Okay. All right. I'm going to call the meeting to order. Will you join me in the pledge of allegiance? I pledge algiance 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. Good evening. Welcome to the uh Monday, August 18, 2025 meeting of the Westport Select Board under Mass General Law, Chapter 3A, Section 20F. This meeting is being recorded. Um I do just want to
make note um our next meeting is in 3 weeks on September 8th. Um so it didn't fall on a holiday. So um the next select board meeting will be Monday, September 8th. Um I'm not aware of any acknowledgements or recognitions. Does
anybody have any? No. No. Okay. Um, so first item on the agenda today is a public hearing. We have a application request from Brian Maderos for a six-month seasonal trailer permit for recreational purposes to locate a trailer at 94 East Beach Road.
Is the applicant here? No. So, um, is the paperwork in order? So, my understanding is that this is, um, very similar, um, to an already a previously approved. This is just transfer of ownership of the land. That's correct. Right. All right. Does anybody have any
questions? Does there anybody have any in the audience have anything? What's the pleasure of the board? Motion to approve. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? I. I. That's unanimous with one absence.
Um for license and permits, we have um the following road use applications. Do we want to do this as one at a time or do we want to do them together? Maybe we should do them all together, but then if we have any problem with any one of them.
Okay, hold. So, put a hold say I'm going to do all of a together. So, if you have a hold and want to talk about one in more detail, just say hold. Um, so we have a request to I will entertain a motion to approve the following road use applications. Max Performance Sunday,
September 14, um, 2025 for the Buzzards Bay Triathlon. Um, Mission 22, Sunday, November 9, 2025 for a 5K run walk and Bish Strong Foundation, Inc. on Sunday, September
28th. Um, a 5K walk run roll. Um I want to note that we have a favorable police report on um the first two and then the third one is a new event for Westport and they're repeat um but the third one
is new but it's the same course that's been used many times. Motion to approve. Second. Is there any discussion? All in favor? I I. Thus four in favor with one absence. We have a request from Michelle and
Brian. Okay. South Coast Harvest Festival for a common victual license at Westport Fairgrounds at 200 Pine Hill Road on Friday, September 26th through Sunday, September 27th. We do have a favorable police report. And I know you're here. If you want to come talk about your event, go ahead and just um
come to the chairs. Sunday. What is it? Oh, it's through. So, Friday, September 26th through Sunday, September 28th. There was a typo. Oh yeah. Welcome. Thank you. Thank you. Hi. Can you just introduce yourselves and tell us what you got going on here?
Hi, I'm Michelle Pay. Brian Pay. We are the creators of the South Coast Harvest Festival. This is our third um harvest festival. Our last one was very successful because of the weather and um people are really hungry for something
like this. Uh we didn't have any incidents. Uh we had lots of compliments. Um it's growing. Um we're involved with groups like Mass Autobond. Um we've affected their duck derby in a
positive way because of their um um relationship with the harvest festival. They had a booth there. It really boosted their sales, almost doubled their sales and duck sales because they were a little more accessible and they had the crowds. Um we're working on
educational exhibits. Um, do you have anything to add? Um, oh, and we're doing a fundraiser this year for Roadside Wildlife Rehab, which is our local rehabber. We're really fortunate to have a rehabber
right in Westport. A lot of places have to travel many towns to get to one. Um, so we thought it would be important to support them this year. Um, yeah. And where can people find more information? south coasth harvestfestival.com.
Um I noticed in the police report um that it said that um a request regarding common victular and automated muse license. Are you just looking for the common victer license? Uh we do have an inflatable um bowl mechanical
mechanical bowl that a vendor comes with. Um we had them last year. We didn't have any problems. You go slow. They fall on an inflatable mattress and that's about it. All right. So, there's no PBR bull riding. Yeah, because it just said common vixular but he and his description said
automated music. So, check. I just wanted to include that we have that one small attraction and we have talked to the police about a detail even though we're not going to have alcohol uh two officers during open hours with a
contingency plan uh just in case there is weather. Um the first year we did not have a contingency plan and we had four we had lots and lots of cops lots of cops and no
so in case we'd like to be able to discuss it with them and call them off if if the rain comes which it's not if if they're not well they're act technically they're not needed because there's no alcohol but with the people we're traffic glad to have them but if there are none
we would like to be able to cut them loose if you know. Okay, Madam Chair, just go ahead. What were the hours of hours of operation on that? I didn't It might have been in the pack. Um, let's see. Friday is noon to 8:00 p.m. Saturday is 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
And then Saturday is 10:00 a.m. Sunday, I'm sorry. Sunday is 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. What's the pleasure of the board? Motion to approve. Second. Is there any discussion? All in favor?
I I That's uh four in favor and one absence. Good. I hope for good weather for you. Thank you. Thank you so much. South Coast Harvest Festival.com for more information. Thanks for your support. We appreciate your effort. Thanks. Thank you. Good luck.
Um so the next item we have 2C. Um this is a pretty common request from the Holy Ghost Club at 171 Sodom Road for one day liquor licenses. Um for 179 Sodom Road, we have Saturday, September 13, um the SE class of 72, class reunion from 12:00
to 4. Sunday, September 14, 75, class reunion from 12:00 to 4. Saturday, September 20, 85, class reunion from 1 to 7:00. And Saturday, September 27, the Beach Boys concert 4 to 8. Um we do have favorable police reports and these are
all pretty standard for them. Motion to approve. Second. Is there any discussion? All in favor? I I that's uh four in favor and one absence. Um we had a request from the planning board to reorganize the infrastructure
oversight committee. Um now this request uh can we did get it from the planning board, right? So Manny did request that this be on the agenda last time. Um and then I think the planning board voted on it. So we have two-part request here. One is to reorganize the infrastructure
oversight committee um by eliminating an ATL large member and adding a second planning board representative. And then the second part was to appoint Manny Sors. So Mr. Sors is not here and no one's here from the planning board. So I just want to check in and see if we want to address this topic tonight or if we
want to motion to table. Second. So we have a motion in a second to table this um for another time. Is there any discussion? Uh my only discussion on that is obviously an atlarge member leaves it open to more within the
community. So I think I'm I'm just if there's a planning board member that wants to be on it, they can be the atlarge member. So I'm not entirely sure why we'd reorganize it at this point. All right. So that's what we'd want them to come in and tell us. Yeah. I I I was there for other reasons, but um
um it was a Well, it it did I I understand why it was, but it didn't it didn't I don't think it adds anything like I agree with. Well, so do we want to table it or do we want to go ahead and address it? Well, I I I would just think
to reduce the the the reasons to to um project motive on this is to table because it was it was coming at at at uh the uh instigation of man Manning. He
was the one that was uh he was part of the discussion very active in the discussion of the planning board. Okay. So um you want to table it? Yeah. Okay. Um, so we have a motion and a second to table this um for a future meeting. Is there any further discussion?
All in favor? I I So that's four in favor of tableabling um and one absence. So we'll shift that and ask the planning board if they want to come talk either either Mr. Sors can come and talk about it or um someone from the planning board can talk about it. So maybe just let
them know. We have a request to appoint Paula Brown as the assistant to the town administrator HR position subject to successful employment negotiations. Um so Mr. Burr, Mr. McGwigan, you want to tell us what this is about?
Well, I'll start if you want to jump in. Yeah, we had the uh privilege along with Mr. Hartnett of interviewing candidates for this new position. Um and uh town it's assistant to the town
administrator as it points out here slashhr position because HR is important here and we had a number of uh resumeumés I mean 70 or 80 or something like that and we looked at 10 resumeumés
and selected well initially three people and one didn't work out so it was two plus Paula and were very formidable candidates and everybody uh put their best foot forward and did made
a good accounting of themselves and it was uh but we you know we know Pauler and she's done great work and well qualified for the position so she received our recommendation. I echo uh the sentiments on that. I think we had three very good candidates.
Uh I think Paula shine with respect to kind of our relationships here in the town already understands kind of how the town runs and many of the departments. So uh I think that uh was very helpful in us making that decision. Uh but there are three very good candidates but uh
Paula came out on top. So you mentioned 10 candidates. You had 10 external candidates or 10 internal. So we had uh you know we had about 70 resumes to start out with. It was whittleled down to around 15 resumes that Dick, Jim, and myself kind of got
it down to three that we did interviews with. Um, and the two were external candidates. Okay. Uh, from other locations and then Paula. All right. So, I think the appropriate here is a motion to appoint Paula Brown subject to the successful employment
negotiation. Second. Any discussion? Paula, you want to say anything? Oh, no prepared speech. All in favor? I I That's four in favor and uh one absence. I neglected to mention we are
going to have an executive session at the end of this meeting um to discuss a strategy for negotiating her contract. Um but we're not going to conduct any business after that. That'll be the only subject in an executive session. 4 A we have a request request from Chris
Gonzolves the highway surveyor to issue the contract award letter and notice to proceed for the chapter 90 year 202526 paving improvement project to PJ Keating 9998 reservoir road Lunenburgg Mass. Um Jim you want to tell us about this?
Yes. So this is the yearly chapter 90 program. The state gives communities money based on their road mileage to repair roads. The highway department went out to bid. I know we had at least three bidders. Uh, heating was the low lowest responsible bidder. Um, they're looking at doing Main Road from
Charlotte White Road to Benjamin Trip Road. Old County Road from High School to 88 and then from the post office to the Dartmouth Town Line, Sanford Road from Route 177 to Briggs Road, Forge Road from Reed Road to Route 6, and
Union Avenue from Route 6 to Forge Road. And the total contract price right now is $920,447.50. We did get additional funding this year. The state usually appropriates 200 million for chapter 90 and they bumped that up to 300 million for all the communities within the state.
I'd recommend approval. Right. Thank you. Any questions? Just uh Jim, have they done any other road work in town prior to this contract? Keating? Yes. Um not in the last couple of years, but I know they've been in town in the past. They've worked in a number of other
communities at Fall River. I know there's some concerns with some of the other road work that had been done the the main road paving recently. So I'm glad it's a different obviously contractor doing this. He is a veryable very good company for paving. Thank you. So now that we have our I forgot to I
should have mentioned the fancy new website we have where the new uh town website launched um this last week. There were a little hiccup. There was a little bit of a hiccup but it did launch and is out there. Um, I just want to make sure that we are um, communicating everything that we know about these projects in advance. Um, I think we try
to post it up there. I just want to reiterate that we want to make sure residents are informed about work that's going on. I I think we should all we owe it to ourselves to look at things that we're involved in maybe the site as a whole, but I did look at a few things and there are some things that are
of the town website. Yeah, we can talk about that when um, we do the town administrator report, but no, it's it's a little dated. So, oh okay. Yes. In other words, there are some things that were mistakes in well, they they were lingering facts from the past. Okay.
That survived the transition. Okay. Yeah. I'm sure there'll need to be some cleanup work on it, but All right. Um, any other anything else on the chapter 90 contract? Do we have a motion? Motion to approve. Second. Is there any further discussion? All in
favor? I I that's four in favor, one absent. Um we have a request to post the administrative assistant confidential clerk position. So this would be the position that Paula currently holds. And we approval second.
And we would post this internally first or you want to do both at the same time? Both. This isn't a union position, so we're not required to do internal, but we will do internal at the same time. Okay. Do do we have a current job description and all that? the current one that was I think it was updated a few years ago when Paula came on
and salary requirements and all that is in Yes. Okay. motion to approve. Do we do we already have a motion? I don't know. Do we already have that motion? I thought you did. Um is there any further discussion? All in favor?
I I that's uh four in favor, one absent. We have a request to appoint a preliminary search committee for the town administrator search to be comprised of two select board members. Susan Brighten, Michelle Reposa, Cindy Brown, and Chief Dunn. Which of you gentlemen wants to tell us about this one?
Um, I'll I'll volunteer. I've been through a couple. Yeah. And I I was on the other committee. I'd be willing to do this. Go ahead, Craig. Okay. Go ahead. Do you want to tell us about about what the search committee is about? Well, Dick and I were on it. You and
Dick. Yeah. Yeah. I was volunteering to be on the Okay. I'm sorry. You were volunteering to be on it. I just wanted to like how did we come up with the um why do we need a search committee and why these specific I guess. Sorry, not being myself. Yeah. Okay. So, we uh agreed at a prior
meeting of the select board to hire an executive search firm for this position. The name is it is Paradigm Associates. And uh they they did the last search. So, um, we we gained agreement there and the, uh, the the lead gentleman, his
name is, uh, Bernie. Bern, uh, Bernie, right? Uh, yeah. And he, uh, what's his last name? Lynch. Bernie. Bernard Lynch. Yeah. Um, last time we had a a screening committee and he said this is a good idea because
you really sift out a lot of things and have conversations ahead of time. It's all done confidentially so nobody's job is jeopardized where they are now. And uh he said it's it's it's a very good practice, one of the best he called it a best practice to have this and
recommended we we have the committee again uh which would vet candidates and ultimately present uh one or more candidates to the select board for uh uh their consideration. So, uh, the, uh,
the other members were we we came up with these names and, um, they all agreed. Um, Bernie thought it was a good idea, although last time we didn't have a select board member. He thought it was a good a good idea to have, uh, at least one or two, and it can't be more than
two anyway. So, I volunteered if necessary. But if not necessary, I'm okay with that with with uh Jeff, with uh Craig and uh Jake. But anyway, so that's that's what we're recommending as part of the process. Uh the committee
wouldn't meet until after Labor Day, uh once we get the candidate list, which we don't have yet. That's Bernie's work at the present time. and then that screening committee would have first uh look at those candidates and then we'd
go from there. So that's the way that works and that's why we're recommending it with the additional people. Okay. You want to add anything to that? You know, I think uh my original concern with bringing in the research uh the search committee was concern of maybe
people already kind of earmarked for for the role and uh I think creating this uh screening committee in town will help us to actually look through and we will be shared all the resumes and uh be able to similar to what we uh and Jim had done on the town uh assistant to the town
administrator role. So um I'd like to continue in this role. Um, I was able to work with Chief Dunn to get him on the committee and a few others. So, I'd like to continue doing that, but Taiway up to the board if uh it occurs. So, I just want to call out. So, Sue
Braen is a treasurer collector um right now. Michelle Raposa, she's a I'm not sure exact. She's with the school department. She's the business manager for the school department. Cindy Brown is on the personnel board and also the finance committee and then chief obviously the
chief police. All right. So, I heard Jake volunteer and Craig volunteer. Are you okay with that? I'm fine with them. Yeah. Okay. Good. So, um, do you want to have a motion to appoint Jake and Craig and then the others listed? I'd make that motion, Madam Chair.
I'll second. Is there any discussion? All in favor? I I That's four in favor and one absent. We have a request from the landing commission to approve the Hicks Bridge landing redesign plan. Is there anyone here to speak to that?
Of course there is. Oh, I need this piece of paper. Hi, my name is Jeff Bull. I am chair of the landing commission. With me is Wendy Henderson, also a landing commissioner for years and very competent, knowledgeable woman about how Hicksbridge landing is used. She's there
multiple times a week and viewing all kinds of things. Want to break this quickly into three sections. There'll be the functional section of how the landing is used, the environmental realities of what's going on now, and
the financial piece. Uh functionally we expect I just want to Can I just pause? Val, are you having problem with the sound or Yeah, maybe. Yeah. Can you shut off one of them? Just Yeah.
And then speak a little closer to the mic, please. How's that? Thank you. We expect this design will increase parking utilization 20 to 40% which is about what we've seen at Westport Point because people will be expected and
typically do try to park between the stripes when there are stripes. When there are not stripes, people park all over the place depending on the day. So, um so we again we think it'll increase parking. Um,
second, this because we will be widening the current entrance/exit, it'll make it way safer than what we're facing now. Um, I don't know if uh the safety officer has reported to you. I
met with him there and he has all these drawings. I encouraged him to look at sightelines, which look better for me than the uphill exit uh before we lost the uphill exit. Um, as you may know,
the current boat ramp is three slabs that were poured maybe 50 years ago and are connected with steel cables. The slab that's deepest in the water has one cable has broken. So, it has sort of
fallen like that. And every summer, somebody backs their trailer down, typically three or four people per summer, too far, catches their axle in the back of the second one, and rips the axle off. Sometimes they retrieve it,
sometimes it stays in the river. Many axles were pulled out when there was that large rehab of the bridge years ago. Uh the other piece of that is we don't know how long that other cable is going to last. And when that other cable
lasts, when that other cable breaks, it will be difficult to launch or retrieve boats at low tide. Uh in addition, it'll cost at least $100,000, if not more, to pull that slab out of the water should
we ever rebuild the entire boat ramp without that happening. So it makes sense to do it before that breaks. I don't know if it's going to break next week, 5 years beyond anyone's real determination.
Uh this will also speed up launching and removing boats, especially in hurricane time, because as you can see, there will be access on both sides connected to the boat ramp. People will no longer have to run around on the beach to get to their
car or get to their truck and then go back to the boat and this back and forth. It's also a bit wider than the current boat ramp. So, a second boat can be staged and ready to go. It's will not be a twoboat
at once boat ramp like the state boat ramp, but it will be you will be able to stage a second boat as the first one is going in or out. should speed things up, particularly in emergency times. Um, environmentally,
I understand that most dirt parking lots are 95% impervable. So, whatever oil, gas, whatever is in that dirt parking lot does wash into the river. uh by paving it and redirecting
the water into filter systems and rain gardens on the north side, all that runoff will be treated, which should be better for the river. In addition, there's an ongoing sandbar building on the south side of the current boat ramp because for the last 50 years, the
parking lot storm water runoffs into the river, which is not good. Um, financial funding is drying up. I had hoped that we would be looking for grants
two years ago when this started and it's going to be more challenging now. I expect it will be dramatically more challenging every year going ahead for quite some time. So, the sooner we can go and get this into a final plan place and permitted and chasing money, the
better. Um this this is the second major redesign of this plan. Uh it's been gone through multiple iterations. The there will be a final plan
developed. Uh the landing commission has approved it. Harbor Master Bill Chase was at our last meeting. He voted to approve it until I explained to him that he didn't have a vote, but he still likes it. Um and uh we met with the planning board
and they approved it. So we are here today asking for your final plan approval for so we can proceed to permitting and then we start with the conservation commission and everybody else that I don't know about permitting for which we still have money
left with the consulting engineering company to pursue the money and the permitting. I there will be all kinds of other decisions that will need to be made if this plan is ever built. We oftentimes get asked about cars parking relative to
trailer parking. Those will be decisions for the select board to make. I have to mention that this landing is really almost all your responsibility. This the landing commission took on this project because we thought there was we thought it needed to be done and there was easy
money available. Um, but you will have decisions to make down the road about how cars park relative to how trailers park and all of those kinds of things. And my sense is you will work those out
as we see what the demand is. Um but getting organized does create the need for some structure which it's really your landing the landing commission is really primarily responsible for the land on the other
side of Hicksbridge and the point and the head of Westport and Emma Trip. This one is primarily your landing and those will be issues you'll be needing to deal with in upcoming years. With that said, got questions? Thank you. So I think the first question I
have is what action are you looking for from us today? We need select board approval to then then go and have a final plan for permitting drawn because I don't
want to go spend more of our grant money unless we're certain that we're willing to do this. So you're looking for to make sure that we approve of the plan and then you're going to proceed with the next step which is like the final permitting. So, and you have grant plan and final plan and then go to permitting
and you have funding already that covers that, right? Oh, yeah. But we do not have funding that funds the fi the construction of the project. Is that right? Oh, no. Okay. So, so you want I'm just trying to make sure I understand. So, so we want
to you want approval of the plan so you can finalize it and get the permits, but we do not have funding yet. um to actually build it. So, can you just talk about like the permit? Like is that required to get grants? Like what point
do you have to be at to get grants? We have to have a final plan approved by the conservation commission and whomever else needs to approve these things. I'm sure that there are other people. And then once we have a final plan, we can get preliminary quotes. So then we know
how many and you may be reluctant to hear what this might cost so that we can then go and start chasing money. U so we you know without a preliminary quote we don't know how much money we're looking for. And again another good
reason to do it sooner rather than later is that marine construction costs are jumping 5 to 10% a year for the last couple years. Yeah. So I I know you've done a lot of work on this stuff. I really want to thank you and the rest of the commission because I know things have changed and
and everyone has an opinion and I know this has been a lot of hard work. So, thank you for doing that. Um, do we have questions, comments? Um, it's unfortunate that we're here today because we were trying to work an agreement with some abutters to use the
current egress and that did not work out. Um, but my one concern and there'll be a theme to my concerns with a few other items on the agenda is on a funding standpoint is I don't want Westport to lose local control uh depending on what we get for grants and
what we get for funding. So, I know there's sometimes uh strings attached when we go to the state or to the Commonwealth uh to get to get money and to get funding. So, I think that's that's my major concern is that whatever money we do get, it does leave local control here with the uh town of
Westport as opposed to uh Massachusetts. So, um you know, what what is your time horizon? I mean, on this is probably years, meaning you're going to start the if we give approval tonight, you would begin the I expect it'll take a month to get
to get maybe a couple weeks to get a final drawn plan. uh and then schedule something with the conservation commission and I don't know how long how many months of meetings that'll take for their review uh and then move on to
the next um and then primary funer which is the seapport council they have two windows a year so I'm not sure where whether we'll catch the next window or not uh and then we
will be then pursuing other funds in addition to Seapport Council. All of those will be with clarity that this continues to be a Westport landing. Okay. Uh it is important to people to understand and I was there today measuring some things.
People from outside Westport can put their boats in and out there. They just can't park there. And that is true of every landing in the Commonwealth. Um that the water belongs to the state and access to it belongs.
But you we control this through parking. Uh and and we have been clear about that with the Seapport Council from the beginning. If something changes then we stop. But then we then just hope that ramp doesn't blow up on us.
And we've had ex we have had experience with the uh Seapport Council funding in the past. It's not the won't be the first time we've received funding from the Seapport Council and um so and my sense of that
was it was never ownorous. I mean I think to the extent that we have state oversightes it's within the parameters of uh state law and regulation. You know it's not control issue. It's a compliance and uh regulatory when it
exists. And this this boat ramp doesn't even fit the typical standards of a state boat ramp. They would want something much more elaborate. Anybody else have anything out there? Madam Chair, as everybody knows, I'm the
leazison to the landing commission, so I'm familiar with this project. Um, we've got a long path in front of us, but I think it has to be done, and as Mr. points out we were not successful to get an agreement with the u so uh we go into
it realistically we know it's going to be expensive and we don't know what the outcome of that will be but uh clearly we should we should do this move it ahead and try to get it done as far as time horizons you asked about
that I don't know 3 to eight years it's been six so All right. So, um, so do we need a motion to support the design presented to us? Some moved. Second. Is there any further discussion?
All in favor? I. That's uh four in favor and one absent. Thank you. Thank you. Anything else going on from the landing you want to talk about? Uh, the new ramps have been put in. The new floats and and not boat ramp, but people ramp. People ramp.
Get out there. Yeah. You should take a look. Pretty impressive. Oh, thank you. Thank you for doing that. We're going to do some special work in the next day or two just cuz we're not exactly sure how it's going to work with and storm surge we'll see from Hurricane
Aaron, but we are on that starting tomorrow morning. Okay. Um and for you to know also, we expect in the next two to three weeks to be opening West Hicks bridge landing. We
have final approval on that and uh I'll be getting this the assistance of the highway department putting in so that this will increase car parking and take some of the overload problem off the other side and the safety officer is signed off on it. It'll be signed that
will be permit parking just like Hicksbridge landing same permit. Um all right thank you. So it'll be a nice spot. There'll be one bench there and parking for probably one
handicap vehicle and six or seven other vehicles. Thank you. Thank you. You're welcome. Um 4E we have a request from Bonnie Streble, the library director to post the principal clerk position. Do you
know about this? Yes. So, the current uh employee has left and uh they have a vacancy. They're looking to post it and get it filled as soon as they can. This is a union position, so I'd recommend posting in house for a week and then posting outside. So moved.
Second. There any discussion? All in favor? I I that's um four in favor with one absence. Uh we have a discussion on drift road Kirby Book Kirby Brook a review mass DOT response discussion and
action. So Jim, do you want to update us on this one? Yes. So this been going on for quite some time before I started in this position. Um they've had some studies done of the Kirby Brook Bridge. I want to say back around 2020
um when some new guardrails went in and the at the time Mass DOT came down and analyzed the structure itself and found some deficiencies in the structure and has recommended that it be redesigned and reconstructed. Um we received a grant on the small
bridge program for the design of the bridge structure. Unfortunately, they designed it to mass highway standards or mass DOT standards which um are essentially highway standards. Um we've I've worked with the neighbors as much as we can. I think
we've really pushed mass DOT on a number of occasions. Um we sent them a letter oh back in March with a number of items that we requested that they look at and address to see if they could, you know, such as shortening the guardrails, uh
making it more aesthetic. um just answered a lot of questions that we had relative to the design of it. Mass deal came back with a response and pretty much said this is the design. This is the design. If you want us to pay for it, this is what it's going to
be. I don't see them varying from that design at all. We we've really tried. We pushed for mass DOT and the neighbors have met with the regional planning agency as myself has as well. And um this is their program.
This is their funding. They've provided funding for the design of the bridge at this point. And they're going to design it to their standards um with I don't want to say no input from the community, but limited input from the community. If we want to do aesthetic aesthetic type
improvements, that would be um responsibility of the community to pay for those improvements. Um I will note that there is no money set aside right now for the construction of the bridge. Um, this is going to be an expensive expensive bridge. I don't know exactly
how much, but I got to believe it's going to be one and a half to two and a half million dollars by the time they're done. Um, they do have money in the same program for $500,000 for construction. I'd like to think that eventually once it is designed, the state will find more
money to construct these. They don't normally like to spend money on design without following through and getting these projects constructed. We have the transportation improvement plan which goes to the regional planning agency. That's where we're getting the roundabout funded. That's on the uh
transportation improvement plan and that's for $4 million plus project. So there's other funding sources that are available. Like I said, once you get through the mass DOT design standards, they do work to try to fund these, but there's no guarantees. We could get it
designed through Mass DOT and not go anywhere for 5 to 10 years. Um, I will say that I do not have I'm not aware of any funding source locally to uh construct this bridge. We just don't have the funds, you know, within our operating budget. And if we use chapter
90 funding, we would be using money, you know, two or three, four years worth of funding on one project. So, without mass DOT to get this constructed internally with the town, I just don't see happening. And I will say that they've identified deficiencies in the bridge. Right now they haven't put any
limitations on the bridge, no weight limitations, but at some point um when they reach that point where mass DOT comes in and says it's efficient enough, we're going to put weight limitations, which means no school buses, no trucks, no heavy equipment. Um it's it's not an easy detour if that happens. Um the
school buses, you know, to come all the way down and turn around all the way back up to Old County Road. Um so, you know, it's a tough decision. I think the board's got to look and see do do we move forward with the mass DOT design or do we not that's what that's where we are now.
What's the So the option is to move forward with the design. If we do nothing it just drops. I mean like we mass DOT will just drop it. But if they if we move forward they're just going to further the design and then it'll sit there until there is
funding available to fund it. Okay. Thank you. Madam Chair, uh if I may ask the town administrator, but we do have two letters here. One from PAR engine hard corporation with some
things that they are willing to do for us and could you and we were involved with the the discussions on this some time. Um, but do these meet some of the uh concerns of of the neighbors?
I think it addresses some of them. Doesn't address all of them. Um, things like the guardrail, they've kind of gave a listed a couple of options, but there's still going to be guardrails there. They're still going to be fairly lengthy. Um, looks like they're going to be a little bit longer than what's out there now. They can do some minor
aesthetic improvements. uh you know, the town could incorporate some additional aesthetic improvements uh with maybe not not short money, but less money if the state takes over the overall construction of the of the bridge. Um you know, they're aware of
the historic foundations that are out there, the historic bridge. Um they will look at um some of the hydraulics to make sure that there will be no impact on the historic bridge based on the new design.
They have limited landscaping and revitation uh planning in this project. Um yeah they've gone through the they will do the historical review. They're aware of the Nava waterway regulations. Um,
PAR is working for Mass Highway right now. They they're paying them. They're under contract with Mass D Mass D. So, they're they're working for them and they have made some concessions, but it's it's still going to be a
substantial structure. It's not going to be an old historic bridge. Okay, Madam Chair. Yeah. So, I've been involved with this project going back many, many years um
prior to my election here to the select board. And I, you know, Jim has been involved and and helpful in trying to engineer with the engineers a solution to the neighbors and to everyone here on Drift Road. And I don't see us getting
to that point. Um we're going to probably by the time this ever comes forward, it'll probably be a three or4 million bridge. um just sounds to me like a typical typical $4 million bridge on a rural road that does not need um a $4 million
bridge. And to my theme that I discussed before, we basically have zero input uh in local control uh by working with Mass DOT. um they heard us out in numerous meetings and then have basically have
come back with really zero options that we provided for them for an aesthetic bridge uh there. I mean it's it's essentially going to be a bridge that they're going to drop in in place and it's going to probably destroy the the country nature and rural nature of that
road uh there. I've I haven't heard a single, you know, neighbor along Drift Road supporting this project or looking uh forward to this this moving forward. Um, you know, I know Jim's talking about the weight restrictions. I think that would come probably as a welcome relief
to some people decreasing the uh truck uh loads that are going up and down drift road. I mean, there are easy solutions as 88 um as the alternative for those trucks. Um, I just I really can't support this project seeing as how long we've been at this and and
essentially they came back to us and say you're not getting anything you want. And you know, we the further down the road we go with them, the worse it's probably going to be for Drift Road and for the people that live on Drift Road with respect to this uh bridge that they want to put in.
Thank you. Are there any um implications if we because we started this project with MAS DOT and if we say all right we we changed our mind we're not interested. Are there any implications to that? Ramifications be a better word. Huh? Ramifications. Ramifications might be a better word.
Thank you. I don't think so much with this project but you know I still hear when I go to the regional planning agency about there was a designer one who went from main road here to put in sidewalks. when we go for new projects, I still hear from them, well, you were
funded for this project and you didn't take it. So, um, I think the answer is probably not, but they don't like when they spend money, they don't take advantage of it. So, I I I think we're good in that sense. I won't hold it against you, but
you do hear about it. Madam Chief, one one more thing. I I mean I think there are and from people that in the know in town believe that there are other bridges in town that are probably in worse condition. Um one already has a weight restriction on it uh over there on Forge Road which I
think is going to be getting paved anyway. So we're going to be paving a road over a bridge that technically is probably in worse shape than than the Drift Road um bridge. Unfortunately, I think this was all brought to the attention of others with the installation of the guardrails uh which
also caused uh some issues uh amongst the neighbors. So, um again, I'm just I'm I'm not supportive of moving forward, especially marrying ourselves to mass DOT to give us a essentially a mass pike bridge on Drift
Road. Is there anything else from the board before I open to the public? Does anybody from the public have any comments they want to make? Just need to go to the microphone. Could I Could I sit down? You ma. Okay. I think that one's not.
There we go. Green light. Um well, thank you. Uh my name is Patrick McBride. Uh 450 Drift Road. Um couldn't think of a better way to spend my 29th birthday. Happy birthday, Mr. McBride.
Thank you. Yeah. Um but anyways, um thank you for the opportunity to uh to talk uh to you and and discuss this because this obviously is important to us uh as neighbors and residents and abutters of of Drift Road and and Kirby Brook. Um so what are we here to do
today uh is to um as uh ask the select board to take action on on the following items many that we just discussed here. But um before I get to that I think it's important to note uh the two letters that we received one from PAR and one
from Mass DOT. Um I'm sure you all read them. Um I found the mass DOT letter very confusing very conflicting. um uh omitting a lot of information and in some cases they just incorrectly
stated and quoted uh the PAR letter and I do I think this is important to understand what we're dealing with here um in the mass DOT letter uh in the second paragraph if you read the second paragraph mass DOT states in this letter
PAR recommends that the design dated October 6 2023 three should be advanced in favor of other alternatives discussed with the town that propose aesthetic enhancements beyond chapter 85 bridge standards. Upon review of this
situation, Mass DOT is in agreement with this recommendation and has instructed PAR that it may only proceed with the recommended design. That is not in that letter from PAR. It does not exist. It's nowhere in any
of the documentation. So they made that up, included that in their second stanza, a paragraph. So that's nothing that they discussed with PAR. It's nothing they discussed with us and they just put that in there.
So just keep that in mind. So there's four things that um we want to ask the uh select board to uh take action on. The first one, we believe that PAR's uh 625 letter addressing 12 of the 13 action items requested by the town of Westport in their 32425 letter, they
hold some merit. They actually should be reviewed and discussed with PAR. There are things in there that we like and I think that we would accept. Okay? So, we should be at least given the opportunity to have a conversation with PAR and say, "We see what you did. we appreciate the work
that you did and we would like to consider taking action on some of those and including some of those in uh our design. Uh so uh one other thing we learned along the way was that we were simply requesting a different product type. We've talked about this as aesthetic,
but in reality alls we're asking for is a different color, a different texture on a bridge, a different texture on a guardrail, a different type of post, a different type of guard rail pole, whatever. We're not asking for major changes. It's basically colors in
product type. So, we're not asking for a major redesign or structural overhaul anywhere in this process except for moving the guardrails or shortening the guardrails. So, we feel that this is the right course of action to pursue additional conversations with PAR. Uh,
and we ask that you uh agree to that. Second, um we also request that the town share the 324 letter uh and the 722 letter that Par and Mast wrote with the Buzzard Bay coalition. Not sure if you
guys have shared this with Buzzards Bay yet, but as we know, they are doing three culverts in uh Westport to a tone of $4.4 million. I think it only makes sense since they are at the 25% mark in their project that we take our project, the Kirby Brook project, which is also
at 25%, and say, "Hey, three of these bridges are taking place and being reconstructed on Drift Road. We better make sure we're doing the right thing. We're consistent and and and concise in our bridge design." Okay. So, we ask that we have that review and make sure that we marry up with Buzzards Bay
Coalition and uh uh Westport. Uh third one is um Mass DOT says they will not pay for aesthetics or product variations. Uh however that the town can incorporate these product changes into their current design. So in paragraph two they say
that we can't go forward with any design. In the second to last paragraph in their letter they say that we can go forward with design. Okay. So if you read that they're conflicting and contradicting themselves within a one-page memo. Okay. So they say if we go forward that we would have to pay the
project cost will expect it to exceed the program funding and the town will be responsible for cure for securing any additional funds necessary to accomplish the project if awarded a construction grant. Okay. So in one sentence they're saying you can't go forward and the next sentence if you do go forward with the
design you're going to have to pay for it. Okay. How are we going to pay for it? We don't know. How much is these product changes going to be? What is what do you think product changes? Probably 30 to $40,000. If you shave everything off, we're probably talking about $40,000
difference from what we're asking for and what the state is doing. If you look at the stamp concrete cover, if you look at the wood, wood over uh steel is half the price. Um if we shorten the guardrail by moving the pole and not blocking my driveway, okay, uh you're
going to save considerable money there as well. You can also recycle the existing guardrail. So there's a lot of savings that we're actually recommending that is not acknowledged by PAR or by Mass DOT. Okay. So we didn't take any it's going to cost 30 $40,000. Where can
you get this money? Chapter 90. This can be paid for by chapter 90 money. You can say in 2028 when we get to this point, let's hold 40 or $50,000 out to pay for these product changes or that. But we need to get these into the design because if we go forward with a design
as written right now, we're never going to be able to add to it. Okay. And as Jake has said, we're losing control of our own roads. These are Westport's roads. We cannot lose control of these Westport roads. But what I hear you saying is a little bit different than what Jake said, which is he's saying, "I I won't have anything
to do with this. We I've looked at it. I've studied it." What you're saying is if if we go forward, we would put a design our design elements in it that we want so that there there's a room. So at at at a minimum um if we don't if we don't
drop it all together we try to create a what I would call sort of a lack of a better term a negotiating committee where where you neighbors are represented somebody with some technical expertise in the area knowledge of this
in the project to look at and I agree with you I mean aesthetics do mean a lot you you're you not a great location to put something that is a, you know, a rather dark concrete structure, yet we you can dress
it up a little bit with with with paint and with some um veneers. Um that that could that could soften the look. Doesn't reduce the size from what I understand. It keeps it the same. But if the neighbors are looking I mean that you
know there's two two approaches I think if I was a neighbor I'd want is it well there's a trade-off for lack of access. You know I you know I don't like trucks going down my street. I'm on a side street too and I don't live far from Forge Road and I'm surprised when I see the weight limitations on the bridge cuz
there's two factories right near that bridge where the light limit weight limits are and there are some big trucks, you know, going in and out of there on a on a fairly regular basis. So, you know, if there are over there, then you'll never get rid of that even
with the weight limits and limitations posted. Now, is that a safety hazard? I don't know. But the The bridge will be I think 10 ft wider um in in all it's going to be a 32 foot concrete uh uh culvert and right now it's 22 feet so it
will be wider. So you had um four points I think you got to three. Uh yeah uh and the last one is um you know uh we're asking that the select board do not approve the plan as proposed on October 6, 2023. uh as this
would set a precedent of taking a cheap, easy, simple approach uh release our land, release our streets and roads to the uh state of Massachusetts and deliver a major detrimental impact to the rural and historic nature of the town of Westport and would leave a long
and lasting silver scar uh on the wonderful windy road, Drift Road. So, um I'm saying uh if we're going to approve it, let's, you know, let's make adjustments to the uh uh design that we
that power pointed out. Uh and if not, if we don't want to do that, then I would say do not approve it and put it on the shelf. All right. Thank you. Um, so Jim, you said earlier so the the letters here PAR is saying so this the
DOT has told PAR not to work on this anymore, right? So so they're being paid by DOT. Is that right? That's correct. Y so um so the reason that PAR isn't entertaining any more requests from us is because DOT has told them not to. Right. Or it appears that way from the letters.
They've, according to Mass DOT, they've already put additional time in with Westport, much more than they have with other communities. Um, we actually paid additional funding to car directly to provide an additional public hearing. All right. So, okay.
Mass DOT is shutting off the funding. Okay. All right. Go ahead. So, Madam Chair, uh, what Craig laid out rational and reasonable, and that's what we've been trying to do for three or four years. And I think we, as uh, Patrick laid out
reasonable concessions, things to make it work, make it work for rural roads. So, I agree with you completely. My fear is that if we approve it in this current fashion, Mass DOT will just keep saying, "Yep, okay, it's approved. We're moving forward with what we're going to move
forward with. Um, you know, everyone, Jim, the neighbors have been at the table working with PAR, um, on a on a what we thought was, you know, a reasonable basis and having a a good discussion with them. They were on our side, but now we're at the point now
where Mass do is saying, "Nope, no more further changes, you know, aesthetic changes. We're not going to do it." And so my concern is if we do uh approve the mass DOT design, I don't know if we're going to have any ability to negotiate at the table. We've been trying for a
while. And I think that's I think the point that Patrick was laying out with point number four. Um but I agree with you completely. I just I don't I don't know if we can get there. We've been trying to get there. But but if we don't approve it, um then so
the state goes away because we didn't approve it. We were stopping the project. Um and then it basically just stays as it is right now. Right. So the original original thing that led to this is that um the neighbors were unhappy with the current installation. Right. But I don't think so we sought that this
project to kind of try to find somebody to pay for a more aesthetic bridge, right? And we knew that was risky at the time. You know, we realized the risk, right? Um but I think that um if we don't move forward this, I think what we're going to get is ex the status quo.
exactly what it is now. I don't think there's another option here. Now, if in the future at some point we get cited for something that we need to repair, then I think we'd look at it. But, um, I'm actually okay with stopping it. I don't I don't think it's reasonable at this point. But, I just wanted to point
out that I think it means the guardrail and everything that's there is what's going to stay there. I I think at this point, and I don't want to speak for all the neighbors, but I mean, we'd be happier with that. And we did at one point talk about painting the guardrail. So I mean again that's
and madam chair I think your point is true is correct but you know as Patrick pointed out there's been three culverts at Buzzards Bay in looking at on Drift Road in the tune of let's say they're a million a piece. Why are we dealing with a with a $4 million bridge that we don't have
funding to? Right? Maybe there's an alternative. If not in this round, maybe Buzz's Bay can bring up, you know, get funding or fundraiser or something along those lines to um address this one. Uh, you know, people in the neighborhood where where
we're at look at the covert that they did, I guess, south of Hicks Bridge. Um, very similar in the crossing, but it's aesthetic. You don't even know it's there. Um, compared to what would be dropped in. So, I think there are
options. Um, you know, I mean, if the the town would have to kick in money, I think the money we'd have to match their money would probably be what we could do a regular co for. Could I just David Lima, I live on Drift Road. I think the one nuanced piece that
I would that Matt Patrick and I were talking about at Nauseium last night was this uh um it doesn't have to be black or white. I don't think I think um we know that par has conceded you guys
the town uh laid out 10 or 12 really good points and I think under your name and Jim's name and and par responded one by one to them some for it some against it okay
so you know that there's a some kind of wiggle room at least from the engineering point of view even with the sense of of uh rigidity that mass turnpike has if you don't if you because I think there's an opening here and the opening
could be uh I I know you don't want to people don't want to negotiate renegotiate we've been negotiating it seems like forever okay but you we could tie our horse with with the coalition because they are doing something else on the same roads
and consistency. So why can't we negotiate with them to try to insert the kind of things and I think Patrick and I would agree that we don't want all we would like all 15 but if we got three if we got four if we got some measure of of
of aesthetics or sensibility they don't want to give us anything they just want to give us a mass turnpike bridge and so I think by saying okay they win okay unless Jim can tell me otherwise like okay you said okay but if
you get if you get something from the coalition we can add it on well okay if if I trust them to say then you know okay that's a different set of dynamics but right now it feels like it's yes or no okay that's what it feels like now I
don't know if it's yes or no Jim might be able to answer that but maybe what we want is I said to Patrick last night nobody wants to be negotiating for the next three years we've been talking about this for four years. Okay. So, so we're getting older by the minute here.
So, um what we want is a solution and some of the things we want are not that quite frankly not that expensive. Okay, that would change the way the bridge it's not going to change. It's going to look like hopefully we're going to
ameliate some of what they want, but not to a huge expense. And why not saddle up with the with um Buzzards Bay because they seem to be in a better negotiating position than we are. We you know we haven't gotten any well we've gotten
somewhere I thought between your letter and their letter there was wiggle room and then all of a sudden the state comes along and basically says there's no wiggle room. It's over. Yes or no? which sort of makes you feel like, you know,
that isn't a small bridge project. Just doesn't feel like a small bridge project. So, I would I think we talked about last night trying to figure out for you cuz I kept asking him, "What do you when they're going to ask you, what do you want, Patrick? What do you want?
What do you want? What do you want?" And I think what we want is some of these things to be incorporated in this contract. how they get in, who pays for them, I don't know. But maybe the answer is Buzzard's Bay or Chapter 90. I don't know that. But that's I think that's the
nuance that I feel like we need to talk about. Thank you. Did you want to I I was just going to say that um in our five years at this uh bridge reconnaissance um we've looked at a lot of work that um Buzzards Bay Coalition has done and they have done some really
really nice work uh working with the town and the state uh Matapois and others uh constructing bridges that are aesthetically pleasing, safe and um I think relatively easy and well-managed
projects. I mean the from I've had numerous conversations with um uh the woman that works with Jim at Buzzers Bay Coalition and she's been very responsive and they're on top of it. It's it's taken a lot of pressure off of us as a as a town and I don't know about Jim,
but um they have it they seem to have it very well managed and and are very communicative and uh willing to listen uh and have I think the the environment and the people in mind as they design. Has the Buzzers Bay Coalition been directly involved in this project? I
just No, they they have not been involved at all. We we did reach out to them I think probably two years ago or so and I think they said we we have others underway. So our plate is full then. But I um I I agree with uh everyone that we should
probably look at bringing them in hitching our way into them. Is there anyone else from the public? So I think right now what we the decision that we need to make right now is do we proceed with them with the mass DOT design or do we not? I think that's and then we don't then we can explore
other options but I think that's the question right now. I think if we choose not to proceed with them their option, we should do it in such a way that leaves the door open to negotiation. is saying that that the way the way this letter was constructed,
we find it difficult to accept the conditions as presented because it limits our ability to negotiate what we believe are some fairly straightforward common sense approaches to this.
and that and that that maybe that and then you know maybe there should be uh pressure applied through other channels so to speak including Buzzards Bay Coalition because if they if they're doing these in other communities they're
doing those works with the same people that we're dealing with on on this project right now. So if if they come in as a an adviser on this um even though they they their their plate is full. so to speak. Um they are as a nonprofit
organization serving this community along with a lot of other communities in the region and so they're they're they're they're part of our so to speak you know independent sector support group network. So
and then you know there may be other ways uh through advocacy. So I feel so for one we're losing Jim and two he's done everything I think Jim has done everything he can do now I think you have some good ideas there. So how would you how what how would you construct
that answer that you just said without putting the without without keeping my hat straight because I do work with them a lot and not in this type of stuff right a lot of other types of stuff. So, um, and
I think there are ways to communicate it with them. Go ahead. So, with this, there's certain things that mass dot will not change, right? They're going to want guard rails. They're going to want them designed to specific standards. They're not going to
deviate from that. So if option C is acceptable to the neighborhood, then if you could tell us that these five things are acceptable, these three things we'd like some aesthetic improvements, then yes, you can go back to Par D and say, you know, we agree to these.
We're looking at these two or three things. Can we improve the aesthetics and town may have a resource where they can fund it at a later date possibly to do some improvements. But we've been kind of going this been going on like you said for four or five years and and it's been difficult I think I say for
the engineer but it's been difficult for the engineer to pin certain things down right where's the goal on if they do this is this enough and that's what I think they do otherwise we're just spinning our wheels I I think I think we did pin it down
with the 13 items that we gave and they responded and I think they did a a fairly decent job responding, but um they didn't answer certain things. You know, they they were able to tell you the pitch in this that requires a guardrail, but they were unable to say that the guardrail won't block my
ancient way. They say it appears it won't. I mean, come on. They got everything down to the inch, but they can't tell me if I'm going to have a guardrail in front of my driveway. Um so, I don't have faith in Mass DOT. It's been five years and they've given us not even an inch. So, I I say this this gets
paused and and put on hold. Is there a reason that we need to make a decision now, or are we just trying to wrap this up? They've requested a decision. It doesn't mean you have to give them a decision. I think at some point they'll send us another letter and say, but we're pulling out.
Do we want to work with um I don't like Do you want to maybe Craig, do you have some ideas about the response that we could we could send? I I'm I'm I'm forming them in my brain as we're doing this. I I'm not asking you to state them right now, but I I think Jim is going to need
some help here. If we're going to craft another version of the letter, I think Jim is going to need some help here crafting it. Okay. So, we are you willing to work on that? I'm willing to help work with Jim and others on that. Yes. Anything else? Well, Madam Chair, just
in terms of the next course of action, getting back to the question of do we accept the DOT or do we abandon the project, I'm hearing something different. We want to continue but in in a way that's that uh serves our purposes and our requests which are completely
reasonable and have been discussed before. So, I'm not sure what we exactly going to do here. I don't want us to abandon the project because then it's over. We've got an aging bridge and that will be a a hazard someday. Uh it could be years down the road, but that's not a
good option if we can somehow get to some level of agreement. I like the term the wiggle room because it's totally reasonable and par seems to have been inclined to to respond to that favorably where DOT is not. So I I don't think the
show is over and don't want it to be over because if it's over it, it's over. I wanted to continue with the possibility of getting some concessions which have been outlined before and they know about. So I'm not sure what the motion would be here. I don't think we need a motion because
this is just a discussion. But um if I mean we if we're going to approve or reject it, we would need a motion. if we're not going to do either one of those things. But I think I mean if you do want to work with Jim to craft the next version of the letter that goes out then you know that we can do that cuz that would be
not taking a strong position one way or the other cuz I'm I'm inclined to just abandon it. But I think you guys have points like if we can engage Buzzers Bay Coalition to see if they're willing to take it on. Um but I don't think we I think that's separate
from the Mass DOT work. I think but if you think there still might be room to get I I I I hope there is I I I don't want to project to be honest with you that there is I'm not sure it's there. I mean Dick and
I had sat in a few Zooms which I think they were just doing to plate us. Um I think they were somewhat condescending in some of those meetings to both the attendees and to um at the time uh the chair of the select board. Um so I'm
just I know how Mass DOT and others operate and I'm fearful of of going down that road. I mean we we can put it off or delay it but I think they're probably just going to want an answer. I'm not entirely sure they'll be. Uh I think they I think the negotiating time is probably over and Jim may agree with
that. I think that's probably what this and I'm brand new. I mean, you're you're referring to meetings that occurred before I Yeah. before I was on the board. So, that that's why I always I've only been back for um 13 months. So,
I guess it's now 15 months. Yes, it is. All right. So, so if you're going to talk, you have to go to the mic. Maybe you should just table it. I don't know. Well, I think Yeah. So, I think um I mean, we don't have a motion to table.
We don't have a motion. I don't think we need a motion either, but um No, so you're hearing the concerns, though. I like I think it's kind of pointless, actually. But if you want to give it a go, then go ahead. I'm not I'm not opposed to giving it a go, but I not that optimistic.
Neither am I. So, but I do think Jim, we can't just direct Jim to go back again, right? I think he needs help um with specifics. So, if you guys can give comments to Jim about what you'd like to see um incorporated or what you'd like to see in the next uh letter, then I think that
would be helpful. I'd also suggest the name is any conditions or anything that you were looking for, you can get that to us like what you want as a instead of additional information, right? You can ask for additional information forever, but if you have specifics as to what you're looking for, what your concerns are, either they can
address them or they can't. But I do think it needs to be limited to what they've already got on the table, right? I'm going to be honest with what what what they responded to. Yeah. Madam, I mean, is is the question working through Craig and with his other hat on and Jim to say,
is there any is there anything that is there any play in this? Can can we get anything? If they say no, then next meeting we put it on the agenda and say that's it. I mean, I have a feeling that you may get that answer maybe, you know, but but if that's the answer, then then we take it we take the take it up for a
vote. But I I I think maybe that's more as opposed to um spending time and effort putting putting letters together. Maybe it's just through our other, you know, channels, legislative delegation. Yeah. Yeah. There's more than one.
So, okay. Anything else? Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. If you guys leave, which you're fine to do, please don't congregate out on the hallway and chat. Go. It's nice outside. Birthday. Happy birthday.
Party time. 29. Huh? Patrick. Thank you. Town engineer position. Jim, what do you want to talk about here? So, this has been kind of ongoing for a long time. Um, we did put it out for
applicants. Uh, we have not received a lot of applications. I think we've just received one or two. We we do have one that's very qualified. Um, and I guess I'm just want to get some feedback from the board. Should we should we bring this person in and interview him? Um, is it something the board wants to move
forward with at this time or or not? I've been against this position since the very beginning. So, go ahead. Um, I I favor the position. Um although I'm not passionate about it, I think if if
we had the ability to get um Mr. Fernandez to work for the town, it would be a more attractive to option option for me because I've I've watched him um on the Route Six project. I think he did a a very good job. I don't I I don't
know anything about his qualifications as an engineer, but I know who was as an engineer who was communicating with the public about a public works project. He did a very good job. I I went to two hearings that that he was largely major speaker at at the Matt
Cumber School uh on the Route Six project at two different stages. And um you know, if if that's a kind of person that we could attract to a position in this town, um again, notwithstanding whether he meets all the qualifications
as an engineer, probably does. Um I I wouldn't mind having him on on the team, so to speak. So for me that be, you know, that became more attractive when I saw his name attached to it. So So I was against position because I
didn't think it was responsible to add a high salaried new employee when we have kind of budget issues. But um I also think very highly of Mr. Fernandez. I think he has done a really good job in
town. And also um I worry a lot that we have leaned on Jim's experience as a town planner um to get us through some of these projects that the next town administrator um might is unlikely to have that kind
or may may not have that kind of expertise. So, um, I think that if if we have a person like this available, I think we should at least talk to him and and see because I I can see that there's some value with the way that the team has changed. I still worry about adding
a position with budget problems that we're having, particularly since we're probably going to have to up the salary for the town administrator, but um but I think I think this makes a lot of sense actually to and he's been doing really good work for the town
and we we do have I mean we we we're losing people. Um we have in in some capacities we've had turnover in other areas. So the fact that this would add some depth that we really haven't had with the exception of what Jim brings to
the table and and and not to repeat your point, but the point you made is is is direct. It's spot on that we can't expect to clone Jim and we may have a different set of skills that'll be very attractive and so we should have a
better as a board had a chance to um talk to him. Roger that is Mr. Andies and um figure out if um how this could work if and then go from there. Maybe mention that to him that you know that
this coming in we've advertised it but um the lack of candidates passed some of the committee to you know rethink it and but there's still some of us that that that want to continue with that. So Dick,
well the money this is in the budget this it is first time. Yeah. Um yeah so to say I remember we had that discussion and I was initially cool on this idea but I I saw the arguments in favor of it and I could see in a lot of
areas with this position with a competent person in it which I believe Mr. Fernandi is can be very helpful to the town. um we may at some point not be able to continue with the luxury of this position I suppose and the scheme of things but I think if we have the money
now there's enough argument in my view to go forward with it so I would support it madam chair I'll be the uh contrarian on the board I think with a new town administrator coming in and and now a new role with an assistant to the town administrator many of these projects
might be able to be handled you know inhouse house in that office. Uh we don't know the town administrator that we're coming in or what kind of background that town administrator has. So I would actually lean towards maybe delaying it to see, you know, who we get in there and if this was something that
they feel um would be helpful. I mean I know a lot a lot of the projects that are listed, you know, are are one-offs or, you know, probably don't necessitate a $120,000 full-time employee at the
current time. Um but again I mean a lot of these are done by some other departments as well or involved with. So that that's my view on this given that it's kind of in flux with obviously Jim retiring and and Paul taking hopefully
on the the new role maybe there is there is more bandwidth there than Jim currently has um as opposed to the new employee. All right. So I think I'm hearing at least enough interest in moving forward with an interviewer Mr. Bernett. Is everybody okay with that? Mhm.
Okay. So, go ahead. Is there anybody interested in sitting in on the issue or No, I'll be I'll be there gladly. Just just I You kind of know where I'm coming from, so I'm not entirely sure I'll be fully unbiased.
I I will. Okay. All right. Okay. Um, town administrator report. Do we have to do a motion on this? No. Okay. All right. Emergency communications. Uh, Chief Dunn and Chief Baldwin. They just
wanted to note they wanted to recognize Keith Novo in the IT department. Uh, he's been working on their communication infrastructure over the last couple of years. Um he secured over a million dollars in grants of OPA funds to replace outdated copper lines with fiber
connected radio network significantly improving clarity coverage and reliability. The upgrade strengthen daily operations as well as providing critical cap capability that could one day save lives. Spoken to both chiefs. They've said this communications has improved
significantly with this new new technology and they're very excited about it. Um they also mentioned uh we met with Chief Baldwin um Ralph Souza. No, Chief Baldwin, Matt Amendo and um Bill Chase was here as
well. No, just Matt and Dan, but Bill Chase was interested in a code red uh type alert system which would notify people that sign up throughout the community if there's an emergency and what type of emergency would be left up to, you know, whether the board of
health or the fire department. But I think they'll be coming before the board in the next meeting to talk about that and ask the board if if they would support that system. So I just want to underscore thank you to Keith Novo. He did a lot to kind of get funding and manage different
projects all kind of while doing his real full-time job. So I want to just congratulate him on the work that he did there. Uh, Route 177 projects, Robert Street, Tickle Road, Roundabout is, uh, they submitted the 75% design plans to Mass
DOT. They hope to get the 100% design plans in by the end of November. We're waiting for comments. Additional comments are coming back from Mass DOT. It's currently programmed in the regional transportation improvement plan, serpent in the state, Mass DOT, and it's
estimated to cost about $4.7 million. Uh we did receive another letter from an abuter that came in today that was sent to Mass DO that they're looking for us to respond. The neighbor or the abuter abutsy roundabout. Uh it's a new property owner and uh she has concerns
with the overall construction. So our engineering is looking to address that letter with Mass DOT. Now Gford Road Route 177 intersection. These are both projects that have been um the design has been funded by representatives and by uh Senator Rodri. Um, this would be a
little bit easier. They're looking to replace the existing blinking light. Uh, the design has been done. This should go through the permitting process with Mass D. So, it's not a transportation improvement project. So, this is a much quicker process. They submitted additional uh information
to Mass DOT on August 13th. As soon as we get the comments back from Mass DOT, we're hoping to go out to bid for construction of that overhead signal. capital improvement planning committee. We had requested from the departments last week that they submit their budget
worksheets for any capital projects that they have. Those are due by September 19th. We're also going to be sending out a letter next week or the week after for preliminary budgets from departments. Those will be requested uh to be filed
by October 17th. town accountant has finalized department budget turnbacks from FY25 totaling approximately $2 million. So this is um this is very good and it's kind of that's attributed to a
number of factors including the departments actually spending conservatively. I think they all know that we're still in difficult times. this year could be difficult as well. They've there's some talk about possible 9C cuts, but I think that's a long way off and hopefully that doesn't happen.
Um, we closed out a number of warm articles that were lingering on for for years that people hadn't expended. We had a mild winter with minimal snow um in savings in property and health insurance costs. Those weren't savings, but um some of those costs were offset
by one-time funds being used through our regional health insurance program. So, they use some of our investments uh to offset some of the increases, which which means those increases will be picked up next year. It's kind of like using free cash to supplement the budget. It's a onetime funding to keep
the rates low, but that'll catch up to us in the next year or two. So, it's it's good to have that a little a little bit of extra flexibility in the budgets. Our preliminary local receipts, they came in at 78% of actuals, which is very good. Ideally, I'd like to see them in
between 75 and 80%. At one point, we were close to 100%. I think we're at 98% of uh actuals with the estimates. Um, this year, we bumped that up to balance the budget. So, I think we'll probably be around 85% 83%, which is still very
good. Um, and uh hopefully we don't have to bump that up this year even more. Um right now the budget turnbacks the um local receipts uh should give us a fairly substantial free cash certification
this fall. The uh website just we noted earlier the new website is up. We had delay for a couple of days while they were trying to get through the different security protocols that we have locally as well as the uh company has that's offering the website. So that has been
straightened out. I think we've all noticed that there's some uh things that need to be changed on the website and as we use it more over the next couple of months, we'll pick up those changes. We'll get those done. So, if anybody out there sees anything that is outdated, let us know and we'll make sure we get those off the website. If there's something that's not working or could be
improved, let us know and we will work towards doing How should we let How should we let you know? I don't want to say contact Paula, but I Carol Carol um Freighus has been the main contact. Carol has done a phenomenal job and I'm sure Paula too but I I know there's been a lot of work for
a lot of time. Now the question is I think part of it there there within certain departments there is no one accepting responsibility for managing content other words um this this is a collective enterprise I'm guessing we don't have a full-time web master that's
you know calling people and saying you know can you give us updated information reminding them to so I think part of it is going to be um um making sure that either committee chairs or staff or or staff layers ons to um committee chairs
not not not being us as layers to committees but that they're staffing the plan you know by certain department staff that they they they maintain that responsibility or accept that responsibility now do you see a problem with that Jim
it's like the the more information you provide on the website the more problems you're going to have eventually it's tough to keep up right I mean a lot of towns are getting communication directors and you know the school department has somebody that pretty much manages which is their website almost full time. Without that, you're going to, you know, things are going to get stale. And
what we will do is we'll push, we'll be sending out letters to all the department heads, I guess all the committees and boards, and just say, "Please review your existing website." Um, give us a contact person and u let us know. Maybe even send them a link to the site in the event that they're they're lazy
and they don't know how to go to the town website. I'm serious. It is it's it's a challenge, right? If you're not using it all the time, if you're not updating it all the time, to go in once a month or once every month and a half and make some updates, it's not an easy thing to do. We just don't
have the staff or resources to have one person that's going to where all these boards and committees can call Paul or somebody else and hey, can you update this for me? Can you update it? It just doesn't work. Paul's doing a lot of it now. Carol's done a lot of it. Nine planning has done a lot of it over the last couple of
years, but um it's still a challenge. the more transparent we become with the public, the more information that's out there, the more time it takes to keep that information updated. Eventually, we're going to need some additional staff to to maintain this stuff. In the meantime, we'll do what we can. Is is there one particular contact if we
if we're a committee chair to send it to if it's not up if the committee's not on there like offshore wind or anything? This time I would send it Paul's going to look at me. I I would send it to Paul and then we can direct it to Okay. whoever we have to. There's only a certain amount of
administrators on it too, you know. So, okay. And what a lot of it happened too is they migrated over in May. So, if you notice even on ours, I was looking at it today. There was no meetings up since May minutes and stuff. So, it's going to take the departments a little while to catch up with that. Even
though the old website was up to date, they were going back into that again, right? So, it sounds like a really good project for some student community service hours. No, chair. We can tra we can trade the town engineer for two web masters.
Okay. All right. Thank you. Anything else, Jim? That's all I have. Thank you. Uh we have the minutes from August 4. Motion to approve. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? I. I. That's four in favor and one absent.
Report on the bill warrant. Madam chair, the bill warrant was more mundane. If you call $2.4 $4 million mundane that adds up in a while but last time if you recall it was $8 million. So this is a return to what I call normaly
because we generally run um for most of the uh year in the $2 to $3 million range. Everything was in order and so uh we're all set. We don't have to vote on that. Look forward to the next one. All right. Um liaison committee reports
or suggestion for future agenda. Craig, this is easy because the two committees I normally report on, the affordable housing trust and the opioid settlement advisory committee are both meeting this week. So I've already last last meeting I gave last month's they both meet
monthly report. So I have nothing to report for tonight. Okay. Um Dick, well I'm sort of in the same position and haven't met with the other committees of late other than what I've mentioned last meeting. So I don't have any to report at the moment. No items
for future agenda discussion. Yeah, I was just checking my calendar. I didn't I don't think I've had any meetings either. So, um nothing on the calendar. August, July and August are kind of light on committee meetings. Jake, uh the only update I had um Jim attended
with uh police chief and all basically all almost all town departments on uh hurricane planning or emergency hurricane planning meeting uh last week at the fire station. Obviously with Eron sitting out there in the in the Atlantic, I think uh you know it was
good opportunity and I know Chief Baldwin and Chief Dunn will be probably moving that plan forward and obviously Jim is retiring here soon. So hopefully the new town administrator can kind of roll that thing out because I don't think we have really a solid plan in
place right now as a coastal community. U but I think all the departments it was kind of eye opening. It was kind of a tabletop exercise um with how we'd respond and uh a lot of good things came out of that and I think they're going to probably be presenting to us at future meetings. Um but I think there are some
good good discussion points. Um one being trying to get an organized message. Um where does that organized message come from? We don't have a PIO um public information officer here in town. So um you know having different departments put out different messaging
uh may cause some issues. So, uh, I think that's probably first and foremost when the new town administrator comes in to kind of figure that out and and move forward with that. But it was a good meeting and I know both chiefs will be um and and as well the harbor master um takes a very active role with with the
number of boats that we do have uh here in Westport as well. So, it was a good meeting and hopefully uh it was eye opening for many people. Thank you. I'm glad you were able to attend. Okay. Do we have any comments or statements from the public? Seeing none, uh we do have a number of
board and committee vacancies. If you're interested in serving in the town, let us somebody know. We'll find a spot for you. Um do we have any topics under 48 hours? No. Um so we're going to go into executive session. Um we're going to come out of this executive only to
adjourn. Um, so I'll entertain a motion pursuant to the provisions of Mass General Law, Chapter 38, section 21A, where the chair declares an open meeting will have a detrimental effect to a um approve the minutes of July 21, 2025, and B to conduct strategy sessions in
preparation for negotiations with non-UN personnel or to conduct bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with non-union personnel, specifically assistant to the town administrator. Madam chair, I Richard Ro would like to propose we go into executive session for the items annunciated. I Craig Duch
second. All in favor? I Jake Mcwigan. I Sha Tease. I Richard Brewer. I Craig Dra. All right, we're in executive session.