[Music] Good evening everybody and welcome to the August 18th meeting of the select board. uh we have uh one member absent uh
tonight and we uh will discuss later uh the fact that we have one open seat. So uh please uh if you are able to uh rise and join me in saying the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. And thank you, Nick, for the for sharing old glory with us. I'm going to assume that or maybe that was Sean
that was responsible for that, but thank you. Uh, all right. So, we are going to move first into our uh public comment. public comment uh speakers are allotted 3 minutes a piece and uh we will combine
the overall uh marks to 24 minutes. Uh Nick uh Connor is going to be helping me with promotion to the uh platform here and Nick if you could also keep track of the overall 21 minutes. I will keep uh track of the 30 seconds and as soon as I
get my timer app open here um I will ask our first speaker to start. Um it looks like we have uh Mr. Augustino. So uh Miss Augustino if you could unmute yourself and introduce yourself and and you will have three minutes. Diane, if you can hear me, we need you
to unmute so we can start your time. It took her a moment before when she had a question, so I assume she's trying to unmute right now. Okay. Um, well, I don't see anybody else with their hand up, so we'll give we'll give her some more time. Uh, Diane, can you
ask her to unmute, Nick? I just did. So, um Oh, thank you. I've had a couple times. Sorry, I didn't see that. That's okay. Uh, Miss, I can't hear you. Wait a minute. Go ahead. Can you hear me now? Yes. Thank you. Okay, so you'll have three minutes if
you please introduce yourself. Diane Dulio Agustinino, precinct 9 up on Ridgewood Road. And I'm a former selectman, which I want to stress because I've sat at that table and dealt with these exact same issues that I'm
going to be discussing. Uh, first is saving lives from death and disability. Massd came in three to four weeks ago and they stated, I don't know if you recall, that they wanted to get safety features in place by Labor Day. Well,
school starts before Labor Day and you're going to discuss it tonight, but you're also missing one of the two people voted, the chair and the state rep, um, town meeting member, I mean board member, um, voted to review the
pilot presentation that was quickly put together because they do have ways they could make Randolph AB safer. We just learned last Friday that my Landlock Neighborhood students are supposed to be getting on a bus at the Hilltop Street
Extension. It's not even a street. Um, and that's exactly where the three people died on Randolph A. So, we've already notified the school department that that's not acceptable any way, shape, or form. If the board can do
anything to assist with that serious concern for the first day of school next week, that would be wonderful. The second comment has to do with the um law firms, the reviews of the law firms. Um when I was a selectman, which was over 30 years ago, that was one of the very
important issues that I presented that we needed to look at it. And I want to make sure that this board is aware of the fact that at a town meeting I requested whether or not Murphy Hessie Tumi Leah Hane or the then town council
represented any of the owners of Quarry Hills or Quarry Hills during our this our select board because I was on the select board then our discussions to contract with Quarry Hills. The answer was yes. It's saved on the tape. Um they
were reported to the regulatory and they were um headline news that they were representing which you know most of you have dealt with the situation that if you represent one party in anything you can't go represent um them against a
different party. And lastly, I implore you tonight to have the election on October 21st, which by the laws is the earliest date. We feel we meaning a lot of the residents feel very strongly it needs to be done before the special.
You got 20 seconds, Diane. Thank the special town meeting. And considering the votes lately have been 3 to2, we feel there needs to be an opportunity for an election October 21st, not November. Thank you so much.
Thank you, Miss Augustino. Um, I don't see anybody else. Nick, do you see anyone else in the queue? There is no one else. All right. Well, uh, I will go ahead and close that part of the meeting. I know that, um,
uh, Nick Milano is going to be joining us a little late. He's actually on vacation and is very kindly offering some of his time this evening. So, um, I think we can go ahead with some of these discussions. Um, and then if we feel like there's topics where we want Nick
to to weigh in on, we can just wait. Um, but I don't want to I I might want to suggest that we do election of vice chair andor secretary before uh we do the the discussion. Um, just because I think we could do that first and then um
and then Nick would be around. Maybe Nick will be able to join us by the time we discuss the open seat. Uh, does that sound okay for you guys? Okay. Well, considering that Mr. Cohane has uh resigned from the board, we do have uh a couple of openings. So, we
obviously have our vice chair uh position open and uh we have a couple of committee assignments open. So, I'll uh I'll accept nominations first for vice chair. Mr. Chairman, I would like to nominate
Winston Daly for vice chair. Okay. Mr. daily. I would second that recommendation or that uh that that nomination. Uh do you accept? Yeah. Uh yes, I would accept. Okay, great. Um well, let's uh let's do a
quick vote on that unless there's any further need for discussion. I don't know, Miss Hegard, if you want to add anything to your nomination. I think my colleague, Mr. Daily would do a great job as vice chair and that's why I am nominating him.
Well, I agree with that sentiment and I I second it. It unfortunately, Mr. Daily, it means if if you are appointed this position, you'll have to get on the phone with me uh one time a week at least uh to review agendas. But, uh I'd welcome your welcome your um your um acceptance of this. And so, with no
further comment, I'll put it to a vote. All in favor? I I Oh, I'm sorry. We have to roll call this. You have to do a roll call. Yeah, thanks. Um, so, uh, we'll do a roll call vote because we're virtual. Uh, Miss Haggerty, yes. Mr. Dailyaly,
myself, yes. So, uh, Mr. Dailyaly, congratulations on your appointment to, uh, the vice chair of the select board. Thank you. Um, now, uh, on the agenda was the, uh, the election of the secretary. Uh, Miss Hagerty, you're already the secretary and doing a great job. Everyone can see
you taking notes. Uh so uh I don't think we need to move that uh that position around. So I guess um not knowing when u Mr. Milano will be able to join us, I'm okay if the board is okay if we want to discuss now uh Mr. Cohen's resignation
or um or if we want to move another agenda item up first. I'm okay with discussing it now. Yeah, I think we should because we're going to need to discuss um the potential special election. So, yeah, we have a lot on our plate tonight.
Yeah. So, um I can report uh as the chair, so I uh received notice uh from Mr. Milano um while I was on vacation uh overseas um which I knew it was an emergency
because Nick was knew where I was and was calling anyways. Uh so uh he let me know that uh Mr. Cohane had come into the office uh to submit his resignation. Um he uh had given a letter uh of resignation uh which I think has
subsequently been posted to the town website. Um I think I we can say um that there had been some turbulent um activities behind the scenes a bit with Mr. Cohane. Uh, and so his resignation,
while certainly I was surprised by it, I was also not 100% surprised by it. And um I'd hoped that we might be able to find uh a way to keep Mr. Cohane engaged on the board. Um, but he uh has declined
um to uh to talk with me any further. So, here we are. Um, so I would open the uh floor for comments. you know, obviously this this will also get us into the special election, but that's a separate agenda item. So, I think for
this one, um let's just make sure that we're keeping our comments uh just about Mr. Cohen. And I I will say, you know, you know, finally, um that I myself u you know, worked very hard uh to try to find ground with John uh that we could
if not agree on, at least discuss. And I felt like our last meeting um we had uh demonstrated that and and I even seconded a motion he made for the purpose of discussion even though um he knew that I wasn't going to vote for it. I still wanted to make sure that he had his chance to say what he wanted to say
about it. Um and so I'm very sorry that we weren't able to uh to find a way uh to keep him uh on the board. Uh I will also say that you know there there were some uh actions of Mr. Cohane behind the scenes that uh with town staff that
frankly concerned me and I was hoping that we'd be able to address those as well. Um we're not going to be able to do that now at least on the select board. So um that's one of the reasons why I wasn't totally surprised and I think that's all I'd like to say about that. So I'll open the floor for
comments from other members. I don't have much to add to what you shared uh chair. I'll just say um this role um certainly in the early stages of it for me is not easy. Um there's a lot that comes with it. a lot of scrutiny um
from the outside as well as we don't all agree and those discussions are tough but I do feel that when you are voted into the chair that is what uh folks expect us to do uh to find a way to move forward. I'll say that John in the time
that I was able to work with him was certainly a tireless advocate um for the issues that were most important to him. And you know, while we may have disagreed on some things, agreed on others, I hope that uh he felt that he had the space to share, I think we try to make things as as open and
transparent as possible. Um I certainly I I wish that he did get a chance to, you know, sort of say his farewell. Um, I think that's uh and that's certainly I think we would have that space open to him if he want to do that um in the future. I know he sent us a letter which we posted online. Um, and I think at the
end of this we're all neighbors, Milton Knights, we're still going to be residents um and hopefully we're still, you know, in community with each other. So unfortunate, but I guess we have to find a way to move forward. Um,
just to pivot off of what both of you have mentioned, I definitely um am disappointed that Mr. Cohane decided not to serve out the remainder of his term.
Um, I believe that there was good chemistry in general among this board. I know Mr. Wells is not present
tonight, but I um, you know, I had very good positive interactions with both Mr. Cohane and Mr. Wells on a frequent basis. Um, I know the incident that Mr.
Zo is speaking of, um, and that was disappointing. Um, but I think we could have done more to work together to address that going forward. And I think that we need to um
take that experience and perhaps evaluate um you know codes of conduct with um with town staff or codes of conduct as select board members um moving forward. I don't know. I don't I
don't know that we necessarily have one or if that's well publicized um in our documents. Um but I you know I would I would like to add that you know similar to what Mr. Daly was
mentioning about this being a demanding job and a lot to take on. Um, you know, I think I think that's part of why we try to work together and and be colleial with one another beyond, you
know, there's nothing that we can do about the fact that we may not all agree with each other. Um, that's hard enough, but I think I think that this team does a good job at being friendly and nice to one another.
um you know and and and Mr. Cohane was always friendly and nice to me and I was I think I think we all treat each other very well. Um but I do think that we need to be careful
um in the future about um making sure that you know when like people understand what's involved in this role and that um there's an expectation that that people serve out
the remainder of their term um because it is a big lift. um people who voted for you are depending on you um to represent them. And um I know this is not gerine to this part of the conversation, but there is a
heavy cost um to having to um undergo a special election. So, um, but I know that, um, the four of us can work together, uh, with the town staff to to figure out how to proceed. Um, so
that's all I have. Thanks. Uh, thank you both. Uh, and, uh, I think, um, you know, it's it's true, I think, what everyone said here. And, uh, and I, I do appreciate, um, Mr. Dy's suggestion of, of offering Mr. Cohane
the opportunity to come back and say his farewells whether he'd like to do that privately or or publicly. We we'd be um I'd be happy to get them uh myself. Um also I think he has a book uh that I lent him. Um so I'm sure I'll be seeing him uh some way or the other. But um
anyways, I think that will we'll uh conclude the discussion there. Um I'd like to uh suggest I know um Mr. Mr. Milano isn't here, but I know we do have uh our uh fantastic town clerk, Sue Galman, uh is with us. And so perhaps
what we might start with and and Nick Connor, you let me know if you think this is a good idea, but it might be helpful for um you know, for the sake of discussion, um what we're discussing here is is the potential special election for uh the open seat for Mr.
Cohane. Uh Miss Galvin, I know uh from my conversations with Mr. Milano has had an opportunity to put together some uh sample timelines and numbers uh for what that might look like. And so perhaps we could start There you are, Sue. Uh we could start with uh with her um
providing that sort of baseline information for everyone. Uh and then if folks had questions for Sue on that um we could pose them to her at that point. And then we could Sue, we could let you just kind of hang around then uh while we finish the discussion and if Mr.
Milano has hopped on at that point. Um, we can have him join. I'll I'll text him and let him know we're going to that's that's where we are in the in the process. Does that sound good to you, Nick? Yeah, I think Nick Milano's expectation was we would be deferring to Sue with
her proposed schedule and the impacts and uh everything else for this and he will be joining as soon as he can. I also just texted um but I think this is one where I think Sue's expertise is what we would rely on as well. So hopefully it'll be helpful to you all. I know it will be helpful. Uh Sue, why
don't we turn uh this over to you then if you'd like to kick us off. Okay. Thank you very much for having me. Um so as you mentioned, Miss Mr. Chair, um I too received a letter of
resignation from Mr. Cohane um on August 25th um at about approximately 3:22. Um so that starts the ball rolling. According to Mass General law, uh a resignation doesn't take effect until it
is um received it by the town clerk. Um as well as he did al also um send you a formal resignation as well. So um according to Mass General law, it states
and this is um Mass General law chapter 41 section 10 and it states that the remaining select board have the authority to call a special election to fill the vacancy. Um, however, the
select board is not obligated to do so and in some situations the seat can remain vacant until the next annual election. Um however with the caveat that if we
received written request by 200 registered voters or 20% of the number of registered voters whichever is less um then a special election must be called
and that also would be within 100 days prior to the annual town meeting I mean a town election excuse me. So, um it would be my suggestion that you consider calling
a special election. Um I do feel that given the nature of the select board position that we would get 200 signatures from the residents that would be interested in call a call of a of a um election.
suggested dates. Um Boston, Quinsey, uh they both have elections on November 4th. Um it is a Tuesday which keeps in line with what we typically hold our elections on. Um the benefit for doing
that would be because Boston and Quinzy are having it, we can capitalize on the advertisement that that it that they will generate. Um, in the past we have received phone calls from residents on
an a a Boston or a major election day that Boston or Quinsey is having from residents saying, "Oh, I'm at my voting location. There's nobody here." So, I mean, it because it generates so much publicity,
it kind of makes sense for us to use that date. Um I know Miss uh Dulio Agustinino suggested the um date of October 21st which would be prior to um
the special town meeting. However, a vote would have to occur today um in order for because today would be the last date in which you folks could provide notice for it to occur on that
date. Um and again there there may be confusion for voters by having it prior to that um November 4th date. Um I don't know if you folks have any
questions for me. Um kind of jumping all around. So Miss Galvin, uh so I think you said August 25th. Did you mean July 25th was the resignation date? I did. I'm sorry. Thank you.
I just want to make sure that we have it clear. I I figured that's what you meant. Yeah. Could you give us just um a special election uh with just one seat open? Uh do we have any history where the town has done that before for one seat
and what would be the potential costs for Okay, so the town did do it. um it happened. Um so with a select board seat, you can't appoint somebody. There has to be an election. There's no um
method for an appointment. Um so back in 1985 86, I'm sorry. Remember? Yes. Um so there was a resignation um on the board of selectmen. It was um Walter
Timulty. It was a three-member board at that time and so um they did host a special election for that and that occurred in December of that year. Do you know how much time he had left on his term?
Ah those were one-year terms in those days. So all the select board members ran at the same time. Um and they were one-year terms. I think about two or three years later uh they
uh they had a valid question to make it a three-year term. Okay. And the cost that you would estimate for this election? So I'm basing it solely off of the special election that we had um in February of 24. Um we roughly spent
about 54 55,000. So I would guesstimate or request about 60,000. um a lot of unknowns with vote by mail um and that that's where the labor costs and the actual ballot costs um come
from. So any obviously any um monies that aren't used would be returned promptly. Okay, Miss Hagerty, you have a question. Uh Mr. Daily took my question but um no so my question was on the cost um
I also I also want to know from the staff meaning Nick and Susan the you know what does what do the town staff recommend
like what is the um like what are the operational considerations either way. So, if if it's okay with you folks because it seems like we don't have to do this and we have like a few months,
but you know, I just I want to make sure we're getting all of the information out there so that we can make a decision. Right. Right. So, according to the law, you do not have to. It's an option. Um, however, the caveat is that if you
choose not to, 200 um, registered voters could sign a petition, submit it, and you would be back at this same juncture and you would have to have an election. Um, some of the implications of not
filling a vacancy for for your particular board. Um, so generally it's beneficial to fill the vacancy. um for the reasons to ensure a smooth operation of town government and adequate
representation for our residents. Um so the length of the vacancy if we were to wait till um the April election it would be 9 months. Okay. uh you know from the time of the resignation until um the election the
workload of your board um and you know specific needs of our town that are currently that you would be more familiar with than you know per se I would. So those would be the things that I would consider
um and and think think about um when making a decision. Uh, thanks Miss Galin. Um, Mr. Milano, maybe do you want to respond also to Miss Hagert's question? Thank you. Um, and sorry to be late this
evening. Um, I I I I would defer certainly to the board in terms of the policy choice of whether or not to fulfill a seat. I think um the town clerk and I had a had a conversation mostly about the impact to her staff in terms of um
manpower is not the right word. Uh certainly in that office the staff's operational ability and capacity uh I think is a better phrasing there. Um town meeting obviously is the 27th um and when we originally had talked about dates um we had looked at the 18th to
actually give um some more wiggle room there between the demands of the town meeting and the demands of an election and um you know so but her conversations that she's relayed in terms of her recommendation of November 4th um I think makes sense and and her staff is is able to manage that. So that would be
where I weighed in. I think the other consideration for the boards to keep in mind and I mentioned this to one of the members was um on the other side if if the seat did remain vacant until April, it would be potentially three new members being elected in one election,
which would be potentially um significant in terms of onboarding. Um and so that that was just the other thing that kind of came to mind as I was thinking about it is in terms of you know um having you know there would certainly be two seats up um in April.
This would add a third which would mean um that transitionary period might be a little bit longer than it normally might be. Um so that those are my two comments in terms of just the impact on her staff was what my first concern was um and remains. Um and then um that was the
other policy consideration I just wanted to raise. Other questions from the members? Uh just so we have it on here in the recorded space. The dur this special election would be for the duration of John's term, right? Meaning that it
would go for let's say if we did November, it would be about an 18 months left. Correct. And if we waited until the regular town election, then we would have two seats that would be up for a
three-year term and one seat that would be up for a one-year term. Correct. How would we be able is that easily differentiated on our ballots if we did that in the So, you've probably seen it. It happens quite regularly with town meeting um
members that you know somebody might vacate their seat during um during their term and so you would see it would be listed as you know two separate they would follow in sync. So it would
say you know select board three-year term select board one-year term to fill a vacancy and candidates would need to declare for one or the other. They they would absolutely have to uh any further questions from the board.
So, I'd like to um here's a suggestion. Um I know that Mr. Daly feels um sorry, Mr. Dailyaly. I know Miss Daly's here, Miss Hagert's here. I know that uh I know Richard, Mr. Wells was hoping to chime in on this subject as well. And um
I I would like to have let him have the opportunity to um to discuss um I think I don't know uh Miss Galvan if we would need you to come back to a second meeting because I think we could encourage him to watch this to get the uh the numbers and the stats. Um but I
think it might make sense for us to hold off as a board making a decision until uh until Mr. Wells has had an opportunity to to chime in just because this is an important issue I think in it you know about the entire board. Um so uh that I guess with you know so with my
suggestion comes a caveat. I think um if we did postpone for a week that would um it wouldn't it wouldn't interfere with our ability to hold the election on November 4th but it would uh not allow us to hold the election on the date suggested by Miss Augustino. Um I'm kind
of persuaded that um by Miss Galbin that if we did have an election that it would make sense to have it on the same day that Boston and Quinsey were voting just um for sake of higher turnout. Um but uh those are just my thoughts. Miss Hagerty, what is the deadline for us to make a
decision to enable November 4th? September 1st. So, I would need something um formally uh in writing into my office by by
September 1st. However, if you were to make a decision on to give the the candidates the most optimal amount of time to um you know, pull papers, get their signatures. Um, I I would have
papers available the day after you um take your vote and then presumably get the get something in writing from you folks the next day. But, you know, and I certainly will plan on attending in your
next meeting so that Well, thank you, Miss Gman. Uh, Mr. Dailyaly. Yes. I don't know if this is against procedure, but um I would certainly be open to having some discussion amongst us here about how where we're leaning right now instead of having to kind of
rehash it when member Wells joins us. Um I think that's fine. Yeah, we have a lot going on in the next meeting. Um I I can start that by saying, you know, coming into this and since John's resignation, uh my feeling has been to not have the special
election. Uh my reasoning behind that being I did not think the cost of $60,000 for you know what would be a bridge of five or six months into our standard election was worth it. But the points
on, you know, on boarding three members, having um a three-person election, and then having only potentially two returning members of the board in April, uh does sway me a bit, as well as uh Sue's point of from resignation date, it
would be nine months um without having a member. Uh, so you know, I'm I I got I'm moving a little bit away from not wanting to have the special election, although I do think the the cost is is a bit much to swallow for, but you know,
is it attractive to enough folks in the town to run for a one-year term, maybe 18 months uh does uh get some candidates out, you know, you got think about that as well. Thank you, Mr. D. I I agree with you. I
think sharing our our our opinions of where we are now makes a lot of sense. Um so to that vein I don't know Miss Hagard if you want to share any thoughts. Uh similar to Mr. Dailyaly um I mean the most compelling argument is the
operational burden argument. Um, I am really disappointed about the cost of60 to $65,000 for an election that doesn't have to happen.
Um, you know, somebody could have fulfilled their term. Um, and I do have concerns about individuals wanting to step up and run for a one-year seat. I mean, it's a grueling process for
somebody to run um you know, for eight weeks. Well, I mean, I guess I guess it um I'm just trying to put myself in somebody else's shoes. I mean, it's just it's a it's a lot to do at the start of
a school year, you know, seasons changing, things getting things getting busy. I mean, this really this really left um the town in alert and I I just need to go on the record in stating
that. Um I I haven't made a final decision yet, but I will say that it just it it's just it's not the most responsible um action that I've seen. Um
and it's it's leaving us with not a lot of good options. Thank you, Miss Hagerty. And I so I guess um I I have actually another question for you, Miss Galvin, if you don't mind. Um so my understanding is that um
substantially if there were uh if there were two seats that were up or three seats on the special election, uh as the same as one seat, the cost would essentially be the same. So it wouldn't cost any more money if we were voting on
a on two different positions. Correct. Okay. Yeah. It more the election in general, whether you had a thousand things that people were voting on or won. That's kind of what I thought. I was like, I guess if you somehow managed to
make it a five-page ballot or something like that, bump up your printing cost, but we're not aspiring to do anything like that. Um so then uh a second question would be um if we make a decision on having a
special election I I know it's you know there it's a little out of scope to say but there may be other people who are on other boards that might be thinking that this is an appropriate time for them to step back from service. So if they if someone was in that sort of a mindset,
would they be able to how what would be the timeline that they would have to be able to get their resignation in uh to also have their seat on the ballot? So it would we would still have to so ultimately I need to be notified or the board of registars needs to be notified
by the select board. So um depending doesn't matter what other board it is. So they would have to have their resignation into me in time for you folks to include that into into the
ballot. So we you know it could be the same day that you're having um a meeting and it would have to fall into like that emergency category um to add it or if it was 48 hours ahead of time that it could
be coordinated. Um, so as long as by September 1st, so I take that back. So if you met on the 26th and made a decision and notified
me, if by chance some other board or some other question came up, as long as I received it by September 1st, that could go on. Um, would we have to have a special election
to notify you that we wanted to include it in the ballot or it would just automatically be included? So, as long as I received notice. Now, the the thing with other boards is they have the ability to appoint somebody. So I would have to do a little
research of whether or not where we are having an election whether or not you we could put that out there or if it would like have to go through the appointment authority in which if it's through the appointment authority the remaining
members of that board um along with the select board would come together and and um you know go through a process of how they would like an appointment. Okay. All right. Um complicated, but that's that's uh
that's why they pay you the big bucks, I guess. Yeah. Um so I and I I know Mr. Milano um I had tried to call Mr. Wells over the weekend a couple times and we didn't end up connecting. Um did did you have a sense
from him that he had a particular opinion that he wanted to share on this or um what his stance was in terms of thinking about a special election because I didn't speak with him directly. Yeah, the the sense I took away from Mr.
Wells was um yes in terms of having an election. Um and I would certainly want him to to speak to that to make sure I'm getting that right. and he was differential to the town clerk on um the recommended date. Okay. Well, given that he's differential to the town clerk and that I think he
would probably at least want to say his own two cents knowing Mr. Wells, uh is the board okay if we wait until next Tuesday to make a final decision on this? I don't think we have to rehash the whole thing again, but does that make sense? Yes, Mr. Daily. Yeah, it's too it's too big of a
decision not to not to have everybody speak to it. I I agree with that. Um so, Miss Galva, maybe we'll try to put it uh early on the agenda like we've done tonight so that you can join us quickly and then uh leave us quickly as well.
Does that sound good? That sounds perfect. Thank you very much. Very good. Um okay, so I think then um that's where we'll leave it now on the special election. So, um, we'll come back again, uh, next Tuesday, uh, with Mr. Wells in attendance and and make a
decision on that. Um, Mr. Milano, the next, uh, agenda item are the committee assignments that are open right now. Policy committee and landing committee. Yes, both committees, um, as John Cohane served on, um, and now have, um, a
vacancy. The policy committee for the members is a is a me as a board of two. Uh, so two select board members serve on that. Now we're down to committee of one. Um, and then the landing committee has a number of other members on it, but typically the select board did have two members serving on that committee
alongside the other members. And could you remind uh us and the folks at home uh who are the existing members of the uh the existing select board members on the two other committees? Oh, sure. Uh, Chair Zel is on the policy committee uh and Mr. Wells is the other
member on the landing committee. So um in the for the sake of discussion um you and I'm obviously already on the policy committee so I'm not going to nominate myself to do that but I might float it out there that I think that this is a I think we're kind of at a a
good opportunity uh as a board right now to start really thinking through what are some of our board policies that we want to have that could include things like codes of conduct uh other sorts of trainings that we might want to uh implement uh in terms of how we go about our
business. Um so I I think that it's this that's the nerdy way of saying I think we could have do some pretty good stuff on that committee if somebody was interested uh in joining with me. But I'm not going to nominate anybody because it's me on the it's me on the
other side. And feel free to nominate yourselves too. Are these two openings that we could leave until we decide on a special election? Uh because I'll say right now I myself I'm on four committees. I don't think I'd have space for another. Um I
believe member Heaggert is on a few as well. Um and it's you know let's go on the assumption that we do have a special election. We would have a new member joining in November. And then what committees would they be on if we've if we've already taken all the plush spots.
I I wonder if we could could leave these two open since they both already have at least one member serving or so I would say my my response if you don't mind Mr. in my my thinking is I think for sure with the policy committee we could leave that um uh to to sit for a bit um with
the landing committee I think between the um what we're doing at the farmers market there uh as well as with the recent um shooting incident at 88 Warf I think that committee is going to be a little bit busy uh and I think it makes
sense to have uh another member sitting on it and since uh both of you are on several committees I think I'm just policy committee uh along with just the light duties of being chair. Um so I'm willing to I'm willing to nominate myself for the landing committee
position uh if that makes sense to both of you. And Mr. Wells would be the other member there. Um I I do that knowing that it is a committee comprised entirely of white men. And I am always loathed to add myself to uh you know to that kind of an equation. But I want to
respect the work that both of you guys are doing on the other committees as well as um the some of the you know discussions that I've had with the residents at 88 Warf uh about the uh about the incident. Um so I feel like I could add uh to that committee. Um but
that that's so that's a very long win way of me nominating myself for the landing committee but saying we can take the policy committee out of the equation if that's fine with folks. That's okay with me. Yeah, works for me. I'd second that.
Okay. Um, so, uh, we have, uh, nomination that for me to join the landing committee, for Benzel to be appointed the landing committee. Um, this is a roll call vote, uh, unless there's any further discussion. Uh, so, Mr. Daly, I,
Miss Eerty, I, and I'll abstain. Uh so that's uh that's me on the uh landing committee then. Um so we'll leave the policy committee open and then uh Mr. Bill I think it's a great point. We could also think about after the election um you know to the
point of you know potentially having three new newish members uh next year maybe we want to uh shuffle the committees around after this if we do have a special election after that election. Okay. Uh uh town council services is our uh next
um item. Uh and Mr. Milano, so Mr. Milano and I just spoke about this for a bit. I think it might make sense for me to um to do you want to kick off and then I'll add or should I sum? I'm happy to summarize where what our most immediate discussion was. You can take it away, please. Thank you.
Okay. Uh so uh I got a call uh in from uh Murphy, Hessie, Tumi, and Leah uh today and I think they were there was some crossed wires in terms of their application. I think u and so this is a
I'm going to you know I want to have this discussion in as sensitive a way as possible. Um but essentially I think um while many of us really appreciated working um with Mr. Melo uh and I think while his council was spot on uh in
regarding what the uh what the outcomes of the MBTA uh communities process was going to be uh I know that um there were concerns not just from one side or the other uh in some of the uh methods that he used in when he was explaining uh
complicated issues uh at places like town meeting or even to some of us on the on the select board. Um and uh so you know I had a nice discussion um with them today. Mr. Mel is really interested in um being more of a litigator I think
and less of uh serving as a general town council. And so they have asked um knowing that um knowing that we're where we are in the process if they might be able to put in an application with a different attorney other than uh Mr.
Melo uh to uh to apply for this uh for this role. Um and uh so I I'll leave it. Uh maybe Mr. Milano, I think there's some there obviously we've had a long history with this firm. Uh so I think there was a little backstory there. Um
so maybe if you want to fill in any additional details and then we can talk about and this is another one again where um Mr. Wells um I don't think he's submitted his written feedback yet. Uh, so we don't really know where he stands and obviously this is another one of these critical issues for the town. So,
Miss Milan, do you want to fill in anything that I might have missed there? No, I think um I think you captured in terms of where uh their request was at this time. So, I think what we can decide here with our group is whether or not we would
want to open that process up uh for them to apply. uh missed. So if um I mean changing the lead attorney on a proposal like that seems to be a pretty substantial change um in
the bid submission is it so what would the mechanics of that look like so that I mean I don't know if that's like a violation of 30B or if another firm say if we went with MHTL in the end could
another firm file like a a protest or something like that. Um I guess my my first question is how does this actually work? Sure. So just um legal services are exempt from 30B. There's no um applicable procurement law that uh the
town is beholden to for this process. um we distribute this as a request for qualifications um uh rather than a um any kind of hard and fast request for proposals under 30B or any other applicable procurement law. So that
we wanted to be clear as to what the the process was and I'll note um for one of the applicants they did um had they had submitted for you know one lead attorney and then um had to revise based on availability. Um but that was certainly
done long before any interviews had commenced. Um um and the firm actually also had had updated their applicants um based on feedback from the town. Um so I think that in terms of process there's
no process you're stepping across in terms of the letter of lie you know in terms of the process that we followed to date. Um it would be a little bit of a change in terms of adding an interview at this point. Um, but I think the way, you know, the way I did share the town
kind of feedback on the first the first round of interviews was that we felt that the three firms that applied that did not um, currently work for the town were worth the board hearing um, and that this board was familiar with and knew Peter and some of the other attorneys at MHTL. So, an interview
there wasn't as necessary. If that change is now coming forward, you know, this board in terms of what attorney they would submit as the lead, it would be unfamiliar. You wouldn't know that person. So, it would um certainly um
you know, merit potentially an interview um for that purposes. So, that's I think that's that's the background on the law and then process. I just wanted to fill in a little of the blanks as well. And uh I I want to you know take some you know some responsibility for where we are in this position too because uh you
know it was my call um in conversations that we were have that we had with Mr. Milano about whether we wanted to bring three or four uh firms forward uh as finalists. Um, and so I, you know, kind of the belief that we it, you know, if
there's, it doesn't make sense to have a first round if there's no, um, you know, if if if everyone gets through and knowing what the, um, sort of one of the main drawbacks would be uh, from their proposal, I didn't move them. I didn't suggest them for the second round. So, that was my call and perhaps I made that
um, unilaterally and we should have um, had that more of an open discussion at the meeting. Um, you know, I have wanted to approach this uh in a sensitive fashion again because I think I have a lot of respect for Mr. Melo and I I
don't want this to reflect poorly on him as an attorney. Um, and so I think perhaps in uh airing a little bit too much on the side of caution there. Um, wasn't as explicit as I could have been in my feedback uh on their initial
application. So from from my part, I I think it would um make sense given the long history of the town with the firm and the fact that we kind of miscommunicated with them about uh our feedback on their uh initial submission. Would like to offer
them the opportunity to interview. I know that that's tough uh with vacations in August and everything, but I do think it would make sense uh knowing that we're not going to make a decision on this until Mr. Wells has had the opportunity to at least um weigh in,
which is not until the 26th. How How do you guys feel about that? I'm okay with it. I mean, my biggest concern, you know, I um I keep forgetting that legal services are not part of 30B. My my brain is
always oriented around 30B. Um so if it, you know, I would just hate to have the town have to deal with like a bid protest or something or um yeah, I mean it it's fine.
How does this uh impact any timeline that we had laid out for the previous candidates? Well, I think Nick uh do you want to go ahead first? No, I sorry. You answer just trying to think of an answer. I was I was going to say we weren't
going to be making a decision until next week anyways with with Richard uh being present. Um so I think and then after that our next uh meeting would be on the
9th. So we we don't have we we it wouldn't be that much of a of a delay I don't think for the other services but I I mean optimally we could try to get an interview on the books in the next um you know the next week or so.
Mr. Chair, if I could just add to that. I think there isn't You know, generally there's no impending deadline that anyone uh we need to worry about. I it just is about that town meeting prep. Um and we would certainly want whoever will be town council um at
by the time we're at town meeting and and town meeting is working through the warrant articles to have an opportunity to review the articles um opine on them suggest changes or tweaks in terms of the context or the preparation around
them. So I I think you know getting to a place and the other piece of this is you know even if the board does kind of select a firm appoint a re a different firm reappoint MHTL um you know there may be a little bit more paperwork involved in terms of getting a um letter of engagement
squared away nailing down fee negotiations um to particularly in the case of a new firm. So, you know, yes, a decision could be made in the next week or two, but then there is a little bit more homework that is required. Um, and
MHDL has been, as I've said, you know, um, all along has been um, always there and support and and working seamlessly with us um, through any number of issues. Um, but I just do note that the town meeting deadline and having the sign bylaw reviewed by whoever council
will be having the lighting um, uh, trespass bylaw reviewed by whoever will be town council attending. That's more my imperative deadline. Um, so that might have been more than you asked for, but that's the main kind of deadline that we have. all of the litigation that
is going on. Um I think we would expect um MHTL to continue on that work because it's pretty far along at this point. Um so that's um that's just the other kind of thing that's more pressing. I think MHTL is has has earned uh the
option of being has earned the interview based on their years of service with us. Uh, but I also think it kind of reflects poorly on us to add them this late in the game. Uh, you know, I agree with that and and and I I take
responsibility for for that. I think that's I I think there's other cooks in the kitchen for sure. Um, but you know, I I um I probably should have just said yes to having all four uh come forward the first time.
Yeah. So, you know, I out of respect for the the four decades that they've put in with the town, um I certainly think them calling up and asking is is certainly within their right and I would almost feel it would be a disservice to not give them the
chance, but I I wish this I wish this had gone a little differently. So, uh I I agree with that on both counts. Um I guess uh Nick uh you know in terms of scheduling an interview I I maybe what we could do is I think we
should ask them to you know observe um you know the professional courtesy of not watching the riveting Zoom interviews that we've done with the other three um firms. Uh and then um optimally we could try to schedule something as quickly as possible. I
don't know if um Miss Hagerty, Mr. daily. You guys want to look at your calendars and see if we could find an hour that at least works for the three of us and then if it work, you know, Richard could watch the interview if he wasn't able to to uh join. you know, on that
man on that point, you know, if if this was if this was in any other scenario and you had a candidate coming in and they could have watched all three interviews beforehand, right? Hypothetically
um and then asked to be added, right? Are we is is this fair to the others that we've had in our process? Right? if we had our rubrics together and our and our process together. Um, even with the history, is it fair to say
that we're going to add another candidate after the others have worked with worked with us in good faith and submitted everything and after, you know, M MHTL was not selected to go further? It is problematic. No, it's it's
definitely problematic and I think that that's part of why I was asking like if there if it's not 30B are there. So it seems like administrator Milano mentioned you know
there there are no laws sort of governing this. It's like one of those things it seems like there's not a law or a policy that governs this. However, is it a good practice? Maybe not. Um, it it's definitely not like I I don't think
it would pass muster in in other procurement situations for the for the fact of, you know, it's it's not necessarily a level playing field at this point. Yeah. Because even even us even me right
now saying that I'm going to open it up given their history, that already kind of skews the playing field, right? is based on um a history and and knowledge of um the town and an existing relationship
um which we did not you know put did not weigh as heavily a month ago. I I I think those are all um important points. Um, so I I one thought that I have too is that um maybe this is
because I was I'm the son of a lawyer. Um but lawyers tend to know which they they they can anticipate questions pretty well. So I don't know that any of the questions that we posed in the interview process would have not been questions that uh you know a prepared
legal firm would have been expecting to answer. Um, so I in terms of like do they have a leg up on whether or not, you know, they get a jump on what the questions are, you know, I I think if you've been reading the Boston Globe or, you know, and and
doing a little bit of homework, you would know uh where what what kind of issues we face as a town. Um, I do um take the point about um about the process. And so I wonder one one option
could be that we could think of this still as a bit of a semi-finals and then if we have if we do an MHTL interview we've already sent well at least the three of us have sent in our written feedback on the other um three firms we could decide would it make sense to
bring back two firms as finalists you ask them you know an important question or two or you know if after the the interviews, we've all agreed that one of the initial three candidates were great, then we don't have to do that. Um, but I
think we probably should identify first if we would want to bring back to or not. But that that's that's just sort of top of my head what I think might make what might make sense. So, I'm open to comments. Mr. just um I I think hearing all the
comments and and really agreeing with them um in terms of process here, I I think there would be a way to to um set this up is slightly different. A lot of the questions that um that were asked were, you know, talking about introducing the firm to the town. Um,
and where these other applicants were, new town council firms, you know, we were trying to get an understanding, the board was trying to get an understanding of what their capacity was on certain issues, what their history was, what their backgrounds were, what their approaches were to certain issues. Um, and and one way to might do this
slightly different could be to acknowledge that, you know, there's there's a lot of history, there's a lot of famili familiarity between the town and the firm, less so than the town and whoever they would assign as the new lead. Um, so perhaps it's a slightly different approach and more of an introduction and more of a um slightly
different interview because some of the questions will have already been answered and known. Um, so I just throw that out there as a slightly different way of looking at it if that is helpful. Um, but please ignore me if that just makes it more confusing. We'll never just ignore you, Nick,
even if we humor you sometimes. But I thought those I thought that was a a good uh good suggestion there actually. I think that's that's an important differential between the other three interviews and this one. So sorry there's no easy answer on this one uh folks, but are we comfortable
with moving ahead? Uh does do we would we need a motion I think to schedule an interview and then we could go ahead and do that or we could just go ahead and schedule it. Mr. a consensus a consensus of the board is is fine. I think for myself, um I would
just note that um a couple of the attorneys at the firm are all working very hard on a submitt to mass D for a Friday deadline for the lower guile turf field project um for that process. So um it may be helpful to look to Monday at
the earliest. I don't want to put words in their mouth as to who they had assigned, but I just do know that a couple of the key players there are hard at work on that issue. Um, so I'm okay with uh with trying to do something on Monday. Uh, would that day work for folks? I'm assuming we could try to do it
either uh the um morning or actually no, I'm at the dentist in the morning, but I'm pretty open after 2:30. How do other folks look on on Monday? Monday the 25th. Yeah. I could do a 4 pm.
Yeah. Or after five. Yeah, that time would work for me as well. That would also work for me. So maybe Mr. Milano, you want to check with Mr. Wells and then also check with MHTL and see if we could get them in on Monday and then we could um have the discussion
on Tuesday still. I will do that. Okay. Uh anything else on the town council stuff? I I appreciate um everyone's thoughts on this and their approach. Okay, great. Um going ahead then. Oops,
I lost my agenda. We're on um oh, the route 28. Uh Mr. Milano, I'm going to um I'm going to abstain or I'm going to recuse myself.
Yes, that's fine, Miss Hagerty. Uh, Mr. Milano, do you want to give us an update? Yes. I just will note that the board with her accusal would no longer have a quorum for any decisions. Um, but I can make a public um update as I think that's helpful for the public
discussion. Um the um so Masdot had um submitted a memo a brief memo to the select board regarding uh potential changes to Route 28 Randolph A uh which would incorporate
a potential road diet. Um they've offered a couple different ways that that would look um and solicited some feedback from the town. Uh we posted that memo to the town website alongside a lot of the historical information around work and studies of Randolph A to
date. Um so that's all available on the website. Masdot is um and has requested to be on the agenda for the August 26 select board meeting to pick the conversation back up. uh town staff and um a couple others are joining Masto for
a call on Wednesday afternoon to to solicit further feedback and to ensure that um you know key points that folks have raised to to the board and to the um to staff and others is is shared with MASDOT and that they have a chance to provide us the latest update. Um so the
overall picture and um is that they are planning to return um and provide further updates and solicit further feedback at the August 26 select board meeting on potential changes uh to Randolph A uh in the light of some of the crashes that have been occurring on that street.
I know we have uh um question for you Nick. I know we have posted mass dots. Uh, I think their responses and that layout of all the different options for Odite online, will they also be presenting that to us live um and walking through what all of those
options would look like so the residents can hear directly from them? That would be my expectation that they would provide a thorough kind of update as to what this might look like and in pros and cons and potential impacts. I think we'll know a little bit more um
after meeting with them on Wednesday afternoon. Um, and if you have specific requests as to what they certainly address, we can make sure we provide them that feedback ahead of the 26th. And that goes for um any members of the public that um have questions or or comments that they'd like, they can
submit them um to my office um and we'll turn those over as well. Okay. That's Sorry. Go ahead, Mr. Daily. I'm just particularly cons um the timeline they laid out of whichever one of these options is selected or that we move forward with timeline of construction
and implementation and then um the testing is the thing I'm I I would like to see really laid out uh for us. Yeah, I I uh I agree with that. Um I I'm heartened with the fact that they're you know really kind of on the ball here and they're getting us suggestions and
they're coming back to meet um you know just to echo um both you Mr. Daly and Mr. Milano that you know if you go to the town of Milton website it's on the front page if you scroll down a little bit where the um the discussion is and the access to the uh the documents. Um,
so I would encourage anyone who's interested uh in this to have a look uh and if they have any questions to make sure that they get them to Mr. Milano so that he can ask them uh either on Wednesday or we can ask them uh at the
public setting. Um I you know I I think maybe what we we may want to have a um makes the the importance of the issue makes me feel like we should probably have a public uh weigh-in session that
sort of goes beyond uh citizens speak um if we're going to have if we're going to make sort of a decision on where we fall. So, we could potentially have sort of an initial this is the direction that we're leaning um and then have and then ask the questions of of Mass DOT on next
Tuesday and then um in in early September, we can, you know, have a have a public forum. Uh or if people want us to make decisions straight away, we can do that, too. I I think, you know, please let us know uh through email uh or through calling us um if you feel
strongly one way or the other. Um, but we want to we definitely want to make sure that people have the ability to input on this and we also don't want to drag our feet on something that is um such a huge safety issue. Um, anything further on that, Mr. Dailyaly?
No, I was just thinking about as you asked for public input, I guess the email would be the best way for us to collect those. Um, probably at SB uh was time of.gov now, right? Uh, no. That's a key difference. Town of
milton.org still works. Miltonma.gov uh will be the official one, but there's plenty of time before that happens, but don't confuse the two is the key key point. Yeah. Well, every so often I get an email for some for the Milton, Ontario government officials, so I, you know,
wouldn't feel bad sending them a couple. All right. Um, so then I guess how do we let Miss Hegery know that she can come back in? I'll just text her maybe. Oh, there she is. Never mind. Welcome back.
Um, all right. So, we're going to go then to uh item number 10, meetings with department heads and scheduling. Uh, Mr. Milano, we've started on this a little bit. Do you want to give us an update? Uh, sure. So, uh, you know, we've had the police chief in and the DPW director
in for conversations. I think, um, we would likely extend the next invite to the fire chief. Um, and, um, from there, you know, if there's specific departments, um, the board wants to hear from, um, sooner rather than later as we
go through um, the list here, please let me know or you can let me know right now uh, who uh, board members would like to hear from. Um certainly would in terms of going down the line here, I think Council on Aging with Christine Stanton is um is was next on or coming up close
on my list. Um but um my current immediate plan would have been to to line up with Chief Madden and then uh with Christine and from there I am open to suggestions or tweaks to that if preferred.
comments from the members. That list is okay with me. I think the fire chief certainly should be next. Yeah, I think um I think the fire chief should be next as well. When would it make sense to have like
I'm I'm um I'm sensitive to the fact that school is just getting back in session and he's joining us on an interimm basis um while we find a new superintendent. But I don't know what
folks think about bringing Superintendent Failen in at some point or if we feel like we already talked to him enough. No, I I think that's a good idea. I think it would make sense to have that as like a joint um select board school
committee meeting because I don't want to, you know, step on their toes, but we could potentially do a, you know, a look ahead um to the school year maybe towards the later in September or October after they're kind of up and running. um which wouldn't interfere I don't
think with the schedule that Mr. Milano has put forward. Does that would that make sense for you guys? I can reach out to the chair of the school committee and and suggest that too and see if if we could if they think that's a a good thought. But given how
important the schools are, I do think it's uh it's definitely worth having a meeting and particularly given his interim role, I think he may feel he can share information with us more freely than he might otherwise be able to. Yeah. I think we also with with eyes to the school committee meeting we're going
to need we should probably schedule a whether back to school or early indicators and school meeting as well to see how the impacts of the override the impacts of budgets um and what they're seeing in the schools. I don't know if the school committee may be the best to
answer that or superintendent or perhaps some of the principles but if we set that on account as well you you know um maybe in advance of it too um this the finance committee of the select board and the finance committee of the school uh uh board have met
previously and it might make sense for those two boards to meet jointly prior to the bigger meeting to kind of hash through some of the numbers and then we could that that could help inform some of the discussion as well. Okay. Now, Mr. Milan, does that sound right to
you? Yes. Only I just will correct slightly that the budget coordination committee we're waiting the two school committee um design to to get that meeting rolling. So, I think that would make that in lie of what you suggested that would be swapped
that meeting, right? But same same point, same process. Well, maybe I'll I'll uh nudge uh Miss Serio on on that as well so that uh that that committee can meet prior to that larger meeting. And I know the school committee is meeting on Wednesday. So
Okay. Very very good. Um any uh further discussion on this one? Okay. Well, I think I mean if we had a planning director right now, I would say it would be good to have the planning
department in and but I don't know if there are any opportunities for primmer on, you know, planning activities for the board. I'm thinking we should
probably wait, but that that would be where I would go. Mr. Mr. M, I don't know if you have an update on that process. Uh, we are hopefully working through an offer and should have hopefully have an announcement soon on a planning
director, but um still no news yet. Okay. Well, we won't make them feel like they have to come straight away to us, but we'll be very uh looking much looking forward to meeting uh that uh that person if it all goes uh well.
Okay. Uh, moving on, we've got the uh October 27th, 2025 fall special town meeting warrant articles. Uh, anything new for us on this, Mr. Milano? Uh yes, just in the light of the conversation earlier, um if the board seems to be
leaning towards a special election and we can pick this back up on the 26th, but we should um my recommendation rather to the board would be to increase the appropriation for the election and registration budget by um what we hope is a high estimate of $60,000 um for the
uh unexpected costs of the of a potential special election. Um, so I think we can have this article ready for the 26th and give the warrant committee and I already alluded to the possibility that it might come at when I met with the warrant committee last week. Um, but
that would be the one um more significant change. Um, ideally free cash will be um certified well in advance of the October special town meeting. It's not as of today, but the recommendation would be to appropriate
an additional $60,000 from free cash to the election registration budget. We do have the reserve fund um funded for fiscal 26. It just would be very early to um utilize that funding from there. Um so my preference and obviously
following suit, my recommendation would be that we have a separate warrant article to appropriate free cash for that purpose. But again, we can um close the loop on that after uh the board decides um to go ahead with the special election or not.
Otherwise, um the articles that are um and I included in the packet a draft warrant with all of the articles, the articles have um been submitted to the select board um two of which have been voted to go onto the warrant. uh rather three of which have um looking at the
agenda, it's Roman numeral 2 and three and Roman numeral 5 have been approved for the warrant. Um the select board still needs to work through um its approach to the alcohol and town property. Um warrant article um the climate action planning committee
submitted Roman numeral 6 related to climate um and greenhouse gas emissions goals for the town. The school building committee submitted Roman numeral 7, which is to um request that the legislature pass um a change to
the home rule petition related to the land school project land transactions to push back the so-called reverter clause on that by 5 years. The master plan implementation committee did submit an article um related to making a report at the town meeting and then recommending that the town meeting set up a new
committee uh to manage the implementation of the current master plan and suggest updates and scope of changes to the future to the master plan going forward. Um that would be appointed by that would be a nine member committee with three appointments from the planning board, the select board and
the town moderator each. And lastly, there are two um warrant articles from the planning board related to um zoning bylaw amendments. And I just noticed now looking at the agenda, they're listed as general bylaws. Those would be zoning bylaws. One for traffic impact mitigation for projects that cross
certain thresholds um be required to make impact um fee payments or other mitigation on site for their projects. And then the last one is a is a signed bylaw change um to to really update that signed bylaw. Um it's pretty lengthy.
It's worth a read. Um it's one uh the building commissioner is looking at. Um we would have town council review as well. So that's the lay of the land uh for the war articles as they stand. The one uh major change would be an additional article related to um the the budget I mentioned.
Thank you, Mr. Milano. Any questions from the members? Um Mr. Milano, if I may, uh, on the alcohol on town property, uh, um, this is something that I I know that Mr. Wells felt strongly about. Um, have we
received any updates from him about on the on the language based on any of the previous conversations? Not to the point where I would feel comfortable speaking to it. I think the the prior comments have more been, you
know, have the bylaw be less restrictive and let the select board um have more um you know, authority to make decisions on a case- by case basis on certain kind of requirements on different locations. Um, so I think that
was the one takeaway, but I I I don't again don't want to speak for him because I I can't say with certainty his viewpoint one way or the other. So, um given that the town given that this is a
October end of October um uh town meeting that is a bylaw that won't really come into use until for for 9 months I would imagine if we manage to get it on the
warrant until the weather warmed up. In other words, correct? Because the other piece to keep in mind is that if approved on October 27th, it then goes to the municipal law unit and that review can take um 90 days. So that that pushes that. So, but
by the same token, if it's approved in May, that same kind of timeline does apply, right? Um so it's both ways. And is there any reason to think that we're going to need to have a special
town meeting in February? I nothing I'm not aware of any of any reason now, but I know that I'm not always attuned to everything. Nothing is on my radar. And last year we did, but we did not have one in the
winter. Right. Right. We Yeah. Um so I guess we're kind of at a crossroads with this article. Um, I, you know, I'm I I don't want to shove anything at the warrant committee uh too
late and we're kind of up against it already on the printing deadline. Is that right, Mr. Milano? The warrant committee has basically the month of September to finish their work. Um, so it's really the end of September where we start to run up against the
deadline for them to vote on and comment on the articles. So, we could still um look at an language next week, decide that it was worth sticking it in the warrant and it's not going to interfere
too much on the timeline. I think if the board was pretty firmly behind language le next week, yes, I think if it was we should change this, we should change that and there's then we're making edits and then bringing it back again for another approval. I think that's where it gets tricky. If they're
we're pretty clear and and complete next week, I think that's okay. Um and it could the board could, you know, defer to the warrant committee to say if you know, take this up last if you if you'd like or however you'd want to strut it up and let them kind of work out their
um their process from there. But I I would expect that should be really the the last chance um at this warrant. Okay. Well, um I I would welcome comments from Mr. Taylor. I don't I don't require them, but I would welcome them.
I think I mean I think we should I think we should submit what's ready to go. So, and if we if we had language, so I I guess this is maybe my um my
proposal. Uh if Mr. Dailyaly and Miss Haggery and I are all willing to um you know, put this on the agenda for next week, if Mr. as well as can take the time to um put the adjust the language
um based on the citizens feedback maybe working with you Mr. Milano that we've gotten from both the chamber as well as um other folks who are interested and we feel good about the if if we all if we agree to put it on the agenda next week if we like the language then we put it
on the warrant. If we don't like the language, we just uh we say it's going to need more time and uh and we don't try to put it on the warrant to avoid um last minute changes to the to the warrant. Does that sound okay for everyone?
Yeah. I mean, I think we just have to adhere to and stay tight with our own processes, right? And I feel like it's like Groundhog Day, like we keep having this discussion. Um,
well, I did feel I had a nice conversation with the chair of the warrant committee and he was being very complimentary about how we gotten everything in. So, I do feel like yeah, we can sneak one thing in maybe, but I don't know much. Yeah, I just I have a I have a hard time
I have a hard time with um not adhering to process um because there are so many other things in our work that cannot be black and white. Um, totally. So, so yeah, I mean I think I I just
think we have to we have to just stick the landing. Mr. Dailyaly. Yeah, I would say I would say submit. And if there's if there are edits, I think we're assuming there would be, then those would come after, but I
wouldn't want to hold it up any longer. Okay. Um, Mr. Milano, do you want to do you want me to communicate that to Mr. calls. I I can take it. I'll I'll follow up with him. Um I'll just note that the issue here, I think, is the the
article we we got in on time. It's just uh the select board trying to wade through and get to a final place on it. Um and we do have two different versions that I think ultimately accomplish the same goals. It's just they do it in different ways and and some require it
in the bylaw themselves and the others, you know, let the select board take it up on a case by case. So, I do think the differences are fairly narrow. So, closing the loop and getting to a final place should be um shouldn't be the longest conversation in the world. It's it's really going to be a policy
question. We'll do that. So, we'll do that next week then when we meet. Okay. Yes. And we'll have to be prepared to call balls and strikes and optimally and we get the if we get the materials
and you know everyone can read them in advance and basically come through with their um you know I I think uh instead of doing edits on the fly just if you've got solid edits you want to propose straight away we'll do that. Otherwise we'll just we'll okay it or not.
Sound good to everyone? Sounds like a plan. All right. Uh I am going to uh then I guess we'll close the warrant. Uh do we need a motion to close the warrant?
Uh Mr. Yeah, it's just more of a um the board has not officially voted to put a number of these articles yet on the warrant so that they're listed, but let me just double check how we how we spelled it out in the um the prepared um motion identifies the
one that need to be voted to approve. Um you can choose to include the one for the appropriation for the election registrations budget at this point or you can kick that one out to next week if you'd prefer. We can just include it and then we can always delete it. It's easier. Uh, Mr. Daly, were you ready to make that motion?
Yes. Uh, move to approve the following articles for inclusion on the October 27th, 2025 special town meeting, subject to any edits by town council. One, article amend fiscal year 2026 appropriations election and registration
budget. the general bylaws amendment chapter 105 alcohol on town property the climate action planning committee community white greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals and to amend chapter 147 of the acts of 2024 to change the
reverter clause date from June 30th 2028 to June 30th 2033 regarding the school project land transactions the master plan implementation committee report and recommendation the general bylaws amendment 275-2 20 traffic impact
mitigation the general bylaws amendment 275-3.25 signs I'll just offer a friendly amendment that those are I think were printed incorrectly but it should be zoning bylaw amendments the last two uh and I'll second
uh any further discussion Mr. Daily I, Miss Haggerty, I, and myself. I Okay, thank you uh for catching that, Mr. Milano. Um, so I'll close the warrant. We don't need a motion to close
that, do we? Uh, yes, please. Sorry. Oh, we do. Sorry. Uh, I'll have a motion to close the warrant. Second. Uh, all in favor? Uh, Mr. Dailyaly? I. Miss Hagerty, I. and myself. I um Okay, we are now on
to East Milton Fire Station RFP visioning session. Mr. Milano. Thank you, Mr. Chair. And this um ties back to comments made earlier about a planning director as we uh remain without a planning director um and as
the board has been interested in um soliciting feedback in terms of potential project or reuse or disposition um of the East Milton Fire Station. Um we I did engage and reach out to MAPC uh for some visioning assistance. Uh
they've prepared or are preparing a scope of work for the board's review and I'll bring that back for the 26th. But the idea here would be you know a community meeting um with more kind of the planner um perspective incorporated
better than I would be able to in terms of being able to facilitate conversations um seek ideas um and guide that. So, um, if the board's comfortable with, um, MAPC helping facilitate such a visioning workshop and community meeting, then I'll I'll bring that, um,
scope of work to the board, uh, for review and potential approval at our next meeting. Um, again, I think what the process that we would want to lay out is some potential um more concrete ideas for folks to respond to, but to
have um uh a good back and forth with members of the public about what um you know, folks would like to see um there and that would then inform that RFP process a little bit further. Great. Uh any questions from the
members? No questions. Just that I think that that sounds like a good idea and I think MAPC's done well um at helping us with that in the past. Great. Okay. So, I think just Mr. Dailyaly, sorry, you took yourself off mute.
No, no comment. Just agree to remember how you shared. All right. So, um I think um just continue ahead with that, Mr. Milano. um for now and we'll I'll bring it back. Great. Uh so then item number 13 uh Cory
Hills lease extension with the city of Quinzy House Bill 3897. Sure. Thank you, Mr. Chair. At our last meeting, um the board had requested that I reach out and have it open a dialogue with Corey Hills. Um, I can confirm that
uh I reached out um and had a couple had a conversation with um Tom McConnell from Corey Hills and he is open to meeting with the board um hearing um explaining the project, talking about the project, talking about Cory Hills,
how they utilize the Milton portion of the property and and the grant and the Quinsey portion of the property. This bill that is currently um working its way through the legislature is a home rule petition submitted by the city of Quinsey so approval of the Quinsey city council um and would seek to extend
their lease on the Quinzy portion of the land. Um not the Milton portion, just the Quinsey mil portion for a further 50 years. The Milton lease is a 50-year lease, but we're about 20 years into that. Um so there's um about 30 years left on the Milton side. U so they're
open to that. Um, I think it would be also helpful for the board um potentially discuss this um a little bit perhaps in executive session if we're talking about the value of real property um as as a separate kind of track here. Um and I did mention
to to Mr. McConnell some conversation that some of the feedback in terms of land and if there's land that they're not utilizing that perhaps we could um talk about um updating where those lease premises are and aren't and um they would start looking at their maps and we
could do so likewise um to keep that um at least open the conversation and the dialogue on that front. Great. Uh comments or questions from the members? Thank you for starting Andy. Go ahead.
I said thank you for starting that, Nick. I think out there. So, we'll follow up when we bring we sit down with Cory Hills to talk about those those kind of uh the land that's available and if they're willing to change the borders.
I think um scheduling a future executive session also with this topic makes sense just to have it at least. If we need to use it, if we don't need to use it, we don't need to use it. I can do that. Um, would the board like to invite Quarry Hills to a meeting so
that they can provide an update on their project and what they're proposing for Quinzy? That would be optimal, I think. Okay. Um, how is our uh agenda looking for the 9th of September? Uh, I haven't really got that far, but
we have the 26th is certainly uh the very the 9th we haven't deferred much yet. I I think that um I'll I'll reach out about that date at the very least um because I think um time is important on this front as well.
Great. Um I didn't want to suggest the 23rd because I'm actually going to raise a point about that when we get to our scheduling our um our our upcoming meetings. Um all right. So that sounds like you've you've got your direction there, Mr.
Mano. So, we'll have that meeting and then I think we wouldn't want to have we could have that executive session either on the 9th or even you know at a later date from that. I don't think we need to have that before we have that meeting unless folks disagree.
Okay. Um then we'll do select board retreat date item 14. Um so this is something that we have been struggling to schedule. Um, I feel that it's extremely important for us as a board to get a little bit of time to talk about
the things that we want to accomplish. Um, I think, um, my hope is that we could look at our calendars and find, uh, a a weekend in, uh, in September that might work for for all of us to sit
down for at least say, you know, 3 hours uh, somewhere uh, to kind of talk about our our hopes for the for the coming uh, year. Um, if everyone's okay with that, we can we could try to do that right now. Mr. Milano,
I just I'm going to raise this. I think I think there are two ways to approach this one, but if we do have a new member in November, it may be helpful to actually either pick a single date that's after that new member comes on or really select two so
that we're we're working on this now, getting the ball rolling and then and then bringing that new member, whoever that is, kind of in as well and soliciting their their um perspective on goals and objectives for the year. um and as well as all the traditional kind of onboarding and transition that I
think would be helpful coming out of this. So I I I just would plug that as potentially grabbing two dates um if possible. Um I don't I would agree with you in terms of pushing this too far down the timeline where um we're already into we're approaching September very
quickly. So I I agree with getting it getting something in and rolling now. Um but I just would like to plug a potential second date as well. I think it makes sense to have a a follow-up date. Um if if if we do have a
special election um so we can um and then optimally to you know uh we would I don't know that we would need to set that this far out but we could probably keep it in mind as something we'd want to do and then we'd also want to be able to accommodate the u the new
members schedule if possible. Um, but November and December may hopefully be a little bit less busy after the election. You never know. But knowing that we've got, you know, some things that are hanging over us like safety on Route 28,
uh, for example, the, you know, uh, some of the, uh, you know, things that have been happening in local government, uh, thinking about, you know, trainings and ways to lower the temperature, uh, in town. I think we would be remiss if we
didn't try to set a time in September to to talk through some of those issues. So, it sounds like you agree with that, Mr. Milano. Certainly, and I've reached out to um a wellrecommended facilitator if the board is interested in having um that as well.
That's a great that's a great suggestion. Um Mr. Dailyaly, Miss Hagerty, thoughts. So, I have a I have a busy September. Um, the weekend of the 12th and the weekend of the 20th are both off the
board for me, but I could do the weekend of September 27th and I could do the weekend of October 4th. Mr. Dailyaly, how does your calendar look for the 27th or the 4th? Uh, the fourth is better for me.
The fourth would work. Uh, all right. I believe I could also do the fourth. And so let's um let's set that as the date broadly. Um, Mr. Milano, maybe when you're in touch with
Mr. Wells. Um if folks are sort of generally available, if he knew if he was if he could do the morning or the afternoon, it'd be helpful to know. Um and then hopefully a facilitator would be available as well. All right. Are we okay with that as a Go
ahead. I don't think we need a motion on that. No, I will follow up. Um, and so just so the board knows, I I spoke to Jeff Nutting, who is the former longtime town administrator in the town of Franklin. Um, has been doing a number of interim positions and has done a number of board
facilitations. Came highly recommended when I was um, requesting uh, recommendations from colleagues. Um, I'll share with you his background um, and uh, and we can finalize that if the date works for everybody. Um, and I'll I'll keep the
board just updated. I'll talk to Mr. Wells and to him and I'll keep the board updated. Thank you, Mr. Lana. Uh, okay. Uh, well, this natural naturally uh uh goes on to item 15,
select board policies and code of conduct. So, this is something that we alluded to earlier in our discussion um and both in terms of um Mr. Cohane's resignation as well as uh in terms of thinking about
the policy committee. Um so I'd like I don't know Mr. Milano if you have some opening thoughts here. This is something that we've also asked you to look into in terms of finding um uh trainings through MMA on some issues. Um but I welcome comments from the members too.
But maybe Mr. Milano you just let us know where where that process stands first. So I think just touching on the selectboard policies and the code of conduct question I think in looking at a couple of code code of conducts that I found elsewhere a lot of what is
repeated in code of conducts is included in the select board's already approved policies um the policies are are mostly one-page policies and what I think is there just isn't one kind of code of conduct to turn to. I think that would
be potentially a helpful revision to the policies would be to maybe pull some policies or some piece of the policies together into one kind of standing code of conduct. Um because I think for the most part the policies cover what you would expect or what you see. Um it's
just not really spelled out um clearly in a in a one pager as in overall conduct and and could pull in a couple of additional items. That's the initial feedback. In terms of training um for um board members, we've I've been um going through kind of potential opportunities
through whether insurance or um workplace um trainers that the town has used before or has relied upon in the past and other communities highly recommend. I don't have um a report yet on terms of um the best person for that.
Um probably should have better news by this time next week. Um the chair and I spoke briefly about this and it would be helpful just to get a nail down exactly what um the board would like to come out of that. Um and I I'll just note kind of
I'm sorry that'll I'll end it there. More direct feedback on kind of what members are looking for would help me finalize that. Um but no, we've been looking for potential options um for elected officials in Milton. No, Zachary.
So, my the thought that comes to mind for me is, you know, how it's kind of like how do we want to how do we want to pull this apart? And I think that um you know, maybe some kind
of synthesis, as Mr. Milano is suggesting combined with, you know, what we're going to discuss at our retreat may be a good idea. Um,
I think we have to get on the table the concerns or challenges that that we see that we have witnessed um, you know, over the various time frames of of our our
collective tenurs. um you know, do do we have certain culture problems? Um do we have inclusivity issues? You know, like I think we need to to get that out there and then map um
map our our action steps to that. Um because you know we we need a vision for the kind of board that we want to be and what's the you know what's the best code of conduct and what what's the best culture um for
the executive team of the town. Yeah. I think Nick and in in what you're saying that if if it maps and matches some of the forms that we already signed then if we're adding something then perhaps in our onboarding process maybe that's what
we're adding to it and saying that when you're onboarded whether to the select board or some of our other elected positions that is explicitly stated that there are certain behaviors that are expected of the officials. Now, we certainly don't have a way to, you know, we don't have a way to like punish
people or sanction people or anything, but that it is more explicit that when you are in any of these seats that you are, you know, representative of the town and your behavior and your decorum and the way that you interact not only with your board members, but town staff,
um, committees, town meeting members, all of these things. And so that is sort of pulled out and made much more explicit that there's an expectation around us and our roles beyond the policy pieces.
Go ahead, Mr. Man, if you want to No, I I was just say that's helpful as a starting place. Thank you. Yeah. So, I think you know, basically I think we're kind of combining two uh topics here, but that's okay. um they're pretty much related. Um so I I think on
the on the code of conduct uh piece, I do think having it so that um I maybe pulling out what we've already got as approved policy as kind of a sample code of conduct um would be very helpful and then um we can see if there are elements
that we would like to add beyond what's already on that document. Um and then I think in terms of the trainings um you know so I I mean again I I I feel like it's important to say um that we
have um you know seen an uptick in um in in incidents with town staff. Uh we've seen um you know we've had we've seen comments uh of that suggest uh you know
racial profiling uh at least or you know something of that nature. Uh so I do think having um an explicit um uh part of a of a training be around what unconscious bias or bystander upstander.
You know, there are a some specific trainings in that space that could let people know um basically how to become more more self-aware themselves and also how to how to react or respond when they
see um you know potentially things um going south and and and doing that in a productive way. Those would be things that I think would be very helpful to to be included in a training. Um, but I want to make sure that uh everybody has a chance to to also share their thoughts
about things that would be useful to bring into a training like this. Is that is that the sort of feedback, Mr. Malone, that you're looking for? Yes. Thank you. Okay. And I I what I have found just to be a little bit unique about what we're
trying to find here is the elected component because I think some of the trainings that we bring into town hall that we bring into other departments um along these lines is pretty much you know for a certain you know employee or manager kind of audience and this is a
slightly different spin on that where if it's elected official coming to a meeting it's now it's a public meeting and now we're talking about um you know, we're not talking about interpersonal in terms of a person sitting across the table making a comment that is um heard
and and responded to unfairly, but maybe somebody sitting at home or some other situation or a member of staff who isn't present in in the room. So I I think that's trying to find the right kind of person who can um touch on those points
is is where um we've been focusing our efforts at. My question is so it's also my understanding on the elected component that um
there's there's no sort of compulsory participation. Correct. I I don't think it means we shouldn't offer it, but um yeah, not not in the same way that someone who's employed I
mean I again I I don't think that I don't think that's a reason for us to not offer this um in the elected space because I I think what also makes it tricky, you know, to your point, Nick, about the
um you know, having the elected element to it and the public meeting point, but at the same time too, it's like we we are in we are in other people's work habitat in
a way that um it's definitely eye opening for me. Um you know, as a public employee, I don't have quite as many elected officials, you know, running around in in my space as as I do work
dayto-day. Um, so it it makes it it it makes me really appreciate um what you all do day in and day out. And I think um you know, for me, I really hope we can find a way to
appropriately thread that needle. Um because the way that we behave and the way that we conduct ourselves um is not just it is not just politics. It's we're literally in somebody's work space and
you know that's eight hours of somebody's day that we should not be bringing toxicity into. Um you know it's it's the it's those waking hours where you're you're even away from your family. You know you like your work your
work colleagues you sometimes see more than you see your family. So it's it's a big deal for us to be in this space. and to um and to make sure that that we're that we're bringing our best um you know
when we work with the employees of the town. So it sounds like um Mr. Milano, do you have enough feedback from us here on on what we're kind of looking for on the training side? I do. Yes. Thank you. Okay.
Um, and I think, you know, everyone should always be in the spirit of um, I I can learn more about myself and and be a little bit better. And I think, uh, I I know that just as well as anybody else. Um, so I think this is really
important to to continue to pursue. Um, so let's go. Oh, all right. We're going to already hear uh, Mr. Milano, town administrators report. Uh, thank you. Um, apologize I was running a little late. I am out for the
week um away with my family. Um, so I missed the opening discussion, but I did just um want to note u Mr. Cohen's resignation and um we did when we put out the comments um from the town and and put on the website and the news flashash. I I just wanted to note that
my comment there in terms of his approach to the board, particularly around his work um on the finance committee and and working with both town and schools um to help us get through last year's override was um instrumental to that and I just wanted to take a
moment to recognize his service um and particularly his efforts around that um and thank him for that. Um in terms of um town stuff, the Cunningham Kolycott library renovation has been going on all summer. Um so the first phase of that
project which is taking place this year is to convert the what had been the library in Cunningham Kolicott to four additional classrooms and offices. Um that work started um basically the first day teachers were gone. Um a moving company was there and uh the next day uh
the walls are being demoed and and was being taken apart. It's now been all put back together. Um, we expect that project to be complete with just some touch-up work done uh this time next week. Um, so BC Construction was the contractor on it. They came in and and
did this work uh very quickly, very efficiently, working a lot of Saturdays. The onus project manager and design team earned a lot of credit as does the consolidated facilities department, Tom McCarthy. Um, Bob Patterson from school IT. Um, I I'm going to knock on some wood here because the project's not
quite done yet, but they are putting in flooring and wrapping things up. So, that was a um they call it a a summer slammer for a reason. There's a lot of work to get done. They have to come back next year for phase two, which would be converting the fourth floor space um and
Cunningham into the uh new library. um so that they are have a second half of work um that is not yet complete to be done uh planned around next summer. So just wanted to provide an update on that project um as folks will start to see
their good work uh next week to add space in the schools. Um year end closeout is underway. The auditors were in town hall um last week and they're they're doing some work this week. So our, you know, kind of are in our financial
uh year end process is is well underway. We did have a ratings call with S&P global ratings. Uh Milton presently has a AAA rating from S&P which helps us when we go to issue debt to try to secure as low rate as possible. Um we had a ratings call on Friday went really
well. Um nothing um out of the conversation to indicate any change to our rating, but obviously that is not final. Uh we expect to hear um sometime next week. Um but spend about an hour on the phone talking about the town's finances. Um and we'll see a ratings
report issued uh about a week from today. I believe I did mention this at the July 22nd meeting, but if not, um Michael White is the new uh building commissioner started July 14th. um has been doing yman's work and helping get through um some older permit
applications, getting those out the door um and uh working through potential bylaw changes. So um just want to again just mention him and and welcome them on board. Um that is really it for me this evening. Um Mr. Chair, thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Milano. Um not too much uh from the chair's report. Uh, I know the David Chestnut Jazz Festival was held uh after our last meeting. Um, I was unfortunately out of town, but I heard great things. Um, the September
5th, this coming uh the first Friday of September is going to be a chamber of event in association with the Milton Arts Center on the um uh the East Milton Deck uh park there, which is always a good time. Uh so hope that people can uh
come out for that. Um and uh you know among all of their duties uh that they do uh one of the um most um maybe rewarding duties for the fire department happened this past week when they helped a a little baby get born on Adam Street
who couldn't quite wait to get to the hospital. Uh so we congratulate the uh the parents there and the and the fire uh team for their hard work. Um and uh maybe the you know another famous person born on Adam Street was became a president of the United States. So, you
never know uh who who's going to grow up to be what. Um I want to then turn over to public comment response. Um members, anything uh about uh the uh public comment response or public comment that
you want to respond to? I think seeing none of you taking yourselves off mute. I think we did talk about Randolph Fav. We did talk about the attorneys and uh we also talked about uh the special elections. I do I think that uh m Mr. Chair, I do
think there is a point for us to perhaps engage with or follow up um with the superintendent or the school committee on the changes in the bus stops. Yeah, that was a good that's that that's true. That came up as part of the um the
route 28. Um, and I did see that I know that that is the school committee uh place, but um knowing that the school committee I think that's a great point, Mr. Dailyaly, knowing the school committee is going to be meeting on Wednesday uh and then knowing that there are we're already going to be talking about a
joint meeting. uh I might um send a note over uh or contact the chair and ask if we could include that uh in a in a joint discussion in the future, but hopefully I mean I don't want to make uh if hopefully they're looking into that issue now if there's a safety issue uh
for the bus stop. Thank you. Um anything else from citizens speak response? Uh okay. So then um I wanted to bring up uh we've got the 26th scheduled, the 9th of September scheduled for future
meeting dates and then the 23rd of September. Um and the 23rd of September is Rashashana. Um it starts on the evening of the 22nd and goes to the 23rd. Um and I don't know that it's appropriate for us to have a public
meeting on a on on Rashashana like I think we would try to uh avoid other holidays. I don't know Mr. Milano if um if you have thoughts about that or if anyone else would mind us trying to move that date uh around a little bit. No, I think that's a good catch. I don't
think we'd notice that when we were just scheduling out our two weeks. It is I only noticed it because it's my son's first birthday or different. Well, that'll give you a nice reason to not have another another celebration. Um, okay. So, let's, uh,
if you guys have a second to look at your calendars, um, I don't know how, um, the 24th of September or, uh, 25th of September would work for either of you
in the evening. I think either of those dates works for me, Mr. Daly. Uh, I can do the 24th but not the 25th. Okay. Um, Mr. Milana, let's maybe tentatively put the 24th of September
and you can add that to your uh this the schedule uh scheduling call when you speak with Mr. Wells. We'll do. Thank you. Let's uh let's let's aim for that. Um, okay. Then, uh, future agenda items.
If anybody has one that they want to bring up now, um, that obviously you're always welcome to contact me in advance uh, of a meeting with to suggest one and then Mr. Daily, we have to make sure we get you on the scheduling call for uh, our next uh, meeting as vice chair. Um,
okay. So, uh, I will entertain a motion to adjurnn. We're going to be adjourning from select board, uh, and, uh, then, um, reopening as Governor Stoen trustees, I think, using the same Zoom link. So, don't go anywhere, but we do need to adjourn from, uh, select board
first. Is that right, Mr. Milano? That's correct. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to make a motion to adjourn from the select board portion of the meeting. Okay. I'll go ahead and second that. Um, and this will be a roll call vote. Miss
Hagerty, I. Mr. Dailyaly, I. And myself, I. All right, we are adjourned. Uh, and now I would like to uh call together uh the uh call to order
the uh Governor Stoen trustees. Um so uh number two item is the report from the town farm review committee which we received um in the houseion days of late June of this year uh which feels like an
age ago. Um but I wanted to make sure that we didn't wait for too long uh to discuss uh what they had brought forward to us. Uh and then um we'll have a uh the opportunity to think about what we want to do um going forward. So this is
specifically on the town farm property. Uh Mr. Daly, I don't you're sitting on on the affordable housing trust, too. So I don't know. I may I may uh ask you if if the affordable housing trust has had a chance to uh react to or respond to uh those comments as well.
Uh yes. So I had an opportunity to speak with with our chair about the potential for our next steps and what this would look like and it really sits with us right now as a board. We only had two responses to the RFP. One withdrew. uh
the one that is left and was a good proposal was from a Milton residence. So, it's really on the board if we want to move forward with that RFP. Uh it would probably seriously hinder us to go back out to RFP um and working with good
faith if we awarded it to the remaining um the the remaining organization. We would then have to engage with them and then start to discuss what we would like to see. I think their proposal was for 36 units. If we're not comfortable with that, then perhaps we can speak to them
about uh reducing the number of units. I think also a select board trip to the site may also be at hand. I don't think we've all been out there as this new board to really look at the space and understand what's in the RFP as we see it in real life. Um there is potential
if there is a a cost difference. I know our last discussion with the folks at Winter Valley showed the rise in their costs over the last two to three years. Uh re-engaging with um with the existing RFP, they would then have to tell us, you know, what are the changes in costs?
What is anything that is that has happened? Um there's potential that there is state aid that would help with the project. There also is a potential for the Affordable Housing Trust to invest in this project as well because I think it would be our first um and only
sort of project in Milton that is um affordable lowincome family rental housing specifically. I don't think we have another one of those in town. So really that it really falls to the board if we are moving forward with our with
our remaining RFP or if we are going back out to bid but going back out to bid um would seem to be uh not a good not a good move at this point. So it would be move forward with this one or this is going to kind of languish.
Mr. Milano I or Miss Herty, sorry. Go ahead. So, I thought we were also going to have some type of um traffic and other infrastructure analysis to the site. Has that been completed yet or would that be part of
like our overall walk through? Yeah. So, that hasn't been completed yet. I think we we had the the review committee uh came forward with some suggestions. Um so among the suggestions were to do a
traffic impact study um to do a construction impact study uh and to do uh and to look at the number of units on site. Um and so that's that those were the recommendations. Um they've made
them to us. Um I think it is now uh up to the governor stoen trustees to figure out what we think the right next steps forward are. Um, and it's helpful to have the input of the affordable housing trust on that for sure. Got it.
So, that would be I guess a long answer to your short question. Okay. Mr. Milano, do you have anything that you want to want to add? We had um at our prior meeting, the board had asked about the traffic study
and and how that might um happen and what that might cost. I I did speak to DPW director Marina Fernandez about that and you know typically these kinds of reviews we would see run in the range of 10 to 15,000 when we're doing like an analysis of um a potential project.
as I stated then and and I'll just restate it now is it if it it would be helpful most certainly to have as much finality to a potential project because then we're analyzing something that might not or occur or
might be bigger than what happens or conversely smaller than what happens. Um, so that it's that's just the tricky part of the traffic piece, especially where projects will typically have the applicants perform that rather than the town go perform that. Um it's sometimes
a little different when the town is issuing the RFP or I'm sorry in this case the trustees is um so and then cost in terms of is that an expense the trustees want to bear coming out of a fund that is being generated um for the
the um poor of Milton. So if there is a cost uh should the trustees bear that cost in terms of there was also discussion about like utility impacts and again um the DBW director felt comfortable with that because it's it's on the applicant to prove that their
connections um are engineeringly sound and that they won't have downstream impacts on our own infrastructure and if the sewer main elsewhere can't support it then they have to um make the upgrades or provide the payment to to improve those. So less concern about
water and sewer. Storm water actually has to uh comply with any um requirements for a new project as would any project. Um so I think traffic is the hardest one to kind of nail down. Water and sewer we feel more comfortable around because they have to they have to upgrade as any applicant would for a
large project. Um, so that's again a longer response on top of that uh the chair. No, I mean I just I just I I remember it being an issue that was out there and the overall challenge of like well how can you get a sound anal traffic
analysis if uh you don't have a hardened project to analyze? Um, but I I just wanted to I just wanted to throw the question out there as to like whether we whether
something was happening with that. If I may tack on a question maybe for you, Mr. Milano. Um, I guess here's here's related to the traffic study. So if we say you know we
want to see what plans for a 30 unit you know instead of 36 unit structure would be there from a traffic perspective. Um and then we spend 10 to $15,000 and we get the results back. what what are
done with the is that the the results then inform the infrastructure engineering around the entrance to that because I I don't know I basically what do you do with that information once you've paid for it? Yeah, I think the excuse me, yes, I
think the main question would be um what can Governor Stoton Lane support? Um the this the knock-on question they'll look at Cannav um and the intersection along Kantav as well, just thinking about how these traffic studies typically look. They'll look at
kind of the immediate access and then the surrounding impacts. Um so I think the thrust of that would be looking at Governor Stoton Lane itself. Um and I think you know everybody here knows that that existing condition is presents some
um challenges that you know I think we were hoping that a project would help um facilitate some improvements to but I think that would be the main the main thrust of that focus. Potential trip generation up and down Governor Stoton Lane. What will that look like for entry and exit onto Cannav from there is the
main questions I would assume. Right. And then would there be there could potentially be road improvement suggestions to Governor Stoton's lane and then those would have to be we'd have to find revenue for that or that would be something we'd hope the developer might be able to cover.
I think you would start with hoping the applicant would um bear some of that. But I will just note as aside, you know, there are grant programs out there that support um projects around affordable housing. um the housing works grant
program in particular, Mass Works more generally, we've applied for Mass Works in East Milton because of the adjacencies to projects going on there. So whether it's an applicant, whether it's an applicant plus the town plus a grant, there are different ways to to cobble together infrastructure programs particularly around housing,
particularly around projects that support um low-income housing. So, Miss Bailey, um, so this is this has really kind of stalled through no fault of the applicants. Like, we've held on to these
RFPs for a while now. So, Nick, if you could give me your thoughts on re-engagement and if we choose to accept this RFP in this bid and move forward, are we accepting? Can we sit down with
the applicant to discuss um a change in units to discuss the expenses or is this just got just does it just have to move forward as is? I have a feeling that there's a way to you know similar to a 4DB to talk about negotiating units down and then adding in the traffic study and
then speaking about the infrastructure as well as the available grants whether from the state or from the affordable housing trust. When I had inquired with town council on on the specific question of whether um too much time has passed to award based
on the RFP um town council's answer was no. It's um particularly around land transactions there there is no hard and fast timeline and that um that going ahead with an award would be okay. Um,
in terms of what would be on the table for negotiation, I think broadly, um, you do have some wiggle room there. I would want to pause and and confer and get back to the trustees before I give, um, too much more advice on that specific question and I can do that
pretty quickly and we can do it in writing. Um but generally um you're selecting based on um certain metrics and I think you do have some wiggle room to negotiate from there. It's just a question of of how far does
that extend? Other questions or thoughts? So I think what we've got is um I Mr. Daily basically identified why we're kind of in the spot that we are which is that we've waited on this for a very
very long time. And so um moving forward I think um and you know it only gets more expensive and more difficult the the longer we wait. Um it seems to me that we've got two big questions around the project. So one is the size of the
project and one is the traffic imple imple uh implications of the project. So uh I wonder if we should as the trustees ask um the applicant to uh give
us a sense of what it might cost to adjust uh their um the unit number down. um by I think from 36 we could give we could ask for would it be fiscal would it be you know feasible for him at for them at
a 30 or a 25 unit number uh and then if if not um Mr. daily. We could potentially ask the Affordable Housing Trust, would they be if if we could get a sense of what the differential might be knowing that the Affordable Housing Trust is supporting the Winter Valley uh
work, would the Affordable Housing Trust be interested in potentially subsidizing this so we could get a little bit uh you know, we could we could move the number down slightly. I think I'm not uh Go ahead. Maybe this is something we'll
have to clear up with town council. Maybe Nick knows this offhand, but I I think we have to I think we may have to award it as is in the RFP. Correct. And then any wiggle room negotiations or
changes would happen after an award. I'm not sure that there can be a a change done before, you know, we say we're going to move forward. I'm looking to Mr. Milano. I think that's I think that's right and
I will um confirm and follow up. I think process would be that the board or the trustees, excuse me, um evaluates the proposal in accordance with the RFP, awards it in accordance with the RFP and then um follows from there. Um
but I will I can confirm that um and and report back. I I think that's I I'm kind of at the first inclination agreeing with Mr. Daly. Well, I think if Mr. Daly is saying it and you're agreeing with him, then I'm I'm inclined to think that that's probably the case, too. Um, then my
follow-up question for you, Mr. Milano, would be, is it is it feasible or usual in these circumstances that we would come back and say yes to the RFP, but say, but we're going to ask we're going to ask for some modifications to it.
Yeah, excuse me. Yes, I think that ties out to um the the kind of earlier conversation is is if if it is awarded based on um the criteria in the RFP that it met those criteria and exceeded in certain places and was advantageous in
others and then um kind of what would be open to further refinement and further negotiation um as the project proceeds. Um, I think that would be our process here and I'll confer with council and and get back to the trustees, but I
think at the at an initial step um wrapping up those evaluations in the intervening time period um would probably be a good initial step for the trustees to undertake. And just to to kind of step back as to what the process was, the the trustees did ask the town
farm review committee to to evaluate the proposals. Um and um I think it the trustee should take that on as well now as that kind wasn't fully completed um from the review committee.
That's a that's a a good point. Um so well and and currently we only have the one active RFP. So here here's a here's a suggested suggested couple of steps and you guys
let me know what you think. So, it seems to me like we could um review the RFP and rem as the governor Stoton trustees next week um with our sort of final thoughts on the RFP and then Nick could
inform us about town council's judgment on uh on on his on whether or not it's true that we can only uh that we we we have to accept it as submitted. Um, the other question that I'd love to have answered by that time too is Nick, if if
we uh accept an RFP uh and then we're unable to come to an agreement uh about the specifics, are we on the hook for what are we on the hook for in terms of expenses for saying yes and then not being able to come to a final
agreement? anything or no that would be, you know, part of like a a lease negotiation process that um and the parties may not reach an agreement and there's no liability construed there. Okay. Um does and then I guess maybe a
quick question for uh Mr. Dailyaly for for the affordable housing trust. You know, I I am sensitive to Mr. Milano's point about the Governor Stoton monies being, you know, basically uh a trust fund that that helps uh you know, the
poor of Milton. I wonder if the Affordable Housing Trust would be willing to um foot a 10 or $15,000 uh traffic study uh of the property uh to assist uh in making this happen.
Um I can put it to the trust. um they may be more inclined to work on things that are direct um to the building and construction, but maybe that's something that, you know, kind of gets uh wrapped into the project
as a whole. Uh you know, maybe it's framed as the trust is putting monies into the project and then perhaps the folks that are bidding would use some of that money to handle the roads um instead of the trust only doing it to the roads. But it's something I I'll put to the trust and see what the uh what
the thoughts are. Okay. And do you guys have a schedule meeting before our next select board meeting? You know, funny enough, then our next scheduled meeting is the day of our select board meeting. So, I'll just uh I'll just um email and perhaps they can
take it up in the meeting. Okay. Yeah, maybe if they if they can take it up in the meeting, they could even get back to you before uh if we have Governor Stor at the end, then they could get it get back to you by then. Um, okay. I So, I think does that sound like
a good uh action steps for the next and and my goal to be very clear would be at our next um meeting of the governor Stoton trustees if we're all uh obviously if we're in agreement we would have a vote on whether to approve the RFP based on uh what feedback we get
from town council. Does that sound okay to everyone? Yep. Great. Okay. Then uh I don't think we have any further uh business on the Governor Stoen trustees to discuss. Do we Mr. Milano?
Uh meeting minutes if the members are amendable. Um Oh yes. And had a chance to review them. Well, we can't do the March 11th ones because it was only me uh from But that will be the case no matter what because it'll be you and Richard alone
anyway. Um if you'd prefer to have Richard at a meeting, I understand we won't have a quorum regardless and it's um up to the trust to exable with me moving and accepting the minutes for March 11th. I I see. Yeah, we don't
have any other recourse for that. Any objection? All right. Well, I will move second and vote to approve the meeting minutes for uh March 11th. Um and then uh for the
30th, we do have a quorum. So, I'll take a motion. Motion to approve the minutes for the 30th. Second. Made and seconded. Uh we'll have a roll call vote. Mr. Dailyaly. I Miss Hagerty I
and myself I uh Okay. So now I believe we have finished the uh business of the Governor Stoen trustees. So I will take a motion to adjourn. Motion to adjurnn the meeting of the governor Stoen trustees. All right. Motion's been made and
seconded. Further discussion. Roll call vote. Mr. Dailyaly I. Miss Haggerty. I. And myself I. We are adjourned again. Thank you guys for your work. Nick, thank you so much for joining us on vacation. We really, really appreciate
it. Um, please return to your family and don't think about us for a couple of days. I'll sleep. Thank you. All right. Thanks everyone. Have a great night. Have a good one. Good night. [Music]