rules. We don't have to do any introductory scripts since we're all present and we can go right into our meeting. The first item we'd like to do to begin the meeting, the pledge of allegiance. Please rise to join us in the pledge. Pledge allegiance to the flag.
Again, thank you all for being here. The first item that we have is public comments. The board does like to hear public comments and we invite same. And just keep in mind if there's further action that needs to be uh done by the board,
um I would consider adding it to um future agenda as an agenda item. However, depending on the comment, if we are able under these uh open meeting law, we can respond with information in response to a question or comment that may be asked as opposed to any
deliberation. So, having said that, is there any I'll start with room first. Is there any public comment here in the room this evening? Any the loudest and chair? Yeah, I I'll I'll try to be louder. I'm
sorry. Okay. Thank you. Um, do you need me to repeat anything? No. No. Okay. So, are there any public comments here in the in the room? I don't see anybody rising. So, I'll move to online. Is there any public
comments online this evening? I see no hands raised, so we will proceed. Thank you. The next item on the agenda is the consent agenda, which consists of a couple of cemetery needs and request for
the use of town property pro park specifically for baseball in September and November of this fall. Uh is there a motion move to approve consent agenda items A through C as presented contingent upon
adherence of all federal, state, and local public health and safety guidance authorizing the individual signature. I see D. Sorry. Is there a second? No, I was just saying I see D and C.
Uh, A through C. A through C. A through C. Any comments, questions? Second. Okay. Second. If no other comments, all in favor.
All right. And I just realized we had a 7:15 public hearing that we should have started the meeting off. um given that it is a posted 7:15 public hearing. So I'm going to go to that hearing right
now and u introduce the public hearing um that was scheduled for 7:15 bylaws to determine whether or not condition constitutes a nuisance and determine what Oops, that's not where we're not.
Um, notice hereby given in accordance with town of Maine bylaws chapter 21, section 22C that a public hearing will be held on Tuesday, September 2nd, 2025 at 7:15 p.m. Town Hall room 2011 195
Main Street, Mayor, Mass 01754 on a complaint received about the property condition at 29 Maple Street, Maynard, Massachusetts 01754. There is an option to attend this meeting via Zoom using the access instructions that were posted on the
agenda and found at www.mmath.gov and a copy of this complaint is on file the office of the select. So Greg, can I turn it over to you to give some background as to what the public hearing is about, then have discussion and then public comments are
welcome as always on other things. Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. So, um, as you cited in the opening, uh, this is in accordance with the town's bylaws under nuisances and minimum property standards of residential properties. And I'll
quote the bylaw within seven days. So actually let me I don't have this quote but before that we the board had received notice from the building commissioner as to the condition of a property 29 Maple Street and and had cited a number of reports with pictures
and whatnot. That's all public materials uploaded even for the public this evening. Um uh once it's been received by the select board now I'll get into with the file says within seven days of the hearings. That's this evening. Select board shall
determine whether or not the condition constitutes a nuisance and shall determine what action shall be taken by the owner to remove the nuisance and then there it comes into some um possibilities but it's very generalized. It gives a lot of autonomy to the board. Um we are joined this evening by a
number of individuals. Uh online is Steve Chaplan our attorney representing you know from uh town council and then we have Steve Silverstein. He's our executive director for municipal services. So he oversees offices of health, building commission, etc.
Oh yeah, and oh Rick, he's online. Rick's online as well. So Rick as the building commissioner himself is online. But again, we'll be referencing the report that we got from Rick as building commission. So Steve, can you give a little bit of background how we got here?
Good evening. Good evening. Steve Silverstein, executive director of municipal services. uh 29 Maple Street had been documented as being in a state of dilapidation uh since at least 2010 when a notice of violation was issued to Susan E. Dunn. Um it's my understanding
that uh Mrs. Dunn passed away in 2017. Uh the property ownership is now with the estate of Susan Dunn. Um that violation in 2010 cited refuge debris trash uh and was corrected subsequently November of 2023. The town
again received a complaint from a neighbor about conditions at the property uh stating that the dilapidation dated back if not earlier. Um the town's health agent at the time sent a certified letter to the owner of record state um to which there was no response. The second letter was sent a
month later uh with an order to correct for violation of the state sanitary code uh specifically maintenance of areas and sanitary and safe condition. Um, this was received 1226 and signed for the violation cited was a significant amount
of unused articles and debris as well as large piles of brush and branches in the backyard. It was determined at that time that the property manager for lack of a better uh term was uh Michael Dunn who was one of the inheritors of the estate. um a
letter in advi advising him as well as his sister I believe Monique Harpin 7 Walcott Street was sent December 21st uh to ensure that other stakeholders and family members were up to date with the proceedings. Um around Christmas of 2023, Clear Path, which is the town's
consultants consultancy for uh situations that are similar to boarding type of situations, um was alerted and tried to make contact, but to no avail with both, uh Michael Dunn and Mooney Parkin. Uh early January 2024, I spoke
with Mayor FD as well as Mayor PD um regarding the complaint and seeing if there was any avenue for them to come onto the property to inspect. There was none because from their uh points of view jurisdictionally, there was uh nothing. There were no active violations at the time. Um the order to correct
that was sent in December uh of 2023 and was signed for by Michael Dunn. um led to a board of health hearing which uh did attend in January of 2024. Uh in that in that meeting, Mr. Dunn did agree
to put his backyard into order being the cause of the violation that could be seen from the exterior. Whatever was going on in the interior of the house, we have no direct knowledge of nobody has been inside the house. Um or rather, nobody had been inside the house up to
that point. Uh Mr. Don did agree to clean up the backyard, which he did uh and for a period there was no problem there until about uh May 2024 when we received renewed complaints uh from the neighborhood regarding that the state of
the house uh was again becoming dilapidated and was in fact blighted being u a detriment to property value of of the neighbors. Um uh and there was some neighbors wanting to make real
estate transactions were primarily concerned with the fact that this the blighted property was affecting their their uh potential home sale value. Um in June of 2024, building commissioner
Asmin was invited inside of the home by uh Mr. Dunn. Um and he observed and he could attest to this that uh the inside was quote stripped to the studs um and that uh the house was unfit for human habitability. Uh there was an inspection
report in order to correct that was filed September 18, 2024 by the health agent at the time which noted multiple broken windows, a shed and garage structure in disrepair and fram junk, open liquid containers possibly hazardous in the backyard along with
debris refu and brush that potentially led to pestilential or uh conditions allowing for the breeding of rodents. Uh bricks missing from the chimney, paint healing on all sides of the home, front porch cluttered with debris. Um, Michael Dunn again requested a hearing as per his uh rights before the board of health
um which was granted for October 29th, 2024. He did not attend, but his brother-in-law uh Michael Harpin did attend or Tim Harpin, I believe, uh did attend. November 26, 2024, the board of health uh of the town of Mayor voted to refer the issue to town council. Um the
board of health later voted to become a party to litigation in housing court should the town uh decide to pursue litigation. Uh unfortunately with the departure of our health agent was difficult to get to to conduct the protocol that would lead to a you know
airtight case in housing court. We we were going to and Steve could talk to this uh kind of reset the clock which meant three different notifications. our interim health agent uh did not want to commit to that at the time because it's kind of a long-term affair. Um
and he's only here sporadically. Uh let's see April 2025. The neighbor checked in again. Uh and let me fast forward to August 6, 2025.
uh building commissioner Asmin because the pro because this issue was kind of stuck remained unresolved for such a long time. Uh municipal services decided that uh kind of shotgun approach, select board, board of health and uh building
uh should all be kind of poised against not poised against should try to do something to resolve the issue at this property. Uh the building commissioner as I said deemed the property unfit for occupancy. um and revoke the rights to inhabit it. The dweller inside, if there
is a dweller, had 72 hours to vacate the premises as of August 6. Um so, starting August 10th, the estate of Susan Dunn is incurring fines of $1,000 per day for not complying with provisions of the building code, which Rick can elaborate
on, and which is currently at $24,000. So, that's uh in brief the history of 29 Maple and Ree. Thank you. Uh so part of the reason why it's taken us this lengthy period of time from 2030 or whatever it was that
started till today is just the lack of the health aid and being able to file through the legal process the correct way. Is that is that Well, yes. So that in part we've also done our our darnest if you will to try to work with uh Michael Dunn who is
occupying the home to come to a resolution whereby the home would be for lack of a better word cleaned up to the satisfaction of the ofs. Um unfortunately we find that that is still not the case as of today nearly two years ago
nobody's living it it's a matter of contention Mr. Dunn, he can speak to this. Um has stated for the record that he is not living at 29 Maple Street. Uh he has however listed it as his um primary
primary address for his homebased business, which is kind of incompatible. You can't not live in a home and then claim that it's your homebased business. So some of the neighbors say he is definitively living there. Mr. Dunn has said he's not living there. I think it would be best posed to Mr. Dunn that
question. Okay. Um, any questions at this point from the board members? Um, I just have one question and I'm a novice obviously to to this whole process. Um, I'm wondering
is there has there been order to secure compliance um with the 105 CMR 410? Has that happened yet or is is that not because I understand that that's like a critical part of the process as I just don't know
if we're that's building code that's been on the standards for bit of human habitation board right so u maybe jumping ahead let's try to clarify this commissioner as in his letter did
refer this to the board of Of course, the board of health is aware of it. Uh, human habitability would necessitate an inspector going inside of the home, which barring any invitation or administrative warrant from housing
court to allow a health agent to do so, cannot be conducted at this time. Um, does the homebased business have a special permit or is it right? It is Okay.
Rick. Yeah. Rick, do you know the answer to that question? Is he on anymore? Um, there I am. Um, no. As far as I know, the homebased business is involved in breaking down oil tanks or or
transferring them. Um, in in any event, it sounds like a B-level home business, which would require a special permit from the zoning board of appeals, which it doesn't have. I might add that another reason that that it's been so difficult to deal with
this property is the passing of Susan Dunn and the actual responsibility of the property seems to have been held up in the courts or in probate for forever and we've had multiple promises by
Michael Dunn that you know it was about to be resolved and he was going to do something with the property. There was at one point he had a buyer for the property that wanted to develop it as a two family, but he backed out when I told him he had to build the two family
all at once and couldn't build one family at a time. Um, so there have been a lot of false starts and a lot of attempts to try to give them the benefit of the doubt going forward and it it just hasn't worked. Thank you, Rick. So, he seems to be
running a business that would require stuff. He does not have one. Is that what I take away from that? I I didn't see a business being run at the time that I visited the property in August, but it it's hard to tell from
the the uh assortment of parts if something was being done. And I didn't go into the garage. Can you look into that? I believe Mr. Don is here. Uh yeah. Well, we'll we'll get to your comment.
I believe it's HVAC work and then additional do you have any questions? Yeah. Any questions? Okay. Uh council we will obviously we will allow people to come in and especially own property responses
responsible person. council. Um what if you can briefly explain what is the role of the board at this point here in this hearing? What is the intent purpose of this hearing and what is the potential
approaches that the board can take at this point? Thank you, Mr. Chair. I I appreciate the floor and um and I I do want to let the board know that I I do have to run another hearing at 8:00 p.m. So, I I will try to answer any questions that I can as expeditiously as possible. The
matter that was noticed for tonight is under the Maynard bylaw. And if we drill down to the essence of the board's function and and it's it's a robustly written bylaw that gives the board a lot of flexibility, but the bottom line is to investigate whether the facts
reported by the building commissioner are true and whether the violations are as they are reported. And if so, that the board essentially has the opportunity to impose fines of $20 a day under the bylaw, which isn't even as
much as the um as the building commissioner has um cited in his correspondence. Uh there are multiple options when it comes to blighted or dilapitated properties. One of the other members has mentioned the board of health process u which didn't come to
fruition here. There is another option that's available that I've used in recent um within the last year uh in another community. It's under chapter 143 of the general laws, chapter 6. And the next step could be that we could take the building commissioner's
correspondence in order to secure the property within 72 hours that was made on August 6th of this year. And what I would do under those circumstances, I would file a lawsuit in court, in housing court, looking for an injunction, and giving the town the
right to enter upon the property and secure it and lean the property for the cost. Now, there is a there was a cost to bringing that litigation. It would be relatively expeditious from from a standpoint of the time of council. There's no filing fee in that case
because it's brought by a municipality. Um, but there would also be a cost if the town were to go ahead and secure the property. While the property would be leaned, the town would obviously have to front that cost. Um, so that is that's that's a very real um question that the board is um the board is faced with.
I'll tell you in the last community I did this in, it was between $4 and $5,000, but I'm obviously not a contractor and I can't speak to this particular property and what, you know, what it might cost under these particular um circumstances. But I I will tell you in uh in working this up
with Mr. Silverstein and trying to do a our thorough due diligence as we approach the hearing, I I did review the probate court docket for this property and I I can understand what was intended by certain representations that were made to the
building department as uh the building commissioner was just referencing and to the health department and and it certainly makes sense that we tried to work with these folks in good faith. But looking at the at that docket on its face and having some experience working in that court, it it appears to be in
essence a um a will contest, there's a person who's been put in charge of the estate, but there's another individual who's contesting who should be in charge of the estate. Um, so I I my um my my recommendations to the board is to be
very um very weary as to how effective fines might be because as of right now there's one person who's in charge and there's one person who wants to be wants to replace the person who's in charge. Um, so that that's all in a state of flux and I would say that if it um can
make financial sense for the town to authorize the litigation and um and have the property secured um that that's going to address the the safety issue which I believe is the crux of the matter that brings this to the board's attention. Thank you councel. Any questions for
council based on his comments? All right. Um Mr. done. Feel free to let me state we we're not here to be contentious with you. We're trying to resolve an issue. So this is not we're
not your enemies in this case. My my first question is where is a $24,000 fine coming from? That's what the gentleman s,000 a day. That's $24,000. Is that fairly low?
So I I believe Mr. done. You were provided a copy of the letter um drafted by the building commissioner as on in which does say it didn't say it was it it does say failure to comply with
this order to vacate secure the structure within 72 hours receive a police notice shall result with fee fine not to exceed $1,000 per day. I'm not living that. I'm not hiding that. It's but that's a separate issue. Can someone talk to me about that after this?
All right. All right. Sweet. Take a seat. No. Unfortunately, seven years ago, my mother passed away. The house was decrepit. She was a hoarder. It was a total disaster. So, my family said I could stay in the
house, have it if I cleaned it up, fixed it, and got it in working condition. It's a lot bigger than I expected, but I'd like to uh read a little thing I wrote. Do you have a copy of the
Mr. Report? Yes. I'm going to read this and it's going to go corresponding to this. If I could I bring up these copies.
Oh, sure. Unfortunately, tour it'll go in for us. This just shows the property that I've been working on. No, no, I just took me today. And yeah,
here's some of the photos basically organized. I not that photo mess. Here's some pictures I made this property that she does not maintain on my property line. She has a TV there. She has a VCI. She
issue is not she's complaining about me. All right. So, so Mr. Aspman called me August 5th to discuss the complaint. We met at his office that morning. I've always been
available to anybody who'd call. I missed one meeting. That was the one they're referring to. I do home heating in town, so I had a no heat call and I got caught up. So, I couldn't make the meeting. I never heard anything since that meeting. So, I thought it was okay.
But uh met his office that morning. Um I did uh see I got said that. So last summer I invited Mr. Asen to
assess the complaints. He came in. He noticed the walls were missing. As you stated, I tore down the walls because if I was going to work on the house, I want to make sure the beams and structure was solid, which they are. That's why I'm still here. There's a few damage on some
uh additions that can be easily fixed. Um I have some broken windows. I've replaced them all except for one. It was a storm window kind of childhood memory of me and my buddy playing outside. So I kind of left it. Didn't think there's any harm in that. Uh the water meter, if
you're going down the list, the water meter has been working for over six years. I told the town that it froze, broke off, the 90 broke under the water meter, so there's no water in the house. The day my mother passed soon after I shut the electricity off, seeing the
condition of the house, didn't want any liability of electrical fires and stuff like that. Mr. Aspen stated I could not not live there a year ago. At the time I was staying on Walcott Street. And since leaving Walcott Street, I've
stayed in a few places because my goal was to be living in the house. But unfortunately, like I said, it's a lot more than I expect as you can see in the pictures of all the wood debris, the brush, and all that stuff. Um,
since little walk, I've been a few places. I'm not going to go through names and stuff like that. Was my girlfriend for a while at the time. stayed down in Florida for a month or so to help my father. He was kind of ill, so he needs some help. So, time has been
an issue also. Um, in the past few years, my van got stolen. Van got recovered, but my tools were stolen out of it. I'm finding nips in the backyard. So, the church kids are going in the yard and drinking. And last
year, last fall, my house got broken into. stolen guitars, bikes, money, and stuff. Police caught them. My stuff's still down the police station after since October. It's still down there as evidence.
Um, so I do stay in the house once in a while. There's a room that's completely finished. The bed in there, sleep in there overnight. Member of the gym. If I have to do anything, I go to the gym. You know, stuff there. I stay at friend's houses. So, right now I'm kind
of a little gypsy moving on, but I stay in the house once in a while. I'm not relying in there. I just stay there for to protect the house. Um, and he's made a comment. The patient came over the one day, basement door was
open. I must have been there earlier that day. I opened the basement to flush out the dampness of the basement to keep it up while I'm working on the house. So when he called, that's when I went down to talk to him down at his office. So um
sorry. N like he like said he said he said oil tanks. I do a home heating business and I will ch exchange oil tanks. I cut them out. I clean them. I brought them to the house. I use them as storage for
logs, rocks. We have a pool and there's rocks all around. So, I'm trying to skim those out. I put them in the container to maybe reuse if I stay there. Uh the bins, as you can see in the pictures, folded wood. Put the bins under the
garage and the the house so when it rains I can catch the rain water so I don't have running water there. Sometimes in the fall when I try to burn the debris that I've been cutting over the years, I have the water there to extinguish any mishap. Uh there's a
picture there of a oil tank that looks like there's a hinge. That's where I burn the brush in during the season. So it's a safe it's a safe uh oil container with a lid on it. Can't get out of control. I can close
the lid. Um, I really don't know what this violation is. I've gone in front of the board twice and just nothing's happened. I haven't heard anything about me not complying.
Um, over the years over the years, um, I've done all the work by myself. My sister hasn't stepped on the property maybe once or twice. She won't go on the property. She thinks there's an evil
demon or something on there. My brother, the only time he got on one on the property was he dumped a dead dog in my basement without telling me. So, I'm not dealing with great stuff there. It's been a very bad experience. All I wanted to do was fix out the house under my
time, my expenses, doing not doing anybody any harm. I'm I'm sorry her house isn't going to sell for what she wants because of my house. But I'm worried about my house, not her house. Like I said, I'm doing the best I can. Gas calls me. If he
wants to come down, I'll invite the whole board down. You can take a walk through the whole property if you want. Um he said I have to secure all doors and windows because he told me somebody breaks in and they get hurt, I'm responsible. So if that's the case, I
don't want anyone on the property unless I'm there with them because if Rick or somebody twist an ankle or something, I'm responsible. So I want to be there. So if you want to go on the property, Rick has my phone number. People down here have my phone number. Call me
anytime. You go on the on the property whenever you want. The house unfortunately hasn't been dealt with too much because the yard and everything inside. Like I said, a hoard probably took me two to three years to clean it out,
clean all the stuff. Everything inside's all organized, stack, doing yard sales, trying to sell stuff. I'm trying to empty out the house to move forward in the next process. I have a painter ready to paint the house, but with this going on, I'm holding off
until I figure out what's going on. I have two windows to go in the top stairs ready to go in. They're in my kitchen ready to go in. But unfortunately, a half a year ago or so, maybe it was a year ago, I applied for a permit to work on the house. Never heard anything. And
Rick just told me I was denied. I don't know why I was denied a permit. I don't know if that's common practice to deny someone permit to build their house, but I right now apply for a permit. I don't have it. I don't know why I don't have it. So, I can't do much work on the
house without a permit. And I said that just been disaster, headache after headache, complaints by two neighbors just relentlessly. My mother was sick with cancer and the
neighbor was coming on the property doing stuff on the property harassing my mother. Susan Lane, she was harassing my mother relentless. Those issues are unrelated to Well, I'm here because of her. She's the one filing the complaints. I'm going to
be Sydney and I'm just working on my house, not dealing hours. Oh, perfect. The town is the one that is now addressing the Oh, no. That's fine. So, um, you know, town is it's not lack of effort.
And I'm not suggesting it is. Rick, um, if I may, uh, when was the last time, Rick, that you had a chance to go down to the home? To the home? To the property. I I drove by the
property probably about two weeks ago, but I haven't been on the property since uh August 5th or no prior prior just prior to that. Um the morning of August 5th that I I
that I called him and asked him to come down to the office. I asked him to come down because um the complaints that we had received involved him living there and um I had explained to him some time ago that he
couldn't live there, that it wasn't fit for human habitation. It has no power, it has no water, it has no insulation. Um and so I stopped by his house about 10 till 7. um windows were open on the second floor
and there was a radio playing and the vehicle that he's been using for transportation was sitting in the driveway. But after knocking on the door for about 10 minutes, um Michael wouldn't come down. So I went to the office, got his phone number and called
him up, asked him if he'd come down. We discussed the situation. Um, the reason he doesn't have a permit that he applied for was because he was asked to provide more detailed information as to where he was going to be working on the house, which is fairly
standard with an application, and he never provided it. I also told him that the work that he had done in demoing his walls had required a permit and any other further work would require a permit. So, apparently, he decided he could go ahead and put the windows in
without. Now, as to him not living there, he sat there in our office and told me that he was staying there, that he was not welcome in the other places that he had been and was not available able to go to another source because
someone was out of town. And if I did what I said I was going to do, he would have to he would be out of a home with no place to sleep but in his car. And I said it really wasn't, you know, an opt something that that I could deal
with. And he asked if he could pitch a tent in the backyard. I said he would have to ask the selectman about that. There is a provision in the general bylaws that the selectman would deal with. But the notion that he hasn't been
living there is is counter to what he told me directly. Uh, in terms of the property, I do consider it an attractive nuisance. The structure itself is an attractive nuisance and it needs to be secured and prevent anybody from going
into the house. I'd hate to think that someone kept living in that home and there was a fire and our fire department had to go into that building as it is. Hi, Rick. Um, that's one I never told him I was
living. Said I stay there once. That might be some. Well, I just don't want that on the record. I I'm not living some thefts on the property. Drinking in the backyard.
So, you have you have the letter August 6. You have that you're referring to your written statement to go on the pictures you gave us. Excuse me. You have you have the letter and you have the
pictures in your written statement that you were reading all of it correspond to this letter. Okay. So twothirds of the way down I got the last page. It lists some things that
um for 78 CMR 1016.2 standards are making building safe and secure there are certain things that the letter suggests that you need to do. Have you done those things?
Um well no I haven't done those but I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. I have no clue what I'm supposed to be doing. I guess I can go to the fire department and have them come in except I this is this ain't my avenue. I don't know what's going on. I'm just
here to state my point. I'll go to the fire department tomorrow and they can come that day or the next day. I have no problem. I have no problem with anybody going through the house. I have no problem anybody going through the yard. I never stop anybody from doing it. I just want to be there. That's all I'm That's all I'm saying. I know the house
is an eyes saw. I'm not doubting that either. I'm just I'm doing it on my budget. I I'm not rich. I don't have any money and I just started my own business. So, I'm trying to approve money. Unfortunately, it's not because this was a pretty bad summer.
So, I couldn't come up with enough funds. I did come up with enough to get the house started painting and I have the two windows to go in. At this point, like like I told Rick, I have three buyers that are willing to buy the house, and I'm not opposed to
that option either. Like I said, this was a fiveyear plan. I'm on year seven. There's more than I could chew. So, I have no problem with those options or buy out my system. But, like I said, I just prefer I prefer sell
the house. But like I said, I'm just here to answer this this uh letter here. But I know like I said, it's not a lack of my effort. I have a video, but I
couldn't download it of work specifically. I'm done. If you go, you can see some pictures where the ground is all rotatiled out. I'm sifting through that pointing out glass, clothing, debris. I don't know if there's a dump back there at some time
point or whatever, but I'm sifting through that. I have a big compost. It's another picture. Big compost pile of leaves and stuff. I'm turning in the middle trying to get rid of that. I got piles of sticks neatly stacked. Trying to cut those up, but I can't burn
because if I do a little fire pit, the neighbor in the backyard complains and it's too smoky or smelling smoke. Police in McLaren called me plenty of times in that, but there's no hatch. I'm not doing anything wrong. Police showed up
and said, "Well, you're in compliance." One time they came down, I had a burn permit to burn my stuff. Five police department came down and started questioning me. I said, "Should check with the fire department. I have a permit. I'm just get I'm just getting harassed every step of the way at this
house. It's very frustrating." All right. Um members of the public if you're in the room is there anybody who would like to speak on this topic one at a time and thank you for your time. Thank you. If you wish you can stay we
may ask the question. Um whoever wants to speak please come to the uh dis and state your name and address. You can stand up to you. Excuse me. You can stand or sit. It's okay. Uh Susan Lane 27 Street. I live right
next door. Um, I've lived here uh since 2009. Um, the the house was in disarray at that point before Susan passed. Uh, then she passed and then since then, nine years, nothing's been done to the
property. Nothing. Um, he keeps saying he's going to do things to the property. He he like, you know, arranges glass bottles in a row. He arranges furniture so it's nice and lined up. But literally the backyard is disgusting. Everyone who
walks by the house scares stops and just stares like they can't believe that it's there. It's it's horrific and it's not fair to my neighbors. I mean, I I know I know he doesn't care that it's not fear of me, but there is a woman across the
street who's very good friends with his sister, and she is appalled at how badly Michael has let's property go and that that he's doing it and doesn't care. He he he does not care. If
he did, he'd get a full-time job and take money and try to fix do something, whatever. You know, bottom line is he's around the house constantly and nothing gets done. He He just And I've heard from a neighbor that he's living
because he got kicked out of his house, out of his sister's house. So, he's a bully and he's not nice. He's not a nice person. And and this has been going on for a few years where I complain and he, you know, goes in the backyard and he
arranges all the stuff nicely, but they're vehicles that are sitting there untouched. He hasn't, you know, they're just unmovable or whatever. But there's a lot of refuse. And the oil tanks, he moved them to the backyard so that I have to
look at them in my backyard. They shouldn't be there. I don't know why they're there, but they should be moved. You know, it's illegal. I also heard from a neighbor that the water meter was removed so that he wouldn't have to pay for lunch. But I don't that's just from
London. But there are so many violations that he is just an angry person and he needs to get his together. That's it. But it's not fair to me. Also, I'm 65. I'm trying
to sell my house and move to a condo. I have two knee replacements. I need a onef flooror home and I can't sell my house. I literally cannot sell my house. See, the biggest realtor in neighborhood is like, you just wait. You know, he's not going to be there forever. Something's going to happen, but you
can't sell it because you'll lose at least $50,000 because of that house in school. Thank you. Any other public comments? I saw another hand raised. Come on, officer. Name and address, please.
10 out and seven walking street. I think he was my brother. Um his mom died over eight years after about a year or so. Initially my sister was
stressed beyond belief. So initially the other brother Christopher and my wife Monique allowed Mike to be executive of the estate. The thought being he was going to fix it live.
After a year or so, I think my mother was passing. Mike came to us and asked if he could stay with us because of paying rent where he was trying to fix the house by him. We allowed him to live with us for six years
free while he was supposed to be fixing up his house. And a couple years ago, we held it by. And then last year after he missed a zoom meeting on health,
we had a heated conversation I guess pitch about it. Apparently he didn't like it because he just we never why it's taken so long. But my opinion apparently it's never going to get fixed in the process. I believe
the lawyer mentioned after last year I think we hire a lawyer and apply for probate court to market as an executive and remove him. Now he's an executive he can sell up on the market if he wants
done with this but apparently that's not being done either. was well aware of morning discuss we I say we because I'm responsible my wife is responsible and otherwise responsible because they are all
the state so we've been trying to spend 10 months I waiting for low probate to let my the executive and if that happens
to go on the market itself it's it's never going to it's not it's not any other people here in the room have any comments yeah has to be on 9:30 call I'm a friend association
he didn't ask for his mother due to mental health issues I respect the poor's decision but this man is in a position where he's being attacked from all angles he has a grave misfortune for living next to a person that no matter what he does it's wrong she's got videotape on 247 she's been nothing
nothing but nasty so to sit here and demand that he gets a job he's a bully to claim herself the victim seems highly inappropriate because ultimately this man's the victim of a mother that had it. Hey, I was in the house trash up to your head. It was absolutely just a hell
and he's taken it so far and done so much and trying to comply. He's not a man. He's not amazing. He's struggling. He's got two daughters, a divorced wife. He's not living the American dream. He's trying the very best to live in his childhood home. All he's done in this town was pay his taxes. That's all his
family has done since they've been here is maintain their taxes. So I don't understand why Maynard is happy to get them removed and try to take something away from him. I think in the broad scheme of things the things can be resolved and worked out and the potential is maybe he can stay there. I
don't know. I have means maybe I can help. But at the end of the day I just want you to know he's living in a situation that is not of his creation and he's trying to do the best he can in this cave. He's living next to a person that no matter what he does. So that's all I have. Thank anybody on the line
have any comments. Okay. I don't see anybody. So you are living there or you are not a little Roosevelt Roosevelt Street right now. Like I said, I spend a night or two there once in a while just to main keep
my child leave my truck in the driveway and I'll walk up to Roosevelt Street. Sometimes I'll go downtown to the China movie for a cocktail. So I don't want to drive park my truck at Maple Street walk to Roosevelt Street after I'm not
denying I have slept there but not residing there. Right now it's just a big story. There's tons of toys in there, Walmart ornaments, Barbie dolls. It was just it's endless. And I haven't struggled
struggling to sell it. I probably had probably 20 yard sales in the last seven years trying to move this stuff. I can't do work in the house in the in finally cleared off the top floor. I can start going there. Like I said,
financially I'm just behind. So, like I said, I'm probably going to sell the house. This is about this here and there. It's not like doing anything viciously. I don't mind going over there. I don't mind sifting through dirt to bring glass
up. I don't mind chopping trees down, cutting it, sacking it. I don't mind that stuff. That's basically what I do over there because if I don't have money to put in the house, I work on the yard. the picture there of the front of the house. I put a bunch of bushes down and
there right now that's pile of pile of sticks and stuff in the backyard. I have to wait till January to burn per I think January to April. So can I ask another question about 11
Mr. Aspen in the section that um Mr. Zila referenced earlier the seven PMR R116.32 standards for making buildings super secure and the list of things that you were asked to do. So the first is remove materials
determined by the head of the fire department or building official be dangerous in case of fire. Mr. Asen has that list been provided or would the instruction to follow up with the fire department to get that list of which materials should be removed? I'm sorry again please.
So on the fourth page of the letter that you wrote, right, Mr. Gun, at the bottom of the page, there is a list of um conditions that needed to be met. The first of which is that he must remove all materials determined by the
head of the fire department or building official to be dangerous in case of fire. Has that list been iterated yet or was it instruction to follow up with the fire department? So that it's intended that he fire up follow up
with fire department. Okay. Thank you. And so then on the other conditions two, three, four, and five, those have not been executed yet. I didn't I didn't realize I was supposed to do this before the same
I can go to fire department and start having a problem with that. I I can I can make uh certain evaluations of the materials around the building, but the fire department is best served because of uh some of the
fluids and other containers that are around the building and determining whether they're a hazard or not would be exclusively their jurisdiction. Um, and you know to to that point, my office hasn't been contacted my by Michael to have the building department
make a determination. No, I have a question. Um it seems to me that this circumstance is probably not unique. Um that there are other people who have been through similar circumstances. I'm curious to know if
there are any uh local state resources available to help somebody in these situations um to to work through the kind of problems that are present uh in in this problem. Do we know of anything? Go ahead. We we do have on retainer
clear path base out of helps with situations that are similar to these. Um we did offer putting Mr. Don into contact with clear path at the first board of health hearing if he would be amenable. We can try to do that again
but at the time he was more independent here. He wanted to do the cleanup that we had been discussing in 2024 by himself without any assistance. just looking for no way to move forward with process.
I must have missed that misunderstood that um I do think we should pursue that. my perspective sitting here this evening and hearing what's going on for one thing that is clear is this cannot
continue now use this as sort of the point where okay we are going to have a plan to move this forward so that um it is taken care of um whatever that plan may be
um so I would suggest that we as a board consider how we wish to proceed to make sure that this goes on so that her neighbors aren't subject to this for months and months
and months and that this gets resolved sooner rather than later and it's not something that drags on for any extended period of time. I know there's financial aspect there. I know but we don't know what type of assistance can be provided.
We know that there are other u you know possible approaches that can be taken to make this move forward. Whether it be what your brother-in-law had to suggest that somebody else take over as the administrator or what have you. That's not my business.
But something has to happen to make sure that this issue is addressed when we move it forward. And this is not we're not here a year from now talking about the same issue. That's unacceptable. Question is what that might be.
unlike another client. We we I think we need to set a date. One of the complaints that a canoe on the side of the Well, again, I'm just saying there's some complaints. I just don't understand it. That's fine. I'm not that specific.
So, you have the there are five conditions that need to be met. Yeah. So, so those I mean those are what the discussion is about and I think your brother-in-law is actually aware because he brought it up as well is that these
things need to be done which may include boarding something you know securing the building. So um if you have any questions as to what needs to be done I would suggest it seems as though you have relation to Mr. silver hands or I would suggest you call either
one of the two of them and get in touch with them and find out what one, two, three, four, and five mean and what needs to be done because that's the list. No one's telling you to pick up every stick and every piece of glass. I know. But but it's clear that there's a list
and you've been provided the list and you're you're aware of the list because you're here because of the list and that you know that also includes what you know what the suggestion or the fine is. So come in here and like what $1,000 a day is where it come from. It comes from
this web that you have in your possession because you read to us from your handwritten notes. a recap of the letter on what you were going to do in regards to the same. So, you need to take some responsibility and leave this along,
not us. I'm not here to I didn't sign up for this to come and do these type of things. This is terrible for us. This isn't for you. No one wants to be here talking about this. But you have to listen in front of you and that's what has to be addressed. You need to get
with Steve and Rick and address these things. And if Steve has an opportunity for faircraft or someone else to help you, I would suggest you take that help. Mr. Chair, go ahead. Let me um I think I think I would highly
recommend a sort of expedition for expeditious action from the board and some sort of formality to it. Um I do concur with the recommendations of council to to pursue the injunction to immediately secure the property. I think
what's super spoke to me is hearing the the sensitivity of Commissioner Asmin to the safety of the property whether it be Mr. gun or anyone else I or particularly the safety of our firefighters. I really strongly urge the board to allow for the
pursuit of that injunction to to block that building even at the potential expense of whatever we get that authority. We will we will pursue that tomorrow with council um if you allow us. I mean that is what I recommend and then you
would basically be um authorizing me to pursue that. That's the first thing I would also recommend either this evening or the board according to the bylaw still has seven days to take any action on this. This is just a hearing. You you could take action this evening or within seven days at a posted meeting which we
could do or resume you. the board could have another meeting to follow with that action, but I would recommend at this time um set a timeline for Mr. Don to address these issues. I understand it's only $20 is what you can f what you can um charge
or fine according to our bylaws, but I would set a hard date and I would say if those conditions of meeting what Mr. Asen has already pointed out according to CMR, we're really only adding $20 a day to already $1,000 a day. Um but it is something otherwise it's
uninforceable. You don't if you don't is is if you don't issue some sort of citations um and set a date I would recommend it to be as quickly as possible seven days. I'm just coming that up but I think
reasonable to what's being asked but I I realize he's been I'm saying this a month ago. Yes. he's had since um August 10th 72 hours after the initial guess August 10th August 10. So he's had since August
10th to address these issues which he has quoted like he read from that as to what the issues may be and and according to according to the state's regulations the onus is on the owner to to secure the property. I highly recommend and I
and not I don't always have done this person I've ever sat seen I but I believe for the safety of the communities I believe it handled expeditiously and and with the utmost of the town as I Mr. Chair, if I could interject.
Um, al although the provisions of the general bylaw only provide for a $20 a day fine, your bylaw goes on to state that uh the selectman may cause the nuisance to be removed and all expenses
incurred thereby shall constitute a debt upon the down upon completion of the removal. So, it it anticipates that someone may not comply and that the it provides within the bylaw that you can
uh proceed to have the nuisance removed. In this case, to to have the the nuisance secured. Um, that's spelled out on page three of my letter. Thank you, Rick. Um
board members or are you I am I want to follow Greg's guidance. Um is everyone comfortable? Well two issues correct for securing of the properties and then there for certain access.
Yes. No legal stuff. an injunction that will the injunction will suggest legally the date what needs to be done. There's a there's I was trying to
emphasize an immediiacy meaning if I could secure today this evening I could I would I really don't feel comfortable with Mr. Dunn entering that that's my no I I don't feel I don't feel comfortable knowing Mr. gun may enter that premise.
If there is a fire tonight and he and he is injured or one of our firefighters injured, I feel we have an obligation to prevent that and I and I do not feel that we can with as much respect as I can provide because I don't know you. I don't know that we can trust that he
will not answer that because he's already admitted that he does from time to time stay there. So I I would urge council to as immediately as possible to seek that injunction. That's one step. Step two is what's under the authority of the board currently according to the
bylaws. And and that's you again, you don't have to do anything tonight. We can set another special meeting within seven days. But if you're going to do something tonight, I would recommend set a say a set time to remove the nuisance. Um and I would set a set date time.
Okay. Um, and do you have Well, I guess it's up to the board relative to how how long we need to remove the news. So, okay, having that guidance. Go ahead. I think I would ask
the timeline to go. Rick, did you hear that? No, I didn't. Okay. The question was, "What are your thoughts on what is the appropriate time necessary to secure the building?"
Well, there are companies that specialize in that. I would imagine that it could be secured within 72 hours. Would you say as soon as possible for the securing of the building? Do you need a motion on that, Greg?
uh you would authorize me to seek uh he would be authorized company to go in and No, before that I because I refer him to wellhead a definitive time because like if I have something to do in the yard as soon as
possible is extremely different than my wife's as soon as possible. So I suggest we might have the same situation here where ours as soon as possible is one day and you know for whatever reason you know purpose or not it's the duns as soon as possible it's going to be a
different date okay so we need a specific date how about how about 72 hours whatever so we'll say today's Tuesday let's say Thursday Friday how about Friday by Friday at noon if the property is not secured then you authorize a town
administrator to pursue legal um action as as as advised by council this evening to seek an injunction by the um housing court. That's that's step one. So, we're giving him 72 hours and if he doesn't do it, then we're going to try to find
somebody to do it. And then step two is I recommend the board set another time because that's what's securing the property. So then, but that's not cleaning up the property. So that said another time maybe get cleaning up the property and is there any pathway to secure the building
immediately? Uh I would have to call just like I we can't do it. So I would have to call a company that does this. Yeah. And then but I would pay right. I'm saying we're not giving it.
That's what I'm suggesting. Dwelling in a garage. Is that it? known like sheds or out buildings. Okay. All right. Um I have Jeff, do you have something? I do. Just a question about uh the
timeline when we can seek the injunction uh from the housing court to get permission to enter the property. But what's the timeline um once we seek that injection? Is this does it happen quickly? You wait a couple of weeks. It's not clear to me. on council is not
too and is that something that affects can I make someone walk you guys can walk and probably take a look what's there a lot of stuff there and I you got to clear out the whole house I don't
security you just have to make sure it's already secure it's not according to CMR you have not met the descriptions of the state I haven't done this but you Can't get in the house easily or out of the house. Hey Brett,
bust the door down. I guess there. Yeah. Yeah, I'm here tomorrow to explain to Mr. Dunn exactly what superior the building means. Uh yes, it it means boarding it up. Boarding up the It would mean boarding
up of the first story. The windows on the second story are too high to be considered accessible. But if if you go to if he goes to uh the standard that's referenced in the order, it gives very
explicit instructions on what size wood, what size bolts, uh what what size plywood has to be used to secure the the property. Why have to board up windows? But somebody somebody can break in. Somebody can break in anybody's house.
Not if you not if you if you board up to these regulations, you cannot break in. This is what we had done with uh the property at 111 Powdermill Road when kids were up there breaking windows and entering illegally
because your house inside is more unsafe than anybody else right now. So anybody could break a window at any conditions of your house are different and exceptional in Mr. How how does anybody know what inside looks like? Is it safe?
I know what it looks like. So, we we need to um go ahead. We need to before we leave tonight, we have to make a an appointment for someone to meet with you tomorrow. I'll tell you or show you exactly what
you're asking me to do within 72 hours. voted out there. There's some confusion and there seems to be some confusion. There is confusion between the regulations and I understand what like my house is I consider my house but I haven't been told I have to avoid
my house because it's a hazard. You're being told that piece of property is a hazard. It's a different situation. So someone needs to clearly explain to you on site what has to happen to each window and door on the first floor only
correct in both the garage and the is that am I excuse me my sense my sense is that because of this not knowing what's secure and why is it secure that it's inherent on us to protect the
firefighters to hire a company that knows the process. Rick has said it's available and we hire that company. They secure the building. It's secure within 72 hours. We're safe. Firefighters are safe. Anybody trying to enter into that
building is safe. And we then proceed to the next step which is the uh establishing a timeline on which all this gets resolved. Go ahead. Are we able to do that uh before we get the
injunction? Is is that not dependent on getting the injunction? No, I I don't I think alluded to in the bylaw here. Yeah. saying the bylaw section 22 subsection would be the
select board is going to have to issue a removal order and then if the removal order is not um provided by then there's a removal of nuance I'm not sure of the how close those two would be together but that's the that's the
so we h we hire a company as soon as possible to secure the building and Rick says that can be done within 72 hours by Friday the building is secure
and then reestablish a timeline that resolves the rest of the deal with the safety safety first. Would that include the garage? Because the garage is falling down and there are kids. I'm sure would be able to speak with the
um the literally huge tree leaning on it was falling through the roof. your kids in the backyard. The the the the order concerns the house itself and not
the garage in in terms of um the the structure being made safe and secured. There's plenty of stuff in the garage when the door is open that if no one's living on the property. It's it's
uh a potential problem. But there again, that might be an area where the fire department should just look at the materials that are there and determine if that's a nuisance. In terms of vis visiting on site for the boarding up, it's it's really not necessary. I mean,
the the the boarding up needs to secure all openings on the first floor and any entrance that might go into the basement and secure it against entry and that includes against Michael's entry
um until the issue can be resolved. That would be done by hiring a company to be able to do that. Yeah, you should be able to do that if if you um a lot of these companies are the ones that respond when you see a house fire
and one day later the entire place is boarded up. Yeah. They they can also board up to a higher standard than they do in those cases. Or if the select board is is satisfied with that and feel that that would be adequate, just find a a level in between
with one of those companies that would be that you would feel adequate for securing the structure. In this case, I would want it to be at least to the level that you feel that the fire department is secure and that the public is secure from anybody trying to break
in. Right. I mean, the the case of 111 Powdermill was kind of extreme because the Stratus building up there is so isolated that people are operating at will with no one really being aware of their presence in
the area. This is a little bit different than that. Okay. Yes. No, my my preference is to ask the town administrators to make sure that we are legally sound with council tomorrow and then move to secure the building as quickly as possible and that require the
induction that requires the induction and clear the path around that was required and it doesn't require it independent of any action done. I think the town should secure the building as quickly as possible. I agree on that. Well, I just you're saying as quickly as
possible, but I really I I emphasize the my recommendation that you said. What does that mean? As securing of the building, not Yeah. Yeah. What is as quickly as possible? If you can do it tomorrow, do it tomorrow. So, can Sorry. So, because I was
actually writing a lengthy motion for you guys, but but so can So, if you want, you can read my recommendation for the motion, but what can you say again, Jeff? What I'm not asking Mr. Dun to do anything. I'm asking you, the time administrator, to to move as quickly as possible, make sure we're still meeting
as soon as possible. So, I'm not asking for Mr. D. I'm asking you to do it. I mind I'm asking you to move as quickly as possible to be done legally. I appreciate that. That would be my purpose. I I thought the board was I the board was to have him we're moving to have it done so we know
it's done and it's done securely. Okay. So then right bolts used right wood is used. Yep. Okay. I'm track I um I'm writing this down so that you guys can have uh if you want you can look at board
docs but I I'll just say it aloud move to authorize the town administrator to pursue legal action for injunction to secure the property importance of the guidance of temp and then I go on to say the property owner has until 12 p.m. on Wednesday, September 10th to remove all debris, trash, vegetation, and trees that cause
property to be determined as blight according to the building. I remove all what? So the so um there's a description of light either and um you you described a lot of it
yourself. um trash. Uh you said you you cut down a lot of the shrubs and bushes, but you've done nothing with that. I've done stuff with it. You put it in the backyard that's still there, right? Still there, right? So there's so there is a the So there's
a property maintenance upkeep bylaw that we're trying to institute that we're trying to maintain. That's what we're asking. That's the expectation of the bylaw. So you want all I'm saying that that'll be up to the discretion of the building commissioner because he is the one who will he will
be the agent of the town site and I've given you a week. I'm fine. I'm trying to understand what you're saying. I thought you wanted me to move all the woods. I am oil tanks and the furniture and the glasses and everything.
That's my preference. Yeah. And I think we're prepared to make a motion. Sure. I move to authorize the town administrator to pursue legal action for injunctions to secure the property and also in accordance with the guidance of
town council. The property I'm sorry, need to start one more time. I move to authorize the town administrator to pursue legal action for injunctions to secure the property in accordance with the guidance of town council. Also, the property owner has until 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 10th to
remove all debris, trash, vegetation, and trees that cause the property to be determined as light according to the building commission. Uh, who's the building commission? Okay, the motion's been made and seconded. Any further discussion on that motion? Hearing none, we'll have a roll
call. Chris, Lindsay, Jeff. Yes. Yes. And I am a yes as well. Uh so in order to determine those issues, you need to speak with Mr. As
and you need other assistance to speak with town staff and hopefully this will get moved along very quickly and we we will move forward with hiring a a company that will secure the building so that it's safe for everybody
involved. That's a big hassle. Thank you, Mr. All right. So, is there a motion to close the public hearing? Move to close public hearing at 8:40. Yes.
Press yes. Thank you everybody for your participation. All right. We also now we we have to move on to a public hearing of a scheduled 7:45. Um we're relative to five W Street RFS
store 140 DBA Richdale food shops for an off premises wine and mall beverages license application. I'll read the public hearing notice. Notice is hereby given in accordance to the masters and federal laws 138 as amended at a public hearing will be held on Tuesday
September 2nd 2025 at 7:45 town hall room 2011 195 ped 015754 consider the applications 15 package store 140
rich Manager Manu A Patel at five welcomes main advance hybrid option to attend via Zoom using the access instructions posted on the agenda and also be found at the town website
is on file public hearing is open and Mr. Patel. Oh yeah. Hi. Welcome my Thank you. My attorney Jenn Allen. She's learning. Hi. Good evening. Attorney Jennifer Allen on behalf of RFS store 140 and
Manu Patel. Um sorry I'm actually taking it from my car because I was in a licensing hearing before this. So I appreciate you for hanging with us a lot. Thanks. No problem. I understand how these go. Well, I'll just summarize what it what it is that
your client is looking to do so that we can then move on. Awesome. I will do it as quickly as possible for you guys. Um, so I represent Manu Patel who is the owner and the proposed manager of the store. The store has been part of the community for years serving residents with
groceries, household items, and convenience goods. Mr. Patel has over a decade in the industry and has two other stores with liquor licenses which are both violation free. Thus, he has the
experience and the character and fitness for this license. He's familiar with the rules of the ABCC and the Maynard licensing board. He's tip certified and is also a mass resident and a US citizen. He takes the security of the
store very seriously and he's committed to implementing strict strict age verification procedures, employee trainings, and compliance with the local licensing rules. The application for this beer and wine license is motivated
from numerous requests from patrons who have expressed how convenient it would be to have the ability to do their grocery and sundry shopping needs, purchasing their being able to purchase their alcohol, a beer, or a wine at the
same time and place. Many nearby towns already allow this type of arrangement and approving it will keep spending local and supporting both business and Maynard's community. There are only a few other stores in a
mile radius with liquor licensing and granting of this license would be a tremendous convenience factor for customers to satisfy their shopping needs and beer and wine simultaneously. Approving this license also contributes
to the vitality of managed downtown. A stronger, more competitive business district benefits the whole community through tax revenue, employment, and increase foot traffic. Our goal here is to complement and not compete with
existing businesses. Um he's looking to keep all of the operations as they already are and just adding a small space which we had provided the floor plan for the beer and wine. Um and he's happy to answer any questions that you have here.
And thank you. Having heard that any questions for members of the board? Yeah, sure. Do you have anything to add? Uh, no. I've been uploading the the vendor stores for like over eight years. That
store only has a beer and wine license and we just I just took over the legal store in Vmont, Massachusetts probably like few months ago. So, I do have experience right and basically I know what I'm doing, right? So just
requesting CT can get approval for the board. Greg Wilson if you are there. How how many licenses do we have left? We ask this almost every week. Uh this is the last remaining uh beer
and wine package store license. Thank you. Do you also have to go to the planning party special? Yeah, I think that's true. If you didn't know that, now you're hearing you should also go back to see a lot of the people that are just here
municipal services to the planning board. Okay. So, come back at some point. Sounds like I'm getting you did know this. So, go so go to the planning board which is our planner municipal services. They're downstairs and ask them about this and they'll they'll help you. Okay.
Council, did you hear that, too? I I was trying to hear it. I didn't hear it completely. He needs a special verdict from the planning board. Okay. Okay. So, make arrangements with our planning board. Um, it's public hearing.
Are there any comments from the room from the public on this topic? Yes, sir. Charian. Um, we live over a deer path. I just am here in support. I think it would be good for the community. Um,
just for multiple reasons, especially tax revenue reasons. That's Thank you, sir. Anybody online have any comments? I see none.
So, we can entertain a motion. Number two, move to approve the section 15 beverage application for RFS 4140 in PB Richale food shops at 5 street authorizing use of digital signature if
approved. There a second question. Yes or no? Yes. Yes. Is it? Yes. Yes. Yes. I mean yes as well. There's another motion in our
Greg. Yeah. To distribute the wine license census. That's what we've been doing for the last couple of years. I don't know. Can you just make the second motion? Yeah. Go ahead. So if anybody wants to make that move to authorize the town administrator's office to distribute the
section 15 all wine and beverages license for RFS 41 148 PBA Richdale food shops at 5 street upon approval from the alcoholic beverages consult mission ABCC authorizing use digital signatur
yes Yes, I have a yes as well. Is there a motion to close the public hearing? We close public hearing at 848. Thank you. Thank you, mother. Thank you. Thank you and good luck. Thank you very much. And we'll get on that special permit. Thank you, Council.
Yes. Thank you. And I Yes. Thank you. All right. Now, we'll move back to our regular agenda items and we are up to the use of town property. There are two items here.
Um, one is for film on ghost pig and I believe you guys very I think there was a lot of excitement at the beginning a lot of uh excitement
on the um the use of the town property already and now it's just going to be another round I think that we discussed previous Yeah. So it was in our initial pitch basically at J it was off the table now it's back on the table and it's essentially the same plan just a little bit later in the day um we were
originally there really early in the morning talked to Chief Sutherland and basically through the compromise we just have the expertise but with us we originally now it's going to be safe it's a little busier the day um and then instead of going back to Inspire Bliss
we're now going to manard outdoor store which is just you know right around the block on Mason Street and so uh our footpint that we had for um for as far as those rig. We're basically asking for a similar footprint just mainly on street and then behind the building. It's it's a total spaces which was
perfect for our use. Uh and I think it's we parked everything perfectly. We actually asked for a bit too much the first time we gave it all back that we weren't using. Um but this time around it's just going to be on N behind the building which is pretty quiet as it is. Um and and Chief Southern has the parking plans already and he's he's
signed off on from his has and the date that we have here is September 19th. Is that set or set? Yes, that's okay. Any other questions? No issues from being reported in from many of the towns.
No, actually it was um I'm sure that police have already thought of this, but that's also when all of the construction will be happening on summer. Um I think that'll be right in the middle of it. So, is that going to just essentially shut down all the downtown?
I don't know. Uh I Are you talking about the open source work that's going on? Yeah. Sorry. Yeah. Yeah. No, no, no. Um it's a good weapon. I don't know where they'll be. I don't either. That's the thing. Like I don't I think that's really tough to tell. Like today at the corner of They weren't actually covering the
intersection, but they were up to the intersection of Mason Summer. That's I I And this is not for another almost three weeks. We're also too clever, too. We're not. We're not. So, and it's basically 30 seconds out of five for taste when they just need something. That's true. So, it's not we're not totally.
So, this is outdoors is outdoor. Yeah. We're seeing stations in the afternoon and then move early evening to Mayor Outdoor. So, that actual downtown, no traffic
control and uh there's no utility. Yeah, there just has to be construction going on. So, they're just thinking about like access to downtown. But if you're thinking, you're probably okay. Yeah. Uh
intermittent traffic control. It's after the phone call. So, a gentleman pumping gas. Yeah. Not stunt. And the construction work is they're are they usually done by like 4:30, 5:00 typically. Those guys. Yeah. So that's
basically sorry. It's a great question. Great insight. Um I'm sure you were aware of the excitement in town. I'm sure you got you got some of it down there and very excited about it commenting about
it. You know people are proud of our town. So you know nobody was excited about the possibility of an Indian wedding boutique store. I didn't hear that. I'll move to approve the amended filming
request by ghost as presented for a use of a portion of High Street and the rail trail as well as parking spaces on Main Street and Mason Street on or about September 19th, 2025, 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Second. Any further questions or comments?
Hearing none. All those in favor handbook. Good. You're all set. Thanks. Thank you. Good luck. The next item is an exciting and uh always pleasant to accept gifts. Um to accept some gifts from the floor.
Thanks for waiting. Thank [Music] the mayor. Who are you? Right. I live at 2 lane and here. No, no, thanks. That's okay. We we we known known to the
board. Uh the mayor tree respectfully requests permission to plant shade trees and complimentary shrubs in coolage community park according to a pre-approved plan. uh tree corps member volunteers would carry out the work on the morning of Saturday September 13th
from 8:00 am to 1 pm the tree corps has worked with uh the mayor tree committee John DeMarco and the girl scouts to create a lowmaintenance native tree planting that respects the use of the field and playground as well as existing infrastructure in the pal polliner
garden the girl scout specifically wanted shade for their bench uh Kate Wheeler who's here convened a meeting with uh neighbors around Poolage about concerns for tree planting and their concern. We are planting with their
concerns in mind. They they want areas where they can see into the through the to the park from their houses. So, we're we're going to do some clump planting and with hopefully leave spaces for viewing. Um
we need to protect some of the plantings with fencing and other protection for the first few years. We're going to start with smaller trees and shrubs. So we respectfully request select board accept the gift of a sass grass umbrella manolia and a yellowwood tree for the
municipal shade canopy. Um we also request access for the municipal water from the hydrant at the corner of Elmo and carpentry which Justin provided to us last. We have uh begun
uh plantings now to What was I saying there? Um, oh, we have we've started to do fall plantings for two reasons. One, it's less work on us and our volunteers with the shorter watering season, but it saved the town money in terms of water
usage. Uh we're grateful to the select we're grateful for the support of the select board, the tree board and Justin, the tree committee, the planning board, uh the planning director, the conservation commission, the tree core volunteers, and the generous uh
mayor residents who understand the need to grow mayor tree canopy. I skipped those section that said there will be no cost to the town. Uh funds have been raised by the community through three cores and we will fa any
additional cost. Thank you. Sounds like a good deal. Uh any questions from the board? Otherwise, we will uh I'll ask for more people. Just briefly, why those sweet trees? Um mostly for their beauty. Uh the sass of
grass uh should give wonderful color, has great leaves. Um, they have three shades. The mutton, the mitten, the glove, and then the other one. It's like, but it could turn orange and and yellow
and there's some red ins. But umbrella magnolia has big leaves like this big. Really beautiful. Gives a tropical vibe to it. It can be very elegant in its shape. um pink cones form on in the in the fall like right now. So it's a
fluorescent pink comb. Um and uh the third one is the yellow one which has amazing flowers early in the in the growing season. They hang down like sort of like they're P-shaped flowers. But all three of these trees are not
tall in stature. So they're two of them are being planted along 27 to stay out of the power lines and the set press one will is a smaller tree but still provide good shape for that corner and it doesn't it just stand out in terms of
Thank you. Yeah. Any other questions to accept the gift of trees from the main tree court to be planted in park at the discretion and direction of the tree water. Any other questions, comments? Hearing
none. All in favor? And as always, um, with the permission of the board, I'd like to skip to seven because Stephanie Kein is here and I don't want to have her wait through the next presentation if she doesn't have to. And
this is going to be fairly quick, I believe. So, uh, I'd like to throw that and allow her to leave unless of course you want to stay. She's the next item on So, hi everyone. I'm Stephanie Fitman. I was here at this board to get my liquor
license for barrels and vines at 15 Main Street. Uh we've also gotten our special permit already and we're working on a food establishment permit and then we're here to get permission to go ahead with common permits um to be able to provide
shery to go along with our wine specials. Right. That's really the only reason for this is because there some sort of sentence of food that they won't have any hot prepared food. We won't have a hot kitchen. We'll have sort of meet all the standard requirements for the
kitchen as per inspector but all we'll be offering is a green board and for public knowledge the applicants already received the required spectrum permit from the planning board. So really this is the last thing we need to do before you know
construction still ongoing and then you'll be ready to go. Yeah, we need to get the food establishment permit but that will come a little bit later. Yeah. All right. Any questions from the board? Okay. Is there a motion? I will move to approve the new commoner
common victual license for hold LLC at 115 M Street are authorizing use of digital signatures if approved. Second. Any further comments or questions? Seeing none. All those in favor? Motion passes. Congratulations. See you again, sir. Good luck.
Thank you very much. All right. So, thank you for waiting on that. Um, so this is an exciting presentation. We're going to hear the uh 13 members of Liberty for May and if Peter Carl is
here talk with us about uh the plan and the exciting opportunity that some families and managers will have. Come on up. Thanks, guys. Thanks. Peter, are you worried you're gonna be, you know, rushing?
I'm not. So, this this I'm I'm really excited to reintroduce uh veteran service officer Peter. Um I'm going to let Kim start off. It's her parade. I'm just borrowing it temporarily. He did initiate this and I I just want to point that out.
Kim Li myself and Bren I've been working a few years and he started um getting names together for the Medal of Liberty ceremony and we are very successful and I and
that's working. So we welcome them to be part of the parade. Um, we look forward to having them have the celebration and we do have as far as if it rains, the parade's always cancelled, but the parade will be
cancelled and we'll have on our invitations for the frame will be cancelled due to rain, but we do have so we have you want to show the PowerPoint. Yeah, if you wanted to look through it. Great. Can you do it?
Yeah, just one moment. So, I I come to work every day and I have to go through the hall of heroes. So, it's a great starting point to figure out who u is eligible for the Massachusetts Medal of Liberty. In 2010,
Governor Palpatrick created a medal for gold star families. uh if you were killed in action or died uh in in a combat zone, you are eligible for this medal. So, uh we have a genealogologist
over in Firmingham where I I uh I was a veteran service officer before I retired uh who's done about 200 of these medals for me. She's physically digging out nieces and grandchildren to find a relative that can apply for the medal.
Um the metal itself is very simple. It resembles a purple heart only it has the gold star or gold star families in it. Um the the in order to qualify you have to be either in World War I, World War
II, Korea, Vietnam, and here in Mayor we actually lost a service member in Afghanistan, a Navy Seal. So um we've then been progressing through the list and we so far now have 14 members of
families who have applied. So during the parade uh when we gather at the program we'll have the families lined up. We'll then have uh volunteer runners which will come get the medal and once we can identify an appropriate presenter
because this medal is from the governor I think would be best to get congresswoman Clark or Miss Hogan or um Jamie Eldridge possibly to present the medal and uh it should take uh for 14
members it should take no less than half an hour to get all the medals presented. Question officer, I've interviewed this is Rob D. Marino. He is uh working the veterans
tax workoff program and he is doing all my correspondence and uh helping get all the back up. There are still some veterans tax workoff plots available. Please check with the uh council of aging. I'm trying
to do my public service and I don't know. I'm here. So, are there any questions? Nice to meet you and thank you. Now, it sounds like a really exciting and honorable event
for us to conduct to honor the families of those who uh you know gave their lives for our country. U thank you for the work involved and uh should be a nice event.
Yeah, it's never a dry eye in the place when uh when the ceremonies are complete. Thank you very much. The photograph that you included under your main recipients is very nice. The reason I bring it up is
as I look at it, I think several of those veterans have the seats and it's to see the fact that you know time moves on yet it sort of fits in with this although they obviously didn't lose their lives in combat.
Well, okay. Well, that as a quick subway, the uh recently the uh the National Guard, the Massachusetts National Guard has now come out with the Medal of Fidelity. So that if you are a service member, a Massachusetts resident
who uh again that's the criteria for this medal. If you were a Massachusetts resident and you contracted a disease, primarily Agent Orange, uh, and you died of that disease, then you would be now
eligible for the Massachusetts Medal of Fidelity. But that's another conversation because as soon as I can find one, I'll bring them forward. All right. Thank you. Thank you so much for hanging out with us. Thank you. Thank you.
All right. Um, item number eight. Greg, have you already told Greg uh Justin we're not? No. Justin, we're not prepared to go through your contract. So, we are going to move on to
All right. Item 10 is draft war. Greg, yeah, I can help you. So, Mr. Chair, um time moves so fast. Um there is a special time meeting coming up. It is scheduled for the end of October. I
don't like the board to see any articles before I ask the board to approve the warrant. So, here we are two weeks before I'm going to ask the board to approve the warrant in order to meet the timelines for posting and distribution and whatnot. Here's the articles I have, but I there's a caveat that there's a couple articles I'm expecting or or may
come and I'll get to that in a minute. So, all of those articles that are in front of you, um, one is a, uh, submission sponsored by the retirement board that's to give, um, I think it's stipened. I apologize if I if I have that term wrong. It's not I'm not reading in front of you, but it's a a
survivors benefits from the retirement board. Um then there's a bylaw amendment. The bylaw committee had caught that according to their records, according our bylaws, there wasn't an established membership um listed in our bylaws for what has been a long time u
uh body of the mayor high school scholarship committee. There has to be a committee because if there's donations uh there has to be a committee to deliver the use of those donations. So that's the mayor high school scholarship committee. So it's kind of housekeeping. Then um uh I think I informed the board I can't remember how many meetings ago.
Um it was the last meeting. Was it the last meeting? Okay. So the the um just to remind the board uh there's a new law that allows for local licensing authorities for the board to be able to entertain um if if the town accepts this law to
basically transfer or transition on premises. So that's like restaurants, wine and malt liquor licenses to all alcohol. So, uh, if like a restaurant is only serving beer and wine, they could do cocktails. So, again, they would have to apply for that transition, but but, um, that's again can't happen if the
town doesn't accept that. Then there's, uh, authorized um, oh yes. So, then the next two are relative to um, solar panels over at the new elementary school, which is very similar to the process that we did, I can't remember how many years ago, but we did for the
process for the high school. So um it's two actions. One is authorizing the select board to you know the use of town property specifically school property to um do a lease license agreement to put the solar panels on the elementary school. And then the second action is to
authorize a board of assessors to assess that property. Like right now we're doing personal property on those solar panels. But um we also wanted to capture because I don't want to have to keep going back to town meeting every time I want to put solar panels on a building. So we tried to capture more stuff. So if
you see it in there, we put the fire station, fowler roof. I think I just I can't remember I'm sorry for not reading, but I we tried to capture I think town hall if if it's not in there, but you know, we try to capture what do we think there might be in the near future at least where there might be solar panels. I would like to
put as much I want to get a return on this real estate that we have. So that's also there. Okay. And then um uh percent authorized and unissued debt. So there's a number of projects you see listed in there that um either was going to be initiated or never was initiated or the
project is completed or or like for example the green metal roof it's completed. So we don't need to have that more debt authorized. So bound council had reached out to the treasure collector's office saying you know you still have this authorization that's just out there you're not going to spend or for example the $250,000
uh to purchase land um you know behind winter street it's uh there was going to be like a land swap or something worked out that never came to fruition that was many years ago so it but it's still sitting on the books so to speak of having this authorization out there so it's kind of cleaning up those books and
then um and then uh I had removed a number of artic articles today after a follow-up meeting with myself and DPW director Justin DeMarco and town Kevin Peterson to look at um articles relative to oh the use of retained earnings for
the sewer and water enterprise accounts uh for capital items um but in further cons and that was on your list over the weekend but in like I said with the meeting this this morning um we don't think that's an appropriate uh use of the uncertified yet to be uncertified
retain earnings and think of retain earnings similar free cash and that requires department revenue and we usually don't certify free cash and then retain earnings until later in this fall season almost into the winter because we typically we don't use that money until the spring but we had been you know we
were planning on doing some capital purchases because of notification from D that we need to you know put a fence around one of the treatment wells we need to upgrade our equipment via a truck and we need to uh do an RBC which is part of our wastewater treatment um
plant. So, in order to meet those demands, if you will, from D, we were going to do per capital purchasing. We're going to use retain earnings, but we can't use the retained earnings because they're not certified yet. So, all those retained earnings there, I think there are three. I pulled it.
Those have been pulled. Yes. And then I will come back to the board in the near future about how we're going to make those. So, probably annual. I I don't want to get into it now because it's a little more complicated. I wish it was an easy answer. It's not. Then um but you're that's the that is
the correct usual answer. Um any and then uh lastly for the board this evening is um the transfer of expected PAS funds. So, um, the town is amongst probably many, many, many, many municipalities and other bodies that are
going to be the recipient of, uh, settlements against corporations that have been found liable for contamination of with pipes, which is like, as everyone knows, it's like I don't know what the acronym stands for, but pretty popular. So, the town is going to be a recipient of those funds. we need to put
that money into somewhere we could use and that had so therefore the that article was to transfer that money into an account which will then later be appropriated with that article in there. Yes, I added it this afternoon. So I apologize I myself and Justin Marco only
got to council this afternoon so it's a little late but again I tried not to get anything in front of the board at the last minute. So that's what I have for you that there is three articles that the board may see and I I don't like saying that but that is the truth. One is the citiz petition. So you've already heard from um
yeah we've already got that Robin. Thank you. Already heard from Robin. So that's but you know the deadline for the petition is you know she still has time to be senators. Then um the board had already heard from all the planning board uh for all those boas. So you you'll just see those come back. And then uh lastly is the home
rule petition that I may or may not get um that's being lobbyed by the owner of Brussels next door. So, I've been playing phone tag with the attorney that's representing Jamie uh Salmon. Oh, I apologize if that cell phone. Thank
you. Um, okay. So, the owner of Brussels and um and uh we've been going back and forth and I provided information as to what we need to see and I had already informed the board that's was to be expected, but
as you can tell this evening, I don't know if that's coming to fruition. So, if it happens, um I I would I would prefer having the owner come to board and explain. Um but at least I want to inform the board of that this evening. If if we see it in two weeks, I don't
know. So that I know it's a lot but theoretically we may not be able to accept it because we don't have the information if we have a lot of questions for sure true sure true sure true sure true sure true sure true sure true sure true sure true sure true sure so
I'm confused because I don't admire this as all the ones that you mentioned so which ones we have A through J that's correct the motion is correct yes I the actual written list is incorrect because some of them
Yeah. Got it. Okay. And you just summarized the one you were there. So, okay. So, is there a motion to accept the draft goals as outlined by Greg? Oh, yeah. Go ahead. Go ahead. Um the scholarship committee because I
know we don't need um a bylaw. I'm thinking about the building committee we've talked about um in the background. We want it in the bylaws. For which reason? because I the bylaw committee likes to keep
accurate um um counting of the different My understanding from the last conversation we've had on this topic was that the school committee the school um superintendent's representative is not listed as a member of the committee. So
needed to be added so that it became an official member in the chart or in the bylaw. Sure. That was my That was my understanding. Perhaps I misunderstood, but that was my understanding. And that's why when you look at the article that is proposed,
um where is it? Yeah. Uh looking for it. No, I I do see that. You're right. It says the mayor high school committee and under schools for their designated to be
a permanent member. Yes. So that was left off of the original um bylaw that was proposed. All this is is a sort of a a correction of an error. That was my understanding. No, that's helpful. And I I'll go back to one minute ask if you clarify that
comments. As it says in the explanation under the comments um the article that we that we approved to town meeting in 2018 established committee the appointment should have also been added to chapter 4 of the bylaw that was overlooked at that time by the
committee. Uh the membership committee was defined in article 25 and establishing the solicit fund shall be astounding made of public schools or designate thereof with health fewer than four main residents.
Yeah, that's right. I appreciate that clarification. So I guess we're putting it to seven and the designate and the superintendent is a permanent member. Yeah. So, it's a little bit wasn't added properly, but they did all
sorts of changes to the BIOS. Do we still have an industrial development and finance authority that's not an existing committee? Correct. Well, the runners of the bylaw committee tried to clean up a lot of them and I think those are still part of the pending articles to be approved by 10
chair. So our bylaws have not been approved by AG. I got it takes time. Any other questions? Yes. Um the article regarding PAS
settlement just an associated letter. Just want to be sure I understand. It sounds like we asked if we could appropriate the funds before we actually had them in hand and the answer is no. So we're asking town meeting to set up funds where we're going to put all the money so we have what we need and then then we
can appropriate. That's it. Yeah. And and it's twice a year that they're How often are we expected? No. So at the beginning aspects uh can be up to four payments a year. So
they're they're not sensitive to town. Um so the trust issued that process based off of the ability for these um businesses to actually utilize their revenue source to us at the trust department. Um for us what is
challenging is a lot of that funding is to bridge the delta between the funding that we did not receive in the grant. So we received $2.3 million which is ongoing but as as I've relayed we're roughly about $2 to3 million away from still moving that process forward in
completion. The target for all the PAS allegation funds was to bridge that gap even before the grant. What we can't do is continually delay that based on the trust's awarding site. So we only have two shots at the half special town meeting and angle town meeting. We're
looking for legislative approval of the blanket award as it's been issued and certified by the trust. And then as those ch checks come in, just like our traditional revenue turnover, we're able to turn them over and put them into the account already identified.
Um most municipalities that are in this are in city municipal government where they can literally allocate funds council meeting twice monthly. So we have to be strategic in that approach so that we don't actually slow down.
Um and the other question I have on the um wine and malt liquor licenses but basically If you do have a beer and wine license, you can now just get an all alcohol license. It doesn't change the total number of licenses we have in
the town. So, is there any reason like are all of our beer and wine licenses going to turn into all alcohol license if they ask? If they question. Okay. Thank you. That person Mike
to accept those articles. Move to accept the following drafted roles. A acceptance of legislation increase survivors 101 benefit. Bylaw amendment may high school scholarship committee. C except provisions of
C13012P allow transfer of onremises wine and malt liquor licenses to all alcohol beverages beverage licenses. D authorize these license property for solar photo volic installation.
E authorization to enter tax arena for school property. I resend authorized and unissued debt. J transfer of PA settlement funds as shown and forward to the finance committee for review and comment. Second
any further comments questions hearing none passes independent of that a question on the timeline assistance petition seem to be relatively late compared to other cycles after the warrant is being printed looks
like. Am I missing something? Let's double check that. I don't I hope that's not the case. We So the the timeline of substitution I think is determined in the charter or or the bias I think it's charter but we'll we'll definitely cross check that.
Which timeline do you think is like the citizens position? Oh, this might be where they're different depending on if it's annual or special town meeting. I think that might be the case. All right. Well, I'll double check. All right. Think that's what I think annual
meeting. All right. Um, capital planning issue. This is on the um, the quad board meeting. I believe that's what we wanted to talk about. Um, as part of our goals, unless there's something else you wanted to bring up.
Uh, sorry. There was two things and I think Jeff made a problem earlier. So um one of the as part of the discussion with the goals um it was the consideration of creating a new committee to buildings
which is fine. So like I did a little research um I looked at other towns that have like either similarly titled or similar functions see that and I tried to highlight some areas where I thought felt like it might be helpful and then I I I kind of put it all together in a charge for stuff. So I'm not expecting
any action this evening by the board unless you want to take action by the board. I just wanted to sort of like give a food for thought and then up to you Mr. Chair. You can what you want to do either tonight we can put on for a future agenda. That was one thing and then the second thing was yeah if if the
surprise surprise it's really hard to get about 25 people in the same room at the same time. Um and so uh trying to uh pin down a date for the for this. Yeah, the date that we had before conflicted that the religious holiday
had was we thought it best. Yeah, we can't. So, it's not going to go. Easier said than done because I know here's the bureaucrat. I know. It's the bureaucrat going to talk. So,
please don't. Okay. So, um, unlike other towns and other municipalities or school districts, we generally, unless it's a state holiday, we generally don't observe religious holidays, right? Um,
but we can, but generally we don't. And so, and maybe that's why it didn't occur to me that that the initial proposal, this is a Tuesday night, so that's usually the meeting. That's what we did. downside is as you know in the response to the surveys most people and in
particular some of those people I thought was going to present um that was when they were available um September 23rd if um if you and and the the chair of the school committee of course wants all members of their body to come that's
understandable but they're not able to make it likely because of observation this following so you were going to do it earlier less people responded if they could attend particular some of these rejectors. If I go later I don't want I don't want to go later because I don't
want to tip into some other plans. So we could go later later which is November and which is fine. We're that but that just means you're that much further into the budget cycle which is still okay if it meets the intention of the board and
what the squad is supposed to say. I think we got to go later later because I want to have as many purchas later. So I I'll look for something after certain returns. Fair enough. I'm kind of familiar with
with both Ben and Nathan's work before. So I I feel like I won't be surprised by anything to say. Anyway, just wanted to be the You are not the They've done good work. And to your
point, Jeff, I I have seen drafts of Ben's actually I think I'm supposed to see it again tomorrow. It's I've seen I've had conversations with them. I know what they're working on. So I didn't say anything. So the work is progressing. So it's good,
right? And it would be good to have. So, you know what? Maybe Greg and I will talk. Maybe we'll send another survey out. We'll pick a couple days of I know you're just Yeah. And so, Mr. Chair, how do you feel about
building committee charges? Oh, um, it's a little I I don't think we're prepared to talk about tonight. Yeah, fair enough. Um, but I would ask board members to look at uh Greg
and then because it is something we should get started um so that we can begin the process of moving down the road and then we'll come back put it on the agenda for next time. Got it. Yeah, it's fine.
It's an annual goal. How these things work? We will get it done. uh one of a portion of one of the important things which is also why we all right volunteer appreciation day two
of you everything all set you need anything from any of us is I don't you're obviously warmly invited to attend um and we Lindsay and Steve Smith
and I met this morning did bit more planning Um, I think we're ready to go. We're just keeping an eye on the weather. Possibility of rain on Saturday, so we'll see how that pans out. Um, but yeah, just anything we can do to
get the word out to to different groups. Uh, okay. Plug in. I like that idea. Um, but get the word out. Maybe I can post it to the website. You can do Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. and you know anybody with whichever networks you've had with uh
various groups then you can let people know. Yeah, it's you know it's going to be lowkey. This isn't intended to be a uh a major sort of complicated event. Just a gathering of people um and to help
hopefully make people feel that being a volunteer in main is a good thing to be that they are contributing a lot of value to the town. That's really what this is about is is helping people to do that. They are sophomores in high school.
Recommended by several people. Um, yeah, I don't I'm not familiar, but I have heard of them from other parents and they play a lot of the um, I would assume. So, yeah, they they're I
was texting with a parent and then she said, We tried to try to uh establish responsibility. So then I was texting with the child for a little while. Back to the parent account. Um but going well I think they'll be good and I have I
have legitimately heard good things about them from other parents who have kids who are in school. That's awesome. Yeah, they're a good tradition of school beds being actually pretty good. They're like amplified into four pieces.
And they're affordable. They are affordable. $79. Uh uh so good authority for Sunday and hopefully it all goes well and everybody has a good time. The next item is senior center um
status of that. Yeah. Sorry. Go ahead. Yeah. Very good, Mr. Chair. Um I'm in talks still with town council. We have been partnering in negotiations for a lease agreement with the accepted proposal from one the owner of 141
Parker Street. I can't say more than that at this time. I have a lot of confidence. I feel I I probably said this last time, but I have a I have a lot of confidence that we're very very close. Um we have identified the outstanding issues. I hope to have a draft to the board as
soon as possible. Uh, I want to say one piece that it becomes, if I get off track, let me know. But negotiating with a municipality, somebody who's not in the business of negotiating with municipality can become
difficult. That is factually true. That's it. Different plan. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Okay. Um met um
they at the police department did a great job of um using their drones in in oh for the pictures practice oh to I think it was actually training and not only did they take high up elevation photos look down on the
building this past week they flew it I know it's not today Yes. Inside the ongoing structural progress of the building had a really cool stuff
as he went inside. You see the construction and how it is really neat. It's posted on their website and we got a lot more attention from the residents social med uh in relation to that I have had two or
three people ask me about uh the impact on uh taxes in the coming year. So I think we have a responsibility to make sure clarity on the impact on on people when things are like
I know it's already started but I know there's some variation to that so just to remind ourselves to to provide staff in there for people that's good and school did start last week um with
our on day three coexisting with construction um it's not And we're it's not amazing. I'll say that the staff I think is doing their level best with the tools they have. Um
but it is pretty this morning it was it was controlled chaos at best. Okay. Uh and they did have a detail officer there and they had traffic person there in addition to their usual traffic guy.
Um and usually you know the beginning school is always chaotic. people are figuring out what's what. So hopefully in the next week or two it will level off but um it's not great at the moment. Uh and
the playground, you know, I think they have to work through some of the issues with the playground and the buses that travel around literally around the playground. Okay. um not during recess but after school and after school valer kids come over to wait with their
parents in meadow and play on the playground when the bus come in. So I think that they're going to have um some things to figure out because still still a little gap and there's still kids everywhere and parks
on on the playground. I noticed walking up there the other day that um there's a drop off from the playground down to the road level. It's only about two or three feet, but we're talking about kids who have three or four feet tall. Um, is that a an issue that we need to be
concerned about? Only for Well, there is a planning board and I think it's because they needed to hold the um material in, right? It's it's like a retaining wall
essentially. Um, and I I don't know I'm not sure if I was talking to somebody about this or I heard staff member say this, but there's also like a rubber matting on top of it as the floor. I think if they had like wood chips, it would just be all over the room all the time. So, it's possible that whatever is
under that rubber matting hold it in, but I mean again, not terrible, not amazing the whole situation. So, I'm I'm sure kids are going to follow off that. Uh, you know, it's it's about two feet.
Yeah. I mean, it's a playground on a traffic. That's that's what it is. And there are, you know, and and like I know that we probably didn't have a lot of options when we were considering what to do. Um, but I do feel like the several
hundred kids who are going to go to the Green Meadow as a construction zone are really um getting kind of a lot based on current, you know, the last year or two and currently was there and I also am
experiencing it as a parent. So maybe I'm overly sensitive to it, but um yeah, security totally defer to I think planning board I would assume planning board or some other somebody else must have seen that
like a dayto day that's really project manager and us as the owners. Um I appreciate this perspective. It's about see that Natalie Robert is on and I don't want to call her out but I think it's if Natalie if you're listening I
think it's like 24 in or less like on the back side of it. Do you know what I mean? I don't know if you even wonder if they have seen it because they're typically working with the end product.
Oh, that's right. Those things are like working on the end product. I don't know. I don't think we can ask we can ask me something if they see any of the interim changes and things. But even if they did like if it has to
get discussing fixed so you know but to but to the point I don't I don't think that like I think their concern is probably the end. Yeah. you know, designs and the end plans, whereas the interim things that pop up
as you go along. I don't know. I don't know to say it, but I don't know if they've been consulted on this. I I my I doubt that, but I'm going to get it. Uh, honestly, I recommend just going and looking and if possible, go at drop off.
Go at 8:30 in the morning or 8:15 in the morning and you'll see what I mean. This morning I watched five cars at least ask the police officer who was there to go just pull up to drop their kid off because people feel accustomed to doing whatever they
feel like. And one woman pulled her car over and was getting her child out of the back and another person came and they were both blocking the entrance to the teacher lot and then a teacher came and had to squeeze in between the two of them with a child getting out of this car and I don't know what this child was getting. So, like I said, it will
probably get better because it's like people need to be told over and over again. Yeah. Um it's only the third day, but it's, you know, in regard to the the pickup part too and the playground like that that part those are kids. It's
not parents who learn over and over again. It's all it's children. So, um but yeah, I think if you go you'll you'll see exactly what talked about the I noticed that Granite Motors I don't know if it's permanent
a blockade for their site parking lot because parents are using it to drop. So they're asking we got a letter Gr saying like please don't park at Manners. They're good neighbors and and encouraging people to ride bikes or walk if they can. Um but like I said I've
ridden my bike with my kids in the morning for the last three days and it's really chaotic to be on a bike. Um, and so if you were a kid alone on a bike and my older son rides his bike to school, it's a little bit earlier, but we're trying to get people to not do that, but I think people probably were parking in
the main motors lot because parking situation, the teachers have lost spots, so they're all parking in Pro Park, which is where the parents are meant to park to drop their kids off. Pro Park was already kind of disaster. So like, it's just And again, I just want to reiterate, I think the staff is doing the best they can with what they have,
but we don't have much to work with. Um, yeah. Fair enough. So, go just go check it out. You know, maybe give it another couple days, but go and drop off and see see what's doing. Sorry. Thank you for the update. Item 15 is
correspondence. We only have one item on correspondences, comments. All in favor? Good. Uh we have one set of minutes move to approve the meeting minutes July 15 2025 as shown authorizing use
signatures if approved second any questions or comments all those in favor town administrator report Mr. chair. I'll be brief. Um, lots of great stuff going on in town. Uh, really had a great
time at the servers event. I really, a lot of credit goes towards Steve Silver's team, the uh, police, fire, health, council on aging, everyone who really came together to put on a pretty great event. I was there just at the beginning and I left and I was really
um I also want to thank um the Boys and Girls Club for coming out and doing a little bit of yard work in front of town hall. Uh that's very good. And thank you to assistant town administrator Stephanie Duggan for helping coordinate that. And um we're hiring like crazy
these days. So, uh, an offer letter was accepted by, um, uh, an individual to take the municipal energy manager position, which is great. That's the energy source grant that we grab. And, uh, that person starts September 15th. They'll be they'll be officed in the
ice, so like, you know, they'll present, but they won't you won't see them every day. Um, and we're continuing with interviews for a number of other positions. Assistant town clerk, assistant treasure collector, disclosed to assistant treasure. Disclosed
waiting to get that off the letter. Let's not say let's not change this. And then uh Oh, just off the letter. Great. And then um chief assessor, business manager for DBW. So, we're getting there. We're getting there. It's good. And then um
uh let me see if there's anything else I want to highlight. Uh, oh, I did I did meet with the acting town man town manager already this morning um to discuss a topic the board had brought up earlier um about possibly regional or like at least like acted and
made get together. So we we talked about that and a couple other areas we might regionalize and it was good little t um I think that's it. Yeah, unless there's questions from the board. Nugget, she spelled her name with an E
in it. I'm just trying to show up, but I did actually read your report. Um, so next item is chair report. Um, I don't have anything but I do wish to wish our colleague
Jeff Swanberg congratulations as before our next meeting he will engage in his doctor. It's all congratulations. Best of luck. Enjoy all of the uh spoils of marriage.
Being a husband to be a great Thank you. That is it. Mike, we'll start over with you. I have nothing to go anywhere. Um no, I I am um a little disappointed that Wox got ready. Looks like we may
not have a third. So, unfortunately, we were we were both at that point. So, hopefully doesn't look like we'll be able to reschedu it. So, I'm sad to report that we may have to wait till next year.
But that's it for me. Thank you, David. Appreciate it. I have nothing to add. I like that we're switching it up tonight. I know. Yeah, thank you honey. All
right.