Hello, 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 participating in the meeting are present 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 this meeting's agenda. This meeting is being recorded. The first item on the agenda, pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of
America, to our stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. The first item is the consent agenda. The syllboard will Oh, sorry. Um
the first item is of course public forum. So residents are invited to share ideas, opinions or ask questions regarding the town government. Each person will have up to two minutes to speak at public forum and please start by stating your name and address and two
rules we want to follow. We have been following which is we'll have the public for forum up to 6:15 p.m. and if we have more speakers um we will defer that towards the end of the meeting so we can stay on schedule. And the second is we
will rotate the topics of the public forum uh and not repeat the same immediately after but we will get back to it once we cover the other topics. Uh do we have anyone in the room who wants to come first please? >> 15 morning drive.
>> Hello 250 days, no independent investigation, no formal process change, no accountability. Each one of these victims have been ret-raumatized by that silence. I want
to ask you all, Mr. Her, I want to ask you one question. If this were your daughter, would you answer that the town acted appropriately?
The failures of the HPD leadership, the town manager, and this board have consequences. These consequences have names. Their names are Amanda, Christina, Isabelle, and Lynn. And some of those
are in our room today. And we know that there's more. Look at them board. Look at them. These Amanda would be here today, but unfortunately three years ago, she overdosed, never healing from the damage
done by her asalent and never healing from the damage done that this town did to protect the asalants's business. Amanda's sister's here though and well you have heard part of her story and her family knows trauma all too well. It is burying your sister, your daughter at
the age of 33, it is raising three children without their mother. I want you to understand something. Every time this board did nothing, every time someone said that we did everything we could, every time a license was renewed
without a word, every time the response was move on, or when the town says that it acted appropriately, you were sending these women a message and the message was this. You are not
worth it. You are not protected. You do not matter enough for this institution to be uncomfortable on your behalf. That message has a name too and we call it trauma and the board has delivered it repeatedly across 14 years to at least
four women and more that worked in this town and tr and we trusted that someone in authority was paying attention. >> Excuse me. >> When you issue your next statement, can you please turn that off for a moment? When you issue your next statement explaining why there should be no public
hearings with Chief Bennett or an investigation to the town manager, remember the faces of these women. This institution protected itself at every decision point while a predator operated with a val valid town license. Thank you.
>> The record is the record is been filed. The victims are right here. Right here. make that choice now after you've looked them in the eye and tell them there should be no public hearing. >> Thank you.
>> Uh please come up. Is it the same topic? Do we have another topic to cover first? All right. Name and address, please. >> Timothy Boy, 41 Pinerest Village in Hopkin. >> Hello. >> You just heard from yet more victims.
This town is not safe for women. It's not safe for young girls. You have a police chief who who basically pretended like he didn't know what was going on in his own department when he
surely knew. He surely knew. Uh they talked about these four victims, four survivors, three survivors and one victim. Um there's another survivor out there. She's watching tonight.
She was raped. Raped by your deputy police chief, Miss Ritterbush. You publicized you publicized her name and you're still on the board. You have no honor. You have no shame. Please go through the
chair. Mr. Manan, you're in healthcare. You're the chair. You're in healthcare, in data. You know the importance. You know the importance of protecting people's privacy.
And yet you did nothing. I have never met a bigger group of cowards in my life than the select board over the past three years. I was here for a year. I was writing letters. I was writing uh opinion pieces.
And you still did nothing. and you ruin not just these women's lives, but also my friend and her mother and her children's lives. At some point, have some honor. Do something.
The fact that Joe Bennett is still the police chief of this town is reprehensible, if not criminal. He should have been charged for releasing her name, as should Miss Ritterbush. And it just continues.
Now there are people behind me now. I was doing it with a couple other I will finish up my remarks. Mr. Manan, >> I I I was working with other people, but I was not very well organized. But these people are organized and they're not
going to stop coming. So you better get off your douffs and do something and do something about your police chief especially and the people who are still on the board who were there then. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good evening, Mr. Vice Chairman, members
of the board. I am here to report back on our event from the friends of Hopkin fire and light that we held at town common on March 21st. I am very happy to say that the event was a big success. We had a great
turnout by um Hopkins residents both old and young. And um I just wanted to make notice to the board here of uh the support we had throughout the town. Uh, of course, starting with the board here, um, you
guys have always been guys and ladies, uh, you always been supportive of our organization, whether it's family day, family fling, or our new event this year, fire and light. um parks and wreck speaking with Colleen
and director John um they've been very gracious letting us use a town common and uh they let us again um have our event there. Uh the DPW uh Mike Manza always there giving us a hand. Anything
we asked for he provided for us on our event. the uh police department, Chief Bennett, Deputy Chief um the um Deputy Chief Van Ralton and uh Lieutenant Aaron O'Neal. Um they're all
very supportive. Sent men up. We had uh Detective Dbor with the drone. We had the cruisers up there um and officers up there um speaking with the public and the fire department. Chief Dority, Deputy Chief Jurassic, and uh
firefighter Tom Poria were very helpful. Uh they sent the fire truck up there. Um again mixing in with the uh public showing their uh apparatus and that. So um this was a keeper. Um Matt was there.
He um enjoyed it. Um and uh like I said, both uh young and new uh were there and uh we hope to do it again next year and we thank the board for their support. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Con three minutes left.
>> Yeah, we have three minutes left. So this should probably be >> the last or we can >> um I'll be quick then. Um should have a little grace to allow these people a little more time. Um, I have a document here, Karen Crumb, 12, Joseph Route. Thank you. I have a document that I'll
give to you. I'm not going to read it all. Um, it's a recommendation to the select board, um, and the town and assistant town manager. I hope it's helpful. It's information gathered from September 2025 to January 2026 combination of feedback from current and
former Hopington Police Department employees, Hopington residents, and other agencies. It's just a list of things that they have recommended. Some of them are common sense like more community policing, additional officer training. The one that really stuck out to me and was ironic because it happened
today was to bring back RAD training for women and students in Hopkington. Today was the bianual RAD training s um simulation in the Hopkin High School. Hopington Police Department does not participate in this. I let that set in for a moment. They used to. They haven't
since 2023. Today, one of the officers showed up. It did not go over well. There are officers from multiple other towns that come in and allow these students to use their aggression as if they're being attacked and they have to defend themselves. Hopington Police
Department does no longer participate in this. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> And I will say I did redact one thing. Um I apologize for the messiness of the redaction. Current police officer um thought it would identify him too much.
Thanks, Ken. >> Yes, please. >> Hi, my name is Heather Stanick. I'm a resident of Western Massachusetts. I had no intention of speaking tonight, but I'd just like to address the behavior of the select board. Um, snickering and rolling your eyes when someone's
speaking, the people who voted to put you on this board is incredibly disrespectful. It's incredibly disrespectful to those who are speaking. It's incredibly disrespectful to those of us who have took the time to come here and talk to
you and not be anywhere near our comfort zone. Do you think this is fun for us through the chair? Mr. Kizner, don't roll your eyes at us. >> If I did, I apologize. Not my intent. >> Please direct through the >> I directed it through the chair. That's what I said. Through the chair. Please
do not laugh at us. It takes incredible strength and incredible resilience to sit here before you. I am not a victim. My entire body is shaking. This is not me doing anything different than the natural response that I have coming
before a select board who dismisses women, who dismisses survivors, who dismisses their entire female population. Think about everyone who you are adversely affecting. Please and thank you.
>> Thank you. >> I think um do we have anyone else? Uh please >> at 6:15. >> We are at 6:15. Sorry. We'll have to uh entertain that towards the end of the meeting. We'll open it up again. >> Can you not take a vote to >> take a vote to extend the time?
>> We decided on this rule for some time and we've been practicing it. So I'll move on to our next agenda item which is our consent agenda and uh I'll read the agenda first and see if there is anyone who wants to move the any topic out of
uh the consent agenda. The select board will consider the following consent agenda minutes. The select board will consider approving the minutes of the March 3rd 2026, March 10, 2026 and March 17, 2026 meetings. Parade permit
application. Wicked 5K road race. The select board will consider approving a parade permit application for the Hopkinington Center for the Arts, HCA, for the Wicked 5K road race, which is an annual event. The event is to be held on
October 25, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. The starting and ending point will be the HCA at Loop Road. C special temporary alcohol license, Knights of Columbus. The select board will consider approving a special temporary alcohol license for
Joseph Altman on behalf of the Knights of Columbus Bishop Rice Council 4822 for its annual fundraiser. The event is to be held on May 2, 2026 from 6:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the St. John's Parish Hall
located at 20 Chart Street. The alcohol will be served by TIPS certified servers. In addition, the board will consider a fee waiver for the license application. D. Temporary signs on town property. The select board will consider a request
from the Hopkin Lions Club to place temporary signs within the East Main Street, Main Street, Cedar Street, West Main Street, Wood Street, South Street, and Hayden Row rights of way. Signs to be placed on April 10, 2026 and removed
on May 9, 2026 after the event. Sign size is 3 square ft pursuant to zoning bylaw section 210-1 178F. The select board may authorize the placement of signs within the following road rights of way. East Main Street, Main Street,
Sedar Street, Wood Street, South Street, and Hayden Road. Temporary signs may be displayed for up to 30 days and may not exceed 8 square feet. E. Library week proclamation. The select board will consider proclaiming April 19 to 25,
2026 as National Library Week. During this week, all residents are encouraged to visit the library, explore its resources, and celebrate all the ways that the library helps our community find joy. F new town employees. The
select board will consider confirming the town manager's appointment of Donna Carlson as senior library assistant and Allison McKahan as substitute library assistant. Any
thoughts of moving any item or we are good with the consent agenda? >> I just wanted to ask a question about the um the wicked 5k route. I noticed in the comments they recommend having an AED available at the first aid station. Um And I assume that the applicant has agreed with that.
>> Yes. Okay. Then I I would be happy to move the move to approve the consent agenda. >> Second. >> Thank you. All those u any discussions? All those who are in favor? >> I. >> Any name? >> I'm not trying to speak out of turn, but
it would be >> I'd be remiss if I didn't say this. I noticed that >> I'm sorry. I I'm sorry. I cannot allow this. >> No. No. You have to follow the decor. I apologize if you were feeling differently, but we cannot let that happen. >> A survivor here. >> We understand survivors here and you
skipped over 15 minutes of public forum time that you had to say a >> we empathize, but we have to follow the order. I'm sorry. Trying to speak and you would not take a vote. Even I'm just making that known to anyone watching this now or in the future. They have survivors here. They had 15 minutes to
speak. I'm sorry, you're disrupting the meeting. refused to take a vote after giving that time away and moving on with survivors in the room for people to speak. >> We haven't published agenda and timing. I'm sorry. >> That's all I have to say. I just wanted it noted clearly what happened here
tonight. >> I don't do that, by the way. >> I'm a chain of command girl. That was insane. Since it's not quite time for the public hearing on the street acceptance, I wonder if we might move the commission on disability appointment earlier. >> Uh I think we'll need a motion to do
that. >> I don't think we need a motion to do one agenda item out of order. >> Is that the consensus? >> Amy, >> are we all okay with that? >> I'm sorry about that. Uh Amy was proposing to move the um >> commission on disability
>> commission on disability appointment now uh rather than 7:40 >> because the candidate is here and we didn't want him hard to wait that long. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> So we'll move to the next agenda items
board and committee appointments. The select board will consider appointing Pamela Lock to the Commission on Disability to a term expiring on June 30, 2026. >> Do we have Miss Lock here? >> She's on Zoom. Yes. >> Miss Lo, do you want to introduce
yourself and say a few words? >> And the chair of the Commission on Disability is also on Zoom. Um, Punky. >> All right. Um, maybe the chair if you want to speak first and then Miss Lock. >> Okay. Oh, Pamela is on now. Okay, go ahead.
>> Okay. Uh, go ahead, Miss Lock. Thank you. >> Um, my name is Pam Lock. I live in Hopkin on Marshall Lab. I've lived in Hopkin 28 years and I um usually travel with a
guide dog and uh you so you may have seen me in town. My last guide dog just died in January. Um, but I am happy to serve in on this committee in order to
help improve issues that might come up regarding us helping people with disabilities in Hopington. I have attended the meetings probably the last five months just to become familiar with it and and uh offer help
where I could and I'm looking forward to continuing to work with this committee. >> Fantastic. >> Thank you, Miss L. Thank you for stepping forward and Elaine. This is for one open position. We have one candidate. Is that right? >> That's correct. >> Okay.
>> We have two open positions. There's one applicant. >> Oh, two. Okay. So we have more open positions. Thank you, Mr. Lock, for stepping forward. I appreciate that. And I'll open it to the board if anyone wants to ask any question or make any comments. >> Just excited to have somebody coming forward. We've been having a lot of
discussions here about turnover on that board looking to get people in. So I'm excited to hear that there's somebody with energy and enthusiasm looking forward to working with you. >> Thank you. >> And I agree, Pamela has attended a lot of our meetings and um it would be nice for her to be able to be a voting member
now. So I'm glad she was able to apply. So sounds like a good fit to me. >> All right. Um thank you again and u we really need more volunteers to stepping in um this important positions and uh committees. Uh this is a very important
uh committee that was opened uh created few years back and uh we really need a lot of traction on that front. So good luck and we'll take a um motion. Oh, actually, uh, chair of the commission, do you want to say a few words?
>> Sure, I would love to. Thanks. >> Um, Nancy Draw aka Punky 13 Davis Road and um, >> actually, I'm in the hospital now, so I'm talking out of this one side of my mouth um because of one side's paralyzed, but I'll do the best that I
can. So, um anyway, um the Commission on Disability, um having Pamela as a member of our great team will be an asset to us because she's been coming to the meeting every meeting that she um can and she's
been um giving us a lot of information and she's also um um knows a lot of information and does a lot of research and um I I'm just so happy to tell you that we as a board will be more than
happy to have her on the board now because now she will be able to vote on um on our um special projects and help us along with them instead of just as a standby. So I I'm proud to have her and
I'm I'm glad that she's going to be um appointed. This is wonderful for all of us in the whole town. Thank you. Thank you, Panky, and thank you for all you do. And uh we would love to have u um some
representation from the from your board in the future. So, we'll have an invite out and if you can u come with your members and give us an update on how we can help. I think we would certainly appreciate that. But thank you. >> That would be great if we could. Yeah, that would be great if we
>> feel better punky. >> Thank you. >> Just to the chair. Quick question to Elaine here. I noticed that we're appointing for a term potentially just to 30 June. Is that because the position is then up for election or reappointment or >> Right. So she's filling an unexpired term which expires at the end of June.
So should be reappointed in a couple of months. >> Okay. I move to appoint Pamela Lock to the condition commission on disability to a term expiring on 30 June 2026. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Um any comments?
All those in favor >> I >> I >> any nays? Motion carries 40. >> Congratulations Miss Lock and thank you again. >> Thank you very much. >> We are near 6:25
and uh we'll wait another few seconds and open up the public forum on public hearing on street acceptance. We could start livening up people that need to speak. Right. >> So, who needs to speak on this?
I >> I see some neighbors >> going in order. Drive first. >> Okay. >> Um I'm calling to order to open a public hearing on street acceptance. The select board will hold a public hearing
pursuant to mass general laws chapter 82 section 21 to discuss accepting and laying out the following streets as a public ways. Oilo Drive, Lynen Street, Whisper Way. Articles are on the warrant for the 2026 annual town meeting to
accept these streets as public ways. The planning board recommends acceptance of Lynen Street, does not recommend acceptance of Oscillo Drive and a recommendation on Whisper Way is pending. Abats have been notified of the public hearing. Now we'll open it for
public hearing and uh if anyone wants to speak to it, please come forward. Ela, do you want to add anything to it? >> So the opponent Hap is here to make a brief presentation. >> Perfect. Miss Hap, Mr. Hap. Thank you.
>> This thing on. >> Uh so in a capacity as a member of the planning board, what I would say whisper way was uh approved by the board yesterday. So the recommendation uh I I noticed that wasn't updated in your guys notes. Um I'll be brief because I know
we're trying to move through the agenda and uh I don't want to assume that you've read the tome that is the 230 page Oello drive uh archive from the um town library and the laser peach article. But um I don't think that that
is really what's relevant. I think what this is really and what we're here today to do is paperwork. Uh, ocular drive itself was um created in the '9s, which uh kids today affectionately now call the late 1900s. I think it's kind of
offensive, but that's just me. Uh, and you know, as part of that, I was 3 years old when this road was created. And though my hairline might not uh reflect that, but the uh the truth is this thing's been going on for a while where it originally intended to be a family
road by Mike Oiello who was living in Newton at the time and in his um almost golden years decided he wanted to build a subdivision that was going to be uh for him and his kids to live on and live happily ever after. And so when he bought the land, uh only two of his kids
came and none of the boys did. I don't know, there's some sort of fable probably that supports that. But, uh, the other lots were partitioned and sold off uh, for, you know, other folks that some have still live in the community and some folks that have since moved out. Um, the reason I tell that is
because, uh, in 2016, uh, Michael took steps to try and get the road accepted by then the select board. Uh, and this was 16 months prior to his death. And I give, you know, that detail as well because this, for all intents and purposes, probably should have been
accepted um in 1617 or around that time and wasn't simply because at the time there was a a condition as part of the subdivision approval which stated that the owner of Oiello shall be responsible for uh the maintenance and upkeep of the road. Um but I got good news for you. We
petitioned the planning board and with a little bit of crackerjack uh you know hard work, we were able to get that condition removed in December. And as also part of the board's review though, uh there's a subdivision or pardon me a engineering study review that has to be done which we have a a pending draft
from a reputable engineer who's worked with the town before and that will be submitted to you in advance. And um really other than that there isn't anything holding back acceptance other than uh an approval by town meeting. So, while we certainly administratively would appreciate your uh, you know,
stamp of approval on this, this is probably something that should have been done years ago, but you don't care about, you know, paperwork from the past. You care about risk and liability to the town. And what if we don't do this? And so, I have a presentation, but I think we're doing a good enough job just with my own voice to not bore
people with slides. The risk to the town, regardless if the road is accepted today or not, remains the same. I repeat, the risk to the town and liability remains the same if it's accepted or not. There is ample case law
in Massachusetts court records to support that. Uh, no nuisances or as far as nuisance law goes. and my um attorney that helped advise me, which is otherwise known as Chad GPT. No nuisance law supports that if towns do not take care of roads, regardless if they are
recorded as public or private in the uh you know record of deeds, towns can still be held liable. So I share that because uh one nothing changes particularly regarding liability, but two, we are still receiving municipal services doortodoor regardless of the
classification of the road. Um, effectively it has been functioning as a public road for 30 years and continues to. We're not a gated community. Folks walk up and down the street without impunity uh, constantly and we're quite welcome to it. Um, simply what we're
trying to do is update paperwork. Uh, and so I think what I would hope is is your thoughtful inspection as well, just understand what it is that might be holding you back from uh, a yes vote to have the town um, accept this road and
write this administrative step that probably should have done years ago. And please don't hold three-year-old me liable for decisions that were made in 1994. And let's just get this thing fixed. That's all. Thank you. >> Thank you.
Um, any questions, comments? >> Yeah, through the chair, can can we ask Director Reed to join us because I would like to at least hear from the DPW perspective. >> Sure. Do we want to do it for all three together or one by one? >> We through the chair. We've got Parker here. He's given his presentation. I'm
happy to at least ask the questions, but I'll follow where you're going. >> Mr. Are you online? >> Oh, yeah. Please, maybe you can come and sit with us. Carrie, director of public works. >> Go ahead, Mr. Gaza. >> Hi. So, in following with Parker's theme
of assuming we haven't read the 230 page packet, could you maybe just give us a summary of where the town is on this? It seems Parker's done his diligence. I respect that you have too. I've heard his side. Can you give us a quick summary of where the town is and why we're not recommending support here?
this. I'm not recommending support. When we go to accept a private road and make it a public road, we expect it to be meeting the town standards um as established in the subdivision rules and regulations and this road doesn't. So, if the town accepts it, then we would take on the liability of having to I
shouldn't say liability, that's a legal term. We would be taking on the cost of having to improve it up to town standards. Okay. And I provided a letter um it should be in your packet. I it's I think it was around $170,000 $170,000
we thought we'd get it up. You guys have your packet? I don't have it in front of me. >> 170 is what it says. Yes. >> Good memory. Yes. So that was our our uh opinion of probable cost of construction engineering estimate. >> Okay. And then my only other question to
you are there any from your perspective potential downstream impacts in a world where we don't do this? And please don't take this as any indication of how I'm feeling. Hypothetically, in a world where we don't do this and the road has continued to be not maintained to town standard is the is the term I'm going to
use. Is there any potential pass through risk to the town? Not just from where Parker was framing it from a risk liability perspective, but I'm thinking like utilities, environmental condition, just general infrastructure. I want to understand from your perspective if there's any world in which not
maintaining this ultimately impacts what is something that is accepted and acknowledged from a town perspective. Off the top of my head, nothing considerable. It's a dead end road. It has about five to six properties on it. >> Um, it does get trash service right now.
It does get school services at the closest school bus stop. >> Okay. >> Um, so, >> all right. >> Other than potentially storm water management. >> Okay. >> On the private property running into the >> Sure. But not enough that it was a concern to ultimately influence where you were. And so I did read it, but one
of the things that I'm learning we have to do here is we have to say out loud what we are thinking and what we have learned or it looks like we've done nothing. So thank you. I do appreciate that you walked us through it. I'm really torn on this one. I'm really interested in hearing where the rest of the board is. I think it's well known I
live on also the end of an awful road. My neighbors are here. We'll be talking about it later. So I do have some sensitivity to what it is like to feel a little powerless in town about this and not know what you were supposed to do. And I don't know that my neighbors would give us $170,000 to fix the road. And I'd be pretty upset if I was asked. I
can be honest about that, too. >> Thank you, Mr. Ker. >> Through the chair, can we respond to the question as well? Uh because I believe just to reframe Mr. Ker's initial ask, which is what is the uh downstream effect if we don't do this? If am I encapsulating that accurately? Would
you? Sure. Okay. Um so there's a couple other areas of risk and liability too that were discussed and uh would be downstream literally. So, a zero oello which is where the infiltration uh system currently is uh for the storm
water and sewer system also uh shares a and abotss a existing town um sewer and storm water system and effectively the town is discharging uh water onto oiello and using and zero oello has functionally been part of the overall
storm water management process for the town. So there are certain uh liability and water quality standards that the town is held to that could we could hold more control if we had that parcel in the town's uh and under the scope of care. Um but that withstanding uh it
also offers an opportunity to rectify what is potentially breakthrough water that is coming down Hayward Street and potentially damaging the road. and to the extent that uh what the town has managed to repair in uh the easement they've done historically but there are other parts of the pavement that have
been damaged by a breakthrough water. So the town could be if Paul Oielloa is latigious held liable for that. I'm not her representative but and then the last piece is is that uh if the town looks at this as part of the storm water looks at this as rectifying a past two looks at
this as also fixing what is you know break thought break water issue um the uh and I just lost my train of thought cuz I got flustered but at least those two other liability pieces um are to be considered too. >> Thank you. >> Thank you Mr. H. We do have two others. So I must go really quickly. U Mr.
>> So I'm a little confused. No surprise for some. Um Lynen Street the planning board is recommending I guess I'm chatting with the lane here. Lynen Street the planning board is recommending and it's article
30. What is it here? 33 in the annual town meeting. Right. So town meeting is going to make the final decision here. Um, Whisper Way is sponsored. That's by the the director of public works sponsored Lynen Street, right Carrie?
Whisper Way, the planning board is the sponsor. They approved it last night, I think you mentioned. And um that'll be before town meeting. That's article 32. And then there's this article for Oyello, which is article 38, which is a citizen petition. Why is the planning
board not sponsoring article 38 the citizen petition? >> I believe a representative of the planning board should be here to address. >> Uh can we have the planning board member or representative coming to the front and
participating? >> Hi An principal planner. Sorry I missed the question. Um can you repeat? Yeah. So through this chair we've essentially asked why the planning board isn't supporting the citizens petition for us yellow drive. >> So there are a couple of reasons. Um one of the condition when planning board uh
amended the original subdivision decision and removed the condition of being a yellow drive as a public and so one of the condition was like they need to go and meet the current town standards to become a yellow drive as a public street. And that was the only
division and that is mentioned in the report as well. >> So echoing Carrie what you were saying correct that it's not up to town standards yet and we think it's 170 GS. Did I hear that somewhere along the way too? And the developers nowhere to be found but they they're gone.
>> They're dead. >> Yeah. Okay. All right. This isn't the first time that we've had to go through a developer walking or not being around years later and we're accepting a road. So I think there is some um precedent to figure this out and get the funds necessary to bring it up to the standard because we do want to have it at the
same standard. Um but town meeting ultimately will make the decision. So you know I'm okay with it and we'll let town meeting sort it out but I don't think we're we're not the final authority here. So uh it's not like what we say is the end of the discussion
>> through the chair. May I also comment Mr. or good use. It's part of our citizen petition. One of the conditions of that is is the road doesn't have to be improved and that it is going to be on the town to decide when or if funding should be approved. And I think it would be important to note that the state of
Oiello didn't prevent us from being able to have multiple contractors over the last two years be able to plow it sufficiently without damage to their plows. And I would also add as well that roads that are of similar state do not lose plowing services by the town simply because they fall out of state and out of repair. Uh, so to the effect that
this road might not be, you know, a spring chicken like myself being built in the '90s, I I would say it is still plowable and we've got multiple contractors that will assess to the ability to plow it safely. >> Yeah. Again, I think there's some precedent out there that we could probably say, "Okay, and we'll let Tom
eaten make the final decision." >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Uh, Mr. Dush. >> Yeah. Since it's a citizens petition, whether or not we recommend or recommend approval, it will still be on the town meeting warrant for the voters to decide. Correct. And then um I guess
what I wonder too is um how many other or there must be a lot of other roads in the same position in town and we've always held I'm worried about setting a president where we um where we accept this road as a public way but would not all these others and seems like they might be coming forward other years.
Could the DBW director speak how many other similar roads are in this position or approximately? I there's some metrics that are included in the the memo that you have about public versus private roads. I I don't
know exactly what you mean by this condition or this circumstance. Um and that's really a planning board decision because this was a subdivision approved road that was never publicly accepted. >> Okay. Um >> I think Amy, are you suggesting beyond these three if there are other similar ones out there? not on the not on the
warrant now, but just that there could be other requests coming before us in future years to have their roads accepted um that don't quite that don't meet the standards >> through the chair. I will mention that um at the same time we are evaluating private roads that appear to have been getting continued services that um
should have only been given to public roads. We did reach out to a few other subdivisions that were similar like Echo Brook, Maple A. Um I can't remember I think there was one others and they have not approached anybody about becoming a public road yet through the chair. What I would add to that is is that uh Pine
Island Road is an example of one that will be coming before. So we should look at Oiello Drive as the proverbial canary in the coal mine that this is coming and I've had multiple other residents of similar streets that have approached me asking how did you do that and what did you do? So, great news. As part of our
citizen petition, we're also requesting a non-binding uh resolution for the uh select board to take up a townwide re uh evaluation of other roads similar to Osello or Pine Island that should be accepted by the town to restore things like plowing services where they
otherwise were, you know, removed in the last couple years. Uh so, but yeah, there there are more coming. >> And oh, by the way, the president has already been set uh in 2015. >> Okay. And since this is a public hearing, maybe we should open to the public now. >> Yeah, we haven't other two. >> Should we go to the next two? Do we have
presentation for those two? >> Oh, I guess there could be public comment is what I mean on this topic. >> Butters for each road were notified at the hearing. >> Oh, great. Anyone wants to make any public comment on this? >> Please come forward or on Zoom.
>> There's no hands on Zoom. Okay. I just wanted to check because if people came, I would like to hear them. >> Good point. Yeah. Should we move to the next um >> the next road? >> Next road Lynen Street. >> Do we have any presenter for that?
>> DW. >> Yeah, please. >> Um I did provide some slides. I don't know if they remain available to you. Uh so Lynen Road, um we're proposing to make it a public road. We are doing a water
mane improvement project um on East Main Street. And when we were looking at that project and the age of the water system in around that area, we wanted to include Lynden Street in that project discovered it was a private road, but it has public water, which is the difference between Ocielloa, which has no public utilities. It doesn't have
water sewer on there. Um so in order to do the water main project, the replacement project, we would be damaging the road. Um so we would need some kind of legal authorization to do that also. So that was in the best interest of the town to accept as a public road at that point. There have
been some emergency flooding issues that the town has had to respond to on that road in the past two and there was some desire um to improve emergency response by putting a fire hydrant at the end of the road because it doesn't currently meet those standards. Um so that would all be done as part of this project. If it is not voted on and is not approved
of this as a town road, we would take this portion out of that project, leave it as a private road and then the abuters would be responsible for upgrading the water when they needed to at the future. So >> this one does not have any additional cost involved is what you're
>> the costs would be included in the East Main Street uh water main project which is also at annual time meeting for funding. >> Right. Right. So no additional cost but it's already covered with this. >> No additional cost associated directly with the street acceptance. >> And would you recommend this or you have
any opinion on this particular one? >> Yes, DPW is recommending and sponsoring it. >> And planning board also recommended this. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Any other um comments from the board? >> Mr. Dush?
>> Uh no, but if the residents would like to speak, I'd be happy to hear from them. Y >> anyone from P? Yep. Go ahead. >> I would uh Parker have curiosity. >> Parker. Parker. >> One more thing. >> Parker. No, I'm sorry. Through the chair. You cannot monopolize the entire public forum. I can see four plus of my neighbors over there who would like the
same opportunity to have a discussion. >> Let's do this. Do we have other public um speakers who want to speak on this topic? Maybe they'll get the presidents and then we can come back to you. >> Anyone want to step forward? Please,
>> please come on over. >> Just one hand on Zoom as well. >> My name is >> Thank you. >> I'm the trustee of a piece of property at the corner street road. And um although I left my glasses in my
truck, I'll struggle to read this to you. Um this letter is submitted in accordance or in opposition, I'm sorry, to acceptance of Lynden Street by the town for two primary reasons. One, the Olri family irrevocable trust ownership extends to the center line of Lindon
Street through operation of uh the derelic fee statue of the state. The second point is an old storm drain line in Curtis Road encroaches onto 11 Curtis Road and permanently submerges or I'm sorry perennially submerges the uh area
with flood waters and other several properties on Lynden Street. Um neither the stone drain line nor the existing water manes in Curtis Road and Lynen Street are plotted on the uh October 7th, 2025 draft copy of the street acceptance plan provided by the town
engineer. I wonder if that's been updated, if the plan has been updated. It was lacking a lot of detail. Um, and for the board's information, Lynen Street's only about 10 or 12 feet wide, traveled way. The old railroaded layout
from the 1870s is 66 ft wide. Um, so there's room to expand the pavement, but um, the information that the board's been given to my knowledge from the October 7th, 2025 plan doesn't show any of this stuff. It just shows the layout and you know skimpy details.
Um, next paragraph. Um, I provided a sketch plan in that letter uh based on GIS information uh to show the approximate drain line location. I'm sorry. There is a drain line in Curtis Road. It was built in the early 1950s.
It um conveys water from uh the back of East Main Street down behind a couple properties, across the road, across a couple more properties onto 11 Curtis Road and then discharges into the layout of Lynen Street and then continues flowing in an easterly direction on the
northerly sideline of Lynen Street where it crosses I think it's number eight Lynen Street and then heads in the southernly direction towards um Legacy Farms. Um the uh Uh I guess with respect to the uh
derelic fee statute, the property owner and developer or subdivider of both the Curtis Road and Lynen Street house lots deeded the lots using Curtis Road in formally New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad layouts as the front boundary of each house lot on Lynen
Street on Lynen Street. The prior owners of the land, formerly New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, did not reserve ownership in any of the house lots deeds. This by operation of the derelic fee statute, the owners of the land abudding
the private way Lynen Street took title to the center line subject to other rights to pass and repass on the layout. It can't reasonably be dis be disputed per the derelic fee statute that a li family irrevocable trust owns up to the center line of lynon street under mass
law and owners and owners der derelik fee ownership of a private way grants legal standing of challenge development on that on such land >> thank you so >> hold on to that thought I would like to hear from our planning board and uh DPW
director to if they want to respond to your question but before I do that ela we are it's time for our next public hearing. Uh what is the procedural way to defer that? >> You could open the next hearing and then um continue that to the conclusion of
this hearing. >> Okay, I'll open the next hearing uh which is public hearing on flammable license 5 Park Drive. The select board will hold a public hearing on the application for a license for the
storage of flammable and combustible liquids, solids, and gas pursuant to mass general laws chapter 148 section 13 submitted by NMRBTY LLC for the storage of 1920 gallons of
flammable liquids and 12,480 gallons of combustible liquids. The property is located at 5 Parkwood Drive as shown on assessor's map R23 lot 11-0.
So that public hearing is open now, but we'll get to it after we finish this public hearing. Is that right? Okay. Thank you. Um, so I would defer to Miss Curry if you want to respond to that. >> I'm not exactly sure which all the questions you want me to respond to. So
um the first one what you have before you is a layout plan. It does not include all the utilities. It's not you know engineer plan for the engineering for the water. So it doesn't include all the utilities. So I agree with that. It's a layout plan um for the public street acceptance. It's a different plan
that you would use for the engineering. Um I'd agree it does not include there is a culvert underneath this private road. It's a culvert. It's not part of the municipal separate storm sewer system. Um, it would be accepted as part of the
road if the road were to be accepted and then the town would take on responsibility for long-term maintenance of it. I believe it is a culvert that serves an intermittent stream. So, it would also probably need to get some approvals from conservation commission for any kind of work that was done to
that. Um, and then the rest of the questions about the title that would have to be answered by town council. >> Fair. Thank you. Um, planning board, anything to weigh in? Okay. Thank you. Um, comments from the board?
>> I I don't think so, but I'm just hoping some of these um questions could be resolved by town meeting. Maybe we could get more information. Um, >> well, and through the chair, I'm struggling to understand how this was evaluated at planning board if there is a discrepancy on title. >> I'm sorry, what was the question? We're
essentially being confronted here with the discrepancy on title in which there is a claimant showing that there is a reasonable dispute in discrepancy around potential ownership of the land such that we are likely going to need to confer with town council. I am struggling to understand why this is before us with a recommendation from the
planning board when there is an open title issue. This was not highlighted by you. Why? >> So this is me taking off my >> I don't I don't want a planning board hat. I'm asking a specific question to the planning board representative here not you through the chair. I would like to understand why this has been
presented to us as a yes recommendation with an open title discrepancy. >> Thank you, Mr. Ker. Um, so I would like to hear from the planning board. >> You just asked me to >> and planning board member here. >> Sure. So the simple answer is is the subdivision authorization act of 19 I
think it's 54 or 64 uh allowed and dictates how land was supposed to be laid out you know for and how subdivisions are to be you know approved and uh there are what are called ancient ways. And so roads that were established
uh before that are uh subject to a the old law which basically stated what the gentleman here states that um the budding properties own up to 50% in the middle of the road. Now the town is part of the process of uh this you know
project that's going to endeavor has to do what's called the taking and uh manager Lazarus could probably speak more specificity to that but it is part of that taking of the land that the ownership no longer belongs to the trust and therefore the resident and they would no longer own up to 50% of the
road. So he is indeed correct that today he does own to 50% of the road but as part of the administrative bure and procedural process to you effectively take that uh land and you know make it a public road it would then uh no longer be his. So that's that's the process.
>> Thank you Mr. H. And just quick followup um did this question come up in the planning board meeting and did you get to talk to the council? >> I don't believe we talked to council on that. No >> it did not. Okay >> it did come up. It did come up at the public hearing for the planning board. I
brought it up. >> Uh yeah, please. >> If I may just add, >> right, >> that if the town takes the right of way and it's owned by others, the town has to compensate people. >> Okay. >> And has that been done? >> And has that been done in this case? >> No.
>> No. No. It would be done if the town meeting decided to accept the road and we went forward with the taking, we would have to compensate. >> Oh, I see. Yeah. But that's very But that's very different than a through the chair. It's very different than a private way being recognized as a public way if there is a >> more complicated. >> Yes,
>> please go ahead >> through the chair. Um the planning board discussed this matter but that was under administrative item. That was not the public hearing. Um planning board chair allowed um >> Kevin's comments at that time but planning board reviewed under administrative items. So we cannot
>> Thank you. Thank you for that clarification. Um anyone Thank you. We'll check to see if anyone else want to speak on this topic. >> There's a hand raised on Zoom. >> Oh, sorry, Mr. I missed you. Sorry. So, Carrie, were you aware of this uh
potential ownership issue prior to endorsing this article for town meeting? >> Yes, >> you were. And has town council reviewed this prior to tonight? >> Yes. >> And town council's not concerned? and you'd have to ask town council or the town manager's office, but um no
concerns were brought up to me. I mean, that would stop this from potentially being accepted as a town road. >> I mean, there's the process. If the town decides that it's worth it, then it could accept the road and pay the compensation or people could choose to donate their land. >> What if what what if a what if a land
owner did not want to have it either taken or donate? What happens then? >> It would be an eminent domain taking. It would be a taking. town would have to compensate. So complicated. It would take time. >> Yeah. >> And money. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you, Mr. Anyone else? Um, anyone else from >> There's a hand raised on Zoom. Okay. >> Yeah. Anyone else from public in the room? >> Oh, please. >> That's most of Lynon Street. >> Welcome up, Dave. I don't know if um my
neighbors would I'm Peter Mez with 10 Lynden Street. >> Thank you. >> I don't know if my neighbors would all agree, but I think you know it's the worst road in town. It's really in rough shape and it's causing a lot of damage to the plowing equipment that the town has to uh enlist to plow the street and
they're constantly coming in there to fix things including the water, including the pavement. seems to me that the money worth repaving it um would would offset a lot of those ongoing costs that we've seen year after year. So I mean I speak for myself when I say
I would definitely donate and not go through this whole eminent domain process, but I can let others talk too. >> So I'm Carol, five Lynen Street. I've owned my property for 18 years. I love Lynen Street. Um it's quiet. It's a dead end road off of a dead end road. It is
one lane wide. There's what, eight houses on it. Um, the spring is an adventure when the water comes. That storm drain referenced by Mr. Oly is is rough. Um, it's in rough shape. I was personally um in the gully next to my
house scooping mud out of that drain because the water gets so bad in the spring. I would love the town to start maintaining this road. >> Thank you. Thank you, Bob. Anyone else in the room? We go to the Zoom. Uh,
anyone in the from the Zoom wants to speak on this topic? >> Yep, it's Connor. He's He's on. >> Connor, please go ahead. >> Hi. Can you hear me? >> A little louder would be better.
>> Can you hear me? Okay. At this point, >> yes. >> Okay. Uh, Connor Degan, 48 Hillrest Drive. Um I I was not really intending to speak this evening. I'm I just wish to say something as a private a private
citizen and that was that uh I I definitely have concerns around the proposal of acceptance of Ociello. Um my concern is that this is some somewhat evident to me that it's
circumventing the normal process and the process even that was laid out when the planning board worked with the residents of Oiello to uh to try and address this fact in the first part incrementally by
uh changing the conditions on on their their special permit. Uh my my concern is partially because it's it is in most cases that we've we've stuck by in the town to have uh in in most cases
builders, developers, but in some cases it's homeowners associations and others that have to have to deal with getting these roads up to some standard as uh as director Reed explained as well. But my
concern here is also that we're dealing with a serious budget crisis at this point. And I have a a great concern that as much as we're as Carrie said, we might only be looking at $170,000
for getting this up to snuff. And I I would be the first to if it was up to the standard to vote to make it a public way because I I think that extending those services to everywhere in the community is is important,
but we don't have the the resources and the money right now to be really considering this. We're trying, we're struggling to uh to find things to remove from budget proposals at this point. And it's just
not realistic for us to be looking at taking on a large project when we're going to be kicking the can down the road on streets that need paving that we already own. But again, that I just really wanted to express that. Um again, I'm not against
moving towards accepting Oiello. I think that we should we should work with the residents towards a an acceptance plan, but this is premature. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you, Connor. Anyone else um online?
>> Uh no. >> Yeah. To the chair, I would note I also get water on that road and I would let my neighbor know just because the town has accepted your road doesn't mean they're going to repair it. You can walk down to my house and verify that for yourself. >> All right. Um we'll move to the last
one. Whisper wave. Do we have anyone? Is Kerry? Yeah, please go ahead. Any pet, principal planner through the chair, uh Whisperways 2019 approved subdivision planning board. They recently completed their entire
subdivision um planning board engineer and DPW did inspection recently on March 17. There were a few items which applicant addressed that and they are ready for acceptance plan board recommending acceptance like whisper as a public road.
>> Thank you and uh I think DPW did not recommend earlier as part of the meeting documents is that correct? So um yes like in the first place after the inspection DPW also had some concerns per applicant address those and they are complying with DPW
standards and planning planning board subdivisions and storm water standards so they are um ready for street acceptance >> thank you that's very helpful um from the board u Mr. Bush. >> Yes. So, just to clarify, um we expect all these items can be taken care of before the small few items that are left
can be taken care of before town meeting. >> Uh applicant already addressed that. So, >> they have already been addressed. No. Okay. But not before we got our packet. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Want to wait and let Mr. Har go first this time. He's always being last. I >> feel lost over here sometimes.
>> Um who was the original developer for Whisper Way, please? >> It's 20th Century Home. I'm not sure they are here. This Meer Holmes lane. >> No, the nations. >> Oh, this is the nations. Okay. All right. I'm good. Thanks.
>> I just had one follow-up question. Considering all three is the only one that would incur cost to the town is the ocillo drive and about 170k per year for maintenance >> through the chair. Yes.
>> Thank you. Nothing further. Do we have u any public comments from the room? Mr. Hap, please keep it brief. We are closing it. >> Just want to correct that uh question. So acceptance of Oi yellow as part of
the citizen petition would not add additional cost to the town because the citizen petition itself states that until town meeting at a future date as approved by the normal capital approval process uh only until then would there be additional uh cost to the town. And
today if you look at the cost of what it is to plow the roads it would be a negligible cup of coffee uh uh you know a week if you will cost to be able to support it. So to that extent, it does not add additional costs as part of the citizen petition and it would not in the
next two fiscal years until town meeting went through an approval process. And as Mr. Kisner accurately pointed out, just because a town road needs to be repaired doesn't mean it is. And just because a town road isn't in perfect repair doesn't mean to suspend plowing or trash services. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Mr. H. Uh I think we can move to the vote or >> so Mr. Chair, we would close the public hearing next, I think. >> But I would have one more question if I could please from with Mr. Olirri. Uh if
you wouldn't if you wouldn't mind. >> Um so I understand that there's a question about ownership of the land. Is the concern uh around the compensation for ownership of the land or you just don't want any touching that land? >> No, the uh >> Oh, he has to come to the mic.
>> Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm all in I'm all for your lands right so I'm just trying to understand where you're coming from. >> Yeah. The um the road was Curtis Road was developed in the 1950s. The railroad was 1870. Lynen Street is on the old railroad bed layout. I can't ever remember any uh substantial
infrastructure upgrades in Curtis Road. There's no drainage catch basins. It all flushes down from East Main Street and finds its way onto different properties down near the Lynen Street intersection. >> Yes. Um, there's a drain pipe that I show, a sketch in my letter that I
submitted that's 1950s. It's corrugated metal. It's, you know, as soon as they start digging the water man, they're going to go through that. And then there's another cover down in this ball's house that's at the same elevation where you would install a water man. So, it's it's kind of lack of planning um for a water man. Hurry up,
let's get it done and worry about the other stuff later. We want it more thought out. We want we want to work with the town. you're okay doing this, but you want to do it in the proper what what you perceive to be the proper way. >> Right. Correct. We're willing to work with the town. Um, but it's, you know, >> Got it. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. >> Thank you. Anything else from the board? Anyone? >> No. To the chair, I would just echo the sub the lots on my street are an absolute disaster. They were very much drawn in the way he's describing and land was exchanged among families in the 50s and 60s. It it's a scene. Uh,
>> yeah. more funding. >> Yeah, please. >> I just want to point out if you're not aware that there is another article on town meeting for the funding for the water main project. >> Thank you. Yeah, I was going to >> including this area. >> Yes. >> Thank you.
>> I was going to say we need to fund DPW more to fix many things, but that's for later. Any other comments from the board or public? If not, let's close the public uh hearing. >> Mr. Chair, I move that we close the public hearing. >> Second. All that are in favor
>> I >> I nays. The motion carries 40 zero. The public hearing for street acceptance is closed. Do we want to take the vote first on this perhaps before we move the next one? >> I do have a question too. Um are we required to make a recommendation on
these articles or >> Yes. So required to make a recommendation and to if you're recommending yes to lay out the street without that vote a town meeting vote is not binding. Interesting. >> Okay. And do we have to do it? We have to do it tonight or um it
>> could be done next meeting also. >> Okay. >> So, we prefer doing it tonight. >> Well, I think the whisper way seems to be all said, so certainly comfortable with that one. >> Same. >> I'm sorry. I didn't hear that. >> Where I think there's some I won't speak for Amy. There's I have some concern now
hearing about where Lyndon is as well about whether we can vote on that tonight. I won't speak for where the board is on Ociello. It seems like Amy is in a position on Whisper. That was where I think we largely were as well. Are you suggesting maybe breaking the two of them out to vote on? >> Yeah, I thought maybe we should vote them separately or or perhaps delay some
till next time. >> So, Osillo and Whisper together and Lyndon separately. Is that what I'm hearing? >> But it wouldn't be the same. >> One at a time. One at a time. >> Let's do one at a time. >> There's three articles at town meeting. I think we should do three votes. >> Okay. I would move to recommend that the annual town meeting vote to accept
Whisper Way um for public ways and to authorize the select board to acquire by gift purchased or eminent domain any land or interest or land accessory for such laying out. >> Second. >> This is Lyndon Whisper. I'm sorry. >> Uh all those are in uh any discussion.
Okay. >> All those are in favor I >> I any Okay. Um motion carries 40. Do we have a motion for Oscillo Drive? >> Just want to repeat that. Um so if the
board doesn't vote favorably, it can't be favorably voted at tell meeting, >> but we could wait until the next meeting if we felt like we would have more information next time. Are we feeling like we would have more information next time? >> Are we going to get more information on on oiello though? I don't think so.
Okay. >> Are we waiting any other? >> I don't think there's any additional information. >> No information particular. >> Okay. >> So for OciOello whether we vote or not, it is going to the town meeting. >> No, >> we have to vote for the town meeting
vote. >> It will be on the warrant, but town meeting vote wouldn't have any effect because you haven't voted to lay out the street. >> Okay. >> So we could stop Oi yellow right here. >> Yes. >> Yes. Well, then there's an argument about,
you know, the folks have gone through the process to give citizens petition before town meeting or a town meeting form of government. >> Yep. >> Not a select board form of government. >> You're where I am on this one. >> Yeah. >> Uh I I I would move that we approve Oyola Drive to be considered by the Do I
have to give a proper motion here? Can I do my own motion? >> Uh >> to be considered by town meeting. >> Town council motion. >> Yeah, that's boring. Um, >> I got >> All right, let's do that. >> The motion's >> I move to recommend that the annual town
meeting vote to accept Oiello Drive as and for public way and to authorize the select board to acquire by gift purchase reminant domain any land or interest in land necessary for such laying out. >> Do you have a second? >> I'll second. >> Any further comments? >> Yeah, just quickly. I think there has
been a point well raised by both Brian and Parker tonight that we need to have a game plan for this moving forward. I do appreciate that this is likely the first of many. I don't I'm not worried about setting precedent so much as I am pretending that this will not continue to occur. So no matter what we do on
this one, let's at least have a think in the background maybe as a future item about how we want to approach. >> Thank you, Mr. Kishna. Any other comments? Yeah, I think we want to give it my opinion is we want to give it an opportunity at the town meeting and let the town decide. So I
would uh support it. >> Okay. >> For this round, we'll take a vote. All those are in favor. >> I >> I. >> Any oppose? >> I'll vote yes. I'm just a little reluctant, but meeting we get to decide >> and we get to explain our position. >> Correct.
>> Any nays? Motion carries. 40. I move to the last one. >> I'd like to suggest waiting on Lynen Street just given some of the conversation that we had today. This does feel like the one that potentially we might have additional information next time. and I promise to do a little
work talking to my neighbors and maybe do some of my job to understand where they're coming from. >> Thank you, Mr. President. >> Do we need a to wait or no? >> Want to move it to the next meeting >> potentially? >> I don't have a problem with that. >> Yeah, I think we might have more information, but >> All right. >> I'd be very interested in hearing from
town council at the next meeting as to what their view is. And you know, I think I heard this evening people are willing to work with the town if we do this, but let's get a little bit more understanding what we're going to do. Like what would be the plan, right? >> Yep.
>> Do we have to have a vote to postpone this vote since it was in a public hearing? >> No, we still have time at the next meeting to make. >> All right. So, we'll move it to the next meeting. I think uh now we can just
>> we closed this public hearing. So now we'll move to the next public hearing discussion and I think >> thank you. >> Thank you all. Thank you. >> Anyone want to speak on this uh item?
Flammable license 5 Park Drive. >> Hello. >> Hello. My name is Sarah Lions. I'm uh here on behalf of the owner of the building and the prospective tenant moving in um in case there were any questions or anything you wanted to talk
further about with this application. >> Thank you. Do we have um questions from the board? Mr. Kush, >> I guess I'd just like to get a little bit more explanation about um exactly what you'll be doing with the flammable license and um and that our emergency staff had recommended approval.
>> Absolutely. Um, so the flammable license is kind of the initial gateway to then bring flammable and combustible materials into the building. So the idea here is that we're applying to have kind of the maximum amount in the building.
Um, but that flammable license is just the gateway. So a flammable permit will need to be sought that more realistically breaks down what can be in the building. So you kind of start with this initial flammable license step where we're we're going to go for the maximum so that we don't need to keep
coming back to this board to keep you know going up or down slightly and then the flammable permit will come that really reflects the actual amount of material that will be in the building and will be in use. >> Thank you. On that note, do you mind
giving a little more context for everyone and the residents? Um what is this about? Why do you need to do this? and what are the measures you have taken? >> Absolutely. So to break it kind of all the way down um in the building code
there are requirements that have been put in place to make sure that buildings are being built safely and operated safely. So in this case there are what we call control areas that have been built out into the building. So what that is is kind of a fire rated
separation that compartmentalizes the buildings that different amounts of chemicals can be kept in each one where if a fire were to start they could kind of safely be taken care of in one compartment without it kind of spreading across many. um which increases the
amount of chemicals that you can have in the building but helps to maintain kind of that smaller compartment so that it's not a full building fire and lots of chemicals inside. Um there's uh different levels of storage that will be
used in the facility uh that helps to kind of keep the uh we'll use like flammable cabinets. Um there's different types of ventilation. um all kinds of things. The building was designed in accordance with the building code and
NFPA45 um which are kind of two of the main standards when it comes to safely designing a building that's going to be using flammable and combustible liquids. >> Thank you. And uh >> what is the nature of the business, please?
>> What type of business is going to be operated there? >> The the folks who revity can answer that a little better than I can. Please come in. >> Hello. So in that building we will be manufacturing research reagents. We sell
to pharmaceutical companies. We sell to uh research institutions. Um those are our main customers. So there will we make reagents um and chemicals that assist them with their research. >> Okay. Great. Thank you very much.
>> Yep. Thank you, Mr. Ker. >> I love it. Bulk CMO manufacturing for pharmaceuticals is happening in my town. I'm actually probably going to recuse myself on this one. Having said that, just because I technically work in industry and while I feel like this is wildly not adjacent to me, I can keep my
powder dry. So, I'm going to step out for this one. >> S questions. One is um is this the first time you're doing this? We didn't have to approve it before for this facility. Is that right?
>> Uh, correct. We are in Boston right now at 549 Albany Street and um we're moving that facility to Hopping, which is already existing uh revity facility. >> Thank you. And I would ask um town
manager, have we run it with the fire department? >> Yes. Uh so uh for the flammable license so not only do they need a license from the select board they also need a permit from the fire department and there's an annual registration with the town clerk. So Gary fire department should be on the
um >> yeah I see Mr. Dherty here if you want to join us >> and just wanted to add that licenses are granted for the land and not to an individual this particular type of license. >> Hello chief. Yeah, you want to give us
that? >> Uh, one thing I wanted to uh just say is that the plan that they presented was actually done by a third party fire protection engineer. Uh, so they actually went out on their own, brought in an engineer to actually design this plan. Um, they brought the whole fire alarm, the whole system up to code.
They've actually added some things that weren't required in the fire code that we requested. And um one thing you got to consider is even though it looks like a big number, these um chemicals will be spread out throughout that whole building in different labs.
>> Thank you. And do we do you think from the fire department you feel comfortable? >> Yes. Because the third party that they went out and used is somebody that the town would actually recommend and we use them on a lot of our big projects. >> Thank you. Any other question? >> I'm good.
Yeah, I think after all the questions I am I'm all set now too. >> Any question, comment from the public inside the room. >> Anyone from online? Any questions? >> Hearing none. I think we can move to
close the public hearing and then go for voting. >> I move to close the public hearing on the flammable license. >> Second. Uh we'll take vote. All that are in favor? I >> I any nays? >> Motion carries 30. Um
>> so I would move to approve a license for the storage of a total of 1920 gallons of flammable liquids and 12,480 gallons of combustible liquids located at five Parkwood Drive. >> Mr. Second.
>> Uh we have a motion and a second. Uh all that are in favor >> I >> I >> I nays. Motion carries 300. Thank you all for coming. >> Thank you all. Good luck. >> We'll move to our
next agenda. We certainly lost almost 30 minutes uh behind a little bit. Uh the next one in the agenda is common vual. Oh, we'll need a quorum. >> Oh, we need Matt. >> Can you tell Matt to he can come back though? Do you want to get M?
>> Thank you. Our next agenda is common victual license renewal. The select board will consider renewing the annual common victual licenses for Aramark at Dell at 176 South Street and 228 South Street.
All inspections have been satisfactorily completed. Uh Mr. Lazarus, you want to update us? >> Yes. So, this license renewal has been continued since December. Uh and at this point, the applicant market bill has completed all of the required uh
inspections and so forth that are necessary for you. >> Thank you. I know it's Mr. Kar's favorite. So, I'll start with >> on which topic I'm sorry. >> Uh the common Victoria license for >> this is the last of Delh hour, correct? us too. >> No, just I'm not sure if Dell is here,
but if they are, thank you. They have been incredibly patient and engaged with us in really good faith here. So, thank you to them and to the town for being patient while we implemented the new check. >> Thank you, Mr. >> All set, Mr. Bush. >> No, I'm all said, I'm glad they got all the equipment they need now for the
safety lights. >> I'm glad we finally got to close this. Hopefully, this exercise will help us move faster the next time. Uh so with that I'll entertain a motion to approve the victia license. >> I move to renew the common victual
license at for air market dial at 176 South Street and 28 South Street. >> Second. >> We take a vote uh voice vote. All that are in favor. >> I I any nays? >> Motion carries 40.
We'll move to the next public hearing. Actually, we are a little late. Sorry. Uh the public hearing for general bylaw amendments. Uh the select board will hold a public hearing on proposed amendments to the general bylaws which will be considered
at the 2026 annual town meeting. I hereby open the public hearing. Uh Mr. Do you want to give us an overview? So, there was um an order in the handout for the um for the hearings, but if Carrie is still here, no, she had
to go to another meeting. Um she may come back. Um so, Gary Dy would then be first to talk about the fire alarm by launching. >> Thank you. U Mr. Dy here.
>> I think he may not be here. Do we have any other speakers for this? >> Yes, we could move to um >> we could talk about some of the select board articles or we could go to the temporary repairs on private ways for with Parker half is Parker is still here.
>> I think he also >> may have left. Yeah, >> he swept them out with the wind in this. >> What was the other topic? Sorry. The grant of location. So next uh would be the municipal aggregation revolving fund and this uh is one that's sponsored by
the select board. Uh this new revolving fund uh would hold the operational adder funds that are received by the town from the municipal aggregation program. The town is required to spend these funds on purposes related to the program which are energy related program expenses. So
the revolving fund is the mechanism for holding these funds aside rather than having them go into the general fund. Are we going to take that one up right now? >> Yeah. >> I'm gonna excuse myself. >> Well, well played >> energy. Thank you.
>> Uh, so we'll Sorry. >> Entertain comments, Miss Kzner. >> Nope. This this feels like accounting to me more than it feels like a change of practice, which was my concern. It sounds as though we're essentially just ensuring the clean transfer and use of the funds and not necessarily altering
or enhancing allocations. That was what I really wanted to understand. That was nicely explained, Elaine. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Dush. >> Yeah, but we've reviewed this before before we put it in the warrant. So, I don't think I have any questions, but if members of the public have questions, happy to hear them. >> I'll open. We are already open. So, any
member of the public wants to make any comments from the room in the room? >> I'm sorry. on the whole document or on the specific bylaw. >> Uh right now on this specific bylaw, thank you. Yeah, please go ahead. >> Jeff Roland speaking as chair of sustainable green committee. Um just
wanted to say that overall the SGC is in favor. >> Thank you. Um yeah, I think to my colleague Mr. Kisner's comment, it's accounting, but it's also nice to see that we are moving forward with the aggregate plan. That's a certainly
positive thing. Um so I'm good with this. Any any other comments or questions? >> I was just thinking maybe we should check the do the other one about um green committee stuff. The municipal electric vehicle charging next. >> Be smart while he's out of the room. >> We're extending Brian come back.
>> We're extending Brian's recusal. >> We have two more. >> The next one is a new evolving fund that would hold fees and charges received by the town from use of a municipal EV charger. Uh it's hoped that we will be installing one in FY27. So, we're trying to get ahead of that and have something
set up. Um, how much uh will be there and how it comes in, we won't know till we've working with a company who's installing the charger and so forth, but the uh intent is to have the focus go for repair and maintenance of the charger. >> Thank you. I can't wait to see more chargers. Mr. Roland, comments.
>> SGC is also in favor. Um, but I do want to elaborate. Um, we're not talking about one charger. We're talking about a lot of chargers um all throughout town, mostly funded through grants. Um, we're talking about across the street at 25 to 35 in the municipal lot. Um, we're talking about, um, where the police
station, although those won't necessarily be public. Um, DPW, a whole bunch of ones at, uh, what, Marathon? No. Yeah, the ones at Marathon are getting upgraded. Um, adding one at the HHS HCA lot. And
I'm forgetting some. Hopkins Elementary is also adding a number of chargers. >> Awesome. How many alto together? >> I would have to double check on that, but quite a few. Far more than we have now. >> That's great. >> You have any questions? >> Yeah, just through the chair maybe to
Elaine. I just this one had caught my eye because I wanted to understand what percentage of funds we are anticipating basically as loss to maintenance. I love this from a green perspective. Clear commitment to town goals. I have zero concerns there. To me, this is more about just understanding how much of
this is just maintenance versus what is also passed through value to the community above and beyond the commitment to green. >> Uh so we're you know we town has a goal to install these charges and we're trying to do it for a number of years and thanks to SGC and others we're hopefully we're getting close but these
will be publicly available charges for the most part except perhaps one at the police station. >> Okay. Um but um the arrangement with who whoever installs them um there'll be some fees or charges coming to the town. We don't know how much but we do know that the chargers over time need repair
and maintenance and we don't budget for that. It would be great if we could defay the cost. >> So that was the other question I was about to ask is what made us think that we should budget uniquely for this because there's an argument to be made that this is ostensibly just maintenance of DPW equipment. >> It's a little bit different than the
equipment we currently have. Of course. Yeah. I'm not going to pretend it's not more complex. I'm trying to tease at the issue of why this one why is this one special relative to the other things which we challenge to be maintained through the normal operational funds. >> Well, I mean that's that's a good
question. I mean we've talked about uh using revolving funds to um to repair uh police cruisers. That's also on the list um to do other things. So, um, >> you're getting at the you're getting at the heart of where I'm going, which is I fear that we are becoming overly
prescriptive and specific in how we are allocating and using these and I worry that we are starting to lose the plot a little bit from a department head perspective where the budget is no longer being allocated by a department head because we've carve the elephant in so many different revolving fund ways
that it's all being suballocated through other means. So, I can see good intention here. I won't challenge further. It is very consistent with town goals and ambitions, but to the other members of the board, I do think we need to have a broader conversation about the revolving funds. I don't want it to become a candy store for us.
>> Thank you, Mr. Mush. >> No, I don't think I have any further questions. I appreciate the information and I understand the necessity >> through the chair. Um, one comment the SGC did have was we wondered if this one was flexible enough in terms of um if there's more funds than necessary to maintain the chargers that we install,
can we use the funds say to install more chargers? uh it can only be used for what's stated in the bylaw that's adopted. So right now I think it just says repair and maintenance. >> Yeah. >> So >> so maybe >> that might be now >> maybe we'll or maybe we'll see in the
future just how things progress and make a change in a couple years. And just to comment and add to that, I think um the purpose also is served that this kind of specifically focus on a particular
policy and a particular mission. So it's funded uh for the near or foreseeable future and we do that with water. We do that with few others. Right? The goal is the same that we went very laser beam focused on a particular issue and
promote and resolving or advancing that u cause through proper we'll find it's never enough but through proper funding. So it's a balancing act. I do think the revolving fund initially at its early stage makes sense because
it'll again advance the cause even if it adds a few dimes. Um but point taken. I think uh my colleague also made a good point that we don't want to continue to slice and dice too much, but I do think these are for good reasons. Just my comments on that. Um any other
questions, comments? >> Was there one other one? >> Uh I think we covered the ones that are related to >> Okay. Is there another one? >> Nope. I just want >> There are two more. No, it's the Brian. >> We're making sure Brian can come back.
>> You're good. Thank you, Jeff. >> Mr. Her, >> do we need to vote on those before we summon Brian back or do you want to have the conversation afterwards? >> We don't have to vote on them at all. Oh, >> all right. So, we'll move to the other
>> other items. New bylaw >> use of >> I see Gary here. Someone here for the police department revolving fund also. And we have Gary here. >> Oh, okay. Yep. Please come come forward. >> Hi, Sydney Johnston, town accountant. Um, so I'll just give you a little brief
history. Uh, last spring I did a thorough reconciliation of the police detail agency fund. um there was a lot of intermingling of
different fees that went into this agency fund that wasn't the best accounting. Um so my recommendation was to identify isolate and properly account for the
other uh fees being collected. So that agency fund should only be pulling in the money received to cover the actual police detail hours because that is what the um detail offices are being paid
from. So technically it's supposed to just be an in and out even reconciliation and that wasn't happening. Um, and it was happening for a very long time, but fees such as admin
fees and cruiser fees were going in there too. Um, so every year, um, it wasn't reconciling to what the AR was, the balance was on their software, which is DTS.
So, I did a thorough reconciliation. My recommendation was to pull out those two charges that should not be being used into the agency fund. Um, in discussions with the chief and the deputy chief,
um, in just my experience with other cities and towns, they will use that money to purchase cruises. um and they just let it accumulate till they can have enough money to purchase
it. Now, obviously immediately you can see the benefit that you don't need to every year have a capital purchase from free cash for a cruiser because you're actually using the money that you collected for cruiser fees. Um with the
admin fees, it should have been going already into the revolving fund and it wasn't. It was going in the agency fund. However, the revolving fund was set up to pay for the software every year. Up until this year,
there was enough of a balance accumulated to be paying this invoice every year. FY26, there isn't because no money was going in, but the bill was being paid every year. Um, so really this request
is just for more transparent accounting. um to use the agency fund for what it's meant for, which is an in and out and nothing else. and also to use the
opportunity to find a clear way of funding replacement cruises and and using the revenue from the cruiser rental is something that's very um widely done among other cities and towns.
>> Thank you. I appreciate that. Um comments from the vote, Mr. Her? >> Uh no comments. Elaine, have you had a chance to take a look at this and could you share your thoughts about it, please? >> I think it's a great idea. Um, it solves an accounting problem um and directs the
funds um where I think they're supposed to go and what they're needed for. >> Okay, thank you. I'm good. Mr. Ker, >> boss says, "Happy math." I love happy math. >> Mr. >> Yeah, I really appreciate you taking the time to figure this out and that it needs to be done differently. I did find
it a little confusing to hear. So maybe for a town meeting we could um present it a little more clearly about um what what did it used to say and be used for and what it's going to be the changes for now if we had a slide comparing to so that but I definitely like it being cleaned up. It's very clear what money is going in and what is coming out. So
>> sure I can get that prepared for you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. I just had one question. Have we done any projections uh how much the revenue is going to be and how much of the maintenance can be actually realistically covered? um based on this revolving fund.
>> Yeah. So admin fees typically they bring in about 20 to 25,000. Cruiser fees much much less. And I have had a conversation with the police administration. Um honestly I think two things need to
happen. Uh number one the cruiser fees have to go up. They're really low. They haven't been changed in I guess decades. Um, and number two, I think there's too many exemptions for crucifies. Um, and I and and so with
those two recommendations, um, obviously you would you would see a much higher increase, but right now what they actually collect annually on cruiser fees is very low. >> Gotcha. And what's our maintenance cost like? Uh the maintenance bill for
software I believe is about 16,000. >> Okay. So it can actually cover quite >> yeah and it's a very good software definitely well worth the money. Makes >> sense. No I like the model. Thank you for explaining. Um I think yeah I have
nothing further and we all are good. >> Chief, >> thank you for coming. >> Thank you. >> I just want to thank Cindy for all her work on this as well. >> Oh nice. Thank you. >> I love numbers. >> All right, Chief Di, do you want to give
an overview of the first one? >> Fire alarms white house. >> Did we ask for public comment on that last one? >> Oh, >> I don't see anyone. But >> we did not. Is there any public comment on the last one? The police evolving fund online or in
room? >> Not online. >> Hearing none, I think we can move to the next one. Uh good evening. Um at the annual town meeting, I'm just going to be uh asking to update our uh or amend the fire alarm bylaw. The last time this bylaw was
updated was in 2006, so we're about 20 years ago. Um I'm looking just to address the increasing number of false alarms in town and to encourage um proper maintenance. Uh some of the biggest changes that we're suggesting is um in the definitions category. Right
now, it lists all the definitions. We want to delete all that and just have it reference the national code NFPA uh 72. That way when codes change, we don't have to go back and address any of this in the future. Um, another big change would be in um the
way we um notify businesses. Uh right now it says it has to be certified mail. We u we reached out with town council. It can be done through in writing through email through an acknowledged account. So we're just trying to speed up that process. Um,
as we continue a little bit more, it had a a section for fines. Uh, after the uh fourth through six, uh, we could find 250. This one just changes it from fourth and above uh to 250. And then the last major change would be uh section
55-13, which we're recommending a total deletion, and that goes back to um the town's fire alarm system, which has been removed about 15 years ago. So this isn't even in play. So basically we're just looking to bring
up this bylaw to the 2026 chief. Um questions from the board. Mr. Bush. >> Um no, this seems pretty straightforward and I appreciate getting up to date with all the fines and fe um and procedures.
>> Mr. Key, I appreciate this best practice just citing the actual code and standard so that we don't always have to rev. I appreciate you taking us in that direction. Did you Mr. Har? Sorry. >> Um, so I with my colleagues operate a couple of larger buildings in Hington
and we've had the the fire department come out every now and then. Uh, it helps us um, you know, understand where something's maybe malfunctioning. So like I appreciate the fact there's not a charge right up front. Uh, but I get that we got to fix it and get on with it, right? So, uh, it seems like a
reasonable approach, uh, for public safety as well as for our businesses in the community. >> Thank you, Mr. Uh, I don't have I I I like the amendments. I think it's time and, um, very much justifiable. One quick clarification. All the definitions
are crossed out. Is there anything replacing it or what is the amendment there? It's going to actually state uh definitions can be found in the current adopted version of NF the National Fire Protection Association NFPA would be standard 72 titled National Fire Alarm Single Code.
>> Okay. So, it'll just refer to that and we don't have to update every time, >> right? And every time that code changes, our bylaws technically change. >> Thank you. Yep. Makes sense. U do we have any public comments uh from the room or in Zoom
>> questions? Nonzoom. >> Hearing none. Thank you, Chief. >> Appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> I think we covered all the amendments and all the items on this. >> No, we've got some more. >> Sorry. >> We have two major ones. Yep. Yep. >> Yep.
>> Can we do driveways or do we need the DPW director or >> she provide some slides? >> Which one is next? Har >> driveways. Second one. >> All right. Right. So, we'll discuss the amend driveways pyl sponsored director
of public works. Uh, Kerry in the room. >> She did have to go to conservation commission. >> Do you want to give us an overview? >> I think Lance can >> Sure. Um, >> some lost. >> Uh, the second one >> driveways. >> We went a little bit out of >> Okay. >> sequence.
>> So, Carrie Rita submitted a proposed update to the drive town's driveway bylaws to modernize some of the standards. Um, you know, it really just provides some clarity to uh when someone needs to go to the DPW for a driveway permit. Um, you know, for instance, you know, and she says to any person,
organization, public agency, or other entity proposing to construction of a new driveway on a public way or modifying an existing driveway with access within the public rightway, she'll obtain a driveway permit from the DPW. Um it's fairly standard common practice from my experience and you know
it's these driveways if they're not maintained and regulated in this manner um can pose a public safety hazard if improperly located. Um additionally she uh separates the technical specifications so they can be updated without having to update the bylaw itself and references the fire
department specifications. >> Thank you. U comments and questions from the board Mr. Har. >> All set. Mr. Kizner, >> good. >> Mr. Dush. >> No, I think I'm all set. Thank you. >> I am all set as well. Thank you. Uh, any
questions or comments from the public in the room or on Zoom? >> There's none on Zoom. >> On Zoom. All right. We covered that one. We'll move to the next one. >> Trails. I think we've not done. >> Yep.
>> Trails. And I I see our trail friends here. New bylaw use of trails and shared use paths sponsor select board. Uh do you want to come forward Peter and Mr. News? >> Thank you.
>> I assume this is with regard to ebikes. >> No. >> No. >> No. Which one? >> Oh, is it? Oh, I'm sorry. It is. Yeah. Used to chill and ship. I apologize. >> I'm just so used to saying the only one I thought we had. So just read there Peter. It is >> the use of trails and shared use paths. >> Okay.
>> Right. So the purpose of this is we are noticing and I'm sure you all are noticing increased use of ebikes, e scooters, e whatever various mobility devices by kids sometimes and adults sometimes
wearing helmets sometimes not. Um there a lot of work needs to be done on this. I we had a discussion, you know, a couple months back about it, but sort of as a first step, the idea is that we can put a speed limit in effect on the
shared use path. So that's center trail, Hughes Trail, um those sort of paths. What we want to do is have a 10 mph speed limit. Um 10 miles an hour may seem low, but I've been biking at that speed, and it's a
it's a it gets you from point A to point B pretty well. The other issue is that 10 miles an hour is something that people can actually kind of get their arms around as to it's a relatively safe speed as opposed to if you do 15 or 20
um that's a lot faster and if you're you know people if you're going 15 or if you got a 15 speed limit someone's probably going to be going 20. If the speed limit is 10 and you're going 15 that's less of a problem as long as you're respectful. The idea is really to start the process
and it's going to be a process of thinking through this issue and working to get safe, responsible use of the trails. At the meetings we've had to discuss this, the issue really comes down to most users are good, responsible
users, but this is a way to start the education with folks who maybe aren't going to be quite so responsible as in the typically the teenage group. >> Thank you. Uh we'll take questions and
comments from the board first. Mr. >> Yep. >> Uh 10 miles per hour. That's a six-minute pace, Peter. Yes. >> Can you run the six-minute pace through those trails? >> Um, in my youth, >> I'm not sure I could do it now. You're not going to be banned from the trails.
What you're saying? >> I'm fine. I think it's a good idea. >> Dish. >> Yeah. No, I appreciate you putting these together. Um, this will allow you to post speed limit signs and although it may be difficult to enforce, um, at least there'll be signs and it'll be clear what the rule is and so it could
be enforced if needed. And, uh, let's see. Yeah, I think the communication with the public is is really important piece of this and once we have a rule, we can post the signs and we can spread the word about what the rule is. >> Um, so I appreciate you taking a look at this. And I I noticed that we talked
about this, but you made it not device. It's um it's just a speed limit, not a specific device because the devices correct the bikes change over time, the names of them, and >> Yeah. you you won't feel, you know, you people typically feel just as uncomfortable if somebody blows by them at 30 m an hour on a road
bike, on a trail as an ebike. So, yeah. >> Okay. So, any device, any mechanical bike or ebike. >> Correct. >> And thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Ker. >> Unsurprisingly, I'm on the other side of this one. Are my legs a device?
Um, >> do you know do you know how fast Usain Bolt runs? >> He averages 22 miles per hour at his absolute peak. >> Right. But Usain Bolt is not running on these trails. I'm not particularly worried about individual. Again, >> I we're not in a back and forth. We're not in a back and forth, sir. I can
appre through the chair. I can appreciate that I am making a hyperbolic example. I am making a hyperbolic example because I'm concerned about something that has a potential to be perceived as what I would call a nuisance law. there is through and I'm looking at our trails and bike guys over
there. Mr. Harrow, I remember fondly his presentation at town meeting on the issues of these bike lanes and the gradients and the sloping and how fast it would result in somebody going down Main Street. I think individuals through no fault of their own are going to routinely exceed 10 mph on this. I
really do not like the idea of putting a bylaw on the books that is subject to consistent solitary neglect and interpretation by the police. That is a recipe for bad feelings in a community that is already struggling with trust issues and applicability of law. I think
we have the right intentions here. I am in support of doing something. I am incredibly concerned about how broad of a brush we are choosing to paint with here. I worry we are throwing the baby out with the bath water. >> Thank you. Mr. Gler, do you want to give any insight to that?
>> Um, I would disagree with that. I think the key component of this is really education and as I said I think there most people are going to be responsible. This is a tool to help the police
department if there are people knowingly violating this to the point of causing a problem for others that the police have at least some means of reigning those folks in. Hopefully, it's more verbally
and talking with them, but I think you need to do something and it's a it's a big issue and I think this is a relatively simple first step. >> Thank you. Uh I have a question which is uh how many towns do we know have
anything like this in New England? >> It's certainly allowed by the the police officers um association. That was one of the indications or one of the reasons we picked this is because they they mentioned that within the state bylaw
within the state laws which are very limited on ebikes. One thing you can do on a shared deuce path is limit the speeds. Right now ebikes are not even allowed technically on these trails. So
we are doing two things here. We're allowing ebikes on the trails and I think that's a good thing. I think that's forwardlooking. Right now, they're not supposed to be on there at all, but we're letting them, but we're doing that with some controls on that.
>> Thank you. That's helpful. And how did you come up with that 10 m an hour limit? >> The 10 m an hour was um based on what seems like a reasonable speed. Five. Getting from point A to point B is slow.
And to Brian's point and Mr. Kisner's point, obviously most runners or a lot of runners can run faster than that. So that is too low. 15. The problem with 15 is that people tend to go a little over speed limits or that seems to
occasionally happen with uh vehicular drivers. So 15 gets you 20. 10. Having biked that speed myself is a pretty comfortable speed, but you feel like you're you're moving down the trail pretty well. So, it, you know, without
trying to pick, you know, 9 miles an hour or 12, 10 seems like a good number. And again, one of the key points here is education. If somebody blows by somebody and that person yells,
"Hey, there's a speeding limit." they're more likely to go, "Oh, right, 10. I got to calm it down a little bit." >> Thank you. Appreciate it. I think any governance like this is probably needed. And I just don't know what is the right
number. Maybe we'll learn through this >> and I'm also eager to hear uh what the town residents come back with or their feedback and opportunity to weigh in on this. Um, so with that, I'm gonna >> if I through the chair, I thought of one other question while other people were
asking theirs. Um, it looks to me like this, um, this would only apply to trails and shared use the pass. So if somebody's biking on a street, they could go over 10 miles an hour and go the speed, correct? >> That the street allows for cars. Correct. >> Yes. >> Okay. And then our bike lane downtown, is that a shared use path or is that the
street? >> I guess it's a shared path probably. >> Yeah, >> I think we thought it probably is. >> It is, >> but they will have to have a public hearing. Right. It would have to be public hearing and posted. Yes. >> Okay. >> That's why I'm using that specific
>> designate. It's not just a general, >> right? >> You'll designate which ones? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Anything else? Amy? >> No. >> Um, anyone else? Mr. because
I would like to open and I see a lot of hands. Uh, anyone um wants to jump in as the first >> from public speaking? >> You have to come to the mic. Yeah, >> everyone can hear you. >> How many bicycles have a
>> name and address, please? Hi, my name is Peter Reading, 164 Win Street. >> Thank you. >> Uh, how many bicycles have a speedometer? >> You have only one question. You may finish your thoughts. >> I do. I mean, I don't know how someone's going to tell whether they're going 10 miles an hour
>> or 12 or 15. >> Do we have any account for that, Peter? Do you want to weigh in? >> I I don't know percentages, but an awful lot of people monitor their speeds. I do it with my watch. I don't have a speedometer on my bike anymore, but a lot of people do track. And again, 10
miles an hour feels like you're a reasonable speed for moving along. Um, it doesn't if you're going 15, you're you're on the shared use path. You're pushing it a little bit. So, it's a it can be a feel, but >> but the law could be reckless driving.
>> I'm sorry. It cannot be right that you can't explain. >> It cannot be back and forth. you have to go through the chair. So if you want to express your thoughts in one shot, then we can collect other feedback. >> I I would say instead of a specific mileage or miles an hour is just
reckless uh use of a bicycle or ebike on trail that could be identified by someone having to jump out of the road. Uh it's more easily definable than a specific miles per hour. Thank you. Any
anyone want to take any feedback on that or any other comment? Thank you, Nicole. >> Hello. >> Hi. Uh Nicole Simpson, 16 Ledgestone Drive. I'm speaking tonight in support of the shared use path bylaw that allows
electric mobility devices. Over the past few months, I've had the opportunity to participate in the process of drafting this bylaw and provide input alongside other others in the community, both as a member of the sustainable green committee and in personal interest as an ebike rider. I want to briefly highlight
why I believe this bylaw is important. First, it clarifies ambiguity. Right now, there's an absence of clear guidance about where ebikes are allowed on shared use paths. The lack of clarity leads people to make their own assumptions. riders, pedestrians, and even
enforcement. A a bylaw clear gives us a clear shared understanding and allows the town to communicate expectations through signage and education rather than confusion. Second, it promotes safety. This is about safety for every
everyone using our paths. Clear rules help protect pedestrians by defining appropriate use and they also improve safety for riders by giving them an alternative to sharing the road with cars. We know that tragedies can happen when bikes are forced to share space
without a protected barrier. Third, the bylaw provides an enforcement mechanism if it's ever needed. This is not about asking the police to actively patrol paths. It's about having a defined tool available if there are specific incidents or ongoing concerns.
Right now, enforcement is difficult because the rules aren't clearly defined. This bylaw fills that gap. Finally, this bylaw helps us work strategically towards expanding safe bike and mobility routes in town, especially to key locations like the
schools. It supports people making healthy and sustainable transportation choices and ensures our infrastructure is open to users of varying abilities. E-mobility devices can be especially important for older adults, people with physical limitations, commuters
traveling longer distances, and people like me who like to ride with my kids as passengers without limiting access based on mobility type. Overall, this bylaw provides clarity, improves safety, and supports a more inclusive and forward-looking transportation network
for our town. And I'll just add I with an ebike, mine has a speedometer speedometer on it and I think pretty much all ebikes do. Um, so maybe not all road bikes, but pretty much e all ebikes are going to have the speed right in front of you. So you're very well aware
of how fast you're going. >> Thank you, Jeff. I'm not sure who's next first, but let's go with you. >> Jeff Roland, speaking again as chair of the SGC. Um the SGC reviewed these bylaws last night and also uh recommends
uh approval of this um trails uh bylaw um primarily because uh it enables equitable access to the trails um regardless of your means of transit uh as long as it's not a car or a truck. And um because any uh
any uh off-road use basically getting people off the roads is a more sustainable means of getting around. Um, I'll have a more eloquent statement for this prepared for town meeting, but you know, back-to-back nights of the meetings. Um, also I I will note that the SGC also had a discussion about 10 versus 15
miles per hour. We don't have a formal opinion on that. Um, but the discussion continued there. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Scott. >> Hi, Scott Neayenro Street. I'm the vice chair of the trails committee and on the historical commission, but I'm here as a
resident. I was also part of the uh committee that Elaine of the residents that Elaine uh asked for input here. Um just for clarification, um tongue and cheek, but if a bolt I know he's up in years, if he has had if he became the ibonic man, then he would
fall into this category because this is for electronic mobility devices. So not for human. There's nothing about humans in this. Um so um the a couple things a lot of uh question and feedback especially in our user
group was around enforcability and I think uh Nicole tough act to follow really hit it home. It's it's really not necessarily about having you know how are we going to enforce it. If you don't have a speed limit posted there is no
speed limit from people's perspective. Secondly, visually posting a speed limit. I was a big advocate of this in our user group is it empowers non-ebike trail users uh to remind ebikes if they're in fact over the speed limit. So, there's a bit of a neighborhood
watch concept here. I'm I'm a user with my young children and we've had instances on the upper Charles where ebikes have zoomed by us and almost knocked my kids off their bikes. Um so, you can, you know, say some kind words and ask them to slow down. Uh also, people naturally go over speed limits. I
mean, someone here tonight had suggested um you know, what good is a speed limit or what have you. We all feel like there's a comfort zone when we drive in our cars perhaps and we say, "Okay, so are we going to say you're at 10.5 mph in violation?" No. But there's this comfort level in terms of temperature,
safety, conditions, things like that. So, I think that's important to keep in mind. It's a guideline, hopefully enforceable to an extent. And then, uh it's not as much about the ability to enforce, but having the option to enforce. I think that's also and someone here used a good word. It's really the
abusers and the people that are reckless. Those are the people who are trying to control no matter what age or or how they're using it is is the most important thing. Um we want them to be responsible. And then lastly, a speed limit helps manage town liability. I'm no lawyer, but I would think that's a
significant help for the town. If we're allowing them on the shared use pass by name, if we're naming the trails, then um if someone should someone be driving 30 and strike a non-ebike user and trail user, the town has already established that that person was in violation. So,
thank you. >> Thank you. Thanks, >> Ed. Ed Harrow, Spring Lane, speaking as a citizen. As one of the August board members, Mr. Hur said, "It's kids that are the problem." And I struggle every
day to keep my 13-year-old tucked safely away inside. You have bikes with no way to identify who's on them. Goes by speeding. And so you're standing there and you're offended and you tell them to slow down. 13-year-old, what are they going to do?
Excuse me. I'm not going to really do it, but you kind of get what I'm getting to, I think. flip the bird and keep on going. I think this is a totally uninforcable good idea. The problem is outside the town's hands.
I was listening to reading a paper on satellites today and the comment was made that the industry is moving faster than the science and the industry of ebikes is moving faster than we can
regulate. This is outside of the town. We can pass this bylaw. I think it's totally uninforceable. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Arrow. Uh, do we have anyone else for public comments on Zoom?
>> No hands raised. >> All right. I think we covered covered that one. Any other comments, questions? >> Yeah, just a question through the chair to Elaine. Do we actually have a comment or perspective from police on this? >> Uh, no. So I would very much like to
hear from police on this because we've been doing a lot of I think discussing this in absentia about the complexity of implementation and enforcement. >> One of the police officers is on Zoom and I think we have some >> Do we have someone >> if there's someone ready to speak to this I would really like to hear it but to me that is a missing component of
this. We've been trying to reflect that concern on their behalf. >> Yep. It's so Chief Bennett's raised his hand on Zoom. >> Hey Chief Chief M. Do you want to make any comments on this? >> Chief Bennett, are you online? Uh, can
you hear us? >> He's coming. >> We're getting there. >> Good evening. >> Chair, um, had a lot of good conversations around this topic with several residents and I think Nicole recognizes the posture that we would take as far as enforcement. We would be
out looking for um particular problems, not necessarily patrolling trails. Uh there's uh so that I'm glad they addressed that. I have uh spoken with the fire chief about
the storage portion of it, about bringing those batteries into um the station especially and uh he he educated me on the the dangers and which batteries to avoid. So, um, it should
the town go forward with with this, we're in position with the with the ticketing process, um, you know, we'd have to develop some policies around what to do if they take off. Um, things like that. So,
>> I'll support whatever the town decides. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, chief. Any other question? >> So, through the chair, what you just heard the chief describe, those are called pass through costs to the community. This bylaw that we are notioning is completely uninforceable. Folks, it isn't free. Very little in
life is. I can appreciate that we feel like something needs to be done here. I can understand and support the want. Please do not believe that it is free and without consequence. Very little is. >> Thank you. Uh Mr. >> No comments. >> Amy,
>> I'm all set. Thank you. >> Thanks, Chief. >> One Thank you, Chief. Appreciate it. One last question. Um, what is the fine or penalty should someone violates this? >> Um, it's it's a sliding scale. I don't have it in front of me. Elaine,
>> it's um >> $100 for the second violation. >> A written warning for the first violation, a fine of $100 for the second violation, confiscation um of the vehicle for 15 days for the third, and confiscation for six months for the fourth and subsequent violation.
>> Thank you. Just >> uh any other comments public or here? Hearing none. Thank you, Peter. Appreciate it. Uh I think we'll entertain a motion to close the public. >> We have one more. >> Two more.
>> Oh, sorry. >> Two more. Technically, we got civil printer. >> Yeah, very important ones. >> Civil print. >> Sure. So, the next one is um amend by law require civil fingerprinting for common Victoria licenses sponsor select board. Ela, do you want to give an
overview and then we can discuss? >> Yep. This is the one that the board is familiar with and it would add uh uh background check and fingerprinting of applicants for common victual licenses to existing bylaw regarding civil fingerprinting and there was a memo in the packet that uh had input from the
police department on that. >> Thank you. >> Regarding the amount of time it would take to process, which was a question of the board. >> Okay. Is that in the regular packet or in the the link attached? I think they estimated 150 to 210 hours of FTE time
to support the policy as proposed. >> How how many >> 150 to 210 I believe is what was in there. >> Correct. >> So about a little over a week and a half of FTE time.
>> Thank you. Let's go over Mr. Hart. So on this one, um, Elaine, when we talk about any applicant, is that an ownership position or is that a local management position? >> Is the So the bylaw talks about uh the
applicant. So it's whoever is applying for the license. >> Whoever applies for the license would have to provide us a fingerprint. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> I'm okay with that. I wouldn't want it to be ownership because if the Dell folks are getting fingerprinted in Texas, you know, to have a coffee shop
in Hopington, Massachusetts, that would be problematic, right? So, I think it's reasonable um at the local level on one hand in terms of that sort of thing. But I thought also that the board discussed this in the past and that we were somewhat concerned about uh you know,
civil liberties and other matters. I'm curious, does town council has town council approved of this language? >> Yes. So, all we're doing is adding one change to the bylaw and that's adding the common picture to the license. The bylaw already exists and got it and it's
fine. >> Last time I checked, we might have one ice cream vendor in town, right? you have multiple dozens of common victim at this time. >> So none other in the Commonwealth. >> Not that we're aware of. >> There's a reason for that.
Right. So if the big cities don't have this with all that goes on in the big cities, I struggle with why we would have this here in Hopkin. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Mr. Dush.
>> Yeah, I I hear Mr. Hur's concerns, but I do think that is something that the public wants to talk and that we should consider and think about at town meeting. Although like a lot of professions require fingerprinting like uh teachers or people that work in a school building. Um so not common vectors, but I don't think it's too far
out of line, but I think town meeting would like to discuss it and make the decision. Town meeting. >> Yeah, Mr. Per, you want Yeah, when this came up last, I had actually asked if we could hear from Chamber of Commerce on this. Did we get any feedback from the Chamber on this proposal? >> Uh, no, we don't have feedback from
them. >> So, I'd still really like to hear from them as the pre-minent business and governance group in town. I look at Mr. and Chairman today and I think both of you have previously expressed the concern about the perception of not being businessfriendly. And so, I'm
sensitive to this too. There there has to be a line between wanting to understand who is coming into town and doing business and the civil liberties that we enjoy in this country. I think we are trying to do something for all the right reasons, but I fear we
have gone just a few steps too far here. With that said, and I promise I'm winding down here. I'm inclined to agree with Amy that the theme of my whole term here has been transparency. I don't know that I could support this, but I think the town needs to tell us where they are and make the ultimate decision on this
one. It's past us. >> Thank you, Mr. Kner. Um, I have some comments. My first one is let's also make sure everyone realizes that this board is recognizing the voice
from the residents about the policy and process for business approval. And we have spent many sessions discussing how to improve it. We have improved and analyzed the process and improved it. We have institutionalized Corey and Sor
checks which are also one of the very few if not rare even our neighborhood. Um I think Ashland does not have that. Um so we are I think in the right path in recognizing certain gaps and certain
voices and we are doing what we think is best for our town to advance the process towards managing it better and this is another attempt to do that and as we are hearing this is probably going to be the
only town in New England doing this but that's where We also want to weigh in and balance that we want to be a businessfriendly town. We do need economic development and we do need economic development not only for tax relief or tax help but also for quality
of the residents life having new business, new restaurants, new amenities that can uh add to the quality of life. So we do need to balance that and that said we discussed it at length. we do want to give an opportunity to do what
is best for the town and how far and how much we can do. So I would also um be on the side of hearing from the residents at large what they think um is the right thing to do on this account. Do we go you know be the first town in New
England to implement Corey Sori and fingerprint check and there's cost involved. There's other um other challenges, but this is also going to benefit nationwide um kind of identification of any criminals trying
to do anything in this town or sexual offenders. So that said, I would also support taking it to the town, hear from the town's voice and let the town residents make the final call on this. So with that I think I'll look for if
there is any other comments from the board. If not any other comments from the people in this room or online. Please come forward. Thank you Mr. Chair. My name is Lynn Keyi. I currently reside in Millville Massachusetts. I have strong ties to
Ashlin and Hopington and am a really active member of the Worcester community. Um, I want to first apologize for my outburst, and it was an outburst. Um, I wouldn't take it back. I may have done it slightly differently, but what I
need to impress upon you in this apology is the reason I spoke up is it is incredibly ret-raumatizing to feel like you're being dismissed even on something as simple as a vote to extend or seed
the time that you guys would have been making comment to the women and men and everyone that wanted to speak on the issue that was, you know, running over time. Um, had you simply taken a vote, that would have been better than what you did, and that was that was my point.
Um, I would hope that you would have made a motion to take a vote and see if that time could be seated, but I do understand that your time is precious and you had a lot of business to go through tonight. So, that being said, I was going through the bylaws and I saw this and I was excited. So, this is
going to be a little bit of a different comment coming from this side of the room on this particular issue. uh my friend and partner in the nonprofit that we're starting, Heather, um and I have been to a lot of meetings and spoken with a lot of people about
this in the city of Worcester. I personally was not affected um by the laws and lack thereof that allow for offenders to slip through the cracks there, but I was personally affected as was my sister here in Hopington. So, I
have to say that I agree that perhaps fingerprinting is not the way to go unless it's a very specific type of business. Um, but I would recommend that any public-f facing business. Um, do a national Corey story. Um, I've spent the
last 3 years trying to figure out the cracks in our sex offender registry board and how it's enforced. Uh, and I am appalled and there will be more for me on that coming in the future. Um, suffice it to say, we are not protected
at a state level the way we think we are. Obviously, we're not protected at a national level the way we think we are. The only protection that we have access to ensure is adequate is our local
protections. Um, so when I sit at a licensing meeting in Northbridge and I watch a friend of mine who committed a crime and did his time and his record was actually sealed get his license turned down, believe it or not, ice
cream truck and perhaps he should have. I'm not arguing one way or the other because the police chief was present on the force when he committed his crime and did not think his character was sufficient to operate a business that dealt with children. Again, very
specific to children. But what he did was he appealed and his appeal was shot down. I noticed in my very short time pouring over the documents of what's been done surrounding this issue in the I guess nine months that it's been uh
being dealt with. Um I I did and I lost my train of thought cuz that's trauma. That's trauma guys. I'm so sorry about that. Um so long story short, I did look it's back. I did look um at the Common Vict license application and just like
in North Bridge and we checked in Worister, just like in Worester, there is a section for the police department to sign off, comment, decline, you know, to issue a license. As I said, just like the other two towns, it seems the
problem here, again, new to this issue or to knowledge of this issue, but it seems the problem here was that at the one particular pizza place with the biggest problem, Hillers, which I was not involved in, a simple note on the
license would have a been legal, and I know that that is true, and b would have given the public sufficient access to who their kids were going to work for. Um, that's just one example. I
know you guys are not bad people. There is no freaking way that a single one of you on this board is okay with rape, is okay with child rape. You're not. And I think it's been kind of an adversarial
exchange, and I can see why. Uh, I've seen this play out in other towns and in Worester recently. I love the idea. And perhaps town meeting is too big a scale for what I'm about to propose. Okay? But I would love the idea of sitting down and talking to members of the community,
talking to survivors, talking to business owners, and coming up with an effective plan to ensure that we do the best job possible keeping these people from our kids specifically. Um, and I'm not saying you have to be denied said
license. I'm saying it should be noted because the town is asking, "Is this person a level two sex offender?" The response can be noted in the license. Um, again, this is just three years of me dealing with the system. So, I could I could be wrong, but I love this. I
want to speak on behalf of myself because I don't know what everybody else is thinking. I love this. It shows that you guys are trying to do something. I think perhaps it was done in haste, but I can see why like something had to be done. So, I don't know if there's a committee or a commission that, excuse
me, that could be put together, but I feel like that would be the best way to go. And I applaud you for trying to do something actually in writing that will need to be followed no matter who is in charge. That's all I have. >> Thank you. And I appreciate the apology.
Anyone else um in the room, please come on in. >> Hello, my name is Lauren Lcowski. I'm from 15 Lauren Drive in Ashland. Um, I was not planning on speaking today, but seeing that these incredibly strong women had the courage courage and show
up to speak before you has changed that. These victims came before you to speak and you completely disregarded and disrespected them. Seeing the sweat and tears from my mother, mother, my mother, Marie Lascowski, behind closed doors is
beyond painful for me. I dare you. I dare you to look these victims in the eyes and say you don't care. Do you want to know why I carry a rape whistle wherever I go? It's because of you. Your incompetence of renewing
rapists and molesters licenses and people of authority like Joe Bennett, instilling fear in young women just like myself. Coming from a male-dominated sport, I know many young men who would swing at any man who look at me the
wrong way. It is humiliating that men half your age care more about young women than all of you. The fact that you men and women on this select board clearly don't care about the vicious cycle of sexual assault in your town is truly humiliating. You
should be ashamed of yourselves. Thank you. God bless you all. Thank you. Anyone else from the room? Please come in. >> The chair. >> This is not Well, I appreciate that these are >> My name is >> I'm sorry, sir. Well, I appreciate that
these comments are still out there. We have a process for public forum. We do 15 minutes at the beginning. We circle back to any other topics at the end of the meeting. >> Comment on the bylaw though. >> You are no longer having a conversation with us about the bylaw. >> Did not inter. Let's
>> so through the chair the previous discussion while impactful was not related to the bylaw. I am concerned that we are once again engaging in public form. >> That's a good point Mr. Kishner. I would request um the speakers to limit it to the bylaw and the discussion within the
four corners of this and we do have to appreciate you know the time cuz uh we have other important topics to go over and this is very important that's why we are spending almost half an hour or more than that and we are happy to do that but please be u cognizant of that please
go ahead. So, my name is Ed Kates. I'm from 23 Ruth a Ruth Ellen Road in Hollist. And I am with a bunch of other guys trying to promote a CHIPS program that's going to happen here in Hopington at the YMCA.
And that's what you do for kids. So, if the kid gets lost or missing, all the data is on a on a thumb drive and the and the police can have all their information, the weight, the height, the picture, their DNA. And I as I've talked to people, I was shocked that when I
spoke to somebody, they said I would not bring my kid to Hopington to have that done. I was surprised because the the chips program is a very important thing. >> How is it related to the fingerprinting law bylaw that we are proposing?
I'm saying after the discussions about what I've heard tonight and my experience of trying to get people to support this CHIPS program, which I think is a very valid program where there is a record of the kids, who that person is should they become lost or
missing, and to have people tell me that they would never bring their kid to the Hopington YMCA to have it done. >> Thank you. I appreciate it. Um, anyone else in the room? Do we have anyone online who wants to
speak on this topic? >> There's no hands on Zoom. >> All right. I think um we don't have anyone else. So, I would ask the board if anyone else has any questions, comments, or we're ready to close the public hearing.
>> There's one more bylaw to review. Oh, >> well, we've been voting each as we go along here. So, are we going to do that here? >> Actually, >> the board doesn't have to vote on any of these. >> I'm sorry. >> Board doesn't have to vote on any of these. >> So, we but we had done a couple. No,
>> we haven't done any actually. >> Just the street acceptances. >> Oh, okay. I'm sorry. >> Advising us not to vote or that we don't have to. >> Got it. Thank you. >> Good point. Thank you. >> Uh so, we'll go to the last. >> Is this the last one? >> Temporary repairs on private ways.
>> The citizen petition. Oh, amend chapter 174 article 6 temporary repairs on private ways 17422 sponsor citizen predition. Do we have someone to give us an overview?
>> Parker Hap. >> Oh, okay. >> Uh, Mr. Hap, are you here or online? >> He's not online. >> He's not here either. So, I think Ela, do you want to give us any context? then we can try to discuss
>> uh his uh bylaw amendment is part of his large petition and uh is he's asking to restrike the limit on the amount of money that can be spent on uh private ways by the town. Uh right now there's a $1,000 limit. He'd like to remove that limit.
>> So there would be no limit >> which is tied I'm sorry which is tied to the Ociello Road. >> It's in the same the same article >> article. Got it. or to support that article basically. >> Probably a separate >> because this is a separate article. >> It's a separate vote, right? Probably a
separate motion. We don't have a motion yet from from him. >> Okay. >> Is there a reason why they're separated? Would it be better to bundle it or >> No, the vote in the town meeting warrant. It's all one article, but we pulled that out because you're having a hearing on all general by amendments. So,
>> and this would be part of the general bylaw. >> Okay. So, it's one article, but it could be two separate motions on the article. Okay. And okay, right now it says um the town of Hopkin would be entitled to make minor repairs to a sum not to exceed $1,000 in total in any way in one fiscal
year. And he wants to remove the the sum that move the last uh phrase. It's he wants to allow minor minor repairs without a dollar limit. Okay. >> Any questions, comments? Mr. I don't I know I don't think I really
do. I mean a thousand does seem kind of low with inflation. So I think I could have support a change, but I'm not sure about making it so open-ended that we might still want to limit. >> Thank you, Mr. >> I'd be curious when this $1,000 went into effect and was $1,000 in 1985. So
maybe it should be 25 G's now or was it $1,000 last year and we want to bump it up to infinity, you know, >> from the original bylaw. >> Yeah. Which was when do we know? >> I can look that up. >> Yeah, I had the same question.
>> Yeah, it does seem awfully low. >> Sorry, >> it seems very low. What could you do for $1,000? >> Yeah, you can't do much for a thousand bucks. >> Can't repair your driveway even. >> But I don't think a wide open, you know, >> millions of dollars. Yeah, >> right. >> All right. Um, >> she's looking
>> she's working away over there. >> It's in 2001. Oh, >> okay. So, 25 years ago, $1,000. So, >> that's not enough. Really? >> I'd be okay. I would be okay setting to a dollar amount higher than that, but I wouldn't have it be just wide open.
>> I don't know. 25 years ago in construction business, >> three times, >> five times. >> I'd go 10 G's, I think, would be fine in the modern world. Something like that. Should we ask the town manager to
research um what other towns do? >> Well, it's a citizen petition. >> All right. But we could make we could make an alternate motion. >> Question to the proponent. >> Yeah. I would suggest to the proponent that we cap it at something and I would think $10,000 would be a reasonable number in line with the original intent
of the bylaw in 2001 in today's dollars. >> Mr. make amendments here or >> um just I'm just talking to you'll hear about it so you know >> yeah fine Mr.
>> I agree in general that it needs to be updated $1,000 in today terms is it's nothing you're not even doing the work >> thank you I think that makes sense I have nothing more to anyone in the public sorry Mr. Bush.
>> There's no one on Zoom. Yeah, I already spoke. >> One on Zoom. Anyone in the room wants to speak to this hearing? None. >> Mr. Chair, I move that we close the public hearing. >> Second. >> All those are in favor? >> I >> I >> I ns.
>> Oh, I I sorry. >> Uh the motion carries 4. The public hearing is closed. Uh moving on to the next agenda, we have elementary school building committee update. The select board will hear an update from John Graziano, chair,
elementary school building committee 2, uh, on the progress of the Charleswood School project. Thanks for the wait. >> Good evening. >> Yep. Thanks. Thanks for having me. >> Um, I had put together a couple of slides. Can we get those up?
>> Yep. There's They're coming. >> Oh, come. >> They're wizarding. >> Oh, but I don't get to see it. >> Oh, I think you can put them here, too. >> No, I can do. I got it here. So, um, wanted to come and give an update to this board because, sorry, first of all, John Graziano, 8 Kimble
Road, um, speaking tonight as chair of the elementary school building committee. Um, just wanted to come and give a quick update on the progress of the project and what the community can expect upcoming. Um, as you are likely
aware, um, we are well into construction on the new school. Um, we have enjoyed just the great partnership of the Mass School Building Authority um and the professionals we've hired from Vert.Ex uh Perkins Eastman great builders and all of our subcontractors and things
continue to be moving along very positively. Um if we can go to the next slide, just a couple of of highpoint updates. Um first of all, schedule-wise, we remain on schedule from a construction perspective. Our target is to be able to open this building in
January of 2028. um which would be uh just after the winter holiday break for those students. Um we are uh the progress is continuing um all according to or in some cases ahead of schedule.
Uh we got some generally good weather this winter which was helpful. Um and we will beginning uh we will be beginning the Hayden Row street improvements that are part of the project um this summer.
and we expect those to be completed uh sometime by the um end of this year. Um from a budget perspective, uh initially um our budget approval budget was around $158 million. Um thus far we've
committed about $121 million of that. Um that's not the full cost we're going to spend of the project. that is based on the contract from the general contractor and it's subject to change orders. There are also a few things that aren't in that $120 million commitment yet like um
furnishings um and some of the the pieces on the road work, but we are still tracking to be significantly under the uh budget that was approved at the town meeting. Um, at the last our last project funding agreement for with the
MSBA, it was estimated to be around $147 million. So, and that's including contingencies, which hopefully we won't have to go into, but they're there for a reason. Um, if we can hop on to the next slide.
Um, this is, uh, schedule update. So the the thing to know for this is uh the the building is largely formed. Um we have all structural steel was up by the end
of 2025. Um we've working on the last pieces of completing the foundation. Um we have begun the geothermal well drilling. Uh we've got three rigs on site uh right now that are drilling every day. So that
is progressing. Um we will from a roadway perspective we have been do well not we our um utility providers have been doing the required pole movements. So all the new poles have been placed uh
bar the two that are right in front of the marathon driveway and those should be completed this week and then the wires will move and we can get the old poles out of there. Um we there will be some preliminary work done for Hayden
Row improvements over the April vacation um just so we can continue to get ahead of the work, but the bulk of that will be done in the summer. Obviously, we don't want to be doing significant construction work on Hayden Row while school is in session because we all know what that would look like.
Um the best thing I thought I could do is bring some pictures of what's going on over at the construction site. So, if we can hop down to the next slide. Um, this is uh what is essentially going to be the front of the building. So, you can see this this will be the view as
you're coming onto the site uh and driving into the front of the building. So, that middle uh section that's got the blue uh weather covering um will be the main entrance. We'll have the the circle out there and you can sort of
start to see how the there how the three wings um come together on this building. Um if you do and any members of the select board are welcome to if you do have the opportunity to tour the construction site at any point in time. One of the things that I I found really
interesting about it is they're building it wing by wing. So you can really see how the project is coming together because the A-wing is a lot further along than the B-wing is a lot further along than the C-wing. So you can really see the the different stages of
construction. Again, if any members of the select board are interested in having a tour, um feel free to reach out to me and I will coordinate with Vert.Ex and we'll get that done. We've got people on site there every day. Uh we can go to the next one. Uh here just a couple of sort of working
shots. You can see that they're doing the concrete flooring on the third level of area C. That is the last uh concrete that we need to do. Um from a flooring perspective, obviously we went A B C. So the third level of C is the last piece.
Um we're all you also see a shot of them building their retaining wall on the far side of the site. Um there's a pretty significant grade on the site. So we'll be building up a bit to level it and building a retaining wall. They're
building a retaining wall to ensure um the you know the structural safety of it. Next um so here you can see uh the on the left side is the interior framing of area A. So you can see that we've already started to get the formation of
some classrooms. Um, and then on the outside, the focus right now is on enclosing the building envelope. So, the goal um is obviously to to get the um to get the building weathertight so that we can start working on the interior sections next. And then a couple more uh
couple more interior shots of on the next slide of our um you can see the the duct work and utilities going in. And then finally, I think we added a uh picture of the Wellfield being drilled on the last slide.
So, you know, I I think the pictures are obviously the the the highlight piece, but the big things are on time and currently tracking to under budget. So, we uh will do everything in our power to continue that, but the signs uh continue
to be positive at this point. So, um, open it up to any questions that the board might have about the project. >> Thank you. Thank you for coming and wonderful update. I'll start with Mr. Her. >> Looks great. I've been on a million of those sites in my life and looks like a good construction site. Thank you. Great
job, >> Mr. Ker. >> Yeah, just quickly in terms of the underbudget that largely just a reflection of coming down from where CO pricing was from your perspective or any other lessons learned here we could be sharing because it's you're doing phenomenal work. I have no other comments. I I think look realistically
I'd love to take more credit for it than uh than coming down from CO inflation but I I think we hit at a really um we hit at a really good bid point because the inflation was starting to level off and also contractors were really looking
to lock in um their work. I mean this is a three-year project so a general contractor being able to lock that in. They're going to give us aggressive pricing. So I think we were able to take advantage of that. The management now is just controlling the the change orders, making sure that we we don't eat up the rest of the budget on change orders.
>> Now, through the chair, we were ready for a little bit of luck in the MSPA process. Didn't go our way the first time. Nice to see it going our way the second time. Cheers, >> Mr. Dush. >> Yeah, thank you very much for the presentation and I'm glad that it's going on schedule and possibly under budget and I I think I would be interested in a tour at some point, but
I don't want I don't want someone to do it special for me. So, if we could arrange time, we could all go would be nice. >> Yeah. So that that would be fine. I mean, be happy to do um if if you all want to coordinate um I don't know if you want to coordinate. >> We can discussord that would be great.
And as I said, just reach out to me and I'll work with Vertex to make sure we get that set up. >> Love it. >> And one question I'm hearing in the community too is so it sounds like it'll be done around uh winter break. Um so and they could move the Elwood kids right then after winter break. We think >> I believe that the plan will be to move
the Elmwood kids o over winter break. Um, I'm don't want to go too far in that because that's really Mr. Bishop decision in terms of of how that will work best operationally. I know that the teachers and administrators will be anxious to get in there as soon as they can. So, if there is an opportunity um
to move everyone in, they they would look they would probably love to do that, >> but it has a waterfall effect where some of Hopkins could move in or not or they could wait and some middle school could then move to Hopkins and can it all be done at once? >> Yeah, I mean I I as I said I don't know. I mean, it's obviously a a complex
project to undertake over a winter break. Um, so as I said, I don't want to get ahead of Mr. >> Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. No, I was going to start your decision, but >> but yeah. No, no, I mean the the idea would be to at least move the Elmwood students over during the winter break. >> Okay. And then budget wise, I assume because we um we voted this a long time
ago. We already have our supplies and supply costs all locked in. So if there's more inflation this year, we've already, you know, ordered our supplies and materials, right? >> From a building perspective. Yeah. So, we we did this as uh as a general contractor bid. So, the the contractor really just basically bids the entire
project on one number. Okay. >> Um and so we're not at risk. >> So, we're not at risk. I mean, if there are significant shifts that would necessitate potentially a change order, we would have to negotiate with at the with the construction manager, but presumably they've locked in all of those prices and their, you know, their
pricing reflected any uncertainties that they might have. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Y >> thank you. Thank you um John for coming and giving us a wonderful um presentation and full of good news. So I appreciate that and I appreciate um the really hard work that you the um vortex
team with committee and everyone is putting together. It's not an easy one and you've been on this for a long time. Appreciate all the wonderful work and contributions. This is really heartening to see it coming up and uh looking live now and going on time going under
budget. All all great news and certainly shows the thoughtful um strategic um thinking that you have put in you all have put in into making it happen. Um couple of just um clarification question. I think we all are interested in visiting so we'll work with Ela and
we'll set up some schedule that works for you and for u for the site. Um a couple of questions. one is so timeline wise would you say we are targeting um I think 28 right and that is tracking or
we are ahead or we'll have catch up >> um so that is tracking um I I we are if you look at the detailed schedule we are a little bit ahead um but not enough that I would you know want to get more
aggressive than January of 28 but but there's nothing at this point to make me believe that January 28 will not be hit. >> Thank you. And it's good to have some buffer too. Um so that that helps if you're a little bit ahead. And in terms of the savings, when do you think we'll have more I think tangible sense of what
how much it'll go under budget? Uh the reason is with that timing if there is a way we can time it with the town meeting for future um kind of managing the savings. Those are some of the thoughts. >> Um it's a good question. Uh, and one
that I would want to, if if it's okay, I would love to go back to the Vert.Ex team and get a sense of of where we might feel more confident like at what stage of the construction we feel like we've locked it in enough that um that
we feel comfortable there. I I am comfortable that this project, barring some really unforeseen large event, is is going to be coming in under budget because the biggest piece of it was the general contractor bid and that those came in really favorable to us. Um, but
in terms of the amount, I don't I can find out and come back to you. >> Sure. Thank you. I totally understand and thank you again for all you do and coming tonight. Um, >> I think anyone else anything else? >> Good. Look forward to uh taking you all on a tour of it soon. Look forward to
it. Thank you, John. >> All right. Thank you. Good night. >> John Steel Totoes. Yes, please. >> We'll move to the next agenda. Probably the >> So, we did boarding committee. So, I think we're >> the grant of location grant location
company DVA Eversource Energy and Verizon Ash Street. The select board will consider approving a pole relocation petition presented by Nster Electric Company DBA as Eversource Energy and Verizon for obtaining a grant
of location to relocate one pole number two-/1. This work is necessary to provide electric service to number 27 Ash Street. Ula, do you want to give us an overview? And we probably have uh people
>> ask if the applicant is on Zoom. >> Okay. All right. Um applicant Eversource u we have someone I'm sorry I don't have Zoom in front but do you want to speak up? I wonder if he's on mute. >> If not I can briefly review it.
>> Okay. If you want to start and we'll probably need Amy to >> Yep. It's very simple. Uh a pole on Ash Street um at around number 27 is being moved 18 ft to the south and that's that's what it is
>> and the old one will be >> the old one will be >> cut down. >> Yeah. All right. Anything else? Um people online want to add? I'm sorry. Who's online from Eversource? Amy? >> Uh I don't see anyone from Eversource. >> Oh, okay. >> Conor's online still.
>> Y questions, comments. Mr. H. Uh, you know, we've we've done a lot of work to get polls out of downtown Hopkin. This pole in particular is well south of that. So, I don't think it's really going to change the viewshed that we've created here the last few years. So, I'm good. Thanks. >> Uh, Mr. Deush.
>> Uh, no, I don't have any questions. >> Mr. Ka, >> no. Unless there's a butter concerns, it sounds like needs to be done. >> I'm all set to you. Thank you. Do we vote on this? We need a motion. Yes. >> Anyone want to bring the motion? Motion
block useless. >> I >> number 11. >> I move to approve the grant to location for the relocation of Paul pole number 2/11 on Ash Street Northeasterly at the intersection of Katherine Drive as submitted. >> Any second?
>> Second. >> All the in favor >> I >> I >> any nays? Motion carries 4. Uh moving to the next one. 2026 annual town meeting. The select board will consider reviewing the May 2, 2026
annual town meeting draft warrant articles and motions and taking positions on warrant articles, finalized ballot questions if any. U Elaine will need your help. How do we >> I was going to say through through the chair. >> Yeah, it's already 9:00 and we are down
our chair and this has not been a particularly easy meeting. I wanted to ask the rest of the board if there was perhaps a desire to resume this at a future meeting. I know we are coming up on deadline. I am sensitive to the town meeting proximity. It's late. This was not an easy meeting
and we are missing our chair. I think we would be better served by postponing the discussion. >> Thank you, Mr. K. What do you >> How many more meetings till Tom meeting? I just want to make sure we can fit it all in. Next week would be the one you'd have to vote at. >> It may have to be a very long one next week. Next time then, too. Just if we do
>> How many do we have to vote on? A lot. >> It's a long list there. Several. >> Yep. I mean I obviously I speak for myself. I'm happy to go through. I just wanted to be transparent and at least acknowledge openly. There is a human component for us to >> Yeah. No, I feel it. It's late. It's
like that you already voted on the streets. So there's three that we can check off. >> I'll follow your lead here, sir. >> Mr. Head, >> I'm flexible. Whatever the board wants to do. >> All right. Let's um I'm flexible, too. Uh obviously next next week we'll
probably have to dedicate a lot of time, but that's that's fine. in all the budgetary ones. Appropriations is still working on that. So, we wouldn't do those tonight anyway. Budget this time. >> Okay. >> Are there any relatively straightforward ones you think we could move forward with tonight? >> Yeah, I guess. Are there any you'd like to highlight to us? That's probably
Thank you for asking it that way, Amy. >> I don't um So, we're waiting on budget. We did the roads. You feel comfortable voting on the CPC ones? If I say wait the CPC ones, if you feel comfortable with the presentation
or you can wait, too. So, we do have a meeting next week. >> Yes. >> Or not two weeks, I think. Right. >> Two weeks. One week. >> One week. >> One week >> because the two weeks is the holiday week. Oh, right. >> So, next Tuesday. >> And then the Friday the 17th, we're
voting >> to close the special town meeting. Any meeting on that yet? >> So far, no articles. >> It's not going to happen. They've made that clear. >> I will not be available next meeting, but that's okay. >> Covered most. Oh, so you won't be able
>> in that case. Are there any you'd like to offer your perspective on now? >> Then >> um >> just for the record obviously your perspective matters to us. >> No, thank you. I appreciate that. I think um I can you know kind of comes
we discussed a lot of these on various fronts but yeah there are some new ones but nothing is standing out. I'm glad we did the streets today and um other than that
CPC ones, I'm reading those. If I have anything, I'll I'll probably express um by email or in the town meeting itself. I'm good. That's >> Wait, how about these ones that are optional recommendations that we did go over tonight in the bylaws? Maybe we could vote on those. the EV char the
municipal aggregation fund the mun EV charging fund >> for the ones that we discussed today. >> Yeah, >> that's a good idea. >> Get those over with. >> I'll follow your leaking. >> Okay. I just would like to knock some off, I think. >> So, all the
>> So, I would I mean I would make a motion to approve the articles for establishing a revolving fund for municipal aggregation funds and establishing a revolving fund for municipal electric vehicle charging. >> He's going to ask us what numbers they are. can already see it.
>> Oh, do we need to see the number? >> It was municipal aggregation and EV. >> Okay. So, I'm recused from that, please. >> Okay. >> Yeah, that's all right. I'll be right over there. >> So, does anyone else second that re that motion or no? >> EV meaning the bikes and the bylaw there.
>> Yeah. The revolving char. Thank you. >> Second. I will second that. Sorry. >> So, it's the two revolving funds, the municipal aggregation and the EV charging. >> Are those any other discussions? All those who are in favor >> I >> I >> any nays motion carries 30. >> He's back.
>> And I would make a motion to page here to recommend approval of the article for the um adopt a new bylaw use of trails and shared use paths. >> I'll give you the second assuming that was a motion. >> This is the electric bike.
>> Yep. >> Any discussions? I I think I expressed my concerns pretty openly. >> Did we get a second? >> I seconded the motion so we could at least have the conversation. >> All those who are in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Any nays? >> Nay.
>> Uh motion carries 31. >> And then I would make a motion to recommend approval of the article requiring civil finger printing for common victral licenses. >> Second. >> Any discussions?
This is for the fingerprinting article. >> Yeah, >> for the fingerprint. >> Okay. >> Any further discussion? All right. We'll put it on vote. Um, all those are in favor say I. I. >> Any oppose? >> Nay. >> Nay.
>> 22. What happens to that? >> Uh, not a recommendation. Uh, but you're not required to make a recommendation. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> All right. Next one. >> I think that was it. >> So, it's a neutral recommendation. Neither yes nor. >> Yep. I think if we bring that one back,
it would benefit us and the town through the chair if we brought that one back with Joe next week just to put a finer point on it. >> That's a good point. Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. So, do you want me to withdraw my motion? We'll do it again next time. >> It again or move another motion. >> We could always change our recommendation next.
>> Okay. That's fine. >> But thank you for punching us through a couple of these, Amy. >> And my apologies for being blunt about being cooked. That's just I'm cooked after that. It does get um straight. But anything else we want to cover today?
>> Oh, I'm good now. >> All right. I think we leave the next uh or the other ones for the next meeting and moving to the next item on the agenda which is um town manager report.
>> Thank you. Um, just wanted to highlight that the fire department has been awarded a $11,74 grant from the Mass Department of Fire Services for it from its fire safety firefighter safety equipment grant program. And the funds will be used to purchase one complete set of PPE for a
new hire and six sets of ballistic gear. >> Awesome. Great work. >> Congratulations. >> How much is that, Emma? >> Uh, 11,74. >> Great. Congratulations. >> That's awesome. Uh second um just wanted to give a
followup on the request for a street light on Clinton Street from a resident. Um at the last at one of the previous meetings the board talked about our action items and um going forward with that. The president has decided to withdraw their request. So we won't be pursuing that. >> Do you get any feedback about why? And
the only reason I'm asking is not through the chair, not because I need to be right on this one, but rather it was important to me that Dave came and represented this as a safety concern. I heard that so differently than a citizen coming and saying, "I want a light on my road." Can you just help me understand
what changed in the background? >> I think after hearing the comments of the board. >> Okay. >> Oh, good. >> Kudos over there. You you members of the board echo to me that I needed to have a bigger picture view on this one. I will acknowledge that apparently I did. Thank you.
>> And then thirdly, um no, uh vacancies to report, so no postings requested. >> That's it. >> All right. Thank you. Anything else? Elen, anyone questions, comments? Moving to the almost final one. Lea reports,
board invites. Uh, Mr. Her, >> I have nothing to report on the corridor. There was a meeting this morning. I was not able to attend it for business reasons. I'll get the minutes and report at the next meeting. >> Thank you, Mr. Dush. >> Yeah, I appreciate the list. I added
some more items after the agenda went out, but um I I'll be happy to go to theformational meeting with the BAA for the residents of Maple Church and Pra Street. Um and I wanted to note with the Rang Holy Festival at Western Nurseries coming up
on April 11th, um 2 to 5 and I'm going to go to the Credential Center event. I don't know if any of you are also going. It's a very nice event. And then the Huckin and Pride Parade is set for June 20th on the town comments. So, just to keep that on our radar,
>> right, Miss Gaz Mr. Gaz, >> uh, I'll start. Thank you for emphasizing the holy festival. I will also be there and I have a feeling there are members of the community who would like to throw things at me and this is apparently an event where you're allowed to do that. So, feel free. Uh, just in terms of actual leaison updates, I had coffee and a quick chat with our friends
over from the KEF school committee. I know we have a future agenda item to have them back here, but a little more context for us that while we now have eight dedicated seats as part of aortionment on an average year about 20 students from Hopkin actually apply. So while this is helping to level the playing field for us against some of the
bigger towns, I do want to note that there is a portion of this where it could be a little bit disadvantaging to us. This is something that's ultimately being driven by compliance to state laws. It is not the way KEE wants to go. So, we'll hear more about this when they come, but I at least want to frame that it is a little bit of an impact to us,
but we also have not yet had a circumstance in which a child from Hopkin ultimately wants to go that is being rejected that's brought that's been brought to me. But at least be aware that it's going to be a little bit harder. >> What was the number again? We have a how many seats? >> We have eight dedicated seats and my
conversation with Sabine was around 20 people apply, but not all 20 people typically would consider actually going. So we've yet to find ourselves in a position in which we have been unable to put all the bodies who want to go in the school but recognize that as a potential moving forward. They would be in the
lottery essentially. >> If I may add it's scheduled for next week's agenda. >> Ah way better at this than we are. >> Then I'll save my questions. I was going to ask is it always aid or >> No, we'll let them come to us. And then very quickly I had the opportunity to go to the water and sewer advisory board meeting last week. So I was there for a
couple topics. I'll keep it very brief. Kyla and I presented again on the updates we're trying to drive to the financial policy. I think it was a really good discussion. I would anticipate when Abrams and the water and sore board come back before us for rates next year, we'll be able to finalize
that language and walk through it with everyone in the room. So, I think we've gotten stakeholder comfort, but now there is a desire to have the conversation with Matt Abrams and to have it all here. That's great. We'll be ready when you're ready. >> Thank you. May I comment? Um, >> please. Of course. uh if uh and this is
for the next one too. I'd like to hear uh more from the water advisory board on the brownwater issue. >> Yep. You're going to >> and uh that's something I think I'm hearing a lot from the residents. Yep. >> Maybe you know just understanding the reality the strategy and what are the
you know options and all those. If we can have them come to the board and talk about it, it will be educational for us and for the town as well. >> Through the chair. Thank you. I I also had a future agenda item that I've been submitting to Joe and Elaine around wanting an update from water and so and the DPW around drought. So I think we
have conversations to have with them quickly and I know I said it'd be quick. The other piece that I do want to bring to the board, I happened to be there when DP was presenting some of the options for MWR connection and the overall assessments of what they're going to present upward. I think the key
pieces I would want to share with you first hard to torture the state into giving you actual information. 35 million is what they're currently projecting as the capex just to connect to the MWR. That is not any of the other infrastructure or anything else. Just a
raw 35 million. Generally speaking, the proposals that they were showing resulted in either a tripling or quadrupling of the current size of the enterprise fund. So right now it's about 2 million. Average inflation would take this to 4 million. The proposals that
they were floating had an enterprise fund of upwards of either 9 million or 11 12 million. You may ask yourself, where does the money come from when you triple or quadruple the budget of an enterprise fund? The answer is from the rateayers. We have some real concerns
and issues about water, cost of water, and quality of water. We need that group here. >> Yeah, that great great points. And just to comment on that, I'm actually a little surprised that it's 35 because it was 30 or 32 about 8 years ago. >> That's the number they quoted.
>> No, I'm just saying it's it's >> I share your concern. >> It didn't go up by that much is good to hear. I don't want to push it >> push the luck there, but of course we want to uh you know pay closer attention to that. Thank you for the update. Anything else? >> Nope. Thank you, sir.
>> Mr. Good, thanks. >> Uh from my end, not much. uh I think MWRTA I am asking them to come to our board and give an update as you have heard there's a redesign that's happening and we discuss and uh I have proposed uh some of the options and they
have also done good analysis so it' be a good idea to walk through the new route that's being proposed and it should connect our economic development centers uh a little more um add to the legacy and most importantly it'll also reach to
the Ashland um station as as well as the um Southborough station. So, it's a pretty pretty neat one. Oh, and also extending to Delhi MC. So, people who are commuters can from the train station go to Delh MC office actually inside the campus. So, I'm very uh happy to have
these amendments and uh it's coming out well. So, I'll invite them through Elaine to join us and explain it and work through that. That's all I have. Le >> sorry, I thought of something else. I'm sorry. I know done um for the event at
the BAA for the residents of Church Maple and um Church and Maple Street. I also heard from residents more like the Pike Hold area that would be interested too. Can other residents come or did they have to get an invite to go? >> I haven't seen the invite. So, I don't
know who it >> was in our um did they invite? >> It was in our upcoming events list. >> But did who did they send an invite to? If it's a public meeting, anybody can go. >> I guess I don't know. It just it says for residents of um Maple Church and Price, but I've heard from some that are
more in the whole Pike area, too, that would be interested. >> Okay, that's just my opinion. >> Okay. And then we had a comment via email about um needing more portaotties at this time of year for runners doing their training runs before the town offices are open, but I noticed that they added some portaotties behind um
one a street. So hopefully that will help. Um and then um because there like others have said there's been a huge um concern in town about the water discoloration and do we have a recent PowerPoint from the water sewer advisory board that we was must have been in one of our packets
last time they came. People would like to know that we're doing something and what we're doing. I think and I think they don't watch our very long meetings because gets tiresome. >> And then did we talk about >> at the end >> at the end? Yes. Especially for at the end. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And then um did we talk about the Bobby Gibb statue
unveiling? I think we haven't had a meeting since then, right? So we all attended that and it was really nice and um yeah and the same day I went to an event for women elected municipal officials in Sturbridge and it was very interesting to hear from what they're doing in other towns and people talked about their big wins and their um and it
was it was very interesting. But there was one one woman from another town and their big win was finally getting zoned for a hotel and they said, "Well, I've got some news for you. It was zoned for a hotel about 10 years ago and no hotel has ever come." But anyway, that's their hope. >> Yeah.
>> But yeah, it was very good. Thanks to the MMA for putting that on. >> Thank you. And in May sometime, just to add to that, uh we will have the economic development plan that's currently in progress with the consultants. >> Yeah. We'll see if it brings a hotel. come over and give us a state of things
as well as the plan and strategy >> through the chair and I know it feels like an eternity ago, but I do want to echo that the fire and light festival that happened in the town common absolutely wonderful exact right note easy to get to fire kids people the
drone was great it hit all of the right notes that's the exact sort of event I really want to be seeing more of and I appreciate that that group is reflecting thoughtfully on how they can be impactful in the community. It's great stuff. >> Fulfilling a niche niche time of year maybe when kids have to do Yeah.
>> It was a huge win with my kids. >> Thank you. >> All right. >> Nothing else, we can go to the last item, future board agenda items, I would let um Mr. Clark worry about it. >> Yep. >> Next time anything comes up,
>> um I just will add the MWRTA and u and the water advisory, we already have it. >> I think somebody put that on there already. So, oh, I think >> people like little elves today. >> Yeah. >> So, we'll >> take off the ESBC update.
>> Yeah. >> Oh, yeah. All right. Check >> cross. >> And if that's the case and there's nothing else, I'm comfortable making a motion to adjurnn if there's an interest. >> Thank you. >> Second. Or did you make >> I'll make a motion to adjurnn.
>> Second. >> All that are in favor? >> I >> I. Any nays? Option carries 4. Thank you all. Have a good night.