Morning. Good afternoon 71. call to order. You don't want to have anything just jump right and 37 and 38 38 years. All right. So,
if you guys I'm fine with the month, but if you want to wait till we go the other one before we can do that. So this would be the ADUs where Matt Morang has submitted the amendment to change the maximum lease term minimum lease term from 12 months to a month. Uh the
planning board from my understanding uh feels very strongly on the 12 months. So we we'll hear from them um on their perspective on that um later. Yeah. Um so the board can talk about that now or wait to see. Do you have a passion?
Seasing you a pass. So what I'm you can do it. I'm I'm fine. I'll listen to it. Then we can decide. I think it's fine to vote on the floor. Can What's the attorney general like? What isn't the argument part of the argument that the state law the ADU
state law doesn't have these uh structures on that? They've they've cautioned that this could be considered an unreasonable regulation uh 12 months for 12 months because they would need to understand what the public purpose of it, what the public
need for it is. Um, so there the planning board could articulate one. Um, but the AG did caution that this could be considered unreasonable and I and like I said yesterday, there isn't similar prohibitions or or restrictions on other properties for rent and this
would be exclusive to ADUs and I think that might be one way they look at it to say why is it reasonable to only apply to these kinds of properties. Yeah. And are we trying to do too many things with this particular article? I mean, we talked last night about setting
something up for Airbnbs. Are we trying to Oh, not for this one. No, not for this one. That was 12 months versus two one month doesn't have anything to do with that. No. Well, that go ahead. No, I think I think the the one month if we feel like so I think the purpose
honestly for me for um trying to limit the um you know the Airbnbs is that you know we we have a housing affordability issue in town and you know we need
supply of affordable rentals and you know other properties. So Airbnbs effectively take um apartments off the market, right? Like it's not for me. I I don't think that's in alignment with what we're trying to do on a housing front. So I think that's
a good reason to, you know, have at at the very least like a one month restriction. I I mean I personally could go both ways, one month or a year. Um, but you know, we also do want to allow flexibility for for property owners,
too. So, there's two two big things that to me that play into this that a lot of people don't talk about. Well, how are you Milton Academy? So, it's for many years. So, Milton Academy parents will come and they'll rent for like, you know, six months, eight months
sometimes. I mean this changes them from someone saying okay you're rent the house for a year versus you know two years and the same with Curry Curry that come in particularly on the upper brush road. So I I agree like I hear all sides
of this I I'd rather hear the to me I just want to hear the argument because I don't know enough about this to make a decision. That's my go ahead. And if I can, Mr. Chair, so I think to John, to your point, what we were kind of discussing earlier is I think a separate article we would I think we should think
about developing where we look at what other towns have done around Airbnb type properties and suggest like maybe gathering some ideas and and then providing them to the planning board and suggesting that they put together an article that's related to that. I think
that would be the right way to do it. But, you know, to set one standard for ADUs that we don't set for others and really kind of ties the hands of people that are going to, you know, that might want to make these investments and and have, you know, a Curry family, you
know, or or a academy family in their place for nine months. Like, if it if a minimum of a month is like nobody Airbnbs going to do that, right? Right. So that's that's kind of what I but I do think we should talk in a future meeting about putting something together like
that on the Airbnb. If we if we go to a month, would we even get u an official lease, right? Like let's say I'm I'm renovating my house. My friend has an ADU. It's up to you, you know, is the owner. Yeah. You going to do a lease or not? I mean will exist all over this
town. They just do. They're everywhere. So if we move it to a month, does it really solve an issue if it doesn't solve the Airbnb issue? Because I think what Nick was saying yesterday was that we don't really have a good enforcement mechanism or standards for Airbnbs and that would be the case no matter what
this doesn't change. This is a different that's a different issue. Correct. Okay. Right. If you Google Airbnbs and built them now, you'll find them. They're there. Well, the one on my street, you know. Yeah. So I think not trying to
solve Airbnb with ADU and yeah working on an ADU or working on an Airbnb article for a subsequent town meeting makes sense. So I think moving it if someone's coming in for less than 12 months what's going to happen is they're just not going to come to us and I'm going to do an official lease either way. Yeah. And that's going to happen.
You're going to learn there's a lot that goes on in I think Mr. car your idea of voting on the floor once we I just want to hear it that'll make it I'm I may be fine with it like I don't I I don't know and I don't like at least for me I don't like making decision on something I really
I'm not sure do we have any other uh across other properties in town do we have any other lease and bylaws in place my other restrictions there's no other restrictions out there so this would be yeah there's that's what I say to you is
like there are so arrangements arrangements out there. I beyond anything we would be able to know. I'll be aware. I think the biggest fear I hear about the ADUs is that the developer or something would rent it out like no, you know, the primary design I
believe the primary intention is to provide affordable for a parent or a mother or father or whatever, you know. And I think what I'm hearing is that's the biggest worry is that it would get and again become a rental unit. Like I
don't know how we proposed that and I don't either. I don't either. But that I'm just saying that's the people are going to do under the table stuff under the table regardless. I think it's it's more of the you know Johnny law follower is going to be more concerned if he wants to run his ADU for nine months and feels like he can't do it because of the
restriction where somebody else may be. Then that's where I think we should be thinking about the Airbnb enforcement. And that's another thing like how's it going to happen? How do you enforce it? How do they It's really complicated. I worked on this a long
time ago. It's very hard to pull off and I don't see our building even really realistically enforced unless there were complaints being made that it looks like there's a new tenant every month, right? And even then, how are we going to go catch that?
So, and it it it gets so awkward that nobody really wants to enforce it. I mean, do you know what I mean? They'll get in the middle of it. Yeah. Cuz the lease is really for the protection of the Yes. the rent. Yeah. So, okay. We're okay with on the floor. All
right. Uh, so we have another edit from Aaron to respond to the work committee or I think to some of Liz Dylan's um concerns around scope. that you're fine. And I know she has a presentation
planned, but the way this will work procedurally is the warrant committee's motion is to refer back. So the body has to first decide whether to refer it back or not before there would be any discussion about the um potential amendments to the article itself. So
first question is that this board will be asked is do we does the select board want to have it just referred back or not? And then if the body says not to refer it back, then there'll be a deeper conversation that this board would have to weigh in on in terms of the merits of
each of the amendments. She's already asked me to ask us not to refer back their own vote. I like you didn't get any citizen complaints against it. Everybody thinks it's a good idea. So I mean I worry most about the
enforcement. Yeah. Right. And I I've se I'm It's something I Well, the only thing that worries me about it is because you you're dipping your toe. It's almost like, you know, whenever you get into people's I I put this on their I call
this their first amendment rights. when you're getting into things that they normally view as a freedom of freedom of expression they just tough but and the private property disagreements that were able usually to which is what besides the whole reason we're here in the first
place because it's existing condition like Nick has been dealing with an issue with two neighbors mad at each other about tree that one neighbor is a legend they're not taking care of and is falling on their properties like that's there's no next to town of Milton here so this has some of the same potential.
Um, but it would be up to the sport to weigh in and then get involved if it is passed. I don't even know. Go ahead. The other thing that struck me is a lux a candle one meter away from a candle. I
mean, there's got to be violations of that everywhere. I'm, you know, me to to me. to a viewer at the property at 25 speed limit and we went to 25.
It's it's I think this maybe serve more as a deterrent then it may wind up being enforced like people become aware of it. So if you want to enforce it for some particular case, you can. Otherwise, if people are driving 30 miles an hour, I
don't know what the for the only things that I've ever seen in my career similar to this was that many years ago try to pass a bill where we're going to require all citizens to shovel their front sidewalks and it would only a seniors were like, "Hey, I" and they
were down in a heap of smoke. So, but we haven't heard a lot of You're right. Yeah, not heard a lot of So I think we should at least let people discuss it. Yeah, I'm okay. Let's let them discuss it and then we're going to have to vote twice because we'll have to vote once not
to not to send it back and then if it gets to the floor, we'll have to say yes to. So why don't we share that? Should we vote now that we wouldn't send it back? We just want to do that. Make a motion. I'll make a motion that we do not recommend to send back article 37 to the select. Second. Second it. say by
all those in favor. Yeah. Okay. But why don't we let Mr. Yeah. Um article 39. I did distribute um Marian McCre's requested amendment. I haven't a chance to look at it. Marian is going to the planning board meeting.
Um so I don't think there's much for the support to to weigh in. I just want to print it and give it to you. Um and so the planning board would report back on that and I'm sure Marian would essentially make an amendment on the floor if necessary. Um, so I shared that
and then that's really it for the articles that I up to the members. Okay. You should be able to wrap by 9:30 is 9:30. 9:30. He just jinxed us. I know. Well, he said an
hour. He say an hour. Three hours. He always gets too short. Has high hopes. It's the whole Celtics game. I'm kind of glad 43 miss 45 or you miss three. They only if they only miss
43 they're won by 12. So I I have one I may have a dilemma for Tuesday night. I have to go to this event at Labra College. Um so if we have to do could we do maybe a flick on Zoom re before Monday if we could put what we
doing for Yeah, we can do that on Monday. Maybe maybe Monday morning just quick with everyone be on Zoom. We don't have to and then we still have the standard meeting then you have regular meeting I just if I come in I committ but at least I won't be chair I don't have to worry about because right now we have I'm all alone there's no off John
secretary like there's no vice chair that if I die in my sleep you please don't do that some last night that where you go die in your sleep hey listen if you're going to go that's the way to go to worry about it is the
best you don't have to worry about it. It is for the one going for the one going. Well, you haven't tried that. No. Everyone's staying alive. It's not on our agenda. It's not on our children. Look at the positivity.
Everybody exactly. I some updates on June special town meeting on we do a Monday morning uh or meeting. Yeah, we'll do a quick Monday. Yep. Monday upright. the one's easier. Uh I
would just need a time now for Friday because we'd have to post first thing tomorrow. Monday morning is better. Monday is better for me. Okay. Uh yeah, as long as it's um before 9:30. I was going to say as long as it's after 9:00. No, 9:00. I won't leave. I'm doing the
um school committee finance committee meetings Monday morning. So I try to go there. So 9 o'clock is okay. 8 to 9. 9 o'lock on. Yeah. Okay. On Monday, I can leave her. All right. You'll post. You got that, Lynn? Yeah. This is the most important person in the room right here. Y. No, I'm not. Oh, yeah. She is. I say
she's not, but she'll strata. She keeps us on track moving moving forward all the time. Somebody has to. Mhm. Right. Um, I have a couple articles for June town meeting. I didn't get to email them out today. So, we'll do that next week. Um, just we can I'll share them.
Um, so I'll share them, give you. So, I just wanted to update on that taxation fund one that I mentioned where um we would be getting approval to have a check off on your tax bills to make a voluntary donation to a committee for um elderly and disabled taxation fund.
There's actually really easy to pull together as a warrant article concept. So, this would be a voluntary donation. A committee that is stipulated by the law would have to be set up um that would develop the rules and procedures as to how that money would be distributed. Um, Needm, Hangingham, and
a few other communities in Denim have this in place. They find it generates 20 to $30,000 a year that they're able to distribute um through an application program to um elderly and disabled. So, for just assistance on property taxes.
So, I thought it'd be more the mechanics of it would be more challenging, but they're not. So, I'll I'll email these all out and I have copies. I'll take a hard copy. Yeah. Um, so in terms of alcohol and town land, um, what I wrote
this as is saying that all the rules that apply to alcohol on town in town buildings apply to town lands. In addition to that, um, one day licenses for them shall only be issued to individual organizations under
contract to utilize an entity possessing a caterer's license for alcohol sales. statute site statute is a statute stat reference um it's on 131 age identifying wristband shall be provided to individuals seeking to p purchase
alcoholic beverages applicants shall submit a sketch plan for the use of townland as part of the application to the board the select board may depending on the townland require that alcohol sales and consumption take place only in the location designated on the site plan so it' be variable depending on the
location Um and I and Margaret grabbed me last night and asked to um said, "Oh, when do you need that file?" And I said, "Now." So, I said I would give it to her. So, I'll share this version of it just knowing that it's still a draft, but that's kind of the broad strokes of it for now. You can tell we're just
going to have this. We're going to cite the statue in a second. Okay. And then we'll talk about it more in earnest on and just make sure she knows that that statue has a lot of the stuff that she brought up that I'll tell you another point too. This is I thought about this at a point probably wouldn't be a bad idea for us
to even though it's private property and they're coming to us for one day especially Wakefield and use this. Yeah, they come in all the time that it wouldn't be a bad music like to utilize the same the same
statute the same it makes it a lot easier for us. just and it's really safer for man. Yeah, that's the whole reason the stat sheet just passed you the days of you know the cy and then going to get just it just
makes sense. All right. Um I mentioned as well the exemptions the potential exemptions one. So, I mentioned last night tying um some of the exemptions to CPI uh or um an annual
adjustment um that the department of revenue would do based on the consumer price index change. Um so that would be for senior exemptions, exemptions for um the elderly, I'm sorry, the elderly, um disabled and veterans. So going forward
they would be pegged and adjusted annually based on the CIA CPI CPI adjustment that the department of revenue announces. So everybody that adopts it statewide has the same adjustment year-over-year. Um so that's that one is
all set and ready to go if the board's still open to that. And again we can more officially vote this on Tuesday. Um the other half of that is we can take all those exemptions and increase them by a certain percentage. So right now
these exemptions for the elderly, the blinds, veterans, um it's been a three-year average about $80,000. So what you could do is increase those by a set percentage, 50% or 100%. So 100% would double it. So if it's $500 now, it would be $1,000 going
forward. The issue would be that because it's an exemption, it does cost the town money. And so we haven't really budgeted for this in any way. And this and this will get too deep into municipal finance for for just the purposes right now. It comes out of the overlay which has
funding in it, but doesn't necessarily have sufficient funding in it to support this. So, um, and we need to do this before the end of the fiscal year for it to be available for the next. Yeah. So, we can do the CPI one is a small annual increase. And I think that makes sense
because even Prop 2 and a half goes up. So, that one is easy. I will we'll do a little bit more research and sketch out potential cost of increasing the exemptions by this percentages and those variable amounts for Tuesday night. Um, but it may still be worth doing. It
looks like it might be an additional $80,000, which um if we feel comfortable with what is set aside in the in the quoteunquote overlay, um we should be in okay shape to offer that if the board is interested in it. Um the variable being,
you know, maybe seniors who knew it was $500, didn't apply for it, there's a lot more attention to it plus an override, maybe it's more expensive than we anticipate. Um so we'd want to build in a little bit more cushion on that. So, I don't have a clear answer on that now, but I just wanted to flag that looks
like about an $80,000 cost item that we didn't necessarily budget for. Um, and I can report back um in more detail on Tuesday. Okay. And then the last one was the one on the permits, which we talked about, which we'll we'll include. So, that's um the treasur was looking at
what would make sense in terms of non-payment of taxes. She felt 12 months was actually too too long, too generous. So, I'll I'll follow up with Joanna and we'll go from there. And like I said, there's a handful of properties that we ever find ourselves in this position with, but um I'll chat with her and
report back on Tuesday. Repeat offenders or uh No, it's usually oneoffs. Um the big one is the one I've emailed the board about the Irwins who have a um a rental property on seven Fairfax. It's over $600,000 that is owed
to the town right now on property taxes, water bills, sewer bills. Um, so that's been it's going through the foreclosure process now. That's how it's forec. So we would foreclose and take the property and pay taxes. We would take
the property, sell it, take our portion of what's owed. If if they never if they chose to sell, they could sell it or pay the taxes and the process stop immediately. If they make payment, it halts. If they continue to not make
payment, ultimately the court could foreclose on it and give the title to the title. Um, it rarely happens, especially on something where it's a investment property, rental property. They would likely come up with alternative options. Motion
to second. Thank you very much. Pretty good. Three, two, one. Here we go. [Music]