Good evening everyone and welcome to the March 10th meeting of the select board. Uh, calling our meeting to order here. Now, if you are able, please stand and join me in saying the pledge of allegiance. I >> pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. Uh we will now enter into public comment. Uh by our select board rules,
we allow 21 total minutes of of um uh public comment with each speaker asked to limit their remarks to three minutes. I don't see anyone here in person. Um if you're attending online on the Zoom and you wish to participate in um public
comment, you can put your hand up and be promoted. uh we will give you a couple of seconds to do that if you're interested and if not uh we will go ahead and move along. Uh our item four on our agenda is
a departmental report with cons consolidated facilities director Tom McCarthy who has joined us here in person. Tom, how are you? >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much for joining us. Um, so you've probably noticed we've been doing this over the past year, asking uh department heads, divisional heads to
come in and sort of give us a lay of the land for their departments. Um, things that they're thinking about, things that they're hoping for, problems that they're seeing. Um, and we engage in some exchange. Um, how you use your time is up to you. So, let me turn the floor over to you.
>> All right. So, I'm not going to waste a lot of your time because I quite frankly would prefer to give you a quick brief update of what we do and then answer direct questions. Makes it easier for everyone. So, >> good. >> Just going to go real quick. So, consolidated facilities department,
we're responsible for 26 buildings anywhere from the high school to literally the powder house right over there. Right. So, um, but it's a total of 962,934 square ft. So, that keeps us pretty busy. Um,
our personnel is um in consolidated immediately. We have four licensed personnel. We have an electrician part-time. We have a HVAC tech and two uh construction technicians, I guess you
call them. one being uh operations manager Bob Mayu. Um we also have three I'm sorry, five non-licensed staff and then I oversee 37 full-time unionized employees at the schools which
is the custodians. Um basically working with the custodians and our guys. I one thing I do want to point out this we were talking about weather before we got live here was I just want to give everybody credit between the custodians and the the
consolidated guys they kept these buildings up and operational and in a great manner. Um jumping into like ongoing projects we have the east firehouse that we got some the iron structure and most of the wall
panels are up. Um, I would say most of the utilities to the building are in in placed. Uh, waiting on water and sewer, waiting for weather to to change in the spring here. So, hopefully we'll get that done soon. And last check, we were
looking at about fall, late fall for completion there. Um, the other bigger project is the third and fourth fourth floor renovation at the Cunningham Collic School. So, we've already done phase one, which was
um got out the library on the third floor. We created five classrooms and four offices. And the next phase two, which is starting in June this year, is going to be to rebuild the library. And
I think we're going to have two or three offices up there for community schools. But also, when we're all done, the library will be back. We'll gain some classrooms. I can't say enough about the contractor. He's been fantastic to the fact that what we got done in just a couple of
months last summer was really incredible. Um the I mean we did some improvements using capital funds. Have to thank the capital committee for getting us some capital funds at the DPW alone. We did some
vinyl siding on the pox building. I don't know if you guys remember. I'm sure John sees all the time. But now it's not that old gray building. That's why we sided it looks good. A new roof on the consolidated facilities building. We put some uh mini splits in the DPW
administration building. Also new windows in the DPW admin building going in starting tomorrow. Um and several garage door openers uh operators in the DPW. One of the things because I was at DPW
before it used to drive me crazy is the doors were left open. No waste of heat. just leaving them open. But with the new operators, time is set. They close in five minutes. Great. It it just works. Um on our work orders, we basically do
all of our work off a work order. We'll get a call, but we try to generate a work order for everything to keep track of what where we're going. We see receive over a 100 work orders on average per month. That doesn't include like schedule maintenance or like seasonal maintenance. So, we keep pretty
busy. I mean, you think about it. We have what, seven, eight now full-time employees consolidated and we're running around all these buildings. The schools keeps us pretty busy with their work orders. Um, constantly trying to improve on our
efficiency and response time to work orders. We have a new system in place now and hopefully that'll that'll help with that and planning uh getting into challenges. One of my biggest challenges I think because I've
had been to a couple conferences just in the last month was it's AI and technology just trying to keep up with what's going on out there and and what's coming and and how do we get on board so to speak. So that that's I something I
prioritize for myself and certainly my my um staff to let's get the opportunities to train and understand this so we can use it to our benefit. And of course the other challenge is funding. I mean
it's no secret that the funding is just not there. We have I can tell you the capital committee I mean that the list is just ever growing. So we do our best to try to prioritize and make sure we're
going in the right direction every year for that. So in a nutshell that's basically my statement. Like I said, I'd rather answer direct questions if you guys have ideas or or thoughts that you maybe don't know what we do. >> Thanks. It's a great uh overview lay of
the land. So, uh questions from the members >> or thoughts or observations? >> Yeah. So, um thank you for your presentation and for coming out tonight. Um
I I don't know as much about, you know, our um our facilities um at this point, but um one of the questions I have is do you um have the
capacity for or operate off of an overall asset management plan for all the facilities for to like just understand the overall maintenance backlog? and prediction of like when capital expenditures are going to
>> right. So >> like I know we have a whole committee that does that and this is just me being you and my ignorance of >> I was just actually right before this meeting I was at the facilities advisory committee for the schools. >> Okay. So we basically talk about where we're going, what what's coming up,
>> but in house we'll have we have an asset management plan >> but and you follow it the best you can >> but right things come up >> and you know we're doing our best. The one thing I will say is we've had I've
used some funds from capital to do a survey and we just started this just this past year. I'm trying to implement this to do all the schools and eventually all the buildings. We walked through the high school today actually with a excuse me a firm to talk about
energy efficiency and and how can we get better there. So hopefully we got a report back from them. But we did another school we did the Glover first and it's a survey. But the good thing is everybody I've talked to says we're doing a good job on PM and keeping it running. You know, I give credit to Bill
Richie who was my predecessor and he just he ran a good chip >> and he's got a good plan and we're just following it. The only thing I'm trying to do is bring it a little bit more into the the next century and and get because of the AI. >> You mentioned AI. So, are you like are
you in the process of like evaluating use cases for your team or you think you can gain efficiencies in what you're doing by utilizing some of that? That's one of the I actually have a meeting on Friday to talk with another company that
we might use for just that. And they'll come in. They'll have our work order system, but they'll also work with us on surveys and understanding our equipment, the age, you know, the wear and tear and, you know, >> yeah,
>> basically help us with planning what's >> it could probably h help you with the asset management, >> right? because it's labor intensive like sometimes teams you have to have a big enough team of people to dedicate to that. >> Yeah. Going going to these conferences
seminars and understanding that >> the technology that's out there and and the help that you can get it it streamlines a lot. So you say you have a big team but if we can get this stuff under our belt and understand it >> it'll help us greatly.
>> Please Mr. When the last it was last November town meeting last the last town meeting we had >> I think so. >> Yes. Well, November and we had a caucus or voter precinct date member in as a
town meeting member. We're in that cafeteria and that cafeteria November was gleaming. I mean 10 second rule something fell on the floor 15 minutes you'll pick it up and eat it. It was just a testament to your workers Tom. >> Yeah. And and I'm telling you right now,
Tom, that's November. >> Y >> and it looked like brand new. >> So that's a testament to you and your crew. >> The men's room was fine. It's just very clean. >> And and unbelievable, you know, November how clean that school was. And I'm sure
all the others were too. And I can test me to your workers with the shoveling. They were out there and it was no fun, believe me. And uh they were out there and they did a great job. But uh yeah, know I appreciate the kind words and you know it's good that they know it and I
do my best to try to let them know that how much we really do appreciate them because they do the work. You know they're getting it done for us >> and it showed it really showed how clean that school was. >> Yeah. And you're right. They are all equally the same. Those guys do a great job.
>> I couldn't get over how clean it was. >> Thank you. >> To serve dinner on the floor of the cafeteria next time. >> 10 second rule. You put had a 15minute. >> It is. As someone who has three kids in the high school and knows how much work cleaning up after those three kids in
one house can be, I am also always impressed with the cleanliness of the high school. >> It's remarkable. >> Anything else? U Mr. Driscoll, >> I'm not one for modernization. I'm oldfashioned, but good for you you're doing that. I'm I'm fighting that as
long as I can, but uh good for you that you're getting up with all the new modern technology. Yeah, it just it it really really helps with the you know, maybe not the day-to-day stuff because that still needs to happen and that that's boots on the ground as they say, but when it comes to you know, our
rooftop units and our, you know, BMS systems for the for maintaining heat and air conditioning in buildings, it's it's huge. It's really really really important. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um so I'm just echo my colleagues praise
for the department and and also the you know the the incredible work that was done over the this this kind of rough winter which is hopefully getting close to being over but uh I heard rumors of >> jinks us. >> No I know I've heard already that apparently we're getting 19 degrees or
something like that next week at some point. So uh not to my >> it's already jinxed. Um so I you know the one one question that I had um I I'm very familiar with the sort of ever growing list of funds uh needed in this
space but I'm curious about um the costs uh you know obviously we've got the human costs of of of our staff but also you know we have materials costs and I'm curious to to hear from you if that has changed dramatically over the last couple of years um or how that how
that's been um shaping up because I know in some instances we've seen a lot of uh prices going up um dramatically um that we have no control over. >> Yeah. So, we'll go with the materials first. Um yes, that that but fortunately
we I think we did a good job planning the specifically the project at the Cunningham Collicot because we're in really good shape there. Again, the contractor there is fantastic. I can't say enough good things about them. Um but yeah, you see it. I mean, a a motor
that we probably had to buy two years ago is probably 50% more this year. And, you know, just tracking it down is is is challenging because our schools building wise are not old, right? Because 20
years old isn't that old for building. But the stuff on top of it, inside of it, there's coming to that as they call end of life. And unfortunately, it was great when it all happened because we've got all new schools, but we got them all around the same time. So, that's one of
my biggest fears is, and I've said this since I took on this position, is the fact that they're all coming around at the same time. Again, going back to the planning and the preventive maintenance, we're in good shape, but we have to
start thinking about where we're going to start operating in in order to stay where where we are. >> And do we have a good sense of what that is going to look like? You know, this seems like one of those potentially AI could maybe be useful in helping >> Oh, absolutely. And and that's one of
the things that I want to use is is AI. So when I'm planning the future capital improvement requests, they can be huge with that because it what it does is it gives me the ability to to get the information to pass it on along to this
board certainly warrant committee and town meeting and school committee whoever whoever needs to see it. But it it makes a big difference when you see the real nuts and bolts of it. Um, I just want to jump into the human factor
is, you know, we're very fortunate. My group of guys is fantastic. Um, but I want to keep them. So, that's one thing. And we're constantly working on trying to retain the good people that we have because we really do have a good
group. So, that's something that, you know, if hopefully don't have to worry about it. If I do, Nick's been great about talking with me about it. So, it's something which it's definitely in my mind to to make sure we re retain the people that we have.
>> Good. >> Well, a lot of retention is having a good boss and and uh in a nice environment to work in and so it really does feel like you providing that quite well. >> Appreciate it. Thank you. >> Uh any other comments or thoughts? >> I just asked Tom to elaborate on a
couple things. One of the things that I've been aware of is we're wind, you know, we're not winding down, but as we approach completing Athetherton is the reminder that the Hurly amendment mechanism was set up with the idea of funding fire station projects, but also the DPW yard
project that has obviously sat on a shelf. So, I guess in terms of thinking about where our investments should be in the medium-term, long term at that facility, which has yourself, DPW, parks, uh what what do you see as kind of what kind of long-term thinking we
need to be having about that complex more generally? >> So, you asking what my thought or dream would be? >> Sure. and or like you know what should we be thinking about that we have to set aside in terms of money to keep investing down there.
>> Uh frankly I mean we got the new salt shed which was huge that that just made a world of difference. The admin building quite frankly I think should be updated to what I would look at. I was in Norwood and we did a a DPW complete
rebuild there but we built a twostory office building which housed everyone. It had operations, it had administration, it had engineering. Everything was right there. The garage was right there. So, that's that's one thing. Um, selfishly, we certainly need
more room for um consolidated. We really need a garage where we can take equipment, our equipment, and work on it. We work out of a cage in the basement of the garage, I'm sorry, the high school. Now, it's fine because the high school is one of obviously the
biggest campus we have and it's pretty centrally located, but it would be nice to be able to either add on to the building we're at or or something new. Um, the buildings down there are in rough shape. We're doing our best to to I mean, with the garage operators, that made a huge difference. I mean, the
garage it is what it is. It's metal building, but if we can get in and out of there and we change some heaters, we put um a vent fan in the vehicle storage garage to kind of keep things dry. So, the equipment will last longer because
that's if it's moist in there, it just tends to rust. I mean, think about salt, water, it's going to rust. Um the operations building is good shape. That's actually it's nine almost 10 years old now because I've been here for 10 years in the town and we built it or
finished it just as I started here. But that's in good shape. So I would have to say if we were looking down there it would be really the admin building and do something maybe a garage for or bay um for those two buildings.
>> Tom, I was on that committee with you and Marvin Gord. >> Yep. long time ago. What about where the truck's parked now? Another building like that, a little bigger. >> Yeah. So, it's I'm glad you brought that up because what if if we can't get another building like that, I certainly
would like to add on to that particular bill in because again, what's vital to keeping the equipment lasting longer is washing it. And we really should have a wash bay where we can pull trucks in safely wash them, you know, in in all elements
because right now we're washing outside. It's not good. I mean, they're washing today. It was beautiful out, but January you don't have that option and you really should wash the trucks more often. That's my DPW. What do you think a building like that would I call it a
condine building like the way they used to build buildings? What do you >> Yeah, it's it's basically a metal structure with walls up so high. >> Yeah. Um I I don't even want to because talking about materials, right? I don't even want >> what you say today is not necessarily
true in six months. >> Probably roughly, let's call it a couple million dollars >> be a good investment. >> Oh, absolutely. And like I said, if we can't go there, then let's add on to it because there is some room there. >> Oh, there's room. >> We can add on to it with higher bays.
You took over the DBW. You've done a lot of work there. You've done a lot of work. And that buil the the administration office, I think they got it from the old lumber yard at the Anquity House 50 some odd years ago. >> Well, the building we're in, the building consolidates is the Gil Bane
building, which was the offices for when they built the schools, >> right? So, neither building owes us anything. This is true. We've gotten our money's worth out of that main one. Uh, but it's functionable. >> You know, like you said, you cleaned up
this the park apartment building. It looks nice. >> Yeah. >> The new salt shed is unbelievable. And uh I I I honestly think one more of those metal buildings with more bays >> would probably take us to the next cuz
you cleaned up a lot of like that DBW maintenance garage. It's unbelievable with the flooring and stuff. >> Yeah. I have to give some of the credit or a lot of the credit to Charlie Colligan who's the >> it's gleaming and it's bright >> you know so >> we're not really
>> we're not far off let's say there compared to when we started that committee when we were in that committee >> that was really a a real bad issue down there >> yeah it's it's come a long way >> for sure >> with your help when you were the DPW you
know league guy would chase And it's been a lot of improvements. Thank you. Thank you, >> Nick. Did you have anything else? >> No, I just want to, you know, thank Tom for his work and um the, you know, one element where we've been very fortunate to have the energy manager Grant uh
between both the town of Milton and Randolph where we're sharing an energy manager. Kai Mhler is here two days a week and three days down in Randolph and um you know, he's starting to really get the ball moving on some projects. As Tom mentioned, they're at the high school today. they're at the down here at town
hall and at the COA taking out um additional EV charging locations that will be at no cost to the town. Um move forward on on solar on the fire headquarters building and then as we think about decarbonization plans, you know, it's an opportunity to both invest
in and and replace some of that end of life equipment, do so with grants and minimize the cost to the to the town's taxpayers. So, um it's a good team that we have in place and um I think Kai and Tom working together, we'll you'll start to see the the um the outcome of that
collaboration very soon. >> Great. Mr. Dailyy, I know you got here a little late. I don't know if you have any >> uh nothing for me. I was able to hear listen a little bit on my ride in. Um thank you for your work. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you, Tom. We can move
along. >> Have a good night. Appreciate your time very much. >> Thank you. Um, what was the basketball score? >> Uh, we lost. >> Oh, sorry. >> Kids kids played hard though, right? Didn't go out late tonight. >> Um, all right. So, item five is
committee report. We have the uh finance committee and the budget coordination committee. We've kind of been taking those as singular item. Um, so >> yeah. So, really quickly, because I think um Nick will cover a lot of this in the uh in item number six, but um the
select board finance committee um has been working on the FY27 budget. Uh right now, where things stand is due to a couple of factors. We have $325,000 in uh less than anticipated expenses,
which is a good thing. Um the question we really have for you, our colleagues, is um what is the appropriate use uh for those funds? And member Daly and I have some ideas. Um the school budget is is
pretty much wrapped. Um, and so what we're what we're wondering is, um, you know, what are some one-time uses that we can think of for other town departments andor do we commit, um,
commit some of these funding some of these funds to reserves? on the budget coordination committee front. Um now that FY27 is almost done, we're uh applying some of the lessons learned from that that process, how our
uh funding model, the dynamics of it, how it works. Um also too, how it interacts with the um school department's model. So what we're pivoting toward now is to toward understanding our model
um examining some factors there. Also, uh, Milton Public Schools is going to come back with their operating model and they're going to give us a peak at um the implications of various growth rates for them, what impact that would have
on, um, school operations, which ultimately affect educational outcomes. Um, and also too, we're working on um an updated schedule and
calendar for budget planning uh moving forward just given the the lessons learned from the past year. >> I don't know if I've left anything out. >> No, I think >> I always ask there's a lot >> that we're going to add is going to come up in Mr. Milano's discussion of the
budget, but I think >> for the coordination committee, we will meet um on the 23rd. Okay. >> So, that is when the schools will have their forecast and I think even before that we'll begin the process of adding the schools forecast along with the towns and trying to figure out uh where
we're going to be over the next uh two to three years with our expectations. Obviously, all of those things are subject to change depending on expenses as well as revenues. But that's part of what the committee is charged to do and now we're moving towards that work and hope we can close out uh FY27
um soon. But that will be in Moro's update. >> All right. And then we'll um maybe reserve the discussion of the 325K to that discussion as well. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Well, thank you for the report. I I think that does te you up, Mr. Mullen,
for our uh item six, fiscal year 27 budget. >> Thank you. And there are a couple of um you know, decisions or recommendations that we're looking for from this board. Um, so as was just alluded to, there
were when we last met, we were talking about $325,000 in savings and and less than anticipated expenses. Um, late this afternoon, we had a new new news or a new new update. In terms of our general insurance budget where this is workers comp, professional and general
liability, auto liability, um, etc. we've had um some old claims drop off in workers comp and our our cost is going to drop significantly um by about $50,000 or 15% year-over-year. Um in addition, we purchase insurance through
Maya, which is an arm of the Mass Municipal Association and and they're making adjustments across cities and towns on um where they can. So, we had another um significant savings on our professional liability line of insurance. Um, so the bottom line there is we can really further roll back our
budget for general insurance from 1.5 million to 1.4 million. So that savings is another $100,000. Typically this the final renewal doesn't come out until we're through town meeting. Um, and so we're just ahead of they've provided these renewals early. Um, so it's
information we have um, now which we typically are not able to adjust the budget when the final renewal comes in. Um, so it's a good position to be. So really that 325 is $425,000 in round numbers in terms of less than
anticipated expenses. And one thing um I did just kind of want to remind everybody is when we're talking about less than anticipated expenses, one of the one of the changes that we made to the budget earlier in the process was to pull in additional funding from the operating budget stabilization fund. Um,
so we had anticipated using 700,000 of that and then in January increased that to 935,000. So while there are savings, the savings are because we had increased our revenue estimates and and had pulled additional money into this budget. So,
and and when we're thinking about potential investments or using that money to fund new items or onetime items, it's just critical to remember that it's it's not truly savings, per se. Um, and that if it's a recurring cost, we'll have to pay that in future
years and that those recurrent costs will grow um and that we might have less money to to utilize in future years. But um where our budget was um from a few weeks ago to where we are now is $425,000 and fewer less than anticipated expenses.
Three of the items that the select board finance committee discussed on Monday morning at our most recent meeting was investing in the technical support position that Chief King spoke to us about has been speaking about at the warrant committee level and others for several years now. Um that's a position
that would support records, um camera management and rollout, software management and roll out and uh just a civilian position that you do find in departments that we have not been able to fund. And as you know technology grows, especially as crime around technology grows and the kind of
technology that the officers rely upon, um it's critical that we have that help. Um, and we budget that at $120,000. When you combine both anticipated salary expense plus when we budget and a new position, we always budget for a full family plan on health insurance um to
budget the kind of upper end limit of what that might cost. So that's $120,000. We also discussed um two one-time expenditures, one of which being an economic development plan, which we've budgeted for around $55,000.
We do have the scope on tonight's agenda to discuss. Um, so obviously changes to scope, increases in kind of outreach and community engagement would be more expensive or reductions in scope would make it less expensive. So it's a little bit of a moving target, but um I think
that's a fair kind of number to to keep in mind if that's um something folks want to move forward on. And then we were scheduled to talk to uh DPW director Marina Fernandez and tool design about trafficcoming policy and plan. Um that is something that a DPW
has been working on um scoping out. The full cost of that is $120,000. Um we do budget for traffic engineering services already within the DPW budget at $80,000. So we wouldn't necessarily need to appropriate the full amount because we have some money already set aside in
the DPW budget for that, but not necessarily what's needed to to fund the full project. Um, I'll note we shared other potential ideas, whether it's, you know, um, part-time positions at the library that have been requested, not funded. Um, and a few other things. I
did again share the the past needs requests across town departments, but I I would feel a little reluctant to do too much in the way of recurring expenses, and if we're going to invest in anything, it's going to be something that's truly critical. Um, because we're going to have a challenging budget year in fiscal 28, 29, just like we do in a
normal year. So, I think being sensitive to that um I think targeting some critical one-time investments might be um a productive use of that money while still setting aside some of the um savings as we're going to them. So, I
can pause there if uh you want to add anything or or discuss kind of that potential plan. >> So, I'm guessing that you guys discussed this. Do you want to share a little bit of of your opinions on on these three expenses or any other expenses? Then we can >> Yeah, I'll share a bit of mine. Um, I
believe the police technical support coordinator was addressed by member Wells in our last meeting. It's something that's been on the asks of the police department for a number of years. Has direct impact on us being able to use body cameras and download the information from the body cameras, which
I believe has part of our union contracts as well as what we expect from our police department. Also with so much happening in cyber uh we do think this is an important position being able to fund the 120,000 over a number of years we think it's something we can also maintain in one position. Uh the
one-time cost the economic development plan as well the traffic calming I think those have been subjects that have been brought up in town for a number of years. Economic development is very important for us to be able to not only have an understanding of the areas where we could have some development but
having a plan put forth that we can actually act on not just something that's in theory. So, I think that's also important in traffic calming with the changes to 28 with the continuing changes um as well as you know the pilot ending and I think this would happen in the summer as well. That being a massive
change I think that's also something that would be very key. The ability to also not only use the um the savings, you know, for lack of a better term for this year as well as partnering with with the DPW DPW budget allows us to use
both um as a source of resources. And so we still will end with somewhat of a surplus. And these are two things I think would be really key for us moving forward in town as well. So, >> and just to add to what member Daly was saying, um, so I think all three of
these items I one of our upcoming agenda items for tonight are the select board goals that we set into motion in November. um in and all of these um items
align with our priorities for the year. So um I just want to underscore that. But, you know, in particular, um, with the economic development plan, the traffic calming policy and plan,
these are both areas that we've had a lot of outreach from folks in town on. And part of developing these plans is so that we can be proactive and not reactive.
Um, you know, there sometimes there's a sense that these things, you know, traffic or development happens to us. Uh, setting out a series of townwide goals and measures will help us be more in the driver's
seat moving forward and in my opinion is one of the reasons that these are worthwhile investments. So, two questions I have um that I might just state right away. Um I and I think
this is for the for the police technical support coordinator. Town meetings has already budgeted money for cameras. Is that right? For body cameras. >> Yes. >> There has been an appropriation to purchase body warn cameras. We have not um
>> we haven't we haven't purchased them and and it the policy still needs to bargain and implement it with the two unions that it would affect. >> Okay. Um and then on the traffic cal uh calming policy and plan I know it was like right before the
pandemic but there was a big traffic study done in town and then that did sit on the shelf and part of that was because of COVID and the sort of changes to traffic. Um, but I'm curious, you know, is there a way to leverage some of
that that material or and or as part of this planning process because I think member Hegger said it quite well is we don't want these to sit on shelves. We want to be able to both do the work and then also to implement the best practices that the work suggests.
>> Yes, I agree. I think two things to that point is the the very broad scope that's outlined um tool design and and marina will be available in on March 24th at our select board meeting to discuss that. So that gives select board an opportunity to weigh in on on what that
scope might look like and what those deliverables will be in terms of budgeting. That's kind of the upper end cost to set aside if we want to proceed with that work. So it's not necessarily committing to a specific scope or game plan. I think the other piece of this is what we have found as a struggle is
having a good rubric and template for like a street is this kind of street with this kind of traffic and safety is being impacted. What are our quick implementation ideas and where are where are critical places that we should act
on immediately and more quickly and what would those implementations be? So it's it's more of a it's a framework and a policy and a plan that will result in more clear deliverables. >> Yeah. >> Rather than and my my concern and I've said this is just another plan on this
issue isn't kind of sufficient. So it really is to lead to implementation. Um, and what we have found is like it's been folks who know how to advocate that get results. And we're trying to steer clear of that and try to be more data driven
and more kind of um uh black and white about okay this area is a known crash area or this is in a known high-speed area and here's the implementations that we can do um pretty easily and effectively and and this
whole process will explain that to folks solicit in input. So I the scope uh will we can discuss in great detail. Um but it is supposed to translate to a concrete action and not to be more of kind of an initial step. The economic development plan is definitely more of like an initial step to think about
>> areas in town and goals and and potential things that people might want to see whereas the trafficcoming policy plan is to lead to direct concrete action. So I think you know pertaining to the the trafficcoming
plan um to chairman Z's point I think I think it would be good to get clarity on whether um update the updating of the townwide traffic model is included in the scope or if it's something separate that would
be informing this because that I remember talking Um Dick Burke shared the report with me. Um and it was interesting to read through and it it does seem that the
um that some of the traffic model from prior to 2020 would be outdated. Um and it would be it would be good if if some adjustment to that informed like prioritization of hotspots and areas.
Um, and you know, I'm a I'm a big fan of datadriven uh planning and traffic management because it you know, we all turn into traffic engineers, right? So, having an objective set of facts like really helps
everybody to solve uh or helps the town to call balls and strikes. However, um we we shouldn't underestimate sort of like the intuition too of of of the town residents. Um
so so I would I would advocate for for leaving some room for that as well. >> And I think the other the other component >> right now it does seem like a patchwork of like who called at this time. >> Yeah, >> I get lots of those calls. >> Yeah. And I think it's also about building
um operational understanding within the town about like what kind of um improvements to roads really work. And I don't I don't know if anybody's been by St. Mary's, but some flex posts were installed around St. Mary's. And the intention of that is a very rounded
curve. People can take the turn really fast. If you square it out, then they have to slow down to take the turn. So that's, you know, it's a lowcost. It's a nuisance for maintenance for sure. If they get hit, you got to go remove them. And if they get knocked over by a snowplow, you got to go install them. But there it's a lowcost way of really
slowing traffic down. And if it works, then maybe down the road it can be a capital pro improvement to kick out the curb, solidify it, and now you can maybe plant a tree and do some green space. So I think it's also about incorporating these kinds of ideas into our operating
um posture and as part of just kind of normal course of business. So, it's giving the department an understanding of how that would work as well. >> Um, and again, as I said, and to your point, like we asked about the traffic model. >> Um, they were open to that. I think you can you can ask that and I will ping
that question ahead to them so they know when they come in on on Tuesday 24th. Um, that scope can be tweaked or adjusted. Um, it has a lot of community engagement, hence the high cost. But I do think that's >> I think we need the community engagement. >> We've seen that with the with the road
diet. I think it's it's essential and um and it leads to good outcomes when you have community engagement. My guess is that that was I think it was 2019 that study is uh like member Heerty said I think it will be somewhat dated but I think and you know certainly um you know
28 is going to look a lot different. >> Sure. Um but some of the hot spots that was that were identified in that report will still continue to be hot spots and >> they had already reviewed that prior to us meeting with them as well. So >> and particularly with the road data you
know that will have changed flows around town too. um on the uh Okay. Um so just by my rough math, that's uh two 295K
of those those three items. Um, so and we're talking about 425K of So has was there a discussion uh at the committee level about putting the remainder back into uh stabilization fund or what was what were the
>> Yeah, I think our assumptions that goes directly into operating there. >> Okay. And really the question not to get kind of too deep into the numbers is and I'll use we'll go in order here. So the economic development plan $55,000. So what I would suggest we do is we
increase the appropriation to the master plan committee's budget by an amount to cover the economic development plan. We've included $30,000 in the budget for that committee already. So the question here is do we want to increase it by $55,000 so they have 30 plus the 55 so
the 30 can be used for other programs and projects and plans or do we feel that they don't need $30,000 plus the $55,000. That's that's kind of one of the first questions there is it's they have a baseline budget Empic had a baseline budget of $30,000 for plans for
a number of years. That baseline is included in the fiscal 27 budget. It could be increased by $55,000 saying now you have a budget of $85,000 and we expect a large portion of that to go to an development. >> I don't think we need $85,000 as the new chair of the MEC. I don't
think we need that >> because that has to be spent in one year. It has to be yeah encumbered or spent within fiscal 27 and then a new appropriation >> I think if we get to 55 to cover this plan >> if if that's what you're saying the way
to so if we have 30 it would take that 55 down to 25 >> and then there wouldn't be additional funding for any other potential initiatives for the year that might be sufficient but I just >> so our charge is I understand it is to
make a recommendation to the planning board on um what is left over from the implementation of the past master plan
to get something done in terms of an economic development plan and then to um make a recommendation of what could be examined in terms of a next master plan. correct to continue the implementation
of the current master plan to start thinking about the next master plan. So and >> so yeah so if we think their priority should be working on an economic development plan and that that's the right committee to lead that work then perhaps the answer is it just is enough
to >> but we also don't have all the the members of the committee seated. >> What was the thought in the original 30,000? It's just the >> the committee to determine how to start utilizing that
>> and that's been the standard >> that's been the standard with Empic and that's how we've kind of we didn't take it away or increase it. We just kind of left it alone figuring the committee would get to work >> and that's been rolling for how many years now >> at least the last several I I don't want to say how many years back >> there's been no usage of it so far. I
mean, we we spent a couple thousand in the past year to um we've got a researcher looking at how um how a townwide shuttle would work for
residents, you know, within within the town of Milton. So, I don't want to go down a rabbit hole, but it's examining a model that's used in other towns like Lexington, you know, for for people who don't have transportation. It's like a kind of like a supplement to public
transportation, you know, like kids, teenagers who aren't driving yet or um just people who don't don't have um good access to a vehicle to get around. So as chair
is kind of your call is to start with, right? >> I think this I honestly think this is the highest and best use of the Empic funds to get to deliver an economic development plan to the town. >> Would you want another 5K for like
miscellaneous like if somebody had a similar idea for a similar project so that >> Yeah, I mean we could do that. >> A little bit of flexibility. Yeah, I mean flexibility is always nice, but um
also very conscious that it not be too much because we have a lot of other priorities um and you know financial constraints for the town. So, what it I'm hearing is change the appropriation to the master plan
committee from a $30,000 to a $60,000 appropriation. That would should be enough to cover an economic development plan subject to changes to scope. I just want to be clear. And another, you know, a cushion of about $5,000 on top of that >> economical plan. You're going to be
deciding what areas. >> Yeah. So, it'll be it's not going to be saying like these are all the developments that will happen, but it will set out like what are the town's priorities for
economic development? What kind of economic development do we want to see? And what are the right what are certain areas that you might be able to get that economic development and like what what
good development in those sites look like, right? So, it's still pretty broad, but it's not and it's not dictating what would go there, but it's uh it's it's some work and some
analysis. And also too, importantly, it will have the voice of the town included in what people in the town want to see. So, so >> it will be like a economic analysis like a mathematical analysis of it plus you
know what people actually want to see >> and it goes to the planning board. >> Um >> if if it was so what would come out of this would require further work to translate it into zoning. >> Yep. >> That would go to the planning board for sure. And the and this this committee
the master plan committee is required to report to both the planning board and the select board. The only problem with this is when they pick an area, it's a snowball effect. Before the residents realize what could be coming down the road, it's too late. I've learned that with what's going around in my neighborhood.
>> I think with the with the plan, uh, John, it's more about showing us the opportunities and what could be it wouldn't necessarily implement anything is for us to have a concrete sort of layout of where are the spaces where Milton has opportunities for for economic development. What are the costs
associated? Um and then we decide and try to really get a handle on how do we lead that development so it doesn't just happen um to us in in terms there's more >> discussion. Oh yeah before the planning
the end product is a report so it's not like a change >> in the scope right there's two rounds of community input. There's not just one. There's like two opportunities for for the town to comment on all this. >> And even then, after that report is
done, there's still more time for community input. >> So, just >> I I think your your caution is well, you know, warranted and I think we're trying to build it. >> There's still two storefronts on the Parkway not being taken. >> Yeah. And >> that's a beautiful location. >> Yep.
>> I would love a Dunkin Donuts. That's why I get down in High Park and stop there on my way back. Yeah. >> So, remember there is two beautiful storefronts that have not taken yet. That's a great location >> and I can't understand why. >> You know, it's a beautiful it's a
beautiful site. It's just being so >> so part of the study would look I would imagine at existing commercial spaces and why have they or have they not been successful because that's important to understand like why you know talking to
some business owners like you know what's attractive about this what's not attractive about it um you know call up Dunks and ask them why they haven't moved in >> got a lot of traffic and everything I just don't understand Definitely. And uh just to to everybody's point, the first workshop
that is currently scoped is is to solicit ideas and then a second workshop is to kind of report back on findings. So it's not so much a here's our report. What do you think? It's what do you want us to keep looking at and keep exploring. So it's really supposed to be that first step of information coming in
before information comes back your way. Plus what I've noticed a lot this year. A lot of these store owners don't do their sidewalk >> and that's a pet peeve with me. >> Yeah, >> a lot of people don't do this. >> No, but I do 90% of the commercial buildings and ours is wide ice melt. You
go to a lot of these as a little car path >> and they're not even ice melt and it's dangerous. It's dangerous. >> So we got to have a formula for that tunic. You know what I mean? going down the road. >> Yeah. >> They got to be held their feet held to the fire >> like >> you can do that. >> Yeah.
>> Okay. >> So, I think you're uh that I think you've heard correctly on the 60 for that. >> And then a similar point on traffic coming. >> Yeah. >> Um so, as I mentioned, we have $80,000 already budgeted each year in the DPW budget for um traffic engineering
services. We use those for kind of like ad hoc uh projects. So, um, there will be a need for those services throughout the fiscal year. Um, so, you know, you know, we could request the full $120,000 be appropriate from additional funds or
say, you know, give the department $40,000 for traffic engineering services, then offset the rest with this. Um, I don't want to short change them, but I think that would be sufficient. >> How much do they typically sp typically spend in a year on engineering services? Do they usually use the full like would
you anticipate that they would have used the full 40,000 >> in a normal year? Yes. Um the full $80,000 really. But in a in a >> in a place where we'd probably be trying to not do too much while this work is going on in the background, there might
be a little bit less. But in a in a normal year, yes, we would expect them to fully spend the $80,000. I wouldn't want them to not do projects. But >> so I guess my question is is there a stable of projects that would not get designed and would we only be working on
a traffic plan? >> It is possible that could be impacted. Yes. >> Yeah. >> If we reduce their regular appropriation. >> Yeah. I mean to me that's the tradeoff. So in which case it sounds like just move forward with the full appropriation into
>> I would be reluctant to reduce funding for traffic engineering in town for the sake of creating a plan. >> Sure. >> Because a plan should take into account you know work that's also ongoing. >> Sure.
I was just looking >> I don't know if other members feel the same way >> these offsets right because now out of the 55,000 we thought for economic development that really becomes 30,000 25 left over which changes the
balance between that 120 and 80 for DPW ministry of there still has some savings there but maybe keep that 480 okay >> and is there general consensus on the board for the um the police uh position
Yes. Okay, great. So, I think we you've got uh instructions and so my understanding from the timing for the budget is >> that you there's a meeting on the 23rd. >> Okay. >> And then we'll see it again uh at our next meeting which is >> they'll be on our agenda again the 24th,
but otherwise it's it's really we have one more discussion item related to uh a free cash appropriation, but otherwise the budget is pretty much wrapped subject to the warrant committee's final recommendations on on all of it. Okay, great. >> Are we comfortable?
>> Yes, you guys have really brought >> us a lot of good news. >> Started with bad news. >> You know, you >> Thank you to our colleagues for your support as well. >> Um, oh, it looks like we're going to
talk about free cash here. >> Yes. So, uh, the two other things that we're, uh, moving forward with out of the last free cash is, um, some additional hours in the building department and, um, some additional planning work on zoning bylaw recontification, which is something that the planning board has been seeking for.
So, um, free cash, uh, additional appropriations, as you can see here, for um, really for town council to assist the planning board in going through our zoning bylaw and and making necessary updates and improvements with the planning board's um, at the planning board's guidance and direction. and then
additional hours for building department as we are evaluating what we need more permanently. Uh with the challenge for us is getting through the next two years when all these buildings are being built at the same time. >> Yes. >> And trying to get them some more capacity in the meantime. Um as we think about more long-term kind of investments
in that department. Uh but the the kind of last big discuss discussion item, it's something again the select board finance committee discussed on Monday was we've talked about appropriating half million dollars to the school for school reserves and um there's a couple
different pathways by which uh we could do that. Um the one that has we've talked a lot about is appropriating money directly into the sped stabilization fund. This is a stabilization fund that the town meeting adopted at the Maytown meeting. um we had anticipated potentially
appropriating money to that but ended up not being able to do to do so. So it has no balance. Um but it's a fund that's allowed to be used for certain special education costs and transportation costs um with the approval of the school committee and the select board. Um another alternative that uh we've
discussed is to appropriate the money directly into this year's school budget uh which would allow them through just kind of how they manage their money to have that money close out to the circuit breaker reserve. So, um, a lot of what the schools have been focused on trying to do is build up their circuit breaker
reserve. So, um, in order to to try to appropriate money to school reserves, one pathway would be again, as I said, just put money in the school budget resulting in a greater than anticipated circuit breaker reserve that they can use beginning July 1 of 27. So really um
it's a question of what the select board's preference would be on how that half million if well firstly is the select board committed to a half million dollars for school reserves and if so how would you like to see that uh implemented and of course that's still subject to the recommendation of the warrant committee but um we just wanted
your feedback and direction on it as well. >> Go first. >> I don't care. >> Mr. Daily. >> All right, I'll go with um >> Mr. Dailyaly has learned the ins and outs of school circuit breaker funding.
>> I don't I don't know if I don't know if I have it all, but um I am struggling with this ask of the appropriation. >> Um not because I want to keep the money from the schools. It's that we have not received anything really documented from
the schools in terms of how they intend to appropriate the funds. Um at last discussion they had a plan for their reserves um where we said well if you're going to keep a million from the state funds we would not want to give you the
extra $500,000 for you to have 1.5 million in reserves. I don't know if they intend to change that in terms of keeping less from the state and then using a special education fund as the back fill which will give them a total of 1 million. if they're and I have not
seen confirm their plan for either the three years fill or I think they now want to use it as four years to build to the 3 million or 3.1 million in reserves. So without that map and maybe they're putting that together for the forecast for our next joint meeting, I'm
not sure I want to appropriate the 500,000. It really depends on how they intend to use their reserves. My other um issue with some of this is that the special education stabilization fund was established um during the override as back special
education expenses and also to me it is a way for us to continuously be in communication with the schools >> appropriating it directly to the schools by putting it in their FY26 budget which they then put in the reserves then means
that if they do run into a place where their costs are rising, we may not know, >> right? >> And I think in good faith and communication, a major part of that is that if things are rising, we need to have these points along the way where we are communicating and be here that, hey,
our costs are going up. This is what we're going to need. I don't anticipate that either this board or any other board would ever say to the schools, no, you can't have the funds that have been set aside to you specifically, right? But the point of that is for us to have a conversation and knowing that along the way things are getting a little bit
more expensive or perhaps the state, you know, the state has said they're going to fund it 90% in the future and if something with that changed, >> it's important that we know that um along the way. So I don't want to
>> remove those purposeful conversation stop points where we actually say, "Hey, this is what the expenses are. this is where they're rising before we appropriate the funds. So, I think there are a couple things here I'd like to see from the schools. One, their plan for
their reserves over the next four years. >> How they plan to appropriate this 500,000 if we do um appropriate towards the schools and why would we establish a special education fund and then for backto-back years not fund it?
>> Yeah. Also, you know, just something to keep in mind. We're not totally there yet, but when it comes to free cash, we're not doing
ourselves and future select boards and town leaders a ton of favors when we if we plug too much funding in directly to programs, right? >> Yeah, I agree with that.
>> We have to you know, we we have done that this year. It it was a good idea. It is called for. We may still do it from time and again. However, to member Dal's point, it it
really should involve a conversation and we need to we really need to start to be mindful of how we're applying free cash. Um because that that's how you develop a
structural gap. >> Yeah. >> With lack of discipline around that. >> And and I will say um and and Nick knows this. I think this year we've had more conversations than any previous year that I've been on the
select board with the schools about their budget. still not sufficient I think in terms of like the timeliness but at least you know this is the first time since I've been on select board that we're not scrambling at the 11th hour with a huge shortfall that was
totally un you know not not predicted >> right superintendent Failen and Nathan Huau and Mark Luring was Carol Amanda like they've all been amazing and like we've worked through some like hard conversations in this
process and we've, you know, I think we've really built a foundation to continue to stabilize the town's finances on >> Yes, I I agree. And and my point uh in in in saying that was that I think that
the that the budget super committee has really kind of helped that process. And I I don't think that I I I I >> it drives people crazy sometimes. But I do think it helps. I do think it helps fores us to talk about money. >> And I think those conversations are so
critically important to have across uh across the the board here so that they're not just happening in silos. >> Um and I think um member Dy's points about u making sure that we continue to have those conversations are are really uh critically important. My instinct on
this is the special education fund um because special ed costs do tend to vary wildly. They're not predictable. We did set this up and then we haven't funded it and the spending from it needs to be cleared by both school committee and us. So it really encourages that continued
dialogue. Um but I also think that um hearing from the school uh the school committee about their thoughts about um their their own reserves and their thinking would be really helpful as well for us to make that decision. So I don't think we have to come to a decision on that tonight or do we
>> are we scheduled for any kind of joint meeting with them on this on the budget? >> Not presently and and time is certainly the enemy where we are you know approaching mid-March. So if if that was of interest, I would say it has to be next week. Um or I would say it has to
be next week. >> Yeah. >> I I think that we we need to have the meeting of select board finance school committee and the warrant committee because the warrant committee has a completely different recommendation at this point. And this is a change that the warrant committee is going to need to work through >> as well.
>> I think that makes the most sense. And then each each finance committee can report out to the total to the board. I think that's easier to pull off >> to our joints on the 23rd. >> You said great. So the public can understand and everything.
>> Thank you. Really understand what you said and that's great. Thank you. >> So the really only we have a placeholder in the in the warrant right now for a amendment to fiscal 26 appropriations that it's really a carryover because we
did that last year. So it it doesn't sound like we're going to need that article, but we can, you know, draft the article with an appropriation of a half million dollars of free cash to sped stabilization fund. Um, so that's ready and it sounds like that is where the board is leaning in terms of uh consensus on
>> I think it makes sense to have that to ready to go. Uh, and then >> are is it easy to make changes to that? because I think the Warren Committee has >> not saying that we've completely agreed on that half million going to the special education fund because I think the Warren Committee was at zero to the
special education fund and half a million going directly to operating. We had not said exactly how much yet you know mentally for me I've been thinking about maybe 250 and 250 >> um because we were still kind of waiting for the school. So I just want to know if we do make a change and there's a
shift how easily can we amend that in the warrant? Uh so yes, it's it's pretty easy because all of these appropriations into stabilization fund are the same article. Okay. So it's it'll say appropriate to general capital road
special ed stabilization operating budget stabilization all within one article. And so the numbers just with this article have to be adjusted in terms of >> uh we're looking to have the select board approve the warrant, you know, in its entirety at our meeting on April 7th. And so that'll go to the printer
the next day. Um so it's really like by the end of March our March 24th meeting where we kind of want these kind of locked down and if the warrant committee makes a separate recommendation that's fine and but we just that is really the deadline in terms of what uh can be prepared and ready for town meetings go
out to town meeting members. >> Oh are we meeting April 7th? >> It's on our agenda to discuss that. Okay. >> All right. Okay. Uh I was like well I mathematically that can't be the second uh but I think we can make that work. Um but we'll we can discuss that.
>> Yeah that's >> okay. Uh are folks comfortable with that uh discussion? >> Yeah. So we'll we'll try to get meeting of those three bodies before our joint meeting on the 23rd to flesh this out and then
>> yeah I think that makes sense. >> Um capital budget. >> Uh no updates there Mr. Chair. I will take that off the next week. >> Okay. Uh and snow and ice budget. >> Uh yes, this is where the bad news stop or the good news stops.
Um so heading into the most recent storm, we were at about a million dollar deficit for snow and ice uh for fiscal 26. That's the current year. Um we're expecting to be close to um about $1.5 million on in terms of estimating where
we are. One of the issues that we had was um salt deliveries had been delayed. Actually, we didn't get salt through the storm until several days after the storm. Um so, we had placed orders that hadn't yet delivered. So, we're still combining and pulling in invoices and
soliciting contractor invoices. But for fiscal 26, uh certainly heavy sneeze season. Um about $360,000 of that. I'm just trying to find the specifics of our expenses was on on staff time. Uh we had a a number of Sunday Monday or Monday
holiday storms and then if crews work through the night um our collect bargain agreement carries over time and a half pay through their regular shift. So there is welld deserved um benefits to the employees for putting in in substantial hours but it is um it does
start to add up. um salt was I'm not finding my report so I apologize but um another half million dollars in terms of like materials and equipment primary salt and then vehicle repairs and maintenance um and then uh the rest
is contractor expenses for um contractors that we hire and then those large storms not only were mobilized during the snow itself but then as you saw the night work that it takes to to clear snow from key intersections to clear sidewalks it does take two or three nights of snow hauling and
removal. And while we have staff that do it in a couple of locations, depending on how much equipment we have, we do have to bring in additional um contractors to to support that work. So, um those kinds of long duration storms are expensive because it snows just for a long time and it takes a long time to
clean up. Um so, we're looking at about a $ 1.5 million deficit. We'll keep we'll provide a further update March 24th. we'll continue to knock on wood that we can um that it won't be too much more in the cost as we head through the rest of the year. Um and then um we've
already started to identify savings that we are aware of within this year's budget. Um for example, our insurance budget, we should have um $100,000 in savings there. The select board budget would have savings because we had vacancies. Um so there are departments with savings that will eventually
transfer to the DPW budget. um the DPW general fund budget will have savings in it. So, we'll try to eat up as much of that deficit within existing year appropriations. We are allowed, as I've discussed at prior meetings, to leave that in a deficit um and to resolve it in a few different ways, whether it's a
town meeting appropriation in the fall or adjustments when we set the tax rate again in the fall. So, there's I'll lay out some options once we get to a final number and have a better lay of land as to where our departmental budgets will end. Uh we've advised department heads at this point like if it's not a
critical expense before you go and spend it um check with us. Uh we're not really doing a hiring freeze but we're you know going to slow things down so that people would be onboarding later in the fiscal year. Um so we're taking some measures to to slow our cost down um to absorb it. But we have a number of tools to to
utilize to offset that deficit. But it will all lead to an impact to free cash for for what's certified for next year. Just for comparison, what was our anticipated deficit this year? >> Uh in terms in like what's a normal deficit
that we face? >> Average year? >> Yeah, the average year is probably about a half million to $600,000 in cost. Um the last several have been light winters and they've been in that range. Um so this is certainly the highest spend in 10 years and that's the brunt of
years of inflation. just fewer people's willing and wanting a higher rate to put their own equipment on the line as contractors and that's something that cities and towns across Massachusetts are facing. So, um a combination of everything that has driven that up.
>> Yeah. >> No, definitely something very big >> on the weekend. >> And it's funny to think that we were really fortunate in a way on that on the most recent one of course. It's crazy as >> we were discussing. Yeah. Could have been much much worse. Yeah. Thankfully.
>> Um so I we'll provide a further update on the 24th and um start to identify ways that will eat up that deficit within existing. >> It sounds like asking mother nature to schedule her storms between 9 and 5 on a Tuesday. >> Tuesdays to Thursdays would be optimal.
So get a letter together for that. Um uh item number nine then uh economic development plan scope potential community planning grant application and timeline. We've kind of discussed this but um again in this can in terms of exactly
the scope we can continue to tweak. We have shared this with the planning board as well and solicited their feedback in terms of uh you know appropriate scope. Um the way that it's currently drawn up is that there'll be an existing conditions analysis um a community workshop um you know
drafts drafts prepared a second community workshop and a final report prepared. So it it really is meant to be look at what Milton has, talk to key stakeholders in the business community and elsewhere about um opportunities and constraints, engage with community, and
then engage with community again. Um that's broadly the scope. Happy to take questions or or thoughts or questions about how to refine that or or things to include that's not currently included. Uh today >> I have a lot of notes that I can just send to you.
>> Okay, that works. Um, but I think I think my general feeling about this and I read lots of scopes. Um, I think that this is a really good start. Um, I think the general
uh the general roadmap is right. Um just a couple things I'd like to see is um you know under the existing conditions maybe some benchmarking um or it it doesn't necessarily fit
neatly within existing conditions but I couldn't find a better place for it uh benchmarking Milton against um similar communities. Um so the draft existing conditions report
um you know I I have a question on where where if anywhere that a gap analysis would land. Um I also think um you know the in the task one
mobilization having some understanding um from the consultant or messaging on what this is and what this is not to kind of get to uh member Driscoll's earlier um questions um you know that
this isn't this is high level this isn't you a move to implementation. Um, and then I had a question around the mention of scenario planning under the the second
community workshop. Um, my question is for the for the consultant is does scenario planning um entail or compare against a scenario of what if nothing is done?
um what impact does that have? Uh and then what are the relative uh payoffs for development and value capture? >> So, it's a lot of stuff and I'll email it to you, but I think it I think it's a good start,
>> but I think some clarification would be good. >> Okay, >> other questions or >> marked it up with my pink pen. My Hello Kitty pink pen. Haggedy's in her in her wheelhouse. So,
>> um other other thoughts or questions? My uh for for me? Um I'm just curious if we've gotten feedback from the planning board on >> it's um we shared it with them. It's on their agenda. I think they're going to try to talk about it on Thursday at the regular meeting. Um >> are you going to speak to them on it?
are you going to present to them on it or >> the planning director it will handle okay um discussing and I've already shared with them kind of where we're at in terms of while we have this scope from a consultant this is very much still to be procured so like we're not talking about and I think you've hit on
that >> whether to do this project with this person or not it's really about has the tasks and outline of work appropriate and then when we go to solicit we'll see who is ready to do the work and best suited to do the work but really just want to have a really nail down um scope
of services for when we go to procurement. >> So, so also too, you know, in fairness to any consultant who may end up working with us, I I think it could be valuable
um to come up with a you know a statement of why like why is this work being done now? um and what what is the town, the planning board, the select board looking to get out of this engagement?
Um because if that's expressed in a solicitation, it really helps um it really helps a consultant with their demon it helps them to be able to demonstrate their understanding of the project
>> in my opinion. That's a that's a great thought because I've been the one trying to articulate it and we can try to draft something and get some feedback on that because I think that's helpful to make sure I'm >> articulating what people want correctly, not just making something up.
>> I think it should be something that's joint between the select board and the planning board to articulate. >> Okay. All right. Okay, we can we can work on that as as part of kind of finalizing this um as we move it forward. >> Great. And we'll look forward to the uh
the thoughts of the planning board. Also, um item number 10 is select board goals status update. And we've got this handy dandy uh spreadsheet here, which we will not uh I don't think read item by item. Um we could if
>> you could you should do a red, yellow, green on these. Although I I could see why >> green a lot. >> Yeah, we're green. And I would say some of these are um are always going to be sort of ongoing,
right? Like um economic development opportunities uh just picking from our recent one. So we you know establishing a new committee uh regarding the economic development or request that master plan committee have a key focus on economic development. So that is uh you know obviously something
we've just disc just discussed um but that will be a continued discussion I think um long after uh all of us are on the on off the select board. Um anything that you wanted to pull out and highlight um specifically uh Mr. Milano or anything that members wanted to pull
out and highlight specifically? No, I'm happy to defer to questions and and comments and and things that um we need to redirect a little more attention to. That was the purpose just to you know temperature check and and see where you want us to refocus some of our efforts.
>> I have a question on the economic development opportunities if so we have the assess the viability of current economic development opportunities in the economic development plan. Do we so I forget when
we were developing this list of like what the specific action items or like the definition of the goal so to speak um of the assessing viability of current
economic development opportunities was >> I think it was and again it would probably be a place where we'd have to put some funding would be like you know where the town does have zoning. Why or how come that zoning has been utilized? And the best example of that
might be the Milton Village local uh mixed use overlay district. So like that was put into place a number of years ago. A lot of intentionality behind it, a lot of planning work behind it and nothing's really come out of it. So is it is there just landlords who aren't interested in redevelopment? Is it that
the zoning doesn't actually provide the pathway for a project? You know, there's a couple banks there. banks are happy with, you know, a retail presence and they don't really want much else. So I it's it would probably take a little bit of outreach. The planning department at that time was still being staffed up. So
it's something maybe we can think about ways to tackle that internally. It's not something we have again to to my comment, it's not something we've focused a lot of effort on. >> Right. Okay. >> My only well not my only but one of the questions is about the East Milton Fire
Station. We have appraisals underway. Do we have a a time frame when we think see some update on that? >> Yeah, I received an update from the appraiser um who was on site a couple weeks ago uh pulling together the report now. Um I think last week he said 10 to
14 days. So perhaps before our March 24th meeting. I had actually intend to include it on this week's agenda just to revisit the RFP again. But ahead of the 24th, we'll re we resend out the RFP. we should be pretty close to getting it out um at least in the month of April. We get to follow along on that.
>> The other thing I mean just to put in the sort of the what we've done is we we did have a really good community session on that. >> Yes, that's good. >> Um so I would highlight that and in terms of um some >> on the town owned land. Um,
I know that we're still, you know, we still continuing to evaluate the proposal for Town Farm. Um, I know we've gotten um some communications around that. Uh, so not only to say that I will be putting that on our future agenda
item uh list. and we never finalized any orientation and it strikes me now that we're back in election season. >> We have to have >> can we get this done >> some form of that come uh come May you know and maybe in the beginning it's
just going to be individualized um >> no but be helpful because with Mr. Zul and Mr. wells um not up for re-election and not going to be here to to brief debrief with you folks about what would be helpful and then for the three new members what worked what didn't work
what you could have used so if you could all just reach out to me when you have an opportunity to share >> what would have been helpful for you or what was helpful for you or what you wish you had we had told you >> I would like to include that as a as a artic as a discussion item for one of
our April meetings >> as well are you going to do an exit interview. Sorry. >> Tell the golf courses on there. >> No. Um I don't know if we ever pulled that in as a goal that we had talked about, but um and some it's not
something the board's really engaged much work on, but >> so um Mr. Driscoll, I will say that we put these together um right before you joined. Uh, and so the select board next year should have the same exercise. So
you should save some like if you've got items that you'd like to see the select board work on throughout the year, >> it would be good to and it's not that we can't start working on issues like that now, but in terms of setting it as a goal for the board. Um, this is a this was this year's document.
>> Yeah. Yeah. >> Don't want to lose sight that we do own that. >> Yeah. Uh, anything else that people want to call out? Um, we we talked about for me um, one of the incomplete ones is the communication
policy for the board by December 2025. Um, as I remember that item, it was really about how are members communicating both to each other as well as about each other uh as well as about
other parts of the town. Am I remembering that correctly? and more clearly having kind of like agreed upon plan for when you all get an email like who is going to own just at least getting an acknowledgement out the door. >> Yeah. >> Not that all members are free to
obviously engage but just just so that there's kind of >> um some acknowledgement from the board someone in their in the capacity to do so. So, that's still something that we could I think if if Yeah. If you wanted if you wanted to do a like a quick survey or have some an employee of yours
do a quick survey of policies like that at other towns, we could we could look at them and and even approve something before >> uh May. Okay. So, we'll have to do a select word retreat in June >> this year to try to stay on track. We
were a little bit if we were doing red, yellow, green, we performed yellow. I would >> from my from my experience of of bringing you guys on, I would um try to discuss among the three of you like two
or three dates that work in June like now and then whomever the new members are, you basically pull them to see if they can make those dates work. Um >> get them right off the bat. >> Yeah. Yeah. like right off the bat
because otherwise when the summer hits it's uh you know people are going everywhere. >> So trying to trying to make it happen in June is the reason for that is because you still have people around because kids are still in school for the most part. >> We had a we had town meeting in June last year too. >> We did town
we had a busy busy summer. >> Yeah. Um okay. Well I I love having this document. I love tracking it. I would like to see it one more time before uh I step off um at least and um I look
forward to future iterations from this from this board. Um uh item 11 is Milton Landing Seaw Wall grant application letter of support. >> Uh yes, thank you. Um, so as the board may recall, we had re applied for and received a seapport
economic council grant a couple years ago to to begin the process of assessing and and designing really improvements to the to the seaw wall at Belton and Landing along with the boat ramp there. Um, that grant was uh rescended on with due to some of the issues under MBTA
communities where when we were non-compliant um it was rescended. Um, so that was $140,000 grant. We are working with Tyen Bond who was our engineering consultant at the time to pull together uh an updated application uh with a generally the same idea of
engaging with the public and starting to plan and design uh climate resilient design for both the seaw wall and uh replacement to the boat ramp. Uh, one of the problems with water access in Milton is that that boat ramp to launch a boat um, you need to use the older rail car
and cable system, which the uh, >> folks down at the Milton Yach Club know how to do and can do, but for somebody to launch a boat um, >> on your own, uh, you're in a tough spot. There is a smaller uh, ramp on the far side of the landing um, that again is
very narrow. Um, and when the rowing crews are are active, it's it's a little tight down there. Um, so that's the long-term vision. Um, I don't have a draft application. I don't have a draft letter. Um, and so I really don't have an action item at this time. Um, but uh,
I'll send in a letter of support when we apply. Um, and that's to be sufficient unless the board feels strongly that we should not apply for this grant. >> Let's get the money back. >> So my question is, >> so we have to update the applications. Do we have to update the design or anything or is that like
>> Well, it's not really we're asking for money to start the design. Okay. Okay. >> So, we're really at the entry level stages and it's it's going to be really more of a planning and initial designs in terms of how this process will play out. >> Um because it's going to be a substantial project. >> Are we are we having to do an additional
outlay of funds to like update and like prepare the the updated application? >> Our partner time bond will help us with a lot of that. Um and then in terms of a local match, um the community preservation committee is has recommended a $28,000 appropriation
for some of like the beginning environmental permitting questions around such a project because one of the challenges is >> when we did or the seport economic council funded a study on dredging the the channel out to the ocean um it's
contaminated throughout. So any work that we are going to do around the seaw wall or the ramp will likely involve having to remove and dispose of contaminated soils because the pontet river upstream is contaminated and all that flows down. So >> wait, so is the dredging happening like
down by Port Norfolk? >> No, the dredging was like millions and millions of dollars. So there's that's not right now. >> Um there's no pathway for that to happen right now. Um >> it would need to go Yes. all the way down. Quinsey was part, it was Boston, Milton, and Quinsey that that had kind
of teamed up for that study because it would affect all of us in that channel all the way out. >> Um, so that's a longwinded way of saying it's a preliminary piece of it. And one of the critical pieces is better understanding how contaminated that area is and what the town's options would be
to dispose of it. How expensive is that going to be? Because that could take the project from um, you know, a few hundred,000 for a ramp to millions of dollars. Yeah. >> When was the last time they did that? >> Really? >> I'm sure that did not help anything.
Yeah. >> So, a boat ramp would be able regular bolt would back in like they do. >> That would be that would be the goal. >> Yeah. And you know, one of the benefits of um when Dexter Southfield came in and and has been down there is they
installed at their cost a lowprofile dock. So you can carry a kayak or canoe or a shell down and launch it from the lowrofile dock, but it's you still can't really launch anything with a trailer. So we've improved access for folks who have the means to get down there, but
it's still not a perfect solution in terms of access. And there's there's really limited public access throughout this portion of of the river. So, it's a the idea is yes, that would happen. It has its own challenges like now where I'm going to park my trailer while I'm on my boat. There's not a lot of space down there as we all know. So, um it's a
lot of that to be discussed and to be considered as we go through this. >> So, we'll look forward to the update on that. >> Um item number 12 is East Milton Post Office vehicle parking issues. And I know firsthand that it's still an issue
because they were parked in about six or seven spots in front of the Mac on Friday night. >> I I know a couple mailmen that work there. Those are all extra vans. They don't even use them. >> I know. And that's um >> absurd. The guy >> Mr. Dan Brook was telling me that they ordered these new vehicles in without a
place to park them and now that's this is where they're being parked. >> Yeah. >> So, Mr. Milano, I think what we were going to do is start drafting a a letter to um our US repres our US representation asking for some assistance on this. And I have um
already had some feedback with Congressman Lynch's office who did reach out and the feedback from the postal service was in terms of the storm itself was well um our operations were shut down so we couldn't get out to move the vehicles which doesn't address the fact
that a >> they were there to begin with >> against one hour no park one hour parking limit signs and no overnight parking. Um, so I I think we should put it, you know, I think maybe have the board authorize you to send a letter to
Congressman Lynch and Senator Marky and Senator Warren and we can and work on that and get that off. Um, I'm not too optimistic of what that means in terms of actual results. Um, so it's something we're going to have to probably continue to do really just kind of at a local
level as I I we can keep the pressure on and hopefully that translates, but it the initial feedback and commentary was not optimistic um that anything might change. >> Okay. >> And I know Mr. Wells has had a conversation with um folks in the post office um and that also hasn't
translated to any um unfortunately improvement. Yeah. >> Thoughts from the members? Wouldn't there be like some kind of procedure in advance of a snow emergency like that to um you know if there isn't space in Milton? I mean we're not like that far
away from downtown Boston where they have like the central >> area where they >> have those mail trucks like the big mail facility down there. I mean, I can't speak to
it's it's just a thought or an idea like can you just can you bring them downtown or is there another is there another location that either in Quinzy or Dorchester or something where they could bring those
vehicles >> to the arterials here >> for I think the problem for us is the snow problem is a problem but it's really the persistent overnight parking that affects the the businesses in the district. That's the ignoring the
one-hour parking that is meant to turn over spots throughout the day. So, I think it's it's more >> the snow issue. We could actually probably work with them on solutions like >> I mean, so that I'm I'm offering like a back of the envelope just quick thinking, common sense, public safety.
Hey, can you just can can North Quinzy Post Office have or Fields Corner? They have >> I I think it's a good point. Um but I I >> Yeah, the persistent >> Yeah, that that's the real problem. Like if they're if they're snowed in for a couple of days, that's one thing, but
like in the summertime, in the spring, in the fall, there it's just a constant >> presence and constant violation, frankly, of town policies. Why why are they receiving all of these new vehicles given that
>> probably small I would imagine >> relatively small. The delivery area hasn't changed. Why would they have additional trucks >> parcels? >> This honestly it's hearsay for my like I'm not sure what the why why why
they're doing this. Um but I you know I think a letter would be a good step. Um, is there is there like a postmaster for the town of Milton? >> For that for >> for that station? >> There is.
>> There's a manager. My parents my parents used to work for the post office. >> Okay. I I think maybe um >> what we could do is we could >> we could send the letter to our representatives, but I think maybe sending a letter to the manager of that
post office first to say, you know, because of this continued issue and your continued non-compliance, we feel that we have no choice but to raise this to the attention of the federal level, we would welcome a conversation with you
about how uh to accommodate post office operations while not impacting, you know, the town. >> Okay. >> Um, and if the members wanted to authorize Nick and I to put that together and send it, we could do that or we could send we could just go
straight to the >> US rep and send it. >> We have not made that request of a kiki, but um >> we don't know what >> what the ramifications of that would or wouldn't be. Who did Richard speak to? Did he speak to Is he speaking to the
congressional delegation or did he reach out to the the postmaster Boston? >> No. Um he went in and had the they who hadn't been calling back both police and and DPW did return his visit and I
believe he spoke to the manager of that location >> branch. Okay. >> Um >> did he speak to them in his capacity as state representative? >> That is my understanding. >> Okay. Okay. So this is us going forward as a town, >> correct? >> Yeah. >> But this might be I think the next point of escalation would probably be to the
postmaster. I mean, it's also fair game to go to Lynch's office, but I think if you were gonna >> bring the operational problem to the manager's boss. >> Well, I just So my my point Sorry, Mr.
Disco. Go ahead. >> Seems like you created that nice pocket. They're taking advantage of you. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> So they're flaunting it. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I guess maybe understanding the organizational structure to your point
is helpful. So if he has a right if there's another reach out to them and then >> surely he has a supervisor, >> right? >> Yeah. >> Or he or she or you know to assume. >> Okay. >> Um is is there a motion then? >> Yeah. I'd make a motion to for the
letter, but if but this is terms of compliance. Do we have no recourse other than them saying, "Okay, we'll do that." Because if we're not allowed to tell, we don't take it. It's kind of asking them to play nice, right?
>> Yeah. >> We can't assign the ticket to a license plate because they don't have a license plate. Whether we can tow or not is an unanswered question at this point and we can do a little bit of homework on that. >> So Kiki might not want to do it because they're just going to
get will get the bill. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So that's what like I honestly I think it's good that Richard went and spoke to the manager and I think that it's good to get a >> funny way to Right. >> I I was thinking it's like an apple or
something. It's like before It's like before bringing Congressman Lynch down to bear on them, which I'm sure he would if if asked. Um it might be
because the congressman's office is just going to call the postmaster anyway. >> So the motion could be for Mr. Milano to identify >> the appropriate person >> appropriate. Yes. supervisor of the supervisor to send a stern letter to and then and then authorize
>> pretty clear consensus. I don't need so much everybody's behind >> everyone everyone in favor of 100% behind it. This is good good bureaucratic navigation. >> Maybe we can hire them to just like help us with some space. >> Exactly. Let's put space savers
>> and enforce the space. Use the Boston code for space saver enforcement. >> Put a chair out there. They're there on Sunday and they're at church getting busy and they have double pockets >> out in the street. >> That's not good. >> Yeah. Cascading issues. And then >> and that's that is that that I would
assume that whole area like Garden Street, Plymouth, all that is like definitely a congestion hot spot in town. >> Yeah. Um All right. Uh so we have consensus on that issue. Uh item 13 is annual town
meeting warrant Wednesday May 6, 2026. Warrant articles. Anything new, exciting? >> Uh no. >> Um no status quo mostly were um some changes based on the discussions
this evening and um Warren Committee is continuing their work. They've been um uh obviously meetings uh over the past few weeks and I've started to vote on uh various articles. So that works underway and we'll um provide a further update on
the 24th but um nothing new for me. >> Um and then on item 14 has Randolph Aro diet. >> I recuse myself. >> Please recuse yourself. >> Just two quick updates and we touched on this in prior meetings. Linda warrant I'm see here on our note that we have
>> two members of the select board and sphere of the highway and then a town moderator for a term of three years moderator >> that's last year's warrant I'm sure that I haven't changed that so sorry >> um last year's election warrant not this year's election warrant >> uh so for route 28 um we've touched on
this before but they are planning to remove the separators between Pleasant and Reed and access road uh they said sometime in March maybe April um They are planning to come back and do postimplementation counts um in the first or second week of April. Uh they
are planning to count all the same locations that they counted in the fall. Um we have inquired about them asking about ask about additionally counting at Cantonquy and Blue Hills Parkway as anecdotally we have seen potentially
more traffic coming down the Parkway and coming around everything um to go up the Parkway into Boston. Um we they didn't do pre-counts there but um on a separate project the blue Boston blue hills project had looked at um had done counts
in May of 24. So we have recent data um that might serve as as a some form of a baseline if there are any other >> for 138 Canton and >> uh >> and Blue Hill Parkway >> Blue Hills Parkway like at the rink that intersection there so we can see what's
coming and going um back out and then um otherwise they're going to do all the same locations that they did before. uh we're we're discussing internally if there's anything else that we think should be included, but again, not having a a real good baseline. It makes additional locations a little bit challenging to to kind of speak to about
impacts. Uh and then that's all geared towards a discussion with the select board in um in May targeting uh end of May for Mass to come in and provide some feedback on uh on the project uh overall. So that that uh target date has
remained unchanged and just some work happening in the meantime leading up to that. >> Any questions from the members? >> Okay, we'll move on. Um member Hagerty, you can return if you'd like. Um we have item 15, board
and committee appointments. Uh airplane noise advisory committee. Do we have an application for that? >> Oh, that's an Am I missing? Do we not have the name on the agenda? name is not on or something. >> Yeah, name's not on the agenda. >> So, we should kick that to the next meeting. I don't know how we missed
that. Sorry about that. >> That's okay. >> My We like you, James. We just can't we we No, we can't do it if his name's not on the agenda, unfortunately. >> Um, >> I changes the agenda. It must have taken it off. Sorry about that. Uh, but we will move that appointment for
>> nothing personal. >> Did it get deleted because you were trying to fit item 15 and 16 neatly on separate pages? for the perfect how that happens. Yeah. >> Uh all right. We have some uh >> we have some motions that we could be
making for uh 16 as discussion approval request of the Milton Public Library to reserve the Town Green and Baron Hugo Gazebo for the annual Teddy Bear Picnic featuring Stacy Peasley music on June 3rd, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 uh 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
>> Second. That was me reading the item, but if somebody would like to make a motion. >> I'd like to make a motion. >> You can just say so moved. >> What? >> You can say so moved because he read it. >> Oh, so moved. Oh, yeah. Sorry. Sorry. >> Second. >> Okay. Uh, we're all in person. So, this
is a voice vote. All in favor? >> I. >> Great. Um, discussion approval one day liquor license for St. Agatha Parish at 4:32 Adam Street for April 11th, 2026 from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. for the Danny Gil concert. So move.
>> I second. >> All right. Uh any further discussion? Um all in favor? I >> uh discussion approval meeting minutes January 27 26 uh sorry January 27 2026 February 10 2026 February 23rd 2026 I
think all of us all four of us here were present for all three of those meetings. >> Uh 23rd Mr. Triscoll is not here. 23rd >> 23rd >> you've been out >> was that that was the online one I think >> I was on
>> I might have fell asleep but I was >> physically present counts it counts um so and you were definitely conscious for most of that so moved um do I have a second >> second >> all in favor >> I town administrator's report >> thank you Mr. chair. Uh really just two
updates for myself. Um we are um happy to announce that Cody Casease will be starting as the new town assistant new town new assistant town administrator on Monday. Um he comes from us from the legislature as well as Rasky Strategies where he's been for the last few years.
He worked um at the legislature um for a number of years for Representative Ken Gordon. So we're excited to add add him to the fold. Um >> let's get some good comms experience then. Yes. So that we're excited about that. >> Okay. Will will he come in uh on our uh
second meeting this month to introduce that? Wonderful. >> Um so we're excited to have him and then this as I had noted in an email to the board earlier is you know just getting our office and then the town engineer position and then the planning department back up fully staffed is just
adds a lot of capacity to what we're able to handle. So we're excited to to have more people to share uh the work with. Uh in addition, uh we had four firefighters graduate the academy on Friday. Aiden Smith, Cameron Dickens, John Cloon, and Aiden Ho Hoey, uh
wrapped up their academy. Uh so they're um working as firefighters. And then next week they um really go off on their own and counts for our staffing and everything. So we welcome them and excited to have them. And Brandon Williams um who is another new firefighter who's currently in the
academy. uh several weeks more to go, but uh hopefully we'll be adding him to the mix as well um in a few weeks time. >> Do we want to wait until Brendan graduates and then bring all five in to meet the select board? I think that'd be nice to have them come in. >> Sure. Uh that really wraps it for me.
>> Uh thank you. Uh for the chair's report, um I just I have two uh items. One is short, one is a little self-indulgent. Uh the first one is which is the shortest one. Um, congratulations to the Milton High School girls hockey team for making the finals. They are going to be
playing at the Garden on the 15th at 9:00 a.m. Uh, if you are able to go, I would recommend it. Uh, they have done fabulous work to get back to the championship game and uh, we wish them the best of luck uh, in that match. Um,
the second item is, as Mr. Milano alluded to earlier. I think it is an open secret that I am not returning to the select board uh for a second term. Um I just wanted to address that because I think some people have heard about it, some people haven't heard about it. Um
the reason that I'm not returning is frankly uh it's professional. I uh my my workload has increased dramatically at working at a school of uh public health um over the last year has been very very challenging. um our faculty have seen a
lot of cuts uh at the federal level. Uh and in addition, I think higher education generally has seen a lot of um of not great changes uh to the to the funding structure. And so my work uh has become um ownorous. And I feel that the
job uh here on the select board, whether you're chair or the newest member, it's still a huge time commitment. and I uh I have been putting work aside to to continue to do the work here on the select board. Um but for the sake of my family and for my professional career, I
don't think it's possible for me to continue uh to give this job the I think effort and uh and time that it requires. It is a full-time job. Uh not really full-time, but it's I think as chair, I probably spend 15 to 20 hours a week on
town work. Um and I I love it. I love this town. It's been great. I think o over the last uh three years of my tenure on the select board, we've passed a great override for the schools. Uh we've secured land for the school for for a new school as well as MSBA funding
for the new school. Um we've restored state funding uh from the MBTA communities. We've built a new animal shelter. We've got a traffic uh we've we've dealt with the traffic on the most dangerous road in the Commonwealth. Uh we've created a new code of conduct for the select board. Uh and I think
generally uh over the last year and I want to credit all of my uh colleagues here on the board. We've done a really great job I think of uh of improving the tone uh of the discussion in the town even when we disagree. I think we've done a really wonderful job of modeling that. Um, we've created a new master
budget coordination committee, which as we talked about earlier, has done a world of good for helping us to better understand the town budget and address problems earlier uh than than we've previously been addressing them. We also hired a new general counsel uh for town,
which was a a big change, the first change uh for that in several decades. uh and I've heard um nothing but great great comments about our new general counsel uh and and the work that they're doing. So I look back at the time that I've spent here on this board with
immense pride uh and uh respect for the people who do this work. Um it's not an easy job. Uh I wish all of the candidates uh for the future uh the best of luck. Uh and I know that they will need our um support and calm. uh but uh
constant input uh so that they can continue to do their jobs. Um but it's I'm really grateful to Mr. Milano and to the town staff, Lynn, who is our tireless uh worker over there uh in the corner, always taking notes and uh and
and very reliably reporting out. Um it's been a real honor to be on this board. I just wanted to get that out of the way so that I'm sure everybody who watches these meetings was already aware of that, but I feel like I hadn't made a public statement about it and it was overdue. Um, so, uh, thank you for
allowing me to indulge in that. Um, I will now turn to members if they have anything to report on. >> First, thank you for your service in the time that you've been here. I know I feel like we have a few more meetings before we say your ultimate goodbye, but
um, thank you. And you were one of the first people I spoke to when I was thinking about running. So, um, >> are you mad at me? >> Yes. >> Uh, TDD two more years to go. We'll see. Um, but yeah, I just leave it at that.
Only only comment or members reports was again echoing your sentiments on the Milton girls hockey team. Um, anyone that is available, they play Sunday at 9:00 at the Garden. They were in the championship last year. um did not go their way. So, they have an opportunity
this year to return and win the championship. And as many Milton Knights as possible that can go and support them Sunday 9:00 am, please do. You can stay and go to the Souie parade after if you are so moving. But, uh please go out and support my girls hockey players.
>> Other reports for members? >> Um I don't really have a report. I just thank you for your service, Ben. You know, I also um spoke with you before I ran. Um, I'm not mad at you.
Um, but you know, I'm I'm glad that that we have this time with you and with Richard before you guys both um, you know, pass the torch to to two new people. Um, and it's it's been I I
feel like you've been very supportive of us and I'm I'm grateful for that. And um I've I've really enjoyed the the working relationship that we all that we all have here. >> Appreciate that, Mr. Z. I got to know you. You're a great guy and thank you
for helping the town and uh good luck on your next adventure. I'm sure you do well. >> Thank you, Mr. Driscoll. I look forward to our continued friendship. >> Well, great. >> Uh we did not have public comment, so there's no need for public comment response. Uh future meeting scheduled. Mr. Moleno, you have us on the 24th of
March, the 7th of April, and April 14th. >> In that order, we just plugged those to do two in April. But um you know, I think it would be we had it would have been the 7th, it would have been the 14th and the 28th, the 28th is the town election. The week before that is obviously April vacation. So just
looking at the calendar, whether it's the 31st, 7th, 31st, and 14th, um I just do think we would need two meetings after the one on the 24th. Um >> I I agree with that. Um, how does that look for folks's schedules? Do you So
then we would that the 14th would be our last meeting before town meeting. >> Uh, yes. And the Well, you probably have to >> Yes. >> We'll have an organizational meeting. >> Have some kind of organizational meeting to elect a chair. >> Um, but other than the organizational
meeting, >> can't believe we're like already there. >> Nice. >> Um, it does fly. Um, does that schedule sound good to everybody? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. All right, let's lock it in. >> Okay, thank you. >> Um, future agenda items. I alluded to a
couple of them. I think having the um having the uh the trustees of the general uh of the Governor Stoen Trust meet next meeting would would be helpful. Um, and we talked a bit already about um conversation items with uh DPW
next uh for our next meeting. Um, other future agenda items for folks. Do we have any outstanding departments? Do we not? Do we get the right? >> We have a handful to go still. >> So, we'll probably look at one of the April meetings. The 24th will be
>> I think having it as a rolling agenda >> building department. >> You could coordinate with Mike for the 7th or the 14th of April. >> Yeah, let's do that. >> Okay. >> I also have uh two requests to the town administrator. One for a meeting with the planning board >> just to find out what they're working on
and what's most important to them. uh we have not opportunity to really get an update >> uh with the planning board whether that's just the chair or multiple members would like to come in >> and secondly perhaps in our next meeting >> I would like to for us to discuss the
where we are with our SHI forwardables just knowing um where we stand on 40B compliance and then 10% with all of our bills so that >> that would be good to and that to schedule that discussion item before the governor stoen trustees meet would make sense
And then if I could ask and Mr. just your commentary added one is just that with the transition to KP is is there any interest in having a conversation about how that's gone or is everybody with >> I think that would be a good idea to be honest just like a one-year
>> Yeah. Do you want to and this is more maybe more of a question for the three of you. Would you want to schedule that in May so that um the new town meeting, the new um select board members could meet KP? Uh bring bring them in. >> Was this meeting do we want with KP or
do we want just Nick's input as well? I think when we when we had the debate discussion on the town council, I think we acknowledged that um we wanted to do sort of a first year
recap of how we felt they had performed. Um I think we in general we we feel that they have performed well but >> what's a year when did we hire them? Was it not? >> That's the thing. It wasn't until
>> you know August, September where they started working in earnest. Um just like a six month out like a six month check in. >> So maybe just a six-month check-in without them or with them. >> I would do it before they come on board because like you're not going to have a
lot of basis for >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> So try to make that for one of the April meetings, too. Sorry, just to clarify, do you want me to invite Darren to join us or did you want >> Yeah, I think I have a couple. >> That's what I just Okay, Darren. Okay.
>> All right. >> Other future agenda items. >> Okay. Uh well, uh flip my motions here. >> Chair for uh for 26 we can forego uh which is the minutes. And then for item
30, it's it's really just for um sub item D for Milton firefighters. >> Uh item 25, you mean? >> All right. Uh so uh I am going to uh make a motion that uh not
uh Oh, I'm going to make a motion to enter into executive session. Uh to where did that go? I'm going to make a motion to move into executive session to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining, specifically Milton firefighters local 1116 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. Uh this is a roll uh can I get a second on that? Second. >> Uh this is a roll call vote. >> Yes.
>> Mr. Bailey and myself. Yes. So I can't give that right Nick and then I will take a motion to adjourn. Motion to second. >> All in favor? >> All right we are. Thank you everyone for joining us. >> Thank you.