had brought it up in a board meeting. I don't have a a thumb on the scale for what the best approach is. I think the staff resources are probably the same regardless. So, just kind of wanted to have that come back uh maybe
as a future agenda item. >> Sure. >> Okay. >> And we have uh I've I've spoken to Barbara PD and I I >> Yeah. >> making sure that we're all on the same page. Um so yeah, I think that we just might need some further discussion and I don't know if it's a the form of a joint
meeting or maybe just having Barbara sorry come in. um is um you know do we want this to be a standalone initiative obviously with staff involvement in either case or do we want this to be sort of a subcommittee within um vision future hall so we can discuss that if you >> but I mean I'm as the representative
from future hall I can follow up >> okay great great >> for the select on that I'm on that board so I'll I'll talk to Barbara and um I'll follow up and Oh great get some get some information on that side >> okay thank you that's all I had it it just jogs my memory I've had had a
few things going But Barbara had asked me to reach out to her and uh I had not done so. So I will do so. So that's what I was. So >> thank you. >> You're all set. >> All set. >> David hour is late. I will excise most of this and just go for a few um on the
logistical side. I'm communicating with Frank a little bit. Um I'm very interested in seeing how we can leverage technology to make information a little bit more accessible. As you know, Mr. there. Um, I know that we have discussed the idea of potentially doing something bigger, but it occurred to me that we are using the Google ecosystem at the
moment. I did a little bit of looking. I believe under the general services administration, we might be able to leverage a lot of the Gemini platform offerings for a pittance. So, I've been communicating with Frank about that to see if maybe we can look into that as far as access to folks who work in town government being able to leverage those
systems. Okay. So, we we'll talk about it some more. Again, don't know if there's there yet, but >> I I think the my only question about some of those things is um uh how does that impact things like FOYA and stuff like that and public documentation I think can be a little bit um and and I mean I'm sure you know the legislature
is always right on top of everything. So, I'm sure they've already thought I already have multiple bills to think about this, but um uh I'm obviously I'm being facitious, but I think that the thing is is I I just would want to make sure that anything that we do, I think, yes, it's awesome, but I also want to make sure that we're covering our bases
when it comes to uh uh public documentation and things like that. And that, you know, if it if it comes up with something weird, it's like this is an AI document. It is not an official doc, you know, are there anything we can do in those those spaces? I'm crossing my fingers that because there's a GSA component that there's a little bit of
pre-work there, but to your point, we want to make sure. >> Yeah. I I just I that that's my only question for you. But I think it's a great idea and I'd love I think you know I I I'm excited about how this could potentially impact you know based some of these like big projects like you know in the future. >> Yeah. Just being able to pull multiple
documents and create digest. >> Yeah. Be able to like Yeah. be able to use AI to be able to say like, "Hey, give me a digest of 555." And instead of going through 100 documents to find the information you need, you just >> get nice clean thing. But >> so again, I know that doesn't answer all of what we want to do, but you know, it's a lowhanging fruit and maybe you
can go for it. Uh the other thing I I did want to I don't know if we should discuss it now, but we have heard some comments about like where public comment should go uh in the agenda, and I think it's a worthy discussion, although I would love to you guys have been on the board much longer than I have. One of the things that I'm kind of misunderstanding I think as we're
digesting that is the idea of like if public comment is too far in a rears of the meeting then I actually am worried that we wouldn't be able to hear the opinions of individuals before we have substantive discussions and I think that this is a continued source of some friction as I talk to constituents who
are wondering kind of the same thing. I don't know if its current location is a matter of like precedent or etc. But I do think there's ramifications depending on where we put I think usually we put it in usually what um we put it in places like we want to be able to get it
early in the in the conversation um because we don't want to put it too late in the agenda to be able to um >> weed people out who might not who might not necessarily be able to stay up till 10 o'clock at night to to talk about something. >> But uh we also um um want to make sure
we we do things like u manage uh time of employees and things like that. So sometimes we'll do things like for example we did the during meeting the assessor so we could get them on their way as quickly as possible. >> Yeah. I'd be I'd be concerned to have it at the back end of the attack because I want to hear from >> you know I I think the hard part you
know is um finding consistency when it comes to you know where public comment is in the in the agenda. I think inevitably it goes where it goes and it it I don't think it really matters um in in in the the general sense of
public comment because inevitably if you you're going to get well you should put it before things or you should put it after it's sort of like you know you're never going to quite win there but I think what needs to be um distinguished is that um at times is like when we
>> solicit public comment within an agenda item. Yes, >> that's I think is the more important question and I generally do it um just you know and this is stylistic which becomes you know it's not challenging and be interested to hear what Tina thinks about this and her time as chair
but at times when there are um topics where we're we need to solicit feedback where there needs to be opportunities like I think one of the things that was hard for example you know I heard we heard some criticism about you know when we were talking what uh what location for the DPW
um um in the in the warrant and what we were going to put forward in the warrant. But um and not having public comment um related to that, but the the reality was is we've had three forums. >> Yep. >> Many many opportunities for public comment. At certain point, we had to put our cards in the table and we needed to
say something. So I think what we need to sort of think about is, you know, when do we solicit public comment for particular agenda items? I think more so than the general public comment because the general public comment, you're never really going to win. You're you're going to put it too late. You're going to put too early. You just put it somewhere and
give people the opportunity to speak. >> But I think we do have to, you know, there needs to be a consistency about when we solicit public comment um within the meeting for particular topics. >> Uh that's all I won't believe. point it is late. >> Yes, but I think that might be a topic
that we might want to talk about at a later point when it is not after 10 o'clock at night. >> Agreed. >> So, I'll stop there. Um, but that'll probably an after town meeting kind of a conversation, talk about some of those kinds. >> Good good governance stuff. >> Uh, my only uh select board member update is to uh Frank's point. Um, on
Wednesday evening at six o'clock, I'm going to be going to HCAT to do just thinking. Uh James Keith and I are going to talk about the BBW facility and answer some questions and have the conversation about where we are and what's going on in the uh in the town meeting warrant um this October. Um
it'll be interesting talking to John about it because John was very involved in the initial parts of these things and getting these things off the ground. So it'll be interesting to talk to him at that time. Um so I don't know when it will be published and will be available for consumption but we will you know uh stay tuned to HCAT for uh more
information as that comes forward. That's all I have for uh my member updates. Uh so we have a consent agenda. >> Before I call for a motion on that, Ben, or yes, when you're ready for it. >> Um actually, I have I I wanted to have that question. Um I think this probably
where you're going with it, too, is like I didn't see the letter. >> That's right. So >> the letter from um Amelia for sustainability legislation. That should have been I apologize. That should have been removed from the So we'll just remove that. That's fine. And we can, you know, I know she had asked me about it, but I know it's not something that
is uh has to be this time. So, okay. So, we can do a consent agenda, but we take that uh uh letter A from the consent agenda. >> Move to approve board business by consent agenda for 12B and 12 C. >> Seconded. >> All those in favor?
>> I I >> And um we will follow up with Amelia for um that that leg that legislation and signing that letter. Um after town meeting >> that won't be a surprise to her. We already had that conversation. So >> Okay. Yeah. Good.
>> Excellent. Um I would say before I use chair privilege to say other business, uh we have town meeting on October 20th, uh which is two weeks from today and we will meet in the library. Um we'll post for six, but you get there when you get there. >> Perfect. Because I'm going to piggyback
on that when it's my turn. >> Okay. So we'll um we'll we'll meet at six and we'll go over things. Um I over the next probably this week I'll start putting together slides and um and uh send them to Frank and through Frank you
can uh you both can uh edit add whatever and then we can um finalize on the 20th and hopefully we'll have council as well at that particular occasion. Um along that line, are we do we have a plan for meeting with Usually we have a like a
pre-T town meeting with like >> skull session. >> A skull session. Yes. With the moderator, um finance committee chair, um council and you know, you and me and maybe the clerk to sort of go through the articles to sort of see, you know, the order of
things and making sure that we're we're >> This is the no surprises meeting. >> Yeah. sort of like talking about talking through all the subjects and if there are any questions or or topics that need to be uh considered through that. >> So selfishly for my benefit I was having a pre pre-T town meeting just so I can
>> yes >> have no surprises for the no surprises meeting. >> Yes. >> Um so yes I will be in touch about that. >> Okay. And let me know and we can Yep. set something up. >> No surprises for the no surprise. >> Okay. I am I am finished with my other business. Christina, do you have any other results
>> for the 20th when we're posted at 6 p.m. in the library? Can we add that housing trust request for >> Yes. >> Okay. Y >> we had a Yeah. Okay. So, thank you. That's it. >> Thank you for your time. >> Absolutely. >> Damon. >> Good to go. >> Frank, do you have any other business?
>> I have none. All right. I have no other business. I will uh accept a motion to adjurnn at 10:06 p.m. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Seconded. >> All right. All those in favor? >> I. >> I. We are adjourned at 10:06 p.m. on October 6th. 106 on 106. And we will
reconvene at 6 PM on October 20th in the library. And we look forward to everyone coming to town meeting. It's going to be fun. On the 20th at 7 pm in the Hollston High School. We will see you there. Thanks.