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Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=C6vRro4syCM

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Good evening. I call the meeting to order. This meeting of the Hopkin Select Board is being held both in person and remotely using the video conference platform Zoom. All members are in meeting room today. All members participating in the meeting are present

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in the meeting room. The public has the option of attending in person here at town hall or via Zoom using the link posted in the meeting's agenda. This meeting is being recorded. First item on the agenda, pledge of allegiance.

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>> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America, to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. First uh we have the public

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forum and uh each person will have up to two minutes to speak at public forum and please start by stating your name and address. If there and u just a reminder we'll we have it for 15 minutes on our agenda and if there's more we would love

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to hear your voice but we would have to do that towards the end of the meeting when we'll open it up again. uh and please uh stay within the 2 minutes limit so you can give opportunity for the next person to speak on time. Uh with that is there anyone present in the

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room who would like to speak at the public forum? Uh almost the same. So please uh come on over. Yeah, please come on over. Uh grab a microphone and uh state your name and address. I'm uh Bill Hamilton,

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18 McNeel Circle in Hopkin. And uh you probably all know me as a retired I did 30 years in the fire department as an EMT. I've been retired 30 years and I write tales from a towny. But the things you thing you probably don't know is I'm a recovering alcoholic. I have been a

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active member of Alcoholics on for over 45 years. I am here to speak on the marijuana question and there are many hundreds of dual addicted people and al and drug addicts that come

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to AA meetings. Every single one I've ever heard marijuana was a gateway drug to bigger and better things. Uh, I I think I implore you in power to keep marijuana as far away from Hopkin

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as possible. It may have some things that are good, but I have seen over and over and over for 45 years, the damage and destruction it's done. Uh, it I I believe they uh made it legal because

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they could see the the tax money. Look at cigarettes. What happened? They get the tax money on that for 100 years. What's a pack of cigarettes cost now? Because they're treating people with lung cancer with the money, the taxes

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they're getting. The same thing is going to happen to marijuana. I believe so. I implore you to do all you can to keep marijuana as far away from Hopkin as possible. You might think I I'm a member of Alcoholics

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Anonymous. I give up my an anonymity to speak like this because if I can help one person get off of something, it's I' I've been successful. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Uh yes, please come on over.

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>> Thank you. >> [clears throat] >> Read Lascowski 15 learning drive Ashland. On August 5th, 2025, we handed you the truth. We brought you Sis Manis' 114page police report. We informed this board

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that your licensed business owner was a registered two sex offender. We uncovered that the town manager had skipped a required Corey. We showed you the law. We showed you that you had the authority and always will. On November

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4th, 91 days after our first visit, we asked why Bett never told you that Sis Manis had a court order restricting contact with minors at a business that you licensed. Why he never reported a conviction to this board. Three days

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later, Deputy Van Rotten told you that the HPD had zero discretion, that they were legally prohibited from bringing concerns forward, that we were a false narrative, that we didn't understand the law.

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What did you expect to happen when you had the police department investigate the police department? But on May 26, 2026, your own attorneys confirmed everything that we've been telling you. Every single thing that Van

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Rotten called a false narrative was confirmed in this room months later. We have been right since August 5th, 2025. The consequences of these actions have names. Amanda, Christina, Isabelle, and

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Lynn. Each one of them trusted that someone in authority was paying attention. Each one of them lived inside a system that had every tool, every law, every opportunity protect to protect them and they looked away. You're >> close to them, please. >> You have a choice tonight. Those women

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never had. Chief Bennett reports to you his years of silence while a convicted sex offender held a townissued license must be reported to the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission by you. History is watching. how you

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respond when the most vulnerable people in your community finally find the courage to tell the truth. Don't make them regret it this time. Listen, actually listen and do something. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. [clears throat]

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>> Anyone else uh in the room? Do we have anyone online? >> Um there are three on Zoom, but there are no hands raised. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. We'll move on to our next agenda which is the consent agenda. The select board will

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consider the following consent agenda. A parrot permit polyarts festival road closure. The select board will consider approving the period permit application submitted by Jin Bman on behalf of Hopkin Poly Arts and uh requesting the

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road closure of Marathon Way on September 12, 2026 from 7:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the Poly Arts Festival. We authorize minor repairs of Twin Island Road. The select board will consider approving the expenditure of an estimated $211.95

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on repairs to Twin Island Road, a private way pursuant to general bylaws, chapter 174, section 6. The bylaw states that the board will review the DPW director's report and determine whether such repairs, reconstruction or

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improvements are required for the public health health or safety, the protection of the environment and the public convenience and necessity and if it if it so determines the select board may approve the project. C. Verizon easement. The board will consider

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granting a permanent easement to Verizon to place utilities for the Charleswood Elementary School at 147 Hayden Row pursuant to the vote under article 36 of the 2026 annual town meeting warrant. D new town employee the select board will

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consider confirming the town manager's appointment of Katrina Des de Roes. I apologize if I butchered the name. We'll hear it again, I'm sure. as the deputy communications director in the public safety communications department. E

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Carbon Restaurant, Inc. uh license amendment request. The select board will consider a request from Carbon Restaurant, Inc. to amend their 2026 section 12 all alcohol, common victual, and entertainment licenses to allow them

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to operate on Sunday, June 28, 2026. The current licenses do not include Sunday hours. FGLC 268A disclosure form review and approval of 20B exemptions. The select board will

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review GLC 268A disclosure forms and consider approving 20B exemptions to allow the hiring of the following municipal employees of the school department who seek to provide personal services to a municipal agency

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parks and recreation department for season seasonal summer sports clinics. Cameron Gallagher, basketball clinic coach. Cheney Goddit, basketball clinic coach. John Golden, basketball clinic coach. Michael Greyber, basketball

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clinic coach. Michael Greco, basketball clinic coach. Basketball clinic assistant director. Thomas Kin, basketball clinic program director. Kelly Corby, basketball clinic coach. Mika Puchi, basketball clinic

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coach. Gregory Romano, basketball clinic coach. Mark Sanburn, football clinic program director. Mike Webb, football clinic coach. >> So moved. >> I'll second that. >> Thank you. Any discussions? I'll just

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take a second. Ela, if you want to speak. Um the pronunciation of the new employee correctly. >> I believe it's D. Ro. >> Thank you. Um we'll go for roll call vote. Uh Mr. Dush. >> Amy. Yes. >> Shulman. Yes.

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>> Brian her. Yes. And >> um if we don't have anyone remote, we probably don't have to do roll call, right? That's correct. >> Okay. >> Unless they join. >> Doesn't hurt. >> I don't have to. >> Good. Thank you. Thanks for >> That's a who's who of Hopkins Athletics

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right there. Let me >> All right. Yeah, that's great. Next item on the agenda, Marijuana Products Delivery Waiver. The select board will review and consider requesting a waiver from a new statute

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which allows the cannabis control commission to issue licenses statewide for the delivery of marijuana or marijuana products to consumers. Hopington is a municipality that does not authorize retail marijuana establishment licenses and therefore may

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request a waiver from the cannabis control commission. A waiver would be valid for up to two years and may be extended in two-year increments by the commission upon request by the town. I believe we have our board of health

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uh director here. Do we want to start with that? And in the meantime, Ela, do you want to add anything to the context? >> Just referring to the materials in the packet from other uh interested parties with their recommendations and thoughts. >> Thank you. just take it right.

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>> Thank you for having us. Um speaking on behalf of health department and youth and families. Um so I think it's this whole issue can be broken down into roughly four general reasons why we

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should vote to have the town manager proceed with the waiver request. Um, first off, as you said, Hopington is one of the 91 communities in Mass to vote um against the legalization of marijuana. A

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vote not to direct the town manager to request a waiver would contradict um the will of the residents um in two 2016. Um we believe that that will um stands

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today. Um the uh we believe that delivery to Hopkin would provide easier access to youth. We uh believe that um

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that delivery would help normalize use of marijuana products in the town. And that's again contra contrary to the work that the health department and youth and families and hop are involved in right now.

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Um the youth and families, our youth and families in HOP have gone and done a lot of work to um to be awarded the drug-free communities grant and a uh allowing the delivery of

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marijuana to the community would run counter to all of the hard work that um Youth and Family Services, HOP, and the Health Department have done over the last few years. Um, from a public safety standpoint, um, driving it under the

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influence is a a concern of the health departments. Um there are enforcement challenges that um I don't know that the police department is prepared and I don't know that the Commonwealth is actually prepared to um

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deal with increased consumption and the law enforcement issues that could come from um um drugged driving and etc. Um we believe that um we should preserve local

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control that um bypassing the community will um consistent with vote from 2016 um would uh not be honored if we were to vote to

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allow marijuana delivery to the town. um we don't believe that there's any economic benefit to the town to allow marijuana delivery. And then um and finally um from a zoning and community

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character standpoint. Um you know, we we've done a lot to really build up and and kind of honor the the town. Um, we're, you know, as John Cino used to say to me, I want Hopkin to stand

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bright, um, throughout, you know, across the Commonwealth. And I believe that allowing access, um, to Hopkin would really, um, would take away from the suburban and rural appeal

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and the fabric of that really makes Hopkin what it is today. >> Thank you. Thank you for the recommendation and for the insights. Um, we'll discuss this as a board. I'll start with Mr. Her. >> Thank you. Uh, Sean, you mentioned 2016, I think a couple of times. Did I hear

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that correct? Is that when we passed the law or we did not go the route of allowing found dispensaries and everything in town? >> Was 10 years ago? Really? Like I thought it was like yesterday. >> Yeah. No, I I was I did quite a bit of research on this over the last few days. >> Yeah, I was here and we went through all

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that. Um, yeah, I I I completely agree. I think the town spoke then. Uh I haven't heard any changes in the town's, you know, disposition on the matter over the years at the general will level, meaning the broad community. There's people I know that support it for various reasons, but I think the

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community as a whole does not and I would be opposed to it. >> No. >> Thank you. >> Or whatever the vote's going to be. I'm >> being wreck. >> Yeah. >> Amy. >> Yeah. Um, I agree that we should go ahead and submit the two-year waiver

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request because that's allowed by law and we've got a lot of letters about that and information. I do want to clarify though that someone who needed to medical marijuana, this doesn't apply to medical marijuana, right? Because they would want someone who had disability would prevent them from driving maybe. >> True. And that was something that was discussed by the board um over the last

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two um meetings. And it's our understanding that that will not impact it. Um and and you know, one of the other things that came up during our meeting was that this the waiver request does not prohibit um residents from

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going >> right other towns >> to other towns to purchase it and consume it um at home. So, we just >> I think I appreciate the information. I just wanted to have the question about medical. I I agree we should apply for the two-year waiver since we're allowed.

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>> Thank you. And um I would also agree that we should um extend the waiver and I think um as mentioned our town has uh again and again demonstrated the sentiment and willingness to do uh restrict marijuana in various um various

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fronts and it's been 10 years for sure but I think we are still in favor of um as a town what I hear waving uh for two years. So with that, um, Ela, do you want to add anything to it? >> No, I totally agree. Uh, the town did

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speak in 2016 and it would kind of circumvent that. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move to submit a two-year two-year waiver request on the delivery of marijuana products to the Cannabis Control Commission. >> Second. >> Thank you. We have a motion and a second. Uh, we'll take a voice vote. All

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those in favor? >> I >> I Any hearing? None. The motion passes. Thank you, Sean. I appreciate it. >> Thanks, Sean. >> Our next item on the agenda, municipal bond anticipation notes approval and

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bond issuance approval. The select board will consider approving short-term B and long-term bond financing to support 117,277,500 approved for capital projects.

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Uh we have our town CFO and um senior finance officials. Do you want to get started? >> Sure. >> All right. So uh you have two separate memos here. Um one is for the bond, one's for the ban. They're the same thing that we presented uh two weeks

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ago. Um just with the addition of what the results were. Um so for the ban, uh it's complete obviously. Uh we received seven bids. The lowest bidder was Bank of America Securities. Uh the net interest rate received is

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2.668%. That includes a premium $563,000 roughly. Um so that's really good. Uh we were very happy with that. That was that even our financial adviserss were not expecting to see that low. Um so we

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don't know if we just hit the market on a really good day. U that's kind of how the market has been lately. So did really well with that. Um and then for the bond, u bonds are always a bit higher because it's a long-term 30-year commitment, right? Um so we received

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eight bids for that. The lowest bidder was Morgan and Stanley Co. Uh net interest rate we received is 3.882% um with a premium of a little over $2.1 million. >> Thank you. And um do you want to add

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anything? >> Oh, no. Okay, open up for questions. Uh, Miss Rita Bush. >> Um, I don't think I really have anything. These are all things we've voted on and this is just the process that we need to uh borrow the money. Um, and both the long-term and short term.

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So, um, everything seems to be in order. >> Thank you, Mr. >> I think they're great rates. I think those are some of the lowest rates we've seen actually. >> Yeah. Really? >> Yeah. >> Over the years, which is surprising in this economy right now or this environment. Maybe >> we were lucky to be the only ones in the

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market that day. >> Yeah. >> So, it was a good day. >> Yeah. Yeah, that was a really good day. So, well done. I'm all set. >> Yeah. The same. Well done. And u happy to hear the rates. So, with that, I >> Yeah, I do Bank of America stuff and I don't get those rates.

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Oh, >> forget it. [laughter] >> It's not the same kind of money, I guess. >> 30 year for what? 3.62. That's amazing. So, there's a very long vote that you guys have to take that you should have a copy of. >> Yeah. Who wants to read that? >> Okay.

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>> We have a volunteer. I can I can Yep. Mr. Harsh. >> I did not volunteer for that. I can do it, I guess. Uh, municipal bond. Okay. So, well, I don't >> we have to read all two pages.

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>> Why can't we just read this out of the document like we do at town meeting? What do we have to read this whole thing for? >> It's a legality bond council wants on record. >> Okay. Uh, I move that we hereby determine in accordance with general

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laws chapter 70B that the cost to design, construct, and furnish the new Elwood Elementary School authorized by a vote of the town passed on November 13, 2023, article 1, being financed with proceeds of a portion of the notes defined below, together with all other bonds and notes of the town previously issued to pay cost of this project, does

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not exceed the portion of the total cost of the project that is not being paid by the school facilities grant. and we hereby approve the issuance of notes and bonds to finance this project under general law chapter 70B. Further, we move that the sale of this $47,610

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of general obligation municipal purpose loan to of 2026 bonds of the town dated June 8th, 2026. the bonds to Morgan Stanley and Company LLC at the price of 49,794,000 49,794,6343

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and acred interest if any is hereby approved and confirmed. The bonds shall be payable on June 1 of the years and in the principal amounts and bear interest at the respective rates as follows. >> Seriously, all this >> I don't think you have to read the

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specific numbers. Okay. So, in my motion, it is the table listed in the in the uh motions document published this evening. Okay. Further, we move that the bonds maturing on June 1st, 2024, June

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1, 2020 to 2020 2048 and June 1, 201, each a term bond shall be subject to mandatory redemption or mature as follows. Term bond one due January 1, 2024, 2044. The date is June 1, 2043. The principal

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amount is $1,870,000. Uh the second one is June 1, 2044. At maturity, the principal amount is $1,870,000. The term bond due June 1st, 2048. The date is June 1, 2046. The principal

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amount is a,870. $1,870,000. Uh the June 1, 2047, the bount amount is principal amount is $1,870,000. and the June 1 248 which is the maturity is $1,865,000.

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term bond due June 1st, 201. The date is June 1, 2049. The principal amount is $1,865,000. June 1, 2050 uh date. And the principal amount is $1,865,000.

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That was June 1, 2050 if I got that correct. And then finally, the June 1, 201, which is the final maturity, is $1,865,000. Are you good with the motion so far? You guys good with the motion so far? I think if I missed any of them or do you want

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>> And now Ms. Rear Bush is going to take over further. [laughter] >> Okay. Further voted to approve the sale of 67,6675,500 3.5% general obligation bond anticipation note of the town dated June 8th, 2026 and payable June 8, 2027. the

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notes of to Boston America Securities Inc. at par and agreed interest if any plus a premium of 562,993.60 further voted that in connection with the marketing and sale of the bonds the preparation and distribution of a notice of sale and preliminary official statement dated May 12th, 2026 and a

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final official statement dated May 19th, 2026. The bond official statement each in such form may be approved by the town treasurer be and hereby are ratified confirmed approved and adopted. Further voted that in connection with the marketing and sale of the notes the preparation of distribution of a notice

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of sale and preliminary official statement dated May 12th, 2026 and a final official statement dated May 19th, 2026. The note official statement each in such form as may be approved by the town treasurer be and hereby are ratified, confirmed, approved and adopted. Further voted that the bond

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shall be subject to redemption at the option of the town upon such terms and conditions as are set for forth in the bond official statement. further voted that the town treasur and the select board be and hereby are authorized to execute and deliver continuing and significant events disclosure disclosures undertakings in compliance

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with SEC rule 15C2-12 in such forms as may be approved by bond council to the town which undertakings shall be incorporated by reference in the bonds and notes as applicable for the benefit of the holders of the notes and bonds from time to time further voted that we authorize and direct the

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town treasur to establish postisssuance federal tax compliance procedures and continuing disclosure procedures in such forms as the town treasur and bond council deem sufficient or if such procedures are currently in place to review and update said procedures in order to monitor and maintain the tax status of the bonds and notes and to

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comply with relevant securities laws. Further voted that any certificates or documents relating to the bonds and the notes collectively the documents may be executed in several counterparts each each of which shall be regarded as an original and all of which shall constitute one in the same document. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a

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signature page to a document by electronic mail in a PDF file or by other electronic transmission shall be as effective as the delivery of a manually executed counterpart signature page to the document. And electronic signatures on any of the documents shall be deemed original sign signatures for

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the purposes of the document and all matters relating here to there too having the same legal effect as original signatures. further voted that each member of the select board, the town clerk, and the town treasurer be and hereby are authorized to take any and all such actions and execute and deliver

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such certificates, receipts, and other documents as may be determined voted. We hereby deter Oh, no, that's it. Three. Is there one more? >> Two more less. >> Two more lines. >> One to be determined by them and any of them to be necessary or convenient to

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carry into effect the provisions of the foregoing notes vote. >> Thank you, Mr. Her and Mr. Miss Rabush, nicely done. I'll second that. And we'll go for a voice vote. All those are in favor say I. >> I. >> I.

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>> Any naysay? Hearing none. The motion passes. Thank you both. >> Now you have your fund signature pages. It's fine too. >> Our next agenda item. Do we have to wait till >> uh we don't have to, but I don't know if everyone is here. Not everyone is here

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yet for >> everyone's here. >> Water and sewer. >> Okay. Thank you >> for the water rates. >> Yeah. No one. We're still waiting for >> it's not a hearing, right? One session. >> The next agenda item is fiscal year 2027 water and sewer rates review. The select

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board will receive an update on water and sewer rates for fiscal year 2027 ahead of the June 16, 2026 water and sewer rate setting public meeting. Uh we have our DPW director and the chair of the advisory board.

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>> We're waiting for Matt Abrahams. >> Yeah, we're waiting for >> consultant is not here yet. >> Oh. >> Oh, okay. So >> Oh, there's some people on Zoom. Who Who are we waiting? Matt Abrahams. >> No. >> So, we should wait or >> four people with their names begin with

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M. So, but not >> we'll need to wait. Okay. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Let me go public hearing. >> Can we do poly arts? I mean that's a hearing. So we have to wait till wait for the seven. Okay.

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>> Do the private ways right? >> Private ways. That's >> public hearing as >> that's not a public hearing is it >> just discussion. >> Oh it's just discussion then that's good. Uh let's move on to the other agenda next agenda item and we'll come

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back to this uh which is private ways discussion. The select board will consider discussing with the public topics pertaining to unacceptable streets private ways including town policy requirements for acceptance, the street acceptance process and pathways

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to street acceptance. So this is related to uh the recent town board on Oscillo drive and we are considering the discussion because there are several other um situations like this where we have private ways that did

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not qualify through the planning board and uh to be accepted by the town. So we wanted to discuss how to solve this problem what everyone's perspective are and uh if there is a policy or strategy that we want to adopt for future. Ela do

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you want to add more to the context? >> I just wanted to highlight um in uh my memo in the packet um indicated that there are 234 public ways uh in the community. There's at least uh 26 ancient ways perhaps more and 56 private

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ways. um some of which may also be ancient ways uh as well. Um there are uh different categories of private ways. Uh some uh existed prior to the adoption of subdivision control in 1954.

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Um and of those um there are 38 that were um created after that by the planning board process which came into effect in 1954. And about 25 of those have planning board restrictions that bar acceptance at this time.

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Um there are also u many uh named common driveways, condominium roads, uh apartment complex roads which are named for public safety but are not streets even though they're on our street list. So I just wanted to highlight those numbers. So the actual number of uh

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streets that are private ways that could be accepted tomorrow may be uh you know anywhere between 10 and 20 um and perhaps more if the planning board removed restrictions on on others.

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>> Thank you. U do we we mentioned discussing with the public so do we open it for public? >> Yes. >> Comment can I speak to that please? that that confuses me from a procedural perspective. Like we have public meetings where we do the meeting in

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public, but it's not a public meeting, meaning the public chimes in. We're just doing the meeting in public. We have public comment during the public meeting, but that's at our discretion. We do it anyway. Then we have public hearings where by law the public gets to be heard. This is kind of somewhere in

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between that. It's a little bit odd in terms of the agenda and the posting of it um out there and I don't want to set a precedent that every time somebody has an idea they want to talk about and it's not a public hearing they're going to come in and talk about it like that that's just going to open up a can of

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worms I think so how do we manage that >> so it's at the discretion of the chair as to whether to seek public comment uh during an agenda item >> okay >> Mr. any comments? >> Well, what was the intention with placing it on the agenda this way? The

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>> um I I think from the last meeting um our previous chair already had it scheduled and we wanted to bring it up and there were uh communications that public also wanted to participate and talk about it. So, we wanted to hear their voice as well and then as a group

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decide or discuss not decide yeah >> and how we want to approach it. I I understand your concern. >> Yeah. I was just asking because the way I agree with Brian that it's weirded in a way. We don't usually word it this way. We either do a hearing or we do um just our topic. >> We just delete it. We we we deliberate

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it. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I'm okay with having this conversation this evening, but I want to be on the record and be very clear that going forward when we set our agendas, I think it's important that we have public hearings and we have discussion topics and that's it. There's no the public's

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going to chime in on this one because I kind of like that idea thing, you know, because it's just not going to be the right way to run a public meeting which is different than a public hearing, right? I'm not saying anyone did just it's a little confusing, that's all. So, >> no, you know, it's not a big deal

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>> in this case because it followed on discussion at town meeting. The board wanted to kind of continue that discussion a little bit, >> right? So, let's call it a public hearing next time. That's all. >> Okay. Thank you. I [snorts] appreciate that. And it is true. We as a board did wanted to discuss this. So I think we are all on the same page but also Mr.

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Har's point and Miss Rita Bush's points are noted and we'll um you know remember it for the next rounds how we best can approach it. >> So so that done >> yes you have some questions >> now I have some ideas and things I want to share. Um, okay. So, we have a

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process that is largely guided by the planning board for street acceptances, road acceptances and the like. Is that fair statement? >> Largely >> uh for roads that were created after 1954.

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>> Got it. So, roads prior to that fall in a different category. What is an ancient way, by the way? >> So, th those were created before subdivision control. >> Okay. Um and so older streets, old streets, they can be very old um or just within the last, you know, hundred

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years. Um and the pathway to acceptance for them, we have a couple of bylaws that that speak to that. And I mentioned that in the memo. There's um a uh provision where the residents can bring it forward with a plan uh and go to town

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meeting. Um and um there's also a procedure for the town to assess a betterment also if things need to be um be repaired or or elsewise for and otherwise uh for those roads um that are older. >> But for the most part it's a planning

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board process to get to town meeting and then town meeting makes its call and we go from there >> typically >> generally. Right. So, we're and in this case though, we're doing it a little bit different because there's there's one road in particular that stirred up a little bit of angst uh in the community,

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right? I I mean, I I personally struggle with changing the rules because one road is causing such angst. Um I think that um there's some mitigating circumstances around that road and the participants and their roles in the community and all

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kinds of other things that we got to be careful with. I don't want to get this board embroiled in that [snorts] which could become a mess in terms of conflicts and things like that. So, I'm not really a big fan of changing the the the rules of the game while it's being

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played, especially in this particular circumstance. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Habush. >> Well, I really appreciate having this all written out because it's all they're all different possible circumstances different roads can have. Um I am curious about because I was a little

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worried so about so the some like the condos they're they always built with the intention typically that they're not going to get the plowing service and the trash removal and that that's in their um that's in their docu the planning board documents the way they were approved. And so I was a little worried that we didn't want to open up a can of

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worms where we'd all of a sudden having to be plowed plowing the condominiums which agreed at the beginning that they wouldn't get plowed. Um, let's see. But there's also post subdivision control private ways, 25 of which have planning board restrictions barring acceptance.

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Um, what sort of why would that be? Why wouldn't they have um so in I think probably all of those cases, the uh particular street for some reason um through that application process did not meet all of the designer construction standards at the time. And so, uh, the

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applicant requested a waiver and the board granted the waiver with the condition that it shall not become a public way. And, you know, it could be the the width, it could be that it's a dirt road, it could be uh there's no turnaround, it could be a number of things.

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>> Okay. But the problem is, you know, 30 years go by and the people who signed the waiver are not here anymore. Um, yep. Um then and so path so ancient ways have a path to acceptance it looks like.

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Um sometimes they pay a better the town does the work and they pay a betterment is uh the the town has that option. >> That's an option. Okay. Just like if you connected to water or sewer you have to pay the better betterment. Okay. Um let's see.

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And that there is an option of so we have not adopted this bylaw to remove snow on private ways but that could happen at a future town meeting. >> Correct. >> Okay. And if we did that would we have to remove the snow on all the private ways in town or we would have the discretion to remove it? >> I believe the board can adopt some standards.

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>> Okay. Because some roads are not really wide enough for the snow plows. Um okay. And so typically in the subdivision process, the developers are required to maintain their ways until they're brought up to the standard, the town can accept accept them. Sometimes the

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developers leave. Um so the option if the developer is absent um let's see what can you go over the two options if the developer is no longer uh so if a developer has abandoned a subdivision and the town hold a bond holds a bond then the

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planning board can pull that bond and complete the work and then when it's completed propose the street for acceptance. >> Okay. Um if if there is no bond then we are left with uh potentially an orphan street um that has no one to take care of it.

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>> Okay. >> And some sometimes that has happened right that if the work has been complete maybe the neighbors pay for the work and it's completed and then we can accept it or thankfully it's rare. >> It's rare but it does happen. Okay. >> All right. And then um I think I'm not

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sure if I see it in this memo, but I thought we talked about two in the town meeting discussion that we're only authorized to repair the ancient ways up to a small amount small dollar amount like $1,000. >> Uh so um right. So there is that bylaw that limits temporary repairs on private

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ways such as you voted earlier this evening. It's $1,000 a [clears throat] year >> uh for those. >> Okay. But with inflation that's not really very much. I think we discussed at the when we talked about town meeting that maybe that could be something that we could consider increasing. >> I believe the board recommended 10,000

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>> 10,000. So at a future town meeting we could propose that. Okay. >> All right. I don't I don't think any qu I have any other questions but I really appreciate having it all written out because if we get questions from residents we can show them this >> also.

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>> I think so. Yeah, >> I don't have a lot to add but I do think that you know this is something I agree with Mr. heard that we cannot have a precedence just for one exception. But and the town also spoke on it. But

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having said that, it is also mindboggling that this is a recurring problem and um we have about 25 streets in this category. So that means the residents in these 25 street vicinity are suffering one way or another and um

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as a town what can we do about that um now or in future is something we probably want [laughter] to explore and that's kind of part of the discussion I I assume and I'd like to have um planning board and us and other related

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advisors kind of get their hands together as to two things. One is how can we prevent this going forward? Is it that the builders are not um keeping up to their promises and we don't have an oversight enough to go back to them or

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keep hold them responsible for what their commitment was originally. And second is if uh for the ones that are already uh kind of bridge water are under the bridge and have already been suffering is there any alternative way

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or again case by case basis that we can do something uh again I would just open it up that it is probably we something we as a town may need to consider um for long term. So with that, I wanted to uh

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also check how do we want to open it up. Do we need to vote for any public comments or interactions or how do you want to do? >> I don't think we need to vote at this point. I think it's fine just to engage people that want to speak to it. Um but

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>> you might want to set a time limit if >> Yeah, we're going to >> Yeah, we got some other stuff we got to do obviously, but I I would just say one thing before we go that and that's fine to do. Um, I think I, you know, we can facilitate a plan a joint plan meeting with the planning board to try and talk about the topic in general. That's probably a good idea, uh, to help kind

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of move it along, but I still think that the planning board ultimately is the one that needs to kind of sort through this and bring it to town meeting, whatever they want to do. >> I will note the planning board chair is on Zoom, but they don't have their hand raised at the moment. Just I don't know if they're wanting to comment later. >> Yep. >> First, let's um before actually we

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>> have his hand raised now. >> He does. Okay. Um, Mr. chair from planning board. Do you want to speak up? >> He's live. >> Uh Matt, we can't hear you. >> Yes. >> Okay. My audio went really quiet, so

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hopefully it's not an issue. Um just a couple of notes. I think one of our questions would be it that we'd look for for the select board is how we would work this into the budget if we had more roads uh that needed to be accepted. And

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um my understanding from the notes that we received in our packet is that for some of the subdivisions, it was policy of the town um of the planning board or I'm not sure where it came from for a period of time to always include the provision that uh roads that were part of the subdivisions weren't going to be

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accepted. And I think that's what Ociello had fallen under um as just one example. And so, um, I not I'm not sure where that policy came from at the time, but I believe that's why some of these roads have that provision still, whereas

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other ones, as Mr. Rush mentioned, are related to um just the nature of the streets, not intending to be private or not intending to be public by the uh developers such as for condominions or smaller roads that wouldn't meet

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standards. >> Thank you. Uh any questions for planning board chair? We'll be having. All right. Thank you, man. Thanks. >> Uh we would we'd like to hear from the public if anyone wants to make any

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comment or uh add anything to the topic. We limit it to two minutes. Are we allowed to talk or does this just we talk at you? I >> think this one can be interactive. But is that correct? >> Did you really? >> That's fine.

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>> Okay. Uh Parker had three yellow drive. Uh so really the question is on uh so well a couple things. um Echo Brook Lane, Erin's Way, KB Road, Maple Avenue,

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portions of Montana, um Nebraska Street, Pine Island Road, Newberry Street, Oiello Drive, Reservoir Road among others. So it's not one just so we're all operating under the same um set of facts and uh so there are many folks

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that have like lost critical services that otherwise would have you know maintained or I think it becomes a safety issue of why we should be thinking about this. Um Brian if I step down on all my positions does that change your mind at all >> if [snorts] you what >> if I step down from all my positions is

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that make it less tenuous or is that is there any is that the only thing holding you back or >> I didn't Yeah, I think that's for you to decide what you need to do there, but I'll leave it at that. >> Okay. >> Um because I think this is a question of fairness really and folks, you know, are

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hurting. There's 84 year old, you know, people on fixed incomes that don't uh you didn't budget for, you know, additional services that I think have been, you know, hurting and I've heard of in the community. as well. The bylaw adjustment I think would help uh

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mitigate paperwork issues like having to go with Twin Island Road and you know ask for you know permission to do you know critical repairs. So, um, it becomes like a bigger, uh, you know, issue of fairness. And I think two, it's like I bought a house and didn't know it was on a private road. Like all, all we

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want is our piling back. That's it. Um, and so we're hoping to find an effectuate change for that. But, uh, it's just kind of a bummer like just, you know, try to do a citizen petition and get told, you know, you should come and find a champion at a board and then go to the board and now the board's, you saying like, you know, tough tough

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stuff. So, but, uh, anyway, um, that's just my, you know, position. just hoping we can, you know, find a way forward for not just the road I happen to live on, but all the other ones they listed, too. >> Mr. Chair, I I think you make some really good points and I agree that there's a lot of roads where we probably should try to address this and try to

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fix this, but this is not the board that's going to do that in my opinion. I think it's the planning board and then there's some other challenges that come with that because of your role in the whole thing. So, that's just something you have to sort out. I would encourage you to reach out to people that you want to talk to to get advice on that. uh the town manager's office and town council

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maybe could help you there. But I think the concept of getting these streets resolved and try to figure it out some. I'm all for that. I really am. Um but I again I think it's a planning board issue. I know maybe this is old ancient history, but I used to be on the

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planning board and uh so I know what the planning board does and the planning board has the authority to resolve this if they can find a way to make it happen. It's equitable for everybody. So yeah, I'm all for it. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Do you want to

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>> have any question? >> Um to Brian's point that we would have the role in the budgetary aspect of it if it if it would cost the town some money to accept some of these roads or to repair them. That would be f for us finding a way over time gradually. >> Yeah. My own parents, don't tell them I

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said this, but they are 84 years old and they live in the middle of Indianapolis um on three streets. They're, you know, a block from a sixlane road. Their whole neighborhood is three streets. that's been there since the 1940s, but they do not get um plowing. You know, that is just what it is. They So, their neighborhood, it's about 10 through

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streets. They get together and they they take up a collection for the plowing every year. And I I know that's hard and it's disappointing because some of these were getting plowing and now they're not anymore. But, but that that is the case sometimes that some roads don't get plowed. >> Thank you. Do we have anyone else from

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public here or online who wants to speak to this matter? There are a lot of people online but no hands raised. Conor, >> please come forward. >> Two minutes, please. >> Connor Degan, 48 Hill Crest Drive. I'm

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speaking as a private citizen. I just wanted to say that obviously this conversation that we've had over the past few months I think has dredged up a lot of concerns in the community among people who live on private ways as well as the neighbors who are adjacent to

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them. um conversations that we've had with among community leaders I think has shown that it's at least a problem worth looking at and I think one of the best methods that we could do to at least address the issue of the safety concerns

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around snow removal would be to look at potentially accepting chapter 40 section 6C of the general laws. It would require a ballot initiative, but it would still be worth at least looking into and that would give true voice to the voters

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whether or not they wanted to accept the burden of that. Now, that does allow you to have private ways plowed, but it doesn't necessarily say you have to plow every single private way. You could still set policies and methods of how

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you actually govern that like Elaine had mentioned where you have the ability to say uh that certain specifications will be allowed to be plowed because there's no risk of it damaging town equipment, things like that, or the cost of the

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town is lower. But, you know, it's just something that might be worth looking into. Thank you. >> Thank you, Connor. Uh, anyone else? >> That sounds like it could be an avenue that gives everybody a shot at it. We

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would figure out the general will of the community is going that route. You know, be a possibility. >> Okay. >> Amy, anything else? >> No. >> Yeah, I think that Thank you for sharing that idea. we can certainly explore and

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uh but I >> so >> but we are just having a conversation right so >> so so Carrie if we could have you as part of the conversation for a quick second I'm just looking for a swag here which is a scientific wild whatever guess um what would the budget what would be the budget implication if all

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the roads that were currently not public ways came into the fold uh from a maintenance and safety and upkeep perspective if you could just roughly what is that is five grand, 100 grand, $10 million. What would that be? >> Um, obviously I don't have the numbers

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in front of me here. Uh, so if a road is accepted as a public road, then we would typically give them all the services including, um, so not just plowing, but uh, salting, uh, pothole repairs, any kind of maintenance repairs, drainage would come

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with the road. So, anything that had to do with the operation, maintenance of that, repaving, any of that. So, it's not just one service. It would be all those. Um the way our trash and recycling curbside program and contractors rent right now, Eel Harvey takes on um some liability. So, they'll

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go on private roads, but if their vehicles are damaged in that part, then the road owner would be responsible for any damage, but they are willing to provide curbside services for any dwelling that has a certificate of occupancy. Um and then the last thing that I can think of would be like school

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bus stops. So, you know, school buses typically don't go down private roads. They'll go on public roads. So, if you change something, you might have that. But, um, in general, the costs um, so I think, do you have it off the top of your head? I don't I can't get my

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Wi-Fi service here. Um, I think we said $12,000 a mile for snow and ice services for this past winter. >> Okay. >> Um, which was a blizzard. And then in a typical year for snow and ice, it's around $7,8,000 per mile. Um that's just

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>> snow cheap side. So 8,000. How many miles are we talking about roughly? >> Um I believe the private memo with the private ways had how many miles of private ways? 25 >> 25 miles.

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>> So $200,000 >> just for Sonos, right? That doesn't include any kind of repairs, repaving, which is obviously much more expensive. >> So 200 200 grand is not going to break the bank. We would have to figure it out because it's another 200 grand we'd have to figure out, but it would not break the bank.

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>> Okay. I just want to get a feel for what we're talking about. Thanks. >> Thank you. That was good discussion. And a follow-up quick question that uh done in my mind. Is there any way we could use CPC funding for this uh type of remediation?

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>> No. doesn't qualify. >> All right, but just wanted to say all right, I think we have discussed and thanks for all the insights and comments. Um, we will need to noodle on that and uh no action at this time. Of

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course, no vote. So, we'll move on to our next agenda and actually do we have the water and sewer everyone? Okay, we'll go back to our u fiscal year 2027 water and sewer rates review. Is there somebody that can pull up the

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slides? I'm pointing as if there's somebody here. >> Oh, well, Ben Ben's on Zoom, so >> Ben's on Zoom. So, I think the slideshow start at likeund uh page 105 in the agenda packet. If you can pull that up, that would be wonderful. >> Oh, thank you.

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105 you said >> correct >> on the PDF. >> All right. >> Good evening. >> Uh please get started. We will take a pause at 7:00 because we have to open the public hearing but then we can resume afterwards. But please start now.

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>> Okay. >> Okay. Uh good evening. Uh my name is Matt Abrahams from the Abrahams Group. We're back uh for another year talking about water and sewer rates. We have completed for the town our water and sewer rate study analysis. And the results of the analysis um

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we'll talk about that tonight. But a report related to it was part of your packet and the slides that we're going to cover this evening is kind of a highle overview of the analysis and of the report. Uh we can get into more details if you would like, but it's definitely a higher level overview than

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what was in the packet. [snorts] Okay, so we're starting with water. Um so for retain earrings with water, very healthy right now. If we were to look at the balance, it's as high as it's been in quite some time, but as recently as two years ago, the last if

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we go back two certifications, it was a very low balance. It was about $200,000. And um there wasn't actually enough available retained earnings to cover the capital plan in that year. there was some uh tweaking that had to take place in order to get capital through including um some funding out of free

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cash that will be paid back over the next few years. So the water fund has come a long way in just a short period of time because retain earnings was really low um back just two years ago. But that was also part of the plan. So we've been looking longterm especially with the uh MWA connection in the near

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future presumably. So this was all part of the plan to build up retain earnings to help offset some of those larger expenses that are coming in the future. So those larger expenses are leading to a budget projection. We think the budget's going to triple over what it currently is over the next 5 years. And that was something that we talked about

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last year, but it's a little bit closer now than it was last year. Those large future expenses include, as we mentioned, the MWA, there are some very high construction costs related to that. Um, also once the town starts using water from the MWA, the MW does charge

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for that water and the water is expensive. So there's an annual assess assessment tied to that too. So there's both the construction piece and then what I call an operating piece when they start charging you for that water. In addition to the MWA stuff, there's also other capital improvements that are in

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the capital plan. And if we set aside the MW stuff for a second, we're still looking at $16 million of other things that are in the capital plan currently. This again this is water. The last part of this slide we talk about expense assumption changes. Really that's what has changed since we were before you

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last year and a decent amount has. Um some of those uh assumption changes are um for FY26. You may recall recently at recent town meeting there was a supplemental appropriation of $250,000 out of retained earnings. That was for FY26. That was not part of our analysis last

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year. Um last year at this time we were assuming that anything in the capital plan was to be borrowed because at the time there wasn't really available retain earnings to rely on. That has changed. So now that there are available retain earnings, we're assuming a lot more funding out of retain earnings than we did last year at this time. And why

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that's important is because if you think about the debt piece and how that's spread over many years, whereas with retained earnings, that's spent in the year that an item is purchased or a project is worked on. So a different um effect on annual expenses.

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Also two capital projects that we're carrying in the analysis. Those project costs have increased significantly since we were before you last year. And an an additional item was we took a look at some of the inflationary factors that we use annually in this analysis and some of them were not were on the low side.

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So we have adjusted that and that was by looking at recent actuals. So, for example, if we're looking at certain expense line items, we want to assume they went up 3% per year, but in actuality, they were going up greater than 5% per year. So, we bumped that up. What that means is future expenses are

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increasing at a higher clip than what we had in last year's analysis. I think we can move to the next slide. Okay. So, again, we're still talking about water. Um, we have before you a 10-year review. So the top table shows the rate changes over the past 10 years,

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including some very large ones in the recent past. Um the left graph compares revenues to expenses over the past 10 years that includes our projection for FY26, the current fiscal year. Orange is revenues.

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Gray is expenses. And you can see for the most part over a 10-year period, they were kind of waffling back and forth until recently when uh revenues have been very strong and that's led to the buildup of retain earnings that you see in the graph on the right. Now, in addition to the large rate increases,

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we've also come off of two very dry seasons as well. So, that's had an impact on water revenues because people um outdoor water usage presumably would be higher in those years. Next slide, please.

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This slide talks real quickly about um FY26, the current fiscal year, and also what we're looking at for the next fiscal year of FY27. For 26, we're projecting user charges up 16.9% over last year, but that's not the 25% that uh the rate increase was. So, it's a

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little bit lower than that. The reason why is because usage is down 5.4% from last year. expenses. We're projecting an additional expenses of $376,000, which is a 14% increase over last year. That 376 number does include the 250

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supplemental appropriation that we covered earlier. For FY27, $750,000 has recently been authorized out of retained earnings to fund capital. And in the budget, salaries are up 158,000

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over 26 and expenses up to 116,000. And so expenses in this case is everything that's part of the regular budget that's not salaries. And the table shows where we think 26 and 27 are going to be. And those are those are uh projected surpluses, well over a million dollars

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for both of those years. For 26, it has a lot to do with the rate increase. And with the weather patterns that we mentioned in 27, that's assuming no rate change. We're still projecting a pretty large surplus in FY27 with no rate change because at [snorts] this point revenues are outpacing expenses on the

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water side. >> Let's take a pause. Uh it's 7:00 and we have a public hearing to open. Uh so public hearing entertainment license application polyarts festival. Uh I would like to move to open the public hearing. Do I need a

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>> You can just open it. Thank you to >> Okay. So we are opening the public hearing now but we will continue on this discussion and come back to the topic of the public hearing later. Please continue. >> Keep going. Okay. Thank you. >> You need the next slide. Yeah. >> All right. We're still talking about

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water. Um so our baseline quote unquote do nothing scenario. What this is showing you if you were to do absolutely nothing over the years that's showing meaning no rate changes. This is where we think retained earnings would go. Now we have them depleting in this graph. So that's not a realistic scenario, but it does show you what we think would happen

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based on the current environment. Um, so this includes everything um, expense-wise in our analysis, includes absolutely everything, including everything tied to the capital plan, the MW impact, the assessment for the MWA impact, everything's here. The only thing that's missing would be

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revenue changes or rate changes, I should say. Um so you can see that starting in 28 we covered 27 already. 28 we're projecting a pretty large deficit with no action happening for 27 or for 28 and it just kind of grows from there.

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So 29 is when we first see the impact of debt tied to the MWA connection on the construction side and then 31 is the second phase of that where you see a big jump in the deficit in FY31. [snorts] Next slide, please. And rate options for

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your consideration. Um, as you know from probably past presentations, past analyses, uh, we do like to present a multi-year look when we're looking at this. Um, just because we don't want to isolate just that one year. We want the the board to see um,

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what the future years look like from a rate standpoint based on the action that takes place for FY27. So that's why we present a multi-year plan. Um we're this option one we're presenting a 15% increase for FY27. But with that continues into future years, we still

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believe that rate increases would need to be strong over the next 5 years in order to keep retained earnings above the target. So that's what the graph represents. The blue is projected retained earnings. The orange is the target. And you can see that the left part of that graph, that's where we

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currently are. Retained earnings are well above the target right now, but with the expenses that are coming, again, we talked about tripling of the budget, we do think that rate action along these lines would be necessary to keep retained earnings above the target by the fifth year in this analysis, which is FY31.

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And we always include um sample user impact when we show these so you can look at it from a dollars standpoint rather than a percent standpoint only. uh we focus on the average residential user which is the second row down. These are annual amounts. So 15% projects to

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be about a $97 increase to the average residential user for FY27. Option two, 10%. Um the rate table showing um greater increases in the subsequent years because if you did less now, presumably you'd have to do more

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later. Graph looks similar, although it dips down a little bit more um in the middle part. And for the average res residential user, you're looking about $65 annually with a 10%. And option three is 7% a little bit lower in the short term which would

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presumably mean greater amounts in the long term. Um and for FY27 that projects to be about a $45 $46 difference in the average residential users bill. And I think the slides now transition to

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sewer. So we can move to sewer or we could stop and talk about water. Mr. Chairman, >> should we talk about water briefly or >> I think we can talk about the water while we are fresh on this. Um, so we can start with >> I'm sorry, do I have to do something

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here? So, um, Elaine, maybe you can help me and Lance. Um, so I have contracts I'm pursuing with the MWRA. I have stayed away from all conversations around the MWRA here in Hopington uh over the last two and a half years since I came back on the board or two years since I came back on

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the board. given the makeup of the board this evening >> be the third >> and the question in front of us which is really nothing about whether we're going to do the MWR RA project or not. It's just are we going to balance the books with something out there that might be something called the MWR.

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I'm okay staying and voting because I don't think it's a vote on the NWR per se, but I want to make sure that I declare it, that it's on the record, and that my colleagues approve of me staying and deliberating. >> I don't think we're voting on the right

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tonight. Is that right? >> Not tonight. >> Yeah. >> So, >> even better point. >> Yeah. So, I am comfortable with you staying and listening and we're not >> I am too, I think. >> But thank you for the disclosure and it appreciate it. >> Yeah. I'm always hyper vigilant about that because of what I do. But okay.

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Well, if we're not voting, I I should have known that. That's great. But please make sure that's all on record. Thank you. Sorry. >> Let's continue. Thank you. >> Just while we have the options in front of us, I was just going to say for the water rate like that. I do think the first the option one where it's 15% a

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year is a little easier and more predictable for the residents despite nobody wants their water rate to go up. But I think 15% a year is predictable and easier to manage than if we do the, you know, the lowest one would be only 7% next year, but then the last three years of it would be 25%. So anyway, I'm

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just speaking in favor of a consistent rate if we can. >> Great. Anything else? >> No. Mr. >> Uh I I agree, Amy. It's just that that's n I think it was 95 and the next one down was 65, right?

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And I' I've had conversations with folks in the past about 20 here, $20 here and $20 there. But >> right, >> I hear what you're saying. So it probably does make sense. At least they can plan it a little bit better. But it is a it can be sticking a sticky point for some folks.

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>> Thank you, Mr. I agree as well. I think 15% makes sense. it'll be a predictable and expected and people can kind of get used to it and budget around it even though it's not a small amount unfortunately but it's better than you know spikes up and down. One thing I

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wanted to just ask is um given some of the other capital projects coming at us potentially and given some of the other MWR related discussions we are having could how would that change any of these scenarios? Do you have that perspective?

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>> How would it change? What? I'm sorry. Can you >> for example, for MWR, we we have to spend a significant uh capital amount. Should we choose to do that? Assuming we have certain capital uh expenses like that, how would that impact this revenue

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and retained earnings scenario? Is that going to >> Everything is included in this rate analysis. So we've provided all of the capital plans for the next 5 to 10 years which includes MWR as well as the 27

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borrowings. So Matt has in included that in his calculation already. >> Oh, I see. >> Yeah. So to Thank you. So to build off that, we were looking five years out at this point in this analysis and all of the MWA related expenses would be on the

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books at that point. So it's all included in the five years that we've presented to you tonight. So meaning all the debt related to the MWA connection as well as the first year of the assessment which we're projecting will happen in FY31 is part of this analysis. >> Thank you. That's great to hear. And by

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the way, the analysis is fantastic and I love the projections that you have. So just for the residents clear um understanding, how much have you accounted for MW in this calculation? 33. >> The construction costs you're referring to. >> Yeah. Overall capital,

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>> we're including it at 33 million right now, split into two phases of 16.5 million each. One starting in FY28 and one starting in FY30. >> Got it. So to be clear, including all of those, if we go with the 15% rate, we

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will be okay with the cost and uh revenue. Is that the right way to read it? >> Yes, that's accurate. But also each of the options would account for it just in different ways, >> right? >> Yes. >> But keep in mind it's with their current

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usage because that obviously fluctuates as well as using retained earnings for certain capital projects and not increasing our borrowing cost. There's a lot of >> whatifs >> in the analysis. >> No, understood. Thank you for clarifying. But I I honestly find it a

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little more relieving that um we have a scenario and that's practical and manageable in various aspects. So thank you for that. I don't have any other question any anything else? >> I just if we have excess retained earnings do we earn interest on them through a bond or okay so I think it

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makes sense to do >> should we go to the sewer rate study then? Thank you. >> Sure. >> So we have very similar slides for you for sewer. um we'll cover them now. So the overview on sewer retained earnings

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very healthy consistent in the recent past. Um now with town policy we're seeing large draws of retained earnings to fund capital for sewer. I think uh last year for FY26 it was 815,000 and

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now we're looking at 820,000 for next year. Um, for financial projections, um, there's a assessment that comes from Westboro every year for the flow that's sent over to Westboro from the town of Hopington. Um, that's been an expense that's been part of the sewer fund for

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quite some time, but there is an increase coming with that. They're doing some capital improvements over there. So, we have projected an increase starting in I think FY28 for that. Um otherwise the budget changes is not are not substantial past

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FY27. Not like water for for example pretty consistent. Um but however for sewer we've noticed that revenues are no longer keeping up. So it's a little bit different than water where revenues are well above expenses. It's kind of the opposite for sewer right now. Expense assumption changes from last year. There

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was $125,000 supplement appropriate appropriation out of retained earnings at recent town meeting. So again, we just talked about the 815, the 820, and if you add the 125 to that, that's quite a lot of retained earnings that have been authorized out of the sewer enterprise fund in the recent past. Um,

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in addition to that, every year we look at the capital plan and we decide what we think is going to be funded out of retained earnings versus what we think is going to be borrowed. And we made some changes to that this year. We're looking at about $900,000 out of retained earnings that we were not including last year, meaning we were

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assuming more borrowings last year. Now we're assuming more retain earnings in the future for capital. Um we talked about the inflationary factors on the water side. We did the same for sewer. So there were some changes there too. Next slide please.

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Same um tables and graphs that we saw for water just a little bit of a different look. Um the rate changes for sewer at the top. You may recall in the recent past there were two years of decreases as along with one year of no action last year meaning for the current

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fiscal year of FY26 there was a 10% increase. The graph on the left orange is revenues gray is expenses. For a long period of time in the middle part of that graph we're looking at revenues outpacing expenses by a good margin. But in the recent past expenses

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have caught up and revenues are not keeping up anymore. And you can kind of see the the retain earnings graph reflect that a building up of retain earnings when revenues were well above expenses and that's flipped and now retain earnings are somewhere around the target with our latest projection.

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Next slide. 26 and 27. Um for 26 we're projecting user charges up 8.2%. You may recall that 10% increase. It's kind of a similar story what we saw in this water slide. how even though there was an increase, the user charges revenue are

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not showing that it's going to be quite as high as that increase. And the reason why is because flow is down. We have it down as 3.7% on the commitments that go out in FY26. Projected expenses up 371,000 that's 12% over FY25. That includes 125,000 out of

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retained earnings. That was the supplemental appropriation recently. We talked about the 815 out of retained earnings. That was FYI 26. FYI 27 recent authorization of 820,000 out of retained earnings. Salaries up to 243,000 over 26 and

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expenses are up 140,000. The table shows where we think projections are going to end up for FY26 of just under deficit of about 6 $68,000. Uh for 27, this is without rate action, a deficit of about 373,000. So that does

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show you how revenues are no longer keeping up. Next slide. And this slide shows it too. So we have some large deficits in these years. And unfortunately unlike unlike water where

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the blue is above the orange to start, it's starting around the orange and then falling off pretty quick because of the large deficits in future years. And here are the rate options. Um now I want to be clear on this one because um

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there are retain earnings available such that you wouldn't necessarily need a 30% increase but um the town is starting to look at a new retain earnings policy sponsored by one of the select board members and this option is designed with

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that in mind. Okay. Okay. So that retain earnings policy if it were to be implemented maintains a minimum or suggests a minimum balance in retained earnings on an annual basis and therefore would drive rate increases in whatever years to make sure that that

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balance was maintained. With the recent large draws in retained earnings we talked about the 815, the 820 and the 125 supplemental appropriation. We're thinking that if you wanted to target that bal that minimum balance tied to the retain earnings policy, a

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retain earning I'm sorry, a rate increase around this uh amount would be necessary to do so. So that's why the 30% is here. You can see that the blue is right around the orange in the next fiscal year of FY27. That's the second year in on this graph.

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So that was why we we focused on this was to try and keep that policy in mind. But technically there are more retain earnings available such that you wouldn't necessarily have to go as high as 30%. So this option one has 30% in FY27 and you can see the years beyond

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that in the table on the left but it's a very large increase for the average residential user. One thing to keep in mind with sewer is that there aren't as many users as there are for water. So all water expenses get spread along among a larger user base for water. For

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sewer not as much. it's about maybe a third as much. Um so those um those expenses may see a bigger hit for that reason. So those users may see a bigger hit for that reason. So for the 30% FY27, this is an annual amount. We have

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it going up $280 if it if the 30% were to be approved. Option two, this is where you see the different options with, you know, playing with retain earnings, I guess, for FY27. Again, you have retainings that you could lean on a little bit more

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to keep the increase a little bit lower for FY27, but that just means that you might have to do more later. So, this is a 20% increase for FY27. The impact, annual impact on the average residential user, we're projecting to be about $186.

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And for option three is a 15%. And you can see that blue in the first year dipping down a little bit low. Um, but you do have the retain earnings to cover this. So that would be 15% year one. Presumably some higher increases in years two and three. And the impact on

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the average residential user FY27 would be $140 under 15%. And Mr. Chairman, those are all the slides we had for you this evening. So happy to take questions and comments. >> Thank you. Thank you again for the thorough analysis and the insights. I

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would start with Mr. Hair for the questions and comments. Um, not the same disclosure for this one, Elaine, because I don't think it's obviously directly tied, but it's indirectly tied to what may happen with the MWR. So, please put that on the record, and I will not be

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voting when the board does reconvene and does the rates themselves. U, but a couple of questions. Does the water sewer advisory board have an opinion on this one? There's some pretty big numbers there for that those increases to the to the to the rate. [cough and clears throat]

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Uh yes, we we um heard this presentation a few weeks ago and um our uh unanimous recommendation was uh the the first option. The the it is a significant

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increase. Um but I it's the way to build the or to maintain the retained earnings um balance. um at the level that the the proposed

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policy is stating. And I think that's important because we want the water and sewer um departments to be resilient. And um you know from our members backgrounds in

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in various aspects of water and wastewater operations, we know that things happen. Um, a lot of the assets are underground and you you have you don't know until it's too late and then you have you it's pretty it's pretty easy to have hundreds of thousands of

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dollars in unanticipated expenses. And what we don't want to do is to um you know make a policy that says we want these these um services to be resilient to those kinds of upsets and then say well

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actually on the first year uh that we're considering doing making this improvement to our resilience we're actually going to take a bet and we're going to uh you know we're going to let our retained earnings balance deplete. So for I think for that reason thinking

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of resilience that that was um uh I think what was behind our unanimous opting for the the 30%. And one other thing I would say is that um it's quite poss

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we we we weren't um as a board necessarily buying into the 5-year projection and we thought there might be opportunities depending on how things go in later years to moderate the increases because that blue you could bring that

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blue line closer down closer to the minimum but but not not hitting the minimum. So yeah, third the the the option one was our our recommendation. >> Thank you. Yeah, my limited involvement. I'll stop there. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Hush.

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>> So the option one for the sewer was also your recommendation to as well as the water. Sorry. >> Yeah, the the one I I was talking Yes, for both. Yes. >> Okay. Yeah, the um it just seems I mean it seems a lot to do 30% on tops of 15, but

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I understand the um maintaining the retained earnings, but we do have some saved retained earnings. Um yeah, I was leaning towards one of the other ones. It was a little more like the option two for sewer, but but you know, we're not voting tonight,

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so we can discuss next time. >> Thank you. I had a similar question. So if we are to go for option two or something like that where the blue goes below right in those scenarios how do we manage the budgets for those

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years is it something [clears throat] bring from the general fund or we are at deficit >> I can that so the policy states that we're trying to keep retained earnings at 10% of operating and 20% of capital

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expenditure So that's the minimum we're trying to maintain within retained earnings. Just because we go below the minimum doesn't mean we're going to operate at a deficit. It just means we're not going to operate according to our financial policy that we're trying to enter we're

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trying to enter into for enterprise. >> Thank you. That clarifies it. >> And we haven't voted that policy yet, right? It's just under discussion. Very good. Um, Krie, did you want to add

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anything to it? >> No. >> To the chair. I I thank Matt. I think that was a great presentation. Um, really detailed. The library advisory board reviewed all the information and I think they provide some good input. So, we've all been on board with

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recommending option one for both. Um there's a lot of things with the way that we borrow and use retained earnings and a lot of indirect costs that are going up that we don't have much control over and a lot of capital investment that we

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recommend town does that may have been deferred or otherwise um is needed. Thank you and thank you all for the wonderful work and I think it's really great to see all the experts coming together and advise us. That's exactly

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what we needed. So I appreciate that. We won't be voting tonight but we'll get back to it in the next session. Thank you again. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> We'll get back to our public hearing agenda. Entertainment license application

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festival. The select board will hold a public hearing and consider approving an entertainment license for the Poly Arts Festival being organized by the Hopington Poly Arts to be held on Saturday, September 12, 2026 from 10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. in accordance with the

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board's adopted entertainment and amusement license policy. A public hearing is required because subject because projected attendance is 100 or more. Uh we have public hearing open and June

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if you want to say a few words. >> Hello. >> Hello. Um, I will admit to being a little confused about where we are in the process because this is the third or fourth time we've applied to close

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Marathon Way so that we can have a food court during PolyArts, which is we feel safer and more accessible for people than parking things on Asht Street. Um, and so this year when we apply, and just to back up, there isn't an application

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to close a road. The closest form we were able to get was the parade permit, although obviously we're not having a parade. So, that's what we've filled out the last several years. This year, when I filled it out, I was told that we also had to fill out an entertainment license, which is fine. And because

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there would be more than 100 people, obviously, hopefully at Poly Arts at any one time, it required a public hearing. You already voted to close Marathon Way tonight, so I'm not really sure. [laughter] Either the process was not explained

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correctly to me or I'm not sure why now you're taking up the entertainment license. Um maybe Elaine can explain that better. This is obviously the first time we've been asked to go through the process. So that's how it was explained to me, but maybe I missed something

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>> from Elaine. Yeah, one of the applications was on the consent agenda because it's a a pro for a thing that the board does regularly and the other was a public hearing. So, it wasn't on the consent agenda was separate item. So, two separate votes are required for each and one was consent agenda and one

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is a separate >> I understand that but the only vote I really needed was the one on the consent agenda that you've already done. The entertainment license as it was explained to me is I if Marathon Way is not closed, it doesn't affect our ability to have the band. The only

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reason we're applying this year for an entertainment license for the first time ever is because we asked to close Marathon Way. So, I think it would be really helpful if there was like a checklist or a a sheet

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explaining the process that people need to go through. You all know this is not this is not even close to my first rodeo in in town. I've been on a lot of boards and committees and so um I I'm sure if I struggle to follow the process is other

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people are going to find it challenging as well. So >> yes the entertainment licenses for the music for the live music outside. >> So that is not what was told to me and we haven't ever had to apply for it before but we always have had a band. That makes sense to me but that's not

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ever what's happened before or what was explained to me um as part of this process. So I think it would be really helpful to clarify [laughter] what the different components actually are. I like to follow the rules. I just

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want to know, you know, what they are. So all of that said, here we are um as it was explained to me, we don't need permission to have a band. If that's what you're now saying, then I very much

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hope that you will approve the entertainment license is a big part of poly arts. We've always said music. Um, one of the many arts at Poly Arts. So, >> point taken. Um, we'll uh certainly note

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and see what we can do to make it better if it's not clear enough. But one thing I I understood is the first one was about the parade and this one is for the entertainment. >> Yes. So there's no parade. It's just we just want to close Marathon Way to have the food court there. And we were told

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in order to do that, we also had to apply for an entertainment license, which we have not had to do before. So that's why I applied for an entertainment license just because we wanted to have the food court as we've done the last couple years. And if you know, if there's no food

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court, then there's going to be no food court. But I specifically asked, but that doesn't mean that we can't have a band. Oh, no, that's fine. If you don't close Marathon Way, then you don't need the entertainment license or the public hearing is the answer I got. Maybe that was not right, but I did confirm it

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multiple times. So, this is why I'm saying I think it'd be really helpful if there could be an outline of sort of the domino effect or all of the different components that you need to get lined up. I know we're not the only people that use the common. Um, >> thank you. I like the idea of checklist

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and opening it for my colleagues. Mr. >> So Elaine, can you speak to some of the confusion that there may be around the entertainment license, poly arts, the history of poly arts and all that? I mean, it's poly arts in general is an institution at Hopington. It's an awesome day. It's a great day. It's a

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fun day for all kinds of people in town. Uh I'm not really a poly arts type person, but I always go because I really love the energy on the common and like to see everybody out there hanging around and say hello. Um, but I'm I am a conf I'm confused. So, if you could help

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there and I know in general we're working on some licensing processes in town and we want to get better at what we can do. We can always get better and we need to. Is this part of that or is this just something else that's kind of come up or how how did this develop? >> You know, this is part of that review of the licensing and um the process that we

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should be following. >> Okay. I will say the first step we always take is applying to parks and to use the common and they gave us position permission. So I always do that before I apply to close marathon way but it you

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know I think if an entertainment license is going to be required for this kind of use for the common I would expect that they would make that clear to groups that are applying to use the common. Um, so I don't know if there's a miscommunication there or they're not

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aware about the new policy or the use of an existing whatever. Um, that would probably be a good loop to close. >> Agree. >> Okay. >> I'm just Okay. Thank you.

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>> So, in the past, you didn't have to apply to the select board for any licenses. It was just through um practic. The first time I ever applied to the select board for anything related to Poly Arts was when I asked to close Marathon Way. Everything has always gone through pol No, we've closed Marathon

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Way for the last several years and just there was there's not a road closure to my knowledge. Not a road closure application. There's just the um I was given the parade permit application. So, that's what I've filed the last three or four years, but it hasn't involved an

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entertainment license until today or this year, which is what triggered the public hearing aspect of it, which I think is great. I mean, I think people that live on the common should have the opportunity. We had to send certified mail to everybody and um so they certainly should get I mean, I think

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they're probably caught on to the fact that poly arts happens every year, but they should have the opportunity to say how they feel about it. Certainly, I don't object to that at all. It's just sort of the confusion along the way that's been a challenge. >> Thank you.

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>> Definitely policies need to be aligned I guess you know aligned and cleared up like I know >> just lined up or so >> we have a new parks and recck director. We've had a couple instance where um like there was a little drinking fountain on the common that broke and they just replaced it without coming to historic district commission and now we're getting complaints about the new

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>> right water fountain. But you know people you know not everything is always aligned. Yeah, >> it should be >> anything else. >> No, I think that's it. I'm happy to approve the entertainment license and there's no one on Zoom to ask about it. >> Okay, thank you. Yeah, and thank you again for coming and thank you for all

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you do. As Mr. mentioned, we enjoy it. It's a tradition for the town. Now, would this be part of the discussion for our process um improvement that we are talking about on license and >> um when we talk about online permitting? That's certainly part of it. Um but also

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um when if when you approve a new u common victual license policy, some of that will also affect some language in the entertainment license policy and the alcohol license policy. >> Thank you. I really think the going digital and simplifying the process will take out all of the a lot of the pain

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probably and confusion. So I don't know if if you followed, we have been talking about going digital in terms of processing our applications. >> Oh, okay. And >> that would be great. >> That'd be great. >> That would be >> my handwriting is not particularly easy to read, so I'm sure it'd be better for

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everybody. >> Um, yeah, I I think that that would be great. We also I mean in that spirit, we also had to um do Corey checks on our committee, which is again totally fine, but it was challenging to find the Corey

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form on the town website, which is where I was directed. I just kind of fished around a lot until I found it. So again, I think just maybe digitizing all of this so that there are clicks or whatever would would streamline the process quite a bit, but

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it was a little bit circular this time. >> Thank you. Great feedback. >> I'd be happy to move to approve the entertainment license for the 2026 Happy Dep >> or ask if anyone's there and then >> do we have anyone else online? Uh who wants to speak to this? Hearing none,

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I'm closing the public comments. Public hearing. >> Chair, I move that we close the public hearing. >> Second. >> All those are in favor. >> I >> I thank you. >> I move to approve the entertainment license for the 2046 Hopkins Poly Arts Festival. >> Second. >> Thank you. All those are in favor.

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>> I motion passes. >> Thank you very much. Thank you. See you at Poly Arts. >> Have a good night. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Next item on the agenda is strategic planning process. This is some the select board will consider reviewing and undertaking a strategic planning process for the community pursuant to one of the

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FY26 select board goals and uh I'm very excited to get started on this and I know we also have this as a goal item for Elaine. So um it's it's a perfectly welltimed I think discussion. Ela do you want to give more context to it?

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>> Sure. Um so one of the of our goals this year is to work to specific plan for the town um which will also integrate the charter review process outcome. That was something that the board was interested in. We are at the end of the charter review process or nearing the end. Um so

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I think it's time to start uh looking at the charter I mean at the strategic plan. So what is a strategic plan? Like the question does get asked a lot. Um so the plan is founded in a vision for the community. Um, it's proactive rather than reactive. It's a tool instead of a

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document. Um, it outlines long-term goals for the town and objectives for town departments and services. And I think most importantly, it means that there's going to be change. Um, we are identifying priorities, making real or difficult tradeoffs along the way. Um,

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it produces pro progress and its implement implementation will mean review and reflection and adjustment over time. So, uh, because it means change and really taking a hard look at at how operations are managed in the

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community, um, we have to really think about are we ready for this process? Are we ready to make those difficult decisions? So, something for the board to think about as we talk about strategic planning is are we ready to do this? And will we have the buyin of the community and the town departments. So,

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it's something we'll we'll be building, you know, as we as we start this process. Um the other question that gets asked is how does it relate to other town plans? Um it doesn't replace the master plan which the planning board is responsible for. Um but the next master plan will be

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in influenced by the strategic plan. Our current master plan I believe is 2017. So it's time for an update. So this uh visioning that will come with this plan will really help that next master plan process. Um and the strategic planning process will include a review of

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existing and current plans to answer um the key questions that we have along the way. Um and the status and content of the existing plans might help to establish the scope of the strategic plan. So there are departments that have individual strategic plans that we'll take a look at and other plans that we

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have such economic development plan which is just being completed will have an impact on our visioning and our strategic planning. So I think the the process um involves asking some key questions. Uh first uh where are we now? And this

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will be um internal and external assessments um defining the mission uh the charter review process outcome reviewing recent plans including the economic development plan and then asking the question where do we want to be in the future and that's where we craft a vision for the community. Um and

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you know this board doesn't do it the community does it. So this is a process that involves the whole community um stakeholders any any person who can be involved in this should be involved in it and hopefully there's a lot of outreach that goes along with that. Um and then asking the question how do we

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get to where our vision identifies? Um and then looking at goals, objectives and strategies and action plans for departments, boards and committees um wherever the vision takes us. And then how do we measure progress? So the plan will have monitoring and tracking

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involved as we as we get to the end. So um to start with um you know things to consider as far as a process uh may want to consider the board having a a workshop uh for itself to discuss the process the desired outcome

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communication strategies in depth. One of the things that the board has already have on its list is to talk about communication strategies. And we do have a recent um document from a consultant that worked on a grant project with us that identifies lots of strategies that can employed can be employed depending

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on what you're trying to do and who you're trying to reach. So I think that will be really helpful to consider. Um and then to create a strategic planning team that incl that includes community stakeholders, key staff, department heads and the team will gather to answer

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those questions that I raised earlier. Um work with the vision and consultant and work to ensure participation by others. So for creating the vision um recommend using a consultant to do that. It's a it's a heavy lift. It's a lot of outreach. It's a lot of work and we do

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have funding in um our budget for next year for the um for the consultant. Um and this uh creating of a vision which we did oh maybe like 15 years ago was the last time we created a vision. Um and um it was really helpful to use a

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consultant at that time. um helped a lot to have a third-party independent person come in and take a a good look at the community and to work with the community to to narrow down uh the ideas that we have. Um so this anticipates a very broad community uh participation effort

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and then from that uh developing draft goals, objectives and strategies, gathering feedback from community stakeholders and achieving a consensus and then preparing action plans and then a draft uh for community uh review and then eventually coming up with our final

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tool or plan. Um so it's it's a process that you know could take a year and a half um depending on you know how fast we go and uh how much work we will be doing a lot of work inhouse uh so we'll be uh staff will be working on that but we can start looking at consultant

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services um and one of the uh entities I spoke with early on in this was uh the Collins Center for Public Management at UMass who does this kind of work um and so um institutions like that are interested in pro process processes like this and we could reach out for proposals and so forth. So that's kind

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of my thoughts as to how this can kind of unfold and how we can get to a strategic plan over time but we do have to be ready and we have to be you know accepting of the change when it happens and it could be difficult. >> Thank you. Um

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have questions comments Mr. Um I I think it would be a great uh body of work to undertake. Uh I think we're at a time in uh our local government, our state government, our federal government, globally, you know, the

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world is kind of looking at itself and trying to figure out where it's going right now. Uh and I don't think Hopkin should be any different than that. Um, I do see some cracks in the in the institutions even here locally that uh I'm concerned about and I think this

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process could help us uh understand what they are and why they're there maybe and what we can do to address them. Um, so I think it would be a great effort. Uh, it does take a couple of years really to put something like this together. So I think you we would need to get people

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engaged. They would understand it takes some time. But uh anything that we can do to make us better locally and understand the world in which we have to operate at the state and federal level better uh I think would be time well spent. Thanks.

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>> Thank you. Mr. Dish. >> Yeah. I'm very supportive of having a consultant come help with this divisioning. Um I think it is hard for staff or select board to do it alone. You need to get an independent third party who will organize everything and keep us on topic and not because otherwise people just come and go on

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particular rants without thinking of the big picture. So, and we haven't done it in a long time. So, I think it it's a good time to do it now. >> No, perfect. Yeah, I would echo the same. I think uh strategic plan is like the northstar for our town and our town vision and mission and how we can move

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forward. Um and I think uh of course we'll need help with the consultants because it's a very uh it needs to be an orchestrated effort and very focused which um with the day-to-day operations is hard for the town uh town employees and administration. That said, I I think

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it'll be, you know, part of that, but we want to make sure we have all the stakeholders involved, our uh town residents, their voice, of course, uh the select board and planning board and all the other volunteer boards and uh then town administration taking a big

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part of it. All the departments and everyone coming together I think will uh and working together we can really get a lot accomplished and building the vision that way. uh and then one thing I was wondering um in the process you

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mentioned the strategic plan and is followed and influence followed by and then it influences the master plan. So on that note, since this is a multi-year effort, should we um initiate some discussion with the planning board to

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kind of go parallel or in a timely fashion with the master plan? It's entirely their jurisdiction and you know scope as per the charter. But it would be good to give them a reminder or refresher that we are starting this. So

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you they may start not too far behind and go in parallel. Otherwise, timing wise, we do it a couple of years and then they jump in. It'll be another two years. So, we're looking at four, five years. Instead, can we make it like altogether two years or three years?

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>> It's definitely worth having the discussion. They may also need consultant services for their plan as well. Um, I don't know where they are on that. We can certainly reach out. >> My memory is it's a 10-year cycle and it was 2017 the last time. Is that so this would be right about 10 years.

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>> Great. look forward to that. Anything else? Any other? >> Great. >> Thank you, Elan. >> We'll move to our town manager report. Town manager will report on the following, please. >> Okay. Um first is a um a Main Street

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Carter project update. Uh the Ballards at 96 Main Street have been installed. Um and so thank you to the property owner and the town team who worked on this project. Um it looks great. Uh those cones are now gone. Um, and it will help uh contain the vehicles where they need to be and and help pedestrian

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safety as well. >> Nice. Thank you. When are we going to get the trees planted or that's part of the plan? That'll be really nice change. >> Which trees? >> There will be trees um in the downtown corridor.

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>> So, the trees are in now that are going to be there. Some of them died over the winter, so they're going to be replaced with new trees, which the contractor is obligated to do. >> And some of them are small right now. >> And some of them are small. So, you're walking by, you might not even see them,

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but um they'll they will grow in. Uh but they are very typical street trees that are planted anywhere in the Commonwealth, you know, during these mass projects. U but yeah, there'll be some improvements made and cleaned up uh as we get through the summer and fall here, but we're wrapping this thing up this fall. So, >> perfect.

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>> I do have two downtown corridor questions. Um the last time I checked, which is on the marathon, um the cookie corners plaque that's supposed to go behind the Doughboy statue um in the island was still not re replaced yet. I think it's being kept in the DPW um building. So that needs to go back. And

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then I know Beth Kelly emailed us about the um the statue is supposed to be lit up at night and want to make she wanted to make sure that was going to be connected soon. >> I can the one of those I'm not sure about I understand the plaque you're talking about. I'm sure it's there, but I don't know anything about that one. Uh

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they are they they're going to be coming back. I mean Amarillo kind of put it off a week or two because they're waiting to get closer to the paving time, but they're going to come back and they're going to tunnel underneath and put the conduit in to electrify the statue. >> It's on the to-do list. >> It's on the list. I know that. >> Okay. And then the other one is um with

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the big building being built where the Hopkin and Drug was um will that have will they have to tear up the road to connect to utilities? A neighbor asked me this. Um and then could it not be coordinated with the Main Street project? I was guessing with the way we have done the utilities, they can connect underground without tearing up

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the street, but I don't know. >> I can take that if you want, L. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, that's done. So, there's already utilities ready to go for the new building out here. Uh they're not tearing up what we're going to put down here this year. Great. It's already some stuff they got to connect in there like the transformer came down and moved the

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but only thing that's kind of odd about the whole new building and the corridor project is there is one pole off of Main Street that the building is going to look straight into you know uh that they didn't take further down the Grove

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Street away from this new building. The new building wasn't in the mind when it was designed right so it wasn't in the mindset it didn't happen that way. So, that's going to be one little odd thing about that power over there and so forth and the connections, but other than that, they should be ready for it. >> Okay.

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>> We did recommend that they uh continue that the building bury the lines under, but they chose not to. >> Yeah, their tenants may suggest otherwise at some point, but that's for them to sort out. >> But at the moment, not. Okay. >> No, great progress. And it certainly um

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is becoming nicer and nicer and we can uh see the changes noticeably clear. Um maybe seeing it every day, we don't always recognize it, but it's really nice compared to what it was before. Uh anything else?

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>> All right. Uh next is a if we're done with Main Street. >> Any other question? >> Uh just a Lake Maspan weed management update. Um there's a memo in the packet uh from Carrie Reed, director of public works with an update on Lake Maspanog

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weed management. Um over the last year, the uh Lake Maspanog weeds control citizen advisory group uh has held several meetings, reviewed uh weed survey information, gathered feedback, and voted to recommend herbicide treatment for Lake Maspan for this

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summer. uh they've met with the uh lake maspan preservation association several times and with the environmental work group of the sustainable green committee um they have been unable to address the work group's concerns and members of the work group have voiced concerns directly to the select board uh over the last

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couple of months uh the concom did vote to allow the DPW to implement our herbicide treatment this summer in accordance with an order of conditions for the lake uh the town issued a contract to Solitude Lake Management ment for herbicide treatment for aquatic

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vegetation control. Uh the amount of the contract was about $33,000. The contract requires them to provide a qualified Massachusetts licensed herbicide applicator, obtain a license to apply chemicals from the mass DP uh to comply with Concom's requirements and

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to contract conduct pre and post surveys. Um, the herbicide treatment is planned for Tuesday, June 16th, and public notifications will be posted at the beach and around the lake on or before the 12th. Uh, notifications will also be posted on the DPW's website and

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social media. So, that is coming up this month. >> There any questions? >> Questions? >> Thank you. I'll just say like I I I really wish we did not have to do this but it's not the select board doesn't have any purview over the right and I I

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have talked to conservation commission members and my understanding was that they cannot deny it on the basis that it might harm people but only if it might harm the wetlands or the whatever is under their purview specifically. So even if they might individually have concerns

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they can't apply that to their decision. Is that correct? Or >> if that's what they're saying. >> So, I'm disappointed that we have to use herbicide, but I understand it is not our decision to make. >> Thank you.

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>> Uh next, um an update on online permitting system. So, the town has contracted with open gov to provide an online permitting platform. Um the IT department and town employees have been working for several months to prepare the necessary online applications, workflows, etc.

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um lot of observation of workflows and trying to make that happen electronically. It's very interesting. Uh it's anticipated that the system will go live in August. Uh the following applications in several departments are expected to move to the online system. So these are across departments. So, it'll be the common vicular license, the

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alcohol license, class one and two, parade permits, taxi delivery license, entertainment license, residential building permits, and then permits for electrical, plumbing, mechanical, sheet metal, sprinklers, gas fitters, solar permits, um conservation requests for certificate compliance. So, there's a

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lot of permits that are going to be moving online, uh including, you know, septage haulers, uh solicitors permit applications, DBA certificates. So across departments uh people are really excited to be moving to this online system. No more paper um back and forth.

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Um so uh it should be a great system. Uh applicants will submit their applications and supporting documents and pay their fees online. Um some workflows require applications to review by multiple departments or employees and so this is managed by the system. Someone will get an email that there's

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something for them to review. Uh so that will be managed and um you know I think I'm looking forward to taking this step and I think everybody is looking forward to that and it'll be beneficial to the applicants as well um to have uh everything they'll be able to see the status of their application and to know

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what's happening u in the system uh through that process. So really looking forward to that. >> Thank you. That's awesome. Can't wait. Really excited. >> Yeah. I think that's I'm really great glad to hear that we're going to get this great improvement. >> I'm fine. Thank you. It's great.

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And uh finally uh no department uh position vacancies to review. So no requests for posting today. >> And that's it. >> Thank you Elaine. And we are right on time. Um so next is leaz reports board

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invites. Mr. Har I have nothing to report. We covered the corridor so I think I'm all set for now. Thanks. >> Thank you. >> I don't think so. Change the ones we've mentioned last time. There is the Hopkin and Pride event on um June 20th and the Independence Day parade July 4th. Those

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would be good for be possible multiple select core members at a time. That would be great. >> Thank you. Uh nothing much from my end. Just to uh recognize we raised the Junth flag and the pride flag today. It was a wonderful event and uh thanks to the freedom uh team and town administration

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Elaine Lans for making Thank you. Uh with that uh anything for future board agenda items? >> Oh, I just um we are now in June. We'll be will we be voting on board and committee appointments soon? >> The next meeting? It'll be next meeting.

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So, we'll have a a big batch of them. Yes. People who have expired, have been notified. >> Voting on which, I'm sorry. >> Oh, the board and committee appointments. >> Okay. Yeah. You wanted to do it when we have the full board. >> And that raises a good point. So, everyone who's appointed to a board and

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the term is expiring would have received an automatic email from the system to apply. Um, sometimes people miss that email or they think it's spam, but it's real and they should reapply online. >> Yep. >> Thank you. Anything else, Amy?

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>> Mr. Nothing else. >> All right. I think we are ready for ading this and going to the executive session. The select board will convene in executive session pursuant to MGLC

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38A21A purpose to to consider strategy with respect to negotiations with non-union personnel. Fire Chief uh Bjorn to MGLC 330A 21A purpose 6 to consider the purchase

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exchange lease or value of real estate land at 89 Saddle Hill Road accessor map R1210 because an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the negotiation negotiating position of the board and

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see to approve executive session minutes 52626. So moved >> and not >> and to allow Alen Lazarus and Lance Del Priori to participate executive session and not to convene an open session at the conclusion >> in my motion.

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>> All right. >> So we have a motion and a second. Uh all those in favor >> I >> This is the roll. Great. >> Okay. Amy Ribbush. Yes. >> Yes. >> Ryan her. Yes. Right. >> And we are ready to adjourn. Is that

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>> just moved? >> Just moved it. Thank you all. Have a good night.