[music] Good evening and welcome to the select board and wage and personnel board meeting of Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at 5:45 p.m. at the Lakeville Police Station on Bedford Street. Is anyone else recording this meeting besides Lake
Cam? Seeing no one else, let us stand. And we're calling for the pledge of allegiance in the corner of the room. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right. Do we want to take anything out of order? Yes, this evening. >> Yeah, if you don't mind. Um because Melinda has somewhere she needs to be. >> Well, we can take that there. We can
take item number one and move that up. And we're going to talk about the joint appointment with Freetown Lakeville School Committee and the town moderator to fill the Old Colony School Committee vacancy. Would anyone like to come sit up at the
Sure. >> Have a seat. We've got spots before. [cough and clears throat] >> Now I'm going to turn this over to the town moderator. Great. Thank you. So, as Hi there, everybody. Um, as moderator for the town of Lakeville, I call this
joint meeting of the select board and the Lakeville school committee to order. And we have one item of business and that's the appointment of Jeffrey Rodri um as the Leville representative for the Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School Committee. Uh Mr. Rodri will
be completing the remainder of the term previously held by Mr. Mansfield. Uh, so I need a motion, and I'm going to read this officially, to appoint Jeffrey Rodri as the Town of Lakeville representative for the Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High
School Committee for the term expiring May 1, 2026, effective immediately. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Great. So, um, is there any discussion about this appointment? >> Is, um, is the candidate here?
>> No. Yeah, >> I was just going to say hi. >> She was going to put him on the spot. Don't [laughter] >> put him on the spot. >> He was here for the Zoom meeting. He was here last time, but >> Yep. And we did see his professional resume and he obviously um has worked in
this capacity before >> and um I for one am pleased to welcome aboard and thank you very much for filling a spot that is desperately needed during a critical time. Anyone else have any comments? Okay. Okay. So, uh discussion
concluding, we can now go to a vote. I would ask that everybody say their um last name and I or nay. Uh why don't we >> Richards I >> Cushing >> I >> Sylvia I >> Thank you. Carboni I >> Candid Do I?
>> Bl. >> Hog I. >> That's great. Thank you. So let it be recorded that Mr. Rodri's was appointed by unanimous decision. And now I just need a motion to adjourn. So moved. Second. >> Okay. All in favor? [laughter]
>> We are adjourned. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. >> And it looks like I want to go skip to the second [clears throat] item as well cuz we have a few people unless you guys want to hang out cuz that's that's cool too.
>> Oh, okay. >> Not here yet. >> Oh, okay. Well, then we just give me the high sign >> and let me know. That's good. Actually, that would be [snorts] great. I need a countdown. Let us go move backwards to the minutes discussion and possible vote
to approve select board minutes of December 2nd, 2025 and December of 16th, 2025. Did anyone have any non-ministerial corrections on the minutes? Madam Chair, I'll make a motion to
approve the select board wage and personnel uh meeting minutes of December 2nd, 2025 is presented. >> Second. >> A motion in a second. Any further discussion hearing? None. Roll call. >> I love I.
>> Candido I >> Carboni I. >> And then minutes from the 16th. >> Yep. Madam chair, I'll make the same motion for December 16th um meeting minutes as presented. >> I have a motion. Do I have a second? >> Seconded. >> Motion and a second. Any further
discussion? >> Hearing none. Roll call. >> Hunt. >> I. >> Blood. I. >> Candid. I. >> Carbon. I. >> Excellent. Quick as can be. And then we're going to move backwards and we're going to go through the select board announcements. Madam vice chair, would
you care to read off the select board announcements? >> All right. be very happy to. Thank you. All right. So, this evening we still have a few uh vacancies on some uh committees, boards, committees and commissions. Um it would be lovely to have a full compliment. So, we are still looking for an associate member for the
zoning board of appeals, a member of the board of registars, and we have two vacancies on the cable TV advisory committee and one at large member for the zoning bylaw review advisory committee. Um, if you're looking for information, you can find um
that on our town website at lakevillemma.org. Uh, you can give us a call, any one of us, and we can talk you we can talk you into it. Um, and also with the town administrator's office. Um,
uh, there's also a press release that was in included in our packets, uh, regarding the fire station, uh, project update. Um, I guess I could read it into the record. Please do. Um, the town of Lakeville is pleased to share an exciting update on the Lakeville Fire Station project. We are happy to report
that preparations are now underway to begin clearing the project site, marking a significant milestone in the progress of this important community investment. Site clearing is one of the first major steps in the construction process and represents the transition from planning
to on the ground activity. at this phase uh will ready the lot for subsequent construction activities and keeps the project moving forward on schedule. Town officials and project partners appreciate the continued patience and support of residents as this work begins. Every effort will be made to
minimize disruption while ensuring the project proceeds safely and efficiently. Additional updates will be shared as the pro project progresses and we look forward to bringing the muchneeded facility to the Lakeville community and thank everyone involved for their continued collaboration and commitment.
Um this is from the Lakeville UI fire station building committee. So on top of that we have additional um news right here right off the presses. Um you'll be seeing activity I believe this Thursday.
So big uh milestone for us here. Wonderful. Um we have another addition to our announcements this evening from our Lakeville um police department. [snorts] Uh so the Lakeville Police Department has begun the strategic planning process
and this process consists of gathering information from stakeholders. Stakeholders consist of elected officials, community leaders, and Lakeville citizens. and stakeholders will participate in a strategic planning workshop to collaborate on future direction of the Lakeville Police
Department. This five-year strategic plan will help identify areas of improvement and identify ways the police department can enhance its operation to better serve the citizens and community of Lakeville. Stakeholders may attend one of the three workshops. Um this will
get posted up on the website too, so um you can make note um you know when you when you see the dates here. Uh, Tuesday, January 20th, um, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 28th, from 10 to 12:00 p.m. Wednesday
the 28th, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. And those interested in being part of the process can also contact Chief Matthew Perkins at m Perkins at lakevillemma.org. And I believe these workshops will be
held here in this um, facility. So, good stuff. um take take part, take ownership. You are a stakeholder, so join in. >> Thank you. Do I have any other announcements from any other board members on any other goings on in town?
Okay, let us move on to the town administrators report. Thank you. Uh first, I'd like to recognize the DPW. Uh Frank Monise and his guys did a great job over the last uh I would say month or so with different uh storm events. Um
Frank is very quick to say that the lion share of the credit should go to Jim Lucas, the deputy director. He does a great job organizing everything and getting everyone going. Um an ongoing procurement that I've kind of talked about that will be coming to the board at some point soon is the Lon Pond Lodge
contract. It's coming up on about a year to go in the existing contract. So I'd like to present you to the select board and see if there's any feedback for the new RFP. So that would be helpful to get se uh feedback from the parks commission. Yep.
>> Um and um what are they measuring for? Have they created any type of scorecard or anything? >> We have uh criteria. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> So you're going to help them with the scorecard, etc. Great. >> Yep. Um and then one last thing we did
was a 5-year pond management grant application. Um we did that in coordination with the Long Pond Association. Emily worked a lot of hours, holidays and nights to get that in. So >> that wasn't even on my radar. How did that come about? >> So the joint Freetown Lakeville meeting
um if you remember that we talked about um how we could apply for grants in the future and uh they want to the first step is an an existing conditions survey which is what this would be and then they could go on from there. >> Okay. >> Weed removal. >> Yeah.
>> Different things, nutrients. Yeah. >> Yeah. Sounds >> excellent. >> Yep. >> Thank you, Emily, as usual for your diligent work. >> Um, where are we with the budget for snow and ice now that we've actually had snow events? >> I don't have it in front of me, but it's
probably close to the >> Yeah. >> zero, >> cuz I'm guessing we're we're actually probably hitting that threshold right around that. >> Yeah. If you remember last year, it wasn't many storm events. I mean, >> the year before and we were in a deficit last year. So, >> yeah. Okay. Y >> um if you could send that out to the board once you get it, that would be
fantastic. >> Um anything else you wanted to touch upon here or are you good? >> Good. Y >> All right. Anything for the town administrator on updates? >> Okay. Hearing nothing.
Oh, we're good. Um to go to introduction of new firefighter paramedic Megan McCabe. Chief back in. >> I'd like to thank the board for uh providing us this time to allow me to introduce our our newest firefighter. Um
this is Megan McCabe as as the chair said, she's a firefighter medic. Um she comes to us by way of California. Do we have your husband to thank for that? Because of his military. Yeah. So he he uh dragged her across the country and dropped her in our in our area which we're grateful for. Um she comes to us
from directly from Fall River EMS EMS. So she's doing 911 calls for for River. So she gained some valuable experience there. And she's kind of a big deal out in California. She's the municipal equipment of a of a hot shot wildland firefighter. Uh the people that kind of
are certified to directly um extinguish wildland fires. And as you know from watching the news, wildland firefighting in California is kind of a diff different animal. and we're starting to experience similar conditions here uh in the last few years. So, she's a going to be a valuable addition to the
department. Uh she's well versed in those techniques and u apparently she broke down one of our our chainsaws the other day to to like it's we've never seen a chainsaw disassembled in that way. Um we were kind of shocked and uh she was able to put it back together. That was that was uh some really great
news as well. So, [laughter] uh, um, so Megan, would you like to to tell us a little bit about yourself or or make any comments to the board? >> Yes. I So, my name is Megan McCabe. I'm super excited. Even in the short time that I've been with the town of Lakeville, I've already been very welcomed by not only the fire
department, but the citizens, and I have a feeling that all of you reflect them. So, I'm very, very glad to be a part of the department and contribute to that that good energy and that growth mindset. So, thank you. >> That's true, by the way. That's her husband in the back. Um, and I left out that McCabe also holds an associates
degree in liberal arts with firecore competencies as well. So, >> thank you. >> Very good. >> You want to have >> Yes, do not trip. We cannot have that. [laughter] It's my biggest fear every time we have people. Good thing I'm sure to put it.
>> Welcome aboard. Very happy to have you here. >> Thank you so much. It's nice to meet you. professionally. >> Uh she was a Navy veteran as well. I thank him for his service as well. He's in the process of uh separating and um he has an interest in uh in in the fire
service I think or service. [laughter] >> Well, thank you for bringing new members aboard. >> Thank you for your time. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you for coming out crew as well. >> I know. Always a good >> It's nice to see everybody. We always appreciate it. >> And then our room looks so empty when you leave.
>> I'll see you all Thursday. >> [laughter] >> Wonderful news and it's great to have someone with different experiences as well to bring some more depth and perspective to the team. >> Agreed. >> Fantastic. We are going to move on. Is
the chief going to stay for the ambulance billing rate adjustments? >> He's supposed to. Um, do you [laughter] want to do you want to let him know he's got an encore performance? I >> think he was just taking a picture. >> He's just taking a picture. Okay. [laughter]
>> Well, why don't we move on to Well, let's not go there. Let's go for uh item number five, if that's okay with everyone, for discussion and possible vote on South Coast Trail quiet zones and improvements. So,
as you know, this has been a hot topic since probably 2019 um for quiet zones. Um it has proven to be elusive um to get them first because they weren't doing quiet zones in 2019.
We were shot down for any type of conversations that we had. Actually, South Coast Rail did not engage with the town of Lakeville um to any significant degree um when it came to asking for any mitigation um for noise or uh safety
concerns. It was not something that they were willing to engage in at that [clears throat] time. Um now there is some possibility um to engage, but as before, anything we're doing is very cost prohibitive. So, I'm going to read the brief narrative here that uh Andrew
and Emily have set forward and then we can have the discussion. The towns of Lakeville, Berkeley, and Freetown received their South Coast Rail grade crossing quiet zone improvements in October 2025. These reports outline what would be needed at various crossings and what it would mean for impacts to each
community. It's clear from the report that it would take several years uh at least for the installation of proper upgrades between receiving funds and the actual construction based on requirements of the quiet zones. Both Lakeville and Berkeley would need to do the upgrades together in order for have
an overall quiet zone be approved. [clears throat] Many crossings in Freetown are right across the border. Um and that's what many of the Lakeville residents hear at night at 2 in the morning. Um cost estimates for each community. Lakeville has three crossings. Um, cost estimates
between 2.4 and $3 million. Berkeley has four crossings, 2.6 and 3.3 million. Freetown has 12 crossings, 13 million.2 to 18 million.8. Freetown hosted a mil a meeting to
gather feedback on no noise and quiet zones on December 17th. They have a follow-up meeting on February 11th, which will be attended by state representatives and the MBTA. Residents from Lakeville are encouraged to attend. This meeting will focus on mitigation efforts, but other topics can be
[clears throat] brought up. Um, Andrew, I'm going to pass this over for you for insider knowledge on how those meetings went and those conversations went. >> So, I didn't attend the December 17th. Member Blanca did. Um just feedback from >> sorry
>> the other two town administrators um I don't think they envision paying for these crossings. It's just >> $18 million seems >> it's a lot of money >> steep. >> Yeah it's And uh all three communities are obviously under the pressure with the budget. So I don't see them doing
it. Um one thing Deb Petty the Freetown town of said is that South Coast Rail is open to doing mitigation efforts along the tracks. And when we're talking mitigation efforts, what does that entail? >> I would say trees, sound barriers,
stuff like that. M >> if I can clarify on that. So yes, so there's a little bit of good news that the resident should be aware of that the >> this meeting on December 17th was there was no representation from the T and this passing along information that they had received. The meeting coming up on
February 11th is very important. that's gonna have representatives from tea and also the tea advis that that group that advocates on behalf of >> yeah the MBTA advisory >> they're not tea people but they're people that advocate for folks that have issues with the tea that would be an
important meeting for residents um this lakeville to attend if they have any of those issues that want to be brought up. Uh I just want to clarify what the inducer is saying in regards to mitigation. Um they free town has received information that the T is receptive to going back and maybe
relaxing some of those requirements distance from the tracks to qualify and and mitigation includes windows insulation and so forth and landscaping all sorts of stuff. How about something simple like the length and duration of the horn blowing?
>> That was discussed at length. >> That that seems to be more, you know, a concern for residents is the the noise factor. >> That was discussed at length. And unfortunately, the federal railroad administration dictates all that. They are not no way, no how, never going to budge. People will say, "Oh, don't blow
the horns at 1:00 a.m. Not going to happen." Federal government mandates that that. But now there was a lot of discussion on the um how often the the pattern of the horn. Some residents were saying that some tend to blow longer
duration and so forth or instead of the four it's the five or six or whatever and stuff like that. The free time passed those concerns along previously. The tea has come back and all the trains have devices that record when the horns are blown and how long and exact. I have
all those and the T has come back and said that they've gone back and they've checked checked the records and they find no patterns that deviate from what the federal railroad administration dictates [cough] but they encourage residents if they're aware if they hear that again excessive now could be an obstacle on the track to
but the point is that they're encouraging if it happens again notify them right away the free town officials and they will pass it along to te the team will pull the records to see whether or not some conductors are abusing that >> so that pattern >> um would you say they would be receptive to a show of the board at that meeting.
Um, >> I want to say it's a virtual meeting, >> Chris. Maybe it's in person. >> It this this was hybrid. I I believe it's probably going to be a hybrid likes to do the hybrid meeting. So, I I believe it's going to be a hybrid. >> Okay. >> Meeting was my want to confirm.
>> If we can all attend, I think that would be helpful for the residents whether it be hybrid or in person. That would show a force kind of. >> Yeah, I agree. I think the state all the state reps are going to be there from the area. State senators, state reps, >> there will be delegation from represent. Yes.
>> Okay. >> Yep. >> So that's how it was left that we will have a a meeting with actual representatives at the the next one to voice concerns. >> And they say they're serious about mitigation efforts. Um I [clears throat] wasn't around in 2019, but I think
anecdotally what I've heard is that they didn't really take residents serious back then. Um, >> from what I'm hearing from the free town res, the folks that have gone through the process, it's as as you would expect, it's a a difficult process to burn the proofs on the residents and and
everybody thinks, "Oh, they'll replace all the windows in your house." No, they'll only replace the windows that are facing the track. So, some residents are literally putting sleeping bags over the windows, and you heard some really horrible from the folks that are right on. So, I don't dispute it. But again,
the good news is that T is receptive um to loosening some of those requirements and re-evaluating uh some of those prior uh applications. >> Okay. But not like structural like putting in like sound walls or
>> I don't I think that came up >> and I think that they I think a resident asked about that and I believe there was the free town what their understanding is that any of those is out of scope for litigation. >> Okay. I thought I heard from Deb, it was it
was a case by case basis, but there's not many houses right on the tracks. I know there's a bunch in Berkeley that are like right on the train. Yes. Tracks. Lakeville, there's a couple like on Leonard Street and Precinct. They're like right there. >> Mhm. >> Um Melbourne's a little bit different,
but >> Yeah. And I know um a lot of our residents have um been upset about it and it's been disruptive and we all know public transportation is an important part of uh of maintaining our roads and
our ability to to travel. But um this has been ownorous and I think it would have been better had we been really included >> back at the beginning uh as opposed to the um the blanket kind of uh do what
what they will that happened or the town of Lakeville. Anyways, I know middle had the same >> stance. Yes, they were not happy with the outcome. So they were just very vocal about it in a different way. M >> um all right. Is there anything else on
that item? >> Do we want to vote on Yeah. Do we want to vote on this or do we need Yeah. Do we need a vote >> because this doesn't seem like anything we can vote on? It seems like this is information for our next meeting. >> Yeah, it's information for the next
meeting and I would just say we can we can all attend >> Yeah. the joint meeting and then whatever comes >> we'll do it after that if that's okay with the >> group. Yeah. >> I just don't feel we have enough >> great >> information. Um and now we're going to move back to
item number three and discussion of possible vote on proposed ambulance billing rate adjustment for the year calendar 2026. We're going to call back Chief O'Brien to the hot seat. >> Thank you. All right.
>> So, one of the things that we've tried to be more diligent about is to uh consider rate changes annually instead of, you know, getting around to it or being willy-nilly about how we do it. Be a little more systematic. Um each year, uh around December, our our contractor,
our building EMS building provider gives us data indicating what our peers are charging. They can't specifically say what they're charging, but they can give general information like averages. Uh if you they give exact information, it's considered price fixing and it's uh
breaks the rules. Um and they basically notify us what wiggle room we have to to increase our rates and they let us know what is acceptable, what's successfully collected and uh and so we don't become an outlier uh you know one of the higher towns or or charge something that's too
absorb you know that that won't be able to uh to be um be collected if that makes sense. Um the number that you see before you I believe uh is is what they recommended um what they they recommended for rates.
It's not something that we produced here. Um the idea of building for EMS services is to offset the cost of delivering the the service. Um, one thing in considering uh one thing that we that you uh this rate that we if
we do change it, it's it's irrelevant to somebody that's um Medicaid recipient or Medicare recipient. It's irrelevant to somebody that's on Mass Health. Um it's basically that becomes whatever they're willing to pay us is what we have to accept. Uh and there is no going after
unpaid balances and things like that. It's so this is kind of separate. This is for this is for people who are self-insured or or have private insurance. >> I had a question. There's um they're all under 10% obviously, but they're they're all different. Like is there a rationale
behind it? Is it because something actually costs more or is there just a formula that they're using? Is this just a >> I wonder the same thing. Okay. >> Um and it's more about what select boards around Massachusetts have decided to charge and then it becomes an average.
>> Okay. and uh and their I guess their marching order from from us or from me is that I don't want to be the most expensive town. I don't want to and I don't want to leave money on the table. I want to be in the middle somewhere reasonable and that's why they was given. >> So it's a competitive change. >> Yeah. >> But in in in all honesty though, it's
kind of a snowballing thing too. Like when when you tell somebody this is what the average now and you increase your rates to that level, you're actually increasing the average. >> It's like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Exactly. We need to change it. Um, and if we change these rates, did you go
through and extrapolate what that would mean for >> It's really It there's so many variables, it's almost impossible to do. It's >> it's um I I don't know. I I think I'd have to hire an economist because it's um you know, we'll do a 5% change and we
see a 10% increase on 3% fewer calls. It's there's so many different variables involved. And I think some of it too I theorize is that it's also has to do with the economy. Um because there are people that like if you have um your health insurance pays $1,500 for an ambulance and we charge 3,000 that's
becomes that becomes your burden. Um so sometimes people don't we'll see those uncollected rates you know increase when >> they retract and they don't go as high on the >> Yeah. And so there's guidance in our policy for you know relief for people who can't afford it um if they meet
certain guidelines. And we also um I don't ever reject anybody that proposes like a payment plan or something like that. It's not like um uh you know it's not something that you know we're not in the business to to break people you know. >> Yep. I agree. And then my last question
is we've attached the town of Lakeville Lake uh Lakeville board of selectman um ambulance service and billing collections policy. >> Yeah. I'm not aware of a new one. Can we can we update this like the like this is from 2011 >> handwritten
typed >> um and the Burton Hill guidelines I'm guessing there's not a lot of families of eight >> on you know $71,000 a year at this juncture and if they are you know that's >> and there's new guidelines and I don't
quote to that those numbers in the policy I go to the newest >> news >> can we can we work on you getting the the best newest policy. Yeah, absolutely. That would be helpful and it is something we should just be looking at all our policies every 10 years as a matter of course and this is just one of
them that will be helpful and then you can liaz with our our policy guru over here and he can uh >> he can present it to the board with you once you have something that you're happy with. >> Currently we're about 3% ahead of last
year on low on fewer calls on on slightly fewer calls. It's kind of an anomaly this year. Our our runs are a bit off. Um but it's uh but we're about 3% of of where we were last year. We're still I think we're projecting at 127 or 126 for the year if we keep on marching out the way we are.
>> Just some more information for you. >> 226, right? >> Sorry. 226. Yeah. Thank you. >> Um any further context to add to this? >> No. No. >> Does everyone have the information they need or do they have questions information? >> Okay. >> All right. I'll take a motion. I'll make
a motion um to adopt the ambulance billing rate adjustments for calendar year 2026 as presented. >> Second >> motion and a second. Any further discussion hearing? None. Roll call. >> Punt I. >> Plum I. >> Candy do I.
>> Carbon I. >> And these will go into effect >> whenever we want them to. Um I have to get a form. I fill it out, sign it, and as soon as they receive that form. Um, so last year I think it was May 1st. Um, we got to it a little bit later, but you
know it it's it could be March 1st, it could be so it's whatever you want it to be. >> Okay. Okay. Very cool. >> Thanks, Chief. >> All right. Thank you. >> Going to item number uh under four, the
joint meeting um with planning board on possible earth removal at 30 Howland Road. I welcome up to here. >> Looks like there's three for road and then there's four planning, one associate and one planner. Do you want
us to We need bigger spaces. >> We can probably bring some more chairs over here. >> Yeah. Would you want them to present right there or >> That would be great. Okay. If you guys could have one spokesperson at the mic at a
time, that would be helpful. And everyone please introduce yourself >> for the record. I got to sit back. >> I just want to introduce [snorts] the town first. >> Yeah. >> Great person. Let's let's before you
convene like to just introduce the new town planner. >> Sure. Yeah. This is Stephanie Krampton, our new town planner. >> Hi, Stephanie. Welcome aboard. >> Her very first meeting with us. >> We'll do we have official introductions for Thursday planned. So,
>> fantastic. Really looking forward to working with you and um working with the planning board who's been wanting to have someone in that role for a while now. So, we're very excited to get that going. You may >> absolutely join. I would like to call this meeting of the Lakeville Planning
Board to order. It is 6:17 p.m. We are meeting this evening, Tuesday, January 6th at the Lakeville Police Station at 323 Bedford Street. We do have Lake Cam recording. Is anyone else recording? Hearing none, I'll just go around starting with you, David, and we'll do a
attendance introduce introduce ourselves. >> David Lodge, >> Donna Gay, >> John Cabraw, >> Michelle McGran, >> Stephanie Crarampton, >> Jack. >> Great. All right. Wonderful. And who do
we have today speaking for 30 Hoplin? >> Carl Malik from Malik Construction, 113 Popul Street in Berkeley. >> CJ Malik, 113 Pedopford Street, Berkeley. Jupal Street. >> Thank you and welcome. >> Thank you. Thank you.
>> Um, the owners of 30 Howland Road have approached the town about the possibility of a future earth removal located at the property at 30 Howland Road. The property is 565.77 acres and is currently zoned industrial.
It's located next to the railroad that abuts 1613 acres of Commonwealth of Massachusetts property division of fisheries and wildlife and is the highest point in town. Uh the town just adjusted its earth removal fees to 25
cents per cubic yard. There's also an administrative fee of $200 per acre. The town is also able to put conditions on any approval including including a performance bond 53G accounts for consultants um and any other reasonable
conditions identified by the select board. Um Andrew, is there anything else that you'd like to add for context before I open it up to the planning board and we begin discussion? >> Um no, I thought it'd be good since uh Mr. Alec um I think as close to town
since before I I even started maybe with a prior town administrator um and Mr. Darling to kind of go over like potentially a project in the future. Um I know there's a lot of mystery I guess at the site. Um people always ask me what's going to go on there. Um they've
approached me and kind of gone over a little high level details we'll say. Um and then it's obviously it's the biggest I think it's the biggest parcel in town. Um, so potentially the biggest project in town. Um, reason I invited the planning board is that it's going to have site plan review at some point most
likely when there's a project. Um, and then the select board obviously earth removal. So I wanted to take the mystery away of whatever might come there. Um, and then >> yeah, we don't like mystery here. We like to, you know, make up something that's going on if we don't know what's going on.
>> So I wanted to invite um, Mr. Malik in to go over details and then have the board both boards ask questions of >> great >> anything. >> Well, I'm going to turn that over and you can present to us and let us know about your project. >> We'll give you guys I think we have five copies there anyway. normally do.
>> You guys can look at take a look at the site. >> Stamp on paper. >> Sure. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Yeah. >> Yeah, we had those. short.
>> [clears throat] >> comment to our select board team. It would be great to start having these on slides for presentations, anything that's coming in, having people present so people in the audience and people at
home can see this a little bit better. >> Yeah. That is significant. >> This is a big parcel. looking at all of this in relative try to when you try to put it into perspective you know Mike it's
>> nobody else can be hard >> we have the drawings >> we have the smaller >> version so if we want to just leave it open on this we don't want Madam Chair, what I would like to know, um, I see that there's a few different cases,
which is great. >> Um, but maybe talk a little bit about, um, you know, what I know it's listed here, but, you know, a little bit more in depth about the earth removal request for that is the topic. So, we have to really zone in on that and that needs to
be the basis of the conversation. >> So, when we're talking about this project, you obviously have phases to the project. What is the overall earth removal footprint that you are talking about removing >> that parcel that's cut out is about 125
acres not including the slope. So whatever's outlined in the dark red I believe is just the piece on the along the rail 125 acres which encompasses about 7 million yards
of material to come out. So 7 million yards is like you could be saying widgets to me when I'm thinking on what that means. It's a lot. >> How many football fields? >> You know, endless. >> Endless. Yeah. It's a lot of material to get that down. And we actually that plan
shows a shelf. So it comes off the rail which we have to keep it somewhat level to bring the rail spurs in, allow the trains to come in to pick up the material. And then it goes up 30 ft. And then it shelves again, which is where that 400,000 ft building is.
>> And what kind of material is this that we're moving? Is this sand? Is this soil? >> A lot of it's going to be stone. >> Is there any blasting involved? >> Yeah. >> Um, probably not. A lot of hammering, but and and I don't know that answer.
It's a good question only because I don't know who's going to remove it yet. And the second thing is we get a lot of is are we going to have a lot of trucks? Well, ideally we'll get the majority of it out on rail. That's our goal.
>> But that also depends on the end user or the buyer of the material. >> So this material is going to be sold on top of it's not just created. >> It's cost us a fortune to get just to
>> bring it down and process it. Are >> you going to process it there? >> We are. Yeah. Yep. >> Is the the rail access is that contingent on tea approval or old colony or whoever owns the tracks? Is that
>> it is negotiated? >> We we've got a couple of consultants that we're working with to negotiate a deal for us to be able to pull that material out. >> And who do they negotiate with? Is it the T or they don't own the tracks, do they? >> No. is C is it CX or >> CSX coastal
>> Mass Coastal. Yeah. >> Is it an active sighting or is it uh somewhat in disrepair? >> What's that? >> The the the rail line there. >> No, it's active. >> It's an active line. Okay. >> Yeah. Service by CSX.
>> It's the Bedford line. >> So, if you want to present some more and have some more conversation, we'll listen some more. And when we first came in with uh Bob Nunes at the time and Nate, we sat with him, we talked about some different ideas, what the town may
or may not like. And part of it was 150 acres industrial and then um an OSRD which would mean either an overlay district or reszoning a portion of it
for 150 houses and then the rest of it donating it to the to the town or to an entity that wants to take it which is 200 plus acres out there. So that's where we started and that is um that conceptual is of that just the
industrial. We're open to what we have to do out there or what we can do out there. What you guys want to see out there? I mean obviously everybody will tell you they want to see it left in its natural state. That's not reality
though, right? Um unless the town finds an entity to landbank it and that's possible too. I mean, we're not opposed to that either. >> Let the planning board begin their question. >> So, I I see it as it's two different
things. So, you're you're going to the select board for earth removal permit and that's your first hurdle. When you have a site plan review, then you'd file it with planning board and then we would go over it. Um, we'd get the peer review. It sounds like there is, even though we're seeing conceptual, it
sounds like this is not definitive. Um, you're mentioning OSRD. We are working on an open space residential uh, development. Again, trying to bring it to spring. We don't have a final draft on that yet. >> Um, so I do see this as still very much in a planning phase.
>> It is. >> Okay. >> Y >> um, it can keep it all industrial if that's what everybody wants. I mean, there's >> it's a difficult area for industrial because of the schools and narrow roads. Um I I'm sure the turning radius for
trucks coming out of not just Howland Road but also onto County Street. I've seen how they have to go swing into the second lane just coming out of those roads. So I know that there would probably be additional mitigation to town roads just to get something industrial in this location.
>> That would be my impression without peer reviewing and doing all those all those turn radiuses. >> Um I don't know. John, did you have any other any questions off the >> Not off the not at the beginning here. >> Okay. Anybody else from >> Yeah, this kind of first look. What
What's your your time frame or that you see this? >> Well, um, we'd like to get going on it, a portion of it right away, whether it be the the industrial piece. Um, I mean, that earth removal, it's it's going to
take us a few years to get rid of that. I was going to say, yeah, your time frame from that, that's where you got to start. You can't do anything until you remove it and see what you actually actually have, >> right? >> And so an OSRD, just so anybody who's watching that may be curious, it would look to have
>> explain what an OSD is. >> So it would take a conceptual plan of and look at the existing area and see how many buildable lots and that would have to >> conventionally. >> Exactly. It would it would actually have to include perkable lots. So you take
the number of perkable lots, you take that full area, you divide the area in half. Half of that area would go like he's saying like a landbased sort of thing. Um it would be for the town purposes um designated through the process of OSRD permitting.
Um, and then you'd be able to build that same number of units on half of the acreage, which would allow less utilities, less uh roads, >> more density, >> and and it's it's more affordable to build on the more denser um lots because
of >> cost and things like that. It works best for everybody involved really. I mean, less for the town to maintain plow, >> plowing, repaving, anything they have to do down the road. I mean, Right. So now that is still a hurdle because we we
don't have a final draft. We are we have the basis for a draft but we're still working with Serpent to come to a final draft and bring it to town meeting and it will still have to pass town meeting for this is all industrial right. >> Yeah. So this right now we're just talking about all the impacts but it is
just the earth removal for >> right. So that would be the earth removal is all on the sled board. um if you do permit it then obviously we would want to look at any conditions that go along with it when we would you know to take on site plan review to make sure that ours goes along with whatever you
guys have. >> Yeah. And um for me personally on the select board this is probably about 30 times greater than anything that the select board has approved. This is a very big scope. Um I'm concerned about the environmental impacts of doing this.
Um it's just such a large area um of wildlife um and of uh of natural buffers. So, I'm just concerned about the environmental impacts of it um and you know what happens when we take all that material away. Um other board
members, any thoughts? Um, Madam Chair, so I [clears throat] I know it's probably way early in the planning phase, but so we have multiple buildings on here >> and that's the end state for this
>> possibly. >> Poss, right? >> We have a buyer we've been working with um that wants to do an environmentally friendly cardboard facility. M >> um >> Cog Recycling.
>> Recycling. Yeah. >> And they're a big company. I mean, they're it's part of Georgia Pacific. >> And um they may take good portion of that piece down there. They've had discussions with
>> Is that the 400,000 square foot space? >> Yeah, it might even they may even take that whole piece down there. I don't know. They're looking at running water and sewer, believe it or not, to the site. From where? >> Taunt.
>> How many cubic yards was your total? >> Uh, you see me unorienting myself. >> Yeah, the rest of it is is the uh overburden on top soil wouldn't be removed. There's no value to it. It's
it's perkable, but it's not gravel. >> And it does look like you have wetlands, too. Yeah, we've got um we filed um on the NMRAD for that already. >> Okay. >> To give you Moren. >> Yes.
>> To give you a an idea of what that volume is. >> Football fields. >> A football field, 1200 ft high. >> So, you know, a World Trade Center high, size of a football field. >> [snorts]
>> So perspective perspective >> um the rail spurs those would remain for the industrial use correct. >> Yep. >> So when we would do site plan review we wouldn't do it for a specific tenant. We
would do it for the use. So we would have to be prepared for rail use, tractor trailer use, anything that could go industrial in that area. >> Member H. I'm very familiar with the property and I go >> I've never walked it. I was just saying to Andrew, I'm like I've never as a
short person, I like to be up at tall places, but yeah, it's it's one of those things. I've never gone up to that. >> Beautiful view. >> Um I I don't have any questions right now. There's too many variables on on what's on the table and it's too early to ask any questions or go any direction
on that. Okay. >> Yep. >> I have a question. Is is it your intent to take out all that material. You said over several years, right? >> Yeah. >> At the same time, you're going to develop the other area. >> We'd like to.
>> Okay. Clear. And you would start with the Georgia Pacific's >> company. That's the piece along the rail. That's the one that we'd be clear. And they said they take it takes them two years to get final approvals through D and everything else. >> So that would give us enough time to
clear that first 50 acre parcel. It's possible you would have to rework the roadways there in order to accommodate the because the at wheel is coming out of the swing they had. Would you have to widen the roads and had to go to the town to do that or is there
any thoughts about that? >> If we needed to, we would go to the town, but I don't think we'd have to. We could have we could come out almost parallel with the existing road, so it's an easy swing onto the road. We've got enough land to manipulate the vehicles.
the way they'd have to be done. >> Member Carboni, >> I have I'll hold my comments until we get a little bit further in. >> And actually, Madam Chair, I do have a question. Um because this was chapter 61. Was there ever a right of first
refusal to the town? >> The town took it out of chapter 61 and 21 2021. They pulled it out because he was no longer operating the farm. So, it was taken out. We went through all that. uh when we bought it. So the town didn't
have first right of refusal. The time had lapsed >> by the time we bought it >> and you bought it in >> uh 24. >> 24. Yep. Okay. Yep. The time would have passed for change of use. But >> yeah, I just had a question on this. If
you were to let's say actually do this, what would it look like from Holland Road? >> We'd leave a buff and you wouldn't see it. I mean, obviously looking up the hill, you'd see the the cut, but we we'd leave a nice buffer there to eliminate any aggravation with the natives.
>> Okay. >> And we'd start in the back. Any processing would be in the back. I mean, we abut the forest on the majority of that property, >> right? >> We have no abutters back there.
Any other questions or comments pertaining to the earth removal of this project? >> I mean I do it's a significant amount of removal. It's it's like you said it's a very forested area. It's it's kind of a
shame to lose the highest point in town. Um unfortunately like just knowing CPA funds where they stand is probably not something >> this is such a ginormous parcel. I mean, if if that's something to explore, I'm sure, you know, Slackboard could explore if there's any other funding
opportunities. I know he said there's some, you know, he'd be worked something out. There's no question about it. I mean, we've done a lot of work in Lakeville over the years. We've done a lot of subdivisions and maybe 500 houses in town, >> somewhere in that ballpark. We've never
had an issue with anybody dealing with anybody in town. >> So, that's why we're here to see you guys so we can do it on a friendly basis. We appreciate the cooperative spirit and bringing things to us and giving us kind of a a first peak at
what's going on and it allows for us to come back and have our constituents come talk to us and have conversations and um and then we can, you know, come up with better questions for the next time we [snorts] have you and uh
>> and marinate on it a little bit. >> Yeah. And just to point out, this was a priority protection parcel in town. It was >> It was what >> a priority protection. >> This was part of the the open space priority protection. >> Open space. Yes.
>> Okay. Now, that brings us to a good question that's related but not related. Why are we not getting an alert if a priority protection comes off chapter 61A from the assessors? >> Good question.
That seems like a natural heads up and I wasn't here so I don't know if it happened. Remember Carpon I think you were >> around six months after that so I don't know if anyone sitting here >> uh would have been privy but it did not come
>> as a public discussion. Yeah. And I think we need to get tighter on if something's a priority >> protection area. Everyone has that list, >> right? >> Yeah. So that should be >> I think we've even discussed having it as an overlay on the GIS because that
way Yes, we have. when when the the assessors are in control of that GIS map. So then you know when they update it then it would be for everyone >> and the course is already out of the bar and it once it you know comes out of chapter land and it changes hands um and opportunities kind of fly.
>> This should definitely be a better process. >> Yes, I agree. I agree. So, I'd really appreciate your followup, guys, and see if we can kind of get on the same page, >> right? >> Um, for all the boards, committees, commissions, and what some people are
trying to work on and come up with and how that kind of falls through the cracks sometimes. Any other anything else from any of our board members? >> Just a question for I guess uh Mr. Malik. Um, are you looking to file like soon? Like I know like what's your
timeline on like filing? >> We'd like to >> a month. >> Okay. >> And so that that was one of the points that we wanted to talk about. If we go to the planning board and file,
we don't technically need a gravel removal permit. >> No. >> Because it's incidental to the construction of the buildings. >> No. So nothing this amount of earth removal would not be incidental because incidental refers to minor. So there's nothing minor about this planning board.
We would need to see the existing and proposed conditions and then we don't ever oversee gravel removal. So that's definitely 100% the slide board. >> I appreciate that and I understand that. Not according to the bylaws. If you read the bylaws, anything incidental to the
construction of the buildings, which is what we're doing, and I'm not saying we're that's the road we're going, that's why we're here with the selecting, right? Because now we're generating some money for the town through the select board. >> Yeah. You have [clears throat] to get a legal opinion on that.
>> Well, so just the incidental definition, Mariam Webster. >> Yeah. >> Being likely to ensue as a chance or minor consequence. So this is not minor. I don't think by any stretch of the imagination this could be considered minor. >> I think we should reach out on that just for clarification anyways but
>> I mean >> it is it is a large undertaking. So we want to make sure we're >> gravel removal. So >> no that is under the purview. There are some conditions that it is >> slightly under the planning board under special >> moving it from you know within the site
>> minor >> inconsequential amounts but this is not minor. It it actually and I'm not correcting you at all but if you look at uh chapter 140-2 permit required >> earthwork that is merely incidental to
the construction or installation of the building structures swimming pool septic systems fences athletic courts blah blah blah walkways or other construction or installation occurring on the site from which the earth is removed provided that the project is being done in accordance
with all required permits. Yes. >> Right. So, do you really believe this is in You just said that you're going to remove 7 million yards and you're going to sell it. So, you're telling me that you believe that's incidental >> to for the construction of the buildings? It is. We can't put the buildings on a hill. We can't bring the rail up a hill.
>> But again, we're in front of the >> I think we would understand your understand. >> Yeah. We'd like to get a >> keep the temperature nice and low. >> I'd like to get a legal opinion on that instead of just going back and forth. Yeah, no problem.
>> This gentleman's interpretation of incidental in someone else. >> Everyone's interpretation is always different of everything if you have to like but I I don't think this is minor by any stretch. >> And and keep in mind we're not trying to [clears throat]
bypass paying the tipping fee. We don't have any problem paying the tipping fee. Even though it went up 10 cents since the last time we talked, we'll pay it. >> We just want to get moving. understand interesting though that the word incidental is in
that bylaw. If if you just took it out >> uh under your interpretation, if you took out the word in incidental, it would mean the same thing. >> So I I think you're >> I understand your point, Madam Chair. >> Yes. >> I don't know how it would be
interpreted, but in 142 permit required under B, it does say earth. It does say um notwithstanding the provisions of the pre proceeding subsection, the following earthwork projects may be undertaken without a permit. But it does say
earthwork involving less than 200 2,000 cubic yards, which we can agree this is way more than cubic yard. >> That's Yeah. >> Well, 2,000 you don't need a permit. >> Yeah, >> you're correct. you're proposing,
>> but it's making a distinction between 2000 and and other >> and again, we're not trying to >> we're trying to work with everybody, right? >> Y >> if that's what it's that's what's required, that's what we do. >> Yeah. Understood. We just want to make
sure we're following our own bylaws in the spirit and the letter of the law. >> Yep. But I really appreciate your time today. Is there anything you want to say to wrap up? >> No, thank you. Um, I appreciate >> Thank you for the full size. You have no idea the pain of like looking [laughter]
at the little ones in the packet. So, having this full size is actually pretty wonderful. I really appreciate it. And multiple copies is good, too. Um, because we can read it at our leisure. So, I really appreciate that. And we'll we're going to do a little bit better. So, anytime you have a presentation
going forward, we'll try to get it up for other people to see on the thing. >> Yeah. Anything we can do? Andrew has my contact info. You guys have any questions or >> Yeah. >> Thank you very much for bringing this to our attention and having a robust discussion in public on it.
>> Oh, we appreciate it. >> Thank you very much. Very nice to meet you. >> Thank you everybody. >> Oh, all right. We have a motion. >> Second. [laughter] >> A second. All in favor? >> I motion carries. >> He's not fooling around. He's out of here.
>> No, I just knew that was Take care. >> Thank you. Bye now. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, planning board. >> All right. Is everyone up to speed? We're going to go hit item number six,
discussion and possible vote on part-time elected officials health insurance. Last town meeting, the following article was placed on fall town meeting warrant as citizen position and uh it was a nonbinding
vote. Uh but the citizens said that they want to remove the eligibility for uh part-time officials, meaning everyone except for the town clerk. That's everyone, right? Everyone except for the
town clerk from being able to receive uh participation participation in the town's contributed health and life insurance benefit plan. Um it was determined that this vote was
um [cough] [clears throat] ineligible because uh it would not allow for people to finish out their terms. Um town council determined the article was non-binding is written, but the select board could make a decision on their own to change how and
how and when certain elected officials, sorry my voice is going, are eligible for health insurance. Town council also determined that taking away health insurance benefit for officials once during terms would need a special act of the legislature. The select board has
the option to phase out eligibility for health insurance benefit by end of terms of current officials change payout waiverss amounts etc. The vote at town meeting um support the binding article was um 74 to 37.
So, we have a little mockup and and um and some possible projected costs that we had talked about at town meeting on town meeting floor. I think everybody here is from town meeting floor. I
didn't see anything new in this. So, [clears throat] former selectman Brian Day had got up to speak at the town meeting and he made made a good point. Whatever one select board takes off, another select board could put back on. So, um, we [snorts]
here could take a vote today to say of the next election, new people are not allowed to have the insurance. However, that has actually no for force majour um as it is because uh we have an election
coming up and uh and all of a sudden a new board could revote that differently right when they get in and I know that's not the intent of the people. So, we could today do a bunch of different things. We could vote to
make newly elected officials ineligible for health insurance. I don't know if it'll stick. There's still, you know, problems with it. Um, but at the beginning of their term, so we're not cutting anyone off midterm. Um, we're not, you know, doing anything that would
require the special act. And then we could work with town council to rework the way we accepted 32B. >> Yeah. >> Is it 32B? The way we accepted the provisions of 32B, but we have to fully
explore what that means for other employees because it's not just elected officials that are impacted in that law and the way that we have interpreted it in the town. Um and then
or we could wait for it for next town meeting if we decide we want to wait for it. Um I will be here for the discussion and interested in hearing what people have to say on the board. So I'm going to open it up to the board to discuss
their their thoughts on per on moving forward or if they want to take a vote tonight or if we want to wait for a little bit more information. Um, I held off in December because we had cleanup issues in December and I wanted to focus on cleaning up December before we
started new stuff and that's why we held off another two meetings to discuss this. So, I will open it up. Member Carboni, is there anything that you would like to discuss on the way we vote this? >> I vote it.
>> I I support um the will of the the town. Um [clears throat] so for me um it would be for any new newly elected officials but the because the we can't do anything
um because April 1st is you know right or April 4th is right around the corner for current right >> no it has to be um the end of their term and we would have to vote 18 million different right >> things each person would have to have a vote But
>> but we could say tonight no newly elected officials are eligible >> or are eligible. >> Okay. [snorts] And then the rest of it we can >> we will have to work with council. We will also have to see what impacts that
have for any other insurance purposes and up into including retirement insurance and how that works because that >> the wording of >> 32B has implications and we reference it
back in some of our other >> health insurance and stuff and there's a equitable clause that goes along with it. um knowing that if we vote this tonight, >> it it's it's non-binding. Um it's
binding on the select board cuz we voted it. But again, another select board comes in in April and could unvote it. So just throwing that out to make sure everyone knows like you know what I've been thinking about since the the last meeting we discussed it is that if we
really you know if we're trying to go for the will of the people but do it the right way it might take a couple steps to get there. >> Member Plona. >> Um [clears throat] I I guess um I thought I had a clear understanding but now maybe I don't. [laughter]
And with the 32B, I I recall some of the discussions in the past we had with >> so some of it's tied to the stipen um and treating where it's kind of a misnomer when we're saying part-time employees. It's actually special
municipal employees. Um >> understand that. Yes, I understand that. >> Yeah. And um there has to be equity in the way that we treat special municipal employees versus elected I mean regular employees. >> I said we are special.
>> We are special but you know but that we're supposed to have par with >> oh with yes across the board >> across the board. Um, okay. I do call some of that. >> And that that's the sticking point. That's the sticking point. And I'll
probably with Andrew reach out to Michelle Randazzo on this. Um, >> yeah. >> So, tonight we could vote to >> we think that this will work, but we would vote the vote tonight would be to
not allow newly elected officials, >> right? But we're not even sure if we can that's right do that. So I don't think it it's logical to have a vote on something that may fall apart. >> It it's okay if like you know anyone's not on board because it is
>> probably and again I I member Cabon obviously we we respect the will of the voters that's what you know we're elected officials but at the same time I think we should do this the right way not >> the quick way and then the quick way and then the hard way. We could be maybe
again without legal here giving us advice, maybe we're digging a hole and now we got to spend more resources and >> to un dig ourselves out of the hole. So my recommendation would be to hold until we have clear legal um guidance just so we're not digging a hole and then we got to spend resources
to dig ourselves out of that hole. member Hunt, >> I hadn't considered the tone of the potential new board in >> and that's why I wanted to have this discussion in open session. I didn't
want to have anyone believe that like I >> I also don't want to take a vote on something that means absolutely nothing. >> Yep. and >> without council weighing in as to >> and that's why it's just important to
have these discussions in public so people know that we are moving it forward. >> Um we have someone up to the I guess the table [laughter] >> it's not a lectturn turn. Um I will allow you to speak briefly on this.
>> Yeah. Um Michael Smith downro thank you for bringing this up. I think it's way too early to vote because there are too many loopholes going on here. There are ways of solving this and my first question is would you support a citizens petition for the mass state legislature
to make sure regardless of who you future select boards are that part-time elected officials will not ever get insurance unless it's changed over again because there are many towns who have done that. >> Yeah. But we don't need to support it. It just needs to be
>> Okay. So I I just want to note that that's probably going to be the next step so that we don't have to worry about you guys agree with it, nobody else agrees with it. So >> yeah, and if that's the if that someone wants to do a citizen petition for it,
all the better. Um it it makes no never mind to me personally. I don't know how the the board feels if they want to do it in that fashion. Um I'm I'm all for citizens having petitions and moving forward on things that are important to them.
>> Yeah. And I think you know there are a lot of questions with 32B and I would hope that eventually the council town council because I do have questions but I guess the end of the day you are correct about whatever you decide is nonbinding. But whatever but what is
binding is the budget. So if the town goes to the budget and they see that this is continuing, they can just shut down the budget or they can if they get >> Yeah. But what let me play a devil's advocate.
>> In in what way would that be a a factor? A a budget is a is not a a dead object. It's a living object. >> Well, it's a living object, but at town meeting, we go through each thing that people vote on. Correct.
So my point is is that if whatever we decide going up to the next budget still costs us tens of thousands of dollars, okay? Being that our budget's in a bad spot because there are questions and I I will not bring them up now. I'll be glad
to bring them up later. But my point is if this is going to continue to cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars regardless, >> what is the amount that it actually cost us? >> Oh, it's >> I'd have to look it up. Um I don't have it in front of me. It's uh let's see
>> the actual from last year. >> Yeah, I don't have it in this these >> likeund and it's over 100 grand. >> When you when you take in the stipens it's over 100 grand. >> Stipens is not >> No, no, no. The buyouts. >> The buyouts. >> The buyouts plus what they're paying is over 100,000.
>> Yeah. So, I'm just saying if there is a concern about that and our budget needs help, then there's always a stop cap on that that that we can change that. The town can change that at town meeting, whether
it's a petition or we just say worst case scenario, which I would never want to do because I think you guys deserve the stipens you get, is we vote down the stipens. That way there's no insurance, which which is a nuclear option. Nobody wants to do that. You
guys deserve what you get. >> It's not a question about deserve. So, >> I'm just saying that that's a nuclear option, which it doesn't need to be known, but we don't want any town employees laid off. We don't want anything because this is a hard budget. A very hard, you know, you're in the
middle of it. You got different contracts going out. So, yeah, all eyes are going to be on this budget. All eyes are going to be on this budget. So, I'm only doing this and if you need my help, I'm glad to help. But I I'm only doing
this because I I'm very concerned about, [snorts] as you are, about our town employees and worried about their jobs and equipment and everything. And so, when you do a budget, you always get rid of the lowhanging fruit. And I think this insurance and stipens is lowhanging. I
don't have a problem with the people who are getting the insurance now to finish it at the end of their term. I think that's fair. But in the next two years, I don't think it's necessary to continue to pay out any buyouts. Or
if you say two years, then you will still collect your your 5,000 buyout until those terms are over. Is that what you're thinking? >> I'm not thinking anything about myself. >> I'm just saying impossible thing. So, I'm willing to work. I'm glad you guys are doing this. I hope it works out, but
I am with some people. We're going to do a petition to this legislature so we don't have to go through this again. But um there's going to be a lot of eyes on this. So I back you up. You guys do a great job. I just hope that you continue
to work on this and thank you. >> All right. Is any other comments from board members. >> Um let us table this until we have a conversation to uh with council. and get
some advice of counsel or uh if if we don't need to because there's going to be a citizen petition. Um that could be the solve >> right >> there that we don't have to move forward with anything. It'll be a
citizen petition. So, we'll see if a citizen petition comes with us in which way is the best way for us to proceed. >> Because if we have something definitive from um the state legislature, uh the general counsel that that's that's as
good as the people's the people's desire, so be it. Um yeah, I have no >> other thoughts on that. All right. Item number seven for
discussion and possible vote for Veterans Park Committee charge. Member Carboni, this is yours. Would you like to speak to it? >> Sure. Um, thank you, Madam Chair. Um, I put together um just a a charge to
present um for a viewing of this committee to see if this is something that we would like to engage in. Um there has been previous you know conversations um not through the board but you know amongst other you know residents in town that it would be nice
to have a a veterans park um you know in our community and okay that's great that's out there but how do you get there? [snorts] Um, so I just threw together um a draft charge uh for the committee to review um
and consider um if we wanted to move this forward. >> How often do we envision this board meeting? Um, I I I would say once a month right now.
And [snorts] what is this doing that the parks commission like I'm just worried about the park and park like if we're if we have a >> well the parks commission right but
they're they oversee um you know the Ted Williams the blue pond uh the uh clear pond and um John Pond um this is something you know >> but doesn't the charge just say all
parks in >> not that I'm not that I'm aware I don't have their >> well I think for reference and I'm going to butcher the name the the current like veterans park that is >> oh that that's that's maintained by the
DPW that's not that's not a parks run place so >> I think DPW maintains all the parks um yeah >> all right so we don't have any conflicts on >> I don't think so >> okay no
>> I'm going to open up to the board for comments and questions Okay, I'll say I support this obviously thousand%. Excellent job. >> But it's not something that we have to, you know, decide on tonight, but um I
think that there's interest in having something like this. And as far as you know what their their charge would be would be obviously to identify you know a suitable location you know if
there's um you know what the the cost impact would be if there's you know funding available which I'm I'm sure there there could be funding opportunities >> um but just report back to the select board on a regular basis as to progress. [snorts]
Um, madam ch question member cabony does middle bar have something like I mean they have that beautiful veterans park. Do they have anything like this? You know >> I don't know. >> I mean they have the one in front of middle town hall. >> Yeah. No beautiful. Do do they have a veterans pock commit? I'm just curious. >> No I don't I don't know the quite the history of that but I think the veterans
agent at the time >> did a lot of that with donations and >> yeah it's beautiful. >> Yeah. >> Kevin B. >> That's our gold standard that we aspire to. Right. >> Which was that? It was probably Paul Preventure because this was many many years ago. Probably 20 years ago they did that.
>> Yeah, Paul was a great guy. >> Yeah, definitely. >> Um, all right. Remember, >> I support parks. >> I know you do. >> Is there anything we want to change or
get clarification on? I would just say once a month might be that's my only >> Well, it's as determined or as needed, >> but I would say just to to get started. >> But I like that it says no fewer than four times a year. I think that's smart
language and it keeps people >> engag engaged. Yes. Because when stuff >> withers on the vine >> like it it ends up, you know, being a a slog to get people in the door. >> All right. I will take a motion.
>> Um. >> Oh, maybe I should do it. >> You can. >> I [laughter] trust in this position. I'm not do it on your own. >> I mean, I should, but you know, just, >> you know, it would just be nice to get
this this going, but >> uh Okay. What? Just uh I'll I'll make a motion to accept the committee as a committee charge as written for the Veterans Park Committee. >> I think that's I think that'll do it. Do I have a second?
>> A second for discussion. I I not sure what the [clears throat] protocol would be here, but it could be to establish >> a committee and then adopt the charge. So [clears throat] >> I'm guessing for protocol
>> establish the Veterans Park Committee >> and approve >> the charge as written. >> Who who approves the charge? The committee or we do. >> We do. We do. >> Oh, okay. >> Right here. So if you want to amend your motion. >> I am amending my motion
>> to form a Veterans Park Committee >> and >> and approve the charge as written. Okay, >> there we go. >> Good detail. >> Second. >> Motion. >> Second. >> I did not. >> Motion [laughter] and a second.
>> Uh, roll call. >> Hunt. I >> plug eye. >> Indeed. I. >> Carbon. I. >> And the motion passes. And then I guess what we can do is the next um select board meeting we can bring to see
um actually the composition of it. maybe, you know, put something out there that we're looking for, you know, at large members. Um, >> I think you'll have a lot of interested people actually. >> Yeah, I think this will be a I think this will be a hit. [laughter] >> And then,
[clears throat] um, and then, you know, two select board members, you know, maybe at the next meeting we can >> wait. I think I know. [laughter] >> I think I know who wants this. >> I can't. >> That's going to be a tough decision. I know. >> Yeah, it's tough. Um item number eight,
discussion and possible vote to award uh economic development strategy contract to Serpentid. Town was awarded $94,000 from community one-stop rural fund grant and I believe >> this was Emily or >> uh well
>> Emily and >> before she got here but then >> the grant >> was the grant writing >> Stephanie Hall. >> Stephanie Hall >> the grant writing person. That's how that's my thing. Um, so much appreciation to everyone that had a hand in this. Um,
it's to fund the development of an economic [snorts] development strategy. We've been talking about a year um to really lean into an economic development strategy. We realize Lakeville has very little in the way of
current economic development and it has been incumbent on the people of Lakeville to have to go other places to go out and to do services and to eat and to basically do things that other towns
take for granted. And we have to go pay our really fantastic tax dollars to other towns. Um, and we've wanted to put something together for not only for people to actually get to use more of their town and leave the town less because you know why why do you need to
leave? Um, and but also to add to our economic tax base. So this is going to be important part of our strategy and as with everything it costs money. So being able to get grant money to get this going is a real boon for us. So, Serpent
has experience um completing similar economic development plans for surrounding communities and has previously worked with the town on other uh [snorts] planning projects like the master plan. Serpent has also committed an additional 8,000 municipal grants municipal assistant program funds to
supplement the community one-stop award. Now, these funds are different than the ones allotted to the select board and planning board. Yeah, this would be they have like a technical assistance thing that comes out once a year. We applied for this actually last year and they denied us. >> Okay. >> And I believe select board still has
leftover 2025 serpent hours as well. I don't remember us allocating them all. >> I don't know. [snorts] The last time we allocated it was to get the uh open space plan done >> and that was [clears throat] 20.
>> Long time ago. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, um if we if we have over spill, we could dedicate, you know, come back to the select board and dedicate some more hours to it if we need to um for some enhancements to really >> kick it home and make it work. But yeah,
so Serpent is uh the total amount bringing the contract total to 102. >> Yep. If awarded, the contract work will commence after the town receives notice to proceed from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development.
>> Is there anything you'd like to add into We have talked about this a few times. So, is there anything any of the members would like to add or have a discussion on? >> I would I have something to add, Madam Chair. Yes. Um so on December 15th um
the economic development committee um had a meeting and we discussed this and we voted unanimously um to recommend awarding >> um this to uh >> to Serpent. [snorts] Was that in the packet? I missed it.
>> No, it wasn't. We wrote a note. >> Thank you. Thank you for including that in the record. Now, so any other comments or questions? >> Madam Chair, a question from member Kaboni. I assume once the contract is awarded, the EDC will work will be the
ones that are engaging with Serb. >> That is correct. >> Okay. Make any assumptions. >> Yep. Yep. It's going there's going to be um >> Who's your liaison? Is it Emily or Andrew for EDC? >> It's whoever we want. >> Whoever we want.
>> Emily's been the one. No, Emily's Emily's been there. Yeah, she's >> Yeah. So, Emily would be the liaison for us to work through if we had questions or concerns >> working directly with EDC and then Great. >> Yeah. Y good stuff. We're we're excited. We um I mean, I'll give you the updates,
you know, when we get to the EDC um subcom since we had robust EDC activity. So, this is pretty good. >> Pretty good. Good. Well, I guess I will make a motion um to award the economic development strategic plan contract in
the amount of 102,000 to the south southeastern regional planning and economic development district, also known as Serpid. Um and to authorize the town administrator to sign the project contract contingent on its review and approval by the town's legal council.
[snorts] >> Second. >> Motion and a second. Any further discussion? >> Hearing none. Roll call. Hunt I >> Carboni I. >> Wonderful. Good job everyone. >> Item number nine is discussion and possible vote on water connection
application for the new fire station project. The town is seeking permission from the town to connect the new fire station to Taton water. The station will tie into Bedford Street water main upon completion of the extension project
which is anticipated to commence work in the spring. The extension has been reviewed and approved by Taton water department. The connection has been reviewed and approved by the project engineer OPM and Taton water department. The town's rain remaining water
allocation is sufficient to accommodate this request. I'm going to actually turn this over to the chair [snorts] of the new fire station building project, member Carboni, for any other comments on this
project or anything that she wants to talk about with this project. Um, no, this um obviously the water um connection has been part of our discussion, you know, right along. So, we knew it was going to be um eventually coming in front of the
select board um for the the allocation request. Um so, that's where we are now. Um and we had determined exactly how far the line would need to, you know, to go um to accommodate the project. So, um
it's been reviewed and we've had the engineering plans for it. So, I only had one question um for the town administrator and for member Carboni for this water connection. Is this water connection going to be doing
the sprinkler as well or is that going to be supplied by wellwater? >> It's going to be the sprinkler. >> No. Well, >> uh so I will tell you I have a problem
with that. So, just to let everyone know, if we use this water connection to sprinkle the grounds and to keep the the grass healthy, what is the police state play a year?
>> I'm ballparking 5 to 10,000, I believe. Probably more than that. Depends on how frequently they actually use it. Between the library and historic town hall and fire station, it's about $30,000 a year.
So, I just word to the wise, >> no, I I hear you. And based on the the um the layout of the of the project, um
there's really not a vast area of lawn. Would we consider something different than a sprinkled lawn and maybe a drip irrigation or something less environmentally impactful? I don't >> hardcaped.
>> I don't give a rat's patute about grass like as and it never looks good. Uh it it's always covered in crab grass. I would love a nice dry creek bed hardscape with some plants and some drip irrigation or something that's less yeah
environmentally impactful. But the expenses I'm worried about operating budgets and adding, >> you know, another 10 or or even 5,000 a year to operating budgets yearover-year is very difficult
for me. So that is like feedback that I would give to the fire station project committee that >> there is no way that I see the need for lush green
[snorts] bowling green like in in this new project. So that's that's my comment. No, appreciate the comments. Anything else? >> I think we're on the same page, Madam Chair. I made that very clear with the
$75,000 well to water grass here. >> Yeah. Yep. >> You know, it's not especially during tight budget times when you when you start talking about the possibility of eliminating personnel, but we have really green grass. >> Green grass. And and that's the thing
like I I really appreciate I'm one of those people now that walks by people's lawns and like wow that's a nice lawn. This is not a nice lawn. [laughter] like you know we're not we're not getting [snorts] that visual wow factor and you know it's incumbent on us to do
the best we can sure >> with the resources we've been allocated. So, I would just use that as a point of yeah clarification that I I support it [snorts] um contingently [laughter] with an official vote. I will support
it, but I really would like to see a less resourceheavy way to allocate our water. Um, any other questions or comments? I will take a motion.
Make a motion that we approve the water connection application for the future Lakeville Fire Station as presented. >> As presented. >> Seconded. >> Motion is second. Any further discussion? Roll call. >> Hunt.
>> I carbon I. >> Thank you everybody. Thank you for letting me on my soap box. Um discussion and possible vote for meeting dates for 2026. So,
as you know, um we want to organize ourselves a little bit better and make our schedules a little bit more reliable. Um even though we know there is no way we can adhere to said schedules when things come up, we will have to address them and move things
around. But in order for us to reserve rooms properly and for um Andrew and the select board team um to be able to, you know, put hearings properly and do all those things, we really need to get ahead of it. So there's a list of
suggestions here um on how we should schedule it. And what we've come up with for the beginning is um meetings on the first and third Tuesday of each month. There'll be extra meetings for budget
review obviously for budget review time. Um, and additional to that that is not in this packet, I would propose that for the year 2026, we take the end the last week in July to
the last week of August off. So members may have a free personal life. um also the week before Christmas to to the first week of the year off as well. So we'll have two
times scheduled. If that comes to fruition, great. If not, like but it it is helpful for us to be able to, you know, plan those type of things. Um, so that being said, I think the vote would
be if we don't we don't even actually need to vote. >> No, >> no, it's not really a vote. So, >> would like everyone to be aware >> everyone everyone like you're aware of the the uh the general idea of it and if you're in agreement if you have any
caveats just yell them out like >> Yeah. >> Madam Chair, um were we able to Yeah. Um, were we able to map this back to the holiday schedule to see um, if there was any concerns over the holiday period?
>> I was mindful of that and made adjustments as I looked. I could only book up till um to June anyways. >> So, so some of that might come it might be adjusted a little bit as we as I flush out forward.
>> So, yeah. >> Can you tell me why we can only book to June? Um, it's 80 days. >> I think we can change the settings on that. >> That would be great. Yes, I think that's just a settings issue. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So, if we could change the
settings on that and make that out. Um, you know, administrator might have to do it, but um and uh yeah, but I would like to solidify our one place because I know the people of
Lakeville do not like to try to follow us from place to place if they would like to attend. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Um, there's one more thing I wanted to discuss about meeting dates,
and that's meeting spaces. So, we now have the opportunity to open it up to our boards, committees, and commissions to use the historic [snorts] town hall. Correct. Are we pursuing that
in order to alleviate some of the we're going to create a problem by by adding all our stuff in. So, I want to make sure we're giving people an avenue in order to use that. Do have we talked about that with our boards, committees, and commissions? >> Um, just uh unofficially. Okay.
>> Pretty much everyone wants to meet in this room. >> Of course they do. >> They don't want to go anywhere else. Um, so that's what makes booking so tough. But I could advertise it more to people and say, "What do you want to do?" Okay. >> I know there's one that might want to meet there and that's the um historical
commission. >> That makes complete sense >> because they've actually met there a few times. >> The arts council and the historic commission >> and maybe club. Those would be my my top three that I would think would really like to use that um as part of their
their regular meeting cates because it falls like right within. Um and then the other thing we haven't had a discussion on is when the fire station opens up are we using that room is that part uh because as you know when after buildings are
built it's too late to discuss things and people get in a set and I know that there are different opinions. However, the original intent of this building was to have two meeting rooms in it. It was
to have this meeting room and the meeting room over to the side be available to the boards, committees, and commissions. And somewhere in the the last couple months of before it went and got built, it switched to be one meeting
room. And then this one meeting room, no one decided to put dividers in it or make it more useful because this room you could actually do the dividers in and make it into two meeting spaces if you needed to and if it was done properly. I want to make sure if it's in
scope for us to be using it, not only are we having this big huge space, but we're being thoughtful about what that big huge space is being used for and make it as user friendly as possible. I do not want to constrain
forever our ability to meet in bigger spaces like as you know we run out of opportunity real quick in this room >> and the other room is actually bigger. Correct. Yes. >> So the other room being bigger for
overflow if we had an issue like we had where we have a lot of people show up that we weren't expecting um and all of that stuff. We need to have options um to do that. So, I want to make sure it was on and and the fire station building
committee's charge to talk about that that room is not an exclusive dedicated room to the fire and EMS. >> Yeah, we've already discussed it and it's already been agreed that that was going to be also for meeting space >> and that was my understanding, but I
like to >> like to put it on record here. >> No, it's on it is on record. And that additional caveat that if it is big if it is it's almost double the size of this room. Is it >> I can't even remember. >> It's it's larger. It's larger than this
room. >> But does it also have the ability to have a closet for um a camera? Well, we've already talked about that as well that we want that, you know, for any future um meeting recordings that it's
going to be set up for. >> Perfect. And but my last one is can we is it too late? And I know it's not. I'm just saying that because I'm trying to, you know, couch it in there. Is it too late to scope in a divider, a room divider? Because there are plenty of
opportunities where two things can be done in a space like that. Well, I can certainly bring it back for discussion. >> It's a very low dollar. >> Well, it's about access, you know, to the room and the outside and >> flow. So, I mean, we can certainly um if
you can >> Yeah. But when it's >> we can have a conversation about that. >> When it's built, it's too late. So, we do have a little bit more wiggle room. >> Yeah. We'll just see what we can >> Yeah, I'll I'll bring it up. I'll I'll ask the OPM tomorrow. >> Yeah. because I remember this even
>> way at the beginning like like two years ago like about the meeting space. I just want to make sure that that holds true. >> Well, I would like to hear from the other select board members cuz your input um you know was clear. Does anybody else have anything that they'd
like to make sure gets added or considered for the fire station while we're having this discussion? >> No. I I >> You're going to have a plaque to Chris Planka. >> Dedicate room after me. >> Um >> you're invited to the grand opening and
>> and you get a shovel. [laughter] >> Nicole, we have a golden shovel. I'm happy. Um no, I I I think is the intent. We That'll be our primary slord meeting room. >> You know what? I have no thoughts
either. No, it's accessessible with the elevator still. I'm sorry if I'm not following. Is it is it does it have the elevator? >> Yes, the elevator is in is included in the project. Yes. >> Oh, so it's on the second floor. Yeah. >> No, it is not in the second floor. >> The train is in the back, but there is
um there will be an elevator as part of the project, but it's on the first floor. >> Thank you. >> And it's blocked and you have access to this particular room from the outside um that would not disrupt. >> Yeah. >> And that's where I was thinking divider
wise. There could be actual >> divider but just using space wiser. >> Yeah. No, other than can can we have a town in Lakeville on the back like Freetown does and Middbor?
>> We're being very budget conscious and if there are any additions we will get a laser printer. You and I will >> every other community. [laughter] >> Maybe someone would like to donate it.
>> That's all I have. Thank you. >> Honey, >> nothing. >> Natada >> zilch. But this will really substantially help our congestion that we have with meeting spaces, especially
if we're able to consider having that in two. Um because then I if the fire needs it for very small meeting space and someone else can use it, you know, for the outside space because they were very thoughtful about putting the outdoor
access in there like we could maximize it and make sure we're not cramping the fire department style. >> Do we need a vote on the first and third Tuesday of the month? >> We don't need a date. a vote on states is how I'm think but I'm happy to have
it if we want >> if you want to you can >> you you want me to put it into the record >> um because it does say possible vote but we could just say that um you know I move that we try to target >> Yep. But dates do not require a vote for the thing. >> That we try to target the
>> I will make a motion. I will make a motion that we target the first and third Tuesday of each month for the board of select meeting and that would be held in the police
station and that we kick everyone else out. No, just actually I'm being truthful. >> [laughter] >> No, but we should [clears throat] really have a designated spot every year. Like it shouldn't change. I've actually never
heard of any other town that it changes as frequently. >> Yeah, >> I agree. >> Yeah, cut off. Discussion and possible vote on project liaison design for Route 79. Route 79 project is ready to begin
the construction phase of the overall project. Amazing. Construction is expected to begin in the spring. The pre-construction meeting is scheduled for January 14th at 10:00 a.m. Due to the nature of the project length, scope disruption to residents, a project
project design from the select board is requested. There are consistent project meetings that are scheduled in the coming months which are attended by the DPW director and the town administrator. Attendance would not be required at these meetings, but it would be advisable to have a single contact from the board to assist
with overall communications related to the project. Staff will take the lead with these functions, but as a board member, but a board member would be able to assist and could provide regular updates to the select board meetings. Um question before we vote back when
back when we started this journey back in 2019. >> Um we were told [clears throat] that we should have a dedicated part-time staff member to this. Do we have that dedicated member or are we going to use our existing people and cover it?
probably our existing people, but I'd like to I'm probably going to ask something like that at the pre-construction meeting um to see if that's advisable by the state or whether they want us to push everything to them. Um I just don't know quite yet. >> Yeah. And I and they've probably changed
their mind 800 times since the last time I I talked to them, but at in 2019, it was they wanted a dedicated liaison and only a part-time >> liaison. Uh yeah, they said that you [snorts] would need a dedicated part-time person for this role, but um
technology has improved since then um and their processes might have changed. So if you can get clarification on that because there might be a little nuance if that is indeed the case. >> Do I have a select board member that is interested in being the Route 79 project
designate? Please put yourself forward. I should add this could be an existing designation. I don't want to volunteer, member Carboni, but communication subcommittee could play a factor >> or maybe someone [laughter]
>> or could be no communications. >> I'd like to make a motion [laughter] >> that member Carboni serve on the route 79 project designate from the select board. >> I will second that motion. >> We're not seconding that. We're not even making the motion. >> [laughter]
>> Do you want my head to explode? >> Can you take it on? Do you think you can or is this going to be >> I do not think I can take that on. Okay. At this time, >> um, we're going to go right along. Member Hunt, >> I can take it on as long as the meetings are done in about an hour because I have
a business to run on that day. >> Right. And I can't imagine that they wouldn't, Paul. Usually construction meetings are pretty >> They're pretty tight. >> Targeted. >> Yeah, they're pretty tight. >> Yeah. As long as it doesn't cut into my operational hours, I can do that. >> All right, >> I'll take a motion.
>> So moved. >> All right, you're it. >> I got a second. >> For the project, for the duration of the project. >> For the next five years. >> You can add that language. >> For the next five years. >> I won't be living in this house [laughter] for the next five years. >> I thought you were going to say I won't
be living on my >> All right. Um motion and a second for member Panka. Uh, roll call. >> Bunk eye. >> Bug eye. >> Anyway, >> carbon eye. Thank you, [snorts] Paul. >> Well, well played out of there. Well, wiggled out of that. And Andrew tried to
throw you under the bus, but you went right out under. >> We'll The communications commit subcommittee, I'm sure, will will help to promote the communications. >> Yeah. >> Colleen, could you send me reminders that I'm [laughter] doing these meetings? >> Yes, I can.
>> Thank you. Thank you. >> I had to remind myself four times that I have a meeting tomorrow. I was like, I have a meeting tomorrow. I have a meeting tomorrow. Everyone's like, why is there a hole in your your schedule at work? I'm like, I don't know. Oh, yeah. I have a meeting tomorrow. >> Um, and if I can, Madam Chair, just we
just have to make note um because we keep adding liaison. >> Yeah, we should have a running >> Oh, we do. >> We do, right? So, just add >> every agenda like put it on the back of the event agenda page. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And the meeting dates that we're we're
responsible for. Anything you could do to keep us in line? Absolutely. That would be wonderful. >> Um I'm really appreciative of you putting it in the calendar as it is because then I have something I don't have to go through 500 emails to find the answer. >> That's frustrating. I feel you there.
>> Yeah. Uh meeting dates project liaison discussion possible vote on Lakeville Country Club master development agreement designate. Don't all clamor. There was an update on June 9 20
I did I move this discuss oh Lakeville country club had two in discussion possible vote Lakeville country club communications working group was set up with thornike development to communicate updates the select board planning board in general public the attachment there's a basic summary of progress to date one
of the major next steps is the negotiation of a master development agreement which outlines legal commitments from both sides and which would only be active after The passing of a zoning amendment article at the June 2026 June at the 2026 June annual
town meeting was mentioned at the meeting where communications working group was set up with the board would designate others and our additional members of the select board for the negotiation stage. [snorts] There is a meeting January 8th to discuss the
fiscal impact analysis and the MDA may briefly be mentioned. Is it the 8th, the 7th? >> June 8th. Sorry. It's uh Thursday, >> January. >> January. >> Yeah, it's not January. Oh, yeah. Sorry. What am I saying? I'm all out of place. When you said when you said June annual
town meeting, it's got me thinking. >> Is it >> June? Sorry. >> It's the 8th and not the 7th. >> It's the 8th, >> right? Just double check. >> Yeah. >> Um to discuss the fiscal impacts in the MDA brief you mentioned. Now would be an opportune time to set expectations
for the negotiation stage in terms of who will be in the room assisting the NE negotiation for the agreement. Uh the town administrator would recommend the MDA negotiation team include the management analyst, building commissioner, town administr
to any others designated. Who else would you think? I think this is a really good group right there. as presented. >> I think the larger the group is the >> the more trouble. >> Well, I'm currently the select board
lia. >> It's on here. >> Yeah, you're already there. >> It's on there. >> Is it? Oh, >> second page. >> Oh, yeah. I'm like, >> I think this is great. >> Second page. >> It's already presented. >> Andrew, was there anyone else that you thought should be on there? Are you thinking Franklin?
>> Um, I was probably going to think the town planner. Oh, >> um and then I wasn't sure if the select board wanted the planning board designate on there. >> You know what? I think the town planner would probably be better than the designate um because um that is just the right working order now that we actually
have someone in there and I if I'm recalling correctly, we just had the planning board designate because we didn't have a planner at the time, right? >> Um do we need to vote on that? Because that effectively changes the charge. >> Did we do a Well, >> there wasn't a charge. It was just it was just a working group.
>> Just a working group. Okay. Um, I would say immediately reassign just for the >> the sake of now that we're fully staffed, >> let's take advantage of that. >> Okay. >> And that's perfect use of staff time.
>> Yep. Thank you for pointing that out, Andrew. Anyone else have any comments on changing a designate board member to [snorts] the actual town?
>> No. Okay. You want to take a vote on it? >> No. >> Are you sure? No vote. >> Do we need a vote? >> It's a working group. >> Yeah, it's a work informal working group. >> Work with the new town planner. uh discussion and possible review on
technical review committee designate. It's an update of the June 9, 2012 site site plan review bylaw. Part of this update included the creation of a technical review committee relevant sections below. Prior to submitting a
site plan, an applicant may meet informally with technical review committee consisting of the following. Police department, fire department, board of health, conservation commission, DPW director, building department, select board and town planner. The purpose of said meeting is
to review the applicant's conceptual plans for property and to provide preliminary comment prior to incurring significant engineering design expense. This step is intended to streamline the permit process. Participation of a consultants for the town may also be
value at value at such a meeting and the applicant may choose the prefund planning board engagement of consulting review for this meeting. I might ask for a clarification on that. The applicant should request such a meeting through the town planner. We've
had recent interest in in We have recent interested property owners reach out to us to see if they could set up presubmission meetings. This could be a big a good chance to have the property owner meet with the technical review committee. >> Mhm.
>> Can you go through this again for everyone um just to make sure we understand everything being asked of here? Um I especially wanted so participation of consultants for the town may be valuable at such a meeting.
Um so are you saying that because I'm under the assumption that it would always be funded by the applicant to have these people there. I just want to make sure that is indeed what we're saying. >> That's the intention. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> Thank you for the clarification.
>> Yep. And then you were on an email um from an interested party that wants to do this. So we thought this would be a good time to actually set the committee up and meet with them. So um this was obviously approved at town meeting. So that's that's who um what's
in the bylaw is what's listed for uh the people on it. So um >> obviously it has a select board on there. So, I wasn't sure if I you want me to be the designate, someone on the select board wants to be that person. It's all entirely up to the board.
>> Um, and I'll just put my personal opinion on there. I would think information would flow from the town planner >> to the select board and we would have the town planner be the liaison. But that's just my initial thoughts. I'm
sure everyone else [snorts] has thoughts as well. All right. So, this committee is going to meet at when [clears throat] a site plan has been prelim is it is it conceptual? Is it
preliminary? Is it >> probably any combination? This one in particular, they don't have anything. They just want to meet with the committee just to kind of brains, I guess, brainstorm or run run it by us. >> All right. So, informally, which Okay. Um,
I don't know. I think that with projects, I think this maybe a designate from our from our office, but I think it I don't know. I'd like to make sure that we we knew
preliminarily. I think whoever ends up [snorts] being it will obviously communicate what happened from the meeting. >> Yeah. >> Anyone else thoughts? >> I guess it could be either way. Tom Planner or Andrew. >> Could be both maybe. Or maybe Emily
could be the designate from that and then the town planner and then they come back with >> I would hope to town planner. >> Oh yeah, she's definitely going to be there. >> Okay. Okay. It's definitely okay. >> Yeah. >> The question is who is going to serve as that liaison, right? I think madam chair is kind of the question. >> Yeah. Do we want to have
>> someone from the >> Well, is it bylaw now >> office >> as stated? If it's in the bylaw, >> it said designate. Did it not? >> That was Andrew suggestion. >> It just says select board. It doesn't
>> says select board. >> It's not like entitled. >> It doesn't say select board designate. No. >> Are we sure? >> Guess so. >> Yeah, that's exactly how the bylaw is written. >> Yeah, >> but it's not a select board member.
>> It's the select board. >> That's why I say it's open-ended potentially to include >> Yeah. >> myself or Emily or >> Yeah. >> anyone else for that matter really that you guys want >> cuz it Yeah. The language is a little odd. >> Mhm. Yeah. >> Because it says the fire department. So,
>> in the police department, >> everyone from the fire department >> should have said represent police department. It's going to be a big meeting, Andrew. It's going to be a big meeting. Um, we should probably put this on >> for uh for amendment for the next warrant as well. >> Representation.
>> Yeah. Um, everything should be a designate or a member [snorts] of or something. The language there is not representative of, but it does say select board. um which I would say is a member
in this in this particular context. Um let me see if there's anything else further in here that [snorts] I'm happy to >> you want to get in on this >> administrator and I think Andrew's going to be dialed into
>> all this stuff anyways. So we will interpret this to mean select board designate for the purposes >> you're volunteering me. Yeah. >> Yeah. I guess I did. I did. >> But you wouldn't be going anywhere, Andrew. >> Yeah. I think it's game set match on
[laughter] this. >> Um, can I get a motion to designate uh the town administrator um to serve on this committee? >> So move. >> And do I have a second?
>> Second. >> Motion and a second. Roll call. >> Hunt. I >> Candido. Carboni. Yeah, sometimes it should be people that are working with it dayto-day instead of just political
>> um discussion and choose dates for 2026 coffee chat. Uh in continuing with the select board attending the coffee chat cafes held the second Friday of each month the council on aging. I've listed out the dates and this is from Lori um for the board to choose from. I will
have to say this has been one of my favorite things to do this year is my time at um the COA. Um I get so much feedback, sometimes good, sometimes bad, but I get so much feedback and direct uh
contact uh with people that I just it it's it's really been something I've really enjoyed. That being said, we need to split the dates up between us. Um, and if anyone has a no to them, um, just let me know.
I'm going to go through the dates. >> I'll take Friday. >> You'll take You'll take this Friday. Well, you're put you right in there, Paul. All right. And then we'll go Friday, February 13th. >> I'd like to spread the love. So, I would
I'll take that one. Carbon. Um, Friday, March 13th. >> I can take that one. >> Okay. >> [snorts] >> April 10th. I will go right on there.
>> How about we just start the rotation again? Yeah, >> Madam Chair. >> We can do Paul for May 8th. We can do Lorraine for the 12th. We can do Chris for July 10th. I will do August. >> Um, can we hold?
>> Oh, hold. We have um an election coming up in April. We'll have another member, I would assume. >> Oh. Oh, why don't just go up to April then? >> Yes, please. >> They're just going to assume. They're going to ask me. [laughter] >> Oh, no. No. No. But we'll have another member.
>> Madam Chair, that's what I That's [laughter] how I took it. >> They're like, I can't listen to that laugh for another three years. [laughter] >> Make it stop. So, we will go >> up through April anyways because we'll have another member to add on.
>> Yeah, we'll I'll revisit it and I will send um invites to all four. >> Great. Thank you. >> All right. All right. disc discussing possible vote to approve new common victual license
for Sodexo Operations LLC to be located at a Kushnik company 175 Kenneth Welsh Drive. Um >> walk us through it. >> Yep. I don't have anything too exciting. This is for seating only and uh the
company is having sedex. So this company that comes in and does restaurant services come in and so they notified us that they would be looking for a common bic license and the application has been provided. I didn't know what else you were looking for. This is the first common pick I've done with you guys. So
I didn't invite them in or anything. They don't I don't know if they have a local place but um I figured it would you know acceptable as it is. >> Any comments from members? No, because if it's a food establishment, they'll obviously go
through the board of health for their other requirements. So, >> okay. >> Member Plunka. >> So, madam, is this mad? This is a >> a not a one time. >> Yeah. >> It's a continuing. It's >> they're coming in. They're going to do food services for whatever business.
>> Of course. Yes. But our part of this is the common vic, which is the seating portion of it. So, >> the board of health has the big part of it with the inspections and all that. Oh, >> we just do seating. We're saying that it can fit how many people do we have? >> It didn't say that I said
>> any seating requires the common back. >> It's like a sit down food service. So, all your restaurants have common Vicks attached to them. >> Yeah. >> Maybe they'll invite us and we'll have some some snacks. >> They'll open it up. >> Yeah. >> Cool. Open it up. >> I'll go for coffee.
>> All right. I'll take a motion. So moved. >> Second. [snorts] >> I have a motion. A second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. Roll call. >> I >> Andy carbon. >> I [clears throat] um discuss and possible vote of change of hours for Red Hand Brewery. So I would like to just
make a comment here that this has been excessive. >> Um so I love them. They're great. But this is excessive. Uh do we charge additional fees for additional requests? >> We do not. And that's not to say that we
can't, but um the ABCC does allow at no cost for them to change their hours at any time, >> 10 times a year. >> It's just excessive for [snorts] >> and I >> administrative. >> I can't speak to his business cuz I
don't know. Um but I would assume it's okay if you open less hours. The whole thing is not to open more hours, >> but you have to be open the hours you're serving alcohol. What is the You would know better than I, Lauren. What is the
the [snorts] rule on the hours and the alcohol? There was some rule. Not that I can recall. I just >> but it just means that if they want to if we vote this um then they'll have to come back if
they want to change their hours and and I would like it to come back before this board about paperwork fees for >> sure >> for multiple requests within the meeting. I think [snorts] one extra change is fine, three is excessive, but [snorts] we can put that
on another agenda item. >> Okay. Um, all right. Take a motion. I'll make a motion um that we approve the proposed uh change of hours for Red Hand Brewing um
hours of operations for the general onremise license as presented. >> Can you read them for the record? >> I sure can. Mondays 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Did I say Tuesdays or Mondays? Mondays 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tuesdays are
closed. Wednesday 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Thursday 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Friday 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturdays 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. And Sundays 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. And I'm looking for a second motion and
a second. Any further discussion? >> Hearing none. Roll call. I >> car eye. >> Um, we're going to go through our subcommittees. Uh, let's go first through Oakllony Regional Vocational Technical Building Subcommittee. I know
you have an update there. There was a meeting held December 17, I believe, uh for um public and town elected officials and town administrators for
all five communities to kind of uh gauge the interest on the next steps as we need to respond by January 13th, I believe, to the school building school building authority. Oh master school.
>> Um >> uh so the inputs were uh provided um the options were presented first I should say. Uh those options are unfortunately not very good options. Um but the general consensus what direction
that we're heading this hasn't been formally decided yet. the school building committee as well as the school committees are going to decide over the next week. Uh our response to the the school building authority. Uh the direction that we're heading now is that obviously we need to uh spend we need to
identify funds for emergency repairs that have been delayed over the past 5 years as we were anticipating. Obviously you don't want to spend money on a school knowing that we may be getting tearing it down. um those costs. Um it was requested that we get we come back
with additional detailed information what those costs are. We have general rough numbers. We're looking at 5 to 10 million potentially. Um and that to be followed by reapplying in a minimum of 5 years. Um a statement of interest,
submitting another statement of interest to this mass through the school building authority. Um and obviously we're going to have to update the plan and right now unfortunately the way the costs building costs are escalating. Uh our proposal today no
changes to that whatsoever. Uh OPM is estimating that 288 million price tag will increase to about 500 million. That's the current solution today. uh unfortunately
um and the probability that the MSBA will accept our proposal um decreases the second go around. They don't look too favorably on communities unfortunately that say no. So there's a higher probability that a guarantee the
cost will go up. Um and there's a higher probability that we'll be doing it without any state funding. >> And did they talk at all about if they had a vote again? >> Yeah. Yes. that that was one of the options. Um paying uh identifying funding for a
private PR firm and aggressively um go marketing a revote. Um we are not there's not a whole lot of support for that considering the the significant opposition that was came from a Kushner,
right? It was Kushner, right? Uh our the question of representatives are telling us that they're not very confident that a revote would be successful. So um >> now a question for you on that in would it have to be the same way we did the
vote this past time? a a one day >> yeah would it have to be the the mechanism I'm not explaining it correctly but >> same day vote >> would it be a win lose vote by each community or would they pull the voting
quantities >> again >> we did not discuss that >> because obviously a Kushnet was very well represented in that vote so much so that three other towns could have voted for it and it still would
have gone no is my point. >> Yeah. So from my we haven't discussed that specific specifically. My understanding is that yes we could potentially have that option but a town by town vote would have every town would have to say yes.
>> The odds are that uh less. >> So every town has to say yes. It's not a majority of the town. >> And that's why [clears throat] the recommendation was historically you know we've got all the numbers on other communities. communities that do the same day vote historically have a greater chance of passing. So we would
>> it's a very difficult ask in the best of times. It's very >> exactly and and to go back you know we talked about you know alienating the voters already said once no why asking us again and the significant margin u that we'd have to overcome and to cushion it so we are not currently
that's not one of the recommended options. So >> I'm sure that's very difficult for everyone to hear. Yes, it it yes, the options are, like I said, are not good. It's going to end up costing us significantly more in the end. We we
have to do it at some point. The the engineers are estimating we've already exceeded the lifespan of that facility, the way it was built, designed, the materials, and we're now looking at significant repairs over the next 5 years. And you're going to have to that
building won't last forever. Mhm. >> So, we're going to be voting on it again, unfortunately, and it's going to cost us significantly more than uh than what we just uh voted against, unfortunately. >> Well, thank you very much for the update. I know everyone worked really
hard on trying to bring that to life in very difficult economic conditions. Um we've never seen prices for public buildings go up as much as we've seen in the last seven years. It's um and it's
uh it's all over. It's not just us. Other communities are feeling the pinch here and the prices just keep escalating and deferring things is actually uh exacerbating uh the situation. So it's very bad >> fortunately. Yes. And yes, there were a
lot of lessons learned. Obviously, we discussed those, but >> All right. Well, thank you very much. We're going to move on to the fire station building committee. >> Updates were provided earlier this meeting. >> That's what we got. We're there.
Technology advisory subcommittee. >> Yeah, we did not have a the meeting in December was cancelled. Uh there was a conflict. I had a conflict. The select board meeting. I think it was a conflict. But anyway, we are meeting um I believe it's Mon Monday. We're meeting
on Monday. >> The communication and community outreach subcommittee to be scheduled >> town hall building and reuse subcommittee. >> We did not meet. >> We did not meet. Um we didn't have
anything new to update on. We are um waiting for um the what was the latest update? We're waiting for >> they got all the consultants together and they're starting work. >> So, it's going to be staff work with the consultants. Um, and then we will have
something to actually talk about in our next meeting instead of saying is this done? No. Okay. Let's let's meet again next time when it's done. So, we can we can have some more uh robust discussion. Energy advisory committee. >> I'm going to let you speak to I it was I
had two meetings on the same night. So, I only went to one. >> Who's your favorite? Can't tell you that. >> I was also at the meeting you were at. [laughter] >> But, uh, they do have another meeting on
Monday. >> Okay. So, that's okay. >> All right. Excellent. >> Excellent. Economic development committee. Um so this evening, thank you very much um select board for supporting the um award of the contract for our
strategic plan development. Um we spent um some discussion finalizing our uh surveys. Um we had created two surveys, one for residents, one for businesses in in town. Um thank you Emily. Um I know
your commitment to putting that together in in draft form was was huge. Uh so we did try it out and test it out and um but we we had originally planned to have that ready to be distributed in January.
However, the committee felt that um once the award was um if it went to to SER but that they would be involved in verifying the the survey to make sure that we've encapsulated everything uh that could
ask actually be asked for the data that we would need um to take back for decision- making. So, we're just going to put the survey on hold and and once we bring them to the table, we'll we'll dig into that. So, >> well, at least you've got the engine to start running now and you've got something behind it and this will be
great. >> Yeah. Um, we do plan on um hosting a uh business gathering or business get together, business social. Um, but that information is to come. So, we were going to do something [snorts] probably in the spring. That's exciting. So, very
good. Hope you can get your shovel. [laughter] All right. Uh, any new business to come before the board tonight? Uh old business to come before the board. Any other business to come before the
board? Uh [snorts] next select board meeting date is January 16th at 5:45 p.m. Um will it be at the police station? >> Yep, >> it will be at the police station. Um, we have some correspondence from the
Lakeville Arts Council thanking Heather at Loom Pond Lodge. We have some correspondence from Expinity regarding adjustments to Mass State sales tax. And we have some correspondence from Verizon
regarding um the Fox Blackout so we can't watch the Patriots in uh in Lakeville. Yes. >> Yes. So, I got a lot I got more calls on that than I got on anything last week. [laughter]
It was a very very big call to arms on that. Um, now we are going to move into executive session pursuant to GL chapter 3A section A3 to discuss strategy with
respect to collective bargaining or litigation. uh if an open meeting may have detrimental effect on a bargaining or litigation position of the p public body and the chair so declares that an open meeting has a detrimental effect on the negotiation position of the public
body and the clair does uh with the clerical labor police fire and dispatchers and reason number two pursuant to general law 38 section A1 to discuss the reputation character physical condition or mental health rather than professional competence of
an indiv individual or discuss the discipline or dismissal or of complaints, charges against a public officer, employee, staff member, or individual and not to return into open session. >> So moved. 8:05 p.m.
>> I have a second [snorts] motion and a second. >> Um and roll call. >> H I Carbon I. >> Thank you everyone and have a wonderful evening. 8:00 8:06