Good evening and welcome to the 18th November select board meeting. Uh, if you're able, please rise and join me in singing 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. Uh, our first agenda item is actually our introduction of our new select board member, John Driscoll. So, John, congratulations on your victory in the uh election. We're delighted to have
you here on the board. Um we're we have some discussions this evening about some of the select board stuff, but would love to uh invite you if you'd like to say anything uh either to your supporters or just the town in general. >> I just want to thank everybody both sides for the voting that Tuesday and I
just hope I can uh fulfill the commitment and thank you for the opportunity for speaking. You're very welcome and we look forward to putting you to work. >> All right. Thank you. >> Um so next we're going to have uh public comment. Uh by our rules uh public
comment is limited to 21 minutes total. Uh and each speaker is asked to keep their remarks to 3 minutes or shorter. Uh I will keep track of the three minutes and Mr. Milano will keep track of the 21. I think that may be a lot of um introduction to something that we
don't have anybody to speak for. Uh but you can if you're uh online and you wish to uh speak you can raise your hand uh as well using the um the raise hand function and we can promote you going once going twice. All right, no
takers. Uh our next item is the route 28 Randolph Road uh Randolph a road diet pilot program. Um and I know um from earlier meetings u along with Mr. Milano that we have a few folks here that uh from uh the the abuing neighborhoods
that would like to join us to speak and so I would invite you to come up to the microphones now and share your thoughts and we'll we'll uh engage in some dialogue. Um, I did give the warning that the microphone is sensitive. So, just twirl it. So, whenever the person
is speaking because otherwise folks at home won't be able to hear you speak. So, >> Mr. Chairman, I I just want to note that I'm going to recuse myself from um this portion of the agenda. >> Thank you, Miss Hagerty. Um, so maybe uh Mr. Milano, do you want
to give us kind of a quick rundown on where we are on the timeline for everything and then we can maybe have a bit of a discussion? Sure, thank you. Um, so, uh, the road pilot, road diet pilot, excuse me, has been in place for for several months now. Uh, Masdot has
been out, um, both observing conditions, um, and, um, meeting with us on a on a fairly routine basis to share observations and, um, tweaks that they are making. Um I know in the past week they've been looking particularly at signal timing um throughout the uh
Randle corridor and have effective yesterday changed some timing to that will um give some time back to traffic that's on Randalfab. They had dialed that back prior to their road um diet pilot. Um in addition they've been out to observe conditions on uh streets that
have been impacted in particular Clifton Road. Um but they've been out generally to observe the conditions. um they've been kind of very responsive to conditions and issues generally in terms of um areas they'll study. Um the website that they've posted on on the
mass dod page is being actively um updated. Additional information was posted in the last week or two. Um their email address, which is where we do request that um comments, questions, concerns, and issues be addressed to. Um is monitored. They do respond. um they
keep a log of the emails they receive and their responses. So um they've been out there, you know, Mila Police, DPW and um our team have been out as well um sharing observations and concerns um and um you know what's working, what isn't working and it's this is the purpose of
the pilot to try to figure out some tweaks as we go and adapt um to issues as they are brought up. Um so I'll just note that they've been very responsive. There is um in the works a meeting here in Milton that um MASDOT's been working on some availability through the
legislative delegation. Um so once that finalized we'll share that too. So that'll be an opportunity for Masto to come out present here in Milton um and solicit feedback and comments and have a listening session. So once that is um firmed up we'll be able to share that publicly as well. >> Thank you Mr. Milano. And I I'll just
add too that uh as much as we'd like to say that we're in control of Route 28, it is a state road. So, um, we're working with the state on this and we're hoping that, you know, the Commonwealth can be responsive to our requests and everything else. Um, and we welcome comments here and we will share those
comments. Um, but the and it's it's it'll be important for folks if they have opinions to join the mass dot session as well as soon as it's announced. So, uh, will notice of that be given on the website or >> Yes, we'll share that. Um, they'll share it and we'll we'll blast that out publicly and broadly.
>> Okay. Very good. So with that, we have a couple of folks from Clifton Road, I believe, uh who are here to talk about the impact that the road diet has had on their street in particular, but we also welcome um comments about the road diet sort of more broadly as you've observed it. I think everyone's probably been in
at least once or twice, but uh you folks are living next door to it. So I'd like to turn it over to you if you wouldn't mind introducing yourselves, giving your addresses, and then um maybe sharing your initial thoughts, and we can have some uh Q&A here. >> Sure. U my name is Amy Morrison. I live
on 58 Clifton Road. Um been there for 13 years. Um and uh we did prepare some slides um for the evening. So um if Mr. Milano, if you could pull those up when you have a moment, that would be great. Thank you. >> Absolutely.
>> Sure. Uh Travis Gregory uh been on 45 Clifton Road for uh about 13 years also. >> Thank you. So we'll have the slides pulled up. They'll be visible up here when they're ready. >> Thank you. I just want to note some of our neighbors are here tonight as well
um in support. So um >> thank you all for joining us. >> This has been very much a team effort on our road. Um >> so um I'll kick things off. Uh we just did a couple of slides to kind of guide our our our thoughts here. Um so this is
the issue. Clifton Road is a pretty thickly settled side street off of Reedsdale Road. We run parallel to Randolph A. um mostly a quiet side street uh the the past 13 years that I've lived there um with my family. Um
we had a traffic study done um through the town back in 2018. Actually, it was the first week of November in 2018, so pretty comparable time. And during that study, we had data that um the street had an average of 175 cars
in a 24-hour period. Um so 24 hours uh 175 cars um since the road diet was implemented um on October 3rd. We are now absorbing the volume of traffic that can no longer get onto Randolph A due to
the traffic. Um we have data collected by some of our residents. Um as well as the Milton police who've um been kind enough to give us a speed sign to do some data collection. We are seeing now 500 to 700 cars from 3 to 6:00 p.m.
alone on weekdays. Um so you can see the drastic change um just looking at those numbers. But things that we've noticed our drivers are turning on to Clifton Road um from Reed Dale Road and also coming from Pleasant Street which is um
like heading from East Milton. They can't turn on to Randolph A when they get there. So they're they're cutting up Clifton Road to eventually get back to Randolph A um later down. Um next slide, please. Um so we have um you know, we really
feel that residents uh are at risk here. We are unable to enter or exit our driveways or the street during peak hours um on weekdays. We have frustrated drivers that are driving over sidewalks trying to pass each other during
traffic. Um these include large delivery trucks. We've seen beer delivery trucks, grocery delivery trucks. Um they're unable to turn out at the end of our street because there's so much traffic and it's so um such a tight neighborhood. Um residents are being
harassed. We are enduring swearing and yelling and beeping from passers by. Um, I had an experience one evening pulling up to my home with my 14-year-old daughter in the car. A driver slowed down, pulled over next to me, rolled
down his window, bered me. Um, one so much so that one of my neighbors uh actually came out to see if I needed help. Um, so that's very unsettling. Um, just to give you an example, but we, you know, we really feel that this is unsafe. if it's unsafe for drivers, um,
children that live on the street, um, as well as pedestrians. Um, we have a couple of videos here that we just wanted to show just to kind of give some context to, um, you know, what we are experiencing and and we're happy to
share those out later. Um, but just wanted to um, kind of outline what the experience has been like since the road diet went into effect. Um, if you could go to the next slide, please. Um, >> can I just add if you go back, Nick?
Sorry. >> Sorry. No, go right ahead. >> Um, the picture up on the right really kind of explains what's happening, right? We have it's it's a densely populated area and the picture is not huge, right? But people park on the street so their kids can play in the
driveway so people can do things outside of because a lot of the driveways are small. So, we have to park in different places along the road. There are some houses that can only fit one drive, one car, but they have two cars in their family or more. So, you're looking up
Clifton Road going towards Highland. Now, you can imagine what would happen if somebody's trying to come down Clifton Road in that also busy time frame between 3 and 6. Not only are you having people cutting through Clifton to go up Highland to go back off to Randolph, but at the same time, you have
to imagine people are coming back from picking up with their kids at middle school, picking up their kids at the high school, and now they're trying to get home. Now, we get a lot of uh cut through traffic, but it's never been this insane. It's always been a way for people to get through and go past
Canton, you know, by the library to avoid that. And that's fine, but if we are it's every say every time the light cycles, you get at least five to 10 cars going up the road. So now people can't get down the road. And now it's becoming more of a safety issue. People are
pulling, like Amy said, pulling over onto sidewalks, trying to pull around people. It's it's it you can't navigate the road when two lanes of cars are trying to come down and people in the perfect time frame where people are out and about in the afternoon are parking
on the road. It's really in a a dangerous situation that's going to start to occur especially as people get more and more frustrated. >> Um so thank you Travis. So, we're we're here tonight. We're here to ask for your help. We need help. We
don't um know what the answer is um necessarily, but we we know we need help from the select board in the town. Um we know that a pre-study about the road diet did not include um side streets and the impact that that would have um or
not our street anyway. Um, we also know that GPS apps are directing drivers to Clifton Road to get around A. Um, we have a couple of examples um that people, you know, friends and other
neighbors have sent us, hey, my my GPS is telling me to cut down your street. Um, so that I'm I'm assuming is drivers coming from every direction. Um we are looking for short-term relief um from
this situation that we are enduring right now. Um we are hoping for some signage and a plan to outsmart somehow these GPS systems. We need some technology
um assistance. We know that um they are being directed to our street. um in addition to all of the regular local traffic which you know we're we're used to. >> Um so we've asked we asked at the traffic commission for a do not enter
sign um at the end of our street at Reedsdale Road for certain hours. We were told that that's not a favorable solution. We are wondering about a no left turn sign perhaps at the end of Clifton Road
onto Highland Street so that um you know people cutting through would not then be able to turn onto Highland and then get back to Randolph A. Um that was a recommendation. We are not sure if or how the process
for those changes to be updated in these apps. Um, you know, I don't know if that's something that Mass DOT could help us with. Um, I'm just, you know, we're just kind of throwing out options, but you know, we we're not experts. We
are not, um, traffic consultants. We don't know what our options might be. Um, so we're asking really, I think for our own pilots, you know, for Clifton Road, um, just to to see what might help in the short term and then long term, we
don't know the full out final outcome of the road diet or what that will look like, you know, long term for the town. So, um, we may need to take a few stabs at this and, um, that's that's what we're asking for. So, I'll let Travis go ahead.
>> Next slide. You nailed it. >> Thank you. Um, so really we we know that this is not this was not the intent. Um, and certainly we all agree that Randolph A is a terrible road. Um, we've lived here, we travel it all the time. It is
unsafe. Um, this is an unintended impact of a state pilot that was meant to solve another problem. Um, but we we we know it's the town's responsibility to protect the neighborhoods and we on Clifton Road, we should not be absorbing
all of the the unsafe driving that created the problem on Randolph A. All of that volume, all of that risk, um all of those issues. This is just not sustainable for our side street. And um you know, we're here tonight to to
partner and and ask for your help. Um, we we'd really like some short-term signage to see if something might work. And, um, I'll also I I have one final note here. Um, we also need a long-term
view to address the road diet and the 90 plus apartments that are going in at 711 Randolph A. Right now, there is no route for those residents to travel north. they will all come right out of their their parking lot and end up back on
Clifton Road. So now we have all of that traffic headed our way as well probably in you know the spring or summer of next year whenever that development um is is final. So that's that's what we're here tonight to
to ask for your help and to hopefully start a dialogue about that. Thank you. Thank you both and thank you to everybody who's come in. Uh and full disclosure, Mr. Lana and I uh met with uh some of the residents uh previously last week and so part of we've we've had
the opportunity to ask some questions and have some dialogue. So I'd love to turn it over to our members for questions or thoughts or ideas that they might have both about Clipton Road and then if we if there's anything around the broader uh topic that you guys want to discuss as well. Think >> you have some other folks who want to share some you want to hear from them.
Oh, please. >> Sure. We're not from the hillside. >> I think that's fine. Yeah. Do do you guys want to swap seats for a second and then we can have >> Absolutely. >> And then I'm assuming you guys don't have a PowerPoint.
>> Um, no. Okay. No, you'll be relieved that we we actually sent it in already. So, >> no, we saw the emails. Please introduce yourselves and and and go ahead. >> I'm Mary Beckman. I live at 640 Harland Street. >> Uh Robert Muzzy at 291 Hillside Street
uh for 45 years. >> I think I'm 13 years 13 years there. Um I'm currently the vice president of Hillside Neighborhood Association. Um, we've had a lot of discussions with members of the town administration, with
select board about Route 28 and traffic issues over the years. Um, and wanted to come tonight to um, report on a survey that we did of the neighborhood. Um, we sent in a report uh to the select board and also to MASDOT, but thought it might
be helpful for the discussion just to share that there's about 130 households in the Hillside neighborhood and uh we sent out a survey uh October 26th and we had 61 responses
just from neighbors about how they felt about the road diet. We're planning to redo a survey maybe after the first of the year after a little more time has gone by. Um we think it's important to note that slightly more than half of the
respondents support uh making the changes in some form permanent because people do feel generally speaking that it's safer and our neighborhood is right adjacent to Route 28 and we have felt the danger of that road I think on a on a daily basis.
Um at the same time though is that our neighbors in Clifton Road have experienced we we are concerned about cut through traffic. Um that's that was the the primary concern. There are some other concerns but um we have also done
some informal monitoring. Uh we understand masto did account at the hillside intersection and we may hear more about that from masot when when that discussion happens. We don't think that that one point fully captures the traffic cut through traffic flow through
our area. Um, and have actually purchased a traffic monitoring device that we're informally sort of trying to keep track of things. Based on findings as of November 10th, um, we have an average weekday volume
of,245 cars going through on Hillside Street. That's a 30% increase over the town's most recent count, which we believe was in 2017. And also 25% of those vehicles were traveling uh at speeds over 31 m an
hour. And in our neighborhood, that's a real safety issue because the streets are narrow, there are no sidewalks, and the sight lines are not straight. It's it's quite alarming. I'm sure you can appreciate that. I'm sure our neighbors on Lipton Road can have experienced
something similar. Um, so uh I think it's, you know, it's kind of a mixed bag, but overall I think people feel the road uh the the Randolph A experience is safer. Um are concerned about congestion and about the cut
through traffic. Um I don't think we have a particular ask other than um continued well we have some suggestions. Uh continued monitoring and official traffic counts would be great. We've had discussions with Masdot about that in
anticipation of the roundabout and they agreed because our neighborhood is just going to experience a lot of increased cut through traffic when that happens. Um they didn't have the same response with respect to the road diet. Any support we could get on on more official
monitoring would be great. Any um increased enforcement on speed and traffic um signage like stop signs uh would also be great. Um and as our neighbors from Clifton Road requested,
help with the apps would also be really useful. Um >> do you want to add anything? Yeah, I'll add um I did uh in order to get us a feel for how with the cut through traffic, I uh actually sat out from 6:00
a.m. to 7 p.m. one evening about two weeks ago um and with a radar gun uh to actually count the traffic um record them and see what the speed was. And we uh during the day we got about that
particular day we got about 1,500 cars through on that street and the a huge rush at rush hour and I'm not sure exactly where people are cutting through but um from say uh 3:00 to 6:30 uh there
was a just an enormous number of cars coming through um and I have tabulated all of those and we'll is submitting that to the uh to the town. Um but um about 30% of them were going well over the
speed limit. Um some some people over 40 miles an hour. We have no sidewalks. Um it's dark on the street when when there no there scarce street lights. So it's just unsafe. Um anybody who walks on the
street um does not walk from 3 3:00 on. we know that it's it's not safe. >> So that's was my direct experience. >> So again, comments just comments and information offered in the spirit of f further collaboration and we appreciate
that the town and the masdot have been working together really hard to try to address all these issues at the same time. We don't know the answer as our neighbors don't either, but appreciate the continued um collaboration and opportunity to share our experience. Mhm. >> Absolutely. Thank you for coming in.
>> Thank you. >> Um I do see a hand up online and given that we've been um taking speakers from the crowd, I think it would be um the right move to uh if you could promote. Thank you, Mr. Milano. Can you hear us? Uh Mr. or Miss Hajj,
sorry if I've butchered your name. >> This is Bart Hyresi. Thank you very much. >> You're very welcome. Yes, if you could just give us your address and then uh your thoughts or comments. >> Yes. Uh 11 Spafford Road. Um you know, neighbors here with with my friends in
uh on Clifton Road. So, uh just very quickly, I wanted to speak um you know, I think like like you heard from the neighbors on Hillside, I think many of us on Spafford here u just a couple streets over from Clifton. um you know
generally positive on the improved safety on the on the route 28 road diet um you know makes a lot of sense you know slowing the traffic down and I had interacted with the traffic commission and and been part of um you know gained a little bit of experience from various
traffic studies given some of the new development in our neighborhood over the last few years it's been approved um so you know what I and I'm sure you know forgive me for maybe I'm joining late but the 2021 route 28 corridor study that was done uh to me has has a lot of
good suggestions on how to how to try to address some of the the concerns that have been raised and um in particular the um time of day do not enters are a key suggestion you know because in this corridor study you know they they
propose exactly what's what we've done here with with the road diet in fact they also recommend it on the retail portion um and you know one of the ways to mitigate cuts through traffic you Table 12 on page 66 um says that the time of day do not
enters from 3 to 6 are a key way to do that. Now the neighbors on Spafford you know we've we've tried we've pushed for that angle for the latter streets you know the Clifton Spafford Buckingham and Martin in the past and there has been resistance and I believe the main source
of the resistance was around um you know well if if we enforce that um we have to also respect it for our police fire DPW etc. And that's that's a difficult thing given the vital services they provide. Um but I think many of us neighbors feel
like you know given all three of those are in fact in the neighborhood that that you know we don't we don't see that as an impediment that they should be treated as neighbors as residents and allowed to use them as as Milton residents would. Um so you know I think the select board has a chance here to
really revisit those suggestions and I think Travis said you know we're not um traffic engineers but you know this reports 4 450 pages done by traffic engineers is is suggesting um time of day enters for that period to to solve the problem that they're facing. Um so I
think it warrants a second look. Um and then just quickly from the Spafford perspective, you know, we have data from 2019 showing about 250 cars a day on a weekday when Milton Hospital went before ZBA to to get approval for their uh
emergency room expansion. Um they did a traffic study and their data showed about 650 cars um in an 11-hour period in early 2025. So in the in the period of about 5 six years, it's almost a three-fold increase. And if you
extrapolate that up to 24 hours, that's a little bit more than that. I would say since the road diet, we've probably seen an increase to that. Um maybe, you know, we haven't measured it like our neighbors on Hillside or or Clifton, but it's it's also increased a bit. I think these these streets that are the last
before a major intersection, you know, it's just natural. um you know whether it's turning left to avoid the uh the light at Cantonav and and in route 28 Reedsdale or whether it's that the turn that they mentioned before um you know historically the town of Milton in this
neighborhood has has put do not enters on many of the streets um if you look at Artwell if you look at Lodge if you look at um uh Coolage Highland itself in fact is is a permanent do not enter um you know so many of the streets have been
kind closed off and the ones that don't the only ones that don't really have it are are are um Clifton and Spafford as being the last ones perform major intersection. So, you know, I I think it does warrant a revisit because I can tell you we've been dealing with a lot
of the same aggressive driving and yelling and cars getting clipped, uh you know, um mirrors getting hit. You know, if you drop your kid off and don't move fast enough, someone beeps at you. If someone's frustrated, stuck behind a school bus, they beep or they turn around, you know, and it's not the high
school kids, it's not, you know, I think it's commuters, it's truck traffic, it's people trying to get through the town as fast as possible. And let's face it, at the end of the day, you know, we're not going to stop all the volume of traffic, but what we can do is is um improve the safety. And I think that's what a lot of
these things are designed to do. And and so I would I would you know submit we have some good data already in hand in studies that have been done like I mentioned that Route 28 corridor study which gives us some solutions that are are worth um worth pursuing. So uh thank you very much. I appreciate the time and
and and um you know I'll I'll be paying attention. Hopefully we can move this forward. >> All right. Thank you sir. Thanks for joining us. And you can lower your hand whenever you're you're ready. Thanks. Um so um let's turn to the members. I see Mr.
Wells is also uh with us online uh thoughts um comments. We can all we have folks here that you could ask questions of. >> Yeah, I think we've been I think I'm up. I think we've been receiving the emails and foreign notes to mast. Um I'm
surprised to hear that the resident was told that we aren't able to do the no enter signs. Um I think in some of our communication we talked about having that on on um on Clifton and then you know the impacts on Spafford and Buckingham and those corresponding
streets. Uh so that is something I think we should be looking into locally um or with Masot about having those do not enter three and six especially with the dis there's truck traffic going down those streets. >> The truck traffic is very concerning.
Mr. Milano, do you want to share a little bit because I know um DPW and NPD both weighed in on the um the do not enter signs. >> Yes. So, um what I think was repeated was traffic commission comments that
they weren't favorable. I I I think those comments were in in relation to Clifton Road alone rather than treating those four streets kind of as a group. Um the do not enter residents only version um it's no whether it had been
it's no longer a sign that's recommended under the standard for traffic control devices. So that's that adds a little bit of wrinkle and then obviously it introduces a little bit of complication enforcement in terms of for Milton police to who is a resident who isn't um
in terms of pulling over. Um, one of the other concerns would be um, police and fire and everybody else is supposed to observe a do not enter as well. So, it introduces, you know, if there's a house on fire, police and fire will do whatever it takes to get there, but if
they're responding to a non-urgent call, they're supposed to observe the rules of the road like anybody else. So, it introduces a little bit of complications. Um, so that's probably generally the response. I think from my perspective viewing this as a d as a pilot um whether we you know go outside
what we would typically try to do and and noting that it's a pilot and trying to adapt to the things that are changing um that might be worth further consideration or further discussion. Um so that's kind of the gist and general kind of pros and cons of the do not enter um signs.
>> Mr. Wells has his hand up. Mr. Wells. >> Thank you Mr. chair. So, um, let me put my hand back down first. So, a little bit different perspective here clearly. Um, so I spent a lot of time as the residents in Clifton Beam Mo both Hillside Group and the Clifton Road
neighborhood. Um, couple of points I'll just more from a practical understanding having an operational background on this as police chief for so long. So the do not enters were a popular thing um probably through the '9s into the early
2000s. And then one of the difficulties that happened with and and I know the gentleman mentioned some of the streets were almost closed off is that every time you number one place a duneta and I know the Clifton Road residents will know because this is what I said to them is
so let's say you put a Dun on Clifton 6 to 8 or 4 to 6 or 4 to 7 whatever. So the traffic that was dispersed between Spafford, Buckingham, Martin and Clifton is now dispersed between
Spafford, Buckingham. So four are now taking three now taking the work of four or vice versa. And I believe the traffic commission not long after I retired adopted a policy to really look a lot different on doing it is that they that sometimes the negative impact was
greater than the singular impact of one street. So, I understand that I did mention I don't know if I did mention to you, Mr. Milano. I haven't heard it mentioned tonight. I know I came into this in the middle of this. Um, looking at this from an operational perspective, this the issue here is a volume issue.
It's not the speed signs on Clifton. That that's not going to change 600 cars in in 2 hours or 3 hours. So, changing some of the signal, I don't know if you can change the apps. Maybe bass. And and I'll actually make a call on that tomorrow if I can. But if you're going
to do something on the four streets cuz you can't do it on one, you got to do it on all four. Do not enter residence only is not a legal sign to call the Massachusetts. Unforcable. You can't do it. Who determines who's a resident? Who's not?
Someone hits someone. It just it's not that's why you don't see it anywhere in this in the town or anywhere else. You could do the do not enter, but if you do four do not enters, that means the residents of each one of those streets can't enter either. So if you live on any one of those four and you're coming
home between the time you you restrict it, they can't come in from that entrance either. So my thought had been that and I'm willing to go and speak to the traffic commission about this. I led a little bit to mass even though this
was not a masked out decision. I thought this would be a town decision. And I know I'm being lengthy here, but this is a complex issue. Um would be to do four no left turns on a restricted turn on the restricted time from the streets that are restricted. And I would think
that we should recommend and I don't want to cuz the traffic commission recommends to us. So I don't want to jump ahead of that. Let them look at this and analyze it. Mr. Milan, you can carry the water if you want. We do four no left turns on Highland
from Clifton, Martin, Spafford, and Buckingham with whatever terms or whatever times day, whether it's 4 to 7 or 4 to 6. I think 4 to 7 would probably be the appropriate on given this issue and I've watched this meticulously. I've
been there each week watching all the different scenarios there. But you can't just do this. This would require I know I'm hearing about the speed mil police can't be everywhere all the time but when you make a change like this this is going to require some diligent
enforcement and they would have to designate some significant response here to discourage it because once they people realize that there's that they can't do it and that there's a penalty for doing it then they won't do it and hence they won't take the shortcut any
um that's one suggested relief and there's the sec and I think there's some possibility out of this. The second thing to the question about um 7 and Randolph have for my office we've already started approach this issue with
Mass cuz that complex wasn't in their plan when they came up with the road diet. So, I think it's going to be um important for our DPW to lay to them when this is ready so that they can make whatever change in that dis in that location between Pleasant Street and
Reach the Road to allow for cars to come out of the remember you're going to have 90 units here allow them to come out and go um left or right um so that they don't have to fall into the scenario that was described by the Clifton Road Group. So those are just some of my con
concepts looking at this. And then just the final thing as you know Mr. Milano. Uh Senator Driscoll and I have talked with Mas a lot on this and they will be coming out on December 8th at the in the community room with the old fire station and they'll be there to answer any questions regarding the road diet plan
and how things have been going. Um so far I think I think I've covered all I can think of in this right now. Thank you. >> Thank you Mr. Wells. Richard, can I ask a a followup to the solution you just entered? >> Uh the no left turn signs would be at
the end of the four streets we're talking about, right? That left turn onto Highland. >> It strikes me that that doesn't stop the traffic from then beginning on the streets. We would end up >> if you look at >> they would go on streets with no way to turn but to go back in a circle.
>> No. So if you look at the cars who are taking the shot, I think it's like nine out of 10 go left and which would that follows the suit of the PM commute. The majority of the the trouble for everyone on the northbound commute is traffic
coming from the south. The trouble in the PM commute is traffic coming from the city heading south. So, if you already know that the majority of cut through traffic is going left on a Highland Street when they get there, if you make it illegal for them to take that left, you're now discouraging them from using the street because you are
now forcing them to take a right and go back and start over again. And uh I think anyone has to do that once or twice to get I don't want to do that again or B they take the left, get a ticket or they get stopped through the enforcement you put in place. That's a way to discourage it. And my final point
to you Mr. daily and that is that if you go with the do not enters you're forcing the residents how do they get home in the restricted times that's that's the difficulty how are they going to get home and that's as I say do not enter this there's no such thing as a do
not enter residence only it just does there's no such thing in the chapter 90 statute of this car that's that's why I I after looking this and spending a lot of time knowing different tools that they might have available to put in place here dude on
it is at 04 would prevent people where the majority traffic is taking off continuing assault along the route 28 corner because the only reason they're taking the they're taking the rights onto these streets because they don't want to sit on the route 28 traffic but the goal of the traffic commission has always been in
every aspect is to force traffic to stay on the main roads I know that was longwinded I hope I answered your question >> no you did I'm thinking that the signage would have to be at the beginning of the street so that folks don't turn onto one
of the four side roads. >> You mean on Reeddale? >> Yes. On Reedsdale entering Clifton, Buckinghams, Spafford, Martin, it would say do not enter, no through traffic or left turn >> or no exit. >> No, this is different than a do not
enter. So this is you're talking to signs similar to here that we have like at Franklin and Adams and there are different locations in town where you cannot make a a legal turn. So this would be you'd get to the top of high you'd have a square box arrow left arrow
with a big X through it that says no left turn. >> I Yeah, I think what Mr. Daly is getting at it's okay Mr. Driscoll has his hand up. >> Uh Mr. Wells that 7-Eleven board of appeals has that they can only take a right out on the Randolph Fav. So I do
you have to go before the board of appeals to change that? >> I don't I don't know. I'm not I don't think that's I don't I was before and I testified in that case as chief in that. I don't recall that >> being the case, but I mean we can look
at it. I'm not sure that's true. But I think that's I think you're going to have to change it. I don't think you have any choice. and you're going to have to make some type of accommodation for people to get out on that and go straight across, take a right or a left. I I just I think it's too dangerous to do otherwise.
>> It it is a condition of the 7-Eleven Randolph A and it specifically mentions it doesn't put a time on it. It says during the AM rush that they can't go left or I believe it's AM. Yeah, I believe it's during the AM. a time limited prohibition in the in the in the
conditions for that permit approval. That being said, it was done when Randolph ad was a four-lane road and and left there might have been more challenging. So I the board of appeals might be open to revisiting in the sense that the road itself has changed significantly since then and the alternatives could be worse. Um, but I I
do believe it is conditioned. So, it's something that we may want to broach with the board of appeals as well if that's a that's a direction to go in. And there would have to be changes from Mass as well to accommodate that on the street. >> So, you make that a turning lane in the middle like further like Yeah. >> elsewhere on the strip. Correct.
>> But ladies and gentlemen, I feel your pain. I live on Randolph and I feel sorry for you. My sister lives on Reed Road. The traffic starts after 2:00 in the afternoon and it goes all the way down to Cunningham Park.
Sometimes it just the end result there's just a lot of cars out there. So you took a four lane highway and you made it one way up, one way down. So they're going somewhere. It's it's it's I'm sorry to say and I do
feel for you and uh wish I had the answer. I'm not one that goes on a computer to find different ways to go around. I do it the oldfashioned way. >> So I it is a good point for Mr. Driscoll. I think the the apps as as we mentioned with some of the folks when
they came in um we don't have the ability to tell Google Maps but Masdot does have communication with them and so they should communicate changes to traffic patterns to the Google and I I don't know who ways I guess ways is Google isn't it and some of the other
apps. Um, but before we get off this topic, and I know we've got a big agenda, um, but I do I do think it would be helpful to maybe come up with a couple of things that we could at least look at and then come back in, uh, at our next meeting to address. Um, so one thing that the uh that our neighbors on
Clifton Road brought up to me which I found um you know may help with the volume a little bit is the is the idea that folks are coming up on Pleasant and then rather than turning left on Randolph because it's blocked up. They
go past Randolph and then turn left onto Clifton. And so that's been that's been the source of significant traffic I think according to Travis and others. So, part of me when we talk about no lefthand turns, part of me wonders if we
put had some sort of a either a sign or even like some of the plastic barrier poles that they have that would just prevent any left turns from onto those forest streets. Now, we'd have to ask the neighbors there if that's something that they would want to
sort of permanently give up. um or if it's a diet, you know, if it's if it's a plan where we just kind of see how it works, um that might be a solution and that is our road there. So, we would have the ability um to do something like that. I would imagine it'd be quicker to
get at least some no left-hand turns from Rand on Randolph. So, can I actually share my screen here? It's I feel like it's >> You should be able to get um apps while we're talking. Um so right now what we've got is um folks
that are coming down Pleasant from East Milton, they can't make this turn here. They go straight on Reedsdale and then turn on Clifton or Martin or one of these streets and then down Highland to basically get around the backup queue that's waiting to turn left onto 28. So
if there was a way and that's I think um Travis you said it was like 25% of the traffic or something. You said it was a pretty big number of products that are >> completely different. >> It's yeah >> like we would get >> Yeah. Come on up to the microphone. And I saw somebody shaking their head. So I'd love you to hear from you also if
you have >> So we would get traffic all the time coming up Reedsdale from say Cantav and making a right down Clifton. that >> that's been that's been consistent for 13 years. Has it increased a little bit? Yeah, sure. We've seen it because we
stand out there and watch it. But what we what we see more than anything is that people are lined up in the left-hand lane on Reedsdale Road going towards Canton waiting to make a left onto Clifton across two lanes. And now you have the people that are trying to
come up Reedsdale to make a right onto Randolph and you have the people on the lefthand lane trying to go down Reedsdale to get towards East Belton Square. So now these people are lining up on Reedsdale and people are bombing around them and they're just all trying to make a left down to Clifton. And when
we look at I've done it a few times where you try to map it out on Google Maps, it's a savings of four to five minutes. So, it's how do we adjust and make it more difficult for them to take four extra minutes to wait
in line to get onto Randolph A versus not. And so whatever suggestions that you guys come up with, maybe an an action is to talk to Mass about how they can handle localities versus state roads and if they because this is a state road
change that's affecting a locality if they can support in that communication with those technology companies also. >> Thank you. I see Mr. Wells has his hand up. >> Thanks Mr. Ch. I just want to remember that because I've seen this exercise so
many times that for every action is a reaction and to Mr. very to the point right that cup four suck you take and the other thing on if you would I think on 28 reach still is still part of 28 with regard to
signage so I think if we were to look at any type of change there they'd want to weigh in on this I don't think the traffic commission would recommend it to us on their own without some wein from that I know that we put that hawk light at the base of the hawk light is
the overhead double flash at the base of the hospital entrance fast. I'll weigh in on that. Um, so just a thought. I I I don't think and even what I suggested may not be the fit that works, but I think this is going to take some bit of tweaking
so that you want to re-educate or deter the volume that you're going to get hit with every day cuz these, as we know, these people are going to go home. They're not going to stop driving. going to they're going to they're going to commute to try to get them as I said earlier to try and force them to stay on
on um the main road. And then just the final point to Mr. Gregory is that remember on that turn you've got to leave the residents who do live on these streets the ability to get home. That's that's like a very important thing that we have to be able to do here. So
>> um I do I I will say my just one last request, Mr. chair cuz I I when I did meet with Clifton, I think that they had been told by the traffic commission chair that they didn't want to meet for 6 weeks. I don't I don't think we can wait 6 weeks. I think the traffic commission needs to be present on the
8th. I think they need to start having some communication and conversation between our engineers and our traffic people and mass to try and look at all this so that we can address it. I mean, I know there's no magic wand to make it
all go away, but to try and make it a lot more amendable, particularly those that are carrying we we know random, but we want to make sure that we're making life totally untoable for those these people on these side streets. So, that's that's my
>> Thank you, Mr. Wilson. >> I've spent a lot on this. Sorry. >> That's okay. I I I do believe that is the point of this is to try to make this safer. Uh Mr. Driscoll, quickly, and then we did have a neighbor that wanted to make a comment and I see a hand up online. What about oldfashioned police work? Have policemen there at the height of the traffic and get the cars through
the intersections like they did at first when they did the pilot. See how fast >> I think it's a good question. >> See if that moves the traffic a lot faster >> or at least encourages people to behave nicely. >> Yeah. >> Yes. We'd love to hear from you. >> Yeah. U my name is Mallerie Quinn. I
live at 19 Clifton. Um, I just want to sort of comment from a generation of people who uses a map all the time. Um, my husband, I joke with him, but he uses it to get to the fruit center every day. It's just a thing, you know, my age and
younger, everybody uses the map. And if it's saving you 4 minutes, 5 minutes, 7 minutes, they're taking it. So, I just want to be like really cognizant of the fact that we've really have to put some sort of measures in place that can be
can speak to those map apps. Um, and I know MASDOT has the ability to do that. Um, I'm from Mansfield, Massachusetts originally, home of the Tweeter Center. And, uh, we the police and Masot have sort of worked together to shut down some roads in that area during concert
times. It's not every day, but I know the capabilities there. Um, I am very cautious about things that are going to punish the residents. I I want to come up with something, but you know, I myself take a left out of Clifton to get
to Glover every day, and that would be a pretty big impedance on me doing that back and forth to do that. Um, to to use the permanent barriers. >> The permanent barriers. Yes. >> Yeah. If there was a no turn sign though, >> what I'm thinking is
>> that you still would be able to make a left because it doesn't the no turn sign would be on from Reedsdale onto Clifton. Right. >> Right. So you would be able to make your left out on to Reedsdale. >> Yep. Um it was just it' just be that if you were coming back from the fruit center via you know or if you were
coming back from Colocott and Glover uh if you had a kid there instead of or Kikotten Cunningham instead of a Glover then you wouldn't be able to turn left onto Clifton from Reedsdale from per the sign. >> But if we had so if we had no left-hand turn signs it would allow you to turn left out of your street.
>> It wouldn't allow you to turn left onto your street from Reedsdale. But I think importantly that that sign data would then go into the the apps, right? So that if you had and again I'm just going to share my screen because I'm like Gen
X, so I like maps but I don't need them all the time. Uh um so if you had that happening that there would be no way for somebody who was trying to skip this left-hand turn to do that unless they wanted to go all the way down to Canton, turn left
and then come all the way back on island which surely would take more than four minutes. >> So I'm thinking that if you had those left no lefthand turn signs there >> and could be time restricted potentially. >> It could be time restricted too. That's true. We could just have no lefthand turns during the during the rush hour uh commute. And I think to Mr. Driscoll's
point had some increased enforcement with uh MPD presence. >> I think that could at least, >> you know, in the meantime be helpful. >> Yeah, >> I'd love to try something. >> Yeah, we all would. And that's why we're spending a lot of time on this. >> Yeah, that sounds helpful to me.
>> It's it's what what can we come do together to to try something out? What are we going to got to They have a pilot. We got to >> think of something. Pilot something. >> If it doesn't work, we get resident feedback. We could always adjust. >> Yeah. >> Plus, the town has to be careful. The
winter's coming and all this salting operations on Randolph V. >> So, those trucks are going to be stuck in traffic. >> You know what I mean? >> There's a lot of pluses to this and I see a lot of downfalls too >> cuz I've seen snow storms like on a
those sneak snowstorms. Traffic's backed up the lower mills and that's when the road was four lanes. >> You know what I'm just saying? the Sultan operations right there for the town and they're going to be stuck in traffic >> read and out >> Pleasant Street. Yep.
>> So, >> so um >> I'll take some final thoughts from the members and then we do need to move on because we have >> just just in terms of timeline which might be helpful. The traffic commission has already plugged um a placeholder for December 3rd as their next meeting. >> Okay.
>> We do have as um >> Mr. Mr. Wells mentioned the December 8th meeting with MASDOT. On our calendar, we had December 2nd as our tentative date. Perhaps it would make more sense for the select board to meet December 9th. >> Yes, I think that's right. >> Rather than December 2nd and in the wake
of both traffic commission having a chance and um that December 8th meeting. What can we do to I'm thinking that we should be working on things before those dates. um with the suggestions like what's our feedback like with Mastar right now if we're sending them resident
concerns talking about possibilities I would rather they came to either the 128 meeting or any of these meetings are upcoming with our concerns already in place so that they come with solutions to let us know can we do the no turn signs can what can we do during certain
hours of of operation instead of us presenting it to them again three weeks from now. So these roads are Milton's roads. So from Reedsdale to Highland, they're they're Milton's roads for control. We in a internal conversation mast flagged that we might be looking at changes.
>> Um their feedback was that they understood that that might be necessary, you know, and from a purely engineering perspective, it's a pilot. You don't want to change the inputs during it. But I think we would want to be responsive here to things that we're seeing. So I think I my view would be with an
intention of having recommendations for the select board to take up and approve or not approve on the 9th. So not coming here for a chance to coming in with recommendations for the select board to say yes do that. >> So if these are our roads and in the meantime can we meet with uh the police
chief and traffic commission before that so that this is an ongoing and we're not just letting this sit for the next two or three weeks? Yeah, I was going to suggest I don't even think we need to meet with I think we can just ask Mr. Milano and I'm sorry, Mr. Wells, I see your hand up, but I just want to make this quick point. We can ask the police
chief to look into and report back on increased enforcement and um both on I I want to acknowledge we had folks from Island here that were talking about this as well and these other streets. I think it's important. I know that police can't be everywhere all the time, but they can
be somewhere sometimes. And so I think we should have um a concerted effort to particularly given the safety concerns with some of the aggression that we've seen. I think nothing cools the blood quicker than having a having a a cop car
around usually. Uh actually sometimes it works the other way. Uh Mr. Wells, do you want to uh chime in real quick before we move on? >> Yeah, I'm going to help you a little bit in this. So, I'm going to make a motion to that we ask uh Mr. Milan to ask the
chief to start with some directed patrols on the Hillside Holland neighborhood radar patrols and also I realized Clifton and and the others are more of a volume thing. the same thing with the visible presence particularly in the PM commute when they can do it
and with director patrols they can create it by computer with designated times and locations I think that's something we could start right away and then my final point to to Mr. daily this procedurally the traffic commission is our investigator but like they're the
subject matter experts soon the traffic commission so they use I'm happy they're meeting first let them hear all of this list let's weigh in public safety uh public works all of them and then um come to the master meeting have let them
weigh in with master what they think they can do to help with this overall project and then we can hopefully make a vote quickly on the 9th If that if that um because that's usually that the the traffic commission usually we we vote their not usually
lawfully we vote their recommendations. Anything the traffic commission passes or recommends does become real in reality until we vote it that they're our investigative body to do that. >> Um I don't know that we need a motion
for that. Miss Wells I'm also not sure where the motion ended. Um, so we can just ask you to ask we can just instruct Mr. Milana to do that. I think with the unless there's dissent here, which I don't think that there is, we'll >> No, I'm fine. I'm fine with that. If everybody else does. I just think that
that's something we can start tonight and have Mana speak. I'm They know that I've had personally several conversations with them already. Like they know they know what's going on here. But I think for the residents that are here tonight and for this problem, this is something he has to tackle that
they have to tackle like aggressively starting tomorrow. >> I I see yesterday. >> Thank you, Mr. Wells. I see one more hand up. So I I'll take this comment from Nadine Hannah uh and then uh I think we're we'll be resolved uh to move
along. But um Miss Hannah, can you unmute and uh just introduce yourself quickly and and you have the floor. Hi, thank you very much. Um, Naen Hannah, 11 Stafford Road, town meeting member, precinct 9. Um, thank you guys
for all of the diligence and attention that you're providing collectively towards these issues that are impacting our neighborhood um and our town as a whole. Uh, we can't express your gratitude enough for that. Thank you. Especially considering how much you're willing to continue moving forward. Um,
I know Bard spoke earlier and I just wanted to add on. Um, one more piece of information that I think he forgot to include, which is that with the incoming memory care facility on Highland, we have a projected, I think, additional
2,000 trips um, weekly vehic vehicular trips anticipated to come through our neighborhood, specifically through Spafford um, to, you know, to and from that facility. Um, just to put that into your your notes, that was more of a planning board conversation than select
board. Um, and there is a study that you know they provided that could back that up. If you need it, we can probably get that for you. Additionally, um if if just somewhere in this conversation, if we could ask you to
either include or separately look at specifically the commercial um hospital traffic that definitely Spafford is bears the burden of. Um we have ambulances not not an emergency state ambulances, not with the lights on. We
have ambulance kind of returning from the hospital down Stafford. We've got the air gas tanker using Spafford to go into the to the Highland um entrance of the hospital to to deliver their you know where their silos are. We've got their you know WB Mason. We've got their
uniform company. I could tell you like the day and time that it comes down. It's regular 11 uh between 12:30 1:30 on I think Thursdays it is. And we do have an extensive um photo uh you know an album that we kind of Google album we
put together during memory care conversations that we could provide. That thing's gone cold since since everything was put through on that end. Um, but there is still extensive, you know, uh, picture evidence of all of the trucks using Spafford Road as their um,
you know, kind of their back door to the hospital and the number of trips that we've that we have witnessed um, in person has increased since the road diet, which I'm a fan of the road diet. I like that it's, you know, the 28's
moving slower. I I want safety in our in our town and I would love reduced traffic across all the ladder streets. So outside of whatever uh however the conversation goes whether it's do not enters or left turn only or any of that if during these conversations if there's
an opportunity to address um mitigating hospital traffic, you know, not no longer using Spafford in that way. We would really really appreciate that chance. And here comes my four-year-old. So, thank you very much and good night.
>> Thank you, Miss Hannah. >> Um, so I believe that uh Mr. Milano, we have a pretty good uh schedule of of requests here. Um, so we'll go to MPD, ask them for increased enforcement uh in the in the area. We have the December
3rd traffic commission meeting, the December 8th mass dot meeting. I agree with you to move and we can discuss that when we're getting to select board agenda, but move select board to December 9th, I think. and and we'll have this as an agenda item there. Um in the meantime, I invite folks to continue
to provide us with emails, photos, videos, uh other thoughts that you have. Um make sure that you're sending them to the uh Mr. Milano, could you remind us of the email address also to mass do? You don't have memorized. I don't either. I don't. I'm sorry. >> Um well, uh you can always email
sbiltonma.gov and uh we can make sure that it will get on uh to to mass dots radar as well. uh we forward all those communications. Um so thank you for your patience with this. Um I really want to just commend everyone on the tone of the
conversation. Traffic is as you guys know firsthand something that really gets the blood up and uh we are really working hard here to try to make Milton as safe as possible uh for everybody not just on 28 but on the on the streets that abuted and everywhere else in town as well. So thank you for coming out for
your for your patience with us. >> Thank you. Um, moving along to item six. Uh, we have our fiscal year 2026 storm water fee, >> Miss Hagerty. Okay, you're back. I was just going to shout through the computer
to to rejoin us. >> I'm here. >> Great. All right. Sorry. Give me one moment here, Mr. Chair. >> That's all right. Okay. Um, thank you. So, tonight, uh, we're seeking approval for the fiscal 26
storm water fee. Um, this is a separate enterprise fund which charges a fee based on the square footage of imperous surface area on a given property. Um the fee is is generated based on how much the budget changes year-over-year. Um so
fiscal 25's budget was a $1.14 million budget. In fiscal 26 we had an increase of $114,000 to bring that budget to $1.25 million which is about a 10% increase. Um this increase is driven um
almost entirely but um by what we expect to be um a temporary increase um over the past several years. are um the materials cleared out of storm drains have built up over time at DPW. So, we had a a an increase in the appropriation
for fiscal 26 to allow DPW contract to have that trucked out to clear up the yard a little bit. So, um it was an it's a ongoing project that they're working on at the yard. So, it accounts for um a little bit of an outlier increase on the storm water fee. So, overall the budget increased 20 uh from 25 to 26 about 10%.
Um our impervis surface area increased slightly as well. Um and this is measured on single family homes, commercial properties as well as taxexempt institutions. Milton Hospital, Milton Academy, Kari College. They all are required to pay the storm water fee even though they're exempt from um our
fiscal 26 rate will be $2.84 per 100 square feet on a property of impervious surface area. This chart here gives the overall um changes um going from top to the bottom. So top um is all residential
properties. Um tiers one through 4.3 are residential um less than 15 about 16,000 square ft. So for example um a single family home with um less than 27500 275 square ft of impervious surface
area, their storm water fee was $45. This year it'll be $49. Um so that's about a 9% increase across the tiers. Um and then um anything over that six that 15,896 square ft um gets charged at
$2.84 um cents for 100 square foot of impervious surface area. So those larger institutions as well as town and schools all pay into the storm water fee. Um and that gives a gist of where where the fee is and what folks should expect for
their storm water bill in 26. I'll note that the storm water um enterprise funds a number of items whether it's uh drain work, maintenance, um improvement projects, our street our street sweeping program, yard waste is a
is a big component of the um storm water budget. So all those go into comprising that as well as paying for salaries of DPW staff. And then lastly, we just like to share that we calculate this on a given year with um apps and systems that we have.
Uh right now we're using what's called near mapap, which gives us three to four um aerial views of the town every year. Um so our GIS administrator, Alan Bishop, will go in and make updates based on additions, renovations, um new construction. So all that is captured on
a year-by-year basis. And um the near map thing is pretty cool. So this is September 28th, 2025. You can see the East Milton Fire Station starting to come out of the ground there. So, we get three to four updates of the entire town on an annual basis. That helps um get us to our impervious surface area amounts.
Um I went through that a little quickly, but I just that's the overall. So, again, the budget increase 10% which leads to about a 9% increase on the storm water fee. Um and I'll go back to the table to show what that increase will be across the different tiers. And we're seeking approval for the
stormwater fee of $2.84 84 cents per 100 square f feet of surface area. >> Okay, questions from the members. >> So just to be clear on this rate code here, anything that's commercial falls under the commercial line. The
residentials are all the tiers 1 to 4.3. >> Okay. Uh well if any question I don't see any questions so I'll take a motion from the the board if anyone wants to make one. >> Uh I will move to approve the fiscal year 2026 stormwater fee as presented.
>> Okay. >> Second >> made by Mr. Dailyaly seconded by Mr. Wells. Uh we have remote members so this will be a roll call vote. Uh Mr. Wells >> yes. >> Miss Hagerty. >> Yes. >> Mr. Driscoll.
>> Yes. >> Mr. Daly? >> Yes. and myself. Yes. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh so our next item I believe I have to go through a little bit of a rigomear roll. Uh we have a vote on a residential factor for fiscal year 26 real and personal property tax rates.
Wait I no I skipped one. Public hearing for property tax classification under the provisions of Mass General Law Chapter 40 section 56. Um I am going to we're going to have a public hearing on this. Uh so I will declare the public hearing open and the
purpose of this public hearing is to hear public comment on and to solicit comment from the public on how the fiscical year 26 property tax levy shall be distributed among the residential open space commercial and industrial classes of property. We will begin with a presentation from the board of assessors from chair Brian Cronin and
from chief appraiser Charlie O'Shea. We will then provide an opportunity for select board members to ask questions and also allow for the public to comment. Then we will close the public hearing before voting on the tax classification. So I would like to invite you gentlemen to join us up at the table.
>> Curtis as well who I didn't include in the document. Sorry. Please >> also >> Curtis Ros from the um assessor's office. >> Hi. Good evening. Brian Cronin um chairman of the board of assess chair of the board of assessors. um have Curtis
Ross who was our appraiser uh the man on the ground and Charlie Charlie O'Shea our chief appraiser. Um so so I just want to open by saying that uh the home values still continue to be strong um
with the residential single family residential home at a million um $81,000 is the average. Um and we had a good year for new growth about um uh one one and a half million in new growth. So um
there's a lot of projects going on in town. So Charlie, why don't you uh run through the slides and go from there? >> And uh Nick, you're going to run the slides. >> Yep. >> All right. So um our goals for today first of all
will be to give you an idea of just how values have changed from fiscal 2025 to 26 and then we're going to talk about reviewing options for shifting the tax rate itself. Um the first thing you'll see here is um
a pie chart and you'll notice on the uh left hand side the property tax pays for about 69% of the budget. Pardon my voice by the way. Uh and you know in addition to that you'll see some collections that the town makes as well to uh make the
full budget in that case. Um so assessed values have been moving up and um Mr. Cronin just happened to mention that uh but basically uh you'll see that under fiscal 2025 we're about
8.59 billion and uh then fiscal 26 we moved to about 9001 billion. So uh we went up about 5% uh in residential values in
that case there. And uh the next uh slide will be commercial. Uh the commercial we went from 329 million obviously less uh parcels to 417 million and I'm just kind
of rounding in that case there. Um so uh both went up. One went up about 5% one went up just under 4% in that case there. I'll have Nick go to the next one here. So, um, as, uh, uh, Mr. Cronin said, um,
growth has been pretty good to us. Um, so far, there's been a lot happening. Um, and Curtis, you could probably say more about it than I can, but, um, you know, Curtis is the one that's been as as, uh, Mr. Cronin said, uh, you know,
feet on the on the ground, understanding, getting into the properties, etc. >> Yes. Yes. So, it's been a team effort. Uh, the Milton residents have been extremely helpful and good to us, allowing us to respect their property. Any renovations that are completed, we'll go out there, pick the pick pick
that up for new growth. Uh, we was able to pick up a large chunk of our new growth comes from condominiums, particularly the ice house project on our 48547 Blue Hills Parkway, as well as the remaining uh properties we picked up on Walcott Woods Lane. So everything I
mean we're go I mean we have a good projection going forward. We have major projects going on such as Fort Franklin um 728 Randolph um Avenue. So it's been we like Charlie said I mean
we're in good standing right now. So and again like I said the Milton residents have been extremely helpful and cooperative in terms of allowing us in. We understand, you know, it's it's it's difficult, particularly in the morning, the afternoon, you know, for us to come out and do inspections, but everything's
been going very well. And >> if I could just add and add a a little bit of further context, I think the other element I just I don't want to lose sight of is a lot of this growth does come from the utilities. So, Eversource and National Grid because they've been busy and doing a lot of work.
um it's not quite a third, it's probably about 300 $400,000 of this new growth value is in um personal property for the utilities. So, it's it's not just the construction that you can see um necessarily, but it's stuff going on in underground and overhead um and pull
work that they're doing. The other thing, Charlie, when the number went in, do had noticed that we were kind of a little bit of an outlier on growth this year, I believe. um some of the feedback they did, but um you know we always have to meet with the department of revenue
and you know typically it's Curtis and myself and they do question everything this is not a revaluation year which happens every five years but every year we actually have to value every property. So um that every year we kind
of do the same thing and you know take on the the next set of sales. Uh but as Zick said, um they're called 504 appraisals for the um uh the utilities. And again, they do, you know, what's happening. They're they're putting in,
you know, replacing things, putting in new uh property. Um they have property that's work in progress, etc. And they report all that to us. And then we uh can use that as property growth. Um so this next um uh table here is
basically the tax shift and this is kind of what we were talking about here. Um so on November 6th uh Brian and you know chairman of our uh board of assessors along with our uh other assessors Robert
Reets and um William Bennett uh met and in this case what they did is they uh voted and they chose option number one. So you'll see down at the bottom left hand side in the blue u the 9771
and basically uh what we're hoping will happen is um that we'll be able to put a residential factor um of 9771 and then if you see up at the top we'll have a 1.5 shift. So we basically have a split
rate and you know again we're going to continue with the split rate. What it will do is it'll give a residential tax rate and again I'm on the left hand side right now of $11.81 and a commercial tax rate of $18.13.
So, if you wanted to kind of understand what that means, well, your average single family tax would be $12,769 and average commercial tax would be $20,511. And I think it's important to realize
that um the override uh along with the revaluation are going into these numbers. So, um, the biggest difference that you're going to see is the next step down, um, which would be three from the bottom is the average single family
tax rate, uh, change is going to be about 11.9%. Uh, the chunk of that is going to be the override itself, uh, with with the, uh, revaluation probably adding about 3% somewhere in that range there. Um, and
you'll see the average commercial change will be 10.6. 6%. So, um, you know, we understand that it's a not a small change. I I kept this table tight because this is the same table that the
board of assessors also uh voted on. But, you know, um, meeting with Nick and uh, meeting with Amy Dexter, etc. You know, we're trying to make the budget work. And in this case here, these numbers are uh, basically what makes the
the budget work. And I don't think we're expecting anyone to vote at the moment. So, um, so average single family tax bill, you'll see on the right hand side, um, how the bills have worked. So, um, Miss Sronin has always, uh, as long as I've been
here, tried to keep an increase to about 3% whenever possible. And, uh, I'm not sure about 2018. I wasn't here, but that was an override. >> Yep. So, uh, besides that, I've been here for the last four times, I think,
and, uh, Mr. Cronin and the board have tried to keep it to about a 3% change, but in 2026, um, being the residential difference, uh, it'll be about an 11.9%. So, basically about a 12% change for
people's taxes. So, um, at this point, I I don't think I'm the person that should move, uh, for this, but, uh, this is where it comes down to a a vote. >> Well, I think we'll have, uh, discussion first and then and then the motion.
>> So, I'll turn it over to members for questions for >> I have none. Just keeping an eye on I can't see how. Okay. U Mr. Dailyaly, any questions? >> None for me. I I went through what was
uh presented in our packet and I'm comfortable with the option one that was suggested by the board. >> Uh I'm comfortable with it too, but I I do have um I think it's comfort probably one question. Um, so the la last uh town
meeting in uh in October and then also the town meeting in May, I think we voted in two different changes to allow uh exemptions for property taxes for some of our um seniors, very low income
and veterans. Have you looked at what that effect is going to be sort of downstream from from this year? Is that going to change the equation around? It >> it is. Um we at the moment we actually haven't um put like a number on there because we we actually will be sending
out letters to everyone that got an exemption last year to remind them to bring their you know uh information back in because they do have to either physically or you know mail it to us one or the other. Um something else and I might as well make a point on this now.
Um, we had a meeting today about people that are doing work off in order to reduce their taxes and we don't even have a full 25 uh member group at the moment. So, there are some openings
there. And um one thing that we found out today and it was um thanks to our treasurer uh is that somebody could have if they if they weren't in good condition or whatever, they could actually have someone else come in as a
proxy and do the work for them. Um so you know, people that are having a difficult time. Uh but besides that, you know, we we've um uh have the ability now to um basically wipe out one car's
worth of um taxes for uh veterans. And you know, we're bringing the veterans in now. We're going to be talking about some other items like a etc. So um you know, um Mr. Milano has kind of talked to us about let's get everything moving
to give people uh you know a chance to survive you know and and uh be comfortable. >> So Charlie for the workoff program where do people find more information about that? Is that council on aging or the assessor's office? >> Uh so it would be council on aging. if they did, you know, call the assessors,
we could be helpful to them. But, uh, basically, Council on Aging would get things started and, uh, the money is going to be coming from the levy from, uh, the assessor's levy. Uh, and, uh, so, you know, they always vote that in.
They're they're happy to do it. Um, same with all of the exemptions that come through as well. And uh again, you know, what we're looking to do is maybe uh try to increase some of the exemptions with um uh what's the word I'm looking for
there? The uh circuit breaker, etc. >> Yep. So, the home rule petition is in front of the legislature now for the senior circuit breaker tax exemption. Um and all of those exemptions, as Charlie was mentioning, are budgeted separately. So, they're already budgeted within the
levy and it wouldn't um affect these numbers as much because it's kind of built into how we build the budget. We make sure that we're setting aside enough money into the overlay that's under the control of the board of assessors for paying out exemptions as well as tax abatements in case f uh
companies and entities file abatements. So, there's a there's a set aside reserve to fund um both the exemptions and potential abatements that might come down um from taxpayers. Okay. Uh, last chance saloon for anyone who
has questions about this. Um, but seeing none, I will uh we'll close I will uh move to close the public hearing uh first. >> Second. >> Um seconded by Mr. Wells. >> Um and then uh do we take a vote on the
closer? >> Close the public hearing vote and then we can vote it. >> And then uh so that'll be a roll call vote. Um Mr. Wells. >> Yes. Miss Hagerty, >> yes. >> Mr. Driscoll, >> yes. >> Mr. Daly, >> yes. >> And myself, yes. Uh, and then I will
take a motion on the >> make make a motion, Mr. Chair, to um approve as to approve the increases as recommended by the board of assessors to the select board. If that's
okay. >> Okay. >> I can't read. It's too small. I can't read the motion. I'm on my phone so I can't read it. >> Just >> I think you've gotten there to a minute. President 9771. >> Second. >> Seconded by Mr. Dailyaly. Uh further
discussion. This is again a roll call vote. Mr. Wells. >> Yes. >> Miss Hagerty. >> Yes. >> Mr. Driscoll. >> Yes. >> Mr. Daly. >> Yes. >> And myself. Yes. Thank you gentlemen for coming in and for sharing. >> Thank you. >> Uh and now uh we will go to
Um, item number eight, vote on a residential factor for fiscal year 2026, real and personal property taxes. >> What's we just That's one we just did. >> Uh, oh, I'm very anxious to have this discussion. Number nine, select board letter to MBTA dated September 10th,
2025 requesting an update on the Bet Pan line transformation project. Lack of response by MBTA. Mr. Milano. >> Mr. Chair, I'm going to recuse myself from the conversation to remove the appearance of a conflict of interest.
>> Thank you, Mr. Heerty. >> Uh yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Um so we had discussed this uh so for background um the board had submitted a letter to the MBTA on September 10th asking for an update and additional information on the Matipan line transformation project. Um
we got an immediate confirmation that they had received it. um but didn't really have much information other than they hoped to announce something in a few weeks. Um so prior to the town meeting at one of our meetings, I provided that update to the board that um they expected to provide us some information in a few weeks. That was
October 20, excuse me, 27th. Um I haven't received any further updates. I've drafted a a further letter um that um notes our upcoming meeting schedule, although that might be slightly tweaked now um and requesting that we uh they provide a a comprehensive update prior
to our upcoming meeting on um December 2nd. So, just to reiterate the request, um I had received a request um from the press on this, but um I didn't see um anything printed there, so we didn't get to see a chance to see what public comment might have been. Um but as of
now there's no additional information been provided to the town. Um and I don't any other than another letter requesting a further update with a more discreet timeline. Um I would suggest that's a good next step and we'll follow
up through other um pathways as well. >> Thoughts from the members? >> Do we have any other methods of direct communication with the MBTA? I have been in touch with legislative um affairs staff. Um that would be our normal um operating procedure in terms
of any of these executive agencies. They all have staff um delegated to to work with cities and towns and to the legislature. So that's that's our normal uh means of communication. Um that's who uh I worked with through this. Um and that's where I don't have any further
updates at this time. Do we have any thoughts on perhaps going through our legislative um representatives, not only Mr. Wells and Mr. Driscoll, but perhaps uh Representative Fluker Reed? >> Uh I I would think so. Um Mr. Wells, you
have your hand up. You want to respond to that? >> No. Uh we are on this regularly. I um I want to give some credit to the admin to the legislative staff who uh constantly on this and just a little bit of update
today is uh some of you may recall this originated before I was started just as I arrived and Senator Driscoll included it as an earark in the Senate and today um this resolution was passed in the
house and will go to the governor which will look at the formula and create a committee to readress the formulas for what a community pays in annual MBTA assessments and as Mr. Milano knows well
we are paying double what some cities twice our size are paying um and that that clearly there is some understandings need to be worked I will say um one of the things to Mr. Dy's point that we're able to follow
openly is their budget. So, we're able to see what they're funding, what they're not funding. And as of today, I see nothing presently or in the horizon where any money is being targeted towards this issue. And um as Mr. Milano
will remember, and I believe Mr. Z, you as well at the beginning of your term, just look at the frustration that we had over a staircase in Milton Village for at least 5 years. So, we're on this aggressively, but this is a a mountain, but we will not let go of it.
>> Thank you, Mr. Wells. Uh, other thoughts from the members? >> I have to say that I'm really very disappointed uh in the MBTA's lack of uh response on this. I feel like we've been more than patient uh around the this
line transformation. I I think um Mr. daily your observation about including um representative fluka reed in this effort who represents not only part of Milton that's serviced by the trolley but also uh Madapan and Dorchester I
believe as well. Um I think it's um you know we were under the microscope for for a year and a half around the MBTA Communities Act. Uh and now that uh we are compliant um to have
our repeated requests for updates not even beyond updates um essentially ignored I think is uh it's it leaves me a little bit astounded to be frankly honest uh with you and I
appreciate Mr. Well, the work that you and Senator Driscoll are doing on the um reccalibration of those fees. Um but on this particular uh letter, Mr. Milano, um I do think it would be worth um maybe
asking uh all of our representative and senators if they wanted if they were interested in co-signing it with us um and uh to add a little bit maybe more heft to it. Um and uh
I I um I don't know if there's other ways that we can potentially strengthen it. >> I think there's also a point to be made about the new developments that we have going not only at two but perhaps the warf that's happening and those are all along the Matipan trolley line. So, not
only is this a followup to the MBTA Communities Act, which as you stated, chair, um, we were very much under the microscope for, and now we're in compliance and we've gotten no response and they've not also come to us, you know, in any way to the table. We're also doing development along the line
um, in terms of growth for our community, which really requires not only just an upgrade, but also maintenance of that line. So, it's particularly um important for us as we are making changes that there are some changes that are out of our control that we do need addressed if we're going to
have that that area be developed. >> Yeah. Don't use any curse words in it. But um but I uh I I think um unless there's a disscent here in the
ranks, I think you're you've got an instruction to >> um send another letter. Um reach out first to our representatives uh offices to see if they'd be interested in co-signing or weighing in on the the letter. Um and I would give them till
the 9th. Part of me was thinking maybe don't tell them we moved the date to keep them, you know, to keep them on their toes. Give them to the 9th. Um I would state somewhere in that letter that uh if there is no response to this
you know by the 9th I think we'll have to you know consider other options about how to you know compel uh work on a historically neglected uh mode of transport when the governor
and legislature are talking about moving us to a car, you know, like less car, more mass transit. The failure to address this, uh, you know, repeatedly is something that I feel needs attention.
>> And I would add too, it's it's it's not just us that's affected by this. It's Matt Hannah, Dorchester. >> Sure. >> Um, people the other folks that commute from different areas. Um, so do you feel adequately informed on that then, Mr. Moleno?
>> Yes. If if the um board wants the letter the letter to come from you as a board, I'd suggest you vote to authorize myself and the chair maybe to finalize it and send it um so that we have that authorization to submit it officially. >> Move to have a new letter drafted to the
MBTA um with some updates from the town administrator and the chair. >> Second. >> Okay. Made by Mr. Daly, seconded by Mr. Driscoll. Um any further discussion? I know Miss Hagerty has recused herself for this. So, Mr. Wells, yes, you have your hand up.
>> Yes. Thanks, Mr. So, I think given my own position here as and I'm thinking of my colleague, I think this letter maybe should draft this letter and have it signed by you, Mr. Chair, so it doesn't look like it's missing
signatures and just have you sign it as chair on behalf of the board. If you >> I hear what you're >> It might drift the way I'm thinking here. Yeah, it would. I think it might be a a suit that way. It you know it's it it's sending the message but it doesn't look like it's a not a unanimous
support and I don't want to I I would have to abstain. That's why I think I'd rather have you just sign it if if it's okay with the other members. >> That's fine. Is that a friendly amendment to the Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yes. I think that is fine all around. Um so we have a motion for uh Mr. Mr.
Milano and myself to draft and then me to sign a letter to uh the MBTA on this topic. >> John, did you want to ask? >> Yes. Mr. Driscoll, can you also ask the bus how many buses they run in Milton? Cuz the one on Randolph Avenue used to be every half hour. Now it's down to an
hour. >> And I haven't seen one on Reeddale Road in a long long time. >> The 240 >> that goes Ashmont down to Reed Road. I I haven't seen an MBTA bus. >> Yeah, I believe they had merged one
line. I I can get an update on on what they're running right now. >> Yeah, just let's get that information. I don't know we include that in this particular letter, but >> it should be available. If it's not, we'll follow up. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Uh so motion's been made and seconded. Um this will be a roll call
vote. Mr. Wells, >> think. >> Sorry, I'm trying to unmute. Yes, >> Mr. Driscoll. >> Yes, Mr. Daly. Yes. >> And myself. Yes. >> Great. Uh Mr. Milano, our next item is the East Milton Fire Station visioning
session. And I know that uh many of members were present for that. Um but perhaps you want to give us a a quick recap. >> Uh sure. Thanks. I um included in the packet as well the >> Okay, she's back. >> Um a memo from MAPC which summarized
kind of what they heard as takeaways. Um and ignore the typo where they called the Smilford. So we'll ignore that one for um now but yes so I include in the packet um some of the takeaways that MAPC heard. Um I think that is a is a good summary. I
think um I thought it was helpful to hear the kind of the conversation focused on I think keeping the structure um and and you know referring to the history often you know private use it sounded like a lease was preferred
versus um an outright purchase. Um and then um a lot of conversation about uses. So I think they summarized some of the feedback. Um I know I think all four of the five members were in attendance. Um the other thing that I I have done just if it's helpful for the conversation I I distributed it late
yesterday but um just pulled together an RFP template um to identify kind of areas where um decisions need to be made. you know, obviously the first question is, are we going to go forward to dispose of the property? And then from there, there are cascading
questions that follow. So, um, when the board's ready to to take that step and have a conversation, the kind of template with the questions is is prepared and ready. Um, and I can obviously pull something together for a deeper conversation. But um as I said the MAPC memo I thought summarized the
themes and the overall kind of messages that um we heard >> questions or thoughts from the members. Mr. Wells. >> Thank you Mr. Chair. So I do think that um in creating an RFP you could have
both options an option to lease as well as an option to purchase. Number two, you can include into it the condition of either one. Um the integrity of the the structure the the um
the u the facility itself, you know, the building structure remains intact. Similar to how even though we didn't sell headquarters, the redo of headquarters, the old headquarters, you know, maintained the historical structure integrity of the building. And
even though engine two isn't as old as engine one, I think that's something that's important to the look of East Milton. I think that's one thing. And then I just think maybe we need some and I don't know. I don't think MAPC is it.
Maybe some real estate guidance on that if we do make a decision to go either of these paths. Um what's some of the ideas? you know how in an RFP you can put out advantageous and not advantageous uses and what some
of including some of those suggestions as the advantageous use and just my final comment is that is as you heard me say when I was there when we were there is we did ask for that $900,000 did get it and
some people may not want to hear it but I'm man of my word and I stated it one time and he gave us the money to buy that land that I stand by it uh with the disposal of the or the reuse of engine 2 in the best way possible for the town, but still
doing it in a way that makes up for that million dollars almost million dollars that we took to do to get it. That's that's pretty much I have. Sorry that was longwinded again. >> That's all right, Mr. Wells. Miss Hegger, you have your hand up.
>> Hi. Um this is different. And I feel like it's it's like an hour and 40 minutes in and I haven't really said much in this meeting yet. Um, but I thought, you know, just reading the uh memo with the results of the hearing,
it sounds like there were a lot of good ideas that came out of the visioning session. Um, you know, I think one of the tricky things I think, um, member Wells, um, mentioned this is it's really it's really tough to
understand what the market will bear in a lease situation versus a sale. Um, so I don't know, and I was talking to Mr. Milano about this earlier and I don't I don't know that we have this
much time but um I would feel really comfortable understanding um sort of what what we should be able to expect and accept based on what the market will bear. But I know I know we
can't get too much into that. Um, but I do I do like some of the language that I see in the RFP document, the draft um that Mr. Milano circulated. I also think for some of the criteria that
we have um that we should state I believe I believe it was on the um the the criterion about the facility itself. I think we should I think we should
probably have um criteria on how well the proposal would mitigate potential traffic vehicular traffic to the site. Um I would be very concerned about that. um depending on the use. Um and I think
you know if we if we could prioritize that in the scoring um that if we could prioritize um a developer or a lease's um means of mitigation of um traffic impacts that
it'd be great. >> Thank you member Heerty. Um other comments or thoughts? Uh yeah, I so I agree with what uh member Wells said about the RFP being to lease or buy with
both options. In being in the vision visioning session, the thing that's most difficult is while we may come up with ideas, it does not mean there may be a purchaser or leaser that would deliver on any of those ideas. So I think the RFP gives us the ability to see
what is out there, right? what are what would folks actually want to place into that location? And I don't think we're bound by an RFP. They come in that we have to accept any of the offers. The other piece, and I think M. Milani, you mentioned it in your um kind of your
assessment you sent to us, is can we do a few things at once in not only preparing an RFP for purchase or lease, but also doing our own assessment and uh perhaps valuation of the property. Uh
what I heard at that visiting session is folks in town wanted to know more about it. um the concept of the public private partnership or the town keeping it, creating something. Can we get or what would be the cost for us to get an assessment for what would it actually
cost the town to refurbish, to use, um to reestablish, to change anything about that to make it useful for us? I think that's something we're going to need to present to the town, not only in town meeting, but also our residents in terms of when we're weighing these options. Right? Here's what it is for sale
purchase. here's what it would be if we actually kept it and here's the impact on our budget and our financial situation um in those pieces. So, I think that's kind of where I stand starting to prepare the RFP for purchase release um with this January um 26 if
possible uh release date and maybe some assessment of what the cost would be for us to get an appraisal for potential work if the town wanted to keep it. As long as that's not too exorbitant. >> Mr. Driscoll, do you have a
>> It would still go before the town meeting, right? >> Yes. >> So, u I agree. Move it forward with the RFP. >> But Mr. Wells, you have your hand up. >> I do, Mr. Chair. Thank you. So, Mr. I
don't know if any of the current members on the board when we purchased East Milton and when we purchased we have we three three things we did the Discovery School we did the per the property purchase in East Milton and we
purchased if you recall we had to purchase the property we built the art club not the art club but where the crew is now 88 W the landing because we didn't own it was owned by 88 W and there was a um gentleman we used Mr. Were you on board when we brought them in?
>> I was on board. >> So, you know, being in the records, there was a a um appraiser that the town we used them three times. He was excellent. Um it might behoove us and it would not be that costly to have him get
and do a I know and do a um an a um property evaluation on the price of what that might go for either leased or property. But I know the fire station building committee did it a long time ago when they were
looking at the property as a whole. I think that might boo us. I think if you look in the records of the the property purchase, Mr. Milano, you will find his name in the company. I know Mr. Zulus knew him very well and I was very impressed. He did a great job for us. That's why we used him on all three properties. And I think that may help
that some of the members questions that they have tonight with regard to uses and possible the value of the property as it is. Would that be amendable to everyone if we were to do that? >> Thank you, Mr. Wells. Yeah, I was going
to suggest maybe we can ask Mr. Milano. You could figure out who that was, get a quote from him about what that would cost, and then when we come back next, we could um >> Should we have enough time by the night? We should still have enough time, I would think. >> Yep. >> Um to to vote to approve the appraisal
of it and in the meantime, we'll continue to work to refine this document. >> Sure. I think what um what would be trickier I think certainly getting um an appraiser to give us value of the on the private market both of a
sale or a lease. I I think that is you know that's done obvious on obviously all the time in in that world. It would be harder is what Mr. Daily was asking about in terms of how much would it cost us to do X because we don't really know what X is. I mean we would have we have
some information about um the kind of ADA upgrades that we'd have to make. We have some information about um some of the materials in the building but we don't have all the information. So in terms of a quantum of costs you know if we're putting up a lot of walls and subdividing the space a ton more
expensive. If we're doing a meeting room like we did behind town hall, obviously less expensive. So I it's hard to get a quantum of cost and I don't want to overpromise what I can what we can deliver on a specific question in terms of if the town were to reuse it >> in any capacity or or if the town were to put money into it,
>> how much would it take to to get it into a different kind of condition? Um I don't have a good way to >> is there any way to get some sort of general assessment? Not that it would be if it to >> turn it into like just a workable space regardless, but just a basic workable space with folks coming in and out of
it, >> right? The foundation is functional. It's ADA compliant. >> Okay. >> Just something general. >> Yeah, we can um ask around and try to get a sense of the scale of cost to that effect. >> Okay. Members happy with that. And then there there was um I think at the I
thought a it was an excellent forum and I thought um I thought that the the you know the methodology of of how to brainstorm was different um but I thought very fun and useful uh and uh really did bring a lot of different folks together. it I the the sense that
I had leaving that was that there was an appetite to do probably another session similar to that or um find some other way to get some community input. I know um there you know there was a comment made that it was uh you know there weren't a lot of young families that
were there. Uh it was uh maybe the the greater set like myself uh that were were in attendance. Um, so I, you know, I do think prior to the RFP going out in January would be worth thinking about. Is there another way to have community
input on that and whether that's just having an open session here at a select board meeting um or asking for folks to comment online? >> Sure. >> We can I'll work with the planning staff and and think about a way to do that and and one way as you suggest might be get
the RFP in in a more kind of cohesive coherent package. so that folks have something to react to as well and give concrete feedback and and and suggestions to. Um but let me work with the planning staff and and report back. >> Okay. >> One question I wanted to discuss or
pose. Um in in Nick's RFP questions, he said, "Were there any uses we wanted to prohibit? I know we're already not zoned for dispensary or marijuana, so that's already out the out the door. Is there anything else that we need to be concerned about?" There wasn't anything in the visioning session where folks said they didn't want anything. Well,
they didn't want a nail salon. >> No casinos. >> No nail. No nail salons. >> And I tried to and you'll see it elsewhere in the RFP in terms of the way I try to write the criteria where it was would rank uses that would, you know,
bring in foot traffic, provide a place for people to gather rather than a place for people to just conduct a transaction, call it a day. But so it's it's more kind of in the verbiage rather than an explicit prohibition on a use. Um, so that it gives the select board to say, "Okay, this use proposes a cafe.
That's what we really want. This use proposes a um, I don't know, an insurance office. That's not kind of the use we want for that space. Not to pick on any insurers, especially in the square itself, but it just to give a a a juosition of the kinds of uses that um,
folks were speaking of at the forum in particular. So East Milton can come out strong and save this building through town meeting and everything, right? It's not a goal, right? >> Yeah. So, yes, to sell or or to enter into any kind of a long-term lease, the
board will need town meeting approval. >> Neighborhood wants to keep and fight for it, it can still be >> at town will have a vote at some point. Correct. >> All right. >> And the board will the board will need a vote to issue the RFP. The board will need to vote to award a an awardee. It'll need to vote to approve a lease
agreement or so there's there's going to be multiple steps in a process. >> We're just starting. Exactly. Yep. >> Mr. Wells. >> So, Mr. Far, it's ironic is we started the fire purchase.
Um, it began as a 99-year lease. We wanted a purchase. The seller wanted a lease. I think we negotiated back and forth for probably 3 months. And in the end when we had we had actually
um committed to to leasing it because it was going to be the best bet we were going to be at the 12th minute of the 12th hour the seller changed their mind decided to sell it to us which is what we wanted all along. So that's why I like that we didn't I like the idea of
putting both of them in there in an RFP that we would create so that you don't know what's what you're going to get for an offer. But um I'd like to expose that we have both advantageous and disadvantageous lease versus purchase.
as Miss Hagerty said, as Miss Hagerty said that, you know, you got to be limited on what's going to be able to go in there. And if someone's going to pay $800 million for it, um they're going to have to have a unique concept, something that fits there. And you know,
it doesn't only has I think two parking spaces, maybe three. So those are things that will have to uniquely be crafted into developing an RFP for this. So um and you might want to, Mr. model when you have a moment to share um just a
little bit of the concept we got back with both Mr. Daly and Miss Agony and Mr. Driscoll when we did the was it an RFQ we did before or an RFI? >> Yeah, essentially an RFI. >> Oh yeah, >> an RFI. Yeah. Yeah. Because that was one unique concept that um I think you need
to brief the new members on. So that's pretty much it. >> In the back of my head, I didn't want to necessarily propose it, but I was wondering if an RFI would be good. So, if that had already happened before, that's that's >> Yeah, we did it. We did. We did it.
>> Yeah, >> we did it. And we got one. It was only one. But to to your to your point, Miss Agony, we weren't, you know, it wasn't a substant. You know, there's a big difference between an RFI and an RFP where, you know, they they can end. I think that some of the proposed thoughts
didn't want to show their hand publicly, so someone else would steal their idea from them. So um that's why we did it but it was the one that we did get was a unique concept. So um that's all and Mr. If you would share that with them that'd be great.
>> Sure we'll do. >> Thank you. Thanks. Thanks Mr. Chair. >> Thanks Mr. Wells. Uh so I think we have uh and I just want to um say something also on to Mr. Driscoll's point. think the um what we're talking about with the RFP, particularly the preservation of
the of the historic nature of the building, I think that would be something as well to note. So, it's it's not kind of a black or white um either that building gets knocked over and turned into a fivetory something or other or it stays as it exists. I think
there's there's in-betweens there um that we'll we'll have the opportunity to weigh in on. Um all right. Uh, moving along. Uh, hard to believe we're talking about it. Uh, item 11, May 4th, 2026, annual town meeting warrant closing date, potential warrant articles. Mr.
Milano. >> Yes, I forget now what I put in the packet as the proposed closing date. So, uh, we've, uh, we had a department head meetings last week. I, you know, I started to remind the department heads that we're coming up to annual town meeting. So, if anybody's got ideas for
warrant articles, now's the time. Um we recommend that we establish a date of Friday, January 2nd where um the warrant will be closed after that point. Um which will get all the warrant articles to the warrant committee. First part of January, so January 2nd >> is the proposed date.
>> Um and then um we'll start to put together a draft list of that warrant. Um >> January 2nd for the Maytown meeting >> to close the warrant. >> To close the warrant. >> Yeah. >> Okay. And so we'll we'll get that notice out and around so that boards of committees have time to submit it. Um that date is
a little bit dependent on when we first meet in January. So um the following week, the 9th may work better if the board meets on the 13th. >> I uh I'm going to be in China on the 6th. So I would prefer that we meet on the 13th and the recommended closing
date would be January 9th. >> Okay. >> Yeah, I like that better coming off of New Year's >> Gives another week. I think that's right. Okay. >> Objections. >> Does that sound good to everybody? We don't need to vote on it. All right. I'm getting a thumbs up online, too.
>> Um Okay. Um then, uh I think that's that's that for the moment. Um article or item 12 is discussion approval select board member committee assignments. Mr. Milano. >> Uh yes. Well, with our new member, >> welcome to Mr. Driscoll again. So, we
have um in the in the packet with the motions, we did put a list of the current committee assignments. We did fill all the slots um I believe except for one position on the policy committee. Um but otherwise, if there
was any places where current members were feeling like they're a little overworked or if there's any areas, Mr. Driscoll, that you were particularly interested in um then we just take what's open. So, the policy committee, who's the other representative, though? Is that
me? >> Yes. >> Yeah, that's what I thought. Um, okay. Uh, so, uh, the policy is open. I know that I filled the landing, uh, seat as well. If that's something that you're interested in or if there's any other committee that you're
interested in, we can talk about, you know, sort of rejiggering things a bit. >> Whatever whatever place needs to be filled. Um well maybe we'll start with the policy committee then uh and then um we
can see as uh as you sort of get exposed to more of the boards if there's something that piques your interest Mr. Driscoll just let us know and then we can >> we can talk about it. >> Um okay well I guess that's that for the >> we will need a vote to make >> yes um so I'll I'll make a I'll make a
motion to appoint uh Mr. Driscoll uh as a representative to the policy committee. Second >> seconded by my by Mr. Dailyaly. Uh do you accept the nomination? >> Um and then this will be a roll call vote. Mr. Wells. >> Yes. >> Miss Hagerty. >> Yes.
>> Mr. Driscoll. >> Yes. >> Mr. Dailyaly. >> Yes. >> And myself. Yes. >> Mr. Chair, what just as we know previously, usually we abstain on our own. Mr. D will probably abstain and appoint to himself the committee he's going to serve on. Would you like to
retroactively um abstain from your vote? Typically, you abstain. >> Yeah, that's fine. I Nobody is going to hold that against you. But thank you, Mr. Wells, for the point of uh procedure. It's important. You're >> welcome. >> That mean I got thrown off already. >> Just can't vote for yourself for reasons
of of politic, I guess. Um uh Mr. Milano, then we are going to move along to select board goals. >> Yes. Uh thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh we had so we had the retreat in October and
then we discussed the goals at the meeting after that. Um after I put together a draft, the board had requested some tweaks to just kind of categorize them a little bit um more clearly. Um so the only changes I've
made have been to categories. So, I I I grouped in a couple under town on land, both the town farm and and the East Mountain Fire Station property, and then I grouped in a couple under long-term capital projects, which was alluding to both the Athetherton stro. And then lastly pulled together some
policies, training, and employee engagement as kind of a broader category um that grouped in some of the things that we had discussed that were a little bit more disperate. Um, so again I there were no changes to the goals themselves but more so kind of where they were slotted. I believe I had captured
everything and there hadn't been a further conversation. Um >> there hasn't been a further conversation >> and I I don't I think like I said I think I got the elements of it but um if I missed anything or if members would prefer changes etc obviously we can make
those. Uh >> okay questions or thoughts from the members? Uh so and then maybe just in terms of context for you Mr. Driscoll this is not like a binding document this is uh we had a retreat as a select board uh and
um Mr. Wells wasn't able to join but Miss Hagerty u Mr. Daly and myself did this was after um uh Mr. Cohane had resigned. Uh so it was really kind of the three of us putting the these ideas down but just kind of a sense of the direction that we wanted to go over the
coming year. >> All right. Great. >> Uh Miss Hagerty, you have your hand up. >> So I just wanted to respond to the statement that was just made. I know that um folks were not
all necessarily um present, but I do think that um we should use this as a as a compass. And I'm not saying you're not suggesting this. I do think we should use this as a sort of
compass or work plan um for the board for the year to the extent that we can. I know that um competing priorities always shift their way in, emergencies come up, but I think this is a good I think this is a good start. Um and I
think that we should continue to go through this process on an annual basis. Um and I think it'll be good for the sort of the morale and the um the you know just the just having a
framework. I mean, organizations need to have frameworks and goals. Um, so I think it's really great that we got this done. >> Thank you. Yes. My my uh my hope was that we would have had it done uh in June, but uh better late than never, I think, as as they say. Um
>> absolutely. And I uh I agree with your statement and I would also you know add that um for any specific issue members should always vote in the way that they feel is representative of themselves or that you know their their thoughts or ideas or how they feel the town feels
about something. So this is not a binding uh contract. Uh but it is helpful I think in terms of thinking about the broader issues that we're focused on as a select board to keep us um oriented. Um, so Mr. Milano, do we uh is this a formal document? We would
approve. >> If the board feels it's complete and ready to go, then it it they there should be a vote to adopt them. Um whether this evening or December 9th, however the board feels comfort level. >> Mr. Driscoll, do you feel like you've had enough time to look at this? Okay.
>> Um so I will take a motion if someone would like to make one. >> I will move to approve the select board's goals. >> Second. >> Okay. Motion's been made and seconded. Uh this is a uh any further discussion. This is a roll call vote. Uh Mr. Wells, >> I I'll abstain, Mr. Chair.
>> Okay. Miss Hegerty, >> yes. >> Mr. Driscoll, >> yes. >> Mr. Dailyaly, >> yes. >> And myself, yes. Uh okay, then we have our select board uh policies and code of conduct. Uh Mr. Milano. >> Sure. Again, this is just picking up on
items that we had been working on um and had in in queue and in progress. Uh so I included in the packet again just as a reminder the policies that the board has previously adopted that govern how meetings work to um relationships
between board members, staff and board members and and and so on and public participation. Um, we had also talked about a code of conduct which I had put together a draft code of conduct for review. Um, after reviewing a bunch of other examples of which I included in
the packet. Um, there are a number of communities included in there. Um, I tried to pull elements out that I thought I saw as kind of a throughine in a lot of what other communities had adopted. It is lengthy so it may benefit
from editing. Um it's it's it probably has a lot in there, but um that's the work product that you have is a draft code of conduct based on um what other communities have. And again, it goes through kind of, you know, the first
being how members will um carry out their work in relation to each other, how um members coordinate and work with town staff. Um and the administration, you know, being in terms of communications flows through myself down
to the town staff um board members refrain from reaching out directly to town staff and I refrain from criticizing town staff directly, you know, making critical comments as needed to myself for um town administration to address at least as the first chance. Um and then um kind of other elements along
there. So again, that's a very short precede of what's in there, but um it was pulling from other communities um to give this board an a a building block to start with and and to edit away from there. >> So if I'm maybe so bold as to um propose
a step of action, we as of about 5 minutes ago uh now have a fully staffed policy committee for the select board of which Mr. Drescll is now a member. I think this is the perfect thing for a policy committee to sit down, look at, and maybe come back with. We could do
some work on it and then come back to the slip board on the 9th. Uh Mr. Driscoll, if you're open to that, you and I could meet as the policy committee and and have a look at this. And um so uh if the other members without objection, we could um we could proceed in that way.
>> Okay, great. Um, and so, uh, we'll I'll we'll reach out and get get something on the books for the next next couple weeks. Um, Mr. Milano, we have board and committee reports. The first one is the Milton Budget Coordination Committee. So, uh, actually, Miss Hagerty, I'll
turn this over to you. I know you're the chair of that committee. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, so there's been a lot of work this month on the budget coordination committee. We met several times. Um, most of it was involving
an in-depth review of the five-year plan. Going through this, especially with um school committee members and school committee staff to see how what the alignment might be between
um a our five-year financial forecast and a 5-year forecast for them. Uh we also had members of the committee weigh in on the reserves policies that um that
member daily and I and Mr. Milano and the finance staff have been working on. Um future conversations on the budget coordinate co coordination committee are likely to include um or involve scenario
planning. So really applying what we understand from the 5-year plan against a set of potential scenarios that the town may face over the next decade or 5 years. Um and we've started conversations about what um this work
might culminate in. Um, and we're thinking we may, um, develop a published viewpoint or communication that kind of integrates all this and just provides a little bit of a report or a primer um,
for the town on >> Oh, nope. Froze. >> We lost you there, Miss Hagerty. Uh well, if she can't come back, Mr. Dailyaly, I suppose you were part of this, so maybe you could >> I guess we're all there. I I don't have much to add to what what Megan was
saying. It was we've done the >> policies. We've had multiple meetings. We had separate meetings, not only in the budget committee, but also a policy group. >> Um as well as our second >> Oh, I just lost my whole zoom. >> Just lost. Are we
offline completely? >> Hey booth, did I screw that up? >> Uhoh. Are we still on YouTube? >> We're trying to figure it out. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Are we taking five?
>> Yeah, let's take a quick five while they figure it out. Thank you for bearing with us a little unforeseen uh technical uh problem here. Um and this >> All right, there we go. All right. Well, thank you uh again for for uh for your
patience there. We had a little unforeseen technical difficulty. U Miss Hegerty, um Mr. Dailyaly continued your report in your absence and then we realized that we were not online anymore. Uh so it was on on our side. Was there anything good anything else?
>> So we don't have to do it again, right? >> You don't you don't have to do it again. You don't have to. >> Um I will ask if there's anything from the select board finance committee specifically that you guys would like to report out on. >> Um Mr. Mr. >> I think it's I think it's the Oh, sorry.
I didn't realize it wasn't my turn. >> No, I I was just going to say I don't think there was anything to report. Sorry. Okay. >> Other than we'll have we're we're still shooting to get the reserves policies done by the end of December. >> Okay. And I know the traffic commission
we've just discussed is going to be meeting on the second. >> Correct. >> Um so that's the end of I think committees unless there's anything we didn't have any of the other ones posted. So I guess that's it. Um item 16 is the fiscal year 27 budget uh economic
development plan and housing production plan. Mr. Milano, >> thank you. Um not um a lot to to get into this evening. There's a lot to talk about with the 27 budget, but not necessarily this evening. Um I just in terms of
where we are process-wise, I've received um requests back from all of our town departments. Um we're meeting with department heads um now to review their requests be prior to submitting um that first draft of the budget to the war committee um by December 1st. Um so
we're working towards that. Uh the the major kind of issue that we're going to wrestle with for 27 will be health insurance costs. Um as last year we had a 14% premium increase and the news has remained the same in terms of where
towns and sh cities should see their costs be um in terms of fiscal 27 for health insurance. There's no um good news in that world right now. Um I've attended a couple of conferences focused on this issue specifically. Um and the recurring theme has been it's going to be a challenging year and health
insurance. Um so looking at some options that we may have um around that but um you know uh every percent increase on the premium is cost the town about $125,000. So you know we expected to be above market around a 78% premium
increase in fiscal 27. >> We're going to be closer to 14% based on current estimates. So >> that's about a $800 $900,000 additional cost burden for the town's budget. Never mind the fact that that's a premium increase that employees must also um
bear. It's certainly on a percent basis. It's it's it's high and that would be two potentially two years. So um that's generally the ballpark. I just wanted to flag that as kind of one of the big cost pressures now and and we can have a more detailed conversation on the budget at our next meeting in terms of an update
on where things stand more broadly. Um, and I I I wanted to talk about the economic development plan and housing production plan specifically as these are two things we've talked about. They're in what they're in the goals and for economic development plan. Um, we had some grant funding we've used
portions of we're going to continue to pursue other grant opportunities, but I I'm looking for a sense of the board and it doesn't need to be tonight. It couldn't be at at one of our meetings in December in terms of allocating town funds to to pursue and complete an economic development plan. And then same
question for the housing production plan. The housing production plan went was no longer official as of January of 2025. Um other sources that we pursued. We applied for a grant through the state. We were unsuccessful in that grant. Um
we have, you know, the affordable housing trust may appropriate funding towards a housing production plan. That's something other communities have done. Um but it's again it's using those funds not necessarily to produce housing. um which I think they would be more inclined to use the money for. Um
so the last the other option would be to seek town funds free cash appropriation for our housing production plan while we continue to pursue other grant opportunities in the meantime. So that's an intro. We can talk about it more in depth now or or um I just wanted to get the board thinking about those two
options and ways to um fund those projects that um we've talked about a few times over the past um several months. Do you have an estimated cost on each of those? >> So, economic development anywhere between 50 and 75,000 housing production
plan depending on the the amount of work required that needs to go into taking the prior one. Again, we looked for about a $65,000 grant application. That would be a pretty comprehensive housing production plan. So, combined maybe $150,000 total to do the two. Um,
and you know, as we start thinking about the 27 budget and how to use and where to put free cash, this might be an example of discrete one-time projects that are a a good use of those um certified funds. >> Other questions from the members?
Uh, when we applied for the grant uh for the housing production plan, was that prior to being in compliance with the MBTA communities? I think it was prior to being in compliance. >> By the time >> by the time we got the
>> grants were being reviewed, we were compliant because we got we got another grant. This was through the Eco1top through >> um like Mass Works and stuff. So, we've gotten a Mass Works design grant. >> Um >> but we did not receive this grant. It
wasn't because MBTA communities. >> Um well, it I think probably it makes sense to have a a continued discussion on this in December. I don't see any other uh questions from the members at the moment. >> Okay. >> But I uh in terms of thinking about
where to allocate cash, it does make sense to me. Um particularly the economic development plan. >> Yeah, the affordable housing trust will be having a meeting on Thursday. I think this will be one of the topics. Um, I'll see what the sort of temperature feedback is from AHT, but I would say
that both of these are particularly important for us, um, given the level of development we're going through residentially. Um, having that updating housing production plan and then also having seen tonight the report that we got around the taxes and our 4% in
commercial, um, the economic development plan is certainly important for us as well. >> Miss Heard, you have your hand up. So a thought um so there are some funds left with the master plan implementation
committee. I don't know if um it would be on the table or appropriate um to utilize some part of those funds um for the economic development plan.
I think that'd be a town meeting decision, wouldn't it? It >> those funds are available to be spent, but now they're on the control of the new master plan committee. Um, okay. So, as we start to seek members and it's on the agenda to to advertise, >> uh, we are seeking members to serve on
that committee. um it would be up to that committee and I and in the goals this has reflected that you know discussing what the master plan committee wants established um focusing on economic development and and maybe it's cobbling together funds from a few sources including um that appropriation
as well. >> Yep. >> Uh okay. I think that's probably uh it for that item then um Mr. Mr. Milano, fiscal year 27 capital budget. >> Again, not a lot to report, just a status update to keep the board apprised. The capital planning capital
improvement planning committee is having its meeting, first meeting on Thursday morning um as a kickoff. Um and I know in conversation Mr. Driscoll and IU is particularly interested to see how DPW is going to approach the request for pavement in our road program. Um and I
know that the DPW director has asked for more than they have received in past years. Um, so there is an interest in trying to find a way to get that appropriation up um to continue putting money backs into into the road. So to your point, um, the request is higher
than usual and now we're going to work our through through the process alongside all the other capital requests. But I want to make sure I address that point and then just to give the board a sense of the where that sits. Capital improvement planning committee is just kicking off. We should um be working over the next couple months to finalize that recommendation
for fiscal 27. >> Mr. Driscoll, do you have a question that or >> No, I'm glad to hear about the roads. >> Okay. >> So, Nick, I'm off that committee, right? >> Oh, yes. I think yes. So, >> booted off.
>> So, Mr. Driscoll is the citizen member. >> You promoted I think is >> promoted. That is moving up in the world. So, yes, as you are a resident member, uh we should replace yourself. >> So, I don't have to go to that meeting. >> Correct. You're not obligated to attend. You got to come to this one.
>> No, I know. But the roads will be at the top of the list, I hope. >> Well, I I know Mr. Wells is listening to one pitch anyway. And uh no, we'll bring that back and um we'll also just um we'll advertise the a place on the capital improvement plan committee as well to try to get somebody on into that committee. And it's good that they're
not too far down the road and they can that person can pitch in for this year. >> Thank you. >> Uh okay. Uh so then uh financial policies first reading is this me I have to read this thing. >> No just as background. So in our in our
policies prior to adopting a policy the the policy states that there should be two readings of the policy. I have provided in this packet a very marked up uh version of the financial reserves policy. So, um, if the board's okay to
view that as kind of the the draft before you for action, we can view this as the first reading and I can and I can describe it or if you'd rather a cleanup version with final edits made before we we go too far down that road. I really define >> Well, we'll have a second reading before
we're approved. Yeah. So, um, do members have thoughts about that? >> Not we have been reading last. >> Okay. Well, I'll take a I'll take a motion on that one then if we want to move to approve the reading. >> Uh move to approve the first reading of
the new financial policies. >> Second. >> Okay. Made by Mr. Dy, seconded by Mr. Driscoll. Um Mr. Melano, I will turn to you for just a quick overview of that before uh but maybe we'll vote and then do that. >> Uh yes. So um
one thing we've done with the revising the policies, there's a policy summary table at the end of it that just kind of distills some of the key points. So what the policy sets as parameters is having a funding target uh for free cash of 1 to 3% of the prior year general fund operating budget which would be in a
year like this 1.5 million to 4.5 million within that range. Um it sets a target for the general stabilization fund of 5 to 8% of the general fund budget. Right now the general stabilization fund is is around four and a half percent. So, it's it's increasing
that target and and and and requiring the board to take steps to get it to the 5 to 8% of the target. Um, it set similar targets for the capital stabilization fund, though at lower numbers at a half a percent to 1%. Um, and then in terms of the operating
budget stabilization fund, which this is the new stabilization fund that was set up through the operating override, so $700,000 from the override is going into a new operating budget stabilization fund that will be recurring each year. In addition to that, town meeting appropriated $2 million to this fund.
The idea being we'll draw from it in future years to offset um substantial increases to budgets, you know, and to try to put off the need for an override. Um so what the policy states is that you can't withdraw more than 2% of the
operating budget out of that stabilization fund in any given year. So, while it's there for use and it's intended to be used, it's not supposed to be a crutch um but be to be used prudently over the next five years or so um before the town considers another
override. Um and then the other key um policy statements are around our enterprise funds. Um so we have water enterprise, sewer enterprise based on user fees and then storm water which we talked about this evening based on imperous surface area. So the policy also sets funding targets for each of
those um at 20% for water and 20% for sewer of their budget. Um so it's a high reserve ratio, but the rationale there being um when it comes to water, if we have a dry or if we have a very wet summer, our costs are pretty fixed no
matter how much it does or doesn't rain. But our revenue could plummet if irrigation's off for the summer. People aren't using their water. So you want to build up a hefty reserve because the income is so variable based on weather. So that's 20% target for um reserves
there. For water, we're above it. We're closer to 40 45%. For sewer, we're below it. We're closer to 10 to 15%. So we have some work to balance those out a little bit better. And then lastly, storm water, um it has a policy target of 10% in reserve. Um which we're below.
Um that's a little bit more stable. It's not weather dependent. Um although people like to call it a rain tax, it's not weather dependent. Um so that is kind of the overall gist. It's it formalizes kind of the practices we've tried to follow, but we don't have a place for
people to say, well, what's your reserve policy? It's like, well, we've tried to do this, but now we're putting it into words to to reflect kind of how we've approached the budget, but more so to put it more concrete and um and to hold our um put more guardrails and and um
limits on what and how we use different funds. >> Thank you. Uh any questions from the members before we vote? >> I would uh my question I guess um is if whether or not there the these would not be binding policies. So, if there was a
way for us not to get to like we were trying to get to, you know, 5 to 8% for the general stabilization and we were stuck at like 4.7%. Would we be what what would be the consequence of not being at the 5%. >> Uh, so the language says that the town
will strive to achieve that goal. >> Okay. >> Once we've achieved the 5%, it then sets very strict to not go below >> to not go below it. Okay. >> Uh, all right. So, we have a motion made and seconded. Uh, and Mr. Milano has
given us this. Uh, any any further uh discussion? Uh, this is this a roll call vote. Uh, Mr. Wells, >> yes. >> Miss Hagerty, >> yes. >> Mr. Driscoll, >> yes. >> Mr. Dailyaly, >> yes. >> And myself, yes.
Um, item 20 is uh the um or sorry, item 19, letter to Verizon Wireless regarding areas of persistent core service. Uh yes, sorry. Thank you, Mr. Chair. This again just is building off um in August, we held a public hearing with
Verizon for an installation of a small cell uh facility on Thatcher Street. Um and in that conversation, the board and and myself raised two persistent areas of poor coverage both on Capen Street and in Indian Cliffs more generally. Um
they had committed to, you know, get looking into it and getting back to us. I followed up several times. Haven't heard anything at all. I'm looking for here is a little bit more um formal of a request from the board. Just it was a you know it was request made by the
board with lack of followup. Um unsurprisingly we did get a a quick email this evening saying we're looking into it. We'll be in touch. Um but I'd like to proceed with just getting this on record that you know we had asked questions during a public hearing and and that the select board is seeking some some feedback. And not to say that
these are the only two places in Milton with issues, but these are the two >> specifically that have come to us and that we >> two the two areas were Capen Street, did you say? >> Capen Street >> and then Indian Cliffs generally >> general. Would that include the Oland Rank area, the Indian Cliffs area? Because that's the area that I'm most
familiar with dropping I always drop my calls. >> I can expand it just to reference that. Um I'm my in-laws are in there and you you're a couple houses and it's all over. Yeah. >> So >> and homemake Some of the residents up there say
there's poor >> so it makes sense that whole can parkway area. So we can just more and be more specific to that. And I'll just note that I did provide them a list of locations if they were looking to add coverage or add towers. I just gave them a list of
town on land and said if there's something that would be helpful, we can have a conversation. Um so they they'll enter into lease agreements for land. >> Okay. Mr. Wells, you have your hand up. >> Yeah. Just a little bit of history. So that um hole as you referred to both Mr.
Driscoll and you Mr. Chair. So that's a significant hole that's existed in the town for um quite a while and it extends all the way up to 138 and then up
through India cliffs left. So I don't know what you submitted Mr. Milano for locations. Um, we did not control Yulan rink the last time this was looked at. Um, that's a possibility. And also the roof of Milton High now has some
infrastructure on it relative to our Inet and you know voiceover IP phone systems. It might be a location another location where um some some equipment could be installed that would approve um
this this hole as it exists. But those are just two that jump out of me right away because we we did not have the lease with it's got to be at least 10 years ago we looked at this and in the same context that you're having tonight, Mr. Z, with the same risks and the same
difficulties that existed back then. >> And is there a reason why we single Verizon out here? Because not to shame my own carrier, I have AT&T and it's al also awful in those areas. We don't have um the Verizon owns the majority I
believe almost everything in Milton is owned by Verizon. The other >> carries choose whether or not to rent off of those sites. >> Got it. >> And they've been the ones asking us for things. >> Okay. So, we're asking them now. >> Yes.
>> Um well, uh any any thoughts? I I I would include uh I would definitely expand the scope. >> Sure. of it. Um, anything else from the members? >> That was an Indian cliff this weekend. It's very bad.
>> Yeah. Um, so I'll take a motion on this then. >> A motion to approve the letter to Verizon Wireless regarding areas of persistent poor service. >> Second. Okay. Made and seconded. Uh, any further discussion? Uh, this is a roll call vote. Mr. Wells,
>> yes. >> Miss Hagerty, >> yes. >> Mr. Driscoll, >> yes. >> Mr. Daily. >> Yes. >> Myself. Yes. >> Um and then we're going to do some uh board and committee appointments. I will uh take uh motions on these if we want to move through them.
>> Move to appoint David Cornish to the Milton Historical Commission for a three-year term. >> Uh motion's been made. Uh any second? Second. Seconded by Mr. Driscoll. Uh all in favor? Mr. Wells? >> Yes. >> Miss Hagerty? >> Yes. >> Mr. Driscoll?
>> Yes. >> Mr. Dailyaly? >> Yes. Yes. >> And myself. Yes. >> All right. Move to appoint Thomas Shy to the Equity and Justice for All Advisory Committee for a two-year term. >> Second. >> Made and seconded. Uh, Mr. Wells. The roll call vote.
>> Mute. Yes. >> Uh, Miss Hagerty. >> Yes. >> Mr. Driscoll? >> Yes. >> Mr. Dailyaly? >> Yes. >> Myself? Yes. Uh, master plan committee. Now, we don't have anybody that's in for this one yet because it's brand spanking new. Um, but do you want to uh do we we
have um previously appointed uh three representatives from the select board or including a select board member and then two select board appointees? >> Correct. The select board have Yes. Three. Yes, that is correct. >> Okay. So, we currently have no applications for the new committee. Is that correct?
>> Correct. So, we've built out the web page for it and provided some information about the committee as well as the taxation aid committee. Um, and the so that this would be up to nine members. So, anybody interested is welcome to apply. There's a volunteer form on the town website. If you fill
out the volunteer form, it comes to our office. We'll collect all the applicants and then distribute it to the three appointing uh authorities which are the town moderator, the planning board, and the select board. um and those entities will will make their appointments accordingly. Um so we'll start to pitch
and advertise this. So, but for anybody interested, please fill out the form. If you go on the town website and go to the board and committee page or the homepage, you can get brought to it. Um there's a form to fill out if you have interest in the master plan committee, the taxation aid committee, um the capital improvement planning committee, or any of them really, and they'll come
to us and we'll we'll triage and distribute from there. >> Thank you. Uh M. Well, you have your hand up. I just wanted to make sure because I did receive an application on Monday which came to me but I forward it to Lynn. I believe Lynn
>> we did Mr. >> No, I'm sorry. Yep. We have it. >> Okay. >> We It's on our list. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. >> You're welcome. Uh and then um Miss Hagerty, you were the previous select board appointee to the master plan
implementation committee. Is it safe to assume that you would want to maintain that role uh if and when we just we'll have to appoint one of our members I believe to this committee. So uh that would be a question to you. >> I would I would be interested if my
peers would have me. >> Okay. Well, it hasn't come to that yet, but when it does, uh it's good good to know. >> Thank you. >> All right. Uh thank you. Then we'll we'll move along to item 21. uh letter of thanks to Colonel Mark Denton for
participating in the 2025 Veterans Day ceremony. Um I will just add uh on a personal note uh I was really struck by uh Colonel Denton uh his remarks I thought were excellent uh and they are now available on Milton Access TV's
YouTube channel uh to stream. If you uh weren't able to catch them uh I believe all of our members here were present. So we all had the uh the opportunity and enjoyment of hearing him speak. Uh Mr. Mr. Wells, you have your hand up.
>> Thanks, Mr. Chair. I I just want to echo your I had the opportunity to have breakfast with the colonelist him also speak there early in the morning on Randolph and um I've always been impressed by the fact that when we can have
someone from the town who has roots to the town um who served or is serving in the military as Colonel Denton is to give the keynote on Veterans Day and uh I've known his family for many many
years and I was not surprised when I listened to his comments at all. um he's a true credit to the town, a son of Milton as so many others. And I don't know whether any of you noticed this, but um there was a special moment. I
know many people went to to um to visit him and thank him up on the gazebo at the end. But one of those residents is retired Marine Corps Colonel Joe Sweeney who was a keynote here many years ago. when Joe Sweeney falls in a
long line as his father was United States Army General Charles Sweeney. And um I thought I thought it was a special moment that I got to witness those two um American heroes share for a moment in our town. That says a lot about the type of individuals that have and continue to
come out of this community. So um I really thank Alex for locating Colonel Denton and I was truly um inspired and motivated by this man. He is a true credit not just to our town but to our country. Thank you, Mr. Chair. >> You're welcome, Mr. Wells. And would you like to make a motion while you have the
floor? >> Absolutely. I will make a motion to send a letter of thanks to Colonel Markd, United States Army, participating in leading us in this year's 2025 Veterans Day ceremony. >> Second made by Mr. Wells, seconded by
Mr. Driscoll. Uh, this will be a roll call vote and Mr. Wells, you keep your microphone on. >> Absolutely. >> Miss Hagerty. Yes, >> Mr. Driscoll. >> Yes, >> Mr. Daly. Yes. >> And myself. Yes. >> Uh, item 22, discussion approval use of
the Miltontown Green and Baron Hugo Baron Hugo Gazebo for the holiday memorial tree program and lighting ceremony sponsored by the Milton Rotary Club during the month of December. >> I'll make a motion to approve that use as articulated by you, Mr. Chad. >> All right. >> A second.
>> All right. Made and seconded by Mr. We've got a virtual second also. Um, so this is roll call. Mr. Wells, >> yes. >> Miss Hagerty, >> yes. >> Mr. Driscoll, >> yes. >> Mr. Dailyaly, >> yes. >> And myself, yes. >> Um, the uh we have discussion approval
meeting minutes October 7th, 2025, October 27th, 2025, and October 28th, 2025. Um, I know Mr. Driscoll, you'll have to recuse yourself from this one. Uh, or just abstain from this one. Did was did we miss anybody at these meetings? I
feel like Mr. Wells wasn't at >> I do too. I think I missed one of them. >> It was one of this one of the ones at the town meeting, wasn't it? >> The 28th. >> The 28th. >> Lynn did the work. >> Oh. Oh, Lynn did the work already. Thank you. Thank you, Lynn. >> Okay. >> Um, so, uh, I'll take a motion from
somebody who can make it on the meetings for the 7th and the 27th. >> Move to approve meeting minutes dated October 7th, 2025 and October 27th, 2025. Uh seconded by Mr. Wells. Uh this is a roll call vote. Mr. Wells, you can vote
on this one. Uh Miss Mr. Wells is a yes. Miss Hagerty, >> yes. >> Uh Mr. Driscoll, >> Mr. Dailyaly, yes. And myself, yes. >> All right. Move to approve the meeting minutes dated October 28th, 2025. Mr. Wells was not in attendance.
>> I'll second that one. Um this is a roll call vote. Mr. Wells, >> abstain. >> Miss Hagerty, >> yes. >> Mr. Driscoll >> abstain. >> Mr. Dailyaly. >> Yes. >> And myself? Yes. Uh town administrators report. >> Uh thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh just to tie
back to the Veterans Day event. Just want to thank everybody involved. Um Alex went through um a stressful couple of weeks pulling that together or month I should say. Um with the moving parts that it takes. So thanks to Alex's efforts, I thought it was a a successful
day. Um the weather was a little tricky, but he got the note and and wrapped it up once the few flakes the three flakes of snow that walked uh went through the year. So um thanks to Alex, Anthony Praa, American Legion, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, um the high school
band, um the choir. So um it was great just to have everybody and and to be out for the day. So again, appreciation there. And I should note to Milton police um just they were there with a with a big presence to make sure the the route down the street was safe. Um so thanks to everybody who came out. Um and
of course Delroy at DPW for always facilitating these events. Um couple of holiday events coming up. Lower Mills Milton Village holiday stroll is on the 29th of November. So that's Small Business Saturday. That's 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. Um the um stroll and
tree lighting in in East Milton is on December 6th um from 3:00 to 5 with the tree lighting at um 5:00 p.m. Um more thank yous than I can count on that or and pulling that event together. Um we've had some donation of labor from
Apollo Lighting to do the tree lighting. They've been in East Mountain Square doing that. um secured the the tree from the same farm as last year and through the generous donation of uh Mr. Driscoll and Anthony Mto once again. So, we appreciate for the donation of the tree, DPW staff, the chamber, Scott Farrell
for everybody that they do. So, that'll be coming up on the 6th um 3:00 to 5:00 with the tree lighting at 5:00 p.m. um over in East Milton. And then um the only thing I just wanted to add is Milton football is having a good playoff run here. So, they're playing Saturday
uh at 3 p.m. in Milford against North Attleboroough in the semi-finals. Um so, just wanted to share that and that's that wraps it for myself. >> Uh thank you, Mr. Milano. Uh chair's report, I I don't really have anything. You stole my thunder on the football. I was going to I was going to call that out, but uh please go and support the
team. Uh they're one win away from I think would be their third Super Bowl appearance in five years, which is pretty incredible. Um the uh just to add to the holiday uh spirit as well, December 5th at the MAC, there's going
to be a holiday uh sing along uh 7 to 9. Uh we approved the liquor license for that uh at our at a previous meeting. So um that will be uh yeah, 7 7:00 p.m. start time at the at the Milton Arts Center. Um I don't have any other um uh
items from myself. Um but again, thanks to uh Mr. Ortiz in particular for the work that he did uh in putting together the uh a really tremendous Veterans Day uh event despite the cold. Um we did not have any public comments. So I don't believe we have a public comment
response. Um for future meeting dates, I think we kind of agreed here that December 9th, 2025 would be our next meeting. Um, I think it probably makes sense to still keep the 16th on the calendar, uh, just in in case we'd have some because otherwise we start to get
into the holiday season and it will be difficult. Um, and then we also discussed uh, instead of the 6th of January, I think we said we would do the 13, was it the 13th? Uh, yeah, the 13th, I believe, for
January. And then um uh would we then I think if we go back to our second and fourth schedules that could give us that opportunity to do the 13th and then we could potentially do the >> remain we'd be back on track. >> Yeah. Be back on track. Exactly. >> And assuming that those are the second
and Okay, great. Um we often we schedule we try to schedule this around availability for all members. Uh future agenda items any anything from the members? I think we've we've discussed >> Sorry. Go ahead, Miss Hagerty.
>> Yeah, I think in a a a prior meeting um I know I raised it getting the board of health to come in and discuss the the progress on the dispersement of the opioid settlement funds.
I don't know if if they've been if they've had any outreach on that yet, if we've been able to schedule them. >> Yes. And now that you say that, I'm I know it was one of the December dates. Um I will coordinate with them for
December. Um but we I did communicate and we did pencil them in. I just forget the exact date that we did. We also um we we had and then removed from this agenda item the uh the food pantry in um in the the the Milton fund
uh in light of the government shutdown, but now that the government is functioning again um we took that off. Um but we will have uh you usually have a conversation with them in December as well, right? >> Yes, we and I've been in coordination with them to do so. >> Great.
Um, not hearing any other agenda items. Um, we are going to >> the meeting of the night. You said the old firehouse, Nick. >> The meet the select board meeting will be here. The night before is the masto meeting that is going to be >> you think it ought to be moved here. That's a small room.
>> No, I I believe >> it's booked. This building was already booked. >> Um, we had tried to >> That's a small room. >> I Yeah, I don't disagree. Um, >> there'll be a a virtual attendance ability. >> We had planned to to offer that. Okay.
Anyway, >> well, it might be might be a packed house. Um, okay. Uh, I am going to um uh pursuant to Mass General Law uh chapter 38 section 21A3
uh to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining. I'm going to move uh that we enter into executive session to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining. Milton Clerical Unit of Southeastern Public Employees Association, Milton Professional Management Association, Milton Public Employees Association, Milton
Firefighters Local 116, Milton Police Association, Milton Superior Officers, Milton Library Association. Based on my belief that discussion of this matter in open session may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the select board, the select board will not return to open session.
Can I have a second on that one? >> Second. >> Thank you. Second. Uh, >> this is a roll call vote. Uh, Mr. Wells. Oh, >> uh, Miss Haggerty, >> yes. >> Mr. Driscoll, >> yes. >> Mr. Dailyaly, >> yes. >> And myself, yes. Uh, I'm going to move
that we enter into executive session to consider the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property, Quarry Hills. Based on my belief that discussion of this matter in open session may have a detrimental effect on the negotiation negotiating position of the select board, the select board will not return
to open session. >> Second. >> Seconded by Mr. Driscoll. Uh, this is a roll call vote. Mr. Wells, >> I think I definitely have to abstain on this one. Yes. >> Okay. Uh, Miss Hagerty. >> Yes. >> Mr. Driscoll and Mr. Dailyy >> and myself. Yes.
>> Uh I'm going to move into I going to move us into executive session to consider the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property, land off Gile Road based on my belief that discussion of this matter in open session may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the select board. The select
board will not return to open session. >> Second. >> Uh this is a roll call vote. Mr. Wells. >> Uh I have to abstain on this one, too. >> Miss Hagerty. >> Yes. Mr. Mr. Driscoll. >> Yes. >> Mr. Dailyaly, yes. And myself, yes.
>> Uh, and then I'm going to move uh to enter executive session to discuss strategy with respect to litigation. Joe Henning and Row versus Milton Planning Board at all Norfolk Superior Court. Uh, long case number based on my belief that the discussion of this matter in open session may have a detrimental effect on
the litigating position of select board. The select board will not return to open session. >> Second. Uh, Mr. Wells, >> I'll just aband I stayain. >> Just abstaining. All right. M Miss Ms. Hegley. >> Yes. >> Mr. Driscoll. >> Yes. >> Mr. Dailyaly. Yes.
>> And myself. Yes. >> Uh, I will take a motion to adjurnn. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> Second. >> Uh, okay. Made and seconded. Uh, Mr. Wells, >> yes. >> Miss Hagerty, >> yes. >> Mr. Driscoll, >> yes. >> Mr. Daly, >> yes.
>> And myself, yes. Uh I am now going to call to order uh a meeting of the trustees of the Governor Stoton trustees. Um and uh I will make a motion to move us into executive session to consider the purchase, exchange, lease
or value of real property, town farm based on my belief that discussion of this matter and open session may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the Governor Stoen trustees. The trustees will not return to open session. >> Second. >> Seconded. Uh, Mr. uh Oh, we've already
lost Mr. Wells. Uh, Miss Hagerty, >> yes. >> Mr. Driscoll, >> yes. >> Mr. Daly, yes. >> And myself, yes. >> Uh, I will take a motion to adjourn from the trustees. Second. Okay, I've made it and it's been seconded by Mr. Driscoll. Uh, Miss Hagerty, >> yes.
>> Mr. Driscoll, >> yes. Mr. Daly, >> yes. >> Myself, yes. Thank you very much, everyone, and have a great evening.