Good evening, Hollist. It is Monday, December 8th, and it is very cold outside, but we are here at a town hall to have the meeting of the select board this evening. Um, we are a little late. We just had our annual humanitarian awards. We'll uh have a little more information about that a little later in
the meeting where we can uh talk about that. But uh we're going to get our regular meeting started and we're going to start off with uh reh reopening the uh classification hearing that we did last time. Um as I understand it, it's not changing
anything. It's just that the the state certified after we we did it and now we just have to go through the uh uh the votes um with a um certified classification. >> There is one change. >> There is one change. Well, then I would
like to hear more about that. So, why don't you gentlemen come up? >> Do I need to read the public? >> Yeah, let's let's do that. Let's do that while they're sitting down and then they can introduce themselves. >> Give me one minute. I will pull that up. >> Okay. So, because it is technically a public hearing, we're just going to open it and
we'll be Tina is grabbing that language right as we speak. >> Yes, you do send a lot of emails. >> That's why you look up classification with the 28th. It was the 24th. >> 24th.
>> Well, the Yeah, but the the motion or >> I think Oh, I'm sorry. It's right there. >> I have the motion. No, no. We need the motion for the open to open the public hearing. We can just open the public hearing for >> to open the public hearing at 708 for the tax classification hearing. >> Second.
>> All right. Uh all those in favor, it's our roll call. Tina. >> Yes. >> Damon. >> Yep. >> And I vote yes. So the public hearing is now open. So if you could just identify yourselves because you're back to the Zoom just so that people know who we're talking to. And >> um I'm Jeff Marshall. I am the chair of the board of assessors. >> Okay.
>> And I'm Kevin Roden, the principal assessor. >> Okay. And um so as I you know uh would I just we we've there's one change you said and if you could just kind of outline what that one change is. >> Well if you call at the the first hearing um we said the do had yet to
approve a few things. >> Okay. >> And um the do subsequently approved our official new growth figure. >> Okay. >> Which triggered them to say you need to rehold the public hearing. >> Gotcha.
>> The only thing that has changed since our discussion on November 24th was the proposed property tax rate once again subject to do final approval in November was $14.30.
>> It is now $1429. >> Okay. >> When we got all the paperwork in and blessed. >> Okay. >> And that is the only change. There were two questions asked at the last hearing and I'll be happy to repeat them and answer them. >> Uh, sure if you want to.
>> Uh, the first question was, does every town um charge a personal property tax? And the answer to that was yes. And the second question was um, could you theoretically lower the tax on businesses? Um and the
answer is there is no legal mechanism and what I did not elaborate the last time is if you do the burden then shifts to the residents. So I remember the gentleman wanted to know could you lower the tax on businesses to attract more businesses. The answer is theoretically
yeah but that burden would raise the residential rate. And the exact example I came up with after that is uh and I'll use the percentages we have now. If you want to raise a dollar through taxes right now, uh, or a dollar to spend on
something, 88 cents of that dollar is coming from residential taxpayers and 12 cents from commercial. If you wanted to drop the commercial in half to six cents, there's only one group to go to to make that up and that would raise the residential share to 94 cents, right?
>> Which makes no sense because usually when you shift, you're lowering the residential, >> right? So, those were the two questions asked. If anybody has any more, we're happy to get to them. >> Um, any clarifications, >> okay, you're good. >> All right. Um, any you want to make any
other comments or you >> No, no. I mean, I Kevin gave a good summary, so >> Okay. >> Yes. >> You would like a motion, one motion tonight for or >> Yeah. And we just because >> I have I have them. >> Yeah. Just because we're in a public
hearing, we'll just also make sure that if anybody has any uh other questions from the public, we can uh we can open that up. >> Uh does anyone in the room have any questions about the public hearing for the classification hearing? Hearing none. Does anyone on the call um
today on the Zoom call have any questions for the assessors or the uh select board about the classification hearing? Uh at this time you can raise your hand through the reaction button.
Hearing none um I think we are good. So I think what we will do is um why we just close the hearing and then we can do the motions. >> Move to close the hearing at 7:13 p.m. >> Second. >> All right. All those in favor? Tina? >> Yes. >> Damon.
>> And I vote yes. So the hearing is now closed and now we are going to go through the uh suggested motion. >> Sure. I move that the town of Hollist not adopt a dual tax rate for fiscal year 2026. >> Second it. All those in favor? >> Yes. >> I Okay.
>> I move that the town of Hollist adopt a residential factor of 1.0 thereby establishing a single tax rate of $14.29 for fiscal year 2026. One point of clarification, Kevin, is that still subject to DOR? >> Subject to DO approval.
>> I will rephrase that then. I move to I move that the town of Hollison adopt a residential factor of 1.0, thereby establishing a single tax rate of $14.29 subject to department of revenue final approval for fiscal year 2026. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes.
>> I move that the town of Hollston not adopt the residential exemption for fiscal year 2026. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Yes. Yes. >> Yes. >> I move that the town of Hollston not adopt the open space exemption for fiscal year 2026.
>> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Final motion. I move that the town of Hollston not adopt the small commercial exemp exemption for fiscal year in fiscal year 2026. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> I. >> I.
>> All right. I believe you're all set. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you so much. Good. Thank you for coming in. Happy holidays. Let's bring a little bit of good news. Everybody saves a penny, right? There you go. >> We'll take it. >> On our thousand home.
>> All right. Um >> I'm going to suggest that um if it's okay, maybe >> do you want to we can we can >> I don't know. Maybe you want to go next. Maybe while we >> we can jump the >> Oh, okay. Is there a specific time? >> No, no, no, there's not. >> Doesn't matter. >> No. Do you mind? Well, but the other one
is we're kind of waiting for information for some more information. >> So, we're on >> You're on. >> The board enthusiastically welcomes him to the table. Now, >> please, please, please come. Please >> join us. >> Captain's chair.
>> Good evening. >> Good evening. >> Good evening. >> Thank you for coming out on this cold night. >> Thanks for having us. >> If you could just uh identify yourselves for the uh the people at home. So, >> uh James Keys, facility director for the town of Hollston. Deborah Moore, 183 Mil Street, chair of the golf course advisory committee.
>> Wonderful. And we're we're here to talk about um the revolving fund for the uh golf course. >> Yep. We're uh actually here to request an exceedence of the revolving fund limit for FY26. >> Okay. >> Uh town meeting set the limit at
$350,000 this past spring. >> Yep. um certain things have come up where we need to um make some capital purchases and improvements to the course. >> Okay. >> Um that uh require us to ultimately
exceed the limit for this year. >> Okay. >> And so uh Debbie, we have the presentation here. So Debbie's going to go through it quickly. Okay. >> Um just with some history because I think a lot of people don't realize that the town owns this golf course. uh you know the operation of the course is
leased to New England Golf but the physical structures uh and the golf course itself the land is owned by the town and I think a lot of people and maybe certainly folks watching don't realize that. So okay Debbie take it away. Okay, exactly what James said, why we're here.
But, um, if you just go to the next slide. Um, in 1986, it was owned privately and it was being sold to a developer and according to the state regulations, the town had first right
refusal. So, a grassroots movement was started and it was successful and um that gave the town actually it says 196 up there but it it was 183 >> um acres of land. And in 1987 when the
town that happened in November, December. So in 1987, which was the first year it was operational under the town, um there were 22,000 rounds of golf that year and the town realized $33,000
um back to the town. And next slide. And you can see from the previous slide what it looked like when we bought it. And now this is what it looks like um as of 2001. We have the new clubhouse with
a restaurant pro shop. And we have a maintenance um building on another part of the golf course at the end of Pine Oak Road. And we also have a tent area that um has been added. And the course um after that first year has contributed
$60,000 a year to the town's general fund and that totals 2 um220 million in contributions and it increased two years in 2024
um to $87,000 because of the great contract that we were able to secure from New England Golf. So that was a very positive thing. And in the last three years, the play at the golf course has increased steadily. In 2023, it was
42,500 rounds. Then in 24, it was 43,400 rounds. And in 2025, we've talked all that at 45,000 rounds of golf. So, it's just really great news for the golf course, for the town, uh, where some
golf courses in the area are, you know, slowly going under for different reasons. Um, this is great news for Pinerest and the cost um management contract in 2024, the
first year was 520,000 um with a $10,000 annual increase for three years. And then if we go the two optional years, it would stay the 250 um 240,000.
>> So the what is that? 520,000 is that to the revolving that was back to the revolving fund. >> That's to the revolving fund. >> 87,000 of that automatically goes in off the top to the town's general fund. >> Okay. So it's so it's 433
to the to the revolving fund and 87 to the general fund. Yes. Right. Okay. Yep. Um and then this for the restaurant contract, we got the best contract we've ever had um for 45,000 um a year for the three-year term and an
optional two-year extension. And um the the monies that come into the revolving fund, those pay for all the improvements to the course. There was um from when we built the clubhouse and
maintenance building and the new septic systems and that whole big capital improvement um we always were able to pay the bond on that but it was very tight in those years because golf after 911 kind of crashed a bit and so it was very tight
and we didn't have a lot of money to make a lot of improvements at that time. So now with the contracts that we have, it's we're making up for that time to make the improvements that it's needed. And I think we're, you know, really catching up. So if you could go to the
next slide and this is our five-year um capital improvement plan for FY2026 um cart path to the clubhouse from Apprentice Street. That is um just got approved by Concom. So, we'll be doing
that um in the spring, the beginning of the spring. Um the netting at um the third fairway in the practice range that was just put up um at Thanksgiving. >> They literally were working. >> They were working Thanksgiving Daygiving
Day. >> So, um that's great because there were safety issues and that's why we needed to put up the netting. Um the range drainage and first fairway we've just completed that in the last several weeks. Um irrigation at the range and
the putting green that's to be done. tree work, architect's fees go in with the tea reconstruction, you can see in the next slide. And that just finished um last week. And the architect came out was very happy with how everything
looks. And the the TE's are so much bigger, like three times the size now because the increased play at the golf course. The TE's we had for many years were very small and they couldn't take all the increased play. So, um this is a
um a great improvement to the course and then um cop path work to be done and then um as James can speak because he takes care of this part of everything up there um all the operational uh preventive maintenance and and things
like that. He can speak to those improvements. So, >> and utilities, by the way, and that was new for >> FY20 uh actually FY25 it started. >> Yeah. >> Um all the utility costs which are
roughly about $25,000 a year. Um uh were covered under our budget line actually in my budget, the facilities budget. >> Uh and when we changed over to uh the increase for the town contribution, we also switched over. All of those utility
costs are now borne by, you know, the revolving fund. >> Quick question here, though. You're we're saying that the those operating costs are going to be 90,000 this year and we're expecting 80,000 next year. >> Um yeah, I mean it it it all is
typically what happens is that um you know there's a piece of the restaurant equipment that will fail. It kind of like an every other year cycle. So it's another dishwasher for $5,000. It's another those types of things. >> So those those things are are what you're factoring in. Got it. Okay. So
it's just kind of like like just >> smaller appliance. I mean you know >> they're small they're small time capital investments. Got it. >> Something that's not worth um you know going out to town meeting uh for or certainly to lay out here in the capital
improvement plan. Um but the restaurant equipment does have a certain halflife and uh and we're routinely pricing uh certain components of that. >> Got it. Okay. Thank you. Um, and as you can see in um, FY2027, we started out with the pump station,
which we want to move up now because of recommendations from the company that um, maintains it that it's something that we should do and not get caught in the middle of a season that it doesn't function properly and >> and it's over 25 years old. So, it's
really reached its limit. >> That's the crux basically of the request tonight. Gotcha. is we're shifting uh the pump station from FY27 to now so we can uh if once if we get approval we can start getting it built because it has to be custom made
>> uh and installed before the summer season. >> Gotcha. Is that is that a quote from 170? >> Yes, that's a quote. Obviously, we go out to bid hopefully we could drive the cost down, but that is off a quote. Yes. >> And then you can see we have more TE's in the works for 2027.
and then um range netting. And then again um James with his operating um replacements and then if we move the pump station up into 2026, we can do um more of the cot pass
that need to be done. Some of the cot pass had been done like 25 years ago and so they're getting, you know, ruts and it's kind of a safety issue really for for people that are walking on them. So, um, they really need to be addressed.
And if you go to the next slide, >> Deb, just to confirm. So, for fiscal year 27, should the car path be um moved up to 26, that pump station project comes off of 27. So that $350,000 is decreased by 170 but is then
>> increased >> increased again by 120. >> That's exactly right. >> And in 2028 we're looking at bunker renovations, three more T's to be done and then James's operating budget and in
29 two more T's, C paths, um drainage and the operating budget again. And then in 2029 um that's repeated >> it's twice there twice. Sorry about that. So
>> okay now like TE's and cart paths and like those kinds of things are they how often should they be replaced like every 10 years 20 years 5 years or as needed? >> These should should last hopefully through our lifetime. I mean, the ones that have been there that we've been
working with um since the town took it over in ' 86 and prior to that, I think they were the original ones. I don't think there was, you know, over the years we've tried to like >> um add like a forward T to give more um
rest time to the the back tee and it's kind of just been like band-aid approaches. Now, if if you saw the new TE's that we have put in the LA this year and um last year, they're like I said, three times the size and it just changes the whole look of the golf
course and we've had such great reviews from the golfers. They're really happy with the first three and I uh first four and I think they'll be very excited about these three that were just done um a couple of weeks ago. >> Wonderful. The benefit of enlarging them is that the the T markers can be moved
around. So, and if they're T- markers are in one spot all the time with 45,000 rounds of golf, it's just out. So, at least then, you know, every month or so, they can be moved around. >> Okay. >> Um and um allow the other area to regenerate, you know, while the team is
going off in another section. Gotcha. >> Okay. Cool. >> Next slide. So the the what brings us here is this pump shack. It doesn't look like much, but uh within there are three uh various
variable speed pumps. Uh delivers about 250 uh gallons of water per minute. Uh it irrigates. It actually feeds uh the entire course over 300 sprinkler heads. Uh many of those heads actually have
computer control that talks back to this this pump. Uh so there's a brain section uh in there uh and that is uh you know 25 years old. It's getting very difficult to find parts for that uh that brain and that's really the bulk of the
cost of this thing is is the uh the modules. So, uh, the hope is if approved to, um, you know, go out to bid, uh, get a contractor to, uh, basically construct
this, uh, this pump and controls and install it sometime in early spring, uh, so that it's operational for the next >> Is that realistic that that timeline for them to be able to come? >> From what we've been told, yes. >> Okay. And if it's customuilt, are are we
going to run into a similar situation that we're running into now where it's hard to find parts for it? >> Well, hopefully it'll last another 25 years >> and then we can put it in an improvement plan. >> Right. Right. So, but uh yeah, I mean there is that that risk. I mean uh you
know these pumps aren't uh a couple of those pumps have already been replaced. You can get them repaired. Uh these are heavy duty uh pieces of equipment that um you know can be repaired a few times but uh yeah >> at 25 years old things begin to corrode and rust
>> um it's time to >> there's only so much chewing gum and duct tape you put >> right and the reason Yeah, you're exactly right. Spit and bubble gum. The the reason that we um uh are moving this forward is at the end of this past season um you know under some for
preventive maintenance really getting some concerns from the company that's doing this maintenance that you know what you really need to and they don't have any skin in the game right >> uh other than you know replacing it uh you know parts um that this really needs to get replaced because if it were to
fail in the peak of summer um it could have a devastating impact on the condition of Of course. >> Yeah, we don't want that. >> And could make uh irreparable damage uh in terms of things dying off and having to get redone. >> Okay. >> Right. It would it would take several years to replace teas and greens and the
cost if we had to do the mall would be like a million dollars. >> Yeah. Yeah. We don't want that. >> And you know, it's like we're we're at such a good pace now with how many people have attracted to the course, >> right? >> And all the improvements we've done. You
don't want a big blip like that to like disrupt things >> and then people will go elsewhere and they might not come back. >> Right. And we've been working on this since 1987 to bring it to where it is today. So it's really a labor of love to get where we are now. >> Certainly didn't. And then uh the last
slide um is it's the finances and hopefully you can read it but basically this is the snapshot from FY22 to current and current is as of the end of November. Um you can see the top line is the starting
fund balance. Uh you can see in fiscal uh 25 it's we and part of 26 we reap the benefits of those much larger contracts that we negotiated >> with New England Golf and uh Anony's on the green. Um so basically uh if we um
look at this current space so we started at uh the revolving from balance with $431,000 to date and again this is as of the end of November. Uh we've had golf course fees of $265,000
and restaurant fees of $28,000. um the uh which gives you a total revenue of 293,125. Again, as of um November uh 30th, our total expenditures to date are 80,470,
which gives you at the end of uh again uh October or excuse me, November $643,670. Now, if we want to extrapolate to the end of FY 26, so June 30th, um we anticipate another uh additional
revenue amount of $281,875. Um the uh proposed projects as well as expenses is, you know, reduction by $256,959. So basically $257,000 doesn't include the pump. And then if we
take out the reimbursement payment to the town, the estimated fund balance um at the end of FY26 would be uh $411,186. So that 87 I didn't take it out of that last number. I apologize. Well, question
I have here for you is uh this is, you know, to me personally, I we I'm speaking on behalf of myself, taking chairs, uh taking the jump the line to speak up here. Um we have a great contract here and we're saying we're going to spend $350,000, but we're
bringing in you know what what is it? You know, about well over $400,000 to the revolving fund. >> 70. >> Yeah. But then but then then you take out the 87 um to to the general fund. But I'm what I'm saying here is like you know if we just take that out and we
have the um five you know the the u 58 483 if we're if we're bringing in that much money but we're only spending 350 sort of like what are we do we just want to have a cushion in case something happens? Is that kind of what we're we're doing just to make sure there's a
few hundred,000 in there if something goes ary kind of thing. Is that kind of what we're thinking? >> That's always been the plan was to keep um a balance uh in the revolving fund for something. There could be something serious. >> Okay. >> I mean, we're, you know, waiting for the
two large uh septic uh pumps there to fail. If they were both of those, it's going to be $25,000 to replace those. >> Okay. Um and uh there could be something that you know uh could happen um on a much larger scale. >> Sure.
>> Uh we we deal with a lot of safety issues up there like just so the netting that you saw up there >> um that wasn't >> one part of the netting was planned but another part wasn't planned >> um at the beginning of our five-year
capital improvement and a neighbor came to us and pointed something out that was happening. Okay. So then we had to like do it right away. So >> there could be things that come up that that are like, oh, we need to we need to
take care of this right now. >> Okay. >> And one thing we've always prided ourselves in since the town bought the course. We've never come back to the town to ask >> for any money, >> right? >> Um out of the general fund. We've always
given to the general fund. So that's something that, >> you know, we we really want to make sure that we have money there because >> you're dealing with a lot of safety issues on a golf course. >> Sure. Sure. Okay. >> All right. That made that makes sense, I think.
>> Yes. So the 411 is less than 170. >> Okay. >> Is what I mentioned before. >> Okay. But I mean, but basically the the we're the um the revolving fund is not capturing all of the money because we're putting some aside so that way when there's these things happen, you're coming to the boards to sort of say the
the select board and the finance committee to sort of say we got to do this, we need to change it, we need to >> right anything outside of the limit, the 350. >> Well, I I what I'm getting at here is just that, you know, if we're bringing in that much more, should the limit be higher is kind of the question I'm having here. Well, we just raised the
limit at the last >> it was 200 or so. >> 250 and we raised it to 350 thinking like that would be good and now we're like kind of re-evaluating that. >> Yeah. >> Um again because of >> Yeah. And well, I mean, it's, you know, we're doing well, which is great, but
it's also, you know, it begs the question if, you know, if we're putting it away for particular purpose, that's fine, but, you know, we don't necessarily need it to be just collecting lots and lots of money because it should be we should be reinvesting in the golf course as much as possible. But,
>> right, and and the other part of it was, you know, when we had 250 to spend, we're like, oh, that's a great amount. And then we all sit down and talk about it with James and it's like, well, we need to put some aside for something that took like, you know, almost $100,000 right off the top and then you
go, oh my god, we only have 150 and one project was 150. Sure. >> So we went to So I think it's a couple of years trying to find where a limit should be. >> Okay. All right, that makes sense. Okay, I'm I'm done talking. We'll let Tina and Damon have some questions. So for me
it's I mean I understand the need to replace the pump. I understand the timing of this uh and the the risk of not doing it. That all makes a lot of sense. I I love love the I think it's a very good the this proactive approach. This the representation here at the table between the facilities manager,
the golf course advisory committee and the town manager presenting a decision for the board which ultimately then clears the way for this to go to the finance committee. That is the next step. This is a very solid way to go about handling decisions like this. So really appreciate this um collaborative
and cohesive and it does feel proactive. I'm sure nobody wanted the news that the pump had broken, but to be getting that news in December and having some number of months to prepare this this feels like things are working well is how I would describe it, communication
sharing, preparing boards to make decisions and maintaining the asset. This feels really good. Um, so my questions really are we we don't often get to see the level of detail here for the golf course. So I'm just going to veer off a little bit from the decision in front of the board with just a couple
questions. The fees that are charged for the player, who sets those fees, is it the golf course advisory committee or is it New England Golf? >> New England Golf sets the fees, but they can only set them make an increase so much per year. Um, I think it's like a
dollar according to their contract. And then if they wanted to do more, it has to come before the golf course advisory committee, okay, >> to ask permission to do it. But we've always had the um the thought that we should try to keep the fees at a more
reasonable level. It's a course that, you know, um, children can play at, seniors can play at, and on both ends of the spectrum, you want it to be open to, um, people in those categories and to be
able to make it affordable for them. So, it's like we're not out to like charge as much as we possibly can for every person because it's a town owned facility and we wanted to keep it so people in town could afford it. And we do get people from a lot of other
surrounding towns that come to play as well. >> Who pays for the water usage and mowing? Is that New England Golf or is that out of that $520 $520,000 that they're contractually obligated to pay? >> New England Golf pays um to maintain the
golf course. That includes >> outside of that. >> They have a superintendent. Okay. >> And okay, >> they take care of the maintenance of the course, whatever that >> and staff as well, I assume. And the water comes from wells into the pond. >> Mhm. >> And we pump it out.
>> Okay. >> The golf pays for the electricity >> of those well pumps. >> Okay. >> Uh but the town owns and maintains the wells. >> Okay. We we had a whole program I want to say I could be a little off but like maybe 20 25 years ago where we
were exclusively on town water and it was over a three-year period that >> uh we refurbished the well we put in new irrigation and so forth so that the town >> so that the golf course could come off town water. >> Okay. And that was successful. So, so
the the maintenance of the asset itself, so the infrastructure within it like the pump and the building as well, I assume and the TE's and the cart pass and so on, that's that falls to the town to to manage through the revolving fund. Well,
the golf course um contract with the New England Golf Course, they pay for the ma they pay for the maintenance of the TE's, the greens, the fairways, the day-to-day maintenance. But when we do a capital project like when we redo
a whole T then that comes out of the capital account. >> Okay. They will they will do some very smaller projects like if they had to a couple of times they they've done things like to maintain it that was more than
just like mowing and fertilizing and everything but anything like we're doing a whole tea and reconstructing it and so forth that comes out of our capital account. >> Frank, does that follow the same approach we take as a town for capital projects? So, if we hit a $10,000 mark,
we're we're taking it out of an operating budget. We're putting into a capital. Is it the same? So, >> more or less. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. All right. Uh because I'm what I'm wondering is does is there anything in the contract that would trigger New England Golf for contributing some amount of money to a
pump repair of this size? I think the answer is is no. And that that's okay. I I understand that. Um, so I'm just sort of blowing it up into bigger projects, you know, that are unexpected. Would New England Golf ever be triggered through their contract to contribute some sum of money to a large
capital expense that was otherwise not in this capital improvement plan, which I assume they also support? There's this this plan was not developed solely by the golf course advisory committee. I imagine you're in consultation with New England Golf, >> right? It's collaboration with New England Golf, with James and and the
committee itself. >> In this case, the pump was on it. So we're just accelerating the scale. >> We're just moving that up and the pump maintenance by the way New England Golf does take care of that. >> Yeah. Okay. >> You know, in terms of that and so is there a clear definition of what the town base got? I mean there's this sort of
>> gray areas and we do have those conversations. So they'll mention something that uh you know the garage door >> you know is bent and needs to get fixed. You know we can fix it meaning golf >> uh or do you want the town to do it? And so we we do have those conversations,
but much larger projects like the reconstruction work is >> there's nothing in the contract that triggers New England Golf to contribute in any way. Got it. Okay. Last question. Is there upwards capacity? I saw the numbers grow to $45,000. 45,000 um
>> uh visits uh rounds. Thank you. >> Um this year, is there capacity to the number of rounds that the the course can support? Um, we haven't ever discussed what the high number would be. I mean, we could
get a ballpark figure, but I think we may do that after we get all the the TE's completed and all that type of work that could support increasing it a lot more than it than it is now. There's there's times of day that we've talked
about that you could increase the play, like during the week, later morning, early afternoon. you know, they've tried we we do a lot of league play there, which is great. So, um, you know, try to get them to play in times that aren't as
busy if that's possible, like a senior league or or something like that. They've tried, um, we do have a lot of tournaments up there and they've taken the tournaments off weekends because the play has it's gotten so busy. I mean, you have to have a tea time ahead of a
weekend. You just can't walk on, so to speak. So, um, they put them on Fridays to leave the weekends open because we know we're going to have it's going to be packed and and of course it's very weather dependent. So, you know, this
the last three summers it's been pretty good. And this summer, you know, we had a lot of warm weather and not a lot of rain, right? So the play increases and the challenge is like we were saying to keep the TE's maintained with the
increase in league play, the drier weather, you know, in a small tea. It's really tough. >> Sure. Well, it's a big investment. Um I know it's on the plan, but also it's a 25 year. This one lasted 25 years. You can anticipate the next one will last 25
years. So it's an investment in something in a uh endeavor that the town has that has growth potential. That's really what I'm what I was where I was going. So, it's $170,000 spent on something that, you know, lasts 25 years, but within those 25 years, we will likely see further growth at the
golf course. >> And and I think, you know, if if you go up there or just ride by, one of the nicest things that I see is the high schools that are playing there. >> Yeah. >> I mean, they're all out there with their uniform. They're practicing on the
practice screen. They're up at um, you know, the practice range. And then the kids are all out on the golf course. Harleston High School pays for free plays for free. We don't charge them during the school year, but we get like four or five other schools that come that do get charged because they're from
out of town, but it's just great seeing so many different age groups up there enjoying the recreational facility that we have and the town benefits from it financially. >> Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Almost done. >> Yeah. Just a quick one. Um, are there, if you look ahead, other than what you
mentioned, are there any other big capital improvements kind of planned that might defay costs or make things more efficient in the near future? I'm assuming you're always looking for optimization, but I I don't know what else might be on the radar to try to make things a little bit more manageable. >> Um,
I mean, you know, just put a new roof on in anticipation of solar. Uh, the solar will help drive down the utility costs. Um, the um all gas cart fleet switched over to all electric, >> right? >> And so now we have all electric carts.
Um and so um I can't think of anything right now. Uh I know that the uh committee has a subcommittee working on water efficiency and water reduction and
turf grasses that don't need to be you know um as well as much maintenance is required those kinds of things. So they are working on that. I'm sure Deb can talk more to it but um in terms of big uh capital things in the horizon I don't
see anything. >> Great. Go ahead. Cool. I'm sure it's forward look. I'm just interested. Just curious. Um, how does the if you know, how does this particular course compare to um other golf courses in the region in terms of kind of like its performance when it comes to recapping costs? So, I
know we're a very like it's a it's a pretty great value as far as a round of golf goes. Do we have an idea how like how much more of a value we're offering than other municipal golf course? I think we're like we are pretty cost-effective cons compared to almost everyone in the region, right? We we are
and um one of the things about having New England Golf operating the course, they keep that in mind the whole time and it really can benefit the town, >> right? And um I think we're fortunate
that we have them. And just seeing the money that they put forth for the contract to win the contract really um speaks to how much they're invested in keeping the course um at the level it
is, but also increasing it to increase play and so forth. They're very committed um to the golf course. And you know, we all have our certain side of the interest, but we seem to be able to work together well to to um maintain the golf
course and keep improving it and keep attracting the golfers. >> That's sounds very amicable. That's good to hear. >> It's all for me, Mr. Chair. >> Uh one just one point of clarification here. Um we said that um New England Golf was paying some of the utilities and we're paying some. We pay for the
street light, the lighting, outdoor lighting or >> so. Um there are, believe it or not, seven utility accounts up there. >> Oh my. >> Uh uh five of them are related to um
irrigation, right? Related to irrigation of the course, pumps and >> um the maintenance barn and those types of things. In New England Golf's contract, they they pay for those bills. >> Okay. the uh bills that go to the clubhouse
um are partially covered by the town, partially covered by uh Mike Fo through Anthony Anony's on the green uh and as well as the charging of the golf carts is uh partially covered by uh New England Golf. >> Okay. >> So, it's again,
>> it's kind of it's kind of shared. It's a little murky. >> It's Yeah, it's not cut and dry, but anything course related, >> New England Golf is paying for. >> Okay. um from a utility standpoint. >> Gotcha. Okay. Yeah. I mean it's you know I think it's it's fine. I just I I I
recall that there was you know that we we we had a role we just talked about that with the uh the 80,000 for the operations and then with the um um you mentioned that they take care of some. Just trying to make sure sort of understand what that looks like. Um you know to me it seems like a pretty much a
it's it's a it's a good idea. We should continue to invest in the golf course. I don't think there's any reason why we we shouldn't do that. I think, you know, we might want to, you know, to your point about like what's the right amount and things like that, we might want to sort of, you know, have that um think about
that and, you know, what role we need to play there. I don't know. I'm not saying we should, but, you know, we we have faith in you guys to to do that, but maybe, you know, thinking about those things and if there are the septics going, you know, are we putting that on there? Are we doing those kinds of things if we uh if we need to? Um, so,
um, I think I'm good and I think we're I think we're all in alignment to, uh, to to support this. And I think you're going to the finance committee tomorrow night if I'm >> not mistaken. Okay. >> Okay. >> Would you like a motion to um approve the increase to the revolving pump limit to the tune of $170,000 for this purpose
>> for the uh for the the irrigation pump? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Move to uh approve the increase to the golf course advisory committee revolving fund. Want to make sure I name that correctly. >> Pinerest revolving fund. Pine >> pinerest revolving fund for $170,000 for
the purpose of paying for a irrigation pump. >> Second uh for fiscal year 226. >> For fiscal year 2026. Thank you. >> Still seconded. >> Uh all right. All those in favor? >> Yes. >> I >> Yeah, sounds good. Excellent. Thank you both for coming in and uh happy holidays.
>> Thank you. One thing I just >> One thing I just like to mention, James has been the best addition to the town after starting out in this project in 1986. Yeah. >> And everything you go through to have someone with his expertise to
collaborate with. >> He's been a great asset to us. So, I know you know that, but and I tell him all the time, but I just wanted to say it publicly. We really appreciate. >> I don't think he plays golf. >> You don't think anybody play golf? >> No, I don't think he plays golf. I enjoy it. Neither do I. >> Oh, I didn't know that. I did not.
>> That's the one that gets me. Tell you what, I'm going to I'm going to give away a a little secret for the town. >> Well, it's not a secret right now. >> I know. Uh around sunset, sitting out at where we extended the patio up there by the restaurant with the little fire pit
that's there. sitting there looking out at the 18th uh you know fairway is the best view in town >> with Debbie Debbie's flowers everywhere and you're just sitting there and having a little beverage watching everything is phenomenal. >> Yeah, you can see the pack practice
screen and >> yeah it's a beautiful view. >> It's really a nice place to >> get together with people and >> wonderful part of the community. Yeah. >> Definitely an asset for the town. >> You got to protect it. >> Take care of it. >> Thank you. Thank you both.
>> What do you think for >> um I think we can go ahead and if you you want to pop up Dana, we can talk Jasper Hill. >> We're going to we're going to go back to number two. Approve and approve access license for 52 Jasper Hill. Have a conversation about that. >> Sure. So, um if you don't mind, Ben, on >> Yeah. No, please introduce
>> background and >> um I guess I'd introduce Dana. He is the potential buyer of 52 Jasper Hill. Um, which is a proposal that this board is >> very talked about quite a few times. >> Yes. Um, so um if you recall in the um
heading into the fall town meeting season um there was a potential for the town the open space committee committee, excuse me, uh to purchase that parcel. Um and uh it turned out there was another buyer in sort of in the mix. um
Dana being the buyer. Um we've been in contact probably for the past month or so um about maybe a few weeks, I'm not can't recall, um about the potential purchase. Um and during um his uh due diligence period in and leading up to
the closing, uh his attorneys found that while there has always been discussion of an easement um running through the town hall parking lot for a single family home leading to the property, uh there was actually no um actual easement that that instrument is not recorded at the registry of deeds. um which you know
for any buyer it would be understandable to you know cause you know reason for concern or caution or you know want to make sure you have your deduction in a row before uh moving forward with the purchase. So um our attorney Brian Wy um from MTC uh and Dana's attorney have
been um probably in talks for the past week or so um potentially um finding a way to move forward via a a license uh which is within the select board's purview. Um the sele is not able in this case uh to grant an easement as there is
there in theory there is no easement to begin with. So you can't begin to alter the easement as was suggested in a in a prior year's town meeting warrant article. Um so we unfortunately have to start from scratch in this case. So uh the license would be an instrument that
the select board could issue. It's nothing quote unquote official. It's not recorded at the at the registry, but it would be sort of a bridge to get us to May uh where the select work could then put an an additional article on the uh May time meeting warrant uh to negotiate
the terms of a a new easement or the the first easement. So this so basically what we're saying too is that the previous agreement about the town meeting had presented well um the article the town meeting had approved allowing for the select board to
negotiate terms of the easement would be I mean because it's obviously there is no easement correct to to to challenge or to move with that would just be sort of put aside and we would be like you said starting over
>> right and so it's It sounds like um uh I don't know who the the deed of the property of 52 Jasper Hill references an easement. Um but that again that official instrument has not been recorded at the registry and so I you know I think >> it's a little bit of a gray area
>> century or something. >> Yeah. Yeah. Like that's where the cows walked basically and that's how the road got there. >> They just kind of said you have an easement. >> Um so um that's sort of where things stand now. Um, unfortunately, um, and I know Dana's on a little bit of a pinch,
but, um, it doesn't sound like, um, the we've been able to reach sort of an agreement >> in total on a, uh, on a license agreement as of tonight. I think that his attorney and our attorney are >> good language, too.
>> Correct. Um, are um, I've just been that's sort of why I was texting in the middle of Deb's presentation, so I apologize, James and Deb. Um, I think that there's certainly um a chance that we can come to a fair agreement that would sort of get us a town meeting when an official easement could be recorded. I know that doesn't help you a lot,
Dana. And obviously, you know, you can you can say your piece obviously, but um I just wanted to provide some context uh as to why this is sort of back on the agenda when this had been previously discussed. >> Um so Dana, I don't know if you have anything. >> Yeah, if you have any you want to introduce yourself, sort of talk a little bit about >> Um yeah, so I'm Dana Sanderson. I live
on Avon Street. Um we love the downtown. And I've been building in this town for 5 years now and I'd always you know permitting process see that house. So I'd always you know been intrigued by it and you know the beauty of the structure. My plan was to you know purchase and renovate and then I have now opened up a can of warm. So, excuse
my informality, but I am learning all this. Frank has been helpful, but at the same time, I understand, you know, we're on different sides here in an extent of knowing what's going on. From what I've been told by the engineers is there is access, but from what the attorney says
is that there isn't access. And it seems that um it's due to the instrument never being recorded. and also that the the lane of Jasper Hill Road doesn't have bounds set with the registry. So that's
why the discrepancy has happened. Um I guess and and then even in being involved meeting with people from the town um as I have everyone you know is aware of it. Everyone has a slightly different opinion on you know the process. And then even as far as last week I was surprised and I brought up
today is that there was a part of a you know a different district. It was there was I guess there's been 25 years of discrepancy here and I've just kind of come on in on this last year um since I put the offer in. And then again with the town I was unaware of the town trying to buy it and then when I found
out the town was buying it said it was denied by the finance committee to purchase it because there was unknowns. So I'm like not to clear the air but I I'm unaware of the situation and I guess I'm here to try to figure out what is the solution and is there a suggestion
from the border how to I think ultimately what I would want is the easement recorded because what I'm being told from the engineering perspective is the road has always been there. There are maps in 1875 1908. Um the owner that
pay per pay per pay per pouch the person that owned it in the 70s I guess he had multiple um town meetings involving it and was adamant that um you know this is how it was and and I guess in 2002 there was a approved town meeting um portion
for it. So I understand you know time has passed but I guess I just have come in here trying to have access to the property and then to in the last you know we were supposed to close in November and they turn they said oh we'll don't close on this because it's not recorded and then I understand the
process of the town you know we have to go through this so I guess my my intention here would be to get an easement in >> in the next town meeting but it would be >> aligned with what I am doing there, not with what somebody else did there. And I
guess that that is the >> discrepancy is that I can't record like the other person's easement because it was based off of um their development, which I do not plan on building, you know, multiple million dollar homes there. >> And and I I think like just for
clarification here and you know like town media doesn't grant the easement. they allow us to negot this body and the town manager to for our like council to >> um uh to negotiate an easement that would then be we could then approve something something to that effect I
think is kind of how I understand it. Right. >> So yeah that so my understanding is I think it was 2023 when the last easement discussion was had the prior development proposal um that article did it it um authorized you to have those negotiations. Um but I think that
there's sort of two issues with that. One the well the first from Brian Winter's perspective is um that negotiation was for a very specific proposal for very specific development >> and I think if it was under the assumption that there was an number to burden
>> there was there was an existing >> right >> easement that was sort of going to be altered right um but that no longer appears to be the case. So that's why this uh the sort of license agreement was pitched as a sort of again a bridge solution to get us to May, right?
>> So that maybe you know I don't want to speak for you but you know if you were a little bit more comfortable with how that would you know basically get you to May when prot perhaps town meeting would approve something more formal. Um you never want to take for granted what could happen when 300 residents get in the same >> sometimes it can yeah sometimes things
could go sideways but I >> but it but they have approved other things in the past. I think there's been like two that I can remember. there was something for senior housing up there was approved and then there was another there's that easement that we're talking about here >> and now I just on Friday like found out about so I guess I'm learning as this
has gone on and I thought I had done as much due diligence but yeah I didn't even and then we spoken about that earlier and I guess that that is not a thing anymore but again I don't yeah for me it's it's um I guess and I'm also uh like I didn't know that there was never
an easy I don't know how this legally works I guess That is news to me that there was like never an easement to even adjust or something. And I'm not trying to mix words. I just don't know how this legally works. I just assumed that since property and also, you know, I've met
with members of the the historical commission that provided recent data and you know, they're saying, oh, they love the house and and there's reasons to consider it historical and the structure. I know also at the same time, it is cheaper and easier to build a new house there than it is to try to renovate that. But you know my
intentions have been to renovate what is there um you know and follow what is by right at the same time this is you know I'm not a >> an experienced big developer I'm a home you know builder so >> um no I guess um you know I think you
know speaking for myself I think it's a little you know I think conceptually I think this makes sense I understand but it's hard for us to vote on something that we don't have in front of us. So I guess my question for you is like are there time constraints for you? Like
what is your like like what are you looking for from this board to be able to feel comfortable with what's happening? like do you need us to do it today or you know something happens or is it do you have a couple weeks here that we can try to get a license that's uh
>> what and again sorry to cut you up but what I understand is that I need to make a decision now because it was supposed to close November 18th and I was told to act on it and the the purchase and sale says that if there isn't clear access we have you know the 30 days to figure this out. Um so what I've been told by the
seller is I need to act on this now. I am not an attorney and I I don't know exactly my legal, you know, I I want to keep it right by them and I want to honor the contract and move forward. So, the answer is I'm told, yeah, I should be closing on this tomorrow. I
understand I also thought tonight coming into this we had a license, but again, I understand there's attorney talk versus what I know and they're saying that they're trying to figure out, you know, how that would be worded. Um, so I guess the reason I'm here is just to, you know, see what the opinions, what the
thoughts are. It seems that it's a very discussed, you know, topic. And also I I'm not trying to come in and disrupt anything that was there. I'm just trying >> I think, you know, from from what I understand, it sounds like you're working with the structure that's there. You're not looking to build a
development or something like that. And so to to me personally, I'm interested to hear what my colleagues here think. you know, if you're kind of doing what's already there and working with what's already there, I'm comfortable with a license of some kind and trying to make sure that you have a bridge to get you
to town meetings so that way you can access the property that would be yours. >> Um, that that makes sense for everybody. Um, but given that also there's, you know, there are some legal hurdles here and stuff like that. So, that's kind of where I'm sitting, but I'm interested like Tina, what you what you think and what you're >> Well, I would like to first recognize
Ben and Damon. We have before us a very patient um neighbor, resident, and builder here. So, thank you for your patience. >> Um really appreciate you coming in here tonight. Um it's not everyone who would uh do do so as graciously as you are and
I'm sorry for the experience that you're having because I imagine it's been challenging. >> Um no one likes uncertainty and no one likes delays and uh you've been very patient with the town of Hollist. So, thank you. uh would like to recognize that. I understand though that your patience is
probably limited uh and your understanding of the situation, desire to learn more is probably limited as well. So, it was good to hear you clarify what you're looking for from the board. And to that end, what I would say is as as a one of three, I'm very motivated to see the town reach a
solution for you and what you have proposed. So, I think I'm like-minded with Damon, with Ben in that regard and probably Damon as well. Um, I'm curious how we move forward tonight in a way that that meets Dana where he needs us to be. I think there probably are a
couple options. I think we could probably do a motion that's contingent perhaps, but that's to be discussed. I I think that the single family home that you're proposing, whether it's the building that's there or or not, I I'm very motivated that it that it be a single family home.
>> Um, and I I see a path forward. We just need to find it. >> Yeah. And I I precisely I I would say yeah I would say that to that end like I'm not sure exactly what we can do here you know how that works how that's worded how that that that functions but
given what he's asking for you know is there something yeah is there a motion we could do that says you know the attorneys can work out the language and we you know we we vote on it officially next time when we see the language or we have a contingent contingent vote and
then we officially vote just to make sure that like we're not holding up his processes. >> Then I I I do have one clarifying question. You you gave me pause when you mentioned that the boundaries aren't known. >> Did I hear you correctly? >> Yeah. So the the and this was from the civil engineer who has done extensive
work there and the boundaries that he couldn't point were directly related to Jasper Hill Road. so that he couldn't that the actual lot is clearly marked thoroughly, but the access of that road is I guess the terminology he uses that
there weren't bounds to mark off of and a point for you know full disclosure. He said well it would actually go through where people park. So you there would be like that could be a concern down the line if you were to mark it one way and I think in the 2023 easement it showed a
discrepancy between existing and proposed and in the proposed it the road would then go around to allow for better parking. Um and I think that that is also a concern of mine is because I'm not trying to disrupt parking. I I live
in the downtown. I understand that that is a priority. Um, you know, so that was the um no no coordinates for the road is I guess what he was saying as far as bounds that he couldn't mark off of that it was written
in the deeds the access follows this but but the calculations weren't provided is my understanding. >> Okay. >> Okay. And is that a requirement for you to move forward with the project that the the boundary is clearly identified or >> No, I think to to be, you know, blunt is
I just want I I'm coming to make sure that there isn't a conflict and there isn't something that I'm not aware of that would reduce it and then also to clarify in meeting with the town and um the building department who I've worked with on a handful of builds there by
right it is could be turned into a duplex or some sort remaining the same structure. So that's also something that I want to clarify and it's not like a bait and switch and that was my concern when something was yes a single family zone but anything that is allowed per single family zone would be allowed
there in the future. I'm not trying to do a seven lot development. I'm just trying to abide by the current zoning bylaw. So with meeting with the building department I can pull a demo permit once we demo the interior. We can then assess the framing and because it is 100 and I
have to bring everything up to today's code. So that's another reason why, you know, I don't have the answers of what it's going to be. It's I have to buy it. I have to >> expose what's there and then I can fully plan. And and we're not asking you to like have the full plans obviously, but
I think I think we just wanted the >> you know, we went back and forth a little bit with the previous developer because there was a a lot of units being put in that place that that sort of >> was, you know, we had concerns about that some of the um the access and
things like that, but you know, we we understand, but we also want to make sure that you have the ability to, you know, legally access the property if that if you purchase it. >> Yeah. So I guess to clarify what I would like to is to maintain the legal access to that property and whatever is allowed by the current zoning for the single
family just you know and also and from a side note I feel we need more affordable homes and we don't need more $1.6 6 million homes and there's nothing against that. But my personal, you know, feeling on it is we need to, you know, so that's a side note. It's just, you know, if it does allow for two, you
know, families to live there, I think even better. We enjoy the downtown. So, >> sure. >> I think my question for Frank then is just in some context, not having the boundaries of a road determined to some standard is an issue. I don't think that
applies here. Uh, so my question is whether there's a a need for surveying to be done to establish those boundaries, but I just want it out on the table. We can take it off the table, but I I I don't want to say to Dana that we're going to move in a direction not fully understanding what that would
mean. So >> for the purpose, sorry, I think for the purposes of the license, just in the way that it's gone back and forth, I can show you the draft access plan, which is basically I mean Danny, you can correct me if I'm wrong, but it's basically a sketch of the parking lot. Okay.
>> Um an engineered plan that of uh sorry engineered for other purposes >> but sort of non-engineered sketches as to where the access uh >> this is what I would provided from >> very familiar drawing
>> and and so uh for that part for the license I don't believe the surveying would be required when the easement if and when the >> easement we'd have to be very specific I mean but at least for the interim we can allow we can do that and then work towards That's my gut. For like a town meeting, we could we could see what we
needed to do if we needed to do additional >> work to to make sure that we had clarity for you and for the town on what is going on out there. >> Um are you >> Yes, >> you're good. Dam question. >> Yeah, I'm I'm in alignment with the rest of the board. I'm I'm very amendable to
the idea of um a license, especially on a contingent motion or something similar if we can do that. Um, as long as you're fully, you know, aware of the fact as a builder that there's a certain inherent risk when it comes to anything that will eventually go to town meeting, easement or otherwise, I know that that's where the riches are. They're in the risk
absorption. Um, and I would love to see that property put to good use like you're describing. So, I think you're here in good faith and I'm hoping we can help you. >> Yeah. And I I I do have, you know, I mean, we we we would certainly, you know, if that's the direction we're going, we would certainly bring it to
town meeting and and push forward to to to make sure that that happened. We've done that in the past and you know town meeting has supported um considerably more complicated things in that space. So I think this would be I don't think this would I I think we we would definitely bring it forward and I think we can speak to it pretty reasonably.
Just I think we have to sort of figure out how we get there I think is kind of what we're trying to figure out right now. So I guess the question is Frank um since we don't have language to really vote on >> can we should we put give a vote just to you know as an act so he can the
negotiations can continue and then maybe he can see about you know from his pers your perspective if that is sufficient uh and then we you know we vote on the license when it's official or you know I I kind of want to know like would that would that work for you like if we could say something because I mean at this
point we'd have to give you something kind of vague. >> Wouldn't Excuse me for interrupting. Wouldn't we wouldn't we mo uh the motion be to direct the town manager to develop a license agreement, >> right? I think they're already doing that. I think the question is I mean, we can certainly do that, but you know, we
would he would I think he'd probably need more than that because he would need to know that the select board was going to support something, right? I mean, because I mean because you even if they had an agreement, we said no, then you would kind of be stuck in the same position you're in. And I know we can't support
anything without having the >> I would say I mean Dana I don't know if uh you would characterize it otherwise and by all means feel free to push back but I do get the sense that in general the board is supportive of of >> of sort of putting something in pen to
paper that would get us through >> to May. >> Yes. >> Um I can't put myself in your shoes. I know that there's you know >> is that enough? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean that's the best I can ask for. I think I I this was helpful just from my my opinion it's kind of well it's common sense that there should be
access there because it's it's been deemed historical house and it seems like there's support from the community that they want to keep it and not have it redeveloped but then >> it is you know and that's it's my decision to have that risk and to take the project on. So I'm not looking for
sympathy on that. I'm just looking to un that there is support for this path, you know, and ultimately I'll have to face the, you know, challenges as they come. >> Fully support a license agreement. Yeah. >> Um and I'm sorry we don't have that for you this evening. >> Yeah. No, I I think we I think we all
support definitely support the the license agreement and >> and Ben, if if expediency is is to Dana's benefit, I'm open to calling a special town a special town meeting. I'm not open to a special town. >> That's support. I mean for that I'm I'm open to calling a special select board
meeting by which we can approve the license to Dana from >> D. I think we could certainly do something like that if we had language and that and that if that facilitated things for we could certainly do that. We would get on like a Zoom call like during the day and we could find a way to do that. We just have to do two days
another 48 hours notice >> to be able to do something like that. >> Perfect. Is that >> Yes. I mean does that work for you? Yeah. >> And that's the best we can really do at this point. That's I and I just wanted to make sure that this there wasn't an unknown here that I was inheriting with it. But I do I do think that you know
it's what is for the best and also to get that pro that property back up and running >> and and given the fact that we do support it you know you can certainly say you can talk to your your people um and find out like if we we our next meeting would be on the 22nd you know if
they if they say well we have support and they're going to vote on the 22nd that's fine or if you need something in before then just contact the town manager's office >> okay >> and then say you know hey we got this agreement they need me to have a vote of the select board to support this license. I need it to be official and
then we can you know depending on the day we can probably get you something within a couple of days to um uh to vote on and if that if that helps you. So just let us know what works best for you. >> Just recapitulate what the chair said. We we have to give folks a notice of 48
hours to have a meeting business days. >> Business day. So like Saturday, Sunday don't count. >> And we need a little time just a little time in front of that to actually get that posted and make sure. So, if you tell us today, we can get something like, you know, Thursday, you know, that kind of >> I do know and and again, I I'm no attorney, so I can't speak. I just know
I'm I'm the middleman here trying to figure out and I don't want to make >> the wrong assumption in either way as we go here. >> We want to support you. We want to see how how you can be successful. So, just let us, you know, keep us surprised of what works and if the 20 seconds fine, we can just put it on our agenda and if
you need something before then, let Frank know and we will move as quickly as we can. >> Thank you. It's an education you didn't know you need and maybe didn't want. >> Yeah. >> Well, thank you for coming in this evening. Appreciate it. We'll probably be seeing talking to you again really soon. >> Sure. Yes. Thank you very much.
>> All right. Next up on the agenda, we have annual license renewals. So, we do this every year. We renew our licenses. They start on as of January 1st for a variety of things. We're the licensing authority. So, we have uh I asked Donna to leave us some pens to make sure that we didn't
run out of pens for uh for for signing things because I've had that happen to me on more than one occasion where I'm scratching because my pen was running out of ink. So, uh thank you, Donna, for for doing that. Um and so we have a lot of licenses. Um and I'm
not sure the best way to do this. Have we done this? Like we've done by grouping, right? like uh >> in the past we've done it a number of ways. My very first time as clerk we read every single one. >> We're not doing that. >> We're not doing that. We've done them in bulk. I will say though that did you No,
Damon did not have to read all. >> No, he didn't have to read. It was lovely. >> So, we can do a consent uh vote in a way. I just want to call out one thing. Frank and I were talking earlier as clerk. I was doing my due diligence and preparing for tonight. And >> there's a couple that are tell there's two for a couple of them. Is that the one you're saying? No, there's one right
off the top that we we're going to pull out and a motion separately. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> And I know there were two that Donna told me that we had um I think there two in there because we're um there's still some things pending so that they can continue to operate but
then the additional license is available. >> Yes. So actually the one of them is the same but for different issues. One is B social and the other one is depot uh depot tavern depot um package store um which is the purchase and sale is still
>> going through so we're we have two versions just in case >> okay so they continue to have business um so uh we can and I I think those are the only things I think everything else is as and which one you wanted to pull
>> so I'm pulling out be social when we had this before us about a month ago >> there was um approval of the license with that was contingent or subject to the uh business owner completing some items with the land use department. Uh
and so we had we had conditioned that that motion which we would look to do tonight as well. I just don't remember exactly how it was worded but I don't think I have to repeat it as long as the intent is the same. So we would do that one separate from the bulk which leaves 56 55. >> Yeah, we should probably pull out u
Thank you for catching that. Um, but there was the other one, the uh the depot. So, we could pull those two out because there's two for each of those just because and um we would give them the one that they're currently under and then if upon approval we would give them
the other one. >> Okay, >> that's kind of that's that's the way I was uh talking to Donna about doing that. the right the one that's right and then the the other one we would wait until it was approved by >> yeah that's I would say that's not a
function of the motion that we we pass it's more just a process of signing but sure >> y when we go through the signature so how would you like to handle would you like you need to do the the bulk to first and then be social with the condition >> uh uh yeah we can do that why don't we
just do um as presented for the for the bulk and then we can just be social Okay. Move to approve annual license renewals um as presented including alcoholic beverage, common victular, entertainment, used car dealer and motor
vehicle junk. So again move to approve uh licenses as annual license renewals as presented. >> Seconded. Uh all those in favor >> I >> I >> I >> Okay. The second would be for move to
approve the annual license renewal for B social contingent upon subject to uh their reconciliation or completion of tasks with the land use department. >> Well, I think we want to be careful there because there's two licenses and
we want to make sure that one of them is not contingent and the other one would be as I understand it. Right. I I so I could be um I think one was um >> one is the alcohol. >> Yes. Uh yeah. So they have the alcohol
license. I think there's two alcohol license. One with the structure, one without the >> Okay. >> The proposed structure. >> That's correct. >> Okay. >> Which falls under the items to be completed with the building inspector and land use department. >> Okay. Yeah. Okay. >> So motion is on the floor.
>> Okay. All right. I'll second it then. >> All right. All those in favor? I >> I >> I think I think that's everything. >> Okay. >> All right. That's the fun of signing many many licenses. All right.
>> Auto pen. >> We have ice packs upstairs from the humanitarian work. >> Fantastic. >> Excellent. >> All right. Uh moving on. Um we are here to talk a little bit about spring town meeting
and um we will um I we can vote to open the town meeting warrants and um two points to make there. Uh the first is um closing it um probably around
March 8th I think was the date. >> Yes. I think it was the second week of March but I can just pull up the uh I can pull up the calendar here. >> Yeah. And that gives, you know, it's it will be open for 90 days, which is a pretty good, you know, length of time. Um, okay. So, the um
uh right now we have uh the warrant finalized um excuse me, March 9th. >> March 9th. Okay. >> Yep. Or it closes. So, we could close it for March 9th. And that's the um that that that's when it would be closed um
>> for citizens petitions and such. Uh probably 4 p.m. some to that effect. And then um the other thing is is do we have a press release that we can get out there? >> We'll put that out this week. Yes. So we will put that we sent out to house reporter house and local news. Um we'll
put on the web page as well. >> Perfect. Perfect. Um and then so town meeting is scheduled for May 11th, 2026. >> And then um do we have to we don't have to open the other ones, right? We're just talking about >> Yeah, we just wanted to put it on there. The town clerk has officially confirmed
those dates. >> Okay. >> Across the street at the high school. So we just wanted to put them out there. >> Call town meeting October 19th and town election would be May 19th, 2026. Okay. Any questions or comments there? >> None at all. >> No. >> No. All right. Uh, I'll take a motion to
open the May town meeting warrant um for the May 11th, 2026 springtown meeting. >> Okay. Move to open the May 2026 town meeting warrant for the date set May 11th, 2026. Uh, move to open that at what? 8:25
p.m. >> Second. >> All right. All those in favor? >> I I >> I >> All right. And the warrant is now open and uh the expectations will close it on March 9th. >> Correct. and we'll put that all that in the press release so that everybody knows what's coming up and uh we can do
look at it accordingly. Okay. Uh any other comments about elections before we move on? >> Done. >> No, >> I know it's very early, but you know, let's get it out there. Let's get it started and >> um move along. Especially if we're doing uh two meetings a month. Sometimes
quickly things can we can lose a month before we know it. >> I like being ahead. >> Yes. I like having it open. All right. Uh public comment. Is there anyone in the room who would like to make public comment this evening? Going once, going twice. No. Anyone on
the Zoom like to make a public comment this evening? Also remember that uh you also can uh email the town manager's office and uh we can certainly read in a public comment if you missed this opportunity
to uh to speak up as well. Use the reaction uh raise your hand under the reaction button hearing none. Okay. Select board member updates. I'm going to ask um if my uh board is open to this
that we uh make a couple comments about our humanitarian awards who we awarded to Sure. >> and just uh take an opportunity to to to say a little bit about those those people in addition to our regular updates. So, why don't we do that first and then we can do our our business updates if uh Sure. If you're I know
you're you're signing. Do you want you want to second or you go? Okay. >> Uh so this evening I nominated uh Don Durning Hammond who is um a member of the upper Charles Climate Action Node which is our region's um body for the
355 350 mass organization. Uh so I nominated Dawn for her work here in Holliston supporting um all manner of uh sustainability and uh climate change uh initiatives and policies uh for the town
of Hollistston. She's been a tremendous support to the board. She's been a tremendous support to the sustainability manager and town administrator prior prior to Frank and uh town manager Frank now. So uh she is a strong advocate. She is a um leader of her efforts that
demonstrates gratitude uh and she is collaborative uh and she is effective and um the humanitarian awards are for those who show care, compassion and uh concern for for fellow residents and certainly uh her work to make Hollston a
cleaner and more uh healthy environment is benefits all. So Don Durningham um and I look forward to seeing her in the future at at a board meeting. It's always a delight when the uh Upper Charles Climate Action Group walk in the door. So, >> absolutely. >> Yeah. Great. >> It was an easy nomination for sure.
>> Wonderful. >> David. >> Yeah. Um I nominated Kathy McKenna. Uh Kathy is a longtime Holl resident and which I just found out that she was also a neighbor of mine years ago and I didn't even know. um she uh lost her mother to cancer quite early and she
took a lot of that uh those feelings and a passion for her friendship with her mother to open up um a local thrift store down on Woodland Street called My Mother My Friend, which is a nonprofit and uh raises money for the American uh Cancer Society. Um she took a really difficult situation and made that into
something that really contributes to our local town uh and also a safe space for other people who are dealing with similar issues to come and talk. uh which she always invites people to do. Uh so I was very happy to nominate her. >> And what is the address? Because she just opened in October. Folks may not get that. >> I think you said 358
seen the sign. I mean you're driving down Woodland Street. You kind of can't miss it. >> 358 Woodland Street. >> Nice. >> Thank you. >> All right. For me, I um I nominated Walter McGrath um to be the humanitar my
humanitarian award winner this year. Um, Walter has been someone uh we see uh in many different places. He's been work he works with a lot of veterans uh veterans groups. He's part of the American Legion. He um also is on the Memorial
Day committee and he's been on the Veterans Day Committee and helping making those um events uh take place. Um he has uh volunteered at the um the pantry, the Hollison Pantry, and he has also um been a member of uh the Blair
Square Committee and uh helping to help beautify the town. And Walter has been somebody he uh uh has quietly made sure that a lot of these things get done efficiently, effectively, and they're done well. and he's a major component in
making those things happen and to supporting so many members of the community and uh uh it was a privilege of mine to be able to give him that award and uh he's a he's a good guy doing lots of good things for the town. and we uh you know hearing you two with
your nominees too is there's a lot of great people and you know you see so many great people all the time um doing so many great things and it's a it's a it's a good night to be able to uh to say thank you to those to folks like that >> I know James mentioned earlier that one of the be most beautiful scenes in
Hollston I don't disagree is up at Pinerest looking out over the 18th hole was it another beautiful space in Hollston is to walk down the trail in the evening past the the war monument >> that Walter was instrumental through his
role on the um Blair Square committee to make sure was done well um and was done period but also done well and when you are there in the at night and it's illuminated it's it's a very moving but also very contemplative space so um he's
he's contributed in ways that will live on forever in that sense too so good people >> very good people all right Uh any other updates, leazison on uh events, future agenda items, anything on yours? >> Uh no, except I survived Thanksgiving,
so I'm happy for that. Yep. Thank you very much. Uh no other updates. Uh it was a quiet two weeks in terms of board activity. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I'll just uh on a semi-personal note, um the Lions Club held its annual Santa breakfast this Sunday. I spent five hours uh flipping pancakes. It was
a lot of fun. That organization has a lot to be proud of. Um, the Hollist Lions is one of the most active Lions groups in the state. Um, renowned for the amount of charity time they put in. It was a wonderful event. Lots of kids, lots of families. So, kudos to them for making our town a better place. I'll
leave it at that. Wonderful. And of course, I'm the one who actually has a bunch of updates. Um, so a couple things. Uh, the first is um the schools have asked to come to us on the 22nd to um to chat with us about things. So, um
they'll be on our agenda on the 22nd to to talk to us. Um, another update, um, I am meeting with, uh, we have Envisioning Future Hollison tomorrow evening and I've been working with, uh, a couple other members to talk about a couple different things, but one of them in
particular that has come up is and this board has talked about a little bit about is master plan and thinking about the strategic plan and the role of envisioning future Hollistston in that process. Um, one of the things that I'm suggesting and I think we should do uh
the select board should do is we should um reach out to the economic development committee and have a conversation with them um in this process as well. I think there's some real energy to look at some of these things and to to take an opportunity. I mean we have a lot of
potential commercial growth in our pipeline and there might be some misses and having some conversations with them to >> specifically regarding your master plan >> among other things but I think we can get other uh but I I think involving them in this process as well. >> Okay. I think I'm the liazison for the economic development committee. So I'll
work with Melanie to find a time to go to one of their meetings. Okay, >> that's fine. I mean if if you're if you're if you're up for it. I've been certainly talking to a few of them as well but you know uh if if you want to do that too I think that that would be great. >> Sure. Um I wasn't I wasn't implying that you had to. So I apologize if that came
across that way. Um so but I I think uh meeting with the economic development committee in sort of a formal way to start talking about some of these things and you know seeing what other things that we can uh think about especially getting ready for town meeting in the spring. Um on a different note um it's
almost January and we it's almost time to evaluate town manager. >> So I just wanted to let everybody know I am working on an evaluation form. um with Frank and we we'll get some agreement there. We'll talk to council just make sure everything's okay. Everything seems okay. And so uh it's
coming in a few weeks. Don't you know but I wanted to let you know that it is on my radar and it is something that I'm working on because this will be the first time we're evaluating a town manager with a new act. So we want to make sure that we're you know updating you know the uh some of the things the responsibilities of the previous town
administrator are different. And so we want to make sure that we're um talking about the same kinds of things. >> And you'll engage our labor council on review of the draft. >> Exactly. >> Great. Exactly. Yes. And the last thing um I wanted to bring up uh as sort of
you know just something uh food for thought is thinking about um setting a we've done this in the past for our budgets is to think about a summit where we all kind of sit sit there and we all talk to all of the boards and um the uh the departments that report to us all
7,000 of them or however many it is. I forget what the total is today. Um, but one of the things that I've been trying to look into is to see if there's ways that we can get some finance committee participation and at least part of that. Um, I think there's a lot of um there's
a lot of presentations that are repeated. There's a lot of a lot of things that are, you know, pretty straightforward that I think um we can we we can value the time of our of our staff and the finance committee and we can all talk about some
of these things and maybe there's ways that we can dovetail that. There's I don't think it's it's not as simple. I mean, there's there's some other ideas within that. Namely, that the one of the things is the finance committee wants to uh us to approve a budget
before they review it. So, thinking about that logistically and thinking about what that looks like. So, don't need to make any comments now. I just kind of wanted to put it on your radar to think about it and then, you know, maybe um early January we can have a little bit of a deeper conversation about what we all think about that and
what that looks like. Um and I think, you know, I think there's some space for for us to make sure we maintain agency but also give the finance committee an opportunity to participate in in at least part of the day. Could we could we chunk the presentations to allow for the
liaison from the finance committee to come in? So if it's let's say it's fired DPW and police uh have one liaison from the finance committee that the invitation is is to that liaison. >> I don't I don't know what that looks like. I mean that could be one of it. It
could be invite the whole committee. It could be, you know, it could be one of the things thrown around is that maybe we do some of the the smaller, simpler budgets in the morning. We invite the finance committee. They participate in that process and then we get to some of the bigger, larger, more complicated ones that they're probably going to want
to talk to on their own anyway. We say you can stay, but we're not going to like have you participate in this process. >> One thing we all have in common before we have our budget hearing day is we all have the level one. >> Okay. So that can be a great uh it's a
common ground think >> well I you know um one is we're all as equally prepared when we each each board starts their budget review process we're all on the same page in terms of the materials that we have to begin our preparation
>> totally and I think but I the the part of the the challenge is logistic because the finance committee expects us to be able to say yes you can talk to finance committee about this particular budget and we've approved it for them to go to
them and we can talk about it more more in in depth at another time, but I just kind of wanted to put it out there is that I think that there's a way that we can I I think uh value everyone's time a little bit more effectively to and I think having a little bit more of a collaborative process for at least part
of that day I think would be >> could be beneficial for everybody. >> Sure. And that's all I have for updates. I talked too much warrants. Talk to Frank. All right. So, we had had two warrants since we last
met signed. Uh the 1st, November the 24th, 2025, 2,82,9609. December 1st, 2,266,000. Uh, excuse me. 2,266,41.98. >> Okay, >> that's our warrants. >> Any questions about warrants?
>> None. >> Negative. >> Okay. Uh, comments from the town manager. >> Sure. So, I try to give you let you guys go first because I realize I'm getting through this and then you guys have to rush to uh get yours in. So, we'll try that out from now on. Um, okay. Uh again, just want to
congratulate uh the 20 25 recipients of the humanitarian awards, Walter McGrath, Kathy McKenna, and Don During Hammond. Uh the recording of uh tonight's award ceremony will be available on HCAT for those who uh want
to rewatch it. So keep an eye out for >> Is it the hub now? >> Oh, excuse me. I apologize. It is the hub. Thank you. Uh that will be reflected in my review that you just heard reference. Um, okay. So, uh, the town was recently notified by Mass Housing that the
proposed residential development project at 194 Land Street is indeed eligible to move through the 40B process. The full eligibility letter for Mass Housing can be found on the town's website. The website has a link on the homepage dedicated to this project. Additional
information will be uploaded as it is available. The zoning board of appeals has no scheduled meetings on this project scheduled yet, but they are expected to begin in February or March of 2026. Any questions on that before we go ahead? Okay. Uh, a couple or a few other
town projects to provide updates on. Uh, so I'll run through Goodwill Park, Norfick Street infrastructure work, and the downtown sewer project. Uh so for Goodwill Park, the revitalization addition to and addition, excuse me, to the existing uh stone structure that's
uh on the campus is expected to be completed, including with mini splits, lighting, and and interior electric work sometime next week. At that time, the pavers as well as the benches, uh including uh the Timothy O'Connell memorial bench will be set, and the flag
pole for the memorial will be in place. The site will then be demobilized at that point until March when weather allows for the delivery and installation of the prefabed uh bathroom unit. Once this is delivered and installed, the contractors will have a three or four three to four week window for the
exterior finish of that unit as well as the remaining pave pavers. At that time, the finishing touches will be put on the granite um and the the rest of the planters will be put on around the site. So, that project is coming along quite nicely. Many thanks to the parks and
recck team and uh James Keith of course uh for leading up that project. Uh for Norfick Street uh water main replacements are expected to finish by the end of this calendar year. So that's obviously rapidly approaching. Um the water man trench that uh was dug will be
paved to be flush to the rest of the grade the grade of the road. Um and so as that trench settles um any of that settlement will be addressed in the spring uh unless it is obviously an immediate hazard. Um we the the the
trench that is uh dug for the water and then excuse me that is dug for the u new infrastructure and then settles this settlement is totally normal. Um but again unless it's an immediate hazard we'll wait till spring to address it. Um at that point the final layer of
pavement will be applied. Uh the gas infrastructure replacement uh which runs the the entire length of Norfick Street is expected to begin in early 2026, weather permitting, and uh will all be managed by the gas utility. Uh extension of the sidewalk infrastructure along
Norol is currently in design uh with no set start date for this work. The sewer commission, switching gears to the downtown sewer project, the sewer commission will meet this Thursday, December 11th, at 6 p.m. to discuss the next steps in utilizing the $1.5 million
grant. the town recently received for uh the initial infrastructure work needed to make sewers in the downtown a reality. While the commission has not yet discussed this, so I apologize for getting a little bit ahead of them. After curing uh excuse me with conferring with town council, I would anticipate sewer bylaws and the formal
creation of a sewer district uh to be an item on the May 2026 uh town meeting. Uh these and other uh updates will be available or are available, excuse me, on the town project section of the town's website. Any questions on any of those?
>> Just confirming I heard you correctly. The anticipation is this May's town meeting warrant will include potentially articles related to a sewer district and other bylaws. >> Yes. So, we need bylaws for the district itself and um included in those bylaws
would actually be a you know a map of sorts that would actually establish the formal district. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Uh as a reminder, the town hall digest is now live in an effort to increase awareness of what is going on in town hall. The town of Hollison has launched the town hall digest which contains
brief AI generated meeting summaries, lengthier meeting recaps which are also AI generated as well as upcoming dates, deadlines, and events for residents to be aware of. If you are interested in subscribing, please visit the town's website to create a notify me account. I
I did um I attended the CPC meeting the other night and I mentioned to them about the digest and they seemed interested to great um look at it and maybe potentially participate. Yeah, perfect. Yeah, so by the end of December, we have a couple more select board meetings under our belts to uh
sort of use as a pilot and then beginning of calendar year 26, hopefully we will uh strongly encourage others to join us. >> Yes. Um, a great way um, excuse me, a great community event to remind folks of. Uh, this week, this Wednesday, December 10th at 6 p.m., the Hollison
Youth and Family Services Department, the Hollison Drug and Alcohol Awareness Coalition, and the Hollison Police Department, and the SAFE Coalition, excuse me, will host a parent wellness and safety night at the Hollist High School Library. Please join town staff and others for an evening focused on
keeping Hollist teens safe and supported. Um, one other community quick update. With the weather getting colder, a reminder that the uh at the uh highway garage on Arch Street, a salt and sand mix is available for resident use. Again, that's at the highway garage on
Ark Street. That is the town manager update for December the 8th. The select world will meet again on December the 22nd. >> Any questions, comments of the update? >> Yeah. uh do we have like kind of numbers of
how many people are looking at the AI generated updates from the town? >> So last I checked there was about 220 uh subscribers. Um but I will double check that number tomorrow and see if it has grown. Our last one that we sent out
was the day after Thanksg or no the day before Thanksgiving and we'll send the next one out this coming Friday likely. >> Awesome. Thank you. >> Awesome. All right, moving on. Board business. We have a
consent agenda. Um, are both of you comfortable with keeping everything on the consent agenda? >> Yes. >> All right. I will take a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. >> So moved. >> Seconded.
>> All right. All those in favor? >> I >> I >> I. >> All right. The consent agenda has been approved. >> Check. Any other business? Tina? >> None tonight. >> David, >> none tonight. >> Frank, I have none. >> I have no other business. Said it at
all. Um, so I will take a motion to adjourn at 8:45 p.m. >> So moved. >> Seconded. >> All right. Uh, all those in favor? >> I >> I >> I. >> We are adjourned at 8:45. Hollison, we will see you again on December 22nd.
Have a wonderful evening and stay warm.